Day 55

1 Chronicles 10

The Death of Saul and His Sons

10 Now the Philistines fought against Israel, and the men of Israel fled before the Philistines and fell slain on Mount Gilboa. 2 And the Philistines overtook Saul and his sons, and the Philistines struck down Jonathan and Abinadab and Malchi-shua, the sons of Saul. 3 The battle pressed hard against Saul, and the archers found him, and he was wounded by the archers. 4 Then Saul said to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised come and mistreat me.” But his armor-bearer would not, for he feared greatly. Therefore Saul took his own sword and fell upon it. 5 And when his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell upon his sword and died. 6 Thus Saul died; he and his three sons and all his house died together. 7 And when all the men of Israel who were in the valley saw that the army had fled and that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned their cities and fled, and the Philistines came and lived in them.

8 The next day, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, they found Saul and his sons fallen on Mount Gilboa. 9 And they stripped him and took his head and his armor, and sent messengers throughout the land of the Philistines to carry the good news to their idols and to the people. 10 And they put his armor in the temple of their gods and fastened his head in the temple of Dagon. 11 But when all Jabesh-gilead heard all that the Philistines had done to Saul, 12 all the valiant men arose and took away the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons, and brought them to Jabesh. And they buried their bones under the oak in Jabesh and fasted seven days.

13 So Saul died for his breach of faith. He broke faith with the Lord in that he did not keep the command of the Lord, and also consulted a medium, seeking guidance. 14 He did not seek guidance from the Lord. Therefore the Lord put him to death and turned the kingdom over to David the son of Jesse. [1]

Psalms 102-104

Do Not Hide Your Face from Me

102 A Prayer of one afflicted, when he is faint and pours out his complaint before the Lord.

1    Hear my prayer, O Lord;

       let my cry come to you!

2    Do not hide your face from me

in the day of my distress!

       Incline your ear to me;

answer me speedily in the day when I call!

3    For my days pass away like smoke,

and my bones burn like a furnace.

4    My heart is struck down like grass and has withered;

I forget to eat my bread.

5    Because of my loud groaning

my bones cling to my flesh.

6    I am like a desert owl of the wilderness,

like an owl of the waste places;

7    I lie awake;

I am like a lonely sparrow on the housetop.

8    All the day my enemies taunt me;

those who deride me use my name for a curse.

9    For I eat ashes like bread

and mingle tears with my drink,

10    because of your indignation and anger;

for you have taken me up and thrown me down.

11    My days are like an evening shadow;

I wither away like grass.

12    But you, O Lord, are enthroned forever;

you are remembered throughout all generations.

13    You will arise and have pity on Zion;

it is the time to favor her;

the appointed time has come.

14    For your servants hold her stones dear

and have pity on her dust.

15    Nations will fear the name of the Lord,

and all the kings of the earth will fear your glory.

16    For the Lord builds up Zion;

he appears in his glory;

17    he regards the prayer of the destitute

and does not despise their prayer.

18    Let this be recorded for a generation to come,

so that a people yet to be created may praise the Lord:

19    that he looked down from his holy height;

from heaven the Lord looked at the earth,

20    to hear the groans of the prisoners,

to set free those who were doomed to die,

21    that they may declare in Zion the name of the Lord,

and in Jerusalem his praise,

22    when peoples gather together,

and kingdoms, to worship the Lord.

23    He has broken my strength in midcourse;

he has shortened my days.

24    “O my God,” I say, “take me not away

in the midst of my days—

       you whose years endure

throughout all generations!”

25    Of old you laid the foundation of the earth,

and the heavens are the work of your hands.

26    They will perish, but you will remain;

they will all wear out like a garment.

       You will change them like a robe, and they will pass away,

27        but you are the same, and your years have no end.

28    The children of your servants shall dwell secure;

their offspring shall be established before you.

Bless the Lord, O My Soul

103 Of David.

1    Bless the Lord, O my soul,

and all that is within me,

bless his holy name!

2    Bless the Lord, O my soul,

and forget not all his benefits,

3    who forgives all your iniquity,

who heals all your diseases,

4    who redeems your life from the pit,

who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,

5    who satisfies you with good

so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

6    The Lord works righteousness

and justice for all who are oppressed.

7    He made known his ways to Moses,

his acts to the people of Israel.

8    The Lord is merciful and gracious,

slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.

9    He will not always chide,

nor will he keep his anger forever.

10    He does not deal with us according to our sins,

nor repay us according to our iniquities.

11    For as high as the heavens are above the earth,

so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;

12    as far as the east is from the west,

so far does he remove our transgressions from us.

13    As a father shows compassion to his children,

so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.

14    For he knows our frame;

he remembers that we are dust.

15    As for man, his days are like grass;

he flourishes like a flower of the field;

16    for the wind passes over it, and it is gone,

and its place knows it no more.

17    But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him,

and his righteousness to children’s children,

18    to those who keep his covenant

and remember to do his commandments.

19    The Lord has established his throne in the heavens,

and his kingdom rules over all.

20    Bless the Lord, O you his angels,

you mighty ones who do his word,

obeying the voice of his word!

21    Bless the Lord, all his hosts,

his ministers, who do his will!

22    Bless the Lord, all his works,

in all places of his dominion.

       Bless the Lord, O my soul!

O Lord My God, You Are Very Great

104 Bless the Lord, O my soul!

O Lord my God, you are very great!

       You are clothed with splendor and majesty,

2        covering yourself with light as with a garment,

stretching out the heavens like a tent.

3    He lays the beams of his chambers on the waters;

       he makes the clouds his chariot;

he rides on the wings of the wind;

4    he makes his messengers winds,

his ministers a flaming fire.

5    He set the earth on its foundations,

so that it should never be moved.

6    You covered it with the deep as with a garment;

the waters stood above the mountains.

7    At your rebuke they fled;

at the sound of your thunder they took to flight.

8    The mountains rose, the valleys sank down

to the place that you appointed for them.

9    You set a boundary that they may not pass,

so that they might not again cover the earth.

10    You make springs gush forth in the valleys;

they flow between the hills;

11    they give drink to every beast of the field;

the wild donkeys quench their thirst.

12    Beside them the birds of the heavens dwell;

they sing among the branches.

13    From your lofty abode you water the mountains;

the earth is satisfied with the fruit of your work.

14    You cause the grass to grow for the livestock

and plants for man to cultivate,

       that he may bring forth food from the earth

15        and wine to gladden the heart of man,

       oil to make his face shine

and bread to strengthen man’s heart.

16    The trees of the Lord are watered abundantly,

the cedars of Lebanon that he planted.

17    In them the birds build their nests;

the stork has her home in the fir trees.

18    The high mountains are for the wild goats;

the rocks are a refuge for the rock badgers.

19    He made the moon to mark the seasons;

the sun knows its time for setting.

20    You make darkness, and it is night,

when all the beasts of the forest creep about.

21    The young lions roar for their prey,

seeking their food from God.

22    When the sun rises, they steal away

and lie down in their dens.

23    Man goes out to his work

and to his labor until the evening.

24    O Lord, how manifold are your works!

In wisdom have you made them all;

the earth is full of your creatures.

25    Here is the sea, great and wide,

which teems with creatures innumerable,

living things both small and great.

26    There go the ships,

and Leviathan, which you formed to play in it.

27    These all look to you,

to give them their food in due season.

28    When you give it to them, they gather it up;

when you open your hand, they are filled with good things.

29    When you hide your face, they are dismayed;

when you take away their breath, they die

and return to their dust.

30    When you send forth your Spirit, they are created,

and you renew the face of the ground.

31    May the glory of the Lord endure forever;

may the Lord rejoice in his works,

32    who looks on the earth and it trembles,

who touches the mountains and they smoke!

33    I will sing to the Lord as long as I live;

I will sing praise to my God while I have being.

34    May my meditation be pleasing to him,

for I rejoice in the Lord.

35    Let sinners be consumed from the earth,

and let the wicked be no more!

       Bless the Lord, O my soul!

       Praise the Lord! [2]

2 Samuel 5

David Anointed King of Israel

5 Then all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and said, “Behold, we are your bone and flesh. 2 In times past, when Saul was king over us, it was you who led out and brought in Israel. And the Lord said to you, ‘You shall be shepherd of my people Israel, and you shall be prince over Israel.’ ” 3 So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and King David made a covenant with them at Hebron before the Lord, and they anointed David king over Israel. 4 David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years. 5 At Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and at Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah thirty-three years.

6 And the king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, who said to David, “You will not come in here, but the blind and the lame will ward you off”—thinking, “David cannot come in here.” 7 Nevertheless, David took the stronghold of Zion, that is, the city of David. 8 And David said on that day, “Whoever would strike the Jebusites, let him get up the water shaft to attack ‘the lame and the blind,’ who are hated by David’s soul.” Therefore it is said, “The blind and the lame shall not come into the house.” 9 And David lived in the stronghold and called it the city of David. And David built the city all around from the Millo inward. 10 And David became greater and greater, for the Lord, the God of hosts, was with him.

11 And Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, also carpenters and masons who built David a house. 12 And David knew that the Lord had established him king over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel.

13 And David took more concubines and wives from Jerusalem, after he came from Hebron, and more sons and daughters were born to David. 14 And these are the names of those who were born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, 15 Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia, 16 Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet.

David Defeats the Philistines

17 When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over Israel, all the Philistines went up to search for David. But David heard of it and went down to the stronghold. 18 Now the Philistines had come and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim. 19 And David inquired of the Lord, “Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will you give them into my hand?” And the Lord said to David, “Go up, for I will certainly give the Philistines into your hand.” 20 And David came to Baal-perazim, and David defeated them there. And he said, “The Lord has broken through my enemies before me like a breaking flood.” Therefore the name of that place is called Baal-perazim. 21 And the Philistines left their idols there, and David and his men carried them away.

22 And the Philistines came up yet again and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim. 23 And when David inquired of the Lord, he said, “You shall not go up; go around to their rear, and come against them opposite the balsam trees. 24 And when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, then rouse yourself, for then the Lord has gone out before you to strike down the army of the Philistines.” 25 And David did as the Lord commanded him, and struck down the Philistines from Geba to Gezer. [3]

1 Chronicles 11-12

David Anointed King

11 Then all Israel gathered together to David at Hebron and said, “Behold, we are your bone and flesh. 2 In times past, even when Saul was king, it was you who led out and brought in Israel. And the Lord your God said to you, ‘You shall be shepherd of my people Israel, and you shall be prince over my people Israel.’ ” 3 So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and David made a covenant with them at Hebron before the Lord. And they anointed David king over Israel, according to the word of the Lord by Samuel.

David Takes Jerusalem

4 And David and all Israel went to Jerusalem, that is, Jebus, where the Jebusites were, the inhabitants of the land. 5 The inhabitants of Jebus said to David, “You will not come in here.” Nevertheless, David took the stronghold of Zion, that is, the city of David. 6 David said, “Whoever strikes the Jebusites first shall be chief and commander.” And Joab the son of Zeruiah went up first, so he became chief. 7 And David lived in the stronghold; therefore it was called the city of David. 8 And he built the city all around from the Millo in complete circuit, and Joab repaired the rest of the city. 9 And David became greater and greater, for the Lord of hosts was with him.

David’s Mighty Men

10 Now these are the chiefs of David’s mighty men, who gave him strong support in his kingdom, together with all Israel, to make him king, according to the word of the Lord concerning Israel. 11 This is an account of David’s mighty men: Jashobeam, a Hachmonite, was chief of the three. He wielded his spear against 300 whom he killed at one time.

12 And next to him among the three mighty men was Eleazar the son of Dodo, the Ahohite. 13 He was with David at Pas-dammim when the Philistines were gathered there for battle. There was a plot of ground full of barley, and the men fled from the Philistines. 14 But he took his stand in the midst of the plot and defended it and killed the Philistines. And the Lord saved them by a great victory.

15 Three of the thirty chief men went down to the rock to David at the cave of Adullam, when the army of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim. 16 David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then at Bethlehem. 17 And David said longingly, “Oh that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem that is by the gate!” 18 Then the three mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate and took it and brought it to David. But David would not drink it. He poured it out to the Lord 19 and said, “Far be it from me before my God that I should do this. Shall I drink the lifeblood of these men? For at the risk of their lives they brought it.” Therefore he would not drink it. These things did the three mighty men.

20 Now Abishai, the brother of Joab, was chief of the thirty. And he wielded his spear against 300 men and killed them and won a name beside the three. 21 He was the most renowned of the thirty and became their commander, but he did not attain to the three.

22 And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was a valiant man of Kabzeel, a doer of great deeds. He struck down two heroes of Moab. He also went down and struck down a lion in a pit on a day when snow had fallen. 23 And he struck down an Egyptian, a man of great stature, five cubits tall. The Egyptian had in his hand a spear like a weaver’s beam, but Benaiah went down to him with a staff and snatched the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with his own spear. 24 These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada and won a name beside the three mighty men. 25 He was renowned among the thirty, but he did not attain to the three. And David set him over his bodyguard.

26 The mighty men were Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem, 27 Shammoth of Harod, Helez the Pelonite, 28 Ira the son of Ikkesh of Tekoa, Abiezer of Anathoth, 29 Sibbecai the Hushathite, Ilai the Ahohite, 30 Maharai of Netophah, Heled the son of Baanah of Netophah, 31 Ithai the son of Ribai of Gibeah of the people of Benjamin, Benaiah of Pirathon, 32 Hurai of the brooks of Gaash, Abiel the Arbathite, 33 Azmaveth of Baharum, Eliahba the Shaalbonite, 34 Hashem the Gizonite, Jonathan the son of Shagee the Hararite, 35 Ahiam the son of Sachar the Hararite, Eliphal the son of Ur, 36 Hepher the Mecherathite, Ahijah the Pelonite, 37 Hezro of Carmel, Naarai the son of Ezbai, 38 Joel the brother of Nathan, Mibhar the son of Hagri, 39 Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai of Beeroth, the armor-bearer of Joab the son of Zeruiah, 40 Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, 41 Uriah the Hittite, Zabad the son of Ahlai, 42 Adina the son of Shiza the Reubenite, a leader of the Reubenites, and thirty with him, 43 Hanan the son of Maacah, and Joshaphat the Mithnite, 44 Uzzia the Ashterathite, Shama and Jeiel the sons of Hotham the Aroerite, 45 Jediael the son of Shimri, and Joha his brother, the Tizite, 46 Eliel the Mahavite, and Jeribai, and Joshaviah, the sons of Elnaam, and Ithmah the Moabite, 47 Eliel, and Obed, and Jaasiel the Mezobaite.

The Mighty Men Join David

12 Now these are the men who came to David at Ziklag, while he could not move about freely because of Saul the son of Kish. And they were among the mighty men who helped him in war. 2 They were bowmen and could shoot arrows and sling stones with either the right or the left hand; they were Benjaminites, Saul’s kinsmen. 3 The chief was Ahiezer, then Joash, both sons of Shemaah of Gibeah; also Jeziel and Pelet, the sons of Azmaveth; Beracah, Jehu of Anathoth, 4 Ishmaiah of Gibeon, a mighty man among the thirty and a leader over the thirty; Jeremiah, Jahaziel, Johanan, Jozabad of Gederah, 5 Eluzai, Jerimoth, Bealiah, Shemariah, Shephatiah the Haruphite; 6 Elkanah, Isshiah, Azarel, Joezer, and Jashobeam, the Korahites; 7 And Joelah and Zebadiah, the sons of Jeroham of Gedor.

8 From the Gadites there went over to David at the stronghold in the wilderness mighty and experienced warriors, expert with shield and spear, whose faces were like the faces of lions and who were swift as gazelles upon the mountains: 9 Ezer the chief, Obadiah second, Eliab third, 10 Mishmannah fourth, Jeremiah fifth, 11 Attai sixth, Eliel seventh, 12 Johanan eighth, Elzabad ninth, 13 Jeremiah tenth, Machbannai eleventh. 14 These Gadites were officers of the army; the least was a match for a hundred men and the greatest for a thousand. 15 These are the men who crossed the Jordan in the first month, when it was overflowing all its banks, and put to flight all those in the valleys, to the east and to the west.

16 And some of the men of Benjamin and Judah came to the stronghold to David. 17 David went out to meet them and said to them, “If you have come to me in friendship to help me, my heart will be joined to you; but if to betray me to my adversaries, although there is no wrong in my hands, then may the God of our fathers see and rebuke you.” 18 Then the Spirit clothed Amasai, chief of the thirty, and he said,

       “We are yours, O David,

and with you, O son of Jesse!

       Peace, peace to you,

and peace to your helpers!

For your God helps you.”

Then David received them and made them officers of his troops.

19 Some of the men of Manasseh deserted to David when he came with the Philistines for the battle against Saul. (Yet he did not help them, for the rulers of the Philistines took counsel and sent him away, saying, “At peril to our heads he will desert to his master Saul.”) 20 As he went to Ziklag, these men of Manasseh deserted to him: Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu, and Zillethai, chiefs of thousands in Manasseh. 21 They helped David against the band of raiders, for they were all mighty men of valor and were commanders in the army. 22 For from day to day men came to David to help him, until there was a great army, like an army of God.

23 These are the numbers of the divisions of the armed troops who came to David in Hebron to turn the kingdom of Saul over to him, according to the word of the Lord. 24 The men of Judah bearing shield and spear were 6,800 armed troops. 25 Of the Simeonites, mighty men of valor for war, 7,100. 26 Of the Levites 4,600. 27 The prince Jehoiada, of the house of Aaron, and with him 3,700. 28 Zadok, a young man mighty in valor, and twenty-two commanders from his own fathers’ house. 29 Of the Benjaminites, the kinsmen of Saul, 3,000, of whom the majority had to that point kept their allegiance to the house of Saul. 30 Of the Ephraimites 20,800, mighty men of valor, famous men in their fathers’ houses. 31 Of the half-tribe of Manasseh 18,000, who were expressly named to come and make David king. 32 Of Issachar, men who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do, 200 chiefs, and all their kinsmen under their command. 33 Of Zebulun 50,000 seasoned troops, equipped for battle with all the weapons of war, to help David with singleness of purpose. 34 Of Naphtali 1,000 commanders with whom were 37,000 men armed with shield and spear. 35 Of the Danites 28,600 men equipped for battle. 36 Of Asher 40,000 seasoned troops ready for battle. 37 Of the Reubenites and Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh from beyond the Jordan, 120,000 men armed with all the weapons of war.

38 All these, men of war, arrayed in battle order, came to Hebron with a whole heart to make David king over all Israel. Likewise, all the rest of Israel were of a single mind to make David king. 39 And they were there with David for three days, eating and drinking, for their brothers had made preparation for them. 40 And also their relatives, from as far as Issachar and Zebulun and Naphtali, came bringing food on donkeys and on camels and on mules and on oxen, abundant provisions of flour, cakes of figs, clusters of raisins, and wine and oil, oxen and sheep, for there was joy in Israel. [4]