a thread opens
It shall never be inhabited, neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation: neither shall the Arabian pitch tent there; neither shall the shepherds make their fold there.
The Vigil
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.
Her cities are a desolation, a dry land, and a wilderness, a land in which no man dwells, neither does any son of man pass thereby.
from Isaiah 13:20
And the land shall tremble and sorrow: for every purpose of the LORD shall be performed against Babylon, to make the land of Babylon a desolation without an inhabitant.
from Jeremiah 51:43
And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldeans’ excellence, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.
from Jeremiah 51:29
Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven;
from Isaiah 13:19 · a strong link
Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to sexual immorality, and pursuing unnatural desire, are set forth for an example, undergoing the punishment of eternal fire.
from Genesis 19:24
a thread opens
As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice to idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one.
For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
from I Corinthians 8:4
Neither is there any umpire between us, that might lay his hand upon us both.
from I Timothy 2:5
If I speak of strength, look, he is strong: and if of judgment, who shall set me a time to plead?
from Job 9:33
Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
from Job 9:19
a thread opens
By this we perceive the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.
And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us, and has given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a fragrant offering.
from I John 3:16 · a strong link
For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that you through his poverty might be rich.
from Ephesians 5:2
Who, being in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped:
from II Corinthians 8:9 · a strong link
a thread opens
But the anointing which you have received of him remains in you, and you need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teaches you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it has taught you, you shall remain in him.
For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:
from I John 2:27
Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall happen, that in the place where it was said to them, You are not my people, there it shall be said to them, You are the sons of the living God.
from Hebrews 8:10
Lift up your eyes around, and see: all they gather themselves together, they come to you: your sons shall come from afar, and your daughters shall be nursed at your side.
from Hosea 1:10
Lift up your eyes around, and look: all these gather themselves together, and come to you. As I live, says the LORD, you shall surely clothe you with them all, as with an ornament, and bind them on you, as a bride does.
from Isaiah 60:4
I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation, he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
from Isaiah 49:18
Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him: for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his wife has made herself ready.
from Isaiah 61:10 · a strong link
a thread opens
And God has set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, varieties of tongues.
Take heed therefore to yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he has purchased with his own blood.
from I Corinthians 12:28
Do not fear, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
from Acts 20:28
Then shall the King say to them on his right hand, Come, you blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
from Luke 12:32
And he said to them, You shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father.
from Matthew 25:34
It is a trustworthy saying: For if we have died with him, we shall also live with him:
from Matthew 20:23
a thread opens
I know also, my God, that you try the heart, and have pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of my heart I have willingly offered all these things: and now have I seen with joy your people, who are present here, to offer willingly to you.
I the LORD search the heart, I try the inmost thoughts, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.
from I Chronicles 29:17 · a strong link
The fining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold: but the LORD tries the hearts.
from Jeremiah 17:10
As the fining pot for silver, and the furnace for gold; so is a man to his praise.
from Proverbs 17:3 · a strong link
For you, O God, have proved us: you have tried us, as silver is tried.
from Proverbs 27:21
a thread opens
Clean out therefore the old leaven, so that you may be a new lump, as you are unleavened. For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us:
Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, and in the seventh day shall be a feast to the LORD.
from I Corinthians 5:7
Seven days shall you eat unleavened bread; even the first day you shall put away leaven out of your houses: for whoever eats leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel.
from Exodus 13:6
You shall keep the feast of unleavened bread: (you shall eat unleavened bread seven days, as I commanded you, in the time appointed of the month Abib; for in it you came out from Egypt: and none shall appear before me empty:)
from Exodus 12:15 · a strong link
That is the whole thread.
Every verse the cross-references reach from Isaiah 13:20 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