Monday in Season after Pentecost

14Verse 14. The next morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it with Uriah. 15Verse 15. In the letter he wrote: “Put Uriah at the front of the fiercest battle; then withdraw from him, so that he may be struck down and killed.” 16Verse 16. So as Joab besieged the city, he assigned Uriah to a place where he knew the strongest enemy soldiers were. 17Verse 17. And when the men of the city came out and fought against Joab, some of David’s servants fell, and Uriah the Hittite also died. 18Verse 18. Joab sent to David a full account of the battle 19Verse 19. and instructed the messenger, “When you have finished giving the king a full account of the battle, 20Verse 20. if the king’s anger flares, he may ask you, ‘Why did you get so close to the city to fight? Did you not realize they would shoot from atop the wall? 21Verse 21. Who struck Abimelech son of Jerubbesheth ? Was it not a woman who dropped an upper millstone on him from the wall, so that he died in Thebez? Why did you get so close to the wall?’ If he asks you this, then you are to say, ‘Your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead as well.’”

1Verse 1. Then the LORD appeared to Abraham by the Oaks of Mamre in the heat of the day, while he was sitting at the entrance of his tent. 2Verse 2. And Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he ran from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground. 3Verse 3. “My lord,” said Abraham, “if I have found favor in your sight, please do not pass your servant by. 4Verse 4. Let a little water be brought, that you may wash your feet and rest yourselves under the tree. 5Verse 5. And I will bring a bit of bread so that you may refresh yourselves. This is why you have passed your servant’s way. After that, you may continue on your way.” “Yes,” they replied, “you may do as you have said.” 6Verse 6. So Abraham hurried into the tent and said to Sarah, “Quick! Prepare three seahs of fine flour, knead it, and bake some bread.” 7Verse 7. Meanwhile, Abraham ran to the herd, selected a tender and choice calf, and gave it to a servant, who hurried to prepare it. 8Verse 8. Then Abraham brought curds and milk and the calf that had been prepared, and he set them before the men and stood by them under the tree as they ate. 9Verse 9. “Where is your wife Sarah?” they asked. “There, in the tent,” he replied. 10Verse 10. Then the LORD said, “I will surely return to you at this time next year, and your wife Sarah will have a son!” Now Sarah was behind him, listening at the entrance to the tent. 11Verse 11. And Abraham and Sarah were already old and well along in years; Sarah had passed the age of childbearing. 12Verse 12. So she laughed to herself, saying, “After I am worn out and my master is old, will I now have this pleasure?” 13Verse 13. And the LORD asked Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Can I really bear a child when I am old?’ 14Verse 14. Is anything too difficult for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you — in about a year — and Sarah will have a son.” 15Verse 15. But Sarah was afraid, so she denied it and said, “I did not laugh.” “No,” replied the LORD, “but you did laugh.”