Mark 6:30-44
[30]
The apostles returned to Jesus and told him all that they had done and
taught. [31] And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate
place and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had
no leisure even to eat. [32] And they went away in the boat to a
desolate place by themselves. [33] Now many saw them going and
recognized them, and they ran there on foot from all the towns and got
there ahead of them. [34] When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and
he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a
shepherd. And he began to teach them many things. [35] And when it grew
late, his disciples came to him and said, “This is a desolate place, and
the hour is now late. [36] Send them away to go into the surrounding
countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.” [37] But
he answered them, “You give them something to eat.” And they said to
him, “Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give it
to them to eat?” [38] And he said to them, “How many loaves do you
have? Go and see.” And when they had found out, they said, “Five, and
two fish.” [39] Then he commanded them all to sit down in groups on the
green grass. [40] So they sat down in groups, by hundreds and by
fifties. [41] And taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up
to heaven and said a blessing and broke the loaves and gave them to the
disciples to set before the people. And he divided the two fish among
them all. [42] And they all ate and were satisfied. [43] And they took
up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish. [44] And those
who ate the loaves were five thousand men.
1 Corinthians 11:1-16
[1] Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.
[2]
Now I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain
the traditions even as I delivered them to you. [3] But I want you to
understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is
her husband, and the head of Christ is God. [4] Every man who prays or
prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head, [5] but every wife
who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head,
since it is the same as if her head were shaven. [6] For if a wife will
not cover her head, then she should cut her hair short. But since it is
disgraceful for a wife to cut off her hair or shave her head, let her
cover her head. [7] For a man ought not to cover his head, since he is
the image and glory of God, but woman is the glory of man. [8] For man
was not made from woman, but woman from man. [9] Neither was man created
for woman, but woman for man. [10] That is why a wife ought to have a
symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels. [11]
Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man nor man of
woman; [12] for as woman was made from man, so man is now born of woman.
And all things are from God. [13] Judge for yourselves: is it proper
for a wife to pray to God with her head uncovered? [14] Does not nature
itself teach you that if a man wears long hair it is a disgrace for him,
[15] but if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For her hair is
given to her for a covering. [16] If anyone is inclined to be
contentious, we have no such practice, nor do the churches of God.
Psalm 86
A Prayer of David.
[1] Incline your ear, O LORD, and answer me,
for I am poor and needy.
[2] Preserve my life, for I am godly;
save your servant, who trusts in you—you are my God.
[3] Be gracious to me, O Lord,
for to you do I cry all the day.
[4] Gladden the soul of your servant,
for to you, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.
[5] For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving,
abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you.
[6] Give ear, O LORD, to my prayer;
listen to my plea for grace.
[7] In the day of my trouble I call upon you,
for you answer me.
[8] There is none like you among the gods, O Lord,
nor are there any works like yours.
[9] All the nations you have made shall come
and worship before you, O Lord,
and shall glorify your name.
[10] For you are great and do wondrous things;
you alone are God.
[11] Teach me your way, O LORD,
that I may walk in your truth;
unite my heart to fear your name.
[12] I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart,
and I will glorify your name forever.
[13] For great is your steadfast love toward me;
you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.
[14] O God, insolent men have risen up against me;
a band of ruthless men seeks my life,
and they do not set you before them.
[15] But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.
[16] Turn to me and be gracious to me;
give your strength to your servant,
and save the son of your maidservant.
[17] Show me a sign of your favor,
that those who hate me may see and be put to shame
because you, LORD, have helped me and comforted me.
Judges 9
[1]
Now Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem to his mother’s
relatives and said to them and to the whole clan of his mother’s family,
[2] “Say in the ears of all the leaders of Shechem, ‘Which is better
for you, that all seventy of the sons of Jerubbaal rule over you, or
that one rule over you?’ Remember also that I am your bone and your
flesh.”
[3]
And his mother’s relatives spoke all these words on his behalf in the
ears of all the leaders of Shechem, and their hearts inclined to follow
Abimelech, for they said, “He is our brother.” [4] And they gave him
seventy pieces of silver out of the house of Baal-berith with which
Abimelech hired worthless and reckless fellows, who followed him. [5]
And he went to his father’s house at Ophrah and killed his brothers the
sons of Jerubbaal, seventy men, on one stone. But Jotham the youngest
son of Jerubbaal was left, for he hid himself. [6] And all the leaders
of Shechem came together, and all Beth-millo, and they went and made
Abimelech king, by the oak of the pillar at Shechem.
[7]
When it was told to Jotham, he went and stood on top of Mount Gerizim
and cried aloud and said to them, “Listen to me, you leaders of Shechem,
that God may listen to you. [8] The trees once went out to anoint a
king over them, and they said to the olive tree, ‘Reign over us.’ [9]
But the olive tree said to them, ‘Shall I leave my abundance, by which
gods and men are honored, and go hold sway over the trees?’ [10] And the
trees said to the fig tree, ‘You come and reign over us.’ [11] But the
fig tree said to them, ‘Shall I leave my sweetness and my good fruit and
go hold sway over the trees?’ [12] And the trees said to the vine, ‘You
come and reign over us.’ [13] But the vine said to them, ‘Shall I leave
my wine that cheers God and men and go hold sway over the trees?’ [14]
Then all the trees said to the bramble, ‘You come and reign over us.’
[15] And the bramble said to the trees, ‘If in good faith you are
anointing me king over you, then come and take refuge in my shade, but
if not, let fire come out of the bramble and devour the cedars of
Lebanon.’
[16]
“Now therefore, if you acted in good faith and integrity when you made
Abimelech king, and if you have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house
and have done to him as his deeds deserved—[17] for my father fought for
you and risked his life and delivered you from the hand of Midian, [18]
and you have risen up against my father’s house this day and have
killed his sons, seventy men on one stone, and have made Abimelech, the
son of his female servant, king over the leaders of Shechem, because he
is your relative—[19] if you then have acted in good faith and integrity
with Jerubbaal and with his house this day, then rejoice in Abimelech,
and let him also rejoice in you. [20] But if not, let fire come out from
Abimelech and devour the leaders of Shechem and Beth-millo; and let
fire come out from the leaders of Shechem and from Beth-millo and devour
Abimelech.” [21] And Jotham ran away and fled and went to Beer and
lived there, because of Abimelech his brother.
[22]
Abimelech ruled over Israel three years. [23] And God sent an evil
spirit between Abimelech and the leaders of Shechem, and the leaders of
Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech, [24] that the violence done
to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might come, and their blood be laid on
Abimelech their brother, who killed them, and on the men of Shechem, who
strengthened his hands to kill his brothers. [25] And the leaders of
Shechem put men in ambush against him on the mountaintops, and they
robbed all who passed by them along that way. And it was told to
Abimelech.
[26]
And Gaal the son of Ebed moved into Shechem with his relatives, and the
leaders of Shechem put confidence in him. [27] And they went out into
the field and gathered the grapes from their vineyards and trod them and
held a festival; and they went into the house of their god and ate and
drank and reviled Abimelech. [28] And Gaal the son of Ebed said, “Who is
Abimelech, and who are we of Shechem, that we should serve him? Is he
not the son of Jerubbaal, and is not Zebul his officer? Serve the men of
Hamor the father of Shechem; but why should we serve him? [29] Would
that this people were under my hand! Then I would remove Abimelech. I
would say to Abimelech, ‘Increase your army, and come out.’”
[30]
When Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal the son of
Ebed, his anger was kindled. [31] And he sent messengers to Abimelech
secretly, saying, “Behold, Gaal the son of Ebed and his relatives have
come to Shechem, and they are stirring up the city against you. [32] Now
therefore, go by night, you and the people who are with you, and set an
ambush in the field. [33] Then in the morning, as soon as the sun is
up, rise early and rush upon the city. And when he and the people who
are with him come out against you, you may do to them as your hand finds
to do.”
[34]
So Abimelech and all the men who were with him rose up by night and set
an ambush against Shechem in four companies. [35] And Gaal the son of
Ebed went out and stood in the entrance of the gate of the city, and
Abimelech and the people who were with him rose from the ambush. [36]
And when Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, “Look, people are coming
down from the mountaintops!” And Zebul said to him, “You mistake the
shadow of the mountains for men.” [37] Gaal spoke again and said, “Look,
people are coming down from the center of the land, and one company is
coming from the direction of the Diviners’ Oak.” [38] Then Zebul said to
him, “Where is your mouth now, you who said, ‘Who is Abimelech, that we
should serve him?’ Are not these the people whom you despised? Go out
now and fight with them.” [39] And Gaal went out at the head of the
leaders of Shechem and fought with Abimelech. [40] And Abimelech chased
him, and he fled before him. And many fell wounded, up to the entrance
of the gate. [41] And Abimelech lived at Arumah, and Zebul drove out
Gaal and his relatives, so that they could not dwell at Shechem.
[42]
On the following day, the people went out into the field, and Abimelech
was told. [43] He took his people and divided them into three companies
and set an ambush in the fields. And he looked and saw the people
coming out of the city. So he rose against them and killed them. [44]
Abimelech and the company that was with him rushed forward and stood at
the entrance of the gate of the city, while the two companies rushed
upon all who were in the field and killed them. [45] And Abimelech
fought against the city all that day. He captured the city and killed
the people who were in it, and he razed the city and sowed it with salt.
[46]
When all the leaders of the Tower of Shechem heard of it, they entered
the stronghold of the house of El-berith. [47] Abimelech was told that
all the leaders of the Tower of Shechem were gathered together. [48] And
Abimelech went up to Mount Zalmon, he and all the people who were with
him. And Abimelech took an axe in his hand and cut down a bundle of
brushwood and took it up and laid it on his shoulder. And he said to the
men who were with him, “What you have seen me do, hurry and do as I
have done.” [49] So every one of the people cut down his bundle and
following Abimelech put it against the stronghold, and they set the
stronghold on fire over them, so that all the people of the Tower of
Shechem also died, about 1,000 men and women.
[50]
Then Abimelech went to Thebez and encamped against Thebez and captured
it. [51] But there was a strong tower within the city, and all the men
and women and all the leaders of the city fled to it and shut themselves
in, and they went up to the roof of the tower. [52] And Abimelech came
to the tower and fought against it and drew near to the door of the
tower to burn it with fire. [53] And a certain woman threw an upper
millstone on Abimelech’s head and crushed his skull. [54] Then he called
quickly to the young man his armor-bearer and said to him, “Draw your
sword and kill me, lest they say of me, ‘A woman killed him.’” And his
young man thrust him through, and he died. [55] And when the men of
Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, everyone departed to his home. [56]
Thus God returned the evil of Abimelech, which he committed against his
father in killing his seventy brothers. [57] And God also made all the
evil of the men of Shechem return on their heads, and upon them came the
curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal.
