Esau Moves
1Now these are the records of the generations of Esau (that is, Edom).
2Esau took his wives from the daughters of Canaan: Adah the daughter of Elon the Hittite, and Oholibamah the daughter of Anah and the granddaughter of Zibeon the Hivite; 3also Basemath, Ishmael’s daughter, the sister of Nebaioth. 4Adah bore Eliphaz to Esau, and Basemath bore Reuel, 5and Oholibamah bore Jeush and Jalam and Korah. These are the sons of Esau who were born to him in the land of Canaan.
6Then Esau took his wives and his sons and his daughters and all his household, and his livestock and all his cattle and all his goods which he had acquired in the land of Canaan, and went to another land away from his brother Jacob. 7For their property had become too great for them to live together, and the land where they sojourned could not sustain them because of their livestock. 8So Esau lived in the hill country of Seir; Esau is Edom.
Descendants of Esau
9These then are the records of the generations of Esau the father of the Edomites in the hill country of Seir.
A Prayer for Mercy
1Remember, O Lord, what has befallen us;
Look, and see our reproach!
2Our inheritance has been turned over to strangers,
Our houses to aliens.
3We have become orphans without a father,
Our mothers are like widows.
4We have to pay for our drinking water,
Our wood comes to us at a price.
5Our pursuers are at our necks;
We are worn out, there is no rest for us.
6We have submitted to Egypt and Assyria to get enough bread.
7Our fathers sinned, and are no more;
It is we who have borne their iniquities.
8Slaves rule over us;
There is no one to deliver us from their hand.
9We get our bread at the risk of our lives
Because of the sword in the wilderness.
10Our skin has become as hot as an oven,
Because of the burning heat of famine.
11They ravished the women in Zion,
The virgins in the cities of Judah.
12Princes were hung by their hands;
Elders were not respected.
13Young men worked at the grinding mill,
And youths stumbled under loads of wood.
14Elders are gone from the gate,
Young men from their music.
15The joy of our hearts has ceased;
Our dancing has been turned into mourning.
16The crown has fallen from our head;
Woe to us, for we have sinned!
17Because of this our heart is faint,
Because of these things our eyes are dim;
18Because of Mount Zion which lies desolate,
Foxes prowl in it.
19You, O Lord, rule forever;
Your throne is from generation to generation.
20Why do You forget us forever?
Why do You forsake us so long?
21Restore us to You, O Lord, that we may be restored;
Renew our days as of old,
22Unless You have utterly rejected us
And are exceedingly angry with us.
Those Who Died in Christ
13But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. 14For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. 15For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep.
1) How does Lamentations show sorrow without hope?
2) How does Paul contrast this with resurrection hope?
3) How do you live in hope when facing loss?
Job’s Character and Wealth
1There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job; and that man was blameless, upright, fearing God and turning away from evil. 2Seven sons and three daughters were born to him. 3His possessions also were 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, 500 female donkeys, and very many servants; and that man was the greatest of all the men of the east. 4His sons used to go and hold a feast in the house of each one on his day, and they would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. 5When the days of feasting had completed their cycle, Job would send and consecrate them, rising up early in the morning and offering burnt offerings according to the number of them all; for Job said, “Perhaps my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” Thus Job did continually.
6Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them. 7The Lord said to Satan, “From where do you come?” Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it.” 8The Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil.” 9Then Satan answered the Lord, “Does Job fear God for nothing? 10Have You not made a hedge about him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. 11But put forth Your hand now and touch all that he has; he will surely curse You to Your face.” 12Then the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your power, only do not put forth your hand on him.” So Satan departed from the presence of the Lord.
Satan Allowed to Test Job
13Now on the day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, 14a messenger came to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them, 15and the Sabeans attacked and took them. They also slew the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” 16While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants and consumed them, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” 17While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “The Chaldeans formed three bands and made a raid on the camels and took them and slew the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” 18While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “Your sons and your daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, 19and behold, a great wind came from across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people and they died, and I alone have escaped to tell you.”
20Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head, and he fell to the ground and worshiped. 21He said,
“Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
And naked I shall return there.
The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away.
Blessed be the name of the Lord.”
22Through all this Job did not sin nor did he blame God.
PSALM 38
Prayer of a Suffering Penitent.
A Psalm of David, for a memorial.
1O Lord, rebuke me not in Your wrath,
And chasten me not in Your burning anger.
2For Your arrows have sunk deep into me,
And Your hand has pressed down on me.
3There is no soundness in my flesh because of Your indignation;
There is no health in my bones because of my sin.
4For my iniquities are gone over my head;
As a heavy burden they weigh too much for me.
5My wounds grow foul and fester
Because of my folly.
6I am bent over and greatly bowed down;
I go mourning all day long.
7For my loins are filled with burning,
And there is no soundness in my flesh.
8I am benumbed and badly crushed;
I groan because of the agitation of my heart.
9Lord, all my desire is before You;
And my sighing is not hidden from You.
10My heart throbs, my strength fails me;
And the light of my eyes, even that has gone from me.
11My loved ones and my friends stand aloof from my plague;
And my kinsmen stand afar off.
12Those who seek my life lay snares for me;
And those who seek to injure me have threatened destruction,
And they devise treachery all day long.
13But I, like a deaf man, do not hear;
And I am like a mute man who does not open his mouth.
14Yes, I am like a man who does not hear,
And in whose mouth are no arguments.
15For I hope in You, O Lord;
You will answer, O Lord my God.
16For I said, “May they not rejoice over me,
Who, when my foot slips, would magnify themselves against me.”
17For I am ready to fall,
And my sorrow is continually before me.
18For I confess my iniquity;
I am full of anxiety because of my sin.
19But my enemies are vigorous and strong,
And many are those who hate me wrongfully.
20And those who repay evil for good,
They oppose me, because I follow what is good.
21Do not forsake me, O Lord;
O my God, do not be far from me!
22Make haste to help me,
O Lord, my salvation!
Encouragement of Timothy’s Visit
1Therefore when we could endure it no longer, we thought it best to be left behind at Athens alone, 2and we sent Timothy, our brother and God’s fellow worker in the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you as to your faith, 3so that no one would be disturbed by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that we have been destined for this. 4For indeed when we were with you, we kept telling you in advance that we were going to suffer affliction; and so it came to pass, as you know. 5For this reason, when I could endure it no longer, I also sent to find out about your faith, for fear that the tempter might have tempted you, and our labor would be in vain.
6But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and has brought us good news of your faith and love, and that you always think kindly of us, longing to see us just as we also long to see you, 7for this reason, brethren, in all our distress and affliction we were comforted about you through your faith; 8for now we really live, if you stand firm in the Lord. 9For what thanks can we render to God for you in return for all the joy with which we rejoice before our God on your account, 10as we night and day keep praying most earnestly that we may see your face, and may complete what is lacking in your faith?
11Now may our God and Father Himself and Jesus our Lord direct our way to you; 12and may the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another, and for all people, just as we also do for you; 13so that He may establish your hearts without blame in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints.