1 SAMUEL 29:1-31:13
JOHN 11:55-12:19
PSALM 118:1-18
PROVERBS 15:24-26
1 SAMUEL 29:1-31:13
The entire Philistine army now mobilized at Aphek, and the Israelites camped at the spring in Jezreel. 2 As the Philistine rulers were leading out their troops in groups of one hundred and one thousand, David and his men marched at the rear with King Achish. 3 But the Philistine commanders demanded, " What are these Hebrews doing here?" And Achish told them, " This is David, the man who ran away from King Saul of Israel. He's been with me for years, and I've never found a single fault in him since he defected to me." 4 But the Philistine commanders were angry. " Send him back!" they demanded. " He can't go into the battle with us. What if he turns against us? Is there any better way for him to reconcile himself with his master than by turning on us in battle? 5 Isn't this the same David about whom the women of Israel sing in their dances, ` Saul has killed his thousands, and David his ten thousands'?" 6 So Achish finally summoned David and his men. " I swear by the LORD," he told them, " you are some of the finest men I've ever met. I think you should go with us, but the other Philistine rulers won't hear of it. 7 Please don't upset them, but go back quietly." 8 " What have I done to deserve this treatment?" David demanded. " Why can't I fight the enemies of my lord, the king?" 9 But Achish insisted, " As far as I'm concerned, you're as perfect as an angel of God. But my commanders are afraid to have you with them in the battle. 10 Now get up early in the morning, and leave with your men as soon as it gets light." 11 So David headed back into the land of the Philistines, while the Philistine army went on to Jezreel.30:1 THREE days later, when David and his men arrived home at their town of Ziklag, they found that the Amalekites had made a raid into the Negev and had burned Ziklag to the ground. 2 They had carried off the women and children and everyone else but without killing anyone. 3 When David and his men saw the ruins and realized what had happened to their families, 4 they wept until they could weep no more. 5 David's two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal of Carmel, were among those captured. 6 David was now in serious trouble because his men were very bitter about losing their wives and children, and they began to talk of stoning him. But David found strength in the LORD his God. 7 Then he said to Abiathar the priest, " Bring me the ephod!" So Abiathar brought it. 8 Then David asked the LORD, " Should I chase them? Will I catch them?" And the LORD told him, " Yes, go after them. You will surely recover everything that was taken from you!" 9 So David and his six hundred men set out, and they soon came to Besor Brook. 10 But two hundred of the men were too exhausted to cross the brook, so David continued the pursuit with his four hundred remaining troops. 11 Some of David's troops found an Egyptian man in a field and brought him to David. They gave him some bread to eat and some water to drink. 12 They also gave him part of a fig cake and two clusters of raisins because he hadn't had anything to eat or drink for three days and nights. It wasn't long before his strength returned. 13 " To whom do you belong, and where do you come from?" David asked him. " I am an Egyptian--the slave of an Amalekite," he replied. " My master left me behind three days ago because I was sick. 14 We were on our way back from raiding the Kerethites in the Negev, the territory of Judah, and the land of Caleb, and we had just burned Ziklag." 15 " Will you lead me to them?" David asked. The young man replied, " If you swear by God's name that you will not kill me or give me back to my master, then I will guide you to them." 16 So the Egyptian led them to the Amalekite encampment. When David and his men arrived, the Amalekites were spread out across the fields, eating and drinking and dancing with joy because of the vast amount of plunder they had taken from the Philistines and the land of Judah. 17 David and his men rushed in among them and slaughtered them throughout that night and the entire next day until evening. None of the Amalekites escaped except four hundred young men who fled on camels. 18 David got back everything the Amalekites had taken, and he rescued his two wives. 19 Nothing was missing: small or great, son or daughter, nor anything else that had been taken. David brought everything back. 20 His troops rounded up all the flocks and herds and drove them on ahead. " These all belong to David as his reward!" they said. 21 When they reached Besor Brook and met the two hundred men who had been too tired to go with them, David greeted them joyfully. 22 But some troublemakers among David's men said, " They didn't go with us, so they can't have any of the plunder. Give them their wives and children, and tell them to be gone." 23 But David said, " No, my brothers! Don't be selfish with what the LORD has given us. He has kept us safe and helped us defeat the enemy. 24 Do you think anyone will listen to you when you talk like this? We share and share alike--those who go to battle and those who guard the equipment." 25 From then on David made this a law for all of Israel, and it is still followed. 26 When he arrived at Ziklag, David sent part of the plunder to the leaders of Judah, who were his friends. " Here is a present for you, taken from the LORD's enemies," he said. 27 The gifts were sent to the leaders of the following towns where David and his men had been: Bethel, Ramoth-negev, Jattir, 28 Aroer, Siphmoth, Eshtemoa, 29 Racal, the towns of the Jerahmeelites, the towns of the Kenites, 30 Hormah, Bor-ashan, Athach, 31 Hebron, and all the other places they had visited.31:1 NOW the Philistines attacked Israel, forcing the Israelites to flee. Many were slaughtered on the slopes of Mount Gilboa. 2 The Philistines closed in on Saul and his sons, and they killed three of his sons--Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malkishua. 3 The fighting grew very fierce around Saul, and the Philistine archers caught up with him and wounded him severely. 4 Saul groaned to his armor bearer, " Take your sword and kill me before these pagan Philistines run me through and humiliate me." But his armor bearer was afraid and would not do it. So Saul took his own sword and fell on it. 5 When his armor bearer realized that Saul was dead, he fell on his own sword and died beside the king. 6 So Saul, three of his sons, his armor bearer, and his troops all died together that same day. 7 When the Israelites on the other side of the Jezreel Valley and beyond the Jordan saw that their army had been routed and that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned their towns and fled. So the Philistines moved in and occupied their towns. 8 The next day, when the Philistines went out to strip the dead, they found the bodies of Saul and his three sons on Mount Gilboa. 9 So they cut off Saul's head and stripped off his armor. Then they proclaimed the news of Saul's death in their pagan temple and to the people throughout the land of Philistia. 10 They placed his armor in the temple of the Ashtoreths, and they fastened his body to the wall of the city of Beth-shan. 11 But when the people of Jabesh-gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul, 12 their warriors traveled all night to Beth-shan and took the bodies of Saul and his sons down from the wall. They brought them to Jabesh, where they burned the bodies. 13 Then they took their remains and buried them beneath the tamarisk tree at Jabesh, and they fasted for seven days.
JOHN 11:55-12:19
It was now almost time for the celebration of Passover, and many people from the country arrived in Jerusalem several days early so they could go through the cleansing ceremony before the Passover began. 56 They wanted to see Jesus, and as they talked in the Temple, they asked each other, " What do you think? Will he come for the Passover?" 57 Meanwhile, the leading priests and Pharisees had publicly announced that anyone seeing Jesus must report him immediately so they could arrest him. 12:1 SIX days before the Passover ceremonies began, Jesus arrived in Bethany, the home of Lazarus--the man he had raised from the dead. 2 A dinner was prepared in Jesus' honor. Martha served, and Lazarus sat at the table with him. 3 Then Mary took a twelve-ounce jar of expensive perfume made from essence of nard, and she anointed Jesus' feet with it and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with fragrance. 4 But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples--the one who would betray him--said, 5 " That perfume was worth a small fortune. It should have been sold and the money given to the poor." 6 Not that he cared for the poor--he was a thief who was in charge of the disciples' funds, and he often took some for his own use. 7 Jesus replied, " Leave her alone. She did it in preparation for my burial. 8 You will always have the poor among you, but I will not be here with you much longer." 9 When all the people heard of Jesus' arrival, they flocked to see him and also to see Lazarus, the man Jesus had raised from the dead. 10 Then the leading priests decided to kill Lazarus, too, 11 for it was because of him that many of the people had deserted them and believed in Jesus. 12 The next day, the news that Jesus was on the way to Jerusalem swept through the city. A huge crowd of Passover visitors 13 took palm branches and went down the road to meet him. They shouted, " Praise God!
Bless the one who comes in the name of the Lord!
Hail to the King of Israel!"
14 Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, fulfilling the prophecy that said: 15 " Don't be afraid, people of Israel.
Look, your King is coming,
sitting on a donkey's colt."
16 His disciples didn't realize at the time that this was a fulfillment of prophecy. But after Jesus entered into his glory, they remembered that these Scriptures had come true before their eyes. 17 Those in the crowd who had seen Jesus call Lazarus back to life were telling others all about it. 18 That was the main reason so many went out to meet him--because they had heard about this mighty miracle. 19 Then the Pharisees said to each other, " We've lost. Look, the whole world has gone after him!"
PSALM 118:1-18
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good!
His faithful love endures forever.
2 Let the congregation of Israel repeat:
" His faithful love endures forever."
3 Let Aaron's descendants, the priests, repeat:
" His faithful love endures forever."
4 Let all who fear the LORD repeat:
" His faithful love endures forever."
5 In my distress I prayed to the LORD,
and the LORD answered me and rescued me.
6 The LORD is for me, so I will not be afraid.
What can mere mortals do to me?
7 Yes, the LORD is for me; he will help me.
I will look in triumph at those who hate me.
8 It is better to trust the LORD
than to put confidence in people.
9 It is better to trust the LORD
than to put confidence in princes.
10 Though hostile nations surrounded me,
I destroyed them all in the name of the LORD.
11 Yes, they surrounded and attacked me,
but I destroyed them all in the name of the LORD.
12 They swarmed around me like bees;
they blazed against me like a roaring flame.
But I destroyed them all in the name of the LORD.
13 You did your best to kill me, O my enemy,
but the LORD helped me.
14 The LORD is my strength and my song;
he has become my victory.
15 Songs of joy and victory are sung in the camp of the godly.
The strong right arm of the LORD has done glorious things!
16 The strong right arm of the LORD is raised in triumph.
The strong right arm of the LORD has done glorious things!
17 I will not die, but I will live
to tell what the LORD has done.
18 The LORD has punished me severely,
but he has not handed me over to death.
PROVERBS 15:24-26
The path of the wise leads to life above; they leave the grave behind. The LORD destroys the house of the proud, but he protects the property of widows. The LORD despises the thoughts of the wicked, but he delights in pure words.
