Today's Readings and Stuff -- Saturday, 02 April 2016
Happy Saturday
Another gray and windy day. A week ago, we saw temps in the high 60's, even a brief foray above the 70 degree mark. Very nice! I went around stripping the plastic film from the inside of many of our hovel's windows and opened some of the windows to let the cavern's accumulated odors waft out.
That was last week. Been some changes since, and not positive ones in my view. We are experiencing a late-season "polar vortex". I am told that there are predictions of nightly temperatures as low as 13 degrees, with a good chance of SNOW tomorrow, Monday, and Tuesday, with highs over the next 10 days to not be above 50 or so, and a few "highs" in the 30's. Yuck!!!
Dear Wife has been awful sick for the last 2 weeks. In addition to all of her other ailments, she suffers a problem in the inner ear called Menier's Disease. Among other things, it makes it difficult to know whether you are vertical or not, and makes the sufferer quite dizzy. Think about going about 24 hours a day like you were on a vigorous carnival ride. No fun, right? So I often have to walk beside or behind her and provide guidance and balance. Oh, and it means she's in danger of throwing up about all the time. Which is also no fun whatever. In conjunction with the chronic ulcerative colitis, she's constantly worried about either diarrhea, or vomiting, or both at once. Which has happened.
But we try to keep it in perspective. The daughter of some old friends (divorced now, and mom's had 3 husbands since, all gone) is in a "terminal" medical state. We did not expect her to survive to last year's Thanksgiving Day point, and certainly not to the Easter just passed. She's in the hospital now, again, and there is no word on her condition in the last two days.
So we try to keep things in perspective.
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The Old Testament reading is chapters 8 and 9 of the book of the Judges. More on the account of Gideon and the aftermath. Not good.
1
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And
the men of Ephraim said unto him, Why hast thou served us thus, that
thou calledst us not, when thou wentest to fight with the Midianites?
And they did chide with him sharply.
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2
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And
he said unto them, What have I done now in comparison of you? Is not
the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of
Abiezer?
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3
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God
hath delivered into your hands the princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb:
and what was I able to do in comparison of you? Then their anger was
abated toward him, when he had said that.
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4
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And Gideon came to Jordan, and passed over, he, and the three hundred men that were with him, faint, yet pursuing them.
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5
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And
he said unto the men of Succoth, Give, I pray you, loaves of bread unto
the people that follow me; for they be faint, and I am pursuing after
Zebah and Zalmunna, kings of Midian.
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6
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And
the princes of Succoth said, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in
thine hand, that we should give bread unto thine army?
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7
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And
Gideon said, Therefore when the LORD hath delivered Zebah and Zalmunna
into mine hand, then I will tear your flesh with the thorns of the
wilderness and with briers.
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8
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And
he went up thence to Penuel, and spake unto them likewise: and the men
of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had answered him.
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9
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And he spake also unto the men of Penuel, saying, When I come again in peace, I will break down this tower.
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10
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Now
Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor, and their hosts with them, about
fifteen thousand men, all that were left of all the hosts of the
children of the east: for there fell an hundred and twenty thousand men
that drew sword.
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11
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And
Gideon went up by the way of them that dwelt in tents on the east of
Nobah and Jogbehah, and smote the host; for the host was secure.
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12
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And
when Zebah and Zalmunna fled, he pursued after them, and took the two
kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and discomfited all the host.
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13
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And Gideon the son of Joash returned from battle before the sun was up,
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14
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And
caught a young man of the men of Succoth, and inquired of him: and he
described unto him the princes of Succoth, and the elders thereof, even
threescore and seventeen men.
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15
|
And
he came unto the men of Succoth, and said, Behold Zebah and Zalmunna,
with whom ye did upbraid me, saying, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna
now in thine hand, that we should give bread unto thy men that are
weary?
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16
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And he took the elders of the city, and thorns of the wilderness and briers, and with them he taught the men of Succoth.
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17
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And he beat down the tower of Penuel, and slew the men of the city.
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18
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Then
said he unto Zebah and Zalmunna, What manner of men were they whom ye
slew at Tabor? And they answered, As thou art, so were they; each one
resembled the children of a king.
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19
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And
he said, They were my brethren, even the sons of my mother: as the LORD
liveth, if ye had saved them alive, I would not slay you.
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20
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And
he said unto Jether his firstborn, Up, and slay them. But the youth
drew not his sword: for he feared, because he was yet a youth.
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21
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Then
Zebah and Zalmunna said, Rise thou, and fall upon us: for as the man
is, so is his strength. And Gideon arose, and slew Zebah and Zalmunna,
and took away the ornaments that were on their camels' necks.
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22
|
Then
the men of Israel said unto Gideon, Rule thou over us, both thou, and
thy son, and thy son's son also: for thou hast delivered us from the
hand of Midian.
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23
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And Gideon said unto them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you: the LORD shall rule over you.
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24
|
And
Gideon said unto them, I would desire a request of you, that ye would
give me every man the earrings of his prey. (For they had golden
earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.)
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25
|
And
they answered, We will willingly give them. And they spread a garment,
and did cast therein every man the earrings of his prey.
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26
|
And
the weight of the golden earrings that he requested was a thousand and
seven hundred shekels of gold; beside ornaments, and collars, and purple
raiment that was on the kings of Midian, and beside the chains that
were about their camels' necks.
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27
|
And
Gideon made an ephod thereof, and put it in his city, even in Ophrah:
and all Israel went thither a whoring after it: which thing became a
snare unto Gideon, and to his house.
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28
|
Thus
was Midian subdued before the children of Israel, so that they lifted
up their heads no more. And the country was in quietness forty years in
the days of Gideon.
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29
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And Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and dwelt in his own house.
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30
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And Gideon had threescore and ten sons of his body begotten: for he had many wives.
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31
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And his concubine that was in Shechem, she also bare him a son, whose name he called Abimelech.
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32
|
And
Gideon the son of Joash died in a good old age, and was buried in the
sepulchre of Joash his father, in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.
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33
|
And
it came to pass, as soon as Gideon was dead, that the children of
Israel turned again, and went a whoring after Baalim, and made
Baalberith their god.
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34
|
And
the children of Israel remembered not the LORD their God, who had
delivered them out of the hands of all their enemies on every side:
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35
|
Neither
showed they kindness to the house of Jerubbaal, namely, Gideon,
according to all the goodness which he had showed unto Israel.
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1
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And
Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem unto his mother's
brethren, and communed with them, and with all the family of the house
of his mother's father, saying,
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2
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Speak,
I pray you, in the ears of all the men of Shechem, Whether is better
for you, either that all the sons of Jerubbaal, which are threescore and
ten persons, reign over you, or that one reign over you? remember also
that I am your bone and your flesh.
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3
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And
his mother's brethren spake of him in the ears of all the men of
Shechem all these words: and their hearts inclined to follow Abimelech;
for they said, He is our brother.
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4
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And
they gave him threescore and ten pieces of silver out of the house of
Baalberith, wherewith Abimelech hired vain and light persons, which
followed him.
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5
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And
he went unto his father's house at Ophrah, and slew his brethren the
sons of Jerubbaal, being threescore and ten persons, upon one stone:
notwithstanding yet Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left; for
he hid himself.
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6
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And
all the men of Shechem gathered together, and all the house of Millo,
and went, and made Abimelech king, by the plain of the pillar that was
in Shechem.
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7
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And
when they told it to Jotham, he went and stood in the top of mount
Gerizim, and lifted up his voice, and cried, and said unto them, Hearken
unto me, ye men of Shechem, that God may hearken unto you.
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8
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The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them; and they said unto the olive tree, Reign thou over us.
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9
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But
the olive tree said unto them, Should I leave my fatness, wherewith by
me they honor God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?
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10
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And the trees said to the fig tree, Come thou, and reign over us.
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11
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But the fig tree said unto them, Should I forsake my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to be promoted over the trees?
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12
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Then said the trees unto the vine, Come thou, and reign over us.
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13
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And the vine said unto them, Should I leave my wine, which cheereth God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?
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14
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Then said all the trees unto the bramble, Come thou, and reign over us.
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15
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And
the bramble said unto the trees, If in truth ye anoint me king over
you, then come and put your trust in my shadow: and if not, let fire
come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon.
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16
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Now
therefore, if ye have done truly and sincerely, in that ye have made
Abimelech king, and if ye have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house,
and have done unto him according to the deserving of his hands;
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17
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(For my father fought for you, and adventured his life far, and delivered you out of the hand of Midian:
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18
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And
ye are risen up against my father's house this day, and have slain his
sons, threescore and ten persons, upon one stone, and have made
Abimelech, the son of his maidservant, king over the men of Shechem,
because he is your brother;)
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19
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If
ye then have dealt truly and sincerely with Jerubbaal and with his
house this day, then rejoice ye in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice
in you:
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20
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But
if not, let fire come out from Abimelech, and devour the men of
Shechem, and the house of Millo; and let fire come out from the men of
Shechem, and from the house of Millo, and devour Abimelech.
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21
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And Jotham ran away, and fled, and went to Beer, and dwelt there, for fear of Abimelech his brother.
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22
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When Abimelech had reigned three years over Israel,
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23
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Then
God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and
the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech:
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24
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That
the cruelty done to the threescore and ten sons of Jerubbaal might
come, and their blood be laid upon Abimelech their brother, which slew
them; and upon the men of Shechem, which aided him in the killing of his
brethren.
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25
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And
the men of Shechem set liers in wait for him in the top of the
mountains, and they robbed all that came along that way by them: and it
was told Abimelech.
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26
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And Gaal the son of Ebed came with his brethren, and went over to Shechem: and the men of Shechem put their confidence in him.
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27
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And
they went out into the fields, and gathered their vineyards, and trode
the grapes, and made merry, and went into the house of their god, and
did eat and drink, and cursed Abimelech.
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28
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And
Gaal the son of Ebed said, Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that
we should serve him? is not he the son of Jerubbaal? and Zebul his
officer? serve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem: for why should we
serve him?
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29
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And
would to God this people were under my hand! then would I remove
Abimelech. And he said to Abimelech, Increase thine army, and come out.
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30
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And when Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal the son of Ebed, his anger was kindled.
|
31
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And
he sent messengers unto Abimelech privily, saying, Behold, Gaal the son
of Ebed and his brethren be come to Shechem; and, behold, they fortify
the city against thee.
|
32
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Now therefore up by night, thou and the people that is with thee, and lie in wait in the field:
|
33
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And
it shall be, that in the morning, as soon as the sun is up, thou shalt
rise early, and set upon the city: and, behold, when he and the people
that is with him come out against thee, then mayest thou do to them as
thou shalt find occasion.
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34
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And Abimelech rose up, and all the people that were with him, by night, and they laid wait against Shechem in four companies.
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35
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And
Gaal the son of Ebed went out, and stood in the entering of the gate of
the city: and Abimelech rose up, and the people that were with him,
from lying in wait.
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36
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And
when Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, Behold, there come people
down from the top of the mountains. And Zebul said unto him, Thou seest
the shadow of the mountains as if they were men.
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37
|
And
Gaal spake again, and said, See there come people down by the middle of
the land, and another company come along by the plain of Meonenim.
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38
|
Then
said Zebul unto him, Where is now thy mouth, wherewith thou saidst, Who
is Abimelech, that we should serve him? is not this the people that
thou hast despised? go out, I pray now, and fight with them.
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39
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And Gaal went out before the men of Shechem, and fought with Abimelech.
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40
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And Abimelech chased him, and he fled before him, and many were overthrown and wounded, even unto the entering of the gate.
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41
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And Abimelech dwelt at Arumah: and Zebul thrust out Gaal and his brethren, that they should not dwell in Shechem.
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42
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And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people went out into the field; and they told Abimelech.
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43
|
And
he took the people, and divided them into three companies, and laid
wait in the field, and looked, and, behold, the people were come forth
out of the city; and he rose up against them, and smote them.
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44
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And
Abimelech, and the company that was with him, rushed forward, and stood
in the entering of the gate of the city: and the two other companies
ran upon all the people that were in the fields, and slew them.
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45
|
And
Abimelech fought against the city all that day; and he took the city,
and slew the people that was therein, and beat down the city, and sowed
it with salt.
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46
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And when all the men of the tower of Shechem heard that, they entered into an hold of the house of the god Berith.
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47
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And it was told Abimelech, that all the men of the tower of Shechem were gathered together.
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48
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And
Abimelech gat him up to mount Zalmon, he and all the people that were
with him; and Abimelech took an axe in his hand, and cut down a bough
from the trees, and took it, and laid it on his shoulder, and said unto
the people that were with him, What ye have seen me do, make haste, and
do as I have done.
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49
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And
all the people likewise cut down every man his bough, and followed
Abimelech, and put them to the hold, and set the hold on fire upon them;
so that all the men of the tower of Shechem died also, about a thousand
men and women.
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50
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Then went Abimelech to Thebez, and encamped against Thebez, and took it.
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51
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But
there was a strong tower within the city, and thither fled all the men
and women, and all they of the city, and shut it to them, and gat them
up to the top of the tower.
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52
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And Abimelech came unto the tower, and fought against it, and went hard unto the door of the tower to burn it with fire.
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53
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And a certain woman cast a piece of a millstone upon Abimelech's head, and all to brake his skull.
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54
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Then
he called hastily unto the young man his armourbearer, and said unto
him, Draw thy sword, and slay me, that men say not of me, A women slew
him. And his young man thrust him through, and he died.
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55
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And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they departed every man unto his place.
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56
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Thus God rendered the wickedness of Abimelech, which he did unto his father, in slaying his seventy brethren:
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57
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And
all the evil of the men of Shechem did God render upon their heads: and
upon them came the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal.
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======================
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The New Testament reading is verses 22-56 in Luke 8.
22
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Now
it came to pass on a certain day, that he went into a ship with his
disciples: and he said unto them, Let us go over unto the other side of
the lake. And they launched forth.
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23
|
But
as they sailed he fell asleep: and there came down a storm of wind on
the lake; and they were filled with water, and were in jeopardy.
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24
|
And
they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Master, master, we perish.
Then he arose, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water: and
they ceased, and there was a calm.
|
25
|
And
he said unto them, Where is your faith? And they being afraid wondered,
saying one to another, What manner of man is this! for he commandeth
even the winds and water, and they obey him.
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26
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And they arrived at the country of the Gadarenes, which is over against Galilee.
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27
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And
when he went forth to land, there met him out of the city a certain
man, which had devils long time, and ware no clothes, neither abode in
any house, but in the tombs.
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28
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When
he saw Jesus, he cried out, and fell down before him, and with a loud
voice said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God most
high? I beseech thee, torment me not.
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29
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(For
he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For
oftentimes it had caught him: and he was kept bound with chains and in
fetters; and he brake the bands, and was driven of the devil into the
wilderness.)
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30
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And Jesus asked him, saying, What is thy name? And he said, Legion: because many devils were entered into him.
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31
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And they besought him that he would not command them to go out into the deep.
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32
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And
there was there an herd of many swine feeding on the mountain: and they
besought him that he would suffer them to enter into them. And he
suffered them.
|
33
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Then
went the devils out of the man, and entered into the swine: and the
herd ran violently down a steep place into the lake, and were choked.
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34
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When they that fed them saw what was done, they fled, and went and told it in the city and in the country.
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35
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Then
they went out to see what was done; and came to Jesus, and found the
man, out of whom the devils were departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus,
clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid.
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36
|
They also which saw it told them by what means he that was possessed of the devils was healed.
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37
|
Then
the whole multitude of the country of the Gadarenes round about
besought him to depart from them; for they were taken with great fear:
and he went up into the ship, and returned back again.
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38
|
Now the man out of whom the devils were departed besought him that he might be with him: but Jesus sent him away, saying,
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39
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Return
to thine own house, and shew how great things God hath done unto thee.
And he went his way, and published throughout the whole city how great
things Jesus had done unto him.
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40
|
And it came to pass, that, when Jesus was returned, the people gladly received him: for they were all waiting for him.
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41
|
And,
behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the
synagogue: and he fell down at Jesus' feet, and besought him that he
would come into his house:
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42
|
For he had one only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she lay a dying. But as he went the people thronged him.
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43
|
And
a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her
living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any,
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44
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Came behind him, and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her issue of blood stanched.
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45
|
And
Jesus said, Who touched me? When all denied, Peter and they that were
with him said, Master, the multitude throng thee and press thee, and
sayest thou, Who touched me?
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46
|
And Jesus said, Somebody hath touched me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me.
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47
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And
when the woman saw that she was not hid, she came trembling, and
falling down before him, she declared unto him before all the people for
what cause she had touched him, and how she was healed immediately.
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48
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And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.
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49
|
While
he yet spake, there cometh one from the ruler of the synagogue's house,
saying to him, Thy daughter is dead; trouble not the Master.
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50
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But when Jesus heard it, he answered him, saying, Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole.
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51
|
And
when he came into the house, he suffered no man to go in, save Peter,
and James, and John, and the father and the mother of the maiden.
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52
|
And all wept, and bewailed her: but he said, Weep not; she is not dead, but sleepeth.
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53
|
And they laughed him to scorn, knowing that she was dead.
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54
|
And he put them all out, and took her by the hand, and called, saying, Maid, arise.
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55
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And her spirit came again, and she arose straightway: and he commanded to give her meat.
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56
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And her parents were astonished: but he charged them that they should tell no man what was done.
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