2 Kings 14:1–22

14:1 In the second year of the reign of Israel’s King Joash son of Joahaz, Joash’s son Amaziah became king over Judah. 2He was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother was Jehoaddan, who was from Jerusalem. 3He did what the Lord approved, but not like David his ancestor had done. He followed the example of his father Joash. 4But the high places were not eliminated; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense on the high places.

5When he had secured control of the kingdom, he executed the servants who had assassinated his father. 6But he did not execute the sons of the assassins. He obeyed the Lord’s commandment as recorded in the scroll of the law of Moses, “Fathers must not be put to death for what their sons do, and sons must not be put to death for what their fathers do. A man must be put to death only for his own sin.”

7He defeated 10,000 Edomites in the Salt Valley; he captured Sela in battle and renamed it Joktheel, a name it has retained to this very day. 8Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash son of Jehoahaz son of Jehu, king of Israel. He said, “Come, let’s meet face to face.” 9King Jehoash of Israel sent this message back to King Amaziah of Judah, “A thornbush in Lebanon sent this message to a cedar in Lebanon, ‘Give your daughter to my son as a wife.’ Then a wild animal of Lebanon came by and trampled down the thorn. 10You thoroughly defeated Edom, and it has gone to your head! Gloat over your success, but stay in your palace. Why bring calamity on yourself? Why bring down yourself and Judah along with you?” 11But Amaziah would not heed the warning, so King Jehoash of Israel attacked. He and King Amaziah of Judah met face to face in Beth Shemesh of Judah. 12Judah was defeated by Israel, and each man ran back home. 13King Jehoash of Israel captured King Amaziah of Judah, son of Jehoash son of Ahaziah, in Beth Shemesh. He attacked Jerusalem and broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the Gate of Ephraim to the Corner Gate—a distance of about 600 feet. 14He took away all the gold and silver, all the items found in the Lord’s temple and in the treasuries of the royal palace, and some hostages. Then he went back to Samaria.

15The rest of the events of Jehoash’s reign, including all his accomplishments and his successful war with King Amaziah of Judah, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel. 16Jehoash passed away and was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel. His son Jeroboam replaced him as king.

17King Amaziah son of Joash of Judah lived for 15 years after the death of King Jehoash son of Jehoahaz of Israel. 18The rest of the events of Amaziah’s reign are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Judah. 19Conspirators plotted against him in Jerusalem, so he fled to Lachish. But they sent assassins after him, and they killed him there. 20His body was carried back by horses, and he was buried in Jerusalem with his ancestors in the City of David. 21All the people of Judah took Azariah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in his father Amaziah’s place. 22Azariah built up Elat and restored it to Judah after the king had passed away.

Ps. 44

44:1 For the music director, by the Korahites; a well-written song.

O God, we have clearly heard;

our ancestors have told us

what you did in their days,

in ancient times.

2You, by your power, defeated nations and settled our fathers on their land;

you crushed the people living there and enabled our ancestors to occupy it.

3For they did not conquer the land by their swords,

and they did not prevail by their strength,

but rather by your power, strength, and good favor,

for you were partial to them.

4You are my king, O God.

Decree Jacob’s deliverance.

5By your power we will drive back our enemies;

by your strength we will trample down our foes.

6For I do not trust in my bow,

and I do not prevail by my sword.

7For you deliver us from our enemies;

you humiliate those who hate us.

8In God we boast all day long,

and we will continually give thanks to your name. (Selah)

9But you rejected and embarrassed us.

You did not go into battle with our armies.

10You made us retreat from the enemy.

Those who hate us take whatever they want from us.

11You handed us over like sheep to be eaten;

you scattered us among the nations.

12You sold your people for a pittance;

you did not ask a high price for them.

13You made us an object of disdain to our neighbors;

those who live on our borders taunt and insult us.

14You made us an object of ridicule among the nations;

foreigners treat us with contempt.

15All day long I feel humiliated

and am overwhelmed with shame,

16before the vindictive enemy

who ridicules and insults me.

17All this has happened to us, even though we have not rejected you

or violated your covenant with us.

18We have not been unfaithful,

nor have we disobeyed your commands.

19Yet you have battered us, leaving us a heap of ruins overrun by wild dogs;

you have covered us with darkness.

20If we had rejected our God,

and spread out our hands in prayer to another god,

21would not God discover it,

for he knows a person’s secret thoughts?

22Yet because of you we are killed all day long;

we are treated like sheep at the slaughtering block.

23Rouse yourself! Why do you sleep, O Lord?

Wake up! Do not reject us forever.

24Why do you look the other way,

and ignore the way we are oppressed and mistreated?

25For we lie in the dirt,

with our bellies pressed to the ground.

26Rise up and help us.

Rescue us because of your loyal love.

Matt. 21:45–22:14

21:45 When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they realized that he was speaking about them. 46They wanted to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowds because the crowds regarded him as a prophet.

22:1 Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: 2“The kingdom of heaven can be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son. 3He sent his slaves to summon those who had been invited to the banquet, but they would not come. 4Again he sent other slaves, saying, ‘Tell those who have been invited, “Look! The feast I have prepared for you is ready. My oxen and fattened cattle have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.”’ 5But they were indifferent and went away, one to his farm, another to his business. 6The rest seized his slaves, insolently mistreated them, and killed them. 7The king was furious! He sent his soldiers, and they put those murderers to death and set their city on fire. 8Then he said to his slaves, ‘The wedding is ready, but the ones who had been invited were not worthy. 9So go into the main streets and invite everyone you find to the wedding banquet.’ 10And those slaves went out into the streets and gathered all they found, both bad and good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests. 11But when the king came in to see the wedding guests, he saw a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. 12And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without wedding clothes?’ But he had nothing to say. 13Then the king said to his attendants, ‘Tie him up hand and foot and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth!’ 14For many are called, but few are chosen.”