Judges 17 (Listen)

Micah and the Levite

1 There was a man of the hill country of Ephraim, whose name was Micah. 2 And he said to his mother, “The 1,100 pieces of silver that were taken from you, about which you uttered a curse, and also spoke it in my ears, behold, the silver is with me; I took it.” And his mother said, “Blessed be my son by the LORD.” 3 And he restored the 1,100 pieces of silver to his mother. And his mother said, “I dedicate the silver to the LORD from my hand for my son, to make a carved image and a metal image. Now therefore I will restore it to you.” 4 So when he restored the money to his mother, his mother took 200 pieces of silver and gave it to the silversmith, who made it into a carved image and a metal image. And it was in the house of Micah. 5 And the man Micah had a shrine, and he made an ephod and household gods, and ordained one of his sons, who became his priest. 6 In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.

7 Now there was a young man of Bethlehem in Judah, of the family of Judah, who was a Levite, and he sojourned there. 8 And the man departed from the town of Bethlehem in Judah to sojourn where he could find a place. And as he journeyed, he came to the hill country of Ephraim to the house of Micah. 9 And Micah said to him, “Where do you come from?” And he said to him, “I am a Levite of Bethlehem in Judah, and I am going to sojourn where I may find a place.” 10 And Micah said to him, “Stay with me, and be to me a father and a priest, and I will give you ten pieces of silver a year and a suit of clothes and your living.” And the Levite went in. 11 And the Levite was content to dwell with the man, and the young man became to him like one of his sons. 12 And Micah ordained the Levite, and the young man became his priest, and was in the house of Micah. 13 Then Micah said, “Now I know that the LORD will prosper me, because I have a Levite as priest.”

(ESV)

Proverbs 20 (Listen)

1   Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler,
    and whoever is led astray by it is not wise.
2   The terror of a king is like the growling of a lion;
    whoever provokes him to anger forfeits his life.
3   It is an honor for a man to keep aloof from strife,
    but every fool will be quarreling.
4   The sluggard does not plow in the autumn;
    he will seek at harvest and have nothing.
5   The purpose in a man’s heart is like deep water,
    but a man of understanding will draw it out.
6   Many a man proclaims his own steadfast love,
    but a faithful man who can find?
7   The righteous who walks in his integrity—
    blessed are his children after him!
8   A king who sits on the throne of judgment
    winnows all evil with his eyes.
9   Who can say, “I have made my heart pure;
    I am clean from my sin”?
10   Unequal weights and unequal measures
    are both alike an abomination to the LORD.
11   Even a child makes himself known by his acts,
    by whether his conduct is pure and upright.
12   The hearing ear and the seeing eye,
    the LORD has made them both.
13   Love not sleep, lest you come to poverty;
    open your eyes, and you will have plenty of bread.
14   “Bad, bad,” says the buyer,
    but when he goes away, then he boasts.
15   There is gold and abundance of costly stones,
    but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.
16   Take a man’s garment when he has put up security for a stranger,
    and hold it in pledge when he puts up security for foreigners.
17   Bread gained by deceit is sweet to a man,
    but afterward his mouth will be full of gravel.
18   Plans are established by counsel;
    by wise guidance wage war.
19   Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets;
    therefore do not associate with a simple babbler.
20   If one curses his father or his mother,
    his lamp will be put out in utter darkness.
21   An inheritance gained hastily in the beginning
    will not be blessed in the end.
22   Do not say, “I will repay evil”;
    wait for the LORD, and he will deliver you.
23   Unequal weights are an abomination to the LORD,
    and false scales are not good.
24   A man’s steps are from the LORD;
    how then can man understand his way?
25   It is a snare to say rashly, “It is holy,”
    and to reflect only after making vows.
26   A wise king winnows the wicked
    and drives the wheel over them.
27   The spirit of man is the lamp of the LORD,
    searching all his innermost parts.
28   Steadfast love and faithfulness preserve the king,
    and by steadfast love his throne is upheld.
29   The glory of young men is their strength,
    but the splendor of old men is their gray hair.
30   Blows that wound cleanse away evil;
    strokes make clean the innermost parts.

(ESV)

Psalm 141 (Listen)

Give Ear to My Voice

A Psalm of David.

1   O LORD, I call upon you; hasten to me!
    Give ear to my voice when I call to you!
2   Let my prayer be counted as incense before you,
    and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice!
3   Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth;
    keep watch over the door of my lips!
4   Do not let my heart incline to any evil,
    to busy myself with wicked deeds
  in company with men who work iniquity,
    and let me not eat of their delicacies!
5   Let a righteous man strike me—it is a kindness;
    let him rebuke me—it is oil for my head;
    let my head not refuse it.
  Yet my prayer is continually against their evil deeds.
6   When their judges are thrown over the cliff,
    then they shall hear my words, for they are pleasant.
7   As when one plows and breaks up the earth,
    so shall our bones be scattered at the mouth of Sheol.
8   But my eyes are toward you, O GOD, my Lord;
    in you I seek refuge; leave me not defenseless!
9   Keep me from the trap that they have laid for me
    and from the snares of evildoers!
10   Let the wicked fall into their own nets,
    while I pass by safely.

(ESV)