30 September 2022

Job escaped by the skin of his teeth

Title:

OT  4th Cycle.   NT  8th Cycle.

Thursday 29Sep22
Job 13:1 - 31:40 NRSV (475 verses)

Friday 30Sep22
Job 32:1 - 42:17 NRSV (311 verses)


I continued reading the Book of Job yesterday and today I have finished reading all 42 chapters.

Today is the Sixth Day of the Biblical Week. It is Preparation Day. Let us finish all our tasks for the week and prepare to enter into a day of Sabbath Rest beginning at sunset this evening.

Passage of the day

In the course of being badly criticised, falsely accused, and recklessly judged by Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite, Job described his three friends in his replies:

As for you, you whitewash with lies;
all of you are worthless physicians.

Job 13:4  New Revised Standard Version
I have heard many such things;
miserable comforters are you all.

Job 16:2  New Revised Standard Version

Also in chapter 19 verse 20, Job described himself as one who had escaped by the skin of his teeth.

My bones cling to my skin and to my flesh,
and I have escaped by the skin of my teeth.

19:20  New Revised Standard Version

28 September 2022

Reading Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther

OT  4th Cycle.    NT  8th Cycle.

Tuesday 27Sep22
Ezra 1:1 - 10:44 ASV (280 verses)
Nehemiah 1:1 - 13:31 ASV (406 verses)

Wednesday 28Sep22
Esther 1:1 - 10:3 ASV (166 verses)
Job 1:1 - 12:25 ASV (283 verses)


I'm still in the midst of trying to catch up with my recent disruptions from Bible readings.

Yesterday, I finished reading through the books of Ezra and Nehemiah. I continued with the book of Esther today, after which I went on to read the first twelve chapters of the book of Job.

Passage of the day

Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast in like manner; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish.
Esther 4:16  American Standard Version

26 September 2022

The Temple built on Araunah's threshing floor on Mt Moriah

OT  4th Cycle.    NT  8th Cycle.

Monday 26Sep22
2 Chronicles 1:1 - 36:23 GNB (820 verses)


After a nine day break from Bible reading caused by various disruptions and events, I am able to labour through all 36 chapters of the Book of Second Chronicles, reading a total of 820 verses.

Tomorrow, I will proceed with reading the Book of Ezra which is a sequel to 2 Chronicles, at the juncture of King Cyrus of Persia giving the decree for the children of Israel to return to their homeland and to rebuild their Temple on Mount Moriah.

Passage of the day

King David, Solomon's father, had already prepared a place for the Temple. It was in Jerusalem, on Mount Moriah, where the LORD appeared to David, the place which Araunah the Jebusite had used as a threshing place. King Solomon began the construction 2in the second month of the fourth year that he was king. 3The Temple which King Solomon built was 27 metres long and nine metres wide. 4The entrance room was the full width of the Temple, nine metres, and was 54 metres high. The inside of the room was overlaid with pure gold.
2 Chronicles 3:1 - 4  Good News Bible

17 September 2022

The Giants of Gath

OT  4th Cycle.    NT  8th Cycle.

Saturday 17Sep2022
1 Chronicles 19:1 - 29:30 GNB (280 verses)


Shabbat Shalom.

Today is the Seventh Day of the Biblical week. It is Sabbath Day. Let us rest from all our work and keep the Fourth Commandment, to remember to honour the day on which God rested from all His work of Creation.

This morning I finished reading the book of 1 Chronicles. Tomorrow I will go on to read 2 Chronicles.

Passage of the day

1 Chronicles chapter 20 tells of how the warriors of King David killed three Philistines giants, Sippai, Lahmi brother of Goliath, and an unnamed giant who had twelve fingers and twelve toes, all of whom were descendants of giants at Gath.

4Later on, war broke out again with the Philistines at Gezer. This was when Sibbecai from Hushah killed a giant named Sippai, and the Philistines were defeated.
5There was another battle with the Philistines, and Elhanan son of Jair killed Lahmi, the brother of Goliath from Gath, whose spear had a shaft as thick as the bar on a weaver's loom.
6Another battle took place at Gath, where there was a giant with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot. He was a descendant of the ancient giants. 7He defied the Israelites, and Jonathan, the son of David's brother Shammah, killed him.
8These three, who were killed by David and his men, were descendants of the giants at Gath.

1 Chronicles 20:4 - 8  Good News Bible

A longer account of the defeat of these giants is found in 2 Samuel chapter 21 verses 15 to 22. In this account, a total of four giants instead of three is mentioned, namely, Ishbibenob, Saph, Goliath (most probably referring to his brother Lahmi, because Goliath had already been killed by David earlier), and the unnamed giant with twelve fingers and twelve toes.

15There was another war between the Philistines and Israel, and David and his men went and fought the Philistines. During one of the battles David grew tired.
16A giant named Ishbibenob, who was carrying a bronze spear that weighed about 3.5 kilogrammes and who was wearing a new sword, thought he could kill David. 17But Abishai son of Zeruiah came to David's help, attacked the giant, and killed him. . . .
18After this there was a battle with the Philistines at Gob, during which Sibbecai from Hushah killed a giant named Saph.
19There was another battle with the Philistines at Gob, and Elhanan son of Jair from Bethlehem killed Goliath from Gath, whose spear had a shaft as thick as the bar on a weaver's loom.
20Then there was another battle at Gath, where there was a giant who loved to fight. He had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot. 21He defied the Israelites, and Jonathan, the son of David's brother Shammah, killed him.
22These four were descendants of the giants of Gath, and they were killed by David and his men.

2 Samuel 21:15 - 22  Good News Bible

A comparison of the account in 1 Chronicles 20 with that in 2 Samuel 21 is given in the table below:

1 Chronicles 20:4-8 2 Samuel 21:15-22
(Not mentioned) Giant: Ishbibenob
Killed by: Abishai ben Zeruiah
Place: unnamed
Giant: Sippai
Killed by: Sibbecai of Hushah
Place: Gezer
Giant: Saph
Killed by: Sibbecai of Hushah
Place: Gob
Giant: Lahmi, brother of Goliath
Killed by: Elhanan ben Jair
Place: unnamed
Giant: Goliath
Killed by: Elhanan ben Jair
Place: Gob
Giant: unnamed, had 12 fingers, 12 toes
Killed by: Jonathan ben Shamah brother of David
Place: Gath
Giant: unnamed, had 12 fingers, 12 toes
Killed by: Jonathan ben Shamah brother of David
Place: Gath

16 September 2022

A long reading to catch up

OT  4th Cycle.    NT  8th Cycle.

Friday 16Sep2022
1 Chronicles 1:1 - 18:17 GNB (655 verses)


Today is the Sixth Day of the Biblical week. It is Preparation Day. Let us finish all our work for the week and prepare ourselves to enter into a day of Sabbath Rest beginning at sunset this evening.

My reading of the Old Testament today covers the first eighteen chapters of the book of First Chronicles, a long reading of 655 verses. I am trying to catch up with my readings after having fallen behind time over the last two weeks.

Having reached the end of the 4th Cycle of New Testament readings yesterday, I will devote all my time to only read the Old Testament from today until the end of the month.

Passage of the day

Seek the LORD and his strength,
seek his presence continually!

1 Chronicles 16:11  Revised Standard Version

15 September 2022

Checkpoint: End of 7th Cycle of New Testament readings

Today I have finished reading the last chapter of the Book of Revelation, bringing me to the end of the 7th Cycle of New Testament reading.

I began reading the New Testament for the Seventh time in mid-June and it has taken me about 3 months to complete this round of NT readings.

The following is the history of my New Testament readings:

  • 1st NT Cycle: 14May20 – 08Feb21 (9 months)
  • 2nd NT Cycle: 09Feb21 – 28Jun21 (5 months)
  • 3rd NT Cycle: 29Jun21 – 26Sep21 (3 months)
  • 4th NT Cycle: 27Sep21 – 28Dec21 (3 months)
  • 5th NT Cycle: 29Dec21 – 17Mar22 (2½ months)
  • 6th NT Cycle: 01Apr22 – 12Jun22 (2½ months)
  • 7th NT Cycle: 13Jun22 – 15Sep22 (3 months)

I will begin the 8th Cycle of NT readings in about two weeks' time (Oct22 – Dec22).

My ongoing progress in Bible reading, both Old and New Testament cycles as well as the current books and chapters, can be found in the following links:

Disrupted readings

OT  4th Cycle.    NT  7th Cycle.

Sun 28Aug - Wed 30Aug2022
No readings


Thursday 01Sep2022
2 John 1:1 - 13 KJV (13 verses)
3 John 1:1 - 14 KJV (14 verses)
Jude 1:1 - 25 KJV (25 verses)
Revelation 1:1 - 2:29 KJV (49 verses)

Saturday 10Sep2022
2 Kings 18:1 - 25:30 GNB (228 verses)

Wednesday 14Sep2022
Revelation 3:1 - 16:21 GNB (240 verses)

Thursday 15Sep2022
Revelation 17:1 - 22:21 GNB (126 verses)


My bible readings have been slow and intermittent for the past eighteen days, being disrupted by some travelling to see my grandchildren.

Today I have finished reading the last chapter of the book of Revelation. This brings me to the end of my 7th Cycle of New Testament. I will take a break from New Testament readings for the coming two weeks and will go on to the 8th Cycle of NT at the beginning of October.

Meanwhile, I will spend all my time in the remainder of September continuing my 4th Cycle of Old Testament readings. I have now reached the end of Second Kings.

Passage of the day

May the grace of the Lord Jesus be with everyone.
Revelation 22:21  Good News Bible

A prophecy about two messengers

OT   7th Cycle.    NT   14th Cycle.    Wed 2026-10-07 Mon 21Sep2026 Daniel 1:1 - 7:28 (224 verses) WEB ...