Tuesday in Season after Pentecost

1Verse 1. Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 2Verse 2. “What do you people mean by quoting this proverb about the land of Israel: ‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the teeth of the children are set on edge’? 3Verse 3. As surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, you will no longer quote this proverb in Israel. 4Verse 4. Behold, every soul belongs to Me; both father and son are Mine. The soul who sins is the one who will die. 5Verse 5. Now suppose a man is righteous and does what is just and right: 6Verse 6. He does not eat at the mountain or look to the idols of the house of Israel. He does not defile his neighbor’s wife or approach a woman during her period. 7Verse 7. He does not oppress another, but restores the pledge to the debtor. He does not commit robbery, but gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with clothing. 8Verse 8. He does not engage in usury or take excess interest, but he withholds his hand from iniquity and executes true justice between men. 9Verse 9. He follows My statutes and faithfully keeps My ordinances. That man is righteous; surely he will live, 10Verse 10. Now suppose that man has a violent son, who sheds blood or does any of these things, 11Verse 11. though the father has done none of them: Indeed, the son eats at the mountain and defiles his neighbor’s wife. 12Verse 12. He oppresses the poor and needy; he commits robbery and does not restore a pledge. He lifts his eyes to idols; he commits abominations. 13Verse 13. He engages in usury and takes excess interest. Will this son live? He will not! Since he has committed all these abominations, he will surely die; his blood will be on his own head. 14Verse 14. Now suppose this son has a son who sees all the sins his father has committed, considers them, and does not do likewise: 15Verse 15. He does not eat at the mountain or look to the idols of the house of Israel. He does not defile his neighbor’s wife. 16Verse 16. He does not oppress another, or retain a pledge, or commit robbery. He gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with clothing. 17Verse 17. He withholds his hand from harming the poor and takes no interest or usury. He keeps My ordinances and follows My statutes. Such a man will not die for his father’s iniquity. He will surely live. 18Verse 18. As for his father, he will die for his own iniquity, because he practiced extortion, robbed his brother, and did what was wrong among his people. 19Verse 19. Yet you may ask, ‘Why shouldn’t the son bear the iniquity of his father?’ Since the son has done what is just and right, carefully observing all My statutes, he will surely live. 20Verse 20. The soul who sins is the one who will die. A son will not bear the iniquity of his father, and a father will not bear the iniquity of his son. The righteousness of the righteous man will fall upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked man will fall upon him. 21Verse 21. But if the wicked man turns from all the sins he has committed, keeps all My statutes, and does what is just and right, he will surely live; he will not die. 22Verse 22. None of the transgressions he has committed will be held against him. Because of the righteousness he has practiced, he will live. 23Verse 23. Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Lord GOD. Wouldn’t I prefer that he turn from his ways and live? 24Verse 24. But if a righteous man turns from his righteousness and practices iniquity, committing the same abominations as the wicked, will he live? None of the righteous acts he did will be remembered. Because of the unfaithfulness and sin he has committed, he will die. 25Verse 25. Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ Hear now, O house of Israel: Is it My way that is unjust? Is it not your ways that are unjust? 26Verse 26. If a righteous man turns from his righteousness and practices iniquity, he will die for this. He will die because of the iniquity he has committed. 27Verse 27. But if a wicked man turns from the wickedness he has committed and does what is just and right, he will save his life. 28Verse 28. Because he considered and turned from all the transgressions he had committed, he will surely live; he will not die. 29Verse 29. Yet the house of Israel says, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ Are My ways unjust, O house of Israel? Is it not your ways that are unjust? 30Verse 30. Therefore, O house of Israel, I will judge you, each according to his ways, declares the Lord GOD. Repent and turn from all your transgressions, so that your iniquity will not become your downfall. 31Verse 31. Cast away from yourselves all the transgressions you have committed, and fashion for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. Why should you die, O house of Israel? 32Verse 32. For I take no pleasure in anyone’s death, declares the Lord GOD. So repent and live![’’]

8Verse 8. Now the king of Aram was at war against Israel. After consulting with his servants, he said, “My camp will be in such and such a place.” 9Verse 9. Then the man of God sent word to the king of Israel: “Be careful not to pass by this place, for the Arameans are going down there.” 10Verse 10. So the king of Israel sent word to the place the man of God had pointed out. Time and again Elisha warned the king, so that he was on his guard in such places. 11Verse 11. For this reason the king of Aram became enraged and called his servants to demand of them, “Tell me, which one of us is on the side of the king of Israel?” 12Verse 12. But one of his servants replied, “No one, my lord the king. For Elisha, the prophet in Israel, tells the king of Israel the very words you speak in your bedroom.” 13Verse 13. So the king said, “Go and see where he is, that I may send men to capture him.” On receiving the report, “Elisha is in Dothan,” 14Verse 14. the king of Aram sent horses, chariots, and a great army. They went there by night and surrounded the city. 15Verse 15. When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early in the morning, behold, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. So he asked Elisha, “Oh, my master, what are we to do?” 16Verse 16. “Do not be afraid,” Elisha answered, “for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” 17Verse 17. Then Elisha prayed, “O LORD, please open his eyes that he may see.” And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw that the hills were full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. 18Verse 18. As the Arameans came down against him, Elisha prayed to the LORD, “Please strike these people with blindness.” So He struck them with blindness, according to the word of Elisha. 19Verse 19. And Elisha told them, “This is not the way, and this is not the city. Follow me, and I will take you to the man you are seeking.” And he led them to Samaria. 20Verse 20. When they had entered Samaria, Elisha said, “O LORD, open the eyes of these men that they may see.” Then the LORD opened their eyes, and they looked around and discovered that they were in Samaria. 21Verse 21. And when the king of Israel saw them, he asked Elisha, “My father, shall I kill them? Shall I kill them?” 22Verse 22. “Do not kill them,” he replied. “Would you kill those you have captured with your own sword or bow? Set food and water before them, that they may eat and drink and then return to their master.” 23Verse 23. So the king prepared a great feast for them, and after they had finished eating and drinking, he sent them away, and they returned to their master. And the Aramean raiders did not come into the land of Israel again.