Isaiah 40:18-31

¹⁸ To whom then will you liken God? Or what likeness will you compare to him? ¹⁹ A workman has cast an image, and the goldsmith overlays it with gold, and casts silver chains for it. ²⁰ He who is too impoverished for such an offering chooses a tree that will not rot. He seeks a skillful workman to set up a carved image for him that will not be moved. ²¹ Haven’t you known? Haven’t you heard? Haven’t you been told from the beginning? Haven’t you understood from the foundations of the earth? ²² It is he who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers; who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them out like a tent to dwell in; ²³ who brings princes to nothing; who makes the judges of the earth like meaningless. ²⁴ They are planted scarcely. They are sown scarcely. Their stock has scarcely taken root in the ground. He merely blows on them, and they wither, and the whirlwind takes them away as stubble. ²⁵ “To whom then will you liken me? Who is my equal?” says the Holy One. ²⁶ Lift up your eyes on high, and see who has created these, who brings out their army by number. He calls them all by name. by the greatness of his might, and because he is strong in power, Not one is lacking. ²⁷ Why do you say, Jacob, and speak, Israel, “My way is hidden from Yahweh, and the justice due me is disregarded by my God?” ²⁸ Haven’t you known? Haven’t you heard? The everlasting God, Yahweh, The Creator of the ends of the earth, doesn’t faint. He isn’t weary. His understanding is unsearchable. ²⁹ He gives power to the weak. He increases the strength of him who has no might. ³⁰ Even the youths faint and get weary, and the young men utterly fall; ³¹ But those who wait for Yahweh will renew their strength. They will mount up with wings like eagles. They will run, and not be weary. They will walk, and not faint.

Genesis 15:1-15

¹ After these things Yahweh’s word came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Don’t be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.” ² Abram said, “Lord Yahweh, what will you give me, since I go childless, and he who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?” ³ Abram said, “Behold, to me you have given no children: and, behold, one born in my house is my heir.” ⁴ Behold, Yahweh’s word came to him, saying, “This man will not be your heir, but he who will come out of your own body will be your heir.” ⁵ Yahweh brought him outside, and said, “Look now toward the sky, and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” He said to Abram, “So will your offspring be.” ⁶ He believed in Yahweh, who credited it to him for righteousness. ⁷ He said to Abram, “I am Yahweh who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give you this land to inherit it.” ⁸ He said, “Lord Yahweh, how will I know that I will inherit it?” ⁹ He said to him, “Bring me a heifer three years old, a female goat three years old, a ram three years old, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.” ¹⁰ He brought him all these, and divided them in the middle, and laid each half opposite the other; but he didn’t divide the birds. ¹¹ The birds of prey came down on the carcasses, and Abram drove them away. ¹² When the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell on Abram. Now terror and great darkness fell on him. ¹³ He said to Abram, “Know for sure that your offspring will live as foreigners in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them. They will afflict them four hundred years. ¹⁴ I will also judge that nation, whom they will serve. Afterward they will come out with great wealth, ¹⁵ but you will go to your fathers in peace. You will be buried at a good old age.

Proverbs 15:7-19

⁷ The lips of the wise spread knowledge; not so with the heart of fools. ⁸ The sacrifice made by the wicked is an abomination to Yahweh, but the prayer of the upright is his delight. ⁹ The way of the wicked is an abomination to Yahweh, but he loves him who follows after righteousness. ¹⁰ There is stern discipline for one who forsakes the way: whoever hates reproof shall die. ¹¹ Sheol and Abaddon are before Yahweh— how much more then the hearts of the children of men! ¹² A scoffer doesn’t love to be reproved; he will not go to the wise. ¹³ A glad heart makes a cheerful face; but an aching heart breaks the spirit. ¹⁴ The heart of one who has understanding seeks knowledge, but the mouths of fools feed on folly. ¹⁵ All the days of the afflicted are wretched, but one who has a cheerful heart enjoys a continual feast. ¹⁶ Better is little, with the fear of Yahweh, than great treasure with trouble. ¹⁷ Better is a dinner of herbs, where love is, than a fattened calf with hatred. ¹⁸ A wrathful man stirs up contention, but one who is slow to anger appeases strife. ¹⁹ The way of the sluggard is like a thorn patch, but the path of the upright is a highway.