Participants: Kelly Mowrer
Series Code: HWAL
Program Code: HWAL000518
00:17 Hello, and welcome to HIS WORDS ARE LIFE
00:18 I'm Kelly Mowrer and thank you for coming apart with me 00:22 for these few minutes here to read the word of God 00:24 in the book of Judges, the story of God's people Israel 00:27 during the time when the judges ruled over them. 00:29 Before we start, lets pray together. 00:31 Dear God, thank you so much for bringing us to this moment in 00:36 time to hear your word. Please send the Holy Spirit to take 00:40 these words and inscribe them on our hearts to bear fruit 00:45 not just to hear, but that we may do them and learn the lesson 00:49 for your glory. We love you so much 00:51 and thank you for loving us. Amen. 00:53 We're reading in Judges, starting now in chapter 17, 00:58 and this is the King James Version. 00:59 And there was a man of mount Ephraim. His name was Micah. 01:04 And he said unto his mother, The 1100 shekels of silver 01:09 that were taken from thee, about which thou cursedst, 01:13 and spakest of also in mine ear, behold, the silver is with me; 01:18 I took it. And his mother said, Blessed be thou of the Lord, 01:23 my son. And when he had restored the 1100 shekels of silver 01:27 to his mother, his mother said, I had wholly dedicated 01:31 the silver unto the Lord from my hand for my son, 01:34 to make a graven image and a molten image: now therefore 01:38 I will restore it unto thee. Yet he restored the money 01:42 unto his mother; and his mother took 200 shekels of silver 01:45 and gave them to the founder, who made thereof a graven image 01:50 and a molten image: and they were in the house of Micah. 01:54 And the man Micah had an house of gods, and made an ephod, 01:59 and teraphim, and consecrated one of his sons, 02:02 who became his priest. In those days there was no king in Israel 02:07 but every man did that which was right in his own eyes. 02:11 And there was a young man out of Bethlehem-judah of the family 02:15 of Judah, who was a Levite, and he sojourned there. 02:18 And the man departed out of the city from Bethlehem-judah 02:22 to sojourn where he could find a place: 02:24 and he came to mount Ephraim to the house of Micah, 02:27 as he journeyed. And Micah said unto him, Whence comest 02:32 thou? And he said unto him, I am a Levite of Bethlehem-judah. 02:36 and I go to sojourn where I may find a place. 02:40 And Micah said unto him, Dwell with me, and be unto me 02:44 a father and a priest, and I will give thee 10 shekels 02:47 of silver by the year and a suit of apparel, and thy victuals. 02:51 So the Levite went in. And the Levite was content to dwell 02:55 with the man; and the young man was unto him 02:58 as one of his sons. And Micah consecrated the Levite; 03:02 and the young man became his priest, 03:03 and was in the house of Micah. Then said Micah, Now know 03:09 I that the Lord will do me good, seeing I have a Levite 03:12 to my priest. Continuing in the book 03:16 of Judges, chapter 18, and this is the King James Version. 03:19 In those days, there was no king in Israel: 03:24 and in those days the tribe of the Danites sought the 03:27 and inheritance to dwell in; for unto that day 03:31 all their inheritance had not fallen unto them 03:33 among the tribes of Israel. And the children of Dan 03:36 sent of their family, five men from their coasts, men of valor, 03:40 from Zorah, and from Eshtaol, to spy out the land, 03:43 and to search it; and they said unto them, Go, search 03:47 the land: who when they came to Mount Ephraim, 03:50 to the house of Micah, they lodged there. 03:52 When they were by the house of Micah, they knew the voice 03:56 of the young man, the Levite: and they turned in thither, 03:59 and said unto him, Who brought thee hither? and what makest 04:03 thou in this place? and what hast thou here? 04:05 And he said unto them, Thus and thus dealeth Micah with me, 04:09 and hath hired me, and I am his priest. 04:11 And they said unto him, Ask counsel, we pray thee, of God, 04:15 that we may know whether our way which we go 04:18 shall be prosperous. And the priest said unto them, 04:23 Go in peace: before the Lord is your way wherein ye go. 04:27 Then the five men departed, and came to Laish and saw the people 04:32 that were therein, how they dwelt careless after the manner 04:37 of the Zidonians, quiet and secure; and there was no 04:43 magistrate in the land, that might put them to shame 04:46 in anything; and they were far from the Zidonians, 04:49 and had no business with any man. 04:51 And they came unto their brethren to Zorah and Eshtaol: 04:56 and their brethren said unto them, What say ye? 04:57 And they said, Arise, that we may go up against them: 05:01 for we have seen the land, and behold, it is very good: 05:03 and are ye still? be not slothful to go, 05:06 and to enter to possess the land. When ye go, 05:10 ye shall come unto a people secure, and to a large land. 05:13 For God hath given it into your hands; a place where there is 05:16 no want of any thing that is in the earth. 05:19 And there went from thence of the family of the Danites, 05:23 out of Zorah and out of Eshtaol, 600 men appointed with weapons 05:28 of war. And they went up, and pitched in Kirjathjearim, 05:32 in Judah: wherefore they called that place Mahanehdan 05:37 unto this day: behold, it is behind Kirjathjearim. 05:41 And they passed thence unto mount Ephraim, and came 05:45 unto the house of Micah. Then answered the five men that went 05:49 to spy out the country of Laish, and said unto their brethren, 05:51 Do ye know that there is in these houses and ephod, 05:56 and a teraphim, and a graven image, and a molten image? 06:00 now therefore consider what ye have to do. 06:03 And they turned thitherward, and came to the house of 06:06 the young man, the Levite, even unto the house of Micah, and 06:09 saluted him. And the 600 men appointed with their weapons 06:13 of war, which were of the children of Dan, 06:15 stood by the entering of the gate. And the five men 06:20 that went to spy out the land went up, and came in thither, 06:23 and took the graven image: and the ephod and the teraphim, 06:27 and the molten image: and the priest stood in the entering 06:31 of the gate with the 600 men that were appointed 06:33 with weapons of war. And these went into Micah's house, 06:37 and fetched the carved image, the ephod, and the teraphim, 06:40 and the molten image. Then said the priest unto them, 06:43 What do ye? And they said unto him, Hold thy peace, 06:47 lay thine hand upon thy mouth, and go with us, 06:51 and be to us a father and a priest: is it better for thee to 06:55 be a priest unto the house of one man, 06:57 or that thou be a priest unto a tribe and a family in Israel? 07:01 And the priest's heart was glad, and he took the ephod, 07:06 and the teraphim, and the graven image, 07:07 and went in the midst of the people. So they turned 07:11 and departed, and put the little ones and the cattle 07:13 and the carriage before them. 07:14 And when they were a good way from the house of Micah, 07:18 the men that were in the houses near to Micah's house 07:21 were gathered together, and overtook the children of Dan. 07:25 And they cried unto the children of Dan. 07:29 And they turned their faces, and said unto Micah, 07:32 What ailest the, that thou comest with such a company? 07:35 And he said, Ye have taken away my gods which I made, 07:40 and the priest, and ye are gone away: and what have I more? 07:44 and what is this that ye say unto me, What aileth thee? 07:48 And the children of Dan said unto him, Let not thy voice 07:53 be heard among us, lest angry fellows run upon thee, and 07:56 thou lose thy life, with the lives of thy household. 07:58 And the children of Dan went their way: and when Micah saw 08:03 that they were too strong for him, he turned and went back 08:06 unto his house. And they took the things which Micah had made, 08:10 and the priest which he had, and came unto Laish, unto a people 08:15 that were at quiet and secure: and they smote them 08:19 with the edge of the sword, and burnt the city with fire. 08:22 And there was no deliverer, because it was far from Zidon, 08:26 And they had no business with any man; 08:29 And it was in the valley that lieth by Bethrehob, 08:32 And they built a city, and dwelt therein. 08:34 And they called the name of the city Dan, after the name of Dan 08:38 their father, who was born unto Israel: howbeit the name 08:42 of the city was Laish at the first. And the children of Dan 08:46 set up the graven image: and Jonathan, the son of Gershom, 08:50 the son of Manasseh, he and his sons were priests to the tribe 08:54 of Dan until the day of the captivity of the land. 08:57 And they set them up Micah's graven image, 09:00 which he made, all the time that the house of God was in Shiloh. 09:04 We're continuing in the book of Judges, chapter 19 09:08 and this is the King James Version. 09:11 And it came to pass in those days, that there was no king 09:16 in Israel, that there was a certain Levite sojourning 09:20 on the side of mount Ephraim, who took to him a concubine 09:25 out of Bethlehem-judah. And his concubine played the whore 09:29 against him and went away from him unto her father's house 09:33 to Bethlehem-judah, and was there four whole months. 09:36 And her husband arose, and went after her, to speak friendly 09:40 unto her and to bring her again, having his servant 09:43 with him, and a couple of asses: and she brought him into 09:47 her father's house: and when the father of the damsel saw him 09:51 he rejoiced to meet him. And his father in law, the damsel's 09:55 father, retained him; and he abode with him three days: 09:58 So they did eat and drink, and lodged there. 10:01 And it came to pass on the 4th day, when they arose 10:05 early in the morning, that he rose up to depart: 10:08 and the damsel's father said unto his son in law, 10:11 Comfort thine heart with a morsel of bread, and afterward 10:16 go your way. And they sat down, and did eat and drink, 10:20 both of them together: for the damsel's father had said unto 10:24 the man, Be content, I pray thee, and tarry all night, 10:27 and let thine heart be merry. And when the man rose up 10:31 to depart, his father in law urged him: therefore 10:35 he lodged there again. And he arose early in the morning 10:38 on the 5th day to depart: and the damsel's father said, 10:43 Comfort thine heart I pray thee, and they tarried until afternoon 10:47 and they did eat both of them. And when the man rose up 10:51 to depart, he, and his concubine, and his servant, 10:54 his father in law, the damsel's father, said unto him, 10:57 Behold, now the day draweth toward evening, I pray you 11:01 tarry all night: behold, the day groweth to an end, lodge here, 11:06 that thine heart may be merry; and tomorrow get you early 11:10 on your way, that thou mayest go home. But the man would not 11:15 tarry that night, but he rose up and departed, and came over 11:18 against Jebus, which is Jerusalem; 11:20 and there were with him two asses saddled, his concubine 11:25 also was with him. And when they were by Jebus, 11:29 the day was far spent; and the servant said unto his master, 11:32 Come, I pray thee, and let us turn in into this city 11:36 of the Jebusites, and lodge in it. And his master said 11:40 unto him, We will not turn aside hither into the city of a 11:44 stranger, that is not of the children of Israel; 11:46 we will pass over to Gibeah. And he said unto his servant, 11:51 Come, and let us draw near to one of these places 11:53 to lodge all night, in Gibeah, or in Ramah. And they passed on 11:58 and went their way; and the sun went town upon them 12:01 when they were by Gibeah, which belongeth to Benjamin. 12:03 And they turned aside thither, to go in and to lodge in Gibeah: 12:07 and when he went in, he sat him down in a street of the city: 12:10 for there was no man that took them into his house for lodging. 12:13 And, behold, there came an old man from his work 12:17 out of the field at even, which was also of mount Ephraim; 12:21 and he sojourned in Gibeah: but the men of the place 12:24 were Benjamites. And when he had lifted up his eyes, 12:27 he saw a wayfaring man in the street of the city: 12:30 and the old man said, Whither goest thou? 12:32 and whence comest thou? And he said unto him, We are passing 12:36 from Bethlehem-judah toward the side of mount Ephraim: 12:38 from thence am I: and I went to Bethlehem-judah, but I am now 12:42 going to the house of the Lord; and there is no man 12:44 that receiveth me to his house. Yet there is both straw 12:48 and provender for our asses; and there is bread and wine also 12:52 for me, and for thy handmaid, and for the young man 12:54 which is with thy servants: there is no want of anything. 12:58 And the old man said, Peace be with thee; howsoever 13:02 let all thy wants lie upon me; only lodge not in the street. 13:07 So he brought him into his house and gave provender 13:10 unto the asses: and they washed their feet, and did eat 13:13 and drink. Now as they were making their hearts merry, 13:17 behold the men of the city, certain sons of Belial, 13:20 beset the house round about, and beat at the door, and spake 13:24 to the master of the house, the old man, saying, bring forth 13:28 the man that came into thine house that we may know him. 13:31 And the man, the master of the house, went out unto them, 13:35 and said unto them, Nay, my brethren, nay, I pray you, 13:38 do not so wickedly; seeing that this man is come into mine house 13:43 do not this folly. Behold here is my daughter a maiden, 13:47 and his concubine; them I will bring out now, 13:50 and humble ye them, and do with them what seemeth good 13:53 unto you: but unto this man do not so vile a thing. 13:57 But the men would not hearken to him: so the man took his 14:01 concubine, and brought her forth unto them; and they knew her, 14:04 and abused her all the night until the morning: 14:06 and when the day began to spring they let her go. 14:09 Then came the woman in the dawning of the day, 14:12 and fell down at the door of the man's house where her lord was, 14:15 till it was light. And the lord rose up in the morning, 14:19 and opened the doors of the house, and went out 14:20 to go his way: and, behold the woman his concubine was fallen 14:23 down at the door of the house, and her hands were 14:26 upon the threshhold. Thank you for joining with me 14:30 today to read in Judges. Please come back next time 14:32 to hear the word of God. Goodbye. |
Revised 2014-12-17