The Vigil

from II Samuel 13:19

Today’s scroll, one verse at a time — each linked to the last by the cross-references rather than by any model of you. The same vigil for everyone, and a different one tomorrow.

a thread opens

II Samuel 13:19

And Tamar put ashes on her head, and rent her garment of various colors on her, and laid her hand on her head, and went on crying.

II Samuel 1:2

It came even to pass on the third day, that, look, a man came out of the camp from Saul with his clothes torn, and earth upon his head: and so it was, when he came to David, that he fell to the earth, and bowed down.

from II Samuel 13:19

Joshua 7:6

And Joshua tore his clothes, and fell to the earth upon his face before the ark of the LORD until the evening, he and the elders of Israel, and put dust upon their heads.

from II Samuel 1:2

Genesis 37:29

And Reuben returned to the pit; and indeed, Joseph was not in the pit; and he tore his clothes.

from Joshua 7:6


a thread opens

Leviticus 10:3

Then Moses said to Aaron, This is it that the LORD spoke, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come near me, and before all the people I will be glorified. And Aaron held his peace.

II Samuel 16:10

And the king said, What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? so let him curse, because the LORD has said to him, Curse David. Who shall then say, Why have you done so?

from Psalms 39:9

II Samuel 3:39

And I am this day weak, though anointed king; and these men the sons of Zeruiah be too hard for me: the LORD shall reward the doer of evil according to his wickedness.

from II Samuel 16:10

I Kings 2:5

Moreover you know also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, and what he did to the two captains of the hosts of Israel, to Abner the son of Ner, and to Amasa the son of Jether, whom he slew, and shed the blood of war in peace, and put the blood of war upon his belt that was about his loins, and in his shoes on his feet.

from II Samuel 3:39

II Samuel 18:5

And the king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Deal gently for my sake with the young man, even with Absalom. And all the people heard when the king gave all the captains charge concerning Absalom.

from I Kings 2:5

II Samuel 16:11

And David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, Look, my son, which came forth of my bowels, seeks my life: how much more now may this Benjamite do it? let him alone, and let him curse; for the LORD has bidden him.

from II Samuel 18:5


a thread opens

Jude 1:24

Now to him that is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,

John 10:29

My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.

from Jude 1:24

John 17:6

I have manifested your name to the men which you gave me out of the world: yours they were, and you gave them me; and they have kept your word.

from John 10:29

John 17:24

Father, I will that they also, whom you have given me, be with me where I am; that they may see my glory, which you have given me: for you loved me before the foundation of the world.

from John 17:6

Matthew 25:23

His lord said to him, Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things: enter you into the joy of your lord.

from John 17:24

Matthew 25:21

His lord said to him, Well done, you good and faithful servant: you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things: enter you into the joy of your lord.

from Matthew 25:23 · a strong link


a thread opens

Jude 1:11

Woe to them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the rebellion of Korah.

Numbers 26:9

And the sons of Eliab; Nemuel, and Dathan, and Abiram. This is that Dathan and Abiram, which were famous in the congregation, who strove against Moses and against Aaron in the company of Korah, when they strove against the LORD:

from Jude 1:11

Numbers 1:16

These were the renowned of the congregation, princes of the tribes of their fathers, heads of thousands in Israel.

from Numbers 26:9 · a strong link

Exodus 18:21

Moreover you shall provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating greed; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens:

from Numbers 1:16 · a strong link

Acts 6:3

Therefore, brothers, look you out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.

from Exodus 18:21 · a strong link


a thread opens

Luke 2:14

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

John 17:4

I have glorified you on the earth: I have finished the work which you gave me to do.

from Luke 2:14

John 4:34

Jesus says to them, My food is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.

from John 17:4 · a strong link

John 6:38

For I came down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him that sent me.

from John 4:34 · a strong link


a thread opens

Luke 18:7

And shall not God give justice to his own elect, which cry day and night to him, though he bear long with them?

II Peter 3:9

The Lord is not slow concerning his promise, as some men count slowness; but is patience toward us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

from Luke 18:7

I Peter 3:20

Which sometime were disobedient, when once the patience of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.

from II Peter 3:9

Genesis 6:3

And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be a hundred and twenty years.

from I Peter 3:20 · a strong link

Psalms 78:39

For he remembered that they were but flesh; a wind that passes away, and comes not again.

from Genesis 6:3 · a strong link

James 4:14

Whereas you know not what shall be on the next day. For what is your life? It is even a vapor, that appears for a little time, and then vanishes away.

from Psalms 78:39 · a strong link

Psalms 39:5

Look, you have made my days as a handbreadth; and my age is as nothing before you: truly every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Selah.

from James 4:14 · a strong link


a thread opens

Luke 14:26

If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brothers, and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.

Deuteronomy 33:9

Who said to his father and to his mother, I have not seen him; neither did he acknowledge his brothers, nor knew his own children: for they have observed your word, and kept your covenant.

from Luke 14:26

I Kings 18:28

And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them.

from Leviticus 19:28 · a strong link

Deuteronomy 14:1

You are the children of the LORD your God: you shall not cut yourselves, nor make any baldness between your eyes for the dead.

from I Kings 18:28 · a strong link

That is the whole thread.

Every verse the cross-references reach from II Samuel 13:19 along this chain. Today’s own vigil is laid separately.

Each verse follows the one before it along the chain a study Bible draws — a century old, public, and compiled by people arguing about Scripture rather than about how long you stay. Every card says which verse it came from and opens the chapter it belongs to. Today’s vigil is the same for every reader and is worked out from the date alone, so there is no account, no counter, and nothing stored in your browser or ours.

The text is the Lantern Modern Standard. The links are openbible.info’s cross-reference set (CC BY), the same apparatus behind the reader’s Echoes drawer. Read a whole book · Today’s table