Genesis 21:22-34, Hosea 9:1-11:12, Psalm 136:6-12
Genesis 21:22-34
At that time, Abimelech and Phicol, the captain of his army spoke to Abraham, saying, “Hashem is with you in all that you do. 23 Now, therefore, swear to me here by Hashem that you will not deal falsely with me, nor with my son, nor with my son’s son. But according to the kindness that I have done to you, you shall do to me, and to the land in which you have lived as a foreigner.”
24 Abraham said, “I will swear.” 25 Abraham complained to Abimelech because of a water well, which Abimelech’s servants had violently taken away. 26 Abimelech said, “I don’t know who has done this thing. You didn’t tell me, and I didn’t hear of it until today.”
27 Abraham took sheep and cattle, and gave them to Abimelech. Those two made a covenant. 28 Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock by themselves.
29 Abimelech said to Abraham,
“What do these seven ewe lambs, which you have set by themselves, mean?”
30 He said, “You shall take these seven ewe lambs from my hand, that it may be a witness to me, that I have dug this well.” 31 Therefore, he called that place Beersheba, because they both swore an oath there. 32 So they made a covenant at Beersheba. Abimelech rose up with Phicol, the captain of his army, and they returned into the land of the Philistines. 33 Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba, and there he called on the name of Yahweh, the Everlasting God. 34 Abraham lived as a foreigner in the land of the Philistines many days.
Hosea 9:1-11:12
Don’t rejoice, Israel, to jubilation like the nations;
for you were unfaithful to your Elohim.
You love the wages of a prostitute at every grain threshing floor.
2 The threshing floor and the wine press won’t feed them,
and the new wine will fail her.
3 They won’t dwell in Hashem’s land;
but Ephraim will return to Egypt,
and they will eat unclean food in Assyria.
4 They won’t pour out wine offerings to Hashem,
neither will they be pleasing to Him.
Their sacrifices will be to them like the bread of mourners;
all who eat of it will be polluted;
for their bread will be for their appetite.
It will not come into Hashem’s house.
5 What will you do in the day of solemn assembly,
and in the day of the feast of Hashem?
6 For, behold, when they flee destruction,
Egypt will gather them up.
Memphis will bury them.
Nettles will possess their pleasant things of silver.
Thorns will be in their tents.
7 The days of visitation have come.
The days of reckoning have come.
Israel will consider the prophet to be a fool,
and the man who is inspired to be insane,
because of the abundance of your sins,
and because your hostility is great.
8 A prophet watches over Ephraim with my Elohim.
A fowler’s snare is on all of his paths,
and hostility in the house of his Elohim.
9 They have deeply corrupted themselves,
as in the days of Gibeah.
He will remember their iniquity.
He will punish them for their sins.
10 I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness.
I saw your fathers as the first ripe in the fig tree at its first season;
but they came to Baal Peor, and consecrated themselves to the shameful thing,
and became abominable like that which they loved.
11 As for Ephraim, their glory will fly away like a bird.
There will be no birth, no one with child, and no conception.
12 Though they bring up their children,
yet I will bereave them, so that not a man shall be left.
Indeed, woe also to them when I depart from them!
13 I have seen Ephraim, like Tyre, planted in a pleasant place;
but Ephraim will bring out his children to the murderer.
14Give them—Hashem what will you give?
Give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts.
15“All their wickedness is in Gilgal;
for there I hated them.
Because of the wickedness of their deeds, I will drive them out of my house!
I will love them no more.
All their princes are rebels.
16 Ephraim is struck.
Their root has dried up.
They will bear no fruit.
Even though they give birth, yet I will kill the beloved ones of their womb.”
17 My Elohim will cast them away, because they didn’t listen to Him;
and they will be wanderers among the nations.
10:1 Israel is a luxuriant vine that produces his fruit.
According to the abundance of his fruit he has multiplied his altars.
As their land has prospered, they have adorned their sacred stones.
2 Their heart is divided.
Now they will be found guilty.
He will demolish their altars.
He will destroy their sacred stones.
3 Surely now they will say, “We have no king; for we don’t fear Hashem;
and the king, what can he do for us?”
4 They make promises, swearing falsely in making covenants.
Therefore, judgment springs up like poisonous weeds in the furrows of the field.
5 The inhabitants of Samaria will be in terror for the calves of Beth Aven,
for its people will mourn over it,
along with its priests who rejoiced over it,
for its glory, because it has departed from it.
6 It also will be carried to Assyria for a present to a great king.
Ephraim will receive shame,
and Israel will be ashamed of his own counsel.
7 Samaria and her king float away
like a twig on the water.
8 The high places also of Aven, the sin of Israel, will be destroyed.
The thorn and the thistle will come up on their altars.
They will tell the mountains, “Cover us!” and the hills, “Fall on us!”
9 “Israel, you have sinned from the days of Gibeah.
There they remained.
The battle against the children of iniquity doesn’t overtake them in Gibeah.
10 When it is my desire, I will chastise them;
and the nations will be gathered against them
when they are bound to their two transgressions.
11 Ephraim is a trained heifer that loves to thresh,
so I will put a yoke on her beautiful neck.
I will set a rider on Ephraim.
Judah will plow.
Jacob will break his clods.
12 Sow to yourselves in righteousness,
reap according to kindness.
Break up your fallow ground,
for it is time to seek Hashem,
until He comes and rains righteousness on you.
13 You have plowed wickedness.
You have reaped iniquity.
You have eaten the fruit of lies,
for you trusted in your way, in the multitude of your mighty men.
14 Therefore a battle roar will arise among your people,
and all your fortresses will be destroyed,
as Shalman destroyed Beth Arbel in the day of battle.
The mother was dashed in pieces with her children.
15 So Bethel will do to you because of your great wickedness.
At daybreak the king of Israel will be destroyed.
11:1 “When Israel was a child, then I loved him,
and called my son out of Egypt.
2 They called to them, so they went from them.
They sacrificed to the Baals,
and burned incense to engraved images.
3 Yet I taught Ephraim to walk.
I took them by their arms,
but they didn’t know that I healed them.
4 I drew them with cords of a man, with ties of love;
and I was to them like those who lift up the yoke on their necks;
and I bent down to him and I fed him.
5 “They won’t return into the land of Egypt;
but the Assyrian will be their king,
because they refused to repent.
6 The sword will fall on their cities,
and will destroy the bars of their gates,
and will put an end to their plans.
7 My people are determined to turn from me.
Though they call to the Most High,
He certainly won’t exalt them.
8 “How can I give you up, Ephraim?
How can I hand you over, Israel?
How can I make you like Admah?
How can I make you like Zeboiim?
My heart is turned within Me,
My compassion is aroused.
9 I will not execute the fierceness of My anger.
I will not return to destroy Ephraim,
for I am Elohim, and not man—the Holy One among you.
I will not come in wrath.
10 They will walk after Hashem,
who will roar like a lion;
for He will roar, and the children will come trembling from the west.
11 They will come trembling like a bird out of Egypt,
and like a dove out of the land of Assyria;
and I will settle them in their houses,” says Hashem.
12 Ephraim surrounds me with falsehood,
and the house of Israel with deceit.
Judah still strays from Elohim,
and is unfaithful to the Holy One.
Psalm 136:6-12
To Him who spread out the earth above the waters,
for His loving kindness endures forever;
7 to Him who made the great lights,
for His loving kindness endures forever;
8 the sun to rule by day,
for His loving kindness endures forever;
9 the moon and stars to rule by night,
for His loving kindness endures forever;
10 to Him who struck down the Egyptian firstborn,
for His loving kindness endures forever;
11 and brought out Israel from among them,
for His loving kindness endures forever;
12 with a strong hand, and with an outstretched arm,
For His loving kindness endures forever.
