Day 335 of 730

¹"Now these are the names of the tribes: From the north end, beside the way of Hethlon to the entrance of Hamath, Hazar Enan at the border of Damascus, northward beside Hamath (and they shall have their sides east and west), Dan, one portion.

²By the border of Dan, from the east side to the west side, Asher, one portion.

³By the border of Asher, from the east side even to the west side, Naphtali, one portion.

⁴By the border of Naphtali, from the east side to the west side, Manasseh, one portion.

⁵By the border of Manasseh, from the east side to the west side, Ephraim, one portion.

⁶By the border of Ephraim, from the east side even to the west side, Reuben, one portion.

⁷By the border of Reuben, from the east side to the west side, Judah, one portion.

⁸"By the border of Judah, from the east side to the west side, shall be the offering which you shall offer, twenty-five thousand reeds in breadth, and in length as one of the portions, from the east side to the west side: and the sanctuary shall be in its midst.

⁹The offering that you shall offer to the Lord shall be twenty-five thousand reeds in length, and ten thousand in breadth.

¹⁰For these, even for the priests, shall be the holy offering: toward the north twenty-five thousand in length, and toward the west ten thousand in breadth, and toward the east ten thousand in breadth, and toward the south twenty-five thousand in length: and the sanctuary of the Lord shall be in its midst.

¹¹It shall be for the priests who are sanctified of the sons of Zadok, who have kept my instruction, who didn't go astray when the children of Israel went astray, as the Levites went astray.

¹²It shall be to them an offering from the offering of the land, a thing most holy, by the border of the Levites.

¹³"Answerable to the border of the priests, the Levites shall have twenty-five thousand in length, and ten thousand in breadth: all the length shall be twenty-five thousand, and the breadth ten thousand.

¹⁴They shall sell none of it, nor exchange it, nor shall the first fruits of the land be alienated; for it is holy to the Lord.

¹⁵"The five thousand that are left in the breadth, in front of the twenty-five thousand, shall be for common use, for the city, for dwelling and for suburbs; and the city shall be in its midst.

¹⁶These shall be its measures: the north side four thousand and five hundred, and the south side four thousand and five hundred, and on the east side four thousand and five hundred, and the west side four thousand and five hundred.

¹⁷The city shall have suburbs: toward the north two hundred fifty, and toward the south two hundred fifty, and toward the east two hundred fifty, and toward the west two hundred fifty.

¹⁸The remainder in the length, answerable to the holy offering, shall be ten thousand eastward, and ten thousand westward; and it shall be answerable to the holy offering; and its increase shall be for food to those who labor in the city.

¹⁹Those who labor in the city, out of all the tribes of Israel, shall cultivate it.

²⁰All the offering shall be twenty-five thousand by twenty-five thousand: you shall offer the holy offering foursquare, with the possession of the city.

²¹"The residue shall be for the prince, on the one side and on the other of the holy offering and of the possession of the city; in front of the twenty-five thousand of the offering toward the east border, and westward in front of the twenty-five thousand toward the west border, answerable to the portions, it shall be for the prince: and the holy offering and the sanctuary of the house shall be in its midst.

²²Moreover from the possession of the Levites, and from the possession of the city, being in the midst of that which is the prince's, between the border of Judah and the border of Benjamin, it shall be for the prince.

²³"As for the rest of the tribes: from the east side to the west side, Benjamin, one portion.

²⁴By the border of Benjamin, from the east side to the west side, Simeon, one portion.

²⁵By the border of Simeon, from the east side to the west side, Issachar, one portion.

²⁶By the border of Issachar, from the east side to the west side, Zebulun, one portion.

²⁷By the border of Zebulun, from the east side to the west side, Gad, one portion.

²⁸By the border of Gad, at the south side southward, the border shall be even from Tamar to the waters of Meribath Kadesh, to the brook of Egypt, to the great sea.

²⁹This is the land which you shall divide by lot to the tribes of Israel for inheritance, and these are their several portions, says the Lord God.

³⁰"These are the exits of the city: On the north side four thousand and five hundred reeds by measure;

³¹and the gates of the city shall be after the names of the tribes of Israel, three gates northward: the gate of Reuben, one; the gate of Judah, one; the gate of Levi, one.

³²At the east side four thousand and five hundred reeds, and three gates: even the gate of Joseph, one; the gate of Benjamin, one; the gate of Dan, one.

³³At the south side four thousand and five hundred reeds by measure, and three gates: the gate of Simeon, one; the gate of Issachar, one; the gate of Zebulun, one.

³⁴At the west side four thousand and five hundred reeds, with their three gates: the gate of Gad, one; the gate of Asher, one; the gate of Naphtali, one.

³⁵It shall be eighteen thousand reeds around: and the name of the city from that day shall be, 'The Lord is there.'"

¹In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon to Jerusalem, and besieged it.

²The Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with part of the vessels of the house of God; and he carried them into the land of Shinar to the house of his god: and he brought the vessels into the treasure house of his god.

³The king spoke to Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring in some of the children of Israel, even of the royal family and of the nobles;

⁴youths in whom was no blemish, but well-favored, and skillful in all wisdom, and endowed with knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability to stand in the king's palace; and that he should teach them the learning and the language of the Chaldeans.

⁵The king appointed for them a daily portion of the king's royal food, and of the wine which he drank, and that they should be nourished three years; that at its end they should stand before the king.

⁶Now among these were, of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.

⁷The prince of the eunuchs gave names to them: to Daniel he gave the name of Belteshazzar; and to Hananiah, of Shadrach; and to Mishael, of Meshach; and to Azariah, of Abednego.

⁸But Daniel determined in his heart that he would not defile himself with the king's royal food, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.

⁹Now God gave Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the prince of the eunuchs.

¹⁰The prince of the eunuchs said to Daniel, "I fear my lord the king, who has appointed your food and your drink: for why should he see your faces worse looking than the youths who are of your own age? So would you endanger my head with the king."

¹¹Then said Daniel to the steward whom the prince of the eunuchs had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah:

¹²"Test your servants for ten days; and let them give us vegetables to eat, and water to drink.

¹³Then let our faces be looked on before you, and the face of the youths who eat of the king's royal food; and as you see, deal with your servants."

¹⁴So he listened to them in this matter, and tested them ten days.

¹⁵At the end of ten days their faces appeared better and fatter than all the youths who ate of the king's royal food.

¹⁶So the steward took away their royal food, and the wine that they should drink, and gave them vegetables.

¹⁷Now as for these four youths, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.

¹⁸At the end of the days which the king had appointed for bringing them in, the prince of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar.

¹⁹The king talked with them; and among them all was found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: therefore they entered the king's service.

²⁰In every matter of wisdom and understanding, concerning which the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters who were in all his realm.

²¹Daniel continued even to the first year of king Cyrus.

¹Contend, Lord, with those who contend with me. Fight against those who fight against me.

²Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for my help.

³Brandish the spear and block those who pursue me. Tell my soul, "I am your salvation."

⁴Let those who seek after my soul be disappointed and brought to dishonor. Let those who plot my ruin be turned back and confounded.

⁵Let them be as chaff before the wind, The Lord's angel driving them on.

⁶Let their way be dark and slippery, The Lord's angel pursuing them.

⁷For without cause they have hidden their net in a pit for me. Without cause they have dug a pit for my soul.

⁸Let destruction come on him unawares. Let his net that he has hidden catch himself. Let him fall into that destruction.

⁹My soul shall be joyful in the Lord. It shall rejoice in his salvation.

¹⁰All my bones shall say, "Lord, who is like you, who delivers the poor from him who is too strong for him; yes, the poor and the needy from him who robs him?"

¹¹Unrighteous witnesses rise up. They ask me about things that I do not know about.

¹²They reward me evil for good, to the bereaving of my soul.

¹³But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth. I afflicted my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into my own bosom.

¹⁴I behaved myself as though it had been my friend or my brother. I bowed down mourning, as one who mourns his mother.

¹⁵But in my adversity, they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together. The attackers gathered themselves together against me, and I did not know it. They tore at me, and did not cease.

¹⁶Like the profane mockers in feasts, they gnashed their teeth at me.

¹⁷Lord, how long will you look on? Rescue my soul from their destruction, my precious life from the lions.

¹⁸I will give you thanks in the great assembly. I will praise you among many people.

¹⁹Do not let those who are my enemies wrongfully rejoice over me; neither let those who hate me without a cause and wink their eyes.

²⁰For they do not speak peace, but they devise deceitful words against those who are quiet in the land.

²¹Yes, they opened their mouth wide against me. They said, "Aha! Aha! Our eye has seen it!"

²²You have seen it, Lord. Do not keep silent. Lord, do not be far from me.

²³Wake up! Rise up to defend me, my God! My Lord, contend for me!

²⁴Vindicate me, Lord my God, according to your righteousness. Do not let them gloat over me.

²⁵Do not let them say in their heart, "Aha! That's the way we want it!" Do not let them say, "We have swallowed him up!"

²⁶Let them be disappointed and confounded together who rejoice at my calamity. Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor who magnify themselves against me.

²⁷Let them shout for joy and be glad, who favor my righteous cause. Yes, let them say continually, "The Lord be magnified, who has pleasure in the prosperity of his servant!"

²⁸My tongue shall talk about your righteousness and about your praise all day long.

¹These also are proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied out.

²It is the glory of God to conceal a thing, but the glory of kings is to search out a matter.

³As the heavens for height, and the earth for depth, so the hearts of kings are unsearchable.

⁴Take away the dross from the silver, and material comes out for the refiner;

⁵Take away the wicked from the king's presence, and his throne will be established in righteousness.

⁶Do not exalt yourself in the presence of the king, or claim a place among great men;

⁷for it is better that it be said to you, "Come up here," than that you should be put lower in the presence of the prince, whom your eyes have seen.

⁸Do not be hasty in bringing charges to court. What will you do in the end when your neighbor shames you?

⁹Debate your case with your neighbor, and do not betray the confidence of another;

¹⁰lest one who hears it put you to shame, and your bad reputation never depart.

¹¹A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.

¹²As an earring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise reprover to an obedient ear.

¹³As the cold of snow in the time of harvest, so is a faithful messenger to those who send him; for he refreshes the soul of his masters.

¹⁴As clouds and wind without rain, so is he who boasts of gifts deceptively.

¹⁵By patience a ruler is persuaded. A soft tongue breaks the bone.

¹⁶Have you found honey? Eat as much as is sufficient for you, lest you eat too much, and vomit it.

¹⁷Let your foot be seldom in your neighbor's house, lest he be weary of you, and hate you.

¹⁸A man who gives false testimony against his neighbor is like a club, a sword, or a sharp arrow.

¹⁹Confidence in someone unfaithful in time of trouble is like a bad tooth, or a lame foot.

²⁰As one who takes away a garment in cold weather, or vinegar on soda, so is one who sings songs to a heavy heart.

²¹If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat. If he is thirsty, give him water to drink:

²²for you will heap coals of fire on his head, and the Lord will reward you.

²³The north wind brings forth rain: so a backbiting tongue brings an angry face.

²⁴It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop, than to share a house with a contentious woman.

²⁵Like cold water to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country.

²⁶Like a muddied spring, and a polluted well, so is a righteous man who gives way before the wicked.

²⁷It is not good to eat much honey; nor is it honorable to seek one's own honor.

²⁸Like a city that is broken down and without walls is a man whose spirit is without restraint.