Thursday in Season after Pentecost

1Verse 1. So Abram went up out of Egypt into the Negev— he and his wife and all his possessions— and Lot was with him. 2Verse 2. And Abram had become extremely wealthy in livestock and silver and gold. 3Verse 3. From the Negev he journeyed from place to place toward Bethel, until he came to the place between Bethel and Ai where his tent had formerly been pitched, 4Verse 4. to the site where he had built the altar. And there Abram called on the name of the LORD. 5Verse 5. Now Lot, who was traveling with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents. 6Verse 6. But the land was unable to support both of them while they stayed together, for they had so many possessions that they were unable to coexist. 7Verse 7. And there was discord between the herdsmen of Abram and the herdsmen of Lot. At that time the Canaanites and the Perizzites were also living in the land. 8Verse 8. So Abram said to Lot, “Please let there be no contention between you and me, or between your herdsmen and my herdsmen. After all, we are kinsmen. 9Verse 9. Is not the whole land before you? Now separate yourself from me. If you go to the left, I will go to the right; if you go to the right, I will go to the left.” 10Verse 10. And Lot looked out and saw that the whole plain of the Jordan, all the way to Zoar, was well watered like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt. (This was before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.) 11Verse 11. So Lot chose the whole plain of the Jordan for himself and set out toward the east. And Abram and Lot parted company. 12Verse 12. Abram lived in the land of Canaan, but Lot settled in the cities of the plain and pitched his tent toward Sodom. 13Verse 13. But the men of Sodom were wicked, sinning greatly against the LORD. 14Verse 14. After Lot had departed, the LORD said to Abram, “Now lift up your eyes from the place where you are, and look to the north and south and east and west, 15Verse 15. for all the land that you see, I will give to you and your offspring forever. 16Verse 16. I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if one could count the dust of the earth, then your offspring could be counted. 17Verse 17. Get up and walk around the land, through its length and breadth, for I will give it to you.” 18Verse 18. So Abram moved his tent and went to live near the Oaks of Mamre at Hebron, where he built an altar to the LORD.

7Verse 7. In the days of her affliction and wandering Jerusalem remembers all the treasures that were hers in days of old. When her people fell into enemy hands she received no help. Her enemies looked upon her, laughing at her downfall. 8Verse 8. Jerusalem has sinned greatly; therefore she has become an object of scorn. All who honored her now despise her, for they have seen her nakedness; she herself groans and turns away. 9Verse 9. Her uncleanness stains her skirts; she did not consider her end. Her downfall was astounding; there was no one to comfort her. Look, O LORD, on my affliction, for the enemy has triumphed! 10Verse 10. The adversary has seized all her treasures. For she has seen the nations enter her sanctuary— those You had forbidden to enter Your assembly. 11Verse 11. All her people groan as they search for bread. They have traded their treasures for food to keep themselves alive. Look, O LORD, and consider, for I have become despised.