Alternate First Reading

The Poor Widow's Offering, Frederick Goodall, before 1904
Commentary on Ruth 3:1-5; 4:13-17

The book of Ruth has been widely read and understood [...]

spray-painted hearts
Commentary on Ruth 1:1-18

The book of Ruth, especially the first chapter, illustrates a relationship between migration and food [...]

Millstone in a garden
Commentary on Esther 7:1-6, 9-10; 9:20-22

The idiom “caught between a rock and a hard place” [...]

Detail from
Commentary on Job 42:1-6, 10-17

This is the last of four lections from Job. All [...]

storm clouds with lightning
Commentary on Job 38:1-7 [34-41]

This is the third of four lections from Job, and [...]

threading a needle
Commentary on Job 23:1-9, 16-17

This is the second of four lections from Job. We [...]

judge's gavel
Commentary on Job 1:1; 2:1-10

It’s easy to sit back and admire the faithfulness of Job. It’s harder to sit [...]

Children embracing with smiles
Commentary on Proverbs 31:10-31

Proverbs 31:10–31 is perhaps one of the most well known [...]

Man looking sternly in rebuke
Commentary on Proverbs 1:20-33

  These days—when progress for civil rights seems to be [...]

Detail from
Commentary on Proverbs 22:1-2, 8-9, 22-23

This pieced-together pericope from Proverbs offers the reader a clear [...]