Genesis reading (Genesis 1:1–13).
In the beginning God created heaven and earth. The earth is invisible and unsettled, and darkness is on the top of the deep; and the Spirit of God is moving on top of the waters. And God said: let there be light, and there was light. And God saw the light as good: and God separated between the light and the darkness. And God called the light day, and the darkness he called night. And there was evening, and there was morning, one day. And God said: let there be a firmament in the midst of the water, and let there be a parting in the midst of water and water: and so it was. And God created the firmament: and God separated between the waters that were under the firmament, and between the waters that were above the firmament. And God called the firmament the sky, and God saw that it was good: and it was evening, and it was morning, the second day. And God said: let the waters under heaven be gathered together into one, and let the dry land appear: and so it was. And the waters under the heaven were gathered into their own gatherings, and the dry land appeared. And God called the dry land the earth, and the gathered waters the sea, and God saw that it was good.
And God said: Let the earth bring forth grass, sowing seed according to its kind and after its likeness, and a fruitful tree producing fruit, with its seed in it according to its kind, upon the earth: and so it was. And the earth brought forth grass, sowing seed according to its kind and after its likeness, and a fruitful tree producing fruit, the seed thereof according to its kind on the earth: and God saw that it was good. And it was evening, and it was morning, the third day.
Reading Genesis [1:1–13]
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was invisible and unsettled, and darkness was on top of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering on top of the waters. And God said: “Let there be light.” And the light appeared. And God saw the light, that it was good, and God separated the light from the darkness. And God called the light day, and called the darkness night. And there was evening and there was morning: one day. And God said: “Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it separate water from water.” And so it became. And God created the firmament, and God separated the water that was under the firmament from the water that was above the firmament. And God called the firmament heaven. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning: the second day. And God said: “Let the waters that are under the sky be gathered into one congregation, and let the dry land appear.” And it came to pass: and the waters under the heaven were gathered together, and dry land appeared. And God called the dry land earth, and the gatherings of waters he called seas. And God saw that it was good. And God said: “Let the earth bring forth grass of the meadow, yielding seed according to its kind and likeness, and a fruitful tree bearing fruit, the seed of which is in it according to its kind, on the earth.” And so it became.
And the earth brought forth grass of the meadow, yielding seed according to its kind and likeness, and a fruitful tree bearing fruit, the seed of which is in it according to its kind on the earth. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning: the third day.
Reading the prophecies of Isaiah (Is.60:1–16).
Shine, shine, Jerusalem, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. Behold, darkness will cover the earth and darkness will cover the tongues, but the Lord will appear on you, and His glory will be seen on you. And the king will go by your light and the nations by your lordship. Lift up your eyes around, and see your gathered children: behold, all your sons have come from afar, and your daughters will rise to their feet. Then you will see, and you will rejoice, and you will be afraid, and you will be afraid in your heart, as the riches of the sea, and of nations, and of people, will be added to you. And herds of kings will come to you, and the kings of Midianstia and Gepharstia will cover you: all from Sheba will come bearing gold, and they will bring frankincense, and honorable stone, and the salvation of the Lord. proclaim the good news. And all the sheep of Kedar will be gathered to you, and the rams of Nabeothiah will come to you, and the sweet one will ascend to My altar, and My house of prayer will be glorified. Are they like clouds flying, and like doves from their chicks flying towards Me?
Waiting for the islands, and the ships of Tarsus first, to bring your children from afar, and their silver and gold with them, for the sake of the holy Lord, and for the Holy One of Israel glorious to be. And foreign sons will build your walls, and their kings will stand before you: for My wrath has struck you, and for My mercy I have loved you. And your gates will open continually, day and night they will not be closed; the tongue will bring power to you, and the kings will follow them. The nations and the king, if they do not serve you, will perish, and the nations will become desolate. And the glory of Lebanon will come to you, with cypress, and pine, and cedar, together you will glorify My holy place, and I will glorify the place of My feet. And the sons of those who humbled you and provoked you will come to you in fear, and they will all worship the footprints of your feet, all of whom angered you: and they will be called the city of the Lord, Zion of the Holy One of Israel. For this reason, because you were forsaken and hated, and without someone to help you, I will give you eternal joy, joy from generation to generation.
And cut off the milk of the nations, and take away the wealth of kings, and understand that I am the Lord who saves you, and the God of Israel delivers you.
Reading the prophecy of Isaiah [60:1–16]
Shine, shine, O Jerusalem, for your light has come and the glory of the Lord has shone on you. Behold, darkness will cover the earth, and darkness will cover the nations, but the Lord will appear above you, and His glory will be visible above you. And kings will walk by your light, and nations by your radiance. Look around with your eyes and look at your gathered children: behold, all your sons have come from afar, and they will bring your daughters on their shoulders. Then you will see, and you will rejoice, and you will be afraid, and your heart will tremble, because the wealth of the sea, and the peoples and tribes will pass to you. And herds of camels will come to you, and the camels of Midian and Githar will fill you. All will come from Sheba, bringing gold, and they will bring incense and precious stones, and they will proclaim the salvation of the Lord. And all the sheep of Kedar will be gathered to you, and the rams of Nabeoth will come to you, and will be offered as a pleasant sacrifice on My altar, and My house of prayer will be glorified. Who is it that flies towards Me like clouds and like doves with their chicks?
Zion is with me, the islands were waiting for me, and first of all the ships of the Persians, to transport your children from afar and their silver and gold with them for the sake of the holy name of the Lord and for the sake of the Holy One of Israel. And foreigners will build your walls, and their kings will serve you, for in My wrath I struck you down and in My mercy I loved you. And your gates, Jerusalem, will always be open, day and night, and will not be shut, so that they can bring to you the wealth of the nations and bring in their kings. For the nations and kings who do not serve you will perish, and the nations will be devastated to the point of desolation. And the glory of Lebanon will come to you with cypress, pine and cedar, so that together I will glorify My holy place, and I will glorify the place where My feet stand. And the sons of those who humiliated you and provoked you will come to you with fear, and all those who insulted you will worship your footprints, and you will be called the city of the Lord, Zion of the Holy One of Israel. Because you were abandoned and hated, and you had no protector, I will make you an everlasting joy, gladness throughout all generations.
And you will be satisfied with the milk of nations and fed with the wealth of kings, and you will know that I am the Lord your Savior and your Deliverer, the God of Israel.
Reading of Exodus (Exodus 12:1–11).