Wednesday in Season after Pentecost

9Verse 9. The LORD said to Moses, “Behold, I will come to you in a dense cloud, so that the people will hear when I speak with you, and they will always put their trust in you.” And Moses relayed to the LORD what the people had said. 10Verse 10. Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow. They must wash their clothes 11Verse 11. and be prepared by the third day, for on the third day the LORD will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people. 12Verse 12. And you are to set up a boundary for the people around the mountain and tell them, ‘Be careful not to go up on the mountain or touch its base. Whoever touches the mountain shall surely be put to death. 13Verse 13. No hand shall touch him, but he shall surely be stoned or shot with arrows — whether man or beast, he must not live.’ Only when the ram’s horn sounds a long blast may they approach the mountain. ” 14Verse 14. When Moses came down from the mountain to the people, he consecrated them, and they washed their clothes. 15Verse 15. “Be prepared for the third day,” he said to the people. “Do not draw near to a woman.” 16Verse 16. On the third day, when morning came, there was thunder and lightning. A thick cloud was upon the mountain, and a very loud blast of the ram’s horn went out, so that all the people in the camp trembled. 17Verse 17. Then Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. 18Verse 18. Mount Sinai was completely enveloped in smoke, because the LORD had descended on it in fire. And the smoke rose like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked violently. 19Verse 19. And as the sound of the ram’s horn grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and God answered him in the thunder. 20Verse 20. The LORD descended to the top of Mount Sinai and called Moses to the summit. So Moses went up, 21Verse 21. and the LORD said to him, “Go down and warn the people not to break through to see the LORD, lest many of them perish. 22Verse 22. Even the priests who approach the LORD must consecrate themselves, or the LORD will break out against them.” 23Verse 23. But Moses said to the LORD, “The people cannot come up Mount Sinai, for You solemnly warned us, ‘Put a boundary around the mountain and set it apart as holy.’” 24Verse 24. And the LORD replied, “Go down and bring Aaron with you. But the priests and the people must not break through to come up to the LORD, or He will break out against them.” 25Verse 25. So Moses went down to the people and spoke to them.

23Verse 23. Now the lords of the Philistines gathered together to offer a great sacrifice to their god Dagon. They rejoiced and said, “Our god has delivered Samson our enemy into our hands.” 24Verse 24. And when the people saw him, they praised their god, saying: “Our god has delivered into our hands our enemy who destroyed our land and multiplied our dead.” 25Verse 25. And while their hearts were merry, they said, “Call for Samson to entertain us.” So they called Samson out of the prison to entertain them. And they stationed him between the pillars. 26Verse 26. Samson said to the servant who held his hand, “Lead me where I can feel the pillars supporting the temple, so I can lean against them.” 27Verse 27. Now the temple was full of men and women; all the lords of the Philistines were there, and about three thousand men and women were on the roof watching Samson entertain them. 28Verse 28. Then Samson called out to the LORD: “O Lord GOD, please remember me. Strengthen me, O God, just once more, so that with one vengeful blow I may pay back the Philistines for my two eyes.” 29Verse 29. And Samson reached out for the two central pillars supporting the temple. Bracing himself against them with his right hand on one pillar and his left hand on the other, 30Verse 30. Samson said, “Let me die with the Philistines.” Then he pushed with all his might, and the temple fell on the lords and all the people in it. So in his death he killed more than he had killed in his life. 31Verse 31. Then Samson’s brothers and his father’s family came down, carried him back, and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the tomb of his father Manoah. And he had judged Israel twenty years.