33Therefore thus says the Lord concerning the king of the Assyrians, He shall not enter into this city, nor cast a weapon against it, nor bring a shield against it, nor make a rampart round it.
34But by the way by which he came, by it shall he return, and shall not enter into this city: thus says the Lord.
35I will protect this city to save it for my own sake, and for my servant David's sake.
36And the angel of the Lord went forth, and killed out of the camp of the Assyrians one hundred and eighty-five thousand: and they arose in the morning and found all these bodies dead.
37And Sennacherim king of the Assyrians turned and departed, and lived in Nineve.
38And while he was worshipping Nasarach his country's god in the house, Adramelech and Sarasar his sons struck him with swords; and they escaped into Armenia: and Asordan his son reigned in his stead.
1And it came to pass at that time, that Ezekias was sick even to death. And Esaias the prophet the son of Amos came to him, and said to him, Thus says the Lord, Give orders concerning your house: for you shall die, and not live.
2And Ezekias turned his face to the wall, and prayed to the Lord, saying,
3Remember, O Lord, how I have walked before you in truth, with a true heart, and have done that which was pleasing in your sight. And Ezekias wept bitterly.
4And the word of the Lord came to Esaias, saying, Go, and say to Ezekias,
5Thus says the Lord, the God of David your father, I have heard your prayer, and seen your tears: behold, I will add to your time fifteen years.
6And I will deliver you and this city out of the hand of the king of the Assyrians: and I will defend this city.
Genesis 13.12-18 (Vespers)
12And Lot lived in a city of the neighbouring people, and pitched his tent in Sodom.
13But the men of Sodom were evil, and exceedingly sinful before God.
14And God said to Abram after Lot was separated from him, Look up with your eyes, and behold from the place where you now are northward and southward, and eastward and seaward;
15for all the land which you see, I will give it to you and to your seed for ever.
16And I will make your seed like the dust of the earth; if any one is able to number the dust of the earth, then shall your seed be numbered.
17Arise and traverse the land, both in the length of it and in the breadth; for to you will I give it, and to your seed for ever.
18And Abram having removed his tent, came and lived by the oak of Mambre, which was in Chebrom, and he there built an altar to the Lord.
Proverbs 14.27-15.4 (Vespers)
27The commandment of the Lord is a fountain of life; and it causes men to turn aside from the snare of death.
28In a populous nation is the glory of a king: but in the failure of people is the ruin of a prince.
29A man slow to wrath abounds in wisdom: but a man of impatient spirit is very foolish.
30A meek-spirited man is a healer of the heart: but a sensitive heart is a corruption of the bones.
31He that oppresses the needy provokes his Maker: but he that honors him has pity upon the poor.
32The ungodly shall be driven away in his wickedness: but he who is secure in his own holiness is just.
33There is wisdom in the good heart of a man: but in the heart of fools it is not discerned.
34Righteousness exalts a nation: but sins diminish tribes.
35An understanding servant is acceptable to a king; and by his good behavior he removes disgrace.
1Anger slays even wise men; yet a submissive answer turns away wrath: but a grievous word stirs up anger.
2The tongue of the wise knows what is good: but the mouth of the foolish tells out evil things.
3The eyes of the Lord behold both the evil and the good in every place.
4The wholesome tongue is a tree of life, and he that keeps it shall be filled with understanding.
Genesis 28.10-17
(Vespers, Annunciation)
10And Jacob went forth from the well of the oath, and departed into Charrhan.
11And came to a certain place and slept there, for the sun had gone down; and he took one of the stones of the place, and put it at his head, and lay down to sleep in that place,
12and dreamed, and behold a ladder fixed on the earth, whose top reached to heaven, and the angels of God ascended and descended on it.
13And the Lord stood upon it, and said, I am the God of your father Abraam, and the God of Isaac; fear not, the land on which you lie, to you will I give it, and to your seed.
14And your seed shall be as the sand of the earth; and it shall spread abroad to the sea, and the south, and the north, and to the east; and in you and in your seed shall all the tribes of the earth be blessed.
15And behold I am with you to preserve you continually in all the way wherein you shall go; and I will bring you back to this land; for I will not desert you, until I have done all that I have said to you.
16And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and said, The Lord is in this place, and I knew it not.
17And he was afraid, and said, How fearful is this place! this is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.
Ezekiel 43.27-44.4
(Vespers, Annunciation)
27And it shall come to pass from the eighth day and onward, that the priests shall offer your whole burnt offerings on the altar, and your peace-offerings; and I will accept you, says the Lord.
1Then he brought me back by the way of the outer gate of the sanctuary that looks eastward; and it was shut.
2And the Lord said to me, This gate shall be shut, it shall not be opened, and no one shall pass through it; for the Lord God of Israel shall enter by it, and it shall be shut.
3For the prince, he shall sit in it, to eat bread before the Lord; he shall go in by the way of the porch of the gate, and shall go forth by the way of the same.
4And he brought me in by the way of the gate that looks northward, in front of the house: and I looked, and, behold, the house was full of the glory of the Lord: and I fell upon my face.
Proverbs 9.1-11
(Vespers, Annunciation)
1Wisdom has built a house for herself, and set up seven pillars.
2She has killed her beasts; she has mingled her wine in a bowl, and prepared her table.
3She has sent forth her servants, calling with a loud proclamation to the feast, saying,
4Whoso is foolish, let him turn aside to me: and to them that lack understanding she says,
5Come, eat of my bread, and drink wine which I have mingled for you.
6Leave folly, that you⌃ may reign for ever; and seek wisdom, and improve understanding by knowledge.
7He that reproves evil men shall get dishonor to himself; and he that rebukes an ungodly man shall disgrace himself.
8Rebuke not evil men, lest they should hate you: rebuke a wise man, and he will love you.
9Give an opportunity to a wise man, and he will be wiser: instruct a just man, and he will receive more instruction.
10The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the counsel of saints is understanding: for to know the law is the character of a sound mind.
11For in this way you shall live long, and years of your life shall be added to you.
Commemorations
Ven. Zachariah the Recluse
His father, Carion the Egyptian, forsook his family to become a monk, taking Zacharias with him. Though very young, Zacharias manifested gifts of grace rarely seen among the elders of Sketis. Abba Moses once asked him, ‘What does it mean to be a monk?’, to which Zacharias replied by taking off his hat and treading it underfoot, saying ‘If a man be not so broken, he cannot be a monk.’ After shining as a great light among the holy monks of Scetis, he reposed at a young age.
Commemoration of the Miracle at the Monastery of the Caves in Kiev (?)
“Two friends, John and Sergius, swore brotherhood before the icon of the holy Mother of God in this monastery. John was a rich man, with a five-year-old son, Zachariah. John fell ill, and at his death commended his son to the care of Sergius, and left in Sergius’ keeping a large sum of silver and gold for him to hand over to Zachariah when he had grown up. When Zachariah came of age, however, Sergius denied receiving anything from the deceased John. Then Zachariah said: ‘Let him swear before the same icon of the most holy Mother of God, in front of which he accepted brotherhood with my late father, that he received nothing from John, and then I will seek nothing more from him.’ Sergius agreed, but when he had sworn this and went up to kiss the icon, some force held him back and would not allow him to come near. Then, tormented all at once by a demon, he began to cry out: ‘Holy fathers Antony and Theodosius, do not let this merciless angel destroy me!’ The demon had attacked him by God’s permission. He then told them of all the money which John had left. But when they opened the box, they found double the amount. Taking it, Zachariah gave it to the monastery and was himself tonsured as a monk. He lived a long time and was worthy of God’s great gifts, entering peacefully into eternity.” (Prologue)