The children of your servants will continue. Their offspring will be established before you. Psalm 102:28
Judges 13-14
Judges 13
The Birth of Samson
1 The Israelites again did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord delivered them into the hand of the Philistines for 40 years.
2 There was a certain man of Zorah, from the family of the Danites, whose name was Manoah, and his wife was barren and was without children. 3 The angel of the Lord appeared to the woman and said to her, âSee now, you are barren and without children, but you shall conceive and bear a son. 4 Now therefore please beware and drink no wine nor strong drink and do not eat any unclean thing, 5Â for you shall conceive and give birth to a son. No razor shall touch his head, for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb. He shall begin to save Israel from the hand of the Philistines.â
6 Then the woman came and told her husband, saying, âA man of God came to me, and his face was like the face of the angel of the Lord, very awesome. I didnât ask him where he was from, nor did he tell me his name, 7 but he said to me, âYou shall conceive and bear a son, and now drink no wine nor strong drink. Do not eat any unclean thing, for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb to the day of his death.â â
8 Then Manoah entreated the Lord, and said, âOh, my Lord, please let the man of God whom you sent come to us again and teach us what we should do for the child who shall be born.â
9 God listened to the voice of Manoah, and the angel of the Lord came to the woman again as she sat in the field, but Manoah, her husband, was not with her. 10 The woman quickly ran and told her husband, saying to him, âThe man who came to me that day has appeared to me.â
11Â Manoah arose and followed his wife, and came to the man, and said to him, âAre you the man who spoke to my wife?â
He said, âI am.â
12Â Manoah said, âNow when your words come true, what shall the childâs way of life and mission be?â
13Â The angel of the Lord said to Manoah, âOf all that I said to the woman let her beware. 14 She may not eat of anything that comes from the vine, nor let her drink wine or strong drink, nor eat any unclean thing. Let her observe all that I commanded her.â
15Â Manoah said to the angel of the Lord, âPlease stay with us, that we may prepare a young goat for you.â
16Â The angel of the Lord said to Manoah, âThough you detain me, I will not eat your bread. If you will prepare a burnt offering, you must offer it to the Lord.â For Manoah did not know that he was the angel of the Lord.
17Â Manoah said to the angel of the Lord, âWhat is your name, that when your words come to pass, we may honor you?â
18Â The angel of the Lord said to him, âWhy do you ask about my name, since it is incomprehensible?â
19Â So Manoah took the young goat with the grain offering, and offered it on the rock to the Lord. Then the angel did an amazing thing as Manoah and his wife watched. 20 For when the flame went up toward the sky from off the altar, the angel of the Lord ascended in the flame of the altar. Manoah and his wife watched, and they fell on their faces to the ground. 21Â But the angel of the Lord did not appear to Manoah or to his wife any more. Then Manoah knew that he was the angel of the Lord.
22Â Manoah said to his wife, âWe shall surely die, because we have seen God.â
23Â But his wife said to him, âIf the Lord wanted to kill us, he wouldnât have received a burnt offering and a grain offering at our hand, and he wouldnât have shown us all these things, nor would he have told us such things as these at this time.â 24Â The woman bore a son and named him Samson. The child grew, and the Lord blessed him. 25Â The Spirit of the Lord began to move him in Mahaneh Dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol.
Judges 14
Samson’s Marriage
1 Samson went down to Timnah and saw a woman in Timnah from the daughters of the Philistines. 2Â He came back and told his father and his mother, âI have seen a woman in Timnah from the daughters of the Philistines. Now therefore get her for me as my wife.â
3Â Then his father and his mother said to him, âIsnât there a woman among your brothersâ daughters, or among all my people that you must go to the uncircumcised Philistines for a wife?â
Samson said to his father, âGet her for me, for in my eyes, she is right.â
4 But his father and his mother did not know that it was from the Lord, for he sought an occasion against the Philistines. Now at that time the Philistines ruled over Israel.
5 Then Samson went down to Timnah with his father and his mother and came to the vineyards of Timnah, and a young lion roared at him. 6Â The Spirit of the Lord came mightily on him, and he tore him as he would have torn a young goat with his bare hands, but he did not tell his father or his mother what he had done. 7Â He went down and talked with the woman, and she pleased Samson well.
Samson’s Riddle
8Â After a while he returned to take her, and he went over to see the carcass of the lion; and there was a swarm of bees in the body of the lion, and honey. 9Â He took it into his hands, and went on, eating as he went. He came to his father and mother and gave some to them, and they ate it, but he did not tell them that he had taken the honey out of the lionâs body. 10 His father went down to the woman, and Samson made a feast there, for the young men used to do so.
11Â When they saw him, they brought 30 companions to be with him.
12 Samson said to them, âLet me tell you a riddle now. If you can tell me the answer within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you 30 linen garments and 30 changes of clothing, 13Â but if you cannot tell me the answer, then you shall give me 30 linen garments and 30 changes of clothing.â
They said to him, âTell us your riddle, that we may hear it.â
14Â He said to them,
“From the eater came food.
From the strong came sweetness.â
They could not in three days declare the riddle. 15Â On the seventh day, they said to Samsonâs wife, âEntice your husband, that he may explain the riddle to us, or we will burn you and your fatherâs house down. Have you called us to impoverish us?
16Â Samsonâs wife wept before him, and said, âYou just hate me, and donât love me. Youâve told a riddle to my people, and havenât told it to me.â
He said to her, âI havenât told my father or my mother, so why should I tell you?â
17 She cried before him for the seven days, while their feast lasted, and on the seventh day, he told her, because she pressed him severely, and she told the riddle to her people. 18Â The men of the city said to him on the seventh day before the sun went down, âWhat is sweeter than honey? What is stronger than a lion?â
He said to them,
âIf you had not plowed with my heifer,
you would not have found out my riddle.â
19Â The Spirit of the Lord came mightily on him, and he went down to Ashkelon and struck 30 of their men. He took their plunder, then gave the changes of clothing to those who declared the riddle. His anger burned, and he went up to his fatherâs house. 20Â But Samsonâs wife was given to his companion, who had been his friend.
John 1:29-51
The Lamb of God
29 The next day, John saw Jesus coming to him, and said, âBehold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is he of whom I said, âAfter me comes a man who is preferred before me, for he was before me.â 31Â I did not know him, but for this reason I came baptizing in water: that he would be revealed to Israel.â
32Â John testified, saying, âI have seen the Spirit descending like a dove out of heaven, and it remained on him. 33Â I did not recognize him, but he who sent me to baptize in water said to me, âOn whomever you will see the Spirit descending and remaining on him is he who baptizes in the Holy Spirit.â 34Â I have seen, and have testified that this is the Son of God.â
Jesus Calls His First Disciples
35Â Again, the next day, John was standing with two of his disciples, 36Â and he looked at Jesus as he walked, and said, âBehold, the Lamb of God!â 37Â The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. 38 Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, âWhat are you looking for?â
They said to him, âRabbiâ (which is to say, being interpreted, Teacher), âwhere are you staying?â
39Â He said to them, âCome and see.â
They came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day. It was about the tenth hour. 40Â One of the two who heard John and followed him was Andrew, Simon Peterâs brother. 41 He first found his own brother, Simon, and said to him, âWe have found the Messiah!â 42 He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, âYou are Simon the son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephasâ [which is by interpretation, Peter].
Jesus Calls Philip and Nathanael
43Â The next day, he was determined to go out into Galilee, and he found Philip. Jesus said to him, âFollow me.â 44Â Now Philip was from Bethsaida, of the city of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip found Nathanael and said to him, âWe have found him, of whom Moses in the law and the prophets, wrote: Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.â
46Â Nathanael said to him, âCan any good thing come from Nazareth?â
Philip said to him, âCome and see.â
47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him and said about him, âLook, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!â
48Â Nathanael said to him, âHow do you know me?â
Jesus answered him, âBefore Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.â
49Â Nathanael answered him, âRabbi, you are the Son of God! You are King of Israel!â
50Â Jesus answered him, âBecause I told you, âI saw you underneath the fig tree,â do you believe? You will see greater things than these!â 51Â He said to him, âMost certainly, I tell all of you, hereafter you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.â
Psalm 102
Do Not Hide Your Face From Me
A Prayer of the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed and pours out his complaint before God.
1Â Hear my prayer, O Lord!
Let my cry come to you.
2Â Do not hide your face from me in the day of my distress.
Turn your ear to me.
Answer me quickly in the day when I call.
3Â For my days consume away like smoke.
My bones are burned like a torch.
4Â My heart is blighted like grass, and withered,
for I forget to eat my bread.
5Â Because of the sound of my groaning,
my bones stick to my skin.
6Â I am like a wild bird in the wilderness,
like an owl among the ruins.
7Â I watch, and have become like a sparrow that is alone on the housetop.
8Â My enemies reproach me all day.
Those who are mad at me use my name as a curse.
9Â For I have eaten ashes like bread,
and mixed my drink with tears,
10Â because of your indignation and your wrath;
for you have taken me up and thrown me away.
11Â My days are like a long shadow.
I have withered like grass.
12Â But you, O Lord, will remain forever;
your renown endures to all generations.
13Â You will arise and have mercy on Zion;
for it is time to have pity on her.
Yes, the set time has come.
14Â For your servants take pleasure in her stones,
and have pity on her dust.
15Â So the nations will fear name of the Lord,
all the kings of the earth your glory.
16Â For the Lord has built up Zion.
He has appeared in his glory.
17Â He has responded to the prayer of the destitute,
and has not despised their prayer.
18Â This will be written for the generation to come.
A people which will be created will praise God.
19Â For he has looked down from the height of his sanctuary.
From heaven, the Lord saw the earth;
20Â to hear the groans of the prisoner;
to free those who are condemned to death;
21Â that men may declare the name of the Lord in Zion,
and his praise in Jerusalem;
22Â when the peoples are gathered together,
the kingdoms, to serve the Lord.
23Â He weakened my strength along the course.
He shortened my days.
24Â I said, âMy God, do not take me away in the middle of my days.
Your years are throughout all generations.
25Â Of old, you laid the foundation of the earth.
The heavens are the work of your hands.
26Â They will perish, but you will endure.
Yes, all of them will wear out like a garment.
You will change them like a cloak, and they will be changed.
27Â But you are the same.
Your years will have no end.
28Â The children of your servants will continue.
Their offspring will be established before you.â
Proverbs 14:15-16
15 A simple man believes everything,
but the prudent man carefully considers his ways.
16 A wise man fears and shuns evil,
but the fool is hot headed and reckless.