Reference links:
Old Testament
More genealogy, this time with a focus on the familial yields of warriors.
Today’s amusing names of the day are the brothers Shuppim and Huppim. Back in Genesis we read about Benjamin’s sons Muppim and Huppim. Rhyming names entertain me. (Oh, and Jediael, who is listed among the sons of Benjamin here, is not listed among the sons of Benjamin there.)
Also,
[Beriah] had a daughter named Sheerah. She built the towns of Lower and Upper Beth-horon and Uzzen-sheerah.
There’s a story here, if only the authors of Chronicles had seen fit to tell it.
New Testament
The author of Acts shares the travel log of the ship that is transporting Paul to Rome. On the way, Paul suspects that there is bad weather up ahead:
“I believe there is trouble ahead if we go on—shipwreck, loss of cargo, and danger to our lives as well.” But the officer in charge of the prisoners listened more to the ship’s captain and the owner than to Paul.
Given that Paul is the hero of this story, you know that he going to be right and that going on was a bad idea (in fact, that becomes clear by the end of today’s reading), but I want to point out that, given the information he had, the offer’s decision was perfectly reasonable. If you were on a ship and a decision had to be made, who would you listen to, the captain or a random prisoner?
Psalms and Proverbs
Nothing of particular note.