Scripture 7-11

VI. Reading for 7-11-2008

  (27)  And Balak said unto Balaam: 'Come now, I will take thee unto another place; peradventure it will please God that thou mayest curse me them from thence.'

 

  (28)  And Balak took Balaam unto the top of Peor, that looketh down upon the desert.  (29)  And Balaam said unto Balak: 'Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven bullocks and seven rams.'  (30)  And Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered up a bullock and a ram on every altar.

 

  (24:1)  And when Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he went not, as at the other times, to meet with enchantments, but he set his face toward the wilderness.

 

  (2)  And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel dwelling tribe by tribe; and the spirit of God came upon him.  (3)  And he took up his parable, and said:

 

 The saying of Balaam the son of Beor, and the saying of the man whose eye is opened;  (4)  The saying of him who heareth the words of God, who seeth the vision of the Almighty, fallen down, yet with opened eyes:

 

  (5)  How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, thy dwellings, O Israel!  (6)  As valleys stretched out, as gardens by the river-side; as aloes planted of the LORD, as cedars beside the waters;

 

  (7)  Water shall flow from his branches, and his seed shall be in many waters; and his king shall be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall be exalted.  (8)  God who brought him forth out of Egypt is for him like the lofty horns of the wild-ox; he shall eat up the nations that are his adversaries, and shall break their bones in pieces, and pierce them through with his arrows.

 

  (9)  He couched, he lay down as a lion, and as a lioness; who shall rouse him up? Blessed be every one that blesseth thee, and cursed be every one that curseth thee.

 

  (10)  And Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam, and he smote his hands together; and Balak said unto Balaam: 'I called thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast altogether blessed them these three times.  (11)  Therefore now flee thou to thy place; I thought to promote thee unto great honour; but, lo, the LORD hath kept thee back from honour.'  (12)  And Balaam said unto Balak: 'Spoke I not also to thy messengers that thou didst send unto me, saying:  (13)  If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the LORD, to do either good or bad of mine own mind; what the LORD speaketh, that will I speak?

MEDITATION: As part of the people of G-d, is it possible for me to be cursed?

 

Today is the 6th day of the week.

"Great peace have they which love thy law
and nothing shall offend them." Psalms 119:165