Friday in Season after Pentecost

18Verse 18. There are three things too wonderful for me, four that I cannot understand: 19Verse 19. the way of an eagle in the sky, the way of a snake on a rock, the way of a ship at sea, and the way of a man with a maiden. 20Verse 20. This is the way of an adulteress: She eats and wipes her mouth and says, ‘I have done nothing wrong.’ 21Verse 21. Under three things the earth trembles, under four it cannot bear up: 22Verse 22. a servant who becomes king, a fool who is filled with food, 23Verse 23. an unloved woman who marries, and a maidservant who supplants her mistress. 24Verse 24. Four things on earth are small, yet they are exceedingly wise: 25Verse 25. The ants are creatures of little strength, yet they store up their food in the summer; 26Verse 26. the rock badgers are creatures of little power, yet they make their homes in the rocks; 27Verse 27. the locusts have no king, yet they all advance in formation; 28Verse 28. and the lizard can be caught in one’s hands, yet it is found in the palaces of kings. 29Verse 29. There are three things that are stately in their stride, and four that are impressive in their walk: 30Verse 30. a lion, mighty among beasts, refusing to retreat before anything; 31Verse 31. a strutting rooster; a he-goat; and a king with his army around him. 32Verse 32. If you have foolishly exalted yourself or if you have plotted evil, put your hand over your mouth. 33Verse 33. For as the churning of milk yields butter, and the twisting of the nose draws blood, so the stirring of anger brings forth strife.”

24Verse 24. Then Zedekiah son of Chenaanah went up, struck Micaiah in the face, and demanded, “Which way did the Spirit of the LORD go when He departed from me to speak with you?” 25Verse 25. Micaiah replied, “You will soon see, on that day when you go and hide in an inner room.” 26Verse 26. And the king of Israel declared, “Take Micaiah and return him to Amon the governor of the city and to Joash the king’s son, 27Verse 27. and tell them that this is what the king says: ‘Put this man in prison and feed him only bread and water until I return safely.’” 28Verse 28. But Micaiah replied, “If you ever return safely, the LORD has not spoken through me.” Then he added, “Take heed, all you people!” 29Verse 29. So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah went up to Ramoth-gilead. 30Verse 30. And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will disguise myself and go into battle, but you wear your royal robes.” So the king of Israel disguised himself and went into battle. 31Verse 31. Now the king of Aram had ordered his thirty-two chariot commanders, “Do not fight with anyone, small or great, except the king of Israel.” 32Verse 32. When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they said, “Surely this is the king of Israel!” So they turned to fight against him, but Jehoshaphat cried out. 33Verse 33. And when the chariot commanders saw that he was not the king of Israel, they turned back from pursuing him. 34Verse 34. However, a certain man drew his bow without taking special aim, and he struck the king of Israel between the joints of his armor. So the king said to his charioteer, “Turn around and take me out of the battle, for I am badly wounded!” 35Verse 35. The battle raged throughout that day, and the king was propped up in his chariot facing the Arameans. And the blood from his wound ran out onto the floor of the chariot, and that evening he died. 36Verse 36. As the sun was setting, the cry rang out in the army: “Every man to his own city, and every man to his own land!” 37Verse 37. So the king died and was brought to Samaria, where they buried him. 38Verse 38. And the chariot was washed at the pool of Samaria where the prostitutes bathed, and the dogs licked up Ahab’s blood, according to the word that the LORD had spoken. 39Verse 39. As for the rest of the acts of Ahab, along with all his accomplishments and the ivory palace and all the cities he built, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel? 40Verse 40. And Ahab rested with his fathers, and his son Ahaziah reigned in his place.