Isaiah 28:14-22

¹⁴ Therefore hear Yahweh’s word, you scoffers, that rule this people in Jerusalem: ¹⁵ “Because you have said, ‘We have made a covenant with death, and with Sheol are we in agreement. When the overflowing scourge passes through, it won’t come to us; for we have made lies our refuge, and we have hidden ourselves under falsehood.’” ¹⁶ Therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh, “Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone of a sure foundation. He who believes shall not act hastily. ¹⁷ I will make justice the measuring line, and righteousness the plumb line. The hail will sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters will overflow the hiding place. ¹⁸ Your covenant with death shall be annulled, and your agreement with Sheol shall not stand. When the overflowing scourge passes through, then you will be trampled down by it. ¹⁹ As often as it passes through, it will seize you; for morning by morning it will pass through, by day and by night; and it will be nothing but terror to understand the message.” ²⁰ For the bed is too short to stretch out on, and the blanket is too narrow to wrap oneself in. ²¹ For Yahweh will rise up as on Mount Perazim. He will be angry as in the valley of Gibeon; that he may do his work, his unusual work, and bring to pass his act, his extraordinary act. ²² Now therefore don’t be scoffers, lest your bonds be made strong; for I have heard a decree of destruction from the Lord, Yahweh of Armies, on the whole earth.

Genesis 10:32-11:9

³² These are the families of the sons of Noah, by their generations, according to their nations. The nations divided from these in the earth after the flood. ¹ The whole earth was of one language and of one speech. ² As they traveled from the east, they found a plain in the land of Shinar, and they lived there. ³ They said to one another, “Come, let’s make bricks, and burn them thoroughly.” They had brick for stone, and they used tar for mortar. ⁴ They said, “Come, let’s build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top reaches to the sky, and let’s make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad on the surface of the whole earth.” ⁵ Yahweh came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men built. ⁶ Yahweh said, “Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language, and this is what they begin to do. Now nothing will be withheld from them, which they intend to do. ⁷ Come, let’s go down, and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.” ⁸ So Yahweh scattered them abroad from there on the surface of all the earth. They stopped building the city. ⁹ Therefore its name was called Babel, because there Yahweh confused the language of all the earth. From there, Yahweh scattered them abroad on the surface of all the earth.

Proverbs 13:19-14:6

¹⁹ Longing fulfilled is sweet to the soul, but fools detest turning from evil. ²⁰ One who walks with wise men grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm. ²¹ Misfortune pursues sinners, but prosperity rewards the righteous. ²² A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children, but the wealth of the sinner is stored for the righteous. ²³ An abundance of food is in poor people’s fields, but injustice sweeps it away. ²⁴ One who spares the rod hates his son, but one who loves him is careful to discipline him. ²⁵ The righteous one eats to the satisfying of his soul, but the belly of the wicked goes hungry. ¹ Every wise woman builds her house, but the foolish one tears it down with her own hands. ² He who walks in his uprightness fears Yahweh, but he who is perverse in his ways despises him. ³ The fool’s talk brings a rod to his back, but the lips of the wise protect them. ⁴ Where no oxen are, the crib is clean, but much increase is by the strength of the ox. ⁵ A truthful witness will not lie, but a false witness pours out lies. ⁶ A scoffer seeks wisdom, and doesn’t find it, but knowledge comes easily to a discerning person.