Thankful Through the Struggle

Our Father

Embracing Wonder: A 5-Week Advent Devotional From Matthew West

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A Very Married Christmas: Couples Advent Devotional

El-Roi the God Who Sees Me

[Deeply Rooted] Stand Strong

The Way of Kings

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From Humbug to Hallelujah: A 5-Day Christmas Transformation

New International Version

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 <div class="p">1These are the last words of David:</div><div class="q1">&#8220;The inspired utterance of David son of Jesse,</div><div class="q2">the utterance of the man exalted by the Most High,</div><div class="q1">the man anointed by the God of Jacob,</div><div class="q2">the hero of Israel&#8217;s songs:</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"> 2&#8220;The Spirit of the Lord spoke through me;</div><div class="q2">his word was on my tongue.</div><div class="q1"> 3The God of Israel spoke,</div><div class="q2">the Rock of Israel said to me:</div><div class="q1">&#8216;When one rules over people in righteousness,</div><div class="q2">when he rules in the fear of God,</div><div class="q1"> 4he is like the light of morning at sunrise</div><div class="q2">on a cloudless morning,</div><div class="q1">like the brightness after rain</div><div class="q2">that brings grass from the earth.&#8217;</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"> 5&#8220;If my house were not right with God,</div><div class="q2">surely he would not have made with me an everlasting covenant,</div><div class="q2">arranged and secured in every part;</div><div class="q1">surely he would not bring to fruition my salvation</div><div class="q2">and grant me my every desire.</div><div class="q1"> 6But evil men are all to be cast aside like thorns,</div><div class="q2">which are not gathered with the hand.</div><div class="q1"> 7Whoever touches thorns</div><div class="q2">uses a tool of iron or the shaft of a spear;</div><div class="q2">they are burned up where they lie.&#8221;</div><div class="s1">David&#8217;s Mighty Warriors</div><div class="p"> 8These are the names of David&#8217;s mighty warriors:</div><div class="p">Josheb-Basshebeth,#23:8 Hebrew; some Septuagint manuscripts suggest Ish-Bosheth, that is, Esh-Baal (see also 1 Chron. 11:11 Jashobeam). a Tahkemonite,#23:8 Probably a variant of Hakmonite (see 1 Chron. 11:11) was chief of the Three; he raised his spear against eight hundred men, whom he killed#23:8 Some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 1 Chron. 11:11); Hebrew and other Septuagint manuscripts Three; it was Adino the Eznite who killed eight hundred men in one encounter.</div><div class="p"> 9Next to him was Eleazar son of Dodai the Ahohite. As one of the three mighty warriors, he was with David when they taunted the Philistines gathered at Pas Dammim#23:9 See 1 Chron. 11:13; Hebrew gathered there. for battle. Then the Israelites retreated, 10but Eleazar stood his ground and struck down the Philistines till his hand grew tired and froze to the sword. The Lord brought about a great victory that day. The troops returned to Eleazar, but only to strip the dead.</div><div class="p"> 11Next to him was Shammah son of Agee the Hararite. When the Philistines banded together at a place where there was a field full of lentils, Israel&#8217;s troops fled from them. 12But Shammah took his stand in the middle of the field. He defended it and struck the Philistines down, and the Lord brought about a great victory.</div><div class="p"> 13During harvest time, three of the thirty chief warriors came down to David at the cave of Adullam, while a band of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim. 14At that time David was in the stronghold, and the Philistine garrison was at Bethlehem. 15David longed for water and said, &#8220;Oh, that someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem!&#8221; 16So the three mighty warriors broke through the Philistine lines, drew water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem and carried it back to David. But he refused to drink it; instead, he poured it out before the Lord. 17&#8220;Far be it from me, Lord, to do this!&#8221; he said. &#8220;Is it not the blood of men who went at the risk of their lives?&#8221; And David would not drink it.</div><div class="p">Such were the exploits of the three mighty warriors.</div><div class="p"> 18Abishai the brother of Joab son of Zeruiah was chief of the Three.#23:18 Most Hebrew manuscripts (see also 1 Chron. 11:20); two Hebrew manuscripts and Syriac Thirty He raised his spear against three hundred men, whom he killed, and so he became as famous as the Three. 19Was he not held in greater honor than the Three? He became their commander, even though he was not included among them.</div><div class="p"> 20Benaiah son of Jehoiada, a valiant fighter from Kabzeel, performed great exploits. He struck down Moab&#8217;s two mightiest warriors. He also went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion. 21And he struck down a huge Egyptian. Although the Egyptian had a spear in his hand, Benaiah went against him with a club. He snatched the spear from the Egyptian&#8217;s hand and killed him with his own spear. 22Such were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoiada; he too was as famous as the three mighty warriors. 23He was held in greater honor than any of the Thirty, but he was not included among the Three. And David put him in charge of his bodyguard.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="li1"> 24Among the Thirty were:</div><div class="li2">Asahel the brother of Joab,</div><div class="li2">Elhanan son of Dodo from Bethlehem,</div><div class="li2"> 25Shammah the Harodite,</div><div class="li2">Elika the Harodite,</div><div class="li2"> 26Helez the Paltite,</div><div class="li2">Ira son of Ikkesh from Tekoa,</div><div class="li2"> 27Abiezer from Anathoth,</div><div class="li2">Sibbekai#23:27 Some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 21:18; 1 Chron. 11:29); Hebrew Mebunnai the Hushathite,</div><div class="li2"> 28Zalmon the Ahohite,</div><div class="li2">Maharai the Netophathite,</div><div class="li2"> 29Heled#23:29 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Vulgate (see also 1 Chron. 11:30); most Hebrew manuscripts Heleb son of Baanah the Netophathite,</div><div class="li2">Ithai son of Ribai from Gibeah in Benjamin,</div><div class="li2"> 30Benaiah the Pirathonite,</div><div class="li2">Hiddai#23:30 Hebrew; some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 1 Chron. 11:32) Hurai from the ravines of Gaash,</div><div class="li2"> 31Abi-Albon the Arbathite,</div><div class="li2">Azmaveth the Barhumite,</div><div class="li2"> 32Eliahba the Shaalbonite,</div><div class="li2">the sons of Jashen,</div><div class="li2">Jonathan 33son of#23:33 Some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 1 Chron. 11:34); Hebrew does not have son of. Shammah the Hararite,</div><div class="li2">Ahiam son of Sharar#23:33 Hebrew; some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 1 Chron. 11:35) Sakar the Hararite,</div><div class="li2"> 34Eliphelet son of Ahasbai the Maakathite,</div><div class="li2">Eliam son of Ahithophel the Gilonite,</div><div class="li2"> 35Hezro the Carmelite,</div><div class="li2">Paarai the Arbite,</div><div class="li2"> 36Igal son of Nathan from Zobah,</div><div class="li2">the son of Hagri,#23:36 Some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 1 Chron. 11:38); Hebrew Haggadi</div><div class="li2"> 37Zelek the Ammonite,</div><div class="li2">Naharai the Beerothite, the armor-bearer of Joab son of Zeruiah,</div><div class="li2"> 38Ira the Ithrite,</div><div class="li2">Gareb the Ithrite</div><div class="li2"> 39and Uriah the Hittite.</div><div class="li1">There were thirty-seven in all.</div>
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 <div class="p">1Again the anger of the Lord burned against Israel, and he incited David against them, saying, &#8220;Go and take a census of Israel and Judah.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 2So the king said to Joab and the army commanders#24:2 Septuagint (see also verse 4 and 1 Chron. 21:2); Hebrew Joab the army commander with him, &#8220;Go throughout the tribes of Israel from Dan to Beersheba and enroll the fighting men, so that I may know how many there are.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 3But Joab replied to the king, &#8220;May the Lord your God multiply the troops a hundred times over, and may the eyes of my lord the king see it. But why does my lord the king want to do such a thing?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 4The king&#8217;s word, however, overruled Joab and the army commanders; so they left the presence of the king to enroll the fighting men of Israel.</div><div class="p"> 5After crossing the Jordan, they camped near Aroer, south of the town in the gorge, and then went through Gad and on to Jazer. 6They went to Gilead and the region of Tahtim Hodshi, and on to Dan Jaan and around toward Sidon. 7Then they went toward the fortress of Tyre and all the towns of the Hivites and Canaanites. Finally, they went on to Beersheba in the Negev of Judah.</div><div class="p"> 8After they had gone through the entire land, they came back to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days.</div><div class="p"> 9Joab reported the number of the fighting men to the king: In Israel there were eight hundred thousand able-bodied men who could handle a sword, and in Judah five hundred thousand.</div><div class="p"> 10David was conscience-stricken after he had counted the fighting men, and he said to the Lord, &#8220;I have sinned greatly in what I have done. Now, Lord, I beg you, take away the guilt of your servant. I have done a very foolish thing.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 11Before David got up the next morning, the word of the Lord had come to Gad the prophet, David&#8217;s seer: 12&#8220;Go and tell David, &#8216;This is what the Lord says: I am giving you three options. Choose one of them for me to carry out against you.&#8217;&#8198;&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 13So Gad went to David and said to him, &#8220;Shall there come on you three#24:13 Septuagint (see also 1 Chron. 21:12); Hebrew seven years of famine in your land? Or three months of fleeing from your enemies while they pursue you? Or three days of plague in your land? Now then, think it over and decide how I should answer the one who sent me.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 14David said to Gad, &#8220;I am in deep distress. Let us fall into the hands of the Lord, for his mercy is great; but do not let me fall into human hands.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 15So the Lord sent a plague on Israel from that morning until the end of the time designated, and seventy thousand of the people from Dan to Beersheba died. 16When the angel stretched out his hand to destroy Jerusalem, the Lord relented concerning the disaster and said to the angel who was afflicting the people, &#8220;Enough! Withdraw your hand.&#8221; The angel of the Lord was then at the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.</div><div class="p"> 17When David saw the angel who was striking down the people, he said to the Lord, &#8220;I have sinned; I, the shepherd,#24:17 Dead Sea Scrolls and Septuagint; Masoretic Text does not have the shepherd. have done wrong. These are but sheep. What have they done? Let your hand fall on me and my family.&#8221;</div><div class="s1">David Builds an Altar</div><div class="p"> 18On that day Gad went to David and said to him, &#8220;Go up and build an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.&#8221; 19So David went up, as the Lord had commanded through Gad. 20When Araunah looked and saw the king and his officials coming toward him, he went out and bowed down before the king with his face to the ground.</div><div class="p"> 21Araunah said, &#8220;Why has my lord the king come to his servant?&#8221;</div><div class="p">&#8220;To buy your threshing floor,&#8221; David answered, &#8220;so I can build an altar to the Lord, that the plague on the people may be stopped.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 22Araunah said to David, &#8220;Let my lord the king take whatever he wishes and offer it up. Here are oxen for the burnt offering, and here are threshing sledges and ox yokes for the wood. 23Your Majesty, Araunah#24:23 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint; most Hebrew manuscripts King Araunah gives all this to the king.&#8221; Araunah also said to him, &#8220;May the Lord your God accept you.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 24But the king replied to Araunah, &#8220;No, I insist on paying you for it. I will not sacrifice to the Lord my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing.&#8221;</div><div class="p">So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen and paid fifty shekels#24:24 That is, about 1 1/4 pounds or about 575 grams of silver for them. 25David built an altar to the Lord there and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. Then the Lord answered his prayer in behalf of the land, and the plague on Israel was stopped.</div>
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