Today's Readings and Stuff -- Wednesday, 11 May 2016
warmer today. Supposedly getting rain tonight, but then the local weathercaster an hour ago was telling us about the rain that had been falling for an hour or more. Only, we'd seen none, and still have not. I understood weird weather patterns when we lived in East Tennessee: the combination of the mountains and several rivers, combines to yield wind and weather patterns that can only be described as "weird". Here, not so much: the Ohio side of the line, at least the area some 15 miles or so from here, is pretty flat. Right here, we're in a river valley (the river, a 2nd generation tributary of the Ohio River) is half a mile away, and we can see on the other side of the river the foothills of the Allegheny Mountains. So that can and apparently does affect weather front movements.
Wife is feeling a tiny bit better. Yesterday was a real bad migraine event, and also the day after the Humira injection that she has weekly. It does her a lot of good, but it also exacts a toll on her. Yesterday was that day. She was able to sit outside for a while and get some sun, she was even able (with my help) to got out on the street and walk up that street to the driveway 3 doors down. And back. That may not seem like much, but it's more than she's been able to do since September! so we'll regard it as A Good Sign.
She is still in the dumps emotionally. Sunday was Mothers' Day. We have two daughters that we love dearly, both live far from here. Neither one called, nor sent a card or anything. Previous attempts to contact them have been ignored, and we haven't had word from them for the better part of a year. She's taking it hard, and so am I. But it is what it is. Perhaps there will be a change of heart, some time along the way. I hope so. For everyone's sake.
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The Old Testament reading is chapters 1, 2, and 3 of 2nd Kings. It's really not looking good: this is not the sort of nation that Moses probably had in mind.
1
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Then Moab rebelled against Israel after the death of Ahab.
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2
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And
Ahaziah fell down through a lattice in his upper chamber that was in
Samaria, and was sick: and he sent messengers, and said unto them, Go,
enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron whether I shall recover of this
disease.
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3
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But
the angel of the LORD said to Elijah the Tishbite, Arise, go up to meet
the messengers of the king of Samaria, and say unto them, Is it not
because there is not a God in Israel, that ye go to enquire of Baalzebub
the god of Ekron?
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4
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Now
therefore thus saith the LORD, Thou shalt not come down from that bed
on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die. And Elijah departed.
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5
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And when the messengers turned back unto him, he said unto them, Why are ye now turned back?
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6
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And
they said unto him, There came a man up to meet us, and said unto us,
Go, turn again unto the king that sent you, and say unto him, Thus saith
the LORD, Is it not because there is not a God in Israel, that thou
sendest to enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron? therefore thou shalt
not come down from that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely
die.
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7
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And he said unto them, What manner of man was he which came up to meet you, and told you these words?
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8
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And
they answered him, He was an hairy man, and girt with a girdle of
leather about his loins. And he said, It is Elijah the Tishbite.
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9
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Then
the king sent unto him a captain of fifty with his fifty. And he went
up to him: and, behold, he sat on the top of an hill. And he spake unto
him, Thou man of God, the king hath said, Come down.
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10
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And
Elijah answered and said to the captain of fifty, If I be a man of God,
then let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty.
And there came down fire from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty.
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11
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Again
also he sent unto him another captain of fifty with his fifty. And he
answered and said unto him, O man of God, thus hath the king said, Come
down quickly.
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12
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And
Elijah answered and said unto them, If I be a man of God, let fire come
down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And the fire of God
came down from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty.
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13
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And
he sent again a captain of the third fifty with his fifty. And the
third captain of fifty went up, and came and fell on his knees before
Elijah, and besought him, and said unto him, O man of God, I pray thee,
let my life, and the life of these fifty thy servants, be precious in
thy sight.
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14
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Behold,
there came fire down from heaven, and burnt up the two captains of the
former fifties with their fifties: therefore let my life now be precious
in thy sight.
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15
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And
the angel of the LORD said unto Elijah, Go down with him: be not afraid
of him. And he arose, and went down with him unto the king.
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16
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And
he said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Forasmuch as thou hast sent
messengers to enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron, is it not because
there is no God in Israel to enquire of his word? therefore thou shalt
not come down off that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely
die.
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17
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So
he died according to the word of the LORD which Elijah had spoken. And
Jehoram reigned in his stead in the second year of Jehoram the son of
Jehoshaphat king of Judah; because he had no son.
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18
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Now the rest of the acts of Ahaziah which he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
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1
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And it came to pass, when the LORD would take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal.
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2
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And
Elijah said unto Elisha, Tarry here, I pray thee; for the LORD hath
sent me to Bethel. And Elisha said unto him, As the LORD liveth, and as
thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they went down to Bethel.
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3
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And
the sons of the prophets that were at Bethel came forth to Elisha, and
said unto him, Knowest thou that the LORD will take away thy master from
thy head to day? And he said, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace.
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4
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And
Elijah said unto him, Elisha, tarry here, I pray thee; for the LORD
hath sent me to Jericho. And he said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy
soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they came to Jericho.
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5
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And
the sons of the prophets that were at Jericho came to Elisha, and said
unto him, Knowest thou that the LORD will take away thy master from thy
head to day? And he answered, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace.
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6
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And
Elijah said unto him, Tarry, I pray thee, here; for the LORD hath sent
me to Jordan. And he said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I
will not leave thee. And they two went on.
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7
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And fifty men of the sons of the prophets went, and stood to view afar off: and they two stood by Jordan.
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8
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And
Elijah took his mantle, and wrapped it together, and smote the waters,
and they were divided hither and thither, so that they two went over on
dry ground.
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9
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And
it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto
Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee.
And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon
me.
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10
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And
he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou see me
when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it
shall not be so.
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11
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And
it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there
appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both
asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.
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12
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And
Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father, the chariot of
Israel, and the horsemen thereof. And he saw him no more: and he took
hold of his own clothes, and rent them in two pieces.
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13
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He took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the bank of Jordan;
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14
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And
he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote the waters,
and said, Where is the LORD God of Elijah? and when he also had smitten
the waters, they parted hither and thither: and Elisha went over.
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15
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And
when the sons of the prophets which were to view at Jericho saw him,
they said, The spirit of Elijah doth rest on Elisha. And they came to
meet him, and bowed themselves to the ground before him.
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16
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And
they said unto him, Behold now, there be with thy servants fifty strong
men; let them go, we pray thee, and seek thy master: lest peradventure
the Spirit of the LORD hath taken him up, and cast him upon some
mountain, or into some valley. And he said, Ye shall not send.
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17
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And
when they urged him till he was ashamed, he said, Send. They sent
therefore fifty men; and they sought three days, but found him not.
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18
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And when they came again to him, (for he tarried at Jericho,) he said unto them, Did I not say unto you, Go not?
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19
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And
the men of the city said unto Elisha, Behold, I pray thee, the
situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord seeth: but the water is
naught, and the ground barren.
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20
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And he said, Bring me a new cruse, and put salt therein. And they brought it to him.
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21
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And
he went forth unto the spring of the waters, and cast the salt in
there, and said, Thus saith the LORD, I have healed these waters; there
shall not be from thence any more death or barren land.
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22
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So the waters were healed unto this day, according to the saying of Elisha which he spake.
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23
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And
he went up from thence unto Bethel: and as he was going up by the way,
there came forth little children out of the city, and mocked him, and
said unto him, Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head.
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24
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And
he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the
LORD. And there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tare forty
and two children of them.
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25
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And he went from thence to mount Carmel, and from thence he returned to Samaria.
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1
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Now
Jehoram the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria the
eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned twelve years.
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2
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And
he wrought evil in the sight of the LORD; but not like his father, and
like his mother: for he put away the image of Baal that his father had
made.
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3
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Nevertheless he cleaved unto the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which made Israel to sin; he departed not therefrom.
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4
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And
Mesha king of Moab was a sheepmaster, and rendered unto the king of
Israel an hundred thousand lambs, and an hundred thousand rams, with the
wool.
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5
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But it came to pass, when Ahab was dead, that the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel.
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6
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And king Jehoram went out of Samaria the same time, and numbered all Israel.
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7
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And
he went and sent to Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, saying, The king of
Moab hath rebelled against me: wilt thou go with me against Moab to
battle? And he said, I will go up: I am as thou art, my people as thy
people, and my horses as thy horses.
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8
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And he said, Which way shall we go up? And he answered, The way through the wilderness of Edom.
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9
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So
the king of Israel went, and the king of Judah, and the king of Edom:
and they fetched a compass of seven days' journey: and there was no
water for the host, and for the cattle that followed them.
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10
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And the king of Israel said, Alas! that the LORD hath called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab!
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11
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But
Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the LORD, that we may
enquire of the LORD by him? And one of the king of Israel's servants
answered and said, Here is Elisha the son of Shaphat, which poured water
on the hands of Elijah.
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12
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And
Jehoshaphat said, The word of the LORD is with him. So the king of
Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him.
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13
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And
Elisha said unto the king of Israel, What have I to do with thee? get
thee to the prophets of thy father, and to the prophets of thy mother.
And the king of Israel said unto him, Nay: for the LORD hath called
these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab.
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14
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And
Elisha said, As the LORD of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, surely,
were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah,
I would not look toward thee, nor see thee.
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15
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But now bring me a minstrel. And it came to pass, when the minstrel played, that the hand of the LORD came upon him.
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16
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And he said, Thus saith the LORD, Make this valley full of ditches.
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17
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For
thus saith the LORD, Ye shall not see wind, neither shall ye see rain;
yet that valley shall be filled with water, that ye may drink, both ye,
and your cattle, and your beasts.
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18
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And this is but a light thing in the sight of the LORD: he will deliver the Moabites also into your hand.
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19
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And
ye shall smite every fenced city, and every choice city, and shall fell
every good tree, and stop all wells of water, and mar every good piece
of land with stones.
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20
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And
it came to pass in the morning, when the meat offering was offered,
that, behold, there came water by the way of Edom, and the country was
filled with water.
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21
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And
when all the Moabites heard that the kings were come up to fight
against them, they gathered all that were able to put on armor, and
upward, and stood in the border.
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22
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And
they rose up early in the morning, and the sun shone upon the water,
and the Moabites saw the water on the other side as red as blood:
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23
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And they said, This is blood: the kings are surely slain, and they have smitten one another: now therefore, Moab, to the spoil.
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24
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And
when they came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up and smote
the Moabites, so that they fled before them: but they went forward
smiting the Moabites, even in their country.
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25
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And
they beat down the cities, and on every good piece of land cast every
man his stone, and filled it; and they stopped all the wells of water,
and felled all the good trees: only in Kirharaseth left they the stones
thereof; howbeit the slingers went about it, and smote it.
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26
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And
when the king of Moab saw that the battle was too sore for him, he took
with him seven hundred men that drew swords, to break through even unto
the king of Edom: but they could not.
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27
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Then
he took his eldest son that should have reigned in his stead, and
offered him for a burnt offering upon the wall. And there was great
indignation against Israel: and they departed from him, and returned to
their own land.
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The New Testament reading is verses 22-36 in the 3rd chapter in the Gospel of John.
John the Baptist, earthly cousin of Jesus, is giving way to Him, having prepared the way.
22
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After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judaea; and there he tarried with them, and baptized.
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23
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And John also was baptizing in Aenon near to Salim, because there was much water there: and they came, and were baptized.
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24
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For John was not yet cast into prison.
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25
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Then there arose a question between some of John's disciples and the Jews about purifying.
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26
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And
they came unto John, and said unto him, Rabbi, he that was with thee
beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest witness, behold, the same baptizeth,
and all men come to him.
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27
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John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven.
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28
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Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him.
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29
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He
that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the
bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of
the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled.
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30
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He must increase, but I must decrease.
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31
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He
that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is
earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above
all.
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32
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And what he hath seen and heard, that he testifieth; and no man receiveth his testimony.
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33
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He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true.
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34
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For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.
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35
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The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand.
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36
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He
that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth
not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
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