Thursday in Season after Pentecost

1Verse 1. These are the words of Agur son of Jakeh — the burden that this man declared to Ithiel: “I am weary, O God, and worn out. 2Verse 2. Surely I am the most ignorant of men, and I lack the understanding of a man. 3Verse 3. I have not learned wisdom, and I have no knowledge of the Holy One. 4Verse 4. Who has ascended to heaven and come down? Who has gathered the wind in His hands? Who has bound up the waters in His cloak? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is His name, and what is the name of His Son— surely you know! 5Verse 5. Every word of God is flawless; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him. 6Verse 6. Do not add to His words, lest He rebuke you and prove you a liar. 7Verse 7. Two things I ask of You — do not refuse me before I die: 8Verse 8. Keep falsehood and deceitful words far from me. Give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the bread that is my portion. 9Verse 9. Otherwise, I may have too much and deny You, saying, ‘Who is the LORD?’ Or I may become poor and steal, profaning the name of my God. 10Verse 10. Do not slander a servant to his master, or he will curse you, and you will bear the guilt.

1Verse 1. Again the Israelites did evil in the sight of the LORD; so He delivered them into the hand of Midian for seven years, 2Verse 2. and the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel. Because of the Midianites, the Israelites prepared shelters for themselves in the mountains, caves, and strongholds. 3Verse 3. Whenever the Israelites planted their crops, the Midianites, Amalekites, and other people of the east would come up and invade them, 4Verse 4. encamping against them as far as Gaza and destroying the produce of the land. They left Israel with no sustenance, neither sheep nor oxen nor donkeys. 5Verse 5. For the Midianites came with their livestock and their tents like a great swarm of locusts. They and their camels were innumerable, and they entered the land to ravage it. 6Verse 6. Israel was greatly impoverished by Midian, and the Israelites cried out to the LORD. 7Verse 7. Now when the Israelites cried out to the LORD because of Midian, 8Verse 8. He sent them a prophet, who told them, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: I brought you up out of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. 9Verse 9. I delivered you out of the hands of Egypt and all your oppressors. I drove them out before you and gave you their land. 10Verse 10. And I said to you: ‘I am the LORD your God. You must not fear the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell.’ But you did not obey Me.”