1 CHRONICLES 11:1-12:18
ACTS 28:1-31
PSALM 9:1-12
PROVERBS 19:1-3
1 CHRONICLES 11:1-12:18
Then all Israel went to David at Hebron and told him, " We are all members of your family. 2 For a long time, even while Saul was our king, you were the one who really led Israel. And the LORD your God has told you, ` You will be the shepherd of my people Israel. You will be their leader.' " 3 So there at Hebron David made a covenant with the leaders of Israel before the LORD. They anointed him king of Israel, just as the LORD had promised through Samuel. 4 Then David and all Israel went to Jerusalem (or Jebus, as it used to be called), where the Jebusites, original inhabitants of the land, lived. 5 The people of Jebus said to David, " You will never get in here!" But David captured the fortress of Zion, now called the City of David. 6 David had said to his troops, " Whoever leads the attack against the Jebusites will become the commander of my armies!" And Joab, the son of David's sister Zeruiah, led the attack, so he became the commander of David's armies. 7 David made the fortress his home, and that is why it is called the City of David. 8 He extended the city from the Millo to the surrounding area, while Joab rebuilt the rest of Jerusalem. 9 And David became more and more powerful, because the LORD Almighty was with him. 10 These are the leaders of David's mighty men. Together with all Israel, they determined to make David their king, just as the LORD had promised concerning Israel. 11 Here is the record of David's mightiest men: The first was Jashobeam the Hacmonite, who was commander of the Three--the three greatest warriors among David's men. He once used his spear to kill three hundred enemy warriors in a single battle.12 Next in rank among the Three was Eleazar son of Dodai,* a descendant of Ahoah. 13 He was with David in the battle against the Philistines at Pas-dammim. The battle took place in a field full of barley, and the Israelite army fled. 14 But Eleazar and David held their ground in the middle of the field and beat back the Philistines. So the LORD saved them by giving them a great victory. 15 Once when David was at the rock near the cave of Adullam, the Philistine army was camped in the valley of Rephaim. The Three (who were among the Thirty--an elite group among David's fighting men) went down to meet him there. 16 David was staying in the stronghold at the time, and a Philistine detachment had occupied the town of Bethlehem. 17 David remarked longingly to his men, " Oh, how I would love some of that good water from the well in Bethlehem, the one by the gate." 18 So the Three broke through the Philistine lines, drew some water from the well, and brought it back to David. But David refused to drink it. Instead, he poured it out before the LORD. 19 " God forbid that I should drink this!" he exclaimed. " This water is as precious as the blood of these men who risked their lives to bring it to me." So David did not drink it. This is an example of the exploits of the Three. 20 Abishai, the brother of Joab, was the leader of the Thirty. He once used his spear to kill three hundred enemy warriors in a single battle. It was by such feats that he became as famous as the Three. 21 Abishai was the most famous of the Thirty and was their commander, though he was not one of the Three. 22 There was also Benaiah son of Jehoiada, a valiant warrior from Kabzeel. He did many heroic deeds, which included killing two of Moab's mightiest warriors. Another time he chased a lion down into a pit. Then, despite the snow and slippery ground, he caught the lion and killed it. 23 Another time, armed with only a club, he killed an Egyptian warrior who was seven and a half feet tall and whose spear was as thick as a weaver's beam. Benaiah wrenched the spear from the Egyptian's hand and killed him with it. 24 These are some of the deeds that made Benaiah as famous as the Three. 25 He was more honored than the other members of the Thirty, though he was not one of the Three. And David made him commander of his bodyguard. 26 These were also included among David's mighty men:Asahel, Joab's brother; Elhanan son of Dodo from Bethlehem; 27 Shammah from Harod; Helez from Pelon; 28 Ira son of Ikkesh from Tekoa; Abiezer from Anathoth; 29 Sibbecai from Hushah; Zalmon from Ahoah; 30 Maharai from Netophah; Heled son of Baanah from Netophah; 31 Ithai son of Ribai from Gibeah (from the tribe of Benjamin); Benaiah from Pirathon; 32 Hurai from near Nahale-gaash; Abi-albon the Arbathite; 33 Azmaveth from Bahurim; Eliahba from Shaalbon; 34 the sons of Jashen from Gizon; Jonathan son of Shagee from Harar; 35 Ahiam son of Sharar from Harar; Eliphal son of Ur; 36 Hepher from Mekerah; Ahijah from Pelon; 37 Hezro from Carmel; Paarai son of Ezbai; 38 Joel, the brother of Nathan; Mibhar son of Hagri; 39 Zelek from Ammon; Naharai from Beeroth (Joab's armor bearer); 40 Ira from Jattir; Gareb from Jattir; 41 Uriah the Hittite; Zabad son of Ahlai; 42 Adina son of Shiza, the Reubenite leader who had thirty men with him; 43 Hanan son of Maacah; Joshaphat from Mithna; 44 Uzzia from Ashtaroth; Shama and Jeiel, the sons of Hotham, from Aroer; 45 Jediael son of Shimri; Joha, his brother, from Tiz; 46 Eliel from Mahavah; Jeribai and Joshaviah, the sons of Elnaam; Ithmah from Moab; 47 Eliel and Obed; Jaasiel from Zobah. 12:1 THE following men joined David at Ziklag while he was hiding from Saul son of Kish. They were among the warriors who fought beside David in battle. 2 All of them were expert archers, and they could shoot arrows or sling stones with their left hand as well as their right. They were all relatives of Saul from the tribe of Benjamin. 3 Their leader was Ahiezer son of Shemaah from Gibeah; his brother Joash was second-in-command. These were the other warriors: Jeziel and Pelet, sons of Azmaveth; Beracah and Jehu from Anathoth; 4 Ishmaiah from Gibeon, a famous warrior and leader among the Thirty; Jeremiah, Jahaziel, Johanan, and Jozabad from Gederah; 5 Eluzai, Jerimoth, Bealiah, Shemariah, and Shephatiah from Haruph; 6 Elkanah, Isshiah, Azarel, Joezer, and Jashobeam, who were Korahites; 7 Joelah and Zebadiah, sons of Jeroham from Gedor. 8 Some brave and experienced warriors from the tribe of Gad also defected to David while he was at the stronghold in the wilderness. They were expert with both shield and spear, as fierce as lions and as swift as deer on the mountains. 9 Ezer was their leader. Obadiah was second. Eliab was third. 10 Mishmannah was fourth. Jeremiah was fifth. 11 Attai was sixth. Eliel was seventh. 12 Johanan was eighth. Elzabad was ninth. 13 Jeremiah was tenth. Macbannai was eleventh. 14 These warriors from Gad were army commanders. The weakest among them could take on a hundred regular troops, and the strongest could take on a thousand! 15 They crossed the Jordan River during its seasonal flooding at the beginning of the year and drove out all the people living in the lowlands on both the east and west banks. 16 Others from Benjamin and Judah came to David at the stronghold. 17 David went out to meet them and said, " If you have come in peace to help me, we are friends. But if you have come to betray me to my enemies when I am innocent, then may the God of our ancestors see and judge you." 18 Then the Spirit came upon Amasai, who later became a leader among the Thirty, and he said, " We are yours, David!
We are on your side, son of Jesse.
Peace and prosperity be with you,
and success to all who help you,
for your God is the one who helps you."
So David let them join him, and he made them officers over his troops.
ACTS 28:1-31
Once we [Luke, Paul, and his companions] were safe on shore, we learned that we were on the island of Malta. 2 The people of the island were very kind to us. It was cold and rainy, so they built a fire on the shore to welcome us and warm us. 3 As Paul gathered an armful of sticks and was laying them on the fire, a poisonous snake, driven out by the heat, fastened itself onto his hand. 4 The people of the island saw it hanging there and said to each other, " A murderer, no doubt! Though he escaped the sea, justice will not permit him to live." 5 But Paul shook off the snake into the fire and was unharmed. 6 The people waited for him to swell up or suddenly drop dead. But when they had waited a long time and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds and decided he was a god. 7 Near the shore where we landed was an estate belonging to Publius, the chief official of the island. He welcomed us courteously and fed us for three days. 8 As it happened, Publius's father was ill with fever and dysentery. Paul went in and prayed for him, and laying his hands on him, he healed him. 9 Then all the other sick people on the island came and were cured. 10 As a result we were showered with honors, and when the time came to sail, people put on board all sorts of things we would need for the trip. 11 It was three months after the shipwreck that we set sail on another ship that had wintered at the island--an Alexandrian ship with the twin gods as its figurehead. 12 Our first stop was Syracuse, where we stayed three days. 13 From there we sailed across to Rhegium. A day later a south wind began blowing, so the following day we sailed up the coast to Puteoli. 14 There we found some believers, who invited us to stay with them seven days. And so we came to Rome.15 The brothers and sisters* in Rome had heard we were coming, and they came to meet us at the Forum on the Appian Way. Others joined us at The Three Taverns. When Paul saw them, he thanked God and took courage. 16 When we arrived in Rome, Paul was permitted to have his own private lodging, though he was guarded by a soldier.17 Three days after Paul's arrival, he called together the local Jewish leaders. He said to them, " Brothers, I was arrested in Jerusalem and handed over to the Roman government, even though I had done nothing against our people or the customs of our ancestors. 18 The Romans tried me and wanted to release me, for they found no cause for the death sentence. 19 But when the Jewish leaders protested the decision, I felt it necessary to appeal to Caesar, even though I had no desire to press charges against my own people. 20 I asked you to come here today so we could get acquainted and so I could tell you that I am bound with this chain because I believe that the hope of Israel--the Messiah--has already come." 21 They replied, " We have heard nothing against you. We have had no letters from Judea or reports from anyone who has arrived here. 22 But we want to hear what you believe, for the only thing we know about these Christians is that they are denounced everywhere."23 So a time was set, and on that day a large number of people came to Paul's house. He told them about the Kingdom of God and taught them about Jesus from the Scriptures--from the five books of Moses and the books of the prophets. He began lecturing in the morning and went on into the evening. 24 Some believed and some didn't. 25 But after they had argued back and forth among themselves, they left with this final word from Paul: " The Holy Spirit was right when he said to our ancestors through Isaiah the prophet, 26 ` Go and say to my people,
You will hear my words,
but you will not understand;
you will see what I do,
but you will not perceive its meaning.
27 For the hearts of these people are hardened,
and their ears cannot hear,
and they have closed their eyes--
so their eyes cannot see,
and their ears cannot hear,
and their hearts cannot understand,
and they cannot turn to me
and let me heal them.'
28 So I want you to realize that this salvation from God is also available to the Gentiles, and they will accept it." 30 For the next two years, Paul lived in his own rented house. He welcomed all who visited him, 31 proclaiming the Kingdom of God with all boldness and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ. And no one tried to stop him.
PSALM 9:1-12
For the choir director: A psalm of David, to be sung to the tune " Death of the Son."
1 I will thank you, LORD, with all my heart;
I will tell of all the marvelous things you have done.
2 I will be filled with joy because of you.
I will sing praises to your name, O Most High.
3 My enemies turn away in retreat;
they are overthrown and destroyed before you.
4 For you have judged in my favor;
from your throne, you have judged with fairness.
5 You have rebuked the nations and destroyed the wicked;
you have wiped out their names forever.
6 My enemies have met their doom;
their cities are perpetual ruins.
Even the memory of their uprooted cities is lost.
7 But the LORD reigns forever,
executing judgment from his throne.
8 He will judge the world with justice
and rule the nations with fairness.
9 The LORD is a shelter for the oppressed,
a refuge in times of trouble.
10 Those who know your name trust in you,
for you, O LORD, have never abandoned anyone who searches for you.
11 Sing praises to the LORD who reigns in Jerusalem.
Tell the world about his unforgettable deeds.
12 For he who avenges murder cares for the helpless.
He does not ignore those who cry to him for help.
PROVERBS 19:1-3
It is better to be poor and honest than to be a fool and dishonest. Zeal without knowledge is not good; a person who moves too quickly may go the wrong way. People ruin their lives by their own foolishness and then are angry at the LORD.
