Friday, April 16

11Thus says the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, who made the things that are to come: 'Ask Me concerning My sons and daughters; and command Me concerning the works of My hands.

12I made the earth and mankind upon it. With My hand I established heaven and commanded all the stars.

13I raised him up to be a king with righteousness, and all his ways are right. He shall build My city and return the captivity of My people, not with ransoms or gifts,' says the Lord of hosts.

14Thus says the Lord of hosts: 'Egypt labored for you, and the merchandise of the Ethiopians and of the Sabeans, men of stature, shall pass over to you. They shall be your servants and follow behind you, bound with handcuffs. They shall bow down and make supplication to you, because God is with you; and they shall say, 'There is no God besides You.

15For You are God, the God of Israel, the Savior, yet we knew it not.'

16All who oppose him shall be ashamed and disgraced and shall walk in shame. Be restored to Me, O coastlands.

17Israel is saved by the Lord with an everlasting salvation. They will not be ashamed or disgraced forever.'

1Now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham! Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.”

2Then He said, 'Take now your beloved son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a whole burnt offering on one of the mountains I tell you.'

3So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey; and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son; and he split firewood for the whole burnt offering, and arose and went to the place God told him.

4Then on the third day Abraham lifted his eyes and saw the place afar off.

5Thus Abraham said to his young men, 'Stay here with the donkey; the lad and I will go yonder and worship, and we will come back to you.'

6So Abraham took the firewood of the whole burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. Then he took the fire in his hand, and a knife, and the two of them went together.

7Then Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, 'My father.' And he said, 'Here I am, my son.' Then he said, 'Look, the fire and the firewood, but where is the sheep for a whole burnt offering?'

8And Abraham said, 'My son, God will provide for Himself the sheep for a whole burnt offering.' So the two of them went together.

9They came to the place where God had told him. And Abraham built an altar there and placed the firewood in order; and he bound Isaac his son hand and foot and laid him on the altar, upon the firewood.

10Then Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son.

11But the Angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, 'Abraham! Abraham!' So he said, 'Here I am.'

12He then replied, 'Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him, for now I know you fear God, since for My sake you have not spared your beloved son.'

13Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him a ram was caught in a thicket by its horns. So he brought it for a whole burnt offering in the place of his son.

14Thus Abraham called the name of the place The-Lord-Has-Appeared; as it is said to this day, 'In the mountain the Lord was seen.'

15Then the Angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time out of heaven,

16and said, 'By Myself I have sworn, says the Lord, because you did this thing, and for My sake did not spare your beloved son,

17I will certainly bless you, and assuredly multiply your seed as the stars of heaven and as the sand on the seashore; and your seed shall inherit the cities of their enemies.

18In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you obeyed My voice.'

17Why do goods belong to a man without discernment? For a heartless man is unable to gain wisdom.

18He who makes his own house lofty seeks destruction, And the one who turns away from learning will fall into evils.

19Let a friend be with you on every occasion, And let brethren be useful in necessities, For they are begotten for this reason.

20A man without discernment applauds and rejoices over himself, As also the one who gives himself as surety for his friend.

21He who loves sin rejoices in quarrels, And the hard-hearted man does not assemble with good men.

22A changeable man will fall into evils with his tongue, And a heart without discernment is grief to the one possessing it.

23A father does not delight in an uninstructed son; But a son with discernment gladdens his mother.

24A cheerful heart makes a man healthy, But the bones of a sorrowful man dry him up.

25The ways of a man who receives gifts unrighteously do not prosper, And the ungodly man shuns the ways of righteousness.

26The face of a wise man shows understanding, But the eyes of the man without discernment are upon the ends of the earth.

27A son without discernment is wrath to a father And grief to her who bore him.

28It is not good to punish a righteous man, Nor is it holy to plot against righteous princes.

29He who refrains from uttering a harsh word is intelligent, And a longsuffering man has discernment.

30Wisdom shall be imputed to a man without understanding who asks for wisdom, And anyone who holds his peace will seem to have discernment.

1A man seeks a pretext when he wishes to separate from his friends, But he shall be reproached at every opportunity.

2A man lacking understanding has no need of wisdom, For he is rather led by lack of discernment.

3When an ungodly man comes into the depth of evil things, he acts contemptuously, But dishonor and reproach come upon him.

4A word in the heart of a man is deep water, And a river and a fountain of life spring up from it.

5It is not good to admire the person of the ungodly, Nor is it holy to pervert righteousness in judgment.