Daily Bible Reading from BibleStudyTools.com

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Today's Bible Reading

May 31

Romans 7; 1 Samuel 16; Psalm 61 CJB

Romans 7

1 Surely you know, brothers - for I am speaking to those who understand Torah - that the Torah has authority over a person only so long as he lives?

2 For example, a married woman is bound by Torah to her husband while he is alive; but if the husband dies, she is released from the part of the Torah that deals with husbands.

3 Therefore, while the husband is alive, she will be called an adulteress if she marries another man; but if the husband dies, she is free from that part of the Torah; so that if she marries another man, she is not an adulteress.

4 Thus, my brothers, you have been made dead with regard to the Torah through the Messiah's body, so that you may belong to someone else, namely, the one who has been raised from the dead, in order for us to bear fruit for God.

5 For when we were living according to our old nature, the passions connected with sins worked through the Torah in our various parts, with the result that we bore fruit for death.

6 But now we have been released from this aspect of the Torah, because we have died to that which had us in its clutches, so that we are serving in the new way provided by the Spirit and not in the old way of outwardly following the letter of the law.

7 Therefore, what are we to say? That the Torah is sinful? Heaven forbid! Rather, the function of the Torah was that without it, I would not have known what sin is. For example, I would not have become conscious of what greed is if the Torah had not said, "Thou shalt not covet."v

8 But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, worked in me all kinds of evil desires - for apart from Torah, sin is dead.

9 I was once alive outside the framework of Torah. But when the commandment really encountered me, sin sprang to life,

10 and I died. The commandment that was intended to bring me life was found to be bringing me death!

11 For sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, deceived me; and through the commandment, sin killed me.

12 So the Torah is holy; that is, the commandment is holy, just and good.

13 Then did something good become for me the source of death? Heaven forbid! Rather, it was sin working death in me through something good, so that sin might be clearly exposed as sin, so that sin through the commandment might come to be experienced as sinful beyond measure.

14 For we know that the Torah is of the Spirit; but as for me, I am bound to the old nature, sold to sin as a slave.

15 I don't understand my own behavior - I don't do what I want to do; instead, I do the very thing I hate!

16 Now if I am doing what I don't want to do, I am agreeing that the Torah is good.

17 But now it is no longer "the real me" doing it, but the sin housed inside me.

18 For I know that there is nothing good housed inside me - that is, inside my old nature. I can want what is good, but I can't do it!

19 For I don't do the good I want; instead, the evil that I don't want is what I do!

20 But if I am doing what "the real me" doesn't want, it is no longer "the real me" doing it but the sin housed inside me.

21 So I find it to be the rule, a kind of perverse "torah," that although I want to do what is good, evil is right there with me!

22 For in my inner self I completely agree with God's Torah;

23 but in my various parts, I see a different "torah," one that battles with the Torah in my mind and makes me a prisoner of sin's "torah," which is operating in my various parts.

24 What a miserable creature I am! Who will rescue me from this body bound for death?

25 Thanks be to God [, he will]! - through Yeshua the Messiah, our Lord! To sum up: with my mind, I am a slave of God's Torah; but with my old nature, I am a slave of sin's "Torah."

1 Samuel 16

1 ADONAI said to Sh'mu'el, "How much longer are you going to go on grieving for Sha'ul, now that I have rejected him as king over Isra'el? Fill your horn with oil, and set out; I will send you to Yishai the Beit-Lachmi, because I have chosen myself a king from among his sons."

2 Sh'mu'el said, "How can I go? If Sha'ul hears of it, he will have me killed."ADONAI said, "Take a female cow with you and say, 'I have come to sacrifice to ADONAI.'

3 Summon Yishai to the sacrifice. I will tell you what to do, and you are to anoint for me the person I point out to you."

4 Sh'mu'el did what ADONAI said and arrived at Beit-Lechem. The leaders of the city came trembling to meet him and asked, "Are you coming in peace?"

5 He answered, "In peace. I have come to sacrifice to ADONAI. Consecrate yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice." He consecrated Yishai and his sons and summoned them to the sacrifice.

6 When they had come, he looked at Eli'av and said, "This has to be ADONAI's anointed one, here before him."

7 But ADONAI said to Sh'mu'el, "Don't pay attention to how he looks or how tall he is, because I have rejected him. ADONAI doesn't see the way humans see - humans look at the outward appearance, but ADONAI looks at the heart."

8 Then Yishai called Avinadav and presented him to Sh'mu'el; but he said, "ADONAI hasn't chosen this one either."

9 Yishai presented Shammah; again Sh'mu'el said, "ADONAI hasn't chosen this one either."

10 Yishai presented seven of his sons to Sh'mu'el; but Sh'mu'el told Yishai, "ADONAI has not chosen these.

11 Are all your sons here?" Sh'mu'el asked Yishai. He replied, "There is still the youngest; he's out there tending the sheep." Sh'mu'el said to Yishai, "Send and bring him back, because we won't sit down to eat until he gets here."

12 He sent and brought him in. With ruddy cheeks, red hair and bright eyes, he was a good-looking fellow. ADONAI said, "Stand up and anoint him; he's the one."

13 Sh'mu'el took the horn of oil and anointed him there in his brothers' presence. From that day on, the Spirit of ADONAI would fall upon David with power. So Sh'mu'el set out and went to Ramah.

14 Now the Spirit of ADONAI had left Sha'ul; instead, an evil spirit from ADONAI would suddenly come over him.

15 Sha'ul's servants said to him, "Do you notice that there's an evil spirit from God that suddenly comes over you?

16 Let our lord now command your servants who are here with you to look for a man who knows how to play the lyre. Then, if the evil spirit from God comes over you, he will play; and it will do you good."

17 Sha'ul said to his servants, "Find me a man who can play well, and bring him to me."

18 One of the young men answered, "Here, I've seen one of the sons of Yishai the Beit-Lachmi who knows how to play. He's a brave soldier, he can fight, he chooses his words carefully and he's pleasant-looking. Besides, ADONAI is with him."

19 So Sha'ul sent messengers to Yishai saying, "Send me David your son, who is out with the sheep."

20 Yishai took a donkey, loaded it with bread, a bottle of wine and a kid, and sent them with David his son to Sha'ul.

21 David came to Sha'ul and presented himself to him. Sha'ul took a great liking to him and made him his armor-bearer.

22 Sha'ul sent a message to Yishai: "Please let David stay in my service, because I'm pleased with him."

23 So it was that whenever the [evil] spirit from God came over Sha'ul, David would take the lyre and play it, with the result that Sha'ul would find relief and feel better, as the evil spirit left him.

Psalm 61

1 For the leader. With stringed instruments. By David: Hear my cry, God; listen to my prayer.

2 From the end of the earth, with fainting heart, I call out to you. Set me down on a rock far above where I am now.

3 For you have been a refuge for me, a tower of strength in the face of the foe.

4 I will live in your tent forever and find refuge in the shelter of your wings. (Selah)

5 For you, God, have heard my vows; you have given me the heritage of those who fear your name.

6 Prolong the life of the king! May his years go on for many generations.

7 May he be enthroned in God's presence forever! Appoint grace and truth to preserve him!

8 Then I will sing praise to your name forever, as day after day I fulfill my vows.

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Today's Bible Reading June 1 Romans 8; 1 Samuel 17 Psalm 62 CJB Romans 8 1 Therefore, there is no longer any condemnation awaiting those who are in union with the Messiah Yeshua. 2 Why? Because the Torah of the Spirit, which produces this life in union with Messiah Yeshua, has set me free from the "Torah" of sin and death. 3 For what the Torah could not do by itself, because it lacked the power to make the old nature cooperate, God did by sending his own Son as a human being with a nature like our own sinful one [but without sin]. God did this in order to deal with sin, and in so doing he executed the punishment against sin in human nature, 4 so that the just requirement of the Torah might be fulfilled in us who do not run our lives according to what our old nature wants but according to what the Spirit wants. 5 For those who identify with their old nature set their minds on the things of the old nature, but those who identify with the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. 6 Having one's mind controlled by the old nature is death, but having one's mind controlled by the Spirit is life and shalom. 7 For the mind controlled by the old nature is hostile to God, because it does not submit itself to God's Torah - indeed, it cannot. 8 Thus, those who identify with their old nature cannot please God. 9 But you, you do not identify with your old nature but with the Spirit - provided the Spirit of God is living inside you, for anyone who doesn't have the Spirit of the Messiah doesn't belong to him. 10 However, if the Messiah is in you, then, on the one hand, the body is dead because of sin; but, on the other hand, the Spirit is giving life because God considers you righteous. 11 And if the Spirit of the One who raised Yeshua from the dead is living in you, then the One who raised the Messiah Yeshua from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit living in you. 12 So then, brothers, we don't owe a thing to our old nature that would require us to live according to our old nature. 13 For if you live according to your old nature, you will certainly die; but if, by the Spirit, you keep putting to death the practices of the body, you will live. 14 All who are led by God's Spirit are God's sons. 15 For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to bring you back again into fear; on the contrary, you received the Spirit, who makes us sons and by whose power we cry out, "Abba!" (that is, "Dear Father!"). 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our own spirits that we are children of God; 17 and if we are children, then we are also heirs, heirs of God and joint-heirs with the Messiah - provided we are suffering with him in order also to be glorified with him. 18 I don't think the sufferings we are going through now are even worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed to us in the future. 19 The creation waits eagerly for the sons of God to be revealed; 20 for the creation was made subject to frustration - not willingly, but because of the one who subjected it. But it was given a reliable hope 21 that it too would be set free from its bondage to decay and would enjoy the freedom accompanying the glory that God's children will have. 22 We know that until now, the whole creation has been groaning as with the pains of childbirth; 23 and not only it, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we continue waiting eagerly to be made sons - that is, to have our whole bodies redeemed and set free. 24 It was in this hope that we were saved. But if we see what we hope for, it isn't hope - after all, who hopes for what he already sees? 25 But if we continue hoping for something we don't see, then we still wait eagerly for it, with perseverance. 26 Similarly, the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we don't know how to pray the way we should. But the Spirit himself pleads on our behalf with groanings too deep for words; 27 and the one who searches hearts knows exactly what the Spirit is thinking, because his pleadings for God's people accord with God's will. 28 Furthermore, we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called in accordance with his purpose; 29 because those whom he knew in advance, he also determined in advance would be conformed to the pattern of his Son, so that he might be the firstborn among many brothers; 30 and those whom he thus determined in advance, he also called; and those whom he called, he also caused to be considered righteous; and those whom he caused to be considered righteous he also glorified! 31 What, then, are we to say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare even his own Son, but gave him up on behalf of us all - is it possible that, having given us his Son, he would not give us everything else too? 33 So who will bring a charge against God's chosen people? Certainly not God - he is the one who causes them to be considered righteous! 34 Who punishes them? Certainly not the Messiah Yeshua, who died and - more than that - has been raised, is at the right hand of God and is actually pleading on our behalf! 35 Who will separate us from the love of the Messiah? Trouble? Hardship? Persecution? Hunger? Poverty? Danger? War? 36 As the Tanakh puts it, "For your sake we are being put to death all day long, we are considered sheep to be slaughtered." 37 No, in all these things we are superconquerors, through the one who has loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor other heavenly rulers, neither what exists nor what is coming, 39 neither powers above nor powers below, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God which comes to us through the Messiah Yeshua, our Lord. 1 Samuel 17 1 The P'lishtim rallied their troops for war, assembling at Sokhoh in Y'hudah and setting up camp between Sokhoh and 'Azekah in Efes-Damim. 2 Sha'ul and the men of Isra'el assembled, set up camp in the Elah Valley and drew up their battle line opposite the P'lishtim. 3 The P'lishtim occupied a position on one hill and Isra'el a position on another hill, with a valley between them. 4 There came out a champion from the camp of the P'lishtim named Golyat, from Gat, who was nine feet nine inches tall. 5 He had a bronze helmet on his head, and he wore a bronze armor plate weighing 120 pounds. 6 He had bronze armor protecting his legs and a bronze javelin between his shoulders. 7 The shaft of his spear was as big as a weaver's beam, and the iron spearhead weighed fifteen pounds. His shield-bearer went ahead of him. 8 He stood and yelled at the armies of Isra'el, "Why come out and draw up a battle line? I'm a P'lishti, and you are servants of Sha'ul, so choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me. 9 If he can fight me and kill me, we'll be your slaves; but if I beat him and kill him, you will become slaves and serve us." 10 The P'lishti added, "I challenge Isra'el's armies today - give me a man, and we'll fight it out!" 11 When Sha'ul and all Isra'el heard those words of the P'lishti, they were shaken and terrified. 12 Now David was the son of that Efrati from Beit-Lechem in Y'hudah named Yishai. He had eight sons; and in the time of Sha'ul he was old - the years had taken their toll. 13 Yishai's three oldest sons had followed Sha'ul to battle; the names of his three sons who went to battle were Eli'av the firstborn, next to him Avinadav, and the third Shammah. 14 David was the youngest; the three oldest followed Sha'ul. 15 David went back and forth from Sha'ul to pasture his father's sheep at Beit-Lechem. 16 Meanwhile, the P'lishti approached with his challenge every morning and evening for forty days. 17 Yishai said to David his son, "Please take your brothers five bushels of this roasted grain and these ten loaves of bread; hurry, and carry them to your brothers at the camp. 18 Also bring these ten cheeses to their field officer. Find out if your brothers are well, and bring back some token from them. 19 Sha'ul and your brothers, with all the army of Isra'el, are in the Elah Valley, fighting the P'lishtim." 20 David got up early in the morning, left the sheep with a helper, took his load and set out, as Yishai had ordered him. He arrived at the barricade of the camp just as the troops were going out to their battle stations and shouting the war cry. 21 Isra'el and the P'lishtim had set up their battle lines facing each other. 22 David left his equipment in charge of the equipment guard, ran to the troops, went to his brothers and asked if they were well. 23 As he was talking with them, there came the champion, the P'lishti from Gat named Golyat, from the ranks of the P'lishtim, saying the same words as before; and David heard them. 24 When the soldiers from Isra'el saw the man, they all ran away from him, terrified. 25 The soldiers from Isra'el said [to each other], "You saw that man who just came up? He has come to challenge Isra'el. To whoever kills him, the king will give a rich reward; he'll also give him his daughter and exempt his father's family from all service and taxes in Isra'el." 26 David said to the men standing with him, "What reward will be given to the man who kills this P'lishti and removes this disgrace from Isra'el? Who is this uncircumcised P'lishti anyway, that he challenges the armies of the living God?" 27 The people answered with what they had been saying, adding, "That's what will be done for the man who kills him." 28 Eli'av his oldest brother heard when David spoke to the men, and it made Eli'av angry at him. He asked, "Why did you come down here? With whom did you leave those few sheep in the desert? I know how conceited you are and how wicked your heart is! You just came down to watch the fighting." 29 David said, "What have I done now? I only asked a question." 30 He turned away from him to someone else and asked the same question, and the people gave him the same answer. 31 David's words were overheard and told to Sha'ul, who summoned him. 32 David said to Sha'ul, "No one should lose heart because of him; your servant will go and fight this P'lishti." 33 Sha'ul said to David, "You can't go to fight this P'lishti -you're just a boy, and he has been a warrior from his youth!" 34 David answered Sha'ul, "Your servant used to guard his father's sheep. When a lion or a bear would come and grab a lamb from the flock, 35 I would go after it, hit it, and snatch the lamb from its mouth; and if it turned on me, I would catch it by the jaw, smack it and kill it. 36 Your servant has defeated both lions and bears, and this uncircumcised P'lishti will be like one of them, because he has challenged the armies of the living God." 37 Then David said, "ADONAI, who rescued me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, will rescue me from the paw of this P'lishti!" Sha'ul said to David, "Go; may ADONAI be with you." 38 Sha'ul dressed David in his own armor - he put a bronze helmet on his head and gave him armor plate to wear. 39 David buckled his sword on his armor and tried to walk, but he wasn't used to such equipment. David said to Sha'ul, "I can't move wearing these things, because I'm not used to them." So David took them off. 40 Then he took his stick in his hand and picked five smooth stones from the riverbed, putting them in his shepherd's bag, in his pouch. Then, with his sling in his hand, he approached the P'lishti. 41 The P'lishti, with his shield-bearer ahead of him, came nearer and nearer to David. 42 The P'lishti looked David up and down and had nothing but scorn for what he saw - a boy with ruddy cheeks, red hair and good looks. 43 The P'lishti said to David, "Am I a dog? Is that why you're coming at me with sticks?"- and the P'lishti cursed David by his god. 44 Then the P'lishti said to David, "Come here to me, so I can give your flesh to the birds in the air and the wild animals." 45 David answered the P'lishti, "You're coming at me with a sword, a spear and a javelin. But I'm coming at you in the name of ADONAI-Tzva'ot, the God of the armies of Isra'el, whom you have challenged. 46 Today ADONAI will hand you over to me. I will attack you, lop your head off, and give the carcasses of the army of the P'lishtim to the birds in the air and the animals in the land. Then all the land will know that there is a God in Isra'el, 47 and everyone assembled here will know that ADONAI does not save by sword or spear. For this is ADONAI's battle, and he will hand you over to us." 48 When the P'lishti got up, approached and came close to meet David, David hurried and ran toward the army to meet the P'lishti. 49 David put his hand in his bag, took out a stone, and hurled it with his sling. It struck the P'lishti in his forehead and buried itself in his forehead, so that he fell face down on the ground. 50 Thus David defeated the P'lishti with a sling and a stone, striking the P'lishti and killing him; but David had no sword in his hand. 51 Then David ran and stood over the P'lishti, took his sword, drew it out of its sheath, and finished killing him, cutting off his head with it. When the P'lishtim saw that their hero was dead, they fled. 52 The men of Isra'el and Y'hudah got up, shouting, and pursued the P'lishtim all the way to Gat and the gates of 'Ekron. The wounded P'lishtim fell down all along the road from Sha'arayim to Gat and 'Ekron. 53 After chasing the P'lishtim, the army of Isra'el returned and plundered their camp. 54 David took the head of the P'lishti and brought it to Yerushalayim, but he put the armor of the P'lishti in his tent. 55 When Sha'ul saw David go out to fight the P'lishti, he said to Avner, the army's commander, "Avner, whose son is this boy?""By your life, O king," Avner replied, "I don't know." 56 The king said, "Find out whose son this boy is. 57 David returned from killing the P'lishti, Avner took him and brought him to Sha'ul with the head of the P'lishti in his hand. 58 Sha'ul asked him, "Young man, whose son are you?" David answered, "I am the son of your servant Yishai the Beit-Lachmi." Psalm 62 1 For the leader. Set in the style of Y'dutun. A psalm of David: My soul waits in silence for God alone; my salvation comes from him. 2 He alone is my rock and salvation, my stronghold; I won't be greatly moved. 3 How long will you assail a person in order to murder him, all of you, as if he were a sagging wall or a shaky fence? 4 They only want to shake him from his height, they take delight in lying with their mouths they bless, but inwardly they curse. (Selah) 5 My soul, wait in silence for God alone, because my hope comes from him. 6 He alone is my rock and salvation, my stronghold; I won't be moved. 7 My safety and honor rest on God. My strong rock and refuge are in God. 8 Trust in him, people, at all times; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us. (Selah) 9 Ordinary folks are merely a breath and important people a sham; if you lay them on a balance-scale, they go up both together are lighter than nothing. 10 Don't put your trust in extortion, don't put false hopes in robbery; even if wealth increases, don't set your heart on it. 11 God has spoken once, I have heard it twice: strength belongs to God. 12 Also to you, Adonai, belongs grace; for you reward all as their deeds deserve.

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Today's Bible Reading

June 2

Romans 9:1-29; 1 Samuel 17 & 18; Psalm 63 CJB

Romans 9:1-29

1 I am speaking the truth - as one who belongs to the Messiah, I do not lie; and also bearing witness is my conscience, governed by the Ruach HaKodesh:

2 my grief is so great, the pain in my heart so constant,

3 that I could wish myself actually under God's curse and separated from the Messiah, if it would help my brothers, my own flesh and blood,

4 the people of Isra'el! They were made God's children, the Sh'khinah has been with them, the covenants are theirs, likewise the giving of the Torah, the Temple service and the promises;

5 the Patriarchs are theirs; and from them, as far as his physical descent is concerned, came the Messiah, who is over all. Praised be ADONAI for ever! Amen.

6 But the present condition of Isra'el does not mean that the Word of God has failed. For not everyone from Isra'el is truly part of Isra'el;

7 indeed, not all the descendants are seed of Avraham; rather, "What is to be called your 'seed' will be in Yitz'chak."

8 In other words, it is not the physical children who are children of God, but the children the promise refers to who are considered seed.

9 For this is what the promise said: "At the time set, I will come; and Sarah will have a son."z

10 And even more to the point is the case of Rivkah; for both her children were conceived in a single act with Yitz'chak, our father;

11 and before they were born, before they had done anything at all, either good or bad (so that God's plan might remain a matter of his sovereign choice, not dependent on what they did, but on God, who does the calling),

12 it was said to her, "The older will serve the younger."a

13 This accords with where it is written, "Ya'akov I loved, but Esav I hated."

14 So are we to say, "It is unjust for God to do this"? Heaven forbid!

15 For to Moshe he says, "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will pity whom I pity."

16 Thus it doesn't depend on human desires or efforts, but on God, who has mercy.

17 For the Tanakh says to Pharaoh, "It is for this very reason that I raised you up, so that in connection with you I might demonstrate my power, so that my name might be known throughout the world."

18 So then, he has mercy on whom he wants, and he hardens whom he wants.

19 But you will say to me, "Then why does he still find fault with us? After all, who resists his will?"

20 Who are you, a mere human being, to talk back to God? Will what is formed say to him who formed it, "Why did you make me this way?"e

21 Or has the potter no right to make from a given lump of clay this pot for honorable use and that one for dishonorable?

22 Now what if God, even though he was quite willing to demonstrate his anger and make known his power, patiently put up with people who deserved punishment and were ripe for destruction?

23 What if he did this in order to make known the riches of his glory to those who are the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory -

24 that is, to us, whom he called not only from among the Jews but also from among the Gentiles?

25 As indeed he says in Hoshea, "Those who were not my people I will call my people; her who was not loved I will call loved;

26 and in the very place where they were told, 'You are not my people,' there they will be called sons of the living God!"

27 But Yesha'yahu, referring to Isra'el, cries out, "Even if the number of people in Isra'el is as large as the number of grains of sand by the sea, only a remnant will be saved.

28 For ADONAI will fulfill his word on the earth with certainty and without delay."

29 Also, as Yesha'yahu said earlier, "If ADONAI-Tzva'ot had not left us a seed, we would have become like S'dom, we would have resembled 'Amora."

1 Samuel 17

1 The P'lishtim rallied their troops for war, assembling at Sokhoh in Y'hudah and setting up camp between Sokhoh and 'Azekah in Efes-Damim.

2 Sha'ul and the men of Isra'el assembled, set up camp in the Elah Valley and drew up their battle line opposite the P'lishtim.

3 The P'lishtim occupied a position on one hill and Isra'el a position on another hill, with a valley between them.

4 There came out a champion from the camp of the P'lishtim named Golyat, from Gat, who was nine feet nine inches tall.

5 He had a bronze helmet on his head, and he wore a bronze armor plate weighing 120 pounds.

6 He had bronze armor protecting his legs and a bronze javelin between his shoulders.

7 The shaft of his spear was as big as a weaver's beam, and the iron spearhead weighed fifteen pounds. His shield-bearer went ahead of him.

8 He stood and yelled at the armies of Isra'el, "Why come out and draw up a battle line? I'm a P'lishti, and you are servants of Sha'ul, so choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me.

9 If he can fight me and kill me, we'll be your slaves; but if I beat him and kill him, you will become slaves and serve us."

10 The P'lishti added, "I challenge Isra'el's armies today - give me a man, and we'll fight it out!"

11 When Sha'ul and all Isra'el heard those words of the P'lishti, they were shaken and terrified.

12 Now David was the son of that Efrati from Beit-Lechem in Y'hudah named Yishai. He had eight sons; and in the time of Sha'ul he was old - the years had taken their toll.

13 Yishai's three oldest sons had followed Sha'ul to battle; the names of his three sons who went to battle were Eli'av the firstborn, next to him Avinadav, and the third Shammah.

14 David was the youngest; the three oldest followed Sha'ul.

15 David went back and forth from Sha'ul to pasture his father's sheep at Beit-Lechem.

16 Meanwhile, the P'lishti approached with his challenge every morning and evening for forty days.

17 Yishai said to David his son, "Please take your brothers five bushels of this roasted grain and these ten loaves of bread; hurry, and carry them to your brothers at the camp.

18 Also bring these ten cheeses to their field officer. Find out if your brothers are well, and bring back some token from them.

19 Sha'ul and your brothers, with all the army of Isra'el, are in the Elah Valley, fighting the P'lishtim."

20 David got up early in the morning, left the sheep with a helper, took his load and set out, as Yishai had ordered him. He arrived at the barricade of the camp just as the troops were going out to their battle stations and shouting the war cry.

21 Isra'el and the P'lishtim had set up their battle lines facing each other.

22 David left his equipment in charge of the equipment guard, ran to the troops, went to his brothers and asked if they were well.

23 As he was talking with them, there came the champion, the P'lishti from Gat named Golyat, from the ranks of the P'lishtim, saying the same words as before; and David heard them.

24 When the soldiers from Isra'el saw the man, they all ran away from him, terrified.

25 The soldiers from Isra'el said [to each other], "You saw that man who just came up? He has come to challenge Isra'el. To whoever kills him, the king will give a rich reward; he'll also give him his daughter and exempt his father's family from all service and taxes in Isra'el."

26 David said to the men standing with him, "What reward will be given to the man who kills this P'lishti and removes this disgrace from Isra'el? Who is this uncircumcised P'lishti anyway, that he challenges the armies of the living God?"

27 The people answered with what they had been saying, adding, "That's what will be done for the man who kills him."

28 Eli'av his oldest brother heard when David spoke to the men, and it made Eli'av angry at him. He asked, "Why did you come down here? With whom did you leave those few sheep in the desert? I know how conceited you are and how wicked your heart is! You just came down to watch the fighting."

29 David said, "What have I done now? I only asked a question."

30 He turned away from him to someone else and asked the same question, and the people gave him the same answer.

31 David's words were overheard and told to Sha'ul, who summoned him.

32 David said to Sha'ul, "No one should lose heart because of him; your servant will go and fight this P'lishti."

33 Sha'ul said to David, "You can't go to fight this P'lishti -you're just a boy, and he has been a warrior from his youth!"

34 David answered Sha'ul, "Your servant used to guard his father's sheep. When a lion or a bear would come and grab a lamb from the flock,

35 I would go after it, hit it, and snatch the lamb from its mouth; and if it turned on me, I would catch it by the jaw, smack it and kill it.

36 Your servant has defeated both lions and bears, and this uncircumcised P'lishti will be like one of them, because he has challenged the armies of the living God."

37 Then David said, "ADONAI, who rescued me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, will rescue me from the paw of this P'lishti!" Sha'ul said to David, "Go; may ADONAI be with you."

38 Sha'ul dressed David in his own armor - he put a bronze helmet on his head and gave him armor plate to wear.

39 David buckled his sword on his armor and tried to walk, but he wasn't used to such equipment. David said to Sha'ul, "I can't move wearing these things, because I'm not used to them." So David took them off.

40 Then he took his stick in his hand and picked five smooth stones from the riverbed, putting them in his shepherd's bag, in his pouch. Then, with his sling in his hand, he approached the P'lishti.

41 The P'lishti, with his shield-bearer ahead of him, came nearer and nearer to David.

42 The P'lishti looked David up and down and had nothing but scorn for what he saw - a boy with ruddy cheeks, red hair and good looks.

43 The P'lishti said to David, "Am I a dog? Is that why you're coming at me with sticks?"- and the P'lishti cursed David by his god.

44 Then the P'lishti said to David, "Come here to me, so I can give your flesh to the birds in the air and the wild animals."

45 David answered the P'lishti, "You're coming at me with a sword, a spear and a javelin. But I'm coming at you in the name of ADONAI-Tzva'ot, the God of the armies of Isra'el, whom you have challenged.

46 Today ADONAI will hand you over to me. I will attack you, lop your head off, and give the carcasses of the army of the P'lishtim to the birds in the air and the animals in the land. Then all the land will know that there is a God in Isra'el,

47 and everyone assembled here will know that ADONAI does not save by sword or spear. For this is ADONAI's battle, and he will hand you over to us."

48 When the P'lishti got up, approached and came close to meet David, David hurried and ran toward the army to meet the P'lishti.

49 David put his hand in his bag, took out a stone, and hurled it with his sling. It struck the P'lishti in his forehead and buried itself in his forehead, so that he fell face down on the ground.

50 Thus David defeated the P'lishti with a sling and a stone, striking the P'lishti and killing him; but David had no sword in his hand.

51 Then David ran and stood over the P'lishti, took his sword, drew it out of its sheath, and finished killing him, cutting off his head with it. When the P'lishtim saw that their hero was dead, they fled.

52 The men of Isra'el and Y'hudah got up, shouting, and pursued the P'lishtim all the way to Gat and the gates of 'Ekron. The wounded P'lishtim fell down all along the road from Sha'arayim to Gat and 'Ekron.

53 After chasing the P'lishtim, the army of Isra'el returned and plundered their camp.

54 David took the head of the P'lishti and brought it to Yerushalayim, but he put the armor of the P'lishti in his tent.

55 When Sha'ul saw David go out to fight the P'lishti, he said to Avner, the army's commander, "Avner, whose son is this boy?""By your life, O king," Avner replied, "I don't know."

56 The king said, "Find out whose son this boy is.

57 David returned from killing the P'lishti, Avner took him and brought him to Sha'ul with the head of the P'lishti in his hand.

58 Sha'ul asked him, "Young man, whose son are you?" David answered, "I am the son of your servant Yishai the Beit-Lachmi."

1 Samuel 18

1 By the time David had finished speaking to Sha'ul, Y'honatan found himself inwardly drawn by David's character, so that Y'honatan loved him as he did himself.

2 That day, Sha'ul took David into his service and would not let him go home to his father's house any more.

3 Y'honatan made a covenant with David, because he loved him as he did himself.

4 Y'honatan removed the cloak he was wearing and gave it to David, his armor too, including his sword, bow and belt.

5 David would go out, and no matter where Sha'ul sent him, he was successful. Sha'ul put him in charge of the fighting men; all the people thought it good, and so did Sha'ul's servants.

6 As David and the others were returning from the slaughter of the P'lishti, the women came out of all the cities of Isra'el to meet King Sha'ul, singing and dancing joyfully with tambourines and three-stringed instruments.

7 In their merrymaking the women sang, "Sha'ul has killed his thousands, but David his tens of thousands."

8 Sha'ul became very angry, because this song displeased him. He said, "They give David credit for tens of thousands, but me they give credit for only thousands. Now all he lacks is the kingdom!"

9 From that day on, Sha'ul viewed David with suspicion.

10 The following day an evil spirit from God came powerfully over Sha'ul, so that he fell into a frenzy in the house. David was there, playing his lyre as on other occasions. This time Sha'ul had his spear in his hand;

11 and he threw the spear, thinking, "I will pin David to the wall!" But David dodged out of the way twice.

12 Sha'ul became afraid of David, because ADONAI was with him and had left Sha'ul.

13 Therefore Sha'ul put him at a distance from himself by making him commander over a thousand; his goings and comings became public knowledge.

14 David had great success in all his ways; ADONAI was with him.

15 When Sha'ul saw how very successful he was, he became afraid of him.

16 But all Isra'el and Y'hudah loved David, because they knew about all his campaigns.

17 Sha'ul said to David, "Here is my older daughter Merav. I will give her to you as your wife; only continue displaying your courage for me, and fight ADONAI's battles." Sha'ul was thinking, "I don't dare touch him, so let the P'lishtim do away with him."

18 David's response to Sha'ul was, "Who am I, that I should become the king's son-in-law? I don't have any kind of a life, and my father's family has no rank in Isra'el."

19 However, when it was time for Merav Sha'ul's daughter to be given to David, she was given to Adri'el the Mecholati as his wife.

20 But Mikhal Sha'ul's daughter fell in love with David. They told Sha'ul, and it pleased him.

21 Sha'ul said, "I'll give her to him, so that she can entrap him, and the P'lishtim can do away with him." So Sha'ul said to David, "Today you will become my son-in-law through the second [daughter]."

22 Sha'ul ordered his servants to speak privately with David and say, "Look, the king is pleased with you, and all his servants like you; so become the king's son-in-law."

23 Sha'ul's servants said this to David; but David replied, "Do you think being the king's son-in-law is something to be treated so casually, given that I'm a poor man without social standing?"

24 Sha'ul's servants reported back to him how David had responded.

25 Sha'ul said, "Here's what you are to say to David: 'The king doesn't want any dowry; he wants a hundred foreskins of the P'lishtim, so that he can have vengeance on the king's enemies." For Sha'ul was hoping to have David killed by the P'lishtim.

26 When his servants said these words to David, it pleased David to become the king's son-in-law. Even before the time [for him to be married],

27 David got up and set out, he and his men, and killed two hundred men of the P'lishtim. He brought their foreskins and gave all of them to the king in order to become the king's son-in-law. Then Sha'ul gave him Mikhal his daughter as his wife.

28 Sha'ul saw and understood that ADONAI was with David and that Mikhal Sha'ul's daughter loved him.

29 This only made Sha'ul the more afraid of David, so that Sha'ul became David's enemy for the rest of his life.

30 The leaders of the P'lishtim would attack; but whenever they attacked, David was more successful than any of Sha'ul's servants; so that David acquired a great reputation.

Psalm 63

1 A psalm of David, when he was in the desert of Y'hudah: O God, you are my God; I will seek you eagerly. My heart thirsts for you, my body longs for you in a land parched and exhausted, where no water can be found.

2 I used to contemplate you in the sanctuary, seeing your power and glory;

3 for your grace is better than life. My lips will worship you.

4 Yes, I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands.

5 I am as satisfied as with rich food; my mouth praises you with joy on my lips

6 when I remember you on my bed and meditate on you in the night watches.

7 For you have been my help; in the shadow of your wings I rejoice;

8 my heart clings to you; your right hand supports me.

9 But those who seek to destroy my life -may they go to the lowest parts of the earth.

10 May they be given over to the power of the sword; may they become prey for jackals.

11 But the king will rejoice in God. Everyone who swears by him will exult, for the mouths of liars will be silenced.

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Today's Bible Reading June 3 Romans 9:30-10:21; 1 Samuel 19; Psalm 64 CJB Romans 9:30-33 30 So, what are we to say? This: that Gentiles, even though they were not striving for righteousness, have obtained righteousness; but it is a righteousness grounded in trusting! 31 However, Isra'el, even though they kept pursuing a Torah that offers righteousness, did not reach what the Torah offers. 32 Why? Because they did not pursue righteousness as being grounded in trusting but as if it were grounded in doing legalistic works. They stumbled over the stone that makes people stumble.i 33 As the Tanakh puts it, "Look, I am laying in Tziyon a stone that will make people stumble, a rock that will trip them up. But he who rests his trust on it will not be humiliated." Romans 10 1 Brothers, my heart's deepest desire and my prayer to God for Isra'el is for their salvation; 2 for I can testify to their zeal for God. But it is not based on correct understanding; 3 for, since they are unaware of God's way of making people righteous and instead seek to set up their own, they have not submitted themselves to God's way of making people righteous. 4 For the goal at which the Torah aims is the Messiah, who offers righteousness to everyone who trusts. 5 For Moshe writes about the righteousness grounded in the Torah that the person who does these things will attain life through them. k 6 Moreover, the righteousness grounded in trusting says: "Do not say in your heart, 'Who will ascend to heaven?'" that is, to bring the Messiah down - 7 or, "'Who will descend into Sh'ol?'" that is, to bring the Messiah up from the dead. 8 What, then, does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart."l that is, the word about trust which we proclaim, namely, 9 that if you acknowledge publicly with your mouth that Yeshua is Lord and trust in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be delivered. 10 For with the heart one goes on trusting and thus continues toward righteousness, while with the mouth one keeps on making public acknowledgement and thus continues toward deliverance. 11 For the pas sage quoted says that everyone who rests his trust on him will not be humiliated. 12 That means that there is no difference between Jew and Gentile - ADONAI is the same for everyone, rich toward everyone who calls on him, 13 since everyone who calls on the name of ADONAI will be delivered. 14 But how can they call on someone if they haven't trusted in him? And how can they trust in someone if they haven't heard about him? And how can they hear about someone if no one is proclaiming him? 15 And how can people proclaim him unless God sends them? - as the Tanakh puts it, "How beautiful are the feet of those announcing good news about good things!" 16 The problem is that they haven't all paid attention to the Good News and obeyed it. For Yesha'yahu says, "ADONAI, who has trusted what he has heard from us?" 17 So trust comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through a word proclaimed about the Messiah. 18 "But, I say, isn't it rather that they didn't hear?" No, they did hear "Their voice has gone out throughout the whole world and their words to the ends of the earth." 19 "But, I say, isn't it rather that Isra'el didn't understand?" "I will provoke you to jealousy over a non-nation, over a nation void of understanding I will make you angry." 20 Moreover, Yesha'yahu boldly says, "I was found by those who were not looking for me, I became known to those who did not ask for me"; 21 but to Isra'el he says, "All day long I held out my hands to a people who kept disobeying and contradicting." 1 Samuel 19 1 Sha'ul told Y'honatan his son and all his servants that they should have David killed. But because Y'honatan was very fond of David, 2 he told him, "My father Sha'ul is out to have you killed. Therefore you must be very cautious tomorrow morning. Find a well-concealed place to hide in. 3 I will go out and stand next to my father in the countryside where you're hiding. I will talk with my father about you; and if I learn anything, I'll tell you." 4 Y'honatan spoke well of David to Sha'ul his father and said to him, "The king shouldn't sin against his servant David, because he hasn't sinned against you. On the contrary, his work for you has been very good indeed. 5 He put his life in his hands to attack the P'lishtim, and ADONAI accomplished a great victory for all Isra'el. You yourself saw it, and you were happy about it. So why do you want to sin against innocent blood by killing David without any reason?" 6 Sha'ul heeded Y'honatan's advice and swore, "As ADONAI lives, he will not be put to death." 7 Y'honatan called David and told him all these things. Then Y'honatan brought David to Sha'ul to be in attendance on the king, as before. 8 War broke out again, and David went and fought the P'lishtim. He defeated them with a great slaughter, and they fled before him. 9 Then an evil spirit from ADONAI came upon Sha'ul, as he sat in his house with his spear in his hand. David was playing his lyre, 10 when Sha'ul tried to pin David to the wall with the spear. But he dodged it and moved out of Sha'ul's way, so that the spear stuck in the wall. David fled, so that night he escaped. 11 But Sha'ul sent messengers to David's house to watch for him and kill him in the morning. Mikhal David's wife told him, "If you don't save your life tonight, tomorrow you'll be dead." 12 So Mikhal let David down through the window; and he left, fled and escaped. 13 Mikhal took the household idol, laid it on the bed, put a goat's-hair quilt at its head and covered it with a cloth. 14 When Sha'ul sent messengers to capture David, she said, "He's ill." 15 Sha'ul sent the messengers to see David with the order, "Bring him up to me, bed and all, so that I can kill him." 16 But when the messengers entered, there before them was the household idol in the bed, with the goat's-hair quilt at its head. 17 Sha'ul asked Mikhal, "Why did you deceive me this way and let my enemy go and escape?" Mikhal answered Sha'ul, "He threatened me, 'Let me go, or I'll kill you.'" 18 David fled and escaped, then came to Sh'mu'el in Ramah and told him everything Sha'ul had done to him. So he and Sh'mu'el went and stayed in the prophets'dormitory. 19 The news reached Sha'ul that David had been seen at the prophets'dormitory in Ramah. 20 Sha'ul sent messengers to capture David. But when they saw the group of prophets prophesying, with Sh'mu'el standing and leading them, the Spirit of God fell on Sha'ul's messengers; and they too began prophesying. 21 When Sha'ul was told, he sent other messengers; but they too began prophesying. Sha'ul sent messengers a third time, and they also prophesied. 22 Then he himself went to Ramah. When he arrived at the big cistern in Sekhu, he asked, "Where are Sh'mu'el and David?" Someone answered, "They're at the prophets' dormitory in Ramah." 23 While on his way to the prophets' dormitory in Ramah, the Spirit of God fell on him too; and he went on, prophesying, until he arrived at the prophets' dormitory in Ramah. 24 He also stripped off his clothes, prophesied in Sh'mu'el's presence and lay there naked all that day and all that night. Hence it continues to be an expression, "Is Sha'ul a prophet, too?" Psalm 64 1 For the leader. A psalm of David: Hear my voice, God, as I plead: preserve my life from fear of the enemy. 2 Hide me from the secret intrigues of the wicked and the open insurrection of evildoers. 3 They sharpen their tongues like a sword; they aim their arrows, poisoned words, 4 in order to shoot from cover at the innocent, shooting suddenly and fearing nothing. 5 They support each other's evil plans; they talk of hiding snares and ask, "Who would see them?" 6 They search for ways to commit crimes, bringing their diligent search to completion when each of them has thought it through in the depth of his heart. 7 Suddenly God shoots them down with an arrow, leaving them with wounds; 8 their own tongues make them stumble. All who see them shake their heads. 9 Everyone is awestruck they acknowledge that it is God at work, they understand what he has done. 10 The righteous will rejoice in ADONAI; they will take refuge in him; all the upright in heart will exult.

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Today's Bible Reading June 4 Romans 11:1-24; 1 Samuel 20; Psalm 65 CJB Romans 11:1-24 1 "In that case, I say, isn't it that God has repudiated his people?" Heaven forbid! For I myself am a son of Isra'el, from the seed of Avraham, of the tribe of Binyamin. 2 God has not repudiated his people, whom he chose in advance. Or don't you know what the Tanakh says about Eliyahu? He pleads with God against Isra'el, 3 "ADONAI, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars, and I'm the only one left, and now they want to kill me too!"w 4 But what is God's answer to him? "I have kept for myself seven thousand men who have not knelt down to Ba'al." 5 It's the same way in the present age: there is a remnant, chosen by grace. 6 (Now if it is by grace, it is accordingly not based on legalistic works; if it were otherwise, grace would no longer be grace.) 7 What follows is that Isra'el has not attained the goal for which she is striving. The ones chosen have obtained it, but the rest have been made stonelike, 8 just as the Tanakh says, "God has given them a spirit of dullness eyes that do not see and ears that do not hear, right down to the present day." 9 And David says, "Let their dining table become for them a snare and a trap, a pitfall and a punishment. 10 Let their eyes be darkened, so that they can't see, with their backs bent continually." 11 "In that case, I say, isn't it that they have stumbled with the result that they have permanently fallen away?" Heaven forbid! Quite the contrary, it is by means of their stumbling that the deliverance has come to the Gentiles, in order to provoke them to jealousy. a 12 Moreover, if their stumbling is bringing riches to the world - that is, if Isra'el's being placed temporarily in a condition less favored than that of the Gentiles is bringing riches to the latter - how much greater riches will Isra'el in its fullness bring them! 13 However, to those of you who are Gentiles I say this: since I myself am an emissary sent to the Gentiles, I make known the importance of my work 14 in the hope that somehow I may provoke some of my own people to jealousy and save some of them! 15 For if their casting Yeshua aside means reconciliation for the world, what will their accepting him mean? It will be life from the dead! 16 Now if the hallah offered as firstfruits is holy, so is the whole loaf. And if the root is holy, so are the branches. 17 But if some of the branches were broken off, and you - a wild olive - were grafted in among them and have become equal sharers in the rich root of the olive tree, 18 then don't boast as if you were better than the branches! However, if you do boast, remember that you are not supporting the root, the root is supporting you. 19 So you will say, "Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in." 20 True, but so what? They were broken off because of their lack of trust. However, you keep your place only because of your trust. So don't be arrogant; on the contrary, be terrified! 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, he certainly won't spare you! 22 So take a good look at God's kindness and his severity: on the one hand, severity toward those who fell off; but, on the other hand, God's kindness toward you - provided you maintain yourself in that kindness! Otherwise, you too will be cut off! 23 Moreover, the others, if they do not persist in their lack of trust, will be grafted in; because God is able to graft them back in. 24 For if you were cut out of what is by nature a wild olive tree and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these natural branches be grafted back into their own olive tree! 1 Samuel 20 1 David fled from the prophets' dormitory in Ramah, returned to Y'honatan and said, "What have I done? Where have I gone wrong? What sin have I committed that makes your father want to take my life?" 2 Y'honatan replied,"Heaven forbid! You're not going to die! Look, my father does nothing important or unimportant without telling me first; so why should my father hide this from me? It just won't happen!" 3 In response David swore, "Your father knows very well that you have made me your friend. This is why he will say, 'Y'honatan must not know this, or he will be unhappy.'As truly as ADONAI lives, and as truly as you are alive, there is only a step between me and death." 4 Y'honatan said to David, "Anything you want me to do for you, I'll do." 5 David answered Y'honatan, "Look, tomorrow is Rosh-Hodesh, and I ought to be dining with the king. Instead, let me go and hide myself in the countryside until evening of the third day. 6 If your father misses me at all, say, 'David begged me to let him hurry to Beit-Lechem, his city; because it's the annual sacrifice there for his whole family.' 7 If he says, 'Very good,' then your servant will be all right. But if he gets angry, you will know that he has planned something bad. 8 Therefore show kindness to your servant, for you bound your servant to yourself by a covenant before ADONAI. But if I have done something wrong, kill me yourself! Why turn me over to your father?" 9 Y'honatan said, "Heaven forbid! If I ever were to learn that my father had definitely decided to do you harm, wouldn't I tell you?" 10 Then David asked Y'honatan, "Who will tell me in the event your father gives you a harsh answer?" 11 Y'honatan said to David, "Come, let's go out in the countryside." They went out, both of them, to the countryside. 12 Y'honatan said to David, "ADONAI, the God of Isra'el [is witness]: after I have sounded out my father, about this time tomorrow, or the third day, then, if things look good for David, I will send and let you know. 13 But if my father intends to do you harm, may ADONAI do as much and more to me if I don't let you know and send you away, so that you can go in peace. And may ADONAI be with you, just as he used to be with my father. 14 However, you are to show me ADONAI's kindness not only while I am alive, so that I do not die; 15 but also, after ADONAI has eliminated every one of David's enemies from the face of the earth, you are to continue showing kindness to my family forever." 16 Thus Y'honatan made a covenant with the family of David, adding, "May ADONAI seek its fulfillment even through David's enemies." 17 Y'honatan had David swear it again, because of the love he had for him - he loved him as he loved himself. 18 Y'honatan said to him, "Tomorrow is Rosh-Hodesh, and you will be missed, because your seat will be empty. 19 The third day, hide yourself well in the same place as you did before; stay by the Departure Stone. 20 I will shoot three arrows to one side, as if I were shooting at a target. 21 Then I will send my boy to recover them. If I tell the boy, 'They're here on this side of you, take them,' then come - it means that everything is peaceful for you; as ADONAI lives, there's nothing wrong. 22 But if I tell the boy, 'The arrows are out there, beyond you,' then get going, because ADONAI is sending you away. 23 As for the matter we discussed earlier, ADONAI is between you and me forever." 24 So David hid himself in the countryside. When Rosh-Hodesh came, the king sat down to eat his meal. 25 The king sat at his usual place by the wall. Y'honatan stood up, and Avner sat next to Sha'ul, but David's place was empty. 26 However, Sha'ul didn't say anything that day; because he thought, "Something has happened to him, he is unclean. Yes, that's it, he isn't clean." 27 The day after Rosh-Hodesh, the second day, David's place was empty; and Sha'ul said to Y'honatan his son, "Why hasn't Yishai's son come to the meal either yesterday or today?" 28 Y'honatan answered Sha'ul, "David begged me to let him go to Beit-Lechem. 29 He said, 'Please let me go, because our family has a sacrifice in the city, and my brother demanded that I come. So now, if you look on me favorably, please let me get away and see my brothers.' That's why he hasn't come to the king's table." 30 At that Sha'ul flew into a rage at Y'honatan and said, "You crooked rebel! Don't I know that you've made this son of Yishai your best friend? You don't care that you're shaming yourself and dishonoring your mother, do you? 31 Because as long as the son of Yishai lives on this earth, neither you nor your kingdom will be secure. Now send and bring him here to me - he deserves to die." 32 Y'honatan answered Sha'ul his father, "Why should he be put to death? What has he done?" 33 But Sha'ul threw his spear at him, aiming to kill; Y'honatan could no longer doubt that his father was determined to put David to death. 34 Y'honatan got up from the table in a fury, and he ate no food the second day of the month, both because he was upset over David and because his father had put him to shame. 35 The next morning Y'honatan went out into the country at the time he had arranged with David, taking with him a young boy. 36 He told the boy, "Now run and find the arrows I'm about to shoot."As the boy ran, he shot an arrow beyond him. 37 When the boy reached the place where the arrow was that Y'honatan had shot, Y'honatan shouted at the boy,"Isn't the arrow beyond you?" 38 Y'honatan continued shouting after the boy, "Quick! Hurry! Don't just stand there!" Y'honatan's boy gathered the arrows and returned to his master, 39 but the boy didn't understand anything about the matter - only Y'honatan and David understood. 40 Y'honatan gave his weapons to his boy and said to him, "Go, carry them to the city." 41 As soon as the boy had gone, David got up from a place south of the stone, fell face down on the ground and prostrated himself three times; and they kissed one another and wept each with the other until it became too much for David. 42 Y'honatan said to David, "Go in peace; because we have sworn, both of us, in the name of ADONAI, that ADONAI will be between me and you, and between my descendants and yours, forever." 1(42b) So David got up and left, and Y'honatan went back to the city. Psalm 65 1 For the leader. A psalm of David. A song: To you, God, in Tziyon, silence is praise; and vows to you are to be fulfilled. 2 You who listen to prayer, to you all living creatures come. 3 When deeds of wickedness overwhelm me, you will atone for our crimes. 4 How blessed are those you choose and bring near, so that they can remain in your courtyards! We will be satisfied with the goodness of your house, the Holy Place of your temple. 5 It is just that you answer us with awesome deeds, God of our salvation, you in whom all put their trust, to the ends of the earth and on distant seas. 6 By your strength you set up the mountains. You are clothed with power. 7 You still the roaring of the seas, their crashing waves, and the peoples' turmoil. 8 This is why those living at the ends of the earth stand in awe of your signs. The places where the sun rises and sets you cause to sing for joy. 9 You care for the earth and water it, you enrich it greatly; with the river of God, full of water, you provide them grain and prepare the ground. 10 Soaking its furrows and settling its soil, you soften it with showers and bless its growth. 11 You crown the year with your goodness, your tracks overflow with richness. 12 The desert pastures drip water, the hills are wrapped with joy, 13 the meadows are clothed with flocks and the valleys blanketed with grain, so they shout for joy and break into song.

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Today's Bible Reading June 5 Romans 11:25-36; 1 Samuel 21-22; Psalm 66 CJB Romans 11:25-36 25 For, brothers, I want you to understand this truth which God formerly concealed but has now revealed, so that you won't imagine you know more than you actually do. It is that stoniness, to a degree, has come upon Isra'el, until the Gentile world enters in its fullness; 26 and that it is in this way that all Isra'el will be saved. As the Tanakh says, "Out of Tziyon will come the Redeemer; he will turn away ungodliness from Ya'akov 27 and this will be my covenant with them, . . . when I take away their sins." 28 With respect to the Good News they are hated for your sake. But with respect to being chosen they are loved for the Patriarchs' sake, 29 for God's free gifts and his calling are irrevocable. 30 Just as you yourselves were disobedient to God before but have received mercy now because of Isra'el's disobedience; 31 so also Isra'el has been disobedient now, so that by your showing them the same mercy that God has shown you, they too may now receive God's mercy. 32 For God has shut up all mankind together in disobedience, in order that he might show mercy to all. 33 O the depth of the riches and the wisdom and knowledge of God! How inscrutable are his judgments! How unsearchable are his ways! 34 For, 'Who has known the mind of the Lord? Who has been his counselor?'c 35 Or, 'Who has given him anything and made him pay it back?' 36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen. 1 Samuel 21 1 David went to see Achimelekh the cohen in Nov. Achimelekh came trembling to meet David and asked, "Why are you alone? Why is no one with you?" 2 David said to Achimelekh the cohen, "The king has sent me on a mission and told me not to let anyone know its purpose or what I've been ordered to do. I've arranged a place where the guards are to meet me. 3 Now, what do you have on hand? If you can spare five loaves of bread, give them to me, or whatever there is." 4 The cohen answered David, "I don't have any regular bread; however, there is consecrated bread - but only if the guards have abstained from women. 5 David answered the cohen, "Of course women have been kept away from us, as on previous campaigns. Whenever I go out on campaign, the men's gear is clean, even if it's an ordinary trip. How much more, then, today, when they will be putting something consecrated in their packs!" 6 So the cohen gave him consecrated bread, because there was no bread there other than the showbread that had been removed from before ADONAI to be replaced by freshly baked bread on the day the old bread was removed. 7 One of the servants of Sha'ul happened to be there that day, detained before ADONAI. His name was Do'eg the Edomi, the head of Sha'ul's shepherds. 8 David said to Achimelekh, "Perhaps you have here with you a spear or a sword? I brought neither my sword nor my other weapons, because the king's mission was urgent." 9 The cohen said, "The sword of Golyat the P'lishti you killed in the Elah Valley, is over there behind the ritual vest, wrapped in a cloth. If you want it, take it; it's the only one here." David said, "There's nothing like it; give it to me." 10 The same day, David took flight from Sha'ul and went to Akhish king of 11 The servants of Akhish said to him, "Isn't this David, king of the land? Weren't they dancing and singing to each other, 'Sha'ul has killed his thousands, but David his tens of thousands'?" 12 These remarks were not lost on David, and he became very much afraid of Akhish king of Gat. 13 So, as they were watching, he changed his behavior and acted like a madman when they had hold of him, scratching marks on the doors of the city gate and drooling down his beard. 14 Akhish said to his servants, "Here, you see that the man is meshugga; why bring him to me? 15 Am I short of meshugga'im? Is that why you've brought this one to go crazy on me? Must I have this one in my house?" 1 Samuel 22 1 David left there and took refuge in the Cave of 'Adulam. When his brothers and the rest of his father's family heard of it, they went down to see him there. 2 Then all the people in distress, in debt or embittered began gathering around him, and he became their leader; there were about four hundred with him. 3 David went from there to Mitzpeh of Mo'av and said to the king of Mo'av, "Please let my father and mother come and stay with you until I know what God will do for me." 4 He presented them to the king of Mo'av, and they lived with him as long as David remained in his stronghold. 5 But the prophet Gad said to David, "Don't stay in the stronghold. Leave, and go to the land of Y'hudah." So David left and went to the Forest of Heret. 6 Sha'ul heard that David and the men with him had been located. Sha'ul was sitting in Giv'ah, under the tamarisk tree on the hill, with his spear in his hand and all his servants standing around him. 7 Sha'ul said to his servants standing around him, "Listen, you men of Binyamin! Is Yishai's son going to give any of you fields and vineyards? Is he going to make you all commanders of thousands and hundreds? 8 Is this why you have all conspired against me, why none of you told me when my son went in league with Yishai's son? None of you is concerned about me! Otherwise you would have told me that my son had incited my servant to become my enemy, as he is now." 9 Then Do'eg the Edomi, who had been put in charge of Sha'ul's servants, answered,"I saw Yishai's son come to Nov, to Achimelekh the son of Achituv. 10 He consulted ADONAI for him, gave him food and gave him the sword of Golyat the P'lishti." 11 The king sent to summon Achimelekh the cohen the son of Achituv, along with all his father's family, the cohanim in Nov; and all of them went to the king. 12 Sha'ul said, "Listen here, you son of Achituv!" He answered, "Here I am, my lord." 13 Sha'ul said to him, "Why did you conspire against me, you and Yishai's son? By giving him bread and a sword and consulting God for him, you helped him rebel against me and become my enemy, which he now is!" 14 Achimelekh answered the king, "Is there anyone among all your servants more trustworthy than David? He's the king's son-in-law, he carries out your every request, your household honors him. 15 I didn't start consulting God for him just today. Heaven forbid! The king shouldn't accuse me or my father's family of anything! Your servant knows nothing at all about any of this!" 16 But the king said, "You must die, you and your father's whole family." 17 Then the king told the guards standing around him, "Go around, and kill the cohanim of ADONAI, because they are siding with David, and because they knew he was escaping, yet they didn't tell me." But the king's servants refused to lift their hands against the cohanim of ADONAI. 18 So the king said to Do'eg, "You go around and kill the cohanim!" Do'eg the Edomi went around and fell on the cohanim; that day he killed eighty-five persons wearing linen ritual vests. 19 He also attacked Nov, the city of the cohanim, with the sword; he put to the sword both men and women, children and babies, cattle, donkeys and sheep. 20 One of the sons of Achimelekh the son of Achituv, named Avyatar, escaped and fled to join David. 21 Avyatar told David that Sha'ul had killed the cohanim of ADONAI. 22 David said to Avyatar, "I knew it! That day, when Do'eg the Edomi was there, I knew he would tell Sha'ul. I caused the death of every person in your father's family. 23 Stay with me; don't be afraid; because the one who is seeking my life seeks yours too. You'll be safe with me." Psalm 66 1 For the leader. A song. A psalm: Shout to God, all the earth! 2 Sing the glory of his name, make his praise glorious. 3 Tell God, "How awesome are your deeds! At your great power, your enemies cringe. 4 All the earth bows down to you, sings praises to you, sings praises to your name."(Selah) 5 Come and see what God has done, his awesome dealings with humankind. 6 He turned the sea into dry land. They passed through the river on foot; there we rejoiced in him. 7 With his power he rules forever; his eyes keep watch on the nations. Let no rebel arise to challenge him. 8 Bless our God, you peoples! Let the sound of his praise be heard! 9 He preserves our lives and keeps our feet from stumbling. (Selah) 10 For you, God, have tested us, refined us as silver is refined. 11 You brought us into the net and bound our bodies fast. 12 You made men ride over our heads; we went through fire and water. But you brought us out to a place of plenty. 13 I will come into your house with burnt offerings, I will fulfill my vows to you, 14 those my lips pronounced and my mouth spoke when I was in distress. 15 I will offer you burnt offerings of fattened animals, along with the sweet smoke of rams; I will offer bulls and goats. (Selah) 16 Come and listen, all you who fear God, and I will tell what he has done for me. 17 I cried out to him with my mouth, his praise was on my tongue. 18 Had I cherished evil thoughts, Adonai would not have listened. 19 But in fact, God did listen; he paid attention to my prayer. 20 Blessed be God, who did not reject my prayer or turn his grace away from me.

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Today's Bible Reading

June 6

Romans 12; 1 Samuel 23-24; Psalm 67 CJB

Romans 12

1 I exhort you, therefore, brothers, in view of God's mercies, to offer yourselves as a sacrifice, living and set apart for God. This will please him; it is the logical "Temple worship" for you.

2 In other words, do not let yourselves be conformed to the standards of the 'olam hazeh. Instead, keep letting yourselves be transformed by the renewing of your minds; so that you will know what God wants and will agree that what he wants is good, satisfying and able to succeed.

3 For I am telling every single one of you, through the grace that has been given to me, not to have exaggerated ideas about your own importance. Instead, develop a sober estimate of yourself based on the standard which God has given to each of you, namely, trust.

4 For just as there are many parts that compose one body, but the parts don't all have the same function;

5 so there are many of us, and in union with the Messiah we comprise one body, with each of us belonging to the others.

6 But we have gifts that differ and which are meant to be used according to the grace that has been given to us. If your gift is prophecy, use it to the extent of your trust;

7 if it is serving, use it to serve; if you are a teacher, use your gift in teaching;

8 if you are a counselor, use your gift to comfort and exhort; if you are someone who gives, do it simply and generously; if you are in a position of leadership, lead with diligence and zeal; if you are one who does acts of mercy, do them cheerfully.

9 Don't let love be a mere outward show. Recoil from what is evil, and cling to what is good.

10 Love each other devotedly and with brotherly love; and set examples for each other in showing respect.

11 Don't be lazy when hard work is needed, but serve the Lord with spiritual fervor.

12 Rejoice in your hope, be patient in your troubles, and continue steadfastly in prayer.

13 Share what you have with God's people, and practice hospitality.

14 Bless those who persecute you - bless them, don't curse them!

15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.

16 Be sensitive to each other's needs - don't think yourselves better than others, but make humble people your friends. Don't be conceited.

17 Repay no one evil for evil, but try to do what everyone regards as good.

18 If possible, and to the extent that it depends on you, live in peace with all people.

19 Never seek revenge, my friends; instead, leave that to God's anger; for in the Tanakh it is written, "ADONAI says, 'Vengeance is my responsibility; I will repay.'"

20 On the contrary, "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. For by doing this, you will heap fiery coals [of shame] on his head."

21 Do not be conquered by evil, but conquer evil with good.

1 Samuel 23

1 David was told, "The P'lishtim are fighting Ke'ilah and plundering the thresh-ing-floors."

2 David consulted ADONAI, asking, "Should I go and attack these P'lishtim?"ADONAI answered David, "Go, and attack the P'lishtim, and save Ke'ilah."

3 David's men said to him, "Look, we're already afraid here in Y'hudah. How much more, then, if we go to Ke'ilah to fight the armies of the P'lishtim!"

4 David consulted ADONAI again; and ADONAI answered him, "Set out, and go down to Ke'ilah, because I will hand the P'lishtim over to you.

5 David and his men went to Ke'ilah and fought the P'lishtim. They defeated them in a great slaughter and led away their livestock. Thus David saved the inhabitants of Ke'ilah.

6 When Avyatar the son of Achimelekh fled to David in Ke'ilah, he had brought a ritual vest with him.

7 Now Sha'ul, on being informed that David had gone to Ke'ilah, had said, "God has put him into my hands. He's trapped himself by entering a town with gates and bars."

8 So Sha'ul summoned all the people to war, to go down to Ke'ilah and besiege David and his men.

9 David knew that Sha'ul was plotting something against him, so he told Avyatar the cohen, "Bring the ritual vest here."

10 Then David said, "ADONAI God of Isra'el, your servant has certainly heard that Sha'ul intends to come to Ke'ilah and destroy the city just to get me.

11 Will the men of Ke'ilah turn me over to him? Will Sha'ul come down, as your servant has heard? ADONAI God of Isra'el, please tell your servant!"ADONAI said, "He will come down."

12 Then David asked, "Will the men of Ke'ilah hand me and my men over to Sha'ul?"ADONAI said, "They will hand you over."

13 So David and his men, now around six hundred, got up, left Ke'ilah and went wherever they could. It was told Sha'ul that David had escaped from Ke'ilah, so he called off the expedition.

14 David stayed in the desert strongholds, remaining in the hills of the Zif Desert. Sha'ul kept trying to find him, but God did not hand him over to him

15 David saw that Sha'ul had mounted another expedition to seek his life. David was then at Horesh in the Zif Desert.

16 Y'honatan Sha'ul's son set out and went to David at Horesh to encourage him in God.

17 He said to him, "Don't be afraid, because my father's forces will not find you; you will be king over Isra'el, and I will be second to you. Sha'ul my father knows this, too."

18 Then the two of them made a covenant in the presence of ADONAI, after which David stayed at Horesh and Y'honatan returned home.

19 The people of Zif came to Sha'ul in Giv'ah and said, "David is hiding himself with us in the strongholds at Horesh, on Hakhilah Hill, south of Yeshimon

20 So now, king, since you've wanted so much to come down, come down! Our part will be to turn him over to you."

21 Sha'ul said, "May ADONAI bless you for showing me compassion

22 Please go and make still more certain exactly where he is and who has seen him there, because I've been told that he's very tricky.

23 So look closely, find out where all his hiding-places are, and come back when you're sure. Then I will go with you, and if he is there in that territory, I'll search till I find him among all the thousands of Y'hudah."

24 They set out and went to Zif before Sha'ul. But David and his men had gone on to the Ma'on Desert, in the 'Aravah south of Yeshimon.

25 Sha'ul and his men went searching for him. David was told, so he came down to the rock and stayed in the Ma'on Desert. When Sha'ul heard that, he pursued David in the Ma'on Desert.

26 Sha'ul went along one side of the mountain, while David and his men went along the other. David was hurrying to get away from Sha'ul, while Sha'ul and his men were trying to surround David and his men in order to capture them.

27 But then a messenger came to Sha'ul, saying, "Hurry, come, because the P'lishtim are invading the country!"

28 So Sha'ul stopped chasing David and went to fight the P'lishtim. Therefore they called that place Sela-Hamachlekot [rock of divisions].

29 From there David went up and lived in the strongholds of 'Ein-Gedi.

1 Samuel 24

1 When Sha'ul returned from pursuing the P'lishtim, he was told that David was in the desert at 'Ein-Gedi.

2 Sha'ul took three thousand men chosen from all Isra'el and went searching for David and his men on the cliffs where the mountain goats are.

3 Near some sheep pens along the way was a cave, and Sha'ul went inside to relieve himself. It happened that David and his men were sitting in the recesses at the back of the cave;

4 and David's men said to him, "Look! The day has come that ADONAI told you about when he said to you, 'I will turn your enemy over to you, and you will do to him whatever seems good to you.'"Then David stole over unobserved and cut off the corner of Sha'ul's cloak.

5 But after doing this, David felt remorse over cutting Sha'ul's garment.

6 He said to his men, "ADONAI forbid that I should do such a thing to my lord, ADONAI's anointed, as raise my hand against him! After all, he is ADONAI's anointed."

7 By saying this, David stopped his men and would not let them do anything to Sha'ul. Sha'ul got up, left the cave and went on his way.

8 Then David too got up and went outside the cave, where he called after Sha'ul, "My lord the king!" When Sha'ul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the ground and prostrated himself.

9 David said to Sha'ul, "Why do you listen to people who say, 'David is out to harm you?'

10 Here, today you have seen with your own eyes that ADONAI put you in my power there in the cave. Some of my men said I should kill you, but I spared you; I said, 'I won't raise my hand against my lord, because he is ADONAI's anointed.'

11 Moreover, my father, look! Here in my hand you see the corner of your cloak. By the fact that I only cut off a piece of your cloak and didn't kill you, you can see and understand that I have no plan to do harm or rebel, and that I haven't sinned against you -even though you are seeking every chance you get to take my life.

12 May ADONAI judge between you and me, and may ADONAI avenge me on you! But I will not lay a hand on you -

13 as the old saying has it, 'Out of the wicked comes wickedness, but I will not lay a hand on you.'

14 The king of Isra'el has come on a campaign - after whom? Whom are you chasing? A dead dog! A single flea!

15 ADONAI be the judge; let him decide between you and me. May he take my side and rescue me from your power!"

16 After David had finished speaking to Sha'ul, Sha'ul said, "Is that your voice, my son David?" Then Sha'ul cried out and wept;

17 and he said to David, "You are more righteous than I, because you have treated me well, while I have been treating you badly.

18 You have made it clear to me today that you have done me good; for when ADONAI put my fate in your hands, you didn't kill me.

19 A man finds his enemy and lets him go unharmed?! May ADONAI reward you well for what you did to me today.

20 Now I'm certain that you will indeed become king, and that the kingship of Isra'el will be established in your hands.

21 So swear to me by ADONAI that you will not kill my descendants after I die or blot out my name from my father's family."

22 David swore to Sha'ul, and Sha'ul went home, but David and his men went back up to the stronghold.

Psalm 67

1 For the leader. With stringed instruments. A psalm. A song: God, be gracious to us, and bless us. May he make his face shine toward us, (Selah)

2 so that your way may be known on earth, your salvation among all nations.

3 Let the peoples give thanks to you, God; let the peoples give thanks to you, all of them.

4 Let the nations be glad and shout for joy, for you will judge the peoples fairly and guide the nations on earth. (Selah)

5 Let the peoples give thanks to you, God; let the peoples give thanks to you, all of them.

6 The earth has yielded its harvest; may God, our God, bless us.

7 May God continue to bless us, so that all the ends of the earth will fear him.

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Today's Bible Reading

June 7

Romans 13; 1 Samuel 25; Psalm 68 CJB

Romans 13

1 Everyone is to obey the governing authorities. For there is no authority that is not from God, and the existing authorities have been placed where they are by God.

2 Therefore, whoever resists the authorities is resisting what God has instituted; and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves.

3 For rulers are no terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you like to be unafraid of the person in authority? Then simply do what is good, and you will win his approval;

4 for he is God's servant, there for your benefit. But if you do what is wrong, be afraid! Because it is not for nothing that he holds the power of the sword; for he is God's servant, there as an avenger to punish wrongdoers.

5 Another reason to obey, besides fear of punishment, is for the sake of conscience.

6 This is also why you pay taxes; for the authorities are God's public officials, constantly attending to these duties.

7 Pay everyone what he is owed: if you owe the tax-collector, pay your taxes; if you owe the revenue-collector, pay revenue; if you owe someone respect, pay him respect; if you owe someone honor, pay him honor.

8 Don't owe anyone anything - except to love one another; for whoever loves his fellow human being has fulfilled Torah.

9 For the commandments, "Don't commit adultery," "Don't murder," "Don't steal," "Don't covet,"g and any others are summed up in this one rule: "Love your neighbor as yourself."h

10 Love does not do harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fullness of Torah.

11 Besides all this, you know at what point of history we stand; so it is high time for you to rouse yourselves from sleep; for the final deliverance is nearer than when we first came to trust.

12 The night is almost over, the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and arm ourselves with the weapons of light.

13 Let us live properly, as people do in the daytime - not partying and getting drunk, not engaging in sexual immorality and other excesses, not quarrelling and being jealous.

14 Instead, clothe yourselves with the Lord Yeshua the Messiah; and don't waste your time thinking about how to provide for the sinful desires of your old nature.

1 Samuel 25

1 Sh'mu'el died. All of Isra'el assembled to mourn him and bury him at his home in Ramah. Then David set out and went down to the Pa'ran Desert.

2 Now there was a man in Ma'on who had property in Karmel. He was very rich, having three thousand sheep and a thousand goats; and he was shearing his sheep in Karmel.

3 The man's name was Naval, and his wife was named Avigayil. The woman was intelligent and attractive, but the man was surly and mean in his actions; he belonged to the clan of Kalev.

4 David, there in the desert, heard that Naval was shearing his sheep.

5 David sent off ten young men with these orders: "Go up to Naval in Karmel, and bring him greetings from me.

6 Say, 'Long life and shalom to you, shalom to your household, and shalom to everything that is yours!

7 I've heard that you now have shearers. Your shepherds were with us [for a while], we did them no harm, and they found nothing missing all the time they were in Karmel.

8 Ask your own men; they'll tell you. Therefore, receive my men favorably, since we have come on a festive day. Please give what you can to your servants and to your son David.'"

9 On arrival, David's men said all these things to Naval in David's name. When they had finished,

10 Naval answered David's servants, "Who is David? Who is the son of Yishai? There are many servants nowadays running away from their masters.

11 Am I supposed to take my bread, my water and my meat that I slaughtered for my shearers and give it to men coming from who knows where?"

12 So David's men turned around, went back and came and told him everything Naval had said.

13 David said to his men, "Buckle your swords on, all of you!" Each one buckled on his sword, David too; and there went up after David about four hundred men, while two hundred stayed with the equipment.

14 But one of Naval's men told Avigayil his wife, "David sent messengers from the desert to greet our master, and he flew on them in a rage,

15 even though the men had been very good to us - they didn't harm us, and we found nothing missing during the entire time we went with them, while we were out in the countryside.

16 They served as a wall protecting us day and night all the time we were with them caring for the sheep.

17 So now decide what you are going to do, for clearly harm is on its way to our master and all his household, but he's so mean that no one can tell him anything."

18 Avigayil wasted no time in taking 200 loaves of bread, two skins of wine, five sheep already prepared, six quarts of roasted grain, a hundred clusters of raisins and 200 fig cakes, and having them loaded on donkeys.

19 Then she said to her young men, "Go on ahead of me, and I'll come along after you." But she didn't tell her husband Naval.

20 She was riding her donkey down past the hiding-place in the mountain, when David and his men descended toward her, and she met them.

21 David had said, "What a waste it has been guarding everything this fellow has in the desert, so that nothing of his was missing! He has repaid me bad for good!"

22 Then he swore, "May God do the same and more to David's enemies if I leave alive even one male of everything he owns."

23 When Avigayil saw David, she hurried to dismount from her donkey, fell on her face in front of David and bowed down to the ground.

24 Having fallen at his feet, she said, "It's all my fault, my lord, all my fault! Please let your servant speak in your ears, and listen to what your servant says.

25 Please! My lord shouldn't pay any attention to this worthless fellow Naval, because he's just like his name -'Naval' means 'boor,' and his boorishness stays with him. But I, your servant, did not see my lord's men, whom you sent.

26 Therefore, my lord, as ADONAI lives, and as you live, inasmuch as ADONAI has kept you from the guilt of shedding blood and from taking vengeance into your own hands - therefore, may your enemies and anyone seeking your harm be [as worthless] as Naval.

27 Meanwhile, let this present which your servant has brought to my lord be given to the men in my lord's service.

28 And please forgive the offense your servant has caused; because ADONAI will certainly establish my lord's dynasty, for my lord fights ADONAI's battles, and nothing bad has been found in you all your life long.

29 Even if someone comes along searching for you and seeking your life, your life will be bound in the bundle of life with ADONAI your God. But the lives of your enemies he will fling away as if from the pouch of a slingshot.

30 Then, when ADONAI has done all the good to my lord that he has said about you and made you ruler over Isra'el,

31 what happens here will not have become an obstacle to you or a cause for remorse to my lord, neither that you shed blood without cause nor that my lord took vengeance into his own hands. Finally, when ADONAI has dealt well with my lord, then remember your servant."

32 David said to Avigayil, "Blessed be ADONAI the God of Isra'el, who sent you today to meet me;

33 and blessed be your tactfulness, and blessed be yourself for having kept me today from the guilt of shedding blood and taking vengeance into my own hands.

34 For as ADONAI the God of Isra'el, lives, who has kept me from harming you, if you hadn't rushed to meet me, not even one male would have been left to Naval by morning!"

35 So David received from her what she had brought him, then said to her, "Go up in peace to your home. I have listened to what you said and granted your request."

36 Avigayil came to Naval; there he was in his house, holding a feast fit for a king. He was in high spirits, because he was very drunk. So she told him nothing whatever until the next morning.

37 In the morning, when he was sober and his wife told him what had happened, he had a stroke and became as motionless as a stone.

38 Some ten days later ADONAI struck Naval, and he died.

39 When David heard that Naval was dead, he said, "Blessed be ADONAI for having taken my side in the matter of Naval's insult and for having prevented his servant from doing anything bad. On the contrary, ADONAI has caused Naval's bad deeds to return on his own head."Then David sent a message that he wanted to make Avigayil his own wife.

40 When David's servants reached Avigayil in Karmel, they said to her, "David has sent us to you to bring you to him to be his wife."

41 She got up, bowed with her face to the ground, and said, "Your servant is here to serve you, to wash the feet of my lord's servants."

42 Avigayil then hurried, set out and rode off on a donkey, with five of her female servants following her; she went after David's messengers; and she became his wife.

43 David also took Achino'am of Yizre'el; both of them became his wives.

44 Meanwhile, Sha'ul had given Mikhal his daughter, David's wife, to Palti the son of Layish, who came from Gallim.

Psalm 68

1 For the leader. A psalm of David. A song: Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered; let those who hate him flee from his presence.

2 Drive them away as smoke is driven away; like wax melting in the presence of a fire, let the wicked perish in the presence of God.

3 But let the righteous rejoice and be glad in God's presence; yes, let them exult and rejoice.

4 Sing to God, sing praises to his name; extol him who rides on the clouds by his name, Yah; and be glad in his presence.

5 God in his holy dwelling, is a father to orphans and defender of widows.

6 God gives homes to those who are alone and leads prisoners out into prosperity. But rebels must live in a parched wasteland.

7 God, when you went out at the head of your people, when you marched out through the wilderness, (Selah)

8 the earth quaked, and rain poured from the sky, at the presence of God. Even Sinai [shook] at the presence of God, the God of Isra'el.

9 You rained down showers in plenty, God; when your heritage was weary, you restored it.

10 Your flock settled in it; in your goodness, God, you provided for the poor.

11 Adonai gives the command; the women with the good news are a mighty army.

12 Kings and their armies are fleeing, fleeing, while the women at home divide the spoil.

13 Even if you lie among the animal stalls, there are wings of a dove covered with silver and its plumes with green gold.

14 When Shaddai scatters kings there, snow falls on Tzalmon.

15 You mighty mountain, Mount Bashan! You rugged mountain, Mount Bashan!

16 You rugged mountain, why look with envy at the mountain God wants for his place to live? Truly, ADONAI will live there forever.

17 God's chariots are myriads, repeated thousands; Adonai is among them as in Sinai, in holiness.

18 After you went up into the heights, you led captivity captive, you took gifts among mankind, yes, even among the rebels, so that Yah, God, might live there.

19 Blessed be Adonai! Every day he bears our burden, does God, our salvation. (Selah)

20 Our God is a God who saves; from ADONAI Adonai comes escape from death.

21 God will surely crush the heads of his enemies, the hairy crowns of those who continue in their guilt.

22 Adonai said, "I will bring them back from Bashan, I will fetch [those rebels] even from the depths of the sea;

23 so that you can wash your feet in their blood, and your dogs' tongues too can get their share from your foes.

24 They see your processions, God, the processions of my God, my king, in holiness.

25 The singers are in front, the musicians last, in the middle are girls playing tambourines.

26 "In choruses, bless God, Adonai, you whose source is Isra'el."

27 There is Binyamin, the youngest, at the head; the princes of Y'hudah, crowding along; the princes of Z'vulun; the princes of Naftali.

28 God, summon your strength! Use your strength, God, as you did for us before,

29 from your temple in Yerushalayim, where kings will bring tribute to you.

30 Rebuke the wild beast of the reeds, that herd of bulls with their calves, the peoples, who ingratiate themselves with bars of silver; let him scatter the peoples who take pleasure in fighting.

31 Let envoys come from Egypt, Let Ethiopia stretch out its hands to God.

32 Sing to God, kingdoms of the earth! Sing praises to Adonai, (Selah)

33 to him who rides on the most ancient heavens. Listen, as he utters his voice, a mighty voice!

34 Acknowledge that strength belongs to God, with his majesty over Isra'el and his strength in the skies.

35 How awe-inspiring you are, God, from your holy places, the God of Isra'el, who gives strength and power to the people. Blessed be God!

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Today's Bible Reading

June 8

Romans 14; 1 Samuel 26; Psalm 69 CJB

Romans 14

1 Now as for a person whose trust is weak, welcome him - but not to get into arguments over opinions.

2 One person has the trust that will allow him to eat anything, while another whose trust is weak eats only vegetables.

3 The one who eats anything must not look down on the one who abstains; and the abstainer must not pass judgment on the one who eats anything, because God has accepted him -

4 who are you to pass judgment on someone else's servant? It is before his own master that he will stand or fall; and the fact is that he will stand, because the Lord is able to make him stand.

5 One person considers some days more holy than others, while someone else regards them as being all alike. What is important is for each to be fully convinced in his own mind.

6 He who observes a day as special does so to honor the Lord. Also he who eats anything, eats to honor the Lord, since he gives thanks to God; likewise the abstainer abstains to honor the Lord, and he too gives thanks to God.

7 For none of us lives only in relation to himself, and none of us dies only in relation to himself;

8 for if we live, we live in relation to the Lord; and if we die, we die in relation to the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord -

9 indeed, it was for this very reason that the Messiah died and came back to life, so that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living.

10 You then, why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For all of us will stand before God's judgment seat;

11 since it is written in the Tanakh, "As I live, says ADONAI, every knee will bend before me, and every tongue will publicly acknowledge God."

12 So then, every one of us will have to give an account of himself to God.

13 Therefore, let's stop passing judgment on each other! Instead, make this one judgment - not to put a stumbling block or a snare in a brother's way.

14 I know - that is, I have been persuaded by the Lord Yeshua the Messiah - that nothing is unclean in itself. But if a person considers something unclean, then for him it is unclean;

15 and if your brother is being upset by the food you eat, your life is no longer one of love. Do not, by your eating habits, destroy someone for whom the Messiah died!

16 Do not let what you know to be good, be spoken of as bad;

17 for the Kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness, shalom and joy in the Ruach HaKodesh.

18 Anyone who serves the Messiah in this fashion both pleases God and wins the approval of other people.

19 So then, let us pursue the things that make for shalom and mutual upbuilding.

20 Don't tear down God's work for the sake of food. True enough, all things are clean; but it is wrong for anybody by his eating to cause someone to fall away.

21 What is good is not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble.

22 The belief you hold about such things, keep between yourself and God. Happy the person who is free of self-condemnation when he approves of something!

23 But the doubter comes under condemnation if he eats, because his action is not based on trust. And anything not based on trust is a sin.

1 Samuel 26

1 The people from Zif went to Sha'ul in Giv'ah and said, "David is hiding himself on Hakhilah Hill, across from Yeshimon."

2 Then Sha'ul set out and went down to the Zif Desert with three thousand men chosen from Isra'el, to search for David in the Zif Desert.

3 Sha'ul pitched camp on Hakhilah Hill, across from Yeshimon, near the road. David was staying in the desert, and he saw that Sha'ul was coming into the desert after him.

4 So David dispatched spies and determined that Sha'ul had definitely come.

5 David set out and went to where Sha'ul had pitched his camp. He saw where Sha'ul and Avner the son of Ner, the commander of his army, were sleeping. Sha'ul was lying inside the barricade with the troops asleep all around him.

6 David said to Achimelekh the Hitti and Avishai the son of Tz'ruyah, Yo'av's brother, "Who will go down with me to Sha'ul in the camp?" Avishai said, "I will go down with you."

7 So David and Avishai went to the soldiers by night. Sha'ul was lying there asleep inside the barricade. His spear was stuck in the ground next to his head, with Avner and the troops asleep all around him.

8 Avishai said to David, "God has handed your enemy over to you today; so now, please, let me pin him to the ground with just one stroke of the spear. I won't strike him a second time."

9 But David said to Avishai, "Don't destroy him! Nobody can raise his hand against ADONAI's anointed without becoming guilty!"

10 David then added, "As ADONAI lives, ADONAI will strike him down, or the day will come for him to die, or he will go down to battle and be swept away.

11 ADONAI forbid that I should raise my hand against ADONAI's anointed! But now, we'll take the spear by his head and the jug of water, and get out of here."

12 So David took the spear and the water jug from Sha'ul's head and got away. Nobody saw or knew about it, and no one awoke, because they were all asleep - a deep sleep from ADONAI had fallen over them.

13 David crossed to the other side and climbed to the top of the distant ridge, leaving a considerable space between them.

14 Then David called out to the troops and to Avner the son of Ner. "Avner! Aren't you going to answer?" Avner answered, "Who are you, calling to the king?"

15 David said to Avner, "Aren't you the brave one! Who is there in Isra'el to compare with you? So why haven't you kept watch over your lord the king? Someone came in to kill the king, your lord!

16 It's not good, what you've done! As ADONAI lives, you deserve to die; because you didn't keep watch over your lord, ADONAI's anointed. And now, see where the king's spear is, and the jug of water that was next to his head!"

17 Sha'ul recognized David's voice and said, "Is that your voice, my son David?"David said, "It is my voice, my lord king!"

18 and continued, "Why is my lord chasing his servant? What have I done? What evil am I planning?

19 Please, now, may my lord the king hear what his servant is saying. If it is ADONAI who has stirred you up against me, let him receive an offering. But if it's human beings, then a curse on them before ADONAI! - because, as things stand today, they have driven me out, so that I can no longer share in ADONAI's inheritance - they've said, 'Go, serve other gods!'

20 Now don't let my blood fall on the ground away from the presence of ADONAI. The king of Isra'el has gone out in search of a single flea, as if he were hunting partridge in the mountains!"

21 Then Sha'ul said, "I have sinned. Come back, my son David. I won't harm you any longer, because you regarded my life as precious today. Yes, I have behaved like a fool. I was altogether in the wrong."

22 David answered, "Here is the king's spear. Send one of the men over to bring it back.

23 ADONAI will give every person a reward suited to his uprightness and faithfulness. ADONAI put you in my power today, but I would not raise my hand against ADONAI's anointed.

24 Look: just as I put great value on your life today, so may my life be given great value by ADONAI. May he deliver me from every kind of trouble!"

25 Sha'ul answered David, "Blessings on you, my son David! No question that you will accomplish everything you set out to do!" So David went on his way, and Sha'ul returned to his place.

Psalm 69

1 For the leader. Set to "Lilies." By David: Save me, God! For the water threatens my life.

2 I am sinking down in the mud, and there is no foothold; I have come into deep water; the flood is sweeping over me.

3 I am exhausted from crying, my throat is dry and sore, my eyes are worn out with looking for my God.

4 Those who hate me for no reason outnumber the hairs on my head. My persecutors are powerful, my enemies accuse me falsely. Am I expected to return things I didn't steal?

5 God, you know how foolish I am; my guilt is not hidden from you.

6 Let those who put their hope in you, Adonai ELOHIM-Tzva'ot, not be put to shame through me; let those who are seeking you, God of Isra'el, not be disgraced through me.

7 For your sake I suffer insults, shame covers my face.

8 I am estranged from my brothers, an alien to my mother's children,

9 because zeal for your house is eating me up, and on me are falling the insults of those insulting you.

10 I weep bitterly, and I fast, but that too occasions insults.

11 I clothe myself with sackcloth and become an object of scorn, 856

12 the gossip of those sitting by the town gate, the theme of drunkards' songs.

13 As for me, ADONAI, let my prayer to you come at an acceptable time; In your great grace, God, answer me with the truth of your salvation.

14 Rescue me from the mud! Don't let me sink! Let me be rescued from those who hate me and from the deep water.

15 Don't let the floodwaters overwhelm me, don't let the deep swallow me up, don't let the pit close its mouth over me.

16 Answer me, ADONAI, for your grace is good; in your great mercy, turn to me.

17 Don't hide your face from your servant, for I am in trouble; answer me quickly.

18 Come near to me, and redeem me; ransom me because of my enemies.

19 You know how I am insulted, shamed and disgraced; before you stand all my foes.

20 Insults have broken my heart to the point that I could die. I hoped that someone would show compassion, but nobody did; and that there would be comforters, but I found none.

21 They put poison in my food; in my thirst, they gave me vinegar to drink.

22 Let their dining table before them become a snare; when they are at peace, let it become a trap;

23 let their eyes be darkened, so that they can't see, and let their bodies always be stumbling.

24 Pour out your fury on them, let your fierce anger overtake them.

25 Let the place where they live be desolate, with no one to live in their tents,

26 for persecuting someone you had already stricken, for adding to the pain of those you wounded.

27 Add guilt to their guilt, don't let them enter your righteousness.

28 Erase them from the book of life, let them not be written with the righteous.

29 Meanwhile, I am afflicted and hurting; God, let your saving power raise me up.

30 I will praise God's name with a song and extol him with thanksgiving.

31 This will please ADONAI more than a bull, with its horns and hoofs.

32 The afflicted will see it and rejoice; you seeking after God, let your heart revive.

33 For ADONAI pays attention to the needy and doesn't scorn his captive people.

34 Let heaven and earth praise him, the seas and whatever moves in them.

35 For God will save Tziyon, he will build the cities of Y'hudah. [His people] will settle there and possess it.

36 The descendants of his servants will inherit it, and those who love his name will live there.

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Today's Bible Reading

June 9

Romans 15:1-13; 1 Samuel 27-28; Psalm 70 CJB

Romans 15:1-13

1 So we who are strong have a duty to bear the weaknesses of those who are not strong, rather than please ourselves.

2 Each of us should please his neighbor and act for his good, thus building him up.

3 For even the Messiah did not please himself; j

4 For rather, as the Tanakh says, 'The insults of those insulting you fell on me.'everything written in the past was written to teach us, so that with the encouragement of the Tanakh we might patiently hold on to our hope.

5 And may God, the source of encouragement and patience, give you the same attitude among yourselves as the Messiah Yeshua had,

6 so that with one accord and with one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah.

7 So welcome each other, just as the Messiah has welcomed you into God's glory.

8 For I say that the Messiah became a servant of the Jewish people in order to show God's truthfulness by making good his promises to the Patriarchs,

9 and in order to show his mercy by causing the Gentiles to glorify God - as it is written in the Tanakh, "Because of this I will acknowledge you among the Gentiles and sing praise to your name."

10 And again it says, "Gentiles, rejoice with his people."

11 And again, "Praise ADONAI, all Gentiles! Let all peoples praise him!"

12 And again, Yesha'yahu says, "The root of Yishai will come, he who arises to rule Gentiles; Gentiles will put their hope in him."

13 May God, the source of hope, fill you completely with joy and shalom as you continue trusting, so that by the power of the Ruach HaKodesh you may overflow with hope.

1 Samuel 27

1 But David said to himself, "One day Sha'ul will sweep me away. The best thing for me to do is to escape into the territory of the P'lishtim. Then Sha'ul will give up trying to find me here or there in Isra'el's territory, and at last I'll be free of him."

2 So David set out with his six hundred men and passed on to Akhish the son of Ma'okh, king of Gat.

3 David lived with Akhish, he and his men, each man with his household - including David with his two wives Achino'am from Yizre'el and Avigayil from Karmel, Naval's widow.

4 Sha'ul was told that David had escaped to Gat, whereupon he stopped searching for him.

5 David said to Akhish, "If you are now favorably disposed toward me, let me have a place to live in one of the cities in the countryside. Why should your servant live in the royal city with you?"

6 That very day Akhish gave him Ziklag, and that's why to this day Ziklag belongs to the kings of Y'hudah.

7 After David had been living in the country of the P'lishtim for a year and four months,

8 he and his men began going up and raiding the G'shuri, the Gizri and the 'Amaleki (from ancient times these people had lived in the land in the direction of Shur, all the way to Egypt).

9 David would attack the land, leaving alive neither men nor women, but taking the sheep, cattle, donkeys, camels and clothing. Then he would return and go to Akhish.

10 Akhish would ask, "Where were you raiding today?" and David would answer, "Against the Negev of Y'hudah," or "Against the Negev of the Yerachme'eli," or "Against the Negev of the Keni."

11 The reason David spared neither men nor women to be brought to Gat is that he thought, "We don't want them telling on us, saying, 'David did so-and-so.'" That's how he conducted his raids for as long as he lived in the country of the P'lishtim.

12 And Akhish believed him; he said, "David has caused his own people Isra'el to despise him utterly; he will be my servant forever."

1 Samuel 28

1 In due time the P'lishtim assembled their armies for war against Isra'el. Akhish told David, "You know, of course, that you and your men will join me and the army in battle."

2 David answered Akhish, "I see that you already know what your servant will do."Akhish said to David, "For that answer, I am making you my personal bodyguard for life."

3 Now Sh'mu'el was dead; all Isra'el had mourned him and buried him in his city, Ramah. Also Sha'ul had expelled from the land those who tell the future by communicating with the dead or with a demonic spirit.

4 The P'lishtim assembled; then they went and pitched camp at Shunem; while Sha'ul gathered all Isra'el together and pitched camp at Gilboa.

5 When Sha'ul saw the army of the P'lishtim, he became afraid - it struck terror in his heart.

6 But when he consulted ADONAI, ADONAI didn't answer him - not by dreams, not by urim and not by prophets.

7 Then Sha'ul said to his servants, "Try to find a woman who tells the future by communicating with the dead; I want to go and consult with her." His servants answered him, "Yes, there's a woman in 'Ein-Dor who tells the future by communicating with the dead."

8 So Sha'ul disguised himself by wearing different clothing, went with two men, came to the woman by night and said, "Tell me the future, please. Bring up from the dead the person I name to you."

9 The woman answered, "Here, you know what Sha'ul did, how he expelled from the land those who tell the future by communicating with the dead or with a demonic spirit. Why are you trying to entrap me into causing my own death?"

10 But Sha'ul swore to her by ADONAI, "As ADONAI lives, you will not be punished for doing this."

11 Then the woman asked, "Whom should I bring up for you?" He said, "Bring up for me Sh'mu'el."

12 When the woman saw Sh'mu'el, she let out a shriek. Then the woman said to Sha'ul, "Why have you deceived me? You yourself are Sha'ul!"

13 The king replied, "Don't be afraid. Just tell me what you see."The woman said to Sha'ul, "I see a god-like being coming up out of the earth."

14 He asked her, "What does he look like?" She said, "An old man is coming up; he's wearing a cloak." Sha'ul realized it was Sh'mu'el, so he bowed with his face to the ground and prostrated himself.

15 Sh'mu'el asked Sha'ul, "Why have you disturbed me and brought me up?" Sha'ul answered, "I'm very upset; because the P'lishtim are making war against me; and God has left me and doesn't answer me any more, neither by prophets nor by dreams. This is why I've called you, so that you can let me know what to do."

16 Sh'mu'el said, "Why ask me, if ADONAI has left you and become your enemy?

17 ADONAI has done for himself what he foretold through me -ADONAI has torn the kingdom out of your hands and given it to your fellow countryman David,

18 because you didn't obey what ADONAI said and execute his furious anger toward 'Amalek. That's why ADONAI is doing this to you today.

19 ADONAI is giving Isra'el as well as yourself over into the power of the P'lishtim, and tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. ADONAI will hand over Isra'el's army to the power of the P'lishtim."

20 Sha'ul immediately fell full length on the ground and became terribly frightened because of what Sh'mu'el had said. He had no strength left in him, for he had eaten nothing all that day and night.

21 The woman approached Sha'ul, saw that he was panic-stricken and said to him, "Here, your servant listened to what you said; I put my life in my hands and did what you requested me to do.

22 Now therefore, please, you listen to what your servant says: let me put a little food in front of you; then eat, so you will have some strength when you go on your way."

23 But he refused and said, "I won't eat."Then his servants, together with the woman, urged him; and he heeded what they said. He got up off the ground and sat on the bed.

24 The woman had a fattened calf in the house; she hurried to slaughter it; then she took flour, kneaded it and baked matzah with it.

25 She served it to Sha'ul and his servants, and they ate. Afterwards, they got up; and they went away that night.

Psalm 70

1 For the leader. By David. As a reminder: God, rescue me! ADONAI, hurry and help me!

2 May those who seek my life be disgraced and humiliated. May those who take pleasure in doing me harm be turned back and put to confusion.

3 May those who jeer, "Aha! Aha!"withdraw because of their shame.

4 But may all those who seek you be glad and take joy in you. May those who love your salvation say always, "God is great and glorious!"

5 But I am poor and needy; God, hurry for me. You are my helper and rescuer; ADONAI, don't delay!

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Today's Bible Reading

June 10

Romans 15:14-33; 1 Samuel 29-31; Psalm 71 CJB

Romans 15:14-33

14 Now I myself am convinced, my brothers, that you are full of goodness, filled with knowledge and well able to counsel each other.

15 But on some points I have written you quite boldly by way of reminding you about them, because of the grace God has given me

16 to be a servant of the Messiah Yeshua for the Gentiles, with the priestly duty of presenting the Good News of God, so that the Gentiles may be an acceptable offering, made holy by the Ruach HaKodesh.

17 In union with the Messiah Yeshua, then, I have reason to be proud of my service to God;

18 for I will not dare speak of anything except what the Messiah has accomplished through me to bring the Gentiles to obedience by my words and deeds,

19 through the power of signs and miracles, through the power of the Spirit of God. So from Yerushalayim all the way to Illyricum I have fully proclaimed the Good News of the Messiah.

20 I have always made it my ambition to proclaim the Good News where the Messiah was not yet known, so that I would not be building on someone else's foundation,

21 but rather, as the Tanakh puts it, "Those who have not been told about him will see, and those who have not heard will understand."

22 This is also why I have so often been prevented from visiting you.

23 But now, since there is no longer a place in these regions that needs me, and since I have wanted for many years to come to you,

24 I hope to see you as I pass through on my way to Spain, and to have you help me travel there after I have enjoyed your company awhile.

25 But now I am going to Yerushalayim with aid for God's people there.

26 For Macedonia and Achaia thought it would be good to make some contribution to the poor among God's people in Yerushalayim.

27 They were pleased to do it, but the fact is that they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have shared with the Jews in spiritual matters, then the Gentiles clearly have a duty to help the Jews in material matters.

28 So when I have finished this task and made certain that they have received this fruit, I will leave for Spain and visit you on my way there;

29 and I know that when I come to you, it will be with the full measure of the Messiah's blessings.

30 And now I urge you, brothers, by our Lord Yeshua the Messiah and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God on my behalf

31 that I will be rescued from the unbelievers in Y'hudah, and that my service for Yerushalayim will be acceptable to God's people there.

32 Then, if it is God's will, I will come to you with joy and have a time of rest among you.

33 Now may the God of shalom be with you all. Amen.

1 Samuel 29

1 The P'lishtim gathered all their army together at Afek, while Isra'el's army pitched camp by the spring in Yizre'el.

2 The leaders of the P'lishtim were passing by with their hundreds and thousands; David and his men were bringing up the rear with Akhish.

3 The chiefs of the P'lishtim asked, "What are these Hebrews doing here?"Akhish answered the chiefs of the P'lishtim, "This is David, who was a servant of Sha'ul, king of Isra'el. He's been with me now for well over a year, and I haven't found anything wrong with him between the time he deserted to me and now."

4 But the chiefs of the P'lishtim became angry and said to him, "Have the man return and go back to the place you set aside for him. Don't let him go into battle with us, because on the battlefield he might become our enemy. What better way could there be for him to get reconciled with his lord than by [cutting off] the heads of our men?

5 This is David! They used to dance and sing about him, 'Sha'ul has killed his thousands, but David his tens of thousands'!"

6 So Akhish summoned David and said to him, "As ADONAI lives, you have been upright; and I myself would be more than pleased to have you go on campaign with me; because I haven't found anything wrong with you between the day you arrived and now. However, the chiefs don't trust you.

7 Therefore, now, go on back; and go in peace, so as not to do what appears bad to the chiefs of the P'lishtim.

8 David said to Akhish, "But what have I done? What have you found in your servant during the time I've been with you that disqualifies me from going and fighting against the enemies of my lord the king?"

9 Akhish answered David, "I know that you are as good, from my point of view, as an angel of God. Nevertheless, the chiefs of the P'lishtim have said, 'He is not to go up with us to the battlefield.'

10 So get up early in the morning with the servants of your lord who came with you; and as soon as you are up and it gets light, leave."

11 David got up early in the morning, he and his men, to leave and go back into the land of the P'lishtim; while the P'lishtim continued up to Yizre'el.

1 Samuel 30

1 Three days later, when David and his men arrived in Ziklag, they found that the 'Amaleki had raided the Negev and Ziklag. They had sacked Ziklag and burned it down;

2 and they had taken captive the women and everyone there, great and small. They hadn't killed anyone but had carried them off as they went on their way.

3 So when David and his men arrived at the city, there it was, burned down, with their wives, sons and daughters taken captive.

4 Then David and the people with him cried aloud until they had no more power to cry.

5 David's two wives had been taken captive - Achino'am from Yizre'el and Avigayil the widow of Naval from Karmel.

6 David was in serious trouble: the people were talking about stoning him to death, because all the people were in such deep grief, each man over his sons and daughters. But David strengthened himself in ADONAI his God.

7 David said to Avyatar the cohen, the son of Achimelekh, "Please bring the ritual vest here to me."Avyatar brought the vest to David.

8 Then David consulted ADONAI. He asked, "Should I go in pursuit of these raiders? Will I catch up with them?" And [ADONAI] answered him, "Go in pursuit, because you will overtake them and recover everyone and everything."

9 So David went, he and the six hundred men with him. They came to Vadi B'sor, where those who were to stay behind waited.

10 Then David continued in pursuit with four hundred men, while two hundred too exhausted to cross Vadi B'sor stayed behind.

11 They found an Egyptian in the countryside and brought him to David. They gave him some bread to eat and water to drink;

12 they also gave him a lump of dried figs and two bunches of raisins. After eating, he revived; because he hadn't eaten anything or drunk any water for three days and nights.

13 David asked him, "To whom do you belong, and where are you from?" He answered, "I'm an Egyptian boy, the slave of an 'Amaleki. My master abandoned me three days ago, because I got sick.

14 We raided the Negev of the K'reti, the Negev of Y'hudah and the Negev of Kalev; and we burned down Ziklag."

15 David asked him, "Will you lead me down to this raiding party?" He said, "If you will swear by God to me that you won't kill me or hand me back to my master, I will lead you down to the raiders."

16 He led them down, and there they were, spread out all over the ground, eating, drinking and celebrating how much spoil they had taken from the territory of the P'lishtim and the territory of Y'hudah.

17 David attacked them from dawn until the evening of the next day. Not one of them escaped, except for 400 young men who jumped on camels and got away.

18 David recovered all that the 'Amaleki had taken; he also rescued his two wives.

19 They found nothing missing, big or little - not sons, not daughters, not plundered goods or anything else they had taken - David brought it all back.

20 David took all the flocks and herds and drove them ahead of their own livestock, announcing, "This is David's spoil."

21 David came to where the two hundred men were who had been too exhausted to follow him, whom they had let stay at Vadi B'sor. They came out to meet David and the people with him. When David approached them he greeted them.

22 But some of the men who had gone with David were evil men, scoundrels; and they said, "They didn't go with us, so we're not giving them any of the property we've recovered. Each man can take his wife and children and leave."

23 Then David said, "No, my brothers, don't do this with the goods ADONAI has given us. He protected us, and he handed the raiding party over to us.

24 Anyhow, no one agrees with you about this. No, the share of someone who stays with the equipment will be the same as the share of someone who goes out and fights - they will share equally."

25 It has been that way from that day on; he established it as a ruling for Isra'el to this day.

26 When David came to Ziklag, he sent some of the spoil to the leaders of Y'hudah who were his friends with a note, "Here is a present for you from the spoil of the enemies of ADONAI."

27 He sent such gifts to those in Beit-El, to those in Ramot, to those in Yatir,

28 to those in 'Aro'er, to those in Sifmot, to those in Esht'moa,

29 to those in Rakhal, to those in Yerachme'eli, to those in the cities of the Keni,

30 to those in Hormah, to those in Kor-'Ashan, to those in 'Atakh,

31 to those in Hevron, and to all the places where David and his men had frequently visited.

1 Samuel 31

1 Now the P'lishtim pressed their attack on Isra'el. The men of Isra'el fled before the P'lishtim, leaving their dead on Mount Gilboa.

2 The P'lishtim pursued and overtook Sha'ul and his sons; and the P'lishtim killed Y'honatan, Avinadav and Malkishua, the sons of Sha'ul.

3 The fighting went hard against Sha'ul; then the archers overtook and wounded him, so that he was in agony.

4 Sha'ul said to his armor-bearer, "Draw your sword and run me through with it. Otherwise these uncircumcised men will come, run me through and make sport of me." But his armor-bearer refused, he was too frightened. So Sha'ul took his sword and fell on it.

5 When his armor-bearer saw that Sha'ul was dead, he too fell on his own sword and died with him.

6 Thus Sha'ul, his three sons, his armor-bearer and all his men died that same day together.

7 When the men of Isra'el who were on the other side of the valley and those who were on the far side of the Yarden saw that the men of Isra'el had fled and that Sha'ul and his sons were dead, they abandoned the cities and fled; then the P'lishtim came and lived in them.

8 The following day, when the P'lishtim came to strip the dead, they found Sha'ul and his three sons lying dead on Mount Gilboa.

9 They cut off his head, stripped off his armor and sent these all over the territory of the P'lishtim to carry the news to the temples of their idols and to the people.

10 Then they put his armor in the temple for the 'ashtarot and fastened his body to the wall of Beit-Sh'an.

11 When the people living in Yavesh-Gil'ad heard what the P'lishtim had done to Sha'ul,

12 all their warriors set out, traveling all night. They took the body of Sha'ul and the bodies of his sons off the wall of Beit-Sh'an, returned to Yavesh and burned them there.

13 Then they took their bones, buried them under the tamarisk tree in Yavesh and fasted seven days.

Psalm 71

1 In you, ADONAI, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame.

2 In your righteousness, rescue me; and help me to escape. Turn your ear toward me, and deliver me.

3 Be for me a sheltering rock, where I can always come. You have determined to save me, because you are my bedrock and stronghold.

4 My God, help me escape from the power of the wicked, from the grasp of the unjust and ruthless.

5 For you are my hope, Adonai ELOHIM, in whom I have trusted since I was young.

6 From birth I have relied on you; it was you who took me from my mother's womb.

7 To many, I am an amazing example; but you are strong protection for me.

8 My mouth is full of praise for you, filled with your glory all day long.

9 Don't reject me when I grow old; when my strength fails, don't abandon me.

10 For my enemies are talking about me, those seeking my life are plotting together.

11 They say, "God has abandoned him; go after him, and seize him, because no one will save him."

12 God, don't distance yourself from me! My God, hurry to help me!

13 May those who are opposed to me be put to shame and ruin; may those who seek to harm me be covered with scorn and disgrace.

14 But I, I will always hope and keep adding to your praise.

15 All day long my mouth will tell of your righteous deeds and acts of salvation, though their number is past my knowing.

16 I will come in the power of Adonai ELOHIM and recall your righteousness, yours alone.

17 God, you have taught me since I was young, and I still proclaim your wonderful works.

18 So now that I'm old, and my hair is gray, don't abandon me, God, till I have proclaimed your strength to the next generation, your power to all who will come,

19 your righteousness too, God, which reaches to the heights. God, you have done great things; who is there like you?

20 You have made me see much trouble and hardship, but you will revive me again and bring me up from the depths of the earth.

21 You will increase my honor; turn and comfort me.

22 As for me, I will praise you with a lyre for your faithfulness, my God. I will sing praises to you with a lute, Holy One of Isra'el.

23 My lips will shout for joy; I will sing your praise, because you have redeemed me.

24 All day long my tongue will speak of your righteousness. For those who are seeking to harm me will be put to shame and disgraced.

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Today's Bible Reading

June 11

Romans 16; 2 Samuel 1; Psalm 72 CJB

Romans 16

1 I am introducing to you our sister Phoebe, shammash of the congregation at Cenchrea,

2 so that you may welcome her in the Lord, as God's people should, and give her whatever assistance she may need from you; for she has been a big help to many people - including myself.

3 Give my greetings to Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow workers for the Messiah Yeshua.

4 They risked their necks to save my life; not only I thank them, but also all the Messianic communities among the Gentiles.

5 And give my greetings to the congregation that meets in their house. Give my greetings to my dear friend Epaenetus, who was the first person in the province of Asia to put his trust in the Messiah.

6 Give my greetings to Miryam, who has worked very hard for you.

7 Greetings to Andronicus and Junia, relatives of mine who were in prison with me. They are well known among the emissaries; also they came to trust in the Messiah before I did.

8 Greetings to Ampliatus, my dear friend in the Lord.

9 Greetings to Urbanus, our fellow worker for the Messiah, and to my dear friend Stachys.

10 Greetings to Appeles, whose trust in the Messiah has been tested and proved. Greet those in the household of Aristobulus.

11 Greet my relative, Herodion.

12 Greet Tryphaena and Tryphosa, women who are working hard for the Lord. Greet my dear friend Persis, another woman who has done a lot of hard work for the Lord.

13 Greet Rufus, chosen by the Lord, and his mother, who has been a mother to me too.

14 Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas and the brothers who are with them.

15 Greet Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all of God's people who are with them.

16 Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the Messiah's congregations send their greetings to you.

17 I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put snares alongside the teaching in which you have been trained - keep away from them.

18 For men like these are not serving our Lord the Messiah but their own belly; by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the innocent.

19 For everyone has heard about your obedience; therefore I rejoice over you. However, I want you to be wise concerning good, but innocent concerning evil.

20 And God, the source of shalom, will soon crush the Adversary under your feet. The grace of our Lord Yeshua be with you.

21 Timothy, my fellow-worker, sends greetings to you; so do Lucius, Jason and Sosipater, my relatives.

22 I, Tertius, the one writing down this letter, greet you in the Lord.

23 My host Gaius, in whose home the whole congregation meets, greets you. Erastus the city treasurer and brother Quartus greet you.

24

25 Now to God, who can strengthen you, according to my Good News, in harmony with the revelation of the secret truth which is the proclamation of Yeshua the Messiah, kept hidden in silence for ages and ages,

26 but manifested now through prophetic writings, in keeping with the command of God the Eternal, and communicated to all the Gentiles to promote in them trust-grounded obedience - to the only wise God, through Yeshua the Messiah, be the glory forever and ever! Amen.

2 Samuel 1

1 Sha'ul had died, and David had been two days in Ziklag after returning from the slaughter of the 'Amaleki.

2 On the third day, there came a man from Sha'ul's camp with his clothes torn and earth on his head. He approached David, fell to the ground and prostrated himself.

3 David said to him, "Where are you coming from?""I escaped from the camp of Isra'el," he replied.

4 "Tell me, please, how did things go?" asked David. "The people have fled the battle," he answered, "and many of them are wounded or dead. Sha'ul and Y'honatan his son are dead too."

5 David asked the young man who had told him this, "How do you know that Sha'ul and Y'honatan his son are dead?"

6 The young man who had told him said, "I happened to be on Mount Gilboa when I saw Sha'ul leaning on his spear. The chariots and cavalry were bearing down on him.

7 He looked behind him, saw me and called to me. I answered, 'Here I am.'

8 He said to me, 'Who are you?' and I answered, 'I'm an 'Amaleki'

9 He said to me, 'I'm in agony, and I'm going to die, but I'm still alive. So please, stand next to me; and kill me.'

10 So I stood next to him and killed him, because I was sure he was so badly wounded that he couldn't live. I took the crown that was on his head and the bracelet on his arm and have brought them here to my lord."

11 Then David took hold of his clothes and tore them, and likewise all the men who were with him.

12 They wailed and cried, and they fasted until evening for Sha'ul, for Y'honatan his son, for ADONAI's people and for the house of Isra'el; because they had fallen by the sword.

13 David said to the young man who had told him, "Where are you from?" He answered, "I'm the son of a [resident] foreigner, an 'Amaleki."

14 David asked him, "How is it that you weren't afraid to raise your hand to destroy ADONAI's anointed?"

15 David called one of his young men and said, "Go over to him, and kill him." The man struck him down, and he died.

16 David said to him, "Your blood is on your own head. Your own mouth convicted you when you said, 'I killed ADONAI's anointed.'"

17 Then David pronounced this lament over Sha'ul and over Y'honatan his son,

18 in order to teach the people of Y'hudah [not to underestimate] archery (the lament has been written down in the book of Yashar):

19 "Your glory, Isra'el, lies dead on your high places! How the heroes have fallen!

20 Don't speak of it in Gat; don't proclaim it in the streets of Ashkelon; then the daughters of the P'lishtim won't rejoice, the daughters of the uncircumcised won't gloat.

21 "Mountains of Gilboa - may there be on you no dew, no rain, no fields with good crops; because there the shields of the heroes were dishonored, the shield of Sha'ul was no longer rubbed with oil.

22 "From the blood of the dead, from the flesh of heroes, the bow of Y'honatan did not retreat or the sword of Sha'ul return unsatisfied.

23 Sha'ul and Y'honatan, loved and gracious while alive, were not separated even in death; they were swifter than eagles, stronger than lions.

24 "Daughters of Isra'el, weep over Sha'ul! He clothed you luxuriously in scarlet and put gold jewelry on your clothing.

25 "How the heroes have fallen in the heat of battle, Y'honatan killed on your high places!

26 I grieve for you, my brother Y'honatan, you meant so much to me! Your love for me was deeper than the love of women.

27 How the heroes have fallen and the weapons of war perished"

Psalm 72

1 By Shlomo: God, give the king your fairness in judgment, endow this son of kings with your righteousness,

2 so that he can govern your people rightly and your poor with justice.

3 May mountains and hills provide your people with peace through righteousness.

4 May he defend the oppressed among the people, save the needy and crush the oppressor.

5 May they fear you as long as the sun endures and as long as the moon, through all generations.

6 May he be like rain falling on mown grass, like showers watering the land.

7 In his days, let the righteous flourish and peace abound, till the moon is no more.

8 May his empire stretch from sea to sea, from the [Euphrates] River to the ends of the earth.

9 May desert-dwellers bow before him; may his enemies lick the dust.

10 The kings of Tarshish and the coasts will pay him tribute; the kings of Sh'va and S'va will offer gifts.

11 Yes, all kings will prostrate themselves before him; all nations will serve him.

12 For he will rescue the needy when they cry, the poor too and those with none to help them.

13 He will have pity on the poor and needy; and the lives of the needy he will save.

14 He will redeem them from oppression and violence; their blood will be precious in his view.

15 May [the king] live long! May they give him gold from the land of Sh'va! May they pray for him continually; yes, bless him all day long.

16 May there be an abundance of grain in the land, all the way to the tops of the mountains. May its crops rustle like the L'vanon. May people blossom in the city like the grasses in the fields.

17 May his name endure forever, his name, Yinnon, as long as the sun. May people bless themselves in him, may all nations call him happy.

18 Blessed be ADONAI, God, the God of Isra'el, who alone works wonders.

19 Blessed be his glorious name forever, and may the whole earth be filled with his glory. Amen. Amen.

20 This completes the prayers of David the son of Yishai.

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Today's Bible Reading

June 12

Mark 1:1-20; 2 Samuel 2:1-3:1; Daniel 1 CJB

Mark 1:1-20

1 The beginning of the Good News of Yeshua the Messiah, the Son of God:

2 It is written in the prophet Yesha`yahu, "See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you; he will prepare the way before you."

3 "The voice of someone crying out: `In the desert prepare the way for ADONAI! Make straight paths for him!'"

4 So it was that Yochanan the Immerser appeared in the desert, proclaiming an immersion involving turning to God from sin in order to be forgiven.

5 People went out to him from all over Y'hudah, as did all the inhabitants of Yerushalayim. Confessing their sins, they were immersed by him in the Yarden River.

6 Yochanan wore clothes of camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist; he ate locusts and wild honey.

7 He proclaimed: "After me is coming someone who is more powerful than I -- I'm not worthy even to bend down and untie his sandals.

8 I have immersed you in water, but he will immerse you in the Ruach HaKodesh."

9 Shortly thereafter, Yeshua came from Natzeret in the Galil and was immersed in theYarden byYochanan.

10 Immediately upon coming up out of the water, he saw heaven torn open and the Spirit descending upon him like a dove;

11 then a voice came from heaven, "You are my Son, whom I love; I am well pleased with you."

12 Immediately the Spirit drove him out into the wilderness,

13 and he was in the wilderness forty days being tempted by the Adversary. He was with the wild animals, and the angels took care of him.

14 After Yochanan had been arrested, Yeshua came into the Galil proclaiming the Good News from God:

15 "The time has come, God's Kingdom is near! Turn to God from your sins and believe the Good News!"

16 As he walked beside Lake Kinneret, he saw Shim`on and Andrew, Shim`on's brother, casting a net into the lake; for they were fishermen.

17 Yeshua said to them, "Come, follow me, and I will make you into fishers for men!"

18 At once they left their nets and followed him.

19 Going on a little farther, he saw Ya`akov Ben-Zavdai and Yochanan, his brother, in their boat, repairing their nets.

20 Immediately he called them, and they left their father Zavdai in the boat with the hired men and went after Yeshua.

2 Samuel 2

1 After this, David consulted ADONAI; he asked, "Should I go up into any of the cities of Y'hudah?"ADONAI said to him, "Go up." David asked, "Where should I go up?" He said, "To Hevron."

2 So David went up there with his two wives Achino'am from Yizre'el and Avigayil the widow of Naval from Karmel.

3 David brought the men up with him, each with his household; and they lived in the cities of Hevron.

4 Then the men of Y'hudah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Y'hudah. They informed David that the men of Yavesh-Gil'ad were the ones who had buried Sha'ul.

5 So David sent messengers to the men of Yavesh-Gil'ad with this message: "May you be blessed by ADONAI, because you showed this kindness to your lord, Sha'ul, and buried him.

6 Now may ADONAI show kindness and truth to you; and I too will show you favor because you have done this.

7 Be strong, and be brave. Sha'ul your lord is dead, but the house of Y'hudah have anointed me king over them."

8 Avner the son of Ner, commander of Sha'ul's army, had taken Ish-Boshet the son of Sha'ul, brought him over to Machanayim,

9 and made him king over Gil'ad, the Ashuri, Yizre'el, Efrayim, Binyamin and all Isra'el.

10 Ish-Boshet the son of Sha'ul was forty years old when he began to rule over Isra'el, and he ruled for two years. But the house of Y'hudah followed David.

11 David was king in Hevron over the house of Y'hudah for seven years and six months.

12 Avner the son of Ner and the servants of Ish-Boshet the son of Sha'ul went out from Machanayim to Giv'on;

13 while Yo'av the son of Tz'ruyah and David's servants also went out; and they met together by the pool at Giv'on. One group sat down on one side of the pool and the other on the other side.

14 Avner said to Yo'av, "If it's all right with you, let's have the young men get up and fight it out between themselves, while we watch." Yo'av said, "Yes, let them."

15 So they got up and paired off, twelve for Binyamin and Ish-Boshet the son of Sha'ul, and twelve of David's servants.

16 Each one grabbed his partner by the head and drove his sword into his side, so that they fell down together. For this reason that place was named Helkat-Hatzurim [field of blades]; it is in Giv'on.

17 The battle that day was very fierce; Avner and the men of Isra'el were beaten by David's servants.

18 The three sons of Tz'ruyah were there, Yo'av, Avishai and 'Asah'el. 'Asah'el was as fleet-footed as a gazelle in an open field.

19 'Asah'el chased Avner, going straight for him, veering neither right nor left.

20 Avner looked behind him and asked, "Is that you, 'Asah'el?""Yes, it is," he answered.

21 Avner said to him, "Turn off to your right or your left, catch one of the young men and take his armor." But 'Asah'el wouldn't turn aside and kept following him.

22 Avner said again to 'Asah'el, "Turn aside and stop following me! Why should I kill you? If I did, how could I look your brother Yo'av in the eye?"

23 But he still refused to turn aside; so Avner stabbed him in the groin with the back end of the spear, so that the shaft protruded behind him. He fell down and died on the spot. Everyone who came to the place where 'Asah'el lay dead stopped there.

24 Yo'av and Avishai continued in pursuit of Avner; the sun went down when they arrived at Amah Hill, across from Giach along the Giv'on Desert road.

25 The people of Binyamin gathered themselves together into a phalanx behind Avner and stood on top of a hill.

26 Then Avner called out to Yo'av, "Must the sword go on devouring forever? Don't you know that in the end it can produce only bitterness? How long will it be, then, before you tell the people to quit pursuing their brothers?"

27 Yo'av said, "As God lives, if you hadn't said something, there is no doubt that the people would have kept following their brothers all night long."

28 Then Yo'av sounded the shofar, and with that the people halted. They stopped pursuing Isra'el, and they stopped fighting.

29 Avner and his men went through the 'Aravah all that night; they crossed the Yarden, went through all of Bitron and arrived at Machanayim.

30 Yo'av returned from following Avner. When he brought the troops together for review, nineteen of David's servants were missing, along with 'Asah'el.

31 But David's servants had killed 360 of Avner's men of Binyamin.

32 They took 'Asah'el and buried him in his father's tomb in Beit-Lechem. Then Yo'av and his men marched all night, so that they reached Hevron at daybreak.

2 Samuel 3:1

1 The war between the house of Sha'ul and the house of David dragged on, but David grew stronger, while the house of Sha'ul became weaker.

Daniel 1

1 In the third year of the reign of Y'hoyakim king of Y'hudah, N'vukhadnetzar king of Bavel came to Yerushalayim and laid siege to it;

2 and Adonai handed Y'hoyakim king of Y'hudah over to him, along with some of the articles from the house of God. He took them to the land of Shin'ar, to the house of his god and placed the articles in the storehouse of his god.

3 The king ordered Ashp'naz, the eunuch serving as his chief officer, to bring into the palace from the people of Isra'el some of royal or noble descent.

4 They were to be boys without physical defect, handsome in appearance, versed in all kinds of wisdom, quick to learn, discerning, and having the capacity to serve in the king's palace; and he was to teach them the language and literature of the Kasdim.

5 The king assigned them a daily portion of his own food and the wine he drank, and they were to be cared for in this way for three years. At the end of this time they were to become the king's attendants.

6 Among these, from the people of Y'hudah, were Dani'el, Hananyah, Misha'el and 'Azaryah.

7 The chief officer gave them other names - to Dani'el he gave the name Belt'shatzar; to Hananyah, Shadrakh; to Misha'el, Meishakh; and to 'Azaryah, 'Aved-N'go.

8 But Dani'el resolved that he would not defile himself with the king's food or the wine he drank, so he asked the chief officer to be excused from defiling himself.

9 God caused the chief officer to be kind and sympathetic toward Dani'el;

10 however, the chief officer said to Dani'el, "I'm afraid of my lord the king. After all, he has given you an allowance of food and drink; so if he were to see you boys looking worse than the others your age, you would be putting my own head in danger from the king."

11 Then Dani'el said to the guard whom the chief officer had put in charge of Dani'el, Hananyah, Misha'el and 'Azaryah,

12 "Please! Try an experiment on your servants - for ten days have them give us only vegetables to eat and water to drink.

13 Then see how we look, and compare us with how the boys who eat the king's food look; and deal with your servants according to what you see."

14 He agreed to do what they had asked and gave them a ten-day test.

15 At the end of ten days they looked better and more robust than all the boys who were eating the king's food.

16 So the guard took away their food and the wine they were supposed to drink, and gave them vegetables.

17 To these four boys God had given knowledge and skill in every aspect of learning and wisdom; moreover, Dani'el could understand all kinds of visions and dreams.

18 When the time the king had set for them to be presented came, the chief officer presented them to N'vukhadnetzar;

19 and when the king spoke with them, none was found among all of them to compare with Dani'el, Hananyah, Misha'el and 'Azaryah. So they entered the king's service;

20 and in all matters requiring wisdom and understanding, whenever the king consulted them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and exorcists in his entire kingdom.

21 So Dani'el remained there until the first year of King Koresh.

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Today's Bible Reading

June 13

Mark 1:21-45; 2 Samuel 3:2-39; Daniel 2:1-23 CJB

Mark 1:21-45

21 They entered K'far-Nachum, and on Shabbat Yeshua went into the synagogue and began teaching.

22 They were amazed at the way he taught, for he did not instruct them like the Torah-teachers but as one who had authority himself.

23 In their synagogue just then was a man with an unclean spirit in him, who shouted,

24 "What do you want with us, Yeshua from Natzeret? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are -- the Holy One of God!"

25 But Yeshua rebuked the unclean spirit, "Be quiet and come out of him!"

26 Throwing the man into a convulsion, it gave a loud shriek and came out of him.

27 They were all so astounded that they began asking each other, "What is this? A new teaching, one with authority behind it! He gives orders even to the unclean spirits, and they obey him!"

28 And the news about him spread quickly through the whole region of the Galil.

29 They left the synagogue and went with Ya`akov and Yochanan to the home of Shim`on and Andrew.

30 Shim`on's mother-in-law was lying sick with a fever, and they told Yeshua about her.

31 He came, took her by the hand and lifted her onto her feet. The fever left her, and she began helping them.

32 That evening after sundown, they brought to Yeshua all who were ill or held in the power of demons,

33 and the whole town came crowding around the door.

34 He healed many who were ill with various diseases and expelled many demons, but he did not allow the demons to speak, because they knew who he was.

35 Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Yeshua got up, left, went away to a lonely spot and stayed there praying.

36 But Shim`on and those with him went after him;

37 and when they found him, they said, "Everybody is looking for you."

38 He answered, "Let's go somewhere else -- to the other villages around here. I have to proclaim the message there too -- in fact this is why I came out."

39 So he traveled all through the Galil, preaching in their synagogues and expelling demons.

40 A man afflicted with tzara`at came to Yeshua and begged him on his knees, "If you are willing, you can make me clean."

41 Moved with pity, Yeshua reached out his hand, touched him and said to him, "I am willing! Be cleansed!"

42 Instantly the tzara`at left him, and he was cleansed.

43 Yeshua sent him away with this stern warning:

44 "See to it that you tell no one; instead, as a testimony to the people, go and let the cohen examine you, and offer for your cleansing what Moshe commanded."

45 But he went out and began spreading the news, talking freely about it; so that Yeshua could no longer enter a town openly but stayed out in the country, where people continued coming to him from all around.

2 Samuel 3:2-39

2 Sons were born to David in Hevron. His firstborn was Amnon, whose mother was Achino'am from Yizre'el;

3 his second, Kil'av, whose mother was Avigayil the widow of Naval from Karmel; the third, Avshalom, whose mother was Ma'akhah the daughter of Talmai king of G'shur;

4 the fourth, Adoniyah the son of Haggit; the fifth, Sh'fatyah the son of Avital;

5 and the sixth, Yitre'am, whose mother was 'Eglah David's wife. These were born to David in Hevron.

6 During the war that was going on between the house of Sha'ul and the house of David, Avner strengthened his position in the house of Sha'ul.

7 Sha'ul had had a concubine named Ritzpah, the daughter of Ayah; and [Ish-Boshet] challenged Avner: "Why did you go and sleep with my father's concubine?"

8 These words of Ish-Boshet's enraged Avner. "What am I," he shouted, "[that you treat me with such contempt]? A dog's head in Y'hudah? Till this moment I have shown only kindness to the house of Sha'ul your father, and to his brothers and to his friends; and I haven't handed you over to David. Yet you choose today to pick a fight with me over this woman!

9 May God bring terrible curses on Avner and worse ones yet if I don't accomplish what ADONAI swore to David-

10 to transfer the kingdom from the house of Sha'ul and set up the throne of David over Isra'el and Y'hudah, from Dan all the way to Be'er-Sheva!"

11 Ish-Boshet couldn't answer Avner a word, because he was afraid of him.

12 Avner immediately sent envoys to David with this message: "Who is going to control the land? If you make yourself my ally, I will use my power to bring all Isra'el over to you."

13 David sent this reply: "Very well, I will be your ally - on one condition: you will not come into my presence unless at the same time you bring with you Mikhal Sha'ul's daughter."

14 David sent messengers to say to Ish-Boshet the son of Sha'ul, "Give me back my wife Mikhal. I betrothed her to myself for 100 foreskins of the P'lishtim."

15 Ish-Boshet sent and took her from her husband Palti'el the son of Layish.

16 Her husband went with her, crying as he went, and followed her to Bachurim. But when Avner told him, "Go back," he returned.

17 Then Avner conferred with the leaders of Isra'el. He said, "In the past, you wanted David to be king over you.

18 So now, do it. For ADONAI has said of David, 'Through my servant David I will rescue my people Isra'el from the power of the P'lishtim and from the power of all their enemies.'"

19 Avner also spoke with the people of Binyamin. Then Avner went to Hevron and reported to David everything that had been agreed to by Isra'el and the house of Binyamin.

20 When Avner came to David in Hevron he brought twenty men with him. David held a feast for Avner and his men.

21 Avner said to David, "I must get up and go to gather all Isra'el to my lord the king, so that they can make a covenant with you. Then you will be able to rule over everything your heart desires." David sent Avner off, giving him safe conduct.

22 Just then David's men and Yo'av returned from a raid, bringing a lot of plunder with them. But Avner was not with David in Hevron, because he had sent him off under safe conduct.

23 When Yo'av and all his army had arrived, Yo'av was told, "Avner the son of Ner came to the king, but he sent him off, and he has left under safe conduct."

24 Yo'av went to the king and said, "What have you done? Here, Avner came to you, and you sent him away, and now he's gone! Why?

25 You know Avner the son of Ner - he came only to deceive you, to learn what campaigns you're planning and to find out everything you're doing!"

26 After leaving David, Yo'av sent messengers after Avner, and they brought him back from the water cistern at Sirah without David's knowledge.

27 Upon Avner's return to Hevron, Yo'av took him aside into the space between the outer and inner city gates as if to speak with him privately; and there he struck him in the groin, so that he died - thus avenging the death of 'Asah'el his brother.

28 Afterwards, when David heard of it, he said, "I and my kingdom are forever innocent of the death of Avner the son of Ner.

29 Let it fall on the head of Yo'av and all his father's family. May Yo'av's family always have someone with a hemorrhage or tzara'at, or who has to walk with a cane, or who dies by the sword or who lacks food."

30 Thus Yo'av and Avishai his brother killed Avner, because he had killed their brother 'Asah'el during the battle in Giv'on.

31 But David said to Yo'av and all those with him, "Tear your clothes, put on sackcloth, and mourn over Avner." King David himself walked behind the body as it was carried.

32 They buried Avner at Hevron; the king wept aloud at Avner's grave, and all the people wept.

33 The king sang this lament over Avner: "Should Avner have died like a thug?

34 Your hands weren't tied, your feet weren't fettered; you fell like one who falls at the hands of criminals." Then all the people wept over him more than ever.

35 All the people came to David and tried to make him eat some bread while it was still daytime; but David swore, "May God bring terrible curses on me and worse ones yet if I taste bread or anything else until the sun goes down."

36 All the people took note of this, and it pleased them; whatever the king did pleased all the people.

37 So that day, all the people and all Isra'el understood that the king had had no part in the killing of Avner the son of Ner.

38 The king said to his servants, "You realize that a leader, a great man, has fallen today in Isra'el.

39 Even though I have just been anointed king, I feel weak today; and these men, the sons of Tz'ruyah, are too brutal for me. May ADONAI repay the criminal as his crime deserves!"

Daniel 2:1-23

1 In the second year of the reign of N'vukhadnetzar, N'vukhadnetzar became so troubled by a series of dreams he had that he couldn't sleep.

2 So the king ordered the magicians, exorcists, sorcerers and astrologers summoned to interpret the king's dreams to him. They came and stood in his presence.

3 The king said to them, "I had a dream which will keep troubling my spirit until I know what it means."

4 The astrologers spoke to the king in Aramaic: "May the king live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will interpret it."

5 The king answered the astrologers, "Here is what I have decided: if you don't tell me both the dream and its interpretation, you will be torn limb from limb and your houses reduced to rubble.

6 But if you do state the dream and its interpretation, I will give you presents, rewards and great honor. Just tell me the dream and its interpretation."

7 A second time they said, "Let his majesty tell his servants the dream, and we will interpret it."

8 The king replied, "I see you're only trying to gain time, because you see that I've decided

9 that if you don't tell me the dream, there is only one sentence passed on all of you. So you've conspired to mislead me with lies in the hope that time will change things. Now, just tell me the dream! That will convince me that you will also be able to give me its correct interpretation."

10 The astrologers answered the king, "Your majesty, nobody in the world can do this! Never has a king, no matter how great and powerful, asked such a thing of any magician or exorcist or astrologer.

11 The king is asking a difficult thing; nobody but the gods could tell this to your majesty, and they don't live with mere mortals."

12 At this the king flew into a rage and ordered all the sages of Bavel put to death.

13 When the decree was published that the sages were to be slain, they sought Dani'el and his companions in order to have them put to death.

14 Then, choosing his words carefully, Dani'el consulted Aryokh, captain of the royal guard, who had already gone out to kill the sages of Bavel.

15 He said to Aryokh, "Since you are the king's official, let me ask: why has the king issued such a harsh decree?"Aryokh explained the matter to Dani'el.

16 Then Dani'el went in and asked the king to give him time to tell the king the interpretation.

17 Dani'el went home and made the matter known to Hananyah, Misha'el and 'Azaryah, his companions;

18 so that they could ask the God of heaven for mercy concerning this secret, and thus save Dani'el and his companions from dying along with the other sages of Bavel.

19 Then the secret was revealed to Dani'el in a vision at night, and Dani'el blessed the God of heaven

20 in these words: "Blessed be the name of God from eternity past to eternity future! For wisdom and power are his alone;

21 he brings the changes of seasons and times; he installs and deposes kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those with discernment.

22 He reveals deep and secret things; he knows what lies in the darkness; and light dwells with him.

23 I thank and praise you, God of my ancestors, for giving me wisdom and power, and revealing to me what we wanted from you, for giving us the answer for the king."

[phkrause]

Today's Bible Reading

June 14

Mark 2; 2 Samuel 4-5; Daniel 2:24-49 NIV

Mark 2

1 After a while, Yeshua returned to K'far-Nachum. The word spread that he was back,

2 and so many people gathered around the house that there was no longer any room, not even in front of the door. While he was preaching the message to them,

3 four men came to him carrying a paralyzed man.

4 They could not get near Yeshua because of the crowd, so they stripped the roof over the place where he was, made an opening, and lowered the stretcher with the paralytic lying on it.

5 Seeing their trust, Yeshua said to the paralyzed man, "Son, your sins are forgiven."

6 Some Torah-teachers sitting there thought to themselves,

7 "How can this fellow say such a thing? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins except God?"

8 But immediately Yeshua, perceiving in his spirit what they were thinking, said to them, "Why are you thinking these things?

9 Which is easier to say to the paralyzed man? `Your sins are forgiven'? or `Get up, pick up your stretcher and walk'?

10 But look! I will prove to you that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins." He then said to the paralytic,

11 "I say to you: get up, pick up your stretcher and go home!"

12 In front of everyone the man got up, picked up his stretcher at once and left. They were all utterly amazed and praised God, saying, "We have never seen anything like this!"

13 Yeshua went out again by the lake. All the crowd came to him, and he began teaching them.

14 As he passed on from there, he saw Levi Ben-Halfai sitting in his tax-collection booth and said to him, "Follow me!" And he got up and followed him.

15 As Yeshua was in Levi's house eating, many tax-collectors and sinners were sitting with Yeshua and his talmidim, for there were many of them among his followers.

16 When the Torah-teachers and the P'rushim saw that he was eating with sinners and tax-collectors, they said to his talmidim, "Why does he eat with tax-collectors and sinners?"

17 But, hearing the question, Yeshua answered them, "The ones who need a doctor aren't the healthy but the sick. I didn't come to call the `righteous' but sinners!"

18 Also Yochanan's talmidim and the P'rushim were fasting; and they came and asked Yeshua, "Why is it that Yochanan's talmidim and the talmidim of the P'rushim fast, but your talmidim don't fast?"

19 Yeshua answered them, "Can wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is still with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, fasting is out of the question.

20 But the time will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them; and when that day comes, they will fast.

21 No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old coat; if he does, the new patch tears away from the old cloth and leaves a worse hole.

22 And no one puts new wine in old wineskins; if he does, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the skins will be ruined. Rather, new wine is for freshly prepared wineskins."

23 One Shabbat Yeshua was passing through some wheat fields; and as they went along, his talmidim began picking heads of grain.

24 The P'rushim said to him, "Look! Why are they violating Shabbat?"

25 He said to them, "Haven't you ever read what David did when he and those with him were hungry and needed food?

26 He entered the House of God when Evyatar was cohen gadol and ate the Bread of the Presence," -- which is forbidden for anyone to eat but the cohanim -- "and even gave some to his companions."

27 Then he said to them, "Shabbat was made for mankind, not mankind for Shabbat;

28 So the Son of Man is Lord even of Shabbat."

2 Samuel 4

1 When Ish-Boshet the son of Sha'ul heard that Avner had died in Hevron, his courage failed; and all Isra'el became alarmed.

2 Sha'ul's son had two men who were captains of raiding parties, one called Ba'anah and the other Rekhav, sons of Rimmon the Be'eroti, of the people of Binyamin (for Be'erot is counted as part of Binyamin,

3 even though the Be'erotim fled to Gittayim and have lived as foreigners there to this day).

4 Now Y'honatan the son of Sha'ul's had a son, and he was lame in both legs. He had been five years old when the news about Sha'ul and Y'honatan came from Yizre'el. His nurse had gathered him up and fled; but as she was hurrying to get away, he fell and became lame. His name was M'fivoshet.

5 The sons of Rimmon the Be'eroti, Rekhav and Ba'anah went and arrived during the heat of the day at the home of Ish-Boshet as he was taking his afternoon rest.

6 They went right into the house, as if they were coming to get wheat, and stabbed him in the groin; then Rekhav and Ba'anah his brother escaped.

7 They entered the house as he lay on his bed in his bedroom, stabbed him and killed him; then they beheaded him, took his head and fled all night along the road through the 'Aravah.

8 They brought the head of Ish-Boshet to David in Hevron and said to the king, "Here is the head of Ish-Boshet the son of Sha'ul your enemy, who wanted to take your life. Today ADONAI has taken revenge on Sha'ul and his son for the sake of my lord the king."

9 But David answered Rekhav and Ba'anah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the Be'eroti, "As ADONAI lives, who has rescued me from every kind of difficulty,

10 when someone told me, 'Here, Sha'ul is dead,' thinking to himself that he was bringing good news, I didn't reward him for his news but seized him and killed him in Ziklag.

11 How much more, when criminals have killed an innocent man in his own house on his own bed, shouldn't I hold you responsible for his death and rid the earth of you?"

12 David then gave the order to his men, and they put them to death, cutting off their hands and feet and hanging them up next to the pool at Hevron. But they took the head of Ish-Boshet and buried it in Avner's grave at Hevron.

2 Samuel 5

1 Then all the tribes of Isra'el came to David in Hevron and said, "Here, we are your own flesh and bone.

2 In the past, when Sha'ul was king over us, it was you who led Isra'el's military campaigns; and ADONAI said to you, 'You will shepherd my people Isra'el, and you will be chief over Isra'el.'"

3 So all the leaders of Isra'el came to the king in Hevron, and King David made a covenant with them in Hevron in the presence of ADONAI. Then they anointed David king over Isra'el.

4 David was thirty years old when he began his rule, and he ruled forty years.

5 In Hevron he ruled over Y'hudah seven years and six months; then in Yerushalayim he ruled thirty-three years over all Isra'el and Y'hudah.

6 The king and his men went to Yerushalayim to attack the Y'vusi, the inhabitants of that region. They taunted David, "You won't get in here! Even the blind and the lame could fend you off!"- in other words, they were thinking, "David will never get in here."

7 Nevertheless, David captured the stronghold of Tziyon, also known [now] as the City of David.

8 What David said on that day was, "In order to attack the Y'vusi, you have to climb up [from the spring outside the city] through the water tunnel. Then you can do away with those [so-called] 'lame and blind'" (whom David despises - hence the expression, "The 'blind and lame' keep him from entering the house").

9 David lived in the stronghold and called it the City of David. Then David built up the city around it, starting at the Millo [earth rampart] and working inward.

10 David grew greater and greater, because ADONAI the God of Armies was with him.

11 Hiram king of Tzor sent envoys to David with cedar logs, and with them were carpenters and stonemasons; and they built David a palace.

12 David then knew that ADONAI had set him up as king over Isra'el and increased his royal power for the sake of his people.

13 David took for himself more concubines and wives in Yerushalayim after coming from Hevron, so that still more sons and daughters were born to David.

14 Here are the names of those born to him in Yerushalayim: Shamua, Shovav, Natan, Shlomo,

15 Yivchar, Elishua, Nefeg, Yafia,

16 Elishama, Elyada and Elifelet.

17 When the P'lishtim heard that David had been anointed king over Isra'el, all the P'lishtim went up in search of David. On learning of it, David went down to the stronghold.

18 The P'lishtim came and deployed in the Refa'im Valley.

19 David consulted ADONAI, asking, "Should I attack the P'lishtim? Will you hand them over to me?"ADONAI answered David, "Attack; I will certainly hand the P'lishtim over to you."

20 So David went to Ba'al-P'ratzim and defeated them there. He said, "ADONAI has broken through my enemies for me like a river breaking through its banks." This is why he called the place Ba'al-P'ratzim [Lord of breaking through].

21 The P'lishtim had left their idols there, so David and his men took them away.

22 The P'lishtim came up again and deployed in the Refa'im Valley.

23 When David consulted ADONAI, he said, "Don't attack! Circle behind them, and engage them opposite the balsam trees.

24 When you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, advance; because then ADONAI has gone out ahead of you to defeat the army of the P'lishtim."

25 David did exactly as ADONAI had ordered him to do and pursued his attack on the P'lishtim from Geva all the way to Gezer.

Daniel 2:24-49

24 So Dani'el went to see Aryokh, whom the king had charged with destroying the sages of Bavel, and said to him, "Don't destroy the sages of Bavel! Bring me before the king, and I will give the king the interpretation."

25 Quickly Aryokh brought Dani'el before the king and told him, "I have found one of the exiles of Y'hudah who will reveal the interpretation to his majesty."

26 The king said to Dani'el (who had been renamed Belt'shatzar), "Can you tell me what I dreamt and what it means?"

27 Dani'el answered the king, "No sage, exorcist, magician or astrologer can tell his majesty the secret he has asked about.

28 But there is a God in heaven who unlocks mysteries, and he has revealed to King N'vukhadnetzar what will happen in the acharit-hayamim. Here are your dream and the visions you had in your head when you were in bed.

29 "Your majesty, when you were in bed, you began thinking about what would take place in the future; and he who reveals secrets has revealed to you what will happen.

30 Yet this secret has not been revealed to me because I am wiser than anyone living, but so that the meaning can be made known to your majesty, and then you can understand the thoughts of your own mind.

31 "Your majesty had a vision of a statue, very large and extremely bright; it stood in front of you and its appearance was terrifying.

32 The head of the statue was of fine gold, its chest and arms of silver, its trunk and thighs of bronze,

33 its legs of iron, and its feet partly of iron and partly of clay.

34 As you watched, a stone separated itself without any human hand, struck the statue on its feet made of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces.

35 Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver and the gold were all broken into pieces which became like the chaff on a threshing-floor in summer; the wind blew them away without leaving a trace. But the stone which had struck the statue grew into a huge mountain that filled the whole earth.

36 "That is what you dreamt, and now we will give the king its interpretation.

37 Your majesty, king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, the strength and the glory;

38 so that wherever people, wild animals or birds in the air live, he has handed them over to you and enabled you to rule them all -you are the head of gold.

39 But after you another kingdom will rise, inferior to you; then a third kingdom, of bronze, which will rule the whole world.

40 The fourth kingdom will be as strong as iron. Iron can break anything into pieces, pulverize it and crush it. So just as iron can crush anything, this kingdom will break the other kingdoms into pieces and crush them.

41 Finally, you saw the feet and toes made partly of pottery clay and partly of iron; this will be a divided kingdom; yet it will have some of the firmness of iron, since you saw the iron mixed with clay from the ground.

42 Just as the toes of the feet were part iron and part clay, this kingdom will be partly strong and partly brittle.

43 You saw the iron mixed with clay; that means that they will cement their alliances by intermarriages; but they won't stick together any more than iron blends with clay.

44 "In the days of those kings the God of heaven will establish a kingdom that will never be destroyed, and that kingdom will not pass into the hands of another people. It will break to pieces and consume all those kingdoms; but it, itself, will stand forever -

45 like the stone you saw, which, without human hands, separated itself from the mountain and broke to pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver and the gold. The great God has revealed to the king what will come about in the future. The dream is true, and its interpretation is reliable."

46 Then King N'vukhadnetzar fell on his face and worshipped Dani'el; he ordered that a grain offering and incense be offered to him.

47 To Dani'el the king said, "Your God is indeed the God of gods, the Lord of kings and a revealer of secrets, since you have been able to reveal this secret."

48 The king promoted Dani'el to a high rank, gave him many rich gifts and made him governor of the entire province of Bavel and head of all the sages of Bavel.

49 At Dani'el's request, the king put Shadrakh, Meishakh and 'Aved-N'go in charge of the affairs of the province of Bavel, while Dani'el remained in attendance on the king.

[phkrause]

Today's Bible Reading

June 15

Mark 3:1-19; 2 Samuel 6; Daniel 3 CJB

Mark 3:1-19

1 Yeshua went again into a synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there.

2 Looking for a reason to accuse him of something, people watched him carefully to see if he would heal him on Shabbat.

3 He said to the man with the shriveled hand, "Come up where we can see you!"

4 Then to them he said, "What is permitted on Shabbat? Doing good or doing evil? Saving life or killing?" But they said nothing.

5 Then, looking them over and feeling both anger with them and sympathy for them at the stoniness of their hearts, he said to the man, "Hold out your hand." As he held it out, it became restored.

6 The P'rushim went out and immediately began plotting with some members of Herod's party how to do away with him.

7 Yeshua went off with his talmidim to the lake, and great numbers followed him from the Galil.

8 When they heard what he was doing, great numbers also followed him from Y'hudah, Yerushalayim, Idumea, the territory beyond the Yarden, and the Tzor-Tzidon area.

9 He told his talmidim to have a boat ready for him, so that he could escape the crush of the crowd if necessary,

10 for he had healed many people, and all the sick kept pressing forward to touch him.

11 Whenever the unclean spirits saw him, they would fall down in front of him and scream, "You are the Son of God!"

12 But he warned them strictly not to make him known.

13 Then he went up into the hill country and summoned to himself those he wanted, and they came to him.

14 He appointed twelve to be with him, to be sent out to preach

15 and to have authority to expel demons:

16 Shim`on, to whom he gave another name, "Kefa";

17 Ya`akov Ben-Zavdai and Yochanan, Ya`akov's brother -- to them he gave the name "B'nei-Regesh" (that is, "Thunderers");

18 Andrew, Philip, Bar-Talmai, Mattityahu, T'oma, Ya`akov Ben-Halfai, Taddai, Shim`on the Zealot,

19 and Y'hudah from K'riot, the one who betrayed him. Then he entered a house;

2 Samuel 6

1 Again David summoned all the picked troops of Isra'el, 30,000 men.

2 Then David, taking along the entire force he had with him then, set out for Ba'alei-Y'hudah to bring up from there the ark of God, which bears the Name, the name of ADONAITzva'ot enthroned above the k'ruvim.

3 They set the ark of God on a new cart and brought it out of the house of Avinadav on the hill, with 'Uzah and Achyo, the sons of Avinadav, driving the new cart.

4 They led it from the house of Avinadav on the hill, with the ark of God; Achyo walked in front of the ark.

5 David and the whole house of Isra'el celebrated in the presence of ADONAI with all kinds of musical instruments made of cypress-wood, including lyres, lutes, tambourines, rattles and cymbals.

6 When they arrived at Nakhon's threshing-floor, the oxen stumbled; and 'Uzah put out his hand to steady the ark of God.

7 But ADONAI's anger blazed up against 'Uzah, and God struck him down on the spot for his offense, so that he died there by the ark of God.

8 It upset David that ADONAI had broken out against 'Uzah; that place has been called Peretz-'Uzah [breaking-out of 'Uzah] ever since.

9 David was frightened of ADONAI that day; he asked, "How can the ark of ADONAI come to me?"

10 So David would not bring the ark of ADONAI into the City of David; rather, David took it over to the house of 'Oved-Edom the Gitti.

11 The ark of ADONAI stayed in the house of 'Oved-Edom the Gitti for three months; and ADONAI blessed 'Oved-Edom and all his household.

12 King David was told, "ADONAI has blessed the house of 'Oved-Edom and everyone who belongs to him, thanks to the ark of God." So David went and joyously brought the ark of God up from the house of 'Oved-Edom into the City of David.

13 When those bearing the ark of ADONAI had gone only six paces, he sacrificed an ox and a fattened sheep.

14 Then David danced and spun around with abandon before ADONAI, wearing a linen ritual vest.

15 So David and all the house of Isra'el brought up the ark of ADONAI with shouting and the sound of the shofar.

16 As the ark of ADONAI entered the City of David, Mikhal the daughter of Sha'ul, watching from the window, saw King David leaping and spinning before ADONAI; and she was filled with contempt for him.

17 They brought the ark of ADONAI in and put it in its place inside the tent that David had set up for it. David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before ADONAI.

18 When David had finished offering the burnt offering and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of ADONAI-Tzva'ot.

19 Then he distributed to all the people of Isra'el, to everyone there, both men and women, a loaf of bread, a portion of meat and a raisin cake, after which the people all left for their homes.

20 When David returned to bless his household, Mikhal the daughter of Sha'ul came out to meet him and said, "Such honor the king of Isra'el earned for himself today - exposing himself before his servants' slave-girls like some vulgar exhibitionist!"

21 David answered Mikhal, "In the presence of ADONAI- who chose me over your father and over everyone in his family to make me chief over ADONAI's people, over Isra'el - I will celebrate in the presence of ADONAI!

22 I will make myself still more contemptible than that, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes, but those slave-girls you mentioned will honor me!"

23 Mikhal the daughter of Sha'ul remained childless until the day she died.

Daniel 3

1 N'vukhadnetzar the king had a gold statue made, ninety feet high and nine feet wide, which he set up on the plain of Dura, in the province of Bavel.

2 Then N'vukhadnetzar the king summoned the viceroys, prefects, governors, judges, treasurers, counselors, sheriffs and all the provincial officials to assemble and come to the dedication of the statue which N'vukhadnetzar the king had set up.

3 The viceroys, prefects, governors, judges, treasurers, counselors, sheriffs and all the provincial officials assembled for the dedication of the statue which N'vukhadnetzar the king had set up. They stood in front of the statue that N'vukhadnetzar had set up;

4 and a herald proclaimed, "Peoples! Nations! Languages! You are ordered

5 that when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, harp, zither, lute, bagpipe and the rest of the musical instruments, you fall down and worship the gold statue that N'vukhadnetzar the king has set up.

6 Whoever does not fall down and worship is to be thrown immediately into a blazing hot furnace."

7 Therefore, when all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, pipe, harp, zither, lute and the rest of the musical instruments, all the peoples, nations and languages fell down and worshipped the gold statue that N'vukhadnetzar the king had set up.

8 But then some Kasdim approached and began denouncing the Jews.

9 They said to N'vukhadnetzar the king, "May the king live forever!

10 Your majesty, you have ordered that everyone who hears sound of the horn, pipe, harp, zither, lute, bagpipe and the rest of the musical instruments is to fall down and worship the gold statue;

11 and that whoever does not fall down and worship is to be thrown into a blazing hot furnace.

12 There are some Jews whom you have put in charge of the affairs of the province of Bavel, Shadrakh, Meishakh and 'Aved-N'go; and these men, your majesty, have paid no attention to you. They do not serve your gods, and they do not worship the gold statue you set up."

13 In a raging fury N'vukhadnetzar ordered that Shadrakh, Meishakh and 'Aved-N'go be brought. When the men had been brought before the king,

14 N'vukhadnetzar said to them, "Shadrakh! Meishakh! 'Aved-N'go! Is it true that you neither serve my gods nor worship the gold statue I set up?

15 All right, then. If you are prepared, when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, harp, zither, lute, bagpipe and the rest of the musical instruments, to fall down and worship the gold statue, very well. But if you won't worship, you will immediately be thrown into a blazing hot furnace - and what god will save you from my power then?"

16 Shadrakh, Meishakh and 'Aved-N'go answered the king, "Your question doesn't require an answer from us.

17 Your majesty, if our God, whom we serve, is able to save us, he will save us from the blazing hot furnace and from your power.

18 But even if he doesn't, we want you to know, your majesty, that we will neither serve your gods nor worship the gold statue which you have set up."

19 N'vukhadnetzar became so utterly enraged that his face was distorted with anger against Shadrakh, Meishakh and 'Aved-N'go. He ordered the furnace made seven times hotter than usual.

20 Then he ordered some of the strongest men in his army to tie up Shadrakh, Meishakh and 'Aved-N'go and throw them into the blazing hot furnace.

21 So these men were tied up in their cloaks, tunics, robes and other clothes, and thrown into the blazing hot furnace.

22 The king's order was so urgent and the furnace so overheated that the men carrying Shadrakh, Meishakh and 'Aved-N'go were burned to death by the flames.

23 These three men, Shadrakh, Meishakh and 'Aved-N'go, fell, bound, into the blazing hot furnace.

24 Suddenly N'vukhadnetzar sprang to his feet. Alarmed, he asked his advisers, "Didn't we throw three men, bound, into the flames?"They answered the king, "Yes, of course, your majesty."

25 But he exclaimed, "Look! I see four men, not tied up, walking around there in the flames, unhurt; and the fourth looks like one of the gods!"

26 N'vukhadnetzar approached the opening of the blazing hot furnace and said, "Shadrakh! Meishakh! 'Aved-N'go! You servants of El 'Elyon! Come out, and come here!" Shadrakh, Meishakh and 'Aved-N'go emerged from the flames.

27 The viceroys, prefects, governors and royal advisers who were there saw that the fire had had no power on the bodies of these men - not even their hair was singed, their clothes looked the same, and they didn't smell of fire.

28 N'vukhadnetzar said, "Blessed be the God of Shadrakh, Meishakh and 'Aved-N'go! He sent his angel to deliver his servants who trusted in him. They defied the royal order to the point of being willing to give up their bodies, in order not to serve or worship any god but their own God.

29 Therefore I herewith decree that anyone, no matter from which people, nation or language, who says anything to insult the God of Shadrakh, Meishakh and 'Aved-N'go is to be torn limb from limb, and his house is to be reduced to rubble; because there is no other god who can save like this."

30 Then the king gave Shadrakh, Meishakh and 'Aved-N'go higher rank in the province of Bavel.

[phkrause]

Today's Bible Reading

June 16

Mark 3:20-35; 2 Samuel 7-8; Daniel 4 CJB

Mark 3:20-35

20 and once more, such a crowd came together that they couldn't even eat.

21 When his family heard about this, they set out to take charge of him; for they said, "He's out of his mind!"

22 The Torah-teachers who came down from Yerushalayim said, "He has Ba`alZibbul in him," and "It is by the ruler of the demons that he expels the demons."

23 But he called them and spoke to them in parables: "How can Satan expel Satan?

24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom can't survive;

25 and if a household is divided against itself, that household can't survive.

26 So if Satan has rebelled against himself and is divided, he can't survive either; and that's the end of him.

27 Furthermore, no one can break into a strong man's house and make off with his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man. After that, he can ransack his house.

28 Yes! I tell you that people will be forgiven all sins and whatever blasphemies they utter;

29 however, someone who blasphemes against the Ruach HaKodesh never has forgiveness but is guilty of an eternal sin."

30 For they had been saying, "He has an unclean spirit in him."

31 Then his mother and brothers arrived. Standing outside, they sent a message asking for him.

32 A crowd was sitting around him; and they said to him, "Your mother and your brothers are outside, asking for you."

33 He replied, "Who are my mother and my brothers?"

34 Looking at those seated in a circle around him, he said, "See! Here are my mother and my brothers!

35 Whoever does what God wants is my brother, sister and mother!"

2 Samuel 7

1 After the king had been living in his palace awhile and ADONAI had given him rest from all his surrounding enemies,

2 the king said to Natan the prophet, "Here, I'm living in a cedar-wood palace; but the ark of God is kept in a tent!"

3 Natan said to the king, "Go, do everything that is in your heart, for ADONAI is with you."

4 But that same night the word of ADONAI came to Natan:

5 "Go and tell my servant David that this is what ADONAI says: 'You are going to build me a house to live in?

6 Since the day I brought the people of Isra'el out of Egypt until today, I never lived in a house; rather, I traveled in a tent and a tabernacle.

7 Everywhere I traveled with all the people of Isra'el, did I ever speak a word to any of the tribes of Isra'el, whom I ordered to shepherd my people Isra'el, asking, "Why haven't you built me a cedar-wood house?"'

8 "Therefore say this to my servant David that this is what ADONAI-Tzva'ot says: 'I took you from the sheep-yards, from following the sheep, to make you chief over my people, over Isra'el.

9 I have been with you wherever you went; I have destroyed all your enemies ahead of you; and I am making your reputation great, like the reputations of the greatest people on earth.

10 I will assign a place to my people Isra'el; I will plant them there, so that they can live in their own place without being disturbed any more. The wicked will no longer oppress them, as they did at the beginning,

11 and as they did from the time I ordered judges to be over my people Isra'el; instead, I will give you rest from all your enemies. "'Moreover, ADONAI tells you that ADONAI will make you a house.

12 When your days come to an end and you sleep with your ancestors, I will establish one of your descendants to succeed you, one of your own flesh and blood; and I will set up his rulership.

13 He will build a house for my name, and I will establish his royal throne forever.

14 I will be a father for him, and he will be a son for me. If he does something wrong, I will punish him with a rod and blows, just as everyone gets punished;

15 nevertheless, my grace will not leave him, as I took it away from Sha'ul, whom I removed from before you.

16 Thus your house and your kingdom will be made secure forever before you; your throne will be set up forever.'"

17 Natan told David all of these words and described this entire vision.

18 Then David went in, sat before ADONAI and said, "Who am I, Adonai ELOHIM; and what is my family, that has caused you to bring me this far?

19 Yet in your view, Adonai ELOHIM, even this was too small a thing; so you have even said that your servant's dynasty will continue on into the distant future. This is [indeed] a teaching for a man, Adonai ELOHIM -

20 what more can David say to you? For you know your servant intimately, Adonai ELOHIM.

21 It is for the sake of your word and in accordance with your own heart that you have done all this greatness and revealed it to your servant.

22 Therefore, you are great, ADONAI, God; for there is no one like you, and there is no God besides you - everything we have heard confirms that.

23 Who can be compared with your people, with Isra'el? What other nation on earth did God set out to redeem and make into a people for himself? You made yourself a reputation by doing for your land things that even for you are great and terrifying, for the sake of your people whom you redeemed for yourself from Egypt and from other nations and from their gods.

24 You set up your people for yourself as your people forever; and you, ADONAI, became their God.

25 So now, ADONAI, God, establish forever the word you have spoken to your servant and his house; do what you have promised.

26 May your name be magnified forever, so that it will be said, 'ADONAI-Tzva'ot is God over Isra'el, and the dynasty of your servant David will be set up in your presence.'

27 You, ADONAI-Tzva'ot, God of Isra'el, have disclosed to your servant, 'I will build you a house.'This is why your servant has the courage to pray this prayer to you.

28 Now, Adonai ELOHIM, you alone are God; your words are truth; and you have made this wonderful promise to your servant.

29 So may it please you to bless the family of your servant and thereby cause it to continue forever in your presence. For you, Adonai ELOHIM, have said it. May your servant's family be blessed forever by your blessing."

2 Samuel 8

1 Some time afterwards, David attacked the P'lishtim and subdued them; David took Meteg-Amah out of the hands of the P'lishtim.

2 He also defeated Mo'av; making them lie down on the ground, he measured them with a length of cord; for every two lengths to be put to death he designated one length to be kept alive. The people of Mo'av became subjects of David and paid tribute.

3 David, on his way to establish his dominion as far as the Euphrates River, also defeated Hadad'ezer the son of Rechov king of Tzovah.

4 David captured 1,700 horsemen and 20,000 foot soldiers. He reserved enough horses for 100 chariots and disabled the rest.

5 When people of Aram from Dammesek came to the aid of Hadad'ezer king of Tzovah, David killed 22,000 men of Aram.

6 Then David put garrisons among the people of Aram in Dammesek; Aram became subject to David and paid tribute. ADONAI gave victory to David wherever he went.

7 David took the gold shields which Hadad'ezer's servants were wearing and brought them to Yerushalayim.

8 From Betach and Berotai, cities of Hadad'ezer, King David took a great quantity of bronze.

9 When To'i king of Hamat heard that David had defeated Hadad'ezer's entire army,

10 To'i sent Yoram his son to King David to greet and congratulate him on fighting and defeating Hadad'ezer, for Hadad'ezer had been at war with To'i. Yoram brought with him articles of silver, articles of gold and articles of bronze,

11 which King David dedicated to ADONAI, along with the silver and gold that he dedicated from all the nations he conquered -

12 Aram, Mo'av, the people of 'Amon, the P'lishtim, 'Amalek, and the spoil taken from Hadad'ezer son of Rechov, king of Tzovah.

13 David gained more fame on returning from killing 18,000 men from Aram in the Salt Valley.

14 David stationed garrisons in Edom; he put garrisons throughout all of Edom, and all the people of Edom became subject to him. ADONAI gave victory to David wherever he went.

15 David ruled over all Isra'el; David administered law and justice for all his people.

16 Yo'av the son of Tz'ruyah was commander of the army, Y'hoshafat the son of Achilud was chief adviser,

17 Tzadok the son of Achituv and Achimelekh the son of Evyatar were cohanim, S'rayah was secretary,

18 B'nayahu the son of Y'hoyada was in charge of the K'reti and P'leti [serving as the king's bodyguards], and David's sons were cohanim.

Daniel 4

1 [The following letter was sent out:] "From: N'vukhadnetzar the king "To: All the peoples, nations and languages living throughout the earth: "Shalom rav! [Abundant peace!]

2 "I am pleased to recount the signs and wonders which the Most High God has done for me.

3 "How great are his signs! How powerful his wonders! His kingdom lasts forever, and he rules all generations.

4 "I, N'vukhadnetzar, was contentedly living at home, enjoying the luxury of my palace;

5 but as I lay on my bed, I had a dream which frightened me, followed by fantasies and visions in my head which frightened me even more.

6 So I ordered all the sages of Bavel to present themselves to me, so that they could tell me the interpretation of the dream.

7 When the magicians, exorcists, astrologers and diviners came, I told them the dream; but they couldn't interpret it for me.

8 Finally, however, Dani'el (renamed Belt'shatzar, after the name of my god), in whom is the spirit of the holy gods, came before me; and I told him the dream:

9 'Belt'shatzar, chief of the magicians! Because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you, and no mystery is too difficult for you, tell me the meaning of the visions I saw in my dream.

10 Here are the visions I had in my head as I lay on my bed: I looked, and there before me was a tree at the center of the earth; it was very tall.

11 The tree grew and became strong until its crown reached the sky, and it could be seen from anywhere on earth.

12 Its foliage was beautiful and its fruit abundant; it produced enough food for everyone. The wild animals enjoyed its shade, the birds in the air lived in its branches, and it gave food to every living creature.

13 I looked in the visions of my head as I lay on my bed, and there appeared a holy watcher coming down from heaven.

14 He cried out: "'"Cut down the tree, cut off its branches, strip off its leaves, scatter its fruit! Let the wild animals flee from its shelter! Let the birds abandon its branches!

15 But leave the stump with its roots in the ground, with a band of iron and bronze, in the lush grass of the countryside; let him be drenched with dew from the sky and share the lot of animals in the pasture;

16 let his heart and mind cease to be human and become those of an animal; and let seven seasons pass over him.

17 "'"This order is issued by the watchers, the sentence is announced by the holy ones, so that all who live may know that the Most High rules the human kingdom, that he gives it to whomever he wishes and can raise up over it the lowliest of mortals."

18 "'This is the dream which I, King N'vukhadnetzar, saw. Now you, Belt'shatzar, tell me its interpretation. None of the sages of my kingdom can tell me the interpretation, but you can do it, because the spirit of the holy gods is in you.'

19 "Dani'el, whose name was Belt'shatzar, was in shock awhile, frightened by his thoughts. The king said, 'Belt'shatzar, don't let the dream or the interpretation frighten you.' Belt'shatzar answered, 'My lord, if only the dream were about those who hate you, and the interpretation about your enemies!

20 The tree you saw which grew and became strong until its crown reached the sky, and it could be seen throughout the whole earth,

21 that had beautiful foliage and abundant fruit, enough to feed everyone, under which the wild animals lived, and on whose branches the birds in the air built their nests -

22 it's you, your majesty! You have grown and become strong - your greatness has grown and reaches to heaven, and your rule extends to the end of the earth.

23 "'Now the king saw a holy watcher coming down from heaven, who said, "'"Cut down the tree, and destroy it, but leave the stump with its roots in the ground, with a band of iron and bronze, in the lush grass of the countryside; let him be drenched with dew from the sky and share the lot of the wild animals until seven seasons pass over him."

24 "'This is the interpretation, your majesty; and it is the decree of the Most High that has come upon my lord the king:

25 "'You will be driven from human society to live with the wild animals. You will be made to eat grass like an ox and be drenched with dew from the sky, as seven seasons pass over you; until you learn that the Most High rules in the human kingdom and gives it to whomever he pleases.

26 "'But since it was ordered to leave the stump of the tree with its roots, your kingdom will be kept for you until you have learned that Heaven rules everything.

27 Therefore, your majesty, please take my advice: break with your sins by replacing them with acts of charity, and break with your crimes by showing mercy to the poor; this may extend the time of your prosperity.'

28 "All this happened to King N'vukhadnetzar.

29 Twelve months later, as he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Bavel,

30 the king said, 'Bavel the great! I built it as a royal residence by my power and force to enhance the glory of my majesty!'

31 No sooner had the king spoken these words when a voice came down from heaven: 'King N'vukhadnetzar! These words are for you: '"The kingdom has left you.

32 You will be driven from human society to live with the wild animals. You will be made to eat grass like an ox and be drenched with dew from the sky, as seven seasons pass over you, until you learn that the Most High rules in the human kingdom and gives it to whomever he pleases.'

33 "Within the hour the word was fulfilled. N'vukhadnetzar was driven from human society, he ate grass like an ox, and his body was drenched with dew from the sky, until his hair had grown like eagles' feathers and his nails like birds' claws.

34 "When this period was over, I, N'vukhadnetzar, lifted my eyes toward heaven, and my understanding came back to me. I blessed the Most High, I praised and gave honor to him who lives forever. "'For his rulership is everlasting, his kingdom endures through all generations.

35 All who live on earth are counted as nothing. He does what he wishes with the army of heaven and with those living on earth. No one can hold back his hand or ask him, "What are you doing?"'

36 "It was at that moment that my understanding came back to me; and for the sake of the glory of my kingdom, my majesty and splendor also came back to me. My advisers and lords sought me out, I was re-established in my kingdom, and to my previous greatness even more was added.

37 So now I, N'vukhadnetzar, praise, exalt and honor the King of heaven: "'For all his works are truth, and his ways are just; and he can humble those who walk in pride.'"

[phkrause]

Today's Bible Reading

June 17

Mark 4:1-20; 2 Samuel 9-10; Daniel 5 CJB

Mark 4:1-20

1 Again Yeshua began to teach by the lake, but the crowd that gathered around him was so large that he got into a boat on the lake and sat there, while the crowd remained on shore at the water's edge.

2 He taught them many things in parables. In the course of his teaching, he said to them:

3 "Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed.

4 As he sowed, some seed fell alongside the path; and the birds came and ate it up.

5 Other seed fell on rocky patches where there was not much soil. It sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow;

6 but when the sun rose, the young plants were scorched; and since their roots were not deep, they dried up.

7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked it; so that it yielded no grain.

8 But other seed fell into rich soil and produced grain; it sprouted, and grew, and yielded a crop -- thirty, sixty, even a hundred times what was sown."

9 And he concluded, "Whoever has ears to hear with, let him hear!"

10 When Yeshua was alone, the people around him with the Twelve asked him about the parables.

11 He answered them, "To you the secret of the Kingdom of God has been given; but to those outside, everything is in parables,

12 so that they may be always looking but never seeing; always listening but never understanding. Otherwise, they might turn and be forgiven!"

13 Then Yeshua said to them, "Don't you understand this parable? How will you be able to understand any parable?

14 The sower sows the message.

15 Those alongside the path where the message is sown are people who no sooner hear it than the Adversary comes and takes away the message sown in them.

16 Likewise, those receiving seed on rocky patches are people who hear the message and joyfully accept it at once; but they have no root in themselves. So they hold out for a while, but as

17 soon as some trouble or persecution arises on account of the message, they immedi ately fall away.

18 Others are those sown among thorns -- they hear the message;

19 but the worries of the world, the deceitful glamor of wealth and all the other kinds of desires push in and choke the message; so that it produces nothing.

20 But those sown on rich soil hear the message, accept it and bear fruit -- thirty, sixty or a hundredfold."

2 Samuel 9

1 David inquired, "Is there anyone still alive from the family of Sha'ul, to whom, for Y'honatan's sake, I can show kindness?"

2 In Sha'ul's household there had been a servant named Tziva, and they summoned him to David. The king asked him, "Are you Tziva?" and he answered, "At your service."

3 The king said, "Is there anyone still alive from the family of Sha'ul, to whom I can show God's grace?"Tziva said to the king, "There is still Y'honatan's son with the lame legs."

4 The king said to him, "Where is he?" and Tziva answered, "He's there in the house of Makhir the son of 'Ammi'el, in Lo-D'var."

5 King David sent and took him from the house of Makhir the son of 'Ammi'el in Lo-D'var.

6 M'fivoshet the son of Y'honatan, the son of Sha'ul, came to David, fell on his face and prostrated himself. David said, "M'fivoshet!" and he answered, "Here is your servant!"

7 David said to him, "Don't be afraid, for I am determined to be kind to you for the sake of Y'honatan your father. I will restore to you all the land of Sha'ul your [grand]father, and you will always eat at my table."

8 He prostrated himself and said, "What is your servant that makes you pay such attention to a dead dog like me?"

9 The king called to Tziva, Sha'ul's servant, and said to him, "I have given everything Sha'ul and his family owned to your master's [grand]son.

10 You are to work the land for him, you, your sons and your slaves. Harvest the crops, so that your master's [grand]son will have food to feed his family; but M'fivoshet your master's [grand]son will always eat at my table."Tziva had fifteen sons and twenty slaves.

11 Tziva said to the king, "Your servant will do everything my lord the king commands his servant, although M'fivoshet has been eating at my table as one of the king's descendants."

12 M'fivoshet had a young son whose name was Mikha. Everyone living in Tziva's house was a servant of M'fivoshet.

13 But M'fivoshet lived in Yerushalayim; he always ate at the king's table, and he was lame in both legs.

2 Samuel 10

1 Some time later, when the king of the people of 'Amon died, his son Hanun became king in his place.

2 David said, "I will show grace to Hanun the son of Nachash, as his father showed grace to me." So David sent his servants to pass him a message of comfort concerning his father. David's servants entered the territory of the people of 'Amon;

3 but the leaders of the people of 'Amon said to Hanun their lord, "Do you really think David is honoring your father by sending people to comfort you? Hasn't David actually sent his servants to you in order to look the city over, reconnoiter it and overthrow it?"

4 So Hanun took David's servants, shaved off half their beards, cut off their clothes halfway up, at their buttocks, and then sent them away.

5 On hearing how they had been treated, David sent a delegation to meet them, because the men had been deeply humiliated. The king said, "Stay in Yericho until your beards have grown back, and then return."

6 Aware that they were utterly abhorrent to David, the people of 'Amon sent and hired 20,000 Aram foot soldiers from Beit-Rechov and Tzovah, the king of Ma'akhah with 1,000 men, and 12,000 soldiers from Tov.

7 When David heard of it, he sent Yo'av with his entire army of trained soldiers.

8 The army of 'Amon came out and went into battle formation at the entrance to the city gate; the men of Aram from Tzovah and Rechov and the men of Tov and Ma'akhah were by themselves in the open countryside.

9 When Yo'av saw that he would be fighting on two fronts, ahead and behind, he chose the best troops of Isra'el to deploy against Aram;

10 while the rest of the army he put under the command of Avishai his brother to deploy against the army of 'Amon.

11 He said, "If Aram is too strong for me, you help me; but if the army of 'Amon is too strong for you, then I will come and help you.

12 Take courage, and let's be strong for the sake of our people and the cities of our God. May ADONAI do what seems good to him."

13 So Yo'av and the people with him went to battle Aram, and they fled before him.

14 When the people of 'Amon saw that Aram had fled, they likewise fled before Avishai and retreated into the city. Yo'av returned from the people of 'Amon and went to Yerushalayim.

15 When Aram saw that Isra'el had gotten the better of them, they gathered themselves together.

16 Hadad'ezer sent and brought out the people of Aram who lived beyond the [Euphrates] River. They came to Heilam with Shovakh the commander of Hadad'ezer's army at their head.

17 It was reported to David; so he gathered all Isra'el together, crossed the Yarden and came to Heilam. Aram deployed themselves against David and fought him.

18 But Aram fled before Isra'el; David killed 700 chariot-drivers and 40,000 horsemen from Aram, and he struck Shovakh the commander of their army, so that he died there.

19 When all Hadad'ezer's vassal kings saw that they had been defeated by Isra'el, they made peace with Isra'el and became their subjects. So Aram was afraid to help the people of 'Amon any more.

Daniel 5

1 Belshatzar the king gave a great banquet for a thousand of his lords, and in the presence of the thousand he was drinking wine.

2 While tasting the wine, Belshatzar ordered that the gold and silver vessels which his father N'vukhadnetzar had removed from the temple in Yerushalayim be brought; so that the king, his lords, his wives and his concubines could drink from them.

3 So they brought the gold vessels which had been removed from the sanctuary of the house of God in Yerushalayim; and the king, his lords, his wives and his concubines drank from them.

4 They drank their wine and praised their gods made of gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood and stone.

5 Suddenly, the fingers of a human hand appeared and began writing on the plaster of the palace wall by the lampstand. When the king saw the palm of the hand that was writing,

6 the king's face took on a different look. As frightening thoughts rose up within him, his hip joints gave way and his knees started knocking together.

7 The king cried out to bring in the exorcists, astrologers and diviners. The king said to the sages of Bavel, "Whoever can read this inscription and tell me what it means will be dressed in royal purple, wear a gold chain around his neck and be one of the three men ruling the kingdom."

8 But although all the king's sages came in, none could read the inscription or tell the king what it meant.

9 Then King Belshatzar became terrified; his face turned pale, and his lords were thrown into confusion.

10 At this point the queen mother, because of what the king and his lords were saying, entered the banquet hall. The queen mother said, "May the king live forever! Don't be scared by your thoughts or let your face be so pale.

11 There is a man in your kingdom in whom is the spirit of the holy gods. In the days of your father, he was found to have light, discernment and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods. King N'vukhadnetzar your father - the king, your father - made him chief of the magicians, exorcists, astrologers and diviners;

12 because he was found to have an extraordinary spirit, knowledge, discernment, and the ability to interpret dreams, unlock mysteries and solve knotty problems. He is called Dani'el, but the king gave him the name Belt'shatzar. Now have Dani'el summoned, and he will tell you what this means."

13 Dani'el was brought into the king's presence. The king said to Dani'el, "Are you Dani'el, one of the exiles from Y'hudah whom the king my father brought out of Y'hudah?

14 I've heard about you that the spirit of the gods is in you, and that you have been found to have light, discernment and extraordinary wisdom.

15 Now the sages, the exorcists, were brought in to me so that they could read this inscription and tell me what it means, but they couldn't interpret it for me.

16 However, I've heard that you can give interpretations and solve knotty problems. Now if you can read the inscription and tell me what it means, you will be dressed in royal purple, wear a gold chain around your neck and be one of the three men ruling the kingdom."

17 Dani'el answered the king, "Keep your gifts, and give your rewards to someone else. However, I will read the inscription to the king and tell him what it means.

18 Your majesty, the Most High God gave N'vukhadnetzar your father the kingdom, as well as greatness, glory and majesty.

19 Because of the greatness he gave him, all the peoples, nations and languages trembled with fear before him. Anyone he wanted to, he put to death; anyone he wanted to, he kept alive; anyone he wanted to, he advanced; and anyone he wanted to, he humbled.

20 But when he grew proud and his spirit became hard, he began treating people arrogantly, so he was deposed from his royal throne, and his glory was taken away from him.

21 He was driven from human society, his heart was made like that of an animal, he lived with the wild donkeys, he was fed with grass like an ox, and his body was drenched with dew from the sky; until he learned that the Most High God rules in the human kingdom and sets up over it whomever he pleases.

22 But, Belshatzar, you, his son, have not humbled your heart, even though you knew all this.

23 Instead, you have exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven by having them bring you the vessels from his house; and you and your lords, your wives and your concubines drank wine from them; then you offered praise to your gods of silver, gold, bronze, iron, wood and stone, which can't see, hear or know anything. Meanwhile, God, who holds your very breath in his hands, and to whom belongs everything you do, you have not glorified.

24 This is why he sent the hand to write this inscription;

25 and the inscription says, 'M'ne! M'ne! T'kel ufarsin.'

26 This is what it means: 'M'ne!'- God has counted up your kingdom and brought it to an end.

27 'T'kel'- you are weighed on the balance-scale and come up short.

28 'P'res'- your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and Persians."

29 Then Belshatzar gave the order; and they clothed Dani'el in royal purple, put a gold chain around his neck and proclaimed of him that he was to be one of the three men ruling the kingdom.

30 That very night Belshatzar, the king of the Kasdim, was killed.

31 The kingdom passed to Daryavesh the Mede when he was about sixty-two years old.

[phkrause]

Today's Bible Reading

June 18

Mark 4:21-41; 2 Samuel 11-12; Daniel 6 CJB

Mark 4:21-41

21 He said to them, "A lamp isn't brought in to be put under a bowl or under the bed, is it? Wouldn't you put it on a lampstand?

22 Indeed, nothing is hidden, except to be disclosed; and nothing is covered up, except to come out into the open.

23 Those who have ears to hear with, let them hear!"

24 He also said to them, "Pay attention to what you are hearing! The measure with which you measure out will be used to measure to you -- and more besides!

25 For anyone who has something will be given more; but from anyone who has nothing, even what he does have will be taken away."

26 And he said, "The Kingdom of God is like a man who scatters seed on the ground.

27 Nights he sleeps, days he's awake; and meanwhile the seeds sprout and grow -- how, he doesn't know.

28 By itself the soil produces a crop -- first the stalk, then the head, and finally the full grain in the head.

29 But as soon as the crop is ready, the man comes with his sickle, because it's harvest-time."

30 Yeshua also said, "With what can we compare the Kingdom of God? What illustration should we use to describe it?

31 It is like a mustard seed, which, when planted, is the smallest of all the seeds in the field;

32 but after it has been planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all the plants, with such big branches that the birds flying about can build nests in its shade."

33 With many parables like these he spoke the message to them, to the extent that they were capable of hearing it.

34 He did not say a thing to them without using a parable; when he was alone with his own talmidim he explained everything to them.

35 That day, when evening had come, Yeshua said to them, "Let's cross to the other side of the lake."

36 So, leaving the crowd behind, they took him just as he was, in the boat; and there were other boats with him.

37 A furious windstorm arose, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was close to being swamped.

38 But he was in the stern on a cushion, asleep. They woke him and said to him, "Rabbi, doesn't it matter to you that we're about to be killed?"

39 He awoke, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" The wind subsided, and there was a dead calm.

40 He said to them, "Why are you afraid? Have you no trust even now?"

41 But they were terrified and asked each other, "Who can this be, that even the wind and the waves obey him?"

2 Samuel 11

1 In the spring, at the time when kings go out to war, David sent out Yo'av, his servants who were with him and all Isra'el. They ravaged the people of 'Amon and laid siege to Rabbah. But David stayed in Yerushalayim.

2 Once, after his afternoon nap, David got up from his bed and went strolling on the roof of the king's palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing, who was very beautiful.

3 David made inquiries about the woman and was told that she was Bat-Sheva the daughter of Eli'am, the wife of Uriyah the Hitti.

4 David sent messengers to get her, and she came to him, and he went to bed with her (for she had been purified from her uncleanness). Then she returned to her house.

5 The woman conceived; and she sent a message to David, "I am pregnant."

6 David sent this order to Yo'av: "Send me Uriyah the Hitti." Yo'av sent Uriyah to David.

7 When Uriyah had come to him, David asked him how Yo'av was doing, how the people were feeling and how the war was going.

8 Then David said to Uriyah, "Go down to your house and wash your feet." Uriyah left the king's palace and was followed by a present of food from the king.

9 But Uriyah slept at the door of the king's palace with all the servants of his lord and didn't go down to his house.

10 When they told David, "Uriyah didn't go down to his house," David said to Uriyah, "Haven't you just arrived from a journey? Why didn't you go down to your house?"

11 Uriyah answered David, "The ark, Isra'el and Y'hudah stay in tents; and my lord Yo'av and the servants of my lord are camping in the countryside. So should I go into my house to eat and drink and go to bed with my wife? As surely as you live, I will not do such a thing!"

12 David said to Uriyah, "Stay here today also; tomorrow I will let you leave." So Uriyah stayed in Yerushalayim that day and the following day.

13 David summoned him, ate and drank with him, and got him drunk. But in the evening he went out and lay on his bed with his lord's servants and did not go down to his house.

14 In the morning David wrote a letter to Yo'av and sent it with Uriyah.

15 In the letter he wrote, "Put Uriyah on the front lines of the fiercest fighting; then pull back from him, so that he will be wounded and killed."

16 So while Yo'av had the city under siege, he assigned Uriyah to the place where he knew the toughest defenders were.

17 The men of the city went out and fought Yo'av; a number of people fell, including some of David's servants, with Uriyah the Hitti among the dead.

18 Yo'av sent a message to David reporting all the news concerning the war,

19 and he instructed the messenger, "When you have finished telling the king all the news about the war,

20 he may become angry and ask you, 'Why did you get so close to the city to fight? Didn't you know they would shoot from the wall?

21 Didn't you think about the person who struck Avimelekh the son of Yerubeshet, that a woman threw an upper millstone down on him from the wall, so that he died at Tevetz? Why did you go so near the wall?' If he says this, tell him, 'Your servant Uriyah is dead also.'"

22 So the messenger left, and on arrival he told David all that Yo'av had sent him to say.

23 The messenger said to David, "The men were overpowering us and came out after us into the countryside. But we chased them back all the way to the entrance of the city gate.

24 The archers shot at your servants from the wall; some of the king's servants are dead; also your servant Uriyah the Hitti is dead."

25 David said to the messenger, "Tell Yo'av, 'Don't let this matter get you down - the sword devours in one way or another. Intensify your battle against the city, and overthrow it.'And encourage him."

26 When the wife of Uriyah heard that Uriyah her husband was dead, she mourned her husband.

27 When the mourning was over, David sent and took her home to his palace, and she became his wife and bore him a son. But ADONAI saw what David had done as evil.

2 Samuel 12

1 ADONAI sent Natan to David. He came and said to him, "In a certain city there were two men, one rich, the other poor.

2 The rich man had vast flocks and herds;

3 but the poor man had nothing, except for one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and reared. It had grown up with him and his children; it ate from his plate, drank from his cup, lay on his chest - it was like a daughter to him.

4 One day a traveler visited the rich man, and instead of picking an animal from his own flock or herd to cook for his visitor, he took the poor man's lamb and cooked it for the man who had come to him."

5 David exploded with anger against the man and said to Natan, "As ADONAI lives, the man who did this deserves to die!

6 For doing such a thing, he has to pay back four times the value of the lamb - and also because he had no pity."

7 Natan said to David, "You are the man. "Here is what ADONAI, the God of Isra'el says: 'I anointed you king over Isra'el. I rescued you from the power of Sha'ul.

8 I gave you your master's house and your master's wives to embrace. I gave you the house of Isra'el and the house of Y'hudah. And if that had been too little, I would have added to you a lot more.

9 "'So why have you shown such contempt for the word of ADONAI and done what I see as evil? You murdered Uriyah the Hitti with the sword and taken his wife as your own wife; you put him to death with the sword of the people of 'Amon.

10 Now therefore, the sword will never leave your house - because you have shown contempt for me and taken the wife of Uriyah the Hitti as your own wife.'

11 Here is what ADONAI says: 'I will generate evil against you out of your own household. I will take your wives before your very eyes and give them to your neighbor; he will go to bed with your wives, and everyone will know about it.

12 For you did it secretly, but I will do this before all Isra'el in broad daylight.'"

13 David said to Natan, "I have sinned against ADONAI." Natan said to David, "ADONAI also has taken away your sin. You will not die.

14 However, because by this act you have so greatly blasphemed ADONAI, the child born to you must die."

15 Then Natan returned to his house. ADONAI struck the child that Uriyah's wife had borne to David, and it became very ill.

16 David prayed to God on behalf of the child; David fasted, then came and lay all night on the ground.

17 The court officials got up and stood next to him trying to get him off the ground, but he refused, and he wouldn't eat food with them.

18 On the seventh day, the child died. The servants of David were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, because they said, "While the child was still alive, we spoke to him, and he didn't listen to us; if we tell him now that the child is dead, he may do himself some harm."

19 But when David saw his servants whispering to each other, he suspected that the child was dead. David asked his servants, "Is the child dead?" and they answered, "He is dead."

20 Then David got up off the ground, washed, anointed himself and changed his clothes. He went into the house of ADONAI and worshipped; then he went to his own palace; and when he asked for food, they served it to him; and he ate.

21 His servants asked him, "What are you doing? You fasted and wept for the child while it was alive; but now that the child is dead, you get up and eat food!"

22 He answered, "While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept; because I thought, 'Maybe ADONAI will show his grace to me and let the child live.'

23 But now that he's dead, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me."

24 David comforted his wife Bat-Sheva, came to her and went to bed with her; she gave birth to a son and named him Shlomo. ADONAI loved him

25 and sent through Natan the prophet to have him named Y'didyah [loved by God], for ADONAI's sake.

26 Yo'av fought against Rabbah of the people of 'Amon and took the royal city.

27 Yo'av sent people to David with this message: "I have fought against Rabbah and captured its water supply.

28 Therefore, assemble the rest of the people; lay siege to the city; and capture it. Otherwise, I will capture the city; and it will be named after me!"

29 David assembled all the people, went to Rabbah, fought against it and captured it.

30 He took the crown off Malkam's head; it weighed sixty-six pounds, with its gold and precious stones; and it was placed on David's head. He carried off great quantities of spoil from the city.

31 In addition, he expelled the people who were in it and set them to work with saws, iron harrows and iron axes, or had them cross over to work in the brick factory. This is what he did to all the cities of the people of 'Amon. Then David and all the people returned to Yerushalayim.

Daniel 6

1 Daryavesh decided to set over the kingdom 120 viceroys to rule throughout the entire kingdom,

2 with three chiefs over them, of whom Dani'el was one, so that these viceroys could be responsible to them and so that the king's interests would be safeguarded.

3 But because an extraordinary spirit was in this Dani'el, he so distinguished himself above the other chiefs and the viceroys that the king considered putting him in charge of the whole kingdom.

4 The other chiefs and the viceroys tried to find a cause for complaint against Dani'el in regard to how he performed his governing duties, but they could find nothing to complain about, no fault; on the contrary, because he was so faithful, not a single instance of negligence or faulty administration could be found.

5 Then these men said, "We're not going to find any cause for complaint against this Dani'el unless we can find something against him in regard to the law of his god."

6 So these chiefs and viceroys descended on the king and said to him, "King Daryavesh, live forever!

7 All the chiefs of the kingdom, along with the prefects, viceroys, advisers and governors, have met and agreed that the king should issue a decree putting in force the following law: 'Whoever makes a request of any god or man during the next thirty days, except of you, your majesty, is to be thrown into the lion pit.'

8 Now, your majesty, issue this decree over your signature, so that it cannot be revoked, as required by the law of the Medes and Persians, which is itself irrevocable."

9 So King Daryavesh signed the document, and the decree became law.

10 On learning that the document had been signed, Dani'el went home. The windows of his upstairs room were open in the direction of Yerushalayim; and there he kneeled down three times a day and prayed, giving thanks before his God, just as he had been doing before.

11 Then these men descended on Dani'el and found him making requests and pleading before his God.

12 So they went to remind the king of his royal decree: "Didn't you sign a law prohibiting anyone from making requests of any god or man within thirty days, except yourself, your majesty, on pain of being thrown into the lion pit?"The king answered, "Yes, that is true, as required by the law of the Medes and Persians, which is itself irrevocable."

13 They replied to the king, "That Dani'el, one of the exiles from Y'hudah, respects neither you, your majesty, nor the decree you signed; instead, he continues praying three times a

14 When the king heard this report, he was very upset. He determined to save Dani'el and worked until sunset to find a way to rescue him.

15 But these men descended on the king and said to him, "Remember, your majesty, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians that no decree or edict, once issued by the king, can be revoked."

16 So the king gave the order, and they brought Dani'el and threw him into the lion pit. The king said to Dani'el, "Your God, whom you are always serving, will save you."

17 A stone was brought to block the opening of the pit, and the king sealed it with his own signet and with the signet of his lords, so that nothing concerning Dani'el could be changed.

18 Then the king returned to his palace. He spent the night fasting and refusing to be entertained, as sleep eluded him.

19 Early in the morning, the king got up and hurried to the lion pit.

20 On approaching the pit where Dani'el was, the king cried in a pained voice to Dani'el, "Dani'el, servant of the living God! Has your God, whom you are always serving, been able to save you from the lions?"

21 Then Dani'el answered the king, "May the king live forever!

22 My God sent his angel to shut the lions' mouths, so they haven't hurt me. This is because before him I was found innocent; and also I have done no harm to you, your majesty."

23 The king was overjoyed and ordered Dani'el taken up from the pit. So Dani'el was taken up from the pit, and he was found to be completely unharmed, because he had trusted in his God.

24 Then the king gave an order, and they brought those men who had accused Dani'el, and they threw them into the lion pit - them, their children and their wives -and before they even reached the bottom of the pit, the lions had them in their control and broke all their bones to pieces.

25 King Daryavesh wrote all the peoples, nations and languages living anywhere on earth: "Shalom rav! [Abundant peace!]

26 "I herewith issue a decree that everywhere in my kingdom, people are to tremble and be in awe of the God of Dani'el. "For he is the living God; he endures forever. His kingdom will never be destroyed; his rulership will last till the end.

27 He saves, rescues, does signs and wonders both in heaven and on earth. He delivered Dani'el from the power of the lions."

28 So this Dani'el prospered during the reign of Daryavesh, and also during the reign of Koresh the Persian.

[phkrause]

Today's Bible Reading

June 19

Mark 5:1-20; 2 Samuel 13; Daniel 7 CJB

Mark 5:1-20

1 Yeshua and his talmidim arrived at the other side of the lake, in the Gerasenes' territory.

2 As soon as he disembarked, a man with an unclean spirit came out of the burial caves to meet him.

3 He lived in the burial caves; and no one could keep him tied up, not even with a chain.

4 He had often been chained hand and foot, but he would snap the chains and break the irons off his feet, and no one was strong enough to control him.

5 Night and day he wandered among the graves and through the hills, howling and gashing himself with stones.

6 Seeing Yeshua from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him

7 and screamed at the top of his voice, "What do you want with me, Yeshua, Son of God Ha`Elyon? I implore you in God's name! Don't torture me!"

8 For Yeshua had already begun saying to him, "Unclean spirit, come out of this man!"

9 Yeshua asked him, "What's your name?" "My name is Legion," he answered, "there are so many of us";

10 and he kept begging Yeshua not to send them out of that region.

11 Now there was a large herd of pigs feeding near the hill,

12 and the unclean spirits begged him, "Send us to the pigs, so we can go into them."

13 Yeshua gave them permission. They came out and entered the pigs; and the herd, numbering around two thousand, rushed down the hillside into the lake and were drowned.

14 The swineherds fled and told it in the town and in the surrounding country, and the people went to see what had happened.

15 They came to Yeshua and saw the man who had had the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were frightened.

16 Those who had seen it told what had happened to the man con trolled by demons and to the pigs;

17 and the people began begging Yeshua to leave their district.

18 As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been demonized begged him to be allowed to go with him.

19 But Yeshua would not permit it. Instead, he said to him, "Go home to your people, and tell them how much ADONAI in his mercy has done for you."

20 He went off and began proclaiming in the Ten Towns how much Yeshua had done for him, and everyone was amazed.

2 Samuel 13

1 Now Avshalom the son of David had a beautiful sister named Tamar. Some time after the previous events, Amnon the son of David fell in love with her.

2 Amnon became so obsessed with his sister Tamar that he became ill, for she was a virgin, and Amnon thought it would be impossible to approach her.

3 But Amnon had a friend named Yonadav the son of Shim'ah David's brother; and Yonadav was a very shrewd fellow.

4 He asked him, "Why, son of the king, are you growing thinner every day? Won't you tell me?"Amnon answered him, "I'm in love with Tamar, my brother Avshalom's sister."

5 Yonadav said to him, "Lie down on your bed, and pretend you're sick. When your father comes to see you, say to him, 'Please let my sister Tamar come and give me food to eat, and have her prepare the food where I can watch. I'll eat what she serves me."

6 So Amnon lay down and pretended he was sick. When the king came to see him, Amnon said to the king, "Please let my sister Tamar come and make me a couple of cakes here where I can watch, and I'll eat what she serves me."

7 David sent this instruction home to Tamar: "Go now to your brother Amnon's house, and prepare him some food."

8 So Tamar went to her brother Amnon's house; he was lying down. She took dough, kneaded it, made cakes while he watched, and baked the cakes.

9 Then she took the pan and turned them out in front of him, but he refused to eat. Amnon said, "Have everyone leave me"; and everyone left him.

10 Amnon said to Tamar, "Bring the food into the room, so that I can have you serve me. Tamar took the cakes she had made and brought them into the room to Amnon her brother.

11 But when she brought them near, so that he could eat, he grabbed her and said to her, "Come to bed with me, my sister."

12 "No, my brother," she answered him, "don't force me! Things like this aren't done in Isra'el; don't behave so disgracefully!

13 Where could I go with such shame? And as for you, you will be regarded as one of Isra'el's vulgar brutes. Now therefore, please! Speak to the king, because he won't keep me from you."

14 However, he wouldn't listen to her; and since he was stronger than she, he overpowered her and raped her.

15 But then he was filled with utter revulsion for her - his hatred of her was even greater than the love he had had for her before. Amnon said to her, "Get up, and get out of here!"

16 "No," she objected, "because throwing me out like this is an even worse thing than what you've already done to me!" But he wouldn't listen to her;

17 he called his personal servant and said, "Get rid of this woman for me! Throw her out, and lock the door after her!"

18 She was wearing a long-sleeved robe (this was how they used to dress the king's daughters who were virgins). His servant took her out and locked the door after her.

19 Tamar put ashes on her head, tore her long-sleeved robe that she was wearing, laid her hand on her head and went off, crying aloud as she went.

20 Avshalom her brother said to her, "Has Amnon your brother been with you? But now, my sister, keep quiet; because he's your brother. Don't take the matter to heart." But Tamar remained desolate in her brother Avshalom's house.

21 When King David heard about all these things, he became very angry.

22 As for Avshalom, he refused to say a word to Amnon, either good or bad; for Avshalom hated Amnon for having raped his sister Tamar.

23 Two years later, when Avshalom had sheep-shearers in Ba'al-Hatzor, near Efrayim, Avshalom invited all the king's sons.

24 Avshalom went to the king and said, "Your servant has sheep-shearers; please let the king and his servants come along with your servant."

25 The king replied to Avshalom, "No, my son, let's not all go - we don't want to be a burden to you."Avshalom pressed him, but he wouldn't go; however he gave him his blessing.

26 Then Avshalom said, "If you won't go, then please let my brother Amnon go with us."The king said to him, "Why should he go with you?"

27 But Avshalom kept pressing him, so he let Amnon and all the king's sons go with him.

28 Avshalom ordered his servants, "Pay close attention: when Amnon is in high spirits from drinking wine, and I say to you, 'Kill Amnon,' then strike him down. Don't be afraid - I'm the one ordering you to do it - but take courage, and be bold."

29 Avshalom's servants did to Amnon as Avshalom had ordered. At this, all the king's sons jumped up, mounted their mules and fled.

30 While they were on their way, the news came to David that Avshalom had killed all the king's sons, and not one of them was left alive.

31 The king got up, tore his clothes and lay on the ground, while all his servants stood by with their clothes torn too.

32 But then Yonadav, the son of Shim'ah, David's brother, spoke up; he said, "My lord shouldn't think they have killed all the young men, the king's sons. Only Amnon is dead; for Avshalom has meant to do this ever since the day he raped his sister Tamar.

33 So my lord the king shouldn't take it as seriously as if all the king's sons are dead; only Amnon is dead."

34 However, Avshalom took flight. The young man keeping watch looked up and saw many people coming along the road behind him on the hillside.

35 Yonadav said to the king, "Here, the king's sons have come; it's just as your servant said."

36 The moment he finished speaking, the king's sons came, cried out and wept; and the king too, with all his servants, cried out in great pain.

37 Avshalom fled and went to Talmai the son of 'Ammihud, king of G'shur. David mourned for his son every day.

38 So Avshalom fled, went to G'shur and stayed there three years.

39 But as King David became reconciled to the death of his son Amnon, he was increasingly filled with longing to see Avshalom.

Daniel 7

1 In the first year of Belshatzar king of Bavel, Dani'el had a dream and visions in his head, as he was lying on his bed. He wrote the dream down, and this is his account:

2 "I had a vision at night; I saw there before me the four winds of the sky breaking out over the great sea,

3 and four huge animals came up out of the sea, each different from the others.

4 The first was like a lion, but it had eagle's wings. As I watched, its wings were plucked off, and it was lifted off the earth and made to stand on two feet like a man, and a human heart was given to it.

5 Then there was another animal, a second one, like a bear. It raised itself up on one side, and it had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. It was told, 'Get up, and gorge yourself with flesh!'

6 After this, I looked; and there was another one, like a leopard with four bird's wings on its sides. The animal also had four heads, and it was given power to rule.

7 After this, I looked in the night visions; and there before me was a fourth animal, dreadful, horrible, extremely strong, and with great iron teeth. It devoured, crushed and stamped its feet on what was left. It was different from all the animals that had gone before it, and it had ten horns.

8 "While I was considering the horns, another horn sprang up among them, a little one, before which three of the first horns were plucked up by the roots. In this horn were eyes like human eyes and a mouth speaking arrogantly.

9 "As I watched, thrones were set in place; and the Ancient One took his seat. His clothing was white as snow, the hair on his head was like pure wool. His throne was fiery flames, with wheels of burning fire.

10 A stream of fire flowed from his presence; thousands and thousands ministered to him, millions and millions stood before him. Then the court was convened, and the books were opened.

11 "I kept watching. Then, because of the arrogant words which the horn was speaking, I watched as the animal was killed; its body was destroyed; and it was given over to be burned up completely.

12 As for the other animals, their rulership was taken away; but their lives were prolonged for a time and a season.

13 "I kept watching the night visions, when I saw, coming with the clouds of heaven, someone like a son of man. He approached the Ancient One and was led into his presence.

14 To him was given rulership, glory and a kingdom, so that all peoples, nations and languages should serve him. His rulership is an eternal rulership that will not pass away; and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.

15 "As for me, Dani'el, my spirit deep within me was troubled; the visions in my head frightened me.

16 I approached one of those standing by and asked him what all this really meant. He said that he would make me understand how to interpret these things.

17 'These four huge animals are four kingdoms that will arise on earth.

18 But the holy ones of the Most High will receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, yes, forever and ever.'

19 "Then I wanted to know what the fourth beast meant, the one that was different from all the others, so very terrifying, with iron teeth and bronze nails, which devoured, crushed and stamped its feet on what was left;

20 and what the ten horns on its head meant; and the other horn which sprang up and before which three fell, the horn that had eyes and a mouth speaking arrogantly and seemed greater than the others.

21 I watched, and that horn made war with the holy ones and was winning,

22 until the Ancient One came, judgment was given in favor of the holy ones of the Most High, and the time came for the holy ones to take over the kingdom.

23 This is what he said: 'The fourth animal will be a fourth kingdom on earth. It will be different from the other kingdoms; it will devour the whole earth, trample it down and crush it.

24 As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings will arise; and yet another will arise after them. Now he will be different from the earlier ones, and he will put down three kings.

25 He will speak words against the Most High and try to exhaust the holy ones of the Most High. He will attempt to alter the seasons and the law; and [the holy ones] will be handed over to him for a time, times and half a time.

26 But when the court goes into session, he will be stripped of his rulership, which will be consumed and completely destroyed.

27 Then the kingdom, the rulership and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be given to the holy people of the Most High. Their kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will serve and obey them.'"

28 This is the end of the account. As for me, Dani'el, my thoughts frightened me so much that I turned pale; but I kept the matter to myself.

[phkrause]

Today's Bible Reading

June 20

Mark 5:21-43; 2 Samuel 14; Daniel 8 CJB

Mark 5:21-43

21 Yeshua crossed in the boat to the other side of the lake, and a great crowd gathered around him.

22 There came to him a synagogue official, Ya'ir by name, who fell at his feet

23 and pleaded desperately with him, "My little daughter is at the point of death. Please! Come and lay your hands on her, so that she will get well and live!"

24 He went with him; and a large crowd followed, pressing all around him.

25 Among them was a woman who had had a hemorrhage for twelve years

26 and had suffered a great deal under many physicians. She had spent her life savings; yet instead of improving, she had grown worse.

27 She had heard about Yeshua, so she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his robe;

28 for she said, "If I touch even his clothes, I will be healed."

29 Instantly the hemorrhaging stopped, and she felt in her body that she had been healed from the disease.

30 At the same time, Yeshua, aware that power had gone out from him, turned around in the crowd and asked, "Who touched my clothes?"

31 His talmidim responded, "You see the people pressing in on you; and still you ask, `Who touched me?'"

32 But he kept looking around to see who had done it.

33 The woman, frightened and trembling, because she knew what had happened to her, came and fell down in front of him and told him the whole truth.

34 "Daughter," he said to her, "your trust has healed you. Go in peace, and be healed of your disease."

35 While he was still speaking, people from the synagogue official's house came, saying, "Your daughter has died. Why bother the rabbi any longer?"

36 Ignoring what they had said, Yeshua told the synagogue official, "Don't be afraid, just keep trusting."

37 He let no one follow him except Kefa, Ya`akov and Yochanan, Ya`akov's brother.

38 When they came to the synagogue official's house, he found a great commotion, with people weeping and wailing loudly.

39 On entering, he said to them, "Why all this commotion and weeping? The child isn't dead, she's just asleep!"

40 And they jeered at him. But he put them all outside, took the child's father and mother and those with him, and went in where the child was.

41 Taking her by the hand, he said to her, "Talita, kumi!" (which means, "Little girl, I say to you, get up!").

42 At once the girl got up and began walking around; she was twelve years old. Everybody was utterly amazed.

43 He gave them strict orders to say nothing about this to anyone, and told them to give her something to eat.

2 Samuel 14

1 Yo'av the son of Tz'ruyah perceived that the king missed Avshalom;

2 so Yo'av sent to T'koa, brought from there a clever woman and said to her, "Please, pretend you're a mourner. Put on mourning clothes, and don't anoint yourself with oil, but appear to be a woman who has mourned for the dead a long time.

3 Go in to the king and speak to him in this fashion -" and then Yo'av told her just what to say.

4 When the woman of T'koa spoke to the king, she fell down with her face to the ground, prostrating herself, and said, "King, help!"

5 The king said to her, "What's the trouble?"She answered, "I'm a widow. After my husband died,

6 my two sons were out in the field; and they got into a fight with each other. There was no one to separate them, and one hit the other and killed him.

7 Now the whole family has come against me, your servant; they're saying, 'Hand over the one who hit his brother, so that we can put him to death for killing his brother.'They want to destroy the heir as well and thus quench my one remaining coal; then my husband will have neither name nor survivor anywhere on earth."

8 The king said to the woman, "Go back home; I myself will decide what to do about you."

9 The woman of T'koa said to the king, "My lord, king, let the guilt be on me and my father's family; the king and his throne be guiltless."

10 The king answered, "If anyone says anything to you, bring him to me; and he won't bother you any more."

11 "Please," she said, "let the king swear by ADONAI your God that the blood avengers won't do any more destroying, so they won't destroy my son." He said, "As ADONAI lives, not one of your son's hairs will fall to the ground."

12 Then the woman said, "Please allow your servant to say something else to my lord the king.""Go on," he replied.

13 The woman said, "Why is it, then, that you have produced a situation exactly like this against God's people? By saying what you have said, the king has virtually incriminated himself - in that the king does not bring home again the son he banished.

14 For we will all die someday; we'll be like water spilled on the ground that can't be gathered up again; and God makes no exception for anyone. The king should think of some way to keep the son he banished from being forever an outcast.

15 Now the reason I came to speak about this matter to my lord the king is that the people were intimidating me; so your servant said, 'I will speak now to the king; maybe the king will do what his servant is asking.

16 For the king will listen and rescue his servant from the hands of those who would destroy me and my son together from our share of God's inheritance.'

17 Then your servant said, 'Please let my lord the king say something that will give me relief; for my lord the king is like an angel of God in discerning good from bad - and may ADONAI your God be with you.'"

18 The king then answered the woman: "I'm going to ask you a question, and please don't hide anything from me."The woman said, "Let my lord the king now speak."

19 The king asked, "Did Yo'av put you up to this?"The woman answered, "As you live, my lord the king, when my lord the king speaks, no one can avoid the issue by turning either right or left. Yes, it was your servant Yo'av who had me do this, and he put in my mouth every word you have heard your servant say.

20 Your servant Yo'av did this in order to bring about some change in the situation. But my lord is wise, he has the wisdom of an angel of God when it comes to understanding anything going on in the land."

21 The king said to Yo'av, "All right, I am granting this request. Go, and bring back young Avshalom."

22 Yo'av fell to the ground on his face, prostrating himself, and blessed the king; Yo'av said, "Today your servant knows that I have won your favor, my lord, king, because the king has done what your servant requested."

23 Then Yo'av got up, went to G'shur and brought Avshalom to Yerushalayim.

24 However, the king said, "Let him return to his own house, but he is not to appear in my presence."So Avshalom returned to his own house and did not appear before the king.

25 Now in all Isra'el there was no one more praised for his beauty than Avshalom -there was no defect on him from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head.

26 He would cut his hair only once a year, at the end of the year; and the only reason he cut it then was because it weighed him down. He weighed the hair from his head at 200 shekels (using the royal weight) [about five pounds].

27 To Avshalom were born three sons and one daughter, whose name was Tamar; she was a beautiful woman.

28 Avshalom lived two years in Yerushalayim without appearing before the king.

29 Then Avshalom summoned Yo'av, planning to send him to the king; but he refused to come to him. He summoned him a second time, but he still wouldn't come.

30 So he said to his servants, "See, Yo'av's field is close to mine, and he has barley there; go, and set it on fire." Avshalom's servants set the field on fire.

31 Then Yo'av got up, went to Avshalom at his house and asked him, "Why did your servants set my field on fire?"

32 Avshalom answered Yo'av, "Look, I sent a message to you to come here, so that I could send you to the king to ask, 'Why did I come from G'shur? It would have been better for me if I had stayed there. So now, let me appear before the king; and if I'm guilty of anything, he can kill me.'"

33 Yo'av went to the king and told him; and when he had called for Avshalom, he went to the king and prostrated himself with his face to the ground before the king. Then the king kissed Avshalom.

Daniel 8

1 After that first vision, it was in the third year of the reign of King Belshatzar that another vision appeared to me, Dani'el.

2 I looked into the vision; and as I looked, I found myself in Shushan the capital, in the province of 'Eilam. I looked into the vision, and I was by the Ulai canal.

3 I looked up; and as I watched, there in front of the stream stood a ram with two horns. The horns were long, but one was longer than the other, and the longer one came up later [than the other].

4 I saw the ram pushing to the west, north and south; and no animals could stand up against it; nor was there anyone that could rescue from its power. So it did as it pleased and became very strong.

5 I was beginning to understand, when a male goat came from the west, passing over the whole earth without touching the ground. The goat had a prominent horn between its eyes.

6 It approached the ram with the two horns, which I had seen standing in front of the river, and charged it with savage force.

7 I watched as it advanced on the ram, filled with rage against it, and struck the ram, breaking its two horns. The ram was powerless to stand against it. It threw the ram to the ground and trampled it down, and there was no one that could rescue it from the goat's power.

8 The male goat then became extremely strong; but when it was strong, the big horn was broken; and in its place arose what appeared to be four horns in the directions of the four winds of heaven.

9 Out of one of them came a little horn which grew extremely big in the directions of the south and east, and in the direction of the Glory.

10 It grew so great that it reached the army of heaven; it hurled some of the army and the stars to the ground and trampled on them.

11 Yes, it even considered itself as great as the prince of the army; the regular burnt offering was taken away from him, and the place of his sanctuary was thrown down.

12 Through sin, the army was put in its power, along with the regular burnt offering. It flung truth on the ground as it acted and prospered.

13 Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to the speaker, "How long will the events of the vision last, this vision concerning the regular offering and the transgression which is so appalling, that allows the sanctuary and the army to be trampled underfoot?"

14 The first said to me, "Two thousand three hundred evenings and mornings, after which the sanctuary will be restored to its rightful state."

15 After I, Dani'el, had seen the vision and was trying to understand it, suddenly there stood in front of me someone who appeared to be a man.

16 I heard a human voice calling from between the banks of the Ulai, "Gavri'el, make this man understand the vision!"

17 He came up to where I was standing, and his approach so terrified me that I fell on my face. But he said to me, "Human being! Understand that the vision refers to the time of the end."

18 As he was speaking with me, I fell into a deep sleep, with my face toward the ground; but he touched me, set me on my feet,

19 and said, "I am going to explain to you what will happen at the end of the period of fury, because [the vision] has to do with the time at the end.

20 You saw a ram with two horns which are the kings of Media and Persia.

21 The shaggy male goat is the king of Greece, and the prominent horn between its eyes is the first king.

22 As for the horn that broke and the four which rose up in its place, four kingdoms will arise out of this nation, but not with the power the first king had.

23 In the latter part of their reign, when the evildoers have become as evil as possible, there will arise an arrogant king skilled in intrigue.

24 His power will be great, but not with the power the first king had. He will be amazingly destructive, he will succeed in whatever he does, and he will destroy the mighty and the holy ones.

25 He will succeed through craftiness and deceit, become swelled with pride, and destroy many people just when they feel the most secure. He will even challenge the prince of princes; but, without human intervention, he will be broken.

26 The vision of the evenings and mornings which has been told is true; but you are to keep the vision secret, because it is about days in the distant future."

27 I, Dani'el, grew weak and was ill for some days. Then I got up and took care of the king's affairs; but I was appalled at the vision and still couldn't understand it.

[phkrause]

Today's Bible Reading

June 21

Mark 6:1-29; 2 Samuel 15; Daniel 9 CJB

Mark 6:1-29

1 Then Yeshua left and went to his home town, and his talmidim followed him.

2 On Shabbat he started to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astounded. They asked, "Where did this man get all this? What is this wisdom he has been given? What are these miracles worked through him?

3 Isn't he just the carpenter? the son of Miryam? the brother of Ya`akov and Yosi and Y'hudah and Shim`on? Aren't his sisters here with us?" And they took offense at him.

4 But Yeshua said to them. "The only place people don't respect a prophet is in his home town, among his own relatives, and in his own house."

5 So he could do no miracles there, other than lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them.

6 He was amazed at their lack of trust. Then he went through the surrounding towns and villages, teaching.

7 Yeshua summoned the Twelve and started sending them out in pairs, giving them authority over the unclean spirits.

8 He instructed them, "Take nothing for your trip except a walking stick -- no bread, no pack, no money in your belt.

9 Wear shoes but not an extra shirt.

10 Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave the place;

11 and if the people of some place will not welcome you, and they refuse to hear you, then, as you leave, shake the dust off your feet as a warning to them."

12 So they set out and preached that people should turn from sin to God,

13 they expelled many demons, and they anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.

14 Meanwhile, King Herod heard about this, for Yeshua's reputation had spread. Some were saying, "Yochanan the Immerser has been raised from the dead; that is why these miraculous powers are at work in him."

15 Others said, "It is Eliyahu!" and still others, "He is a prophet, like one of the old prophets."

16 But when Herod heard about it, he said, "Yochanan, whom I had beheaded, has been raised."

17 For Herod had sent and had Yochanan arrested and chained in prison because of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip. Herod had married her,

18 but Yochanan had told him, "It violates the Torah for you to marry your brother's wife."

19 So Herodias had a grudge against him and wanted him put to death. But this she could not accomplish,

20 because Herod stood in awe of Yochanan and protected him, for he knew that he was a tzaddik, a holy man. Whenever he heard him, he became deeply disturbed; yet he liked to listen to him.

21 Finally, the opportunity came. Herod gave a banquet on his birthday for his nobles and officers and the leading men of the Galil.

22 The daughter of Herodias came in and danced, and she pleased Herod and his guests. The king said to the girl, "Ask me for whatever you want; I will give it to you";

23 and he made a vow to her, "Whatever you ask me, I will give you, up to half my kingdom."

24 So she went out and said to her mother, "What should I ask for?" She said, "The head of Yochanan the Immerser."

25 At once the daughter hurried back to the king and announced her request: "I want you to give me right now on a platter the head of Yochanan the Immerser."

26 Herod was appalled; but out of regard for the oaths he had sworn before his dinner guests, he did not want to break his word to her.

27 So the king immediately sent a soldier from his personal guard with orders to bring Yochanan's head. The soldier went and beheaded Yochanan in the prison,

28 brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl; and the girl gave it to her mother.

29 When Yochanan's talmidim heard of it, they came and took the body and laid it in a grave.

2 Samuel 15

1 Some time later, Avshalom prepared himself a chariot and horses, with fifty men to run ahead of him.

2 He would get up early and stand by the road leading to the city gate; and if someone had a case that was to come before the king for judgment, Avshalom would call to him and ask, "What city are you from?" and he would answer, "Your servant is from the such-and-such tribe in Isra'el."

3 Avshalom would say to him, "Look, your cause is good and just; but the king hasn't deputized anyone to hear your case."

4 Then Avshalom would continue, "Now if I were made judge in the land, anyone with a suit or other cause could come to me, and I would see that he gets justice!"

5 Moreover, whenever any man came close to prostrate himself before him, he would put out his hand, take hold of him and kiss him.

6 This is how Avshalom behaved toward anyone in Isra'el who came to the king for judgment, and in this way Avshalom stole the hearts of the people of Isra'el.

7 At the end of forty years, Avshalom said to the king, "Please let me go to Hevron and fulfill the vow I made to ADONAI.

8 Your servant made a vow while I was staying at G'shur in Aram to the effect that if ADONAI would bring me back to Yerushalayim, then I would serve ADONAI."

9 The king said to him, "Go in peace."So he set out and went to Hevron.

10 But Avshalom sent spies through all the tribes of Isra'el to say, "The moment you hear the sound of the shofar, then start proclaiming, 'Avshalom is king in Hevron.'"

11 With Avshalom went 200 men from Yerushalayim who had been invited; they went innocently, knowing nothing about the scheme.

12 Avshalom sent for Achitofel the Giloni, David's counselor, to come from his town Giloh and be with him while offering the sacrifices. The conspiracy grew strong, because the number of people favoring Avshalom kept increasing.

13 A messenger came to David saying, "The men of Isra'el have aligned themselves with Avshalom."

14 David said to all his servants with him in Yerushalayim, "Get up! We must flee! Otherwise none of us will escape from Avshalom. Hurry, and leave; or he will soon overtake us, attack us and put the city to the sword."

15 The king's servants said to the king, "Here, your servants are ready to do whatever my lord the king decides."

16 So the king set out, and all his household after him. The king left ten women who were concubines to care for the palace.

17 The king set out with all the people after him, but they waited at the last house

18 for all his servants to pass by him in review; all the K'reti and P'leti and all the Gittim (600 men who had accompanied him from Gat) passed in review before the king.

19 Then the king said to Ittai the Gitti, "You too? Why are you going with us? Go back, and stay with your king, since you are both a foreigner and in exile from your own place.

20 You arrived only yesterday; should I ask you to wander around with us? There's no telling where I may go. Return, and take your kinsmen back with you. Grace and truth be with you."

21 But Ittai answered the king, "As ADONAI lives, and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king may be, whether for death or for life, your servant will be there too."

22 "Go, move along," said David to Ittai; and Ittai the Gitti moved on, accompanied by all his men and the little ones with him.

23 The whole country wept and wailed as all the people left. When the king crossed Vadi Kidron, all the people crossed, too, heading toward the desert road.

24 Tzadok also came, accompanied by all the L'vi'im bearing the ark for the covenant of God. They set the ark of God down, but Evyatar went up until all the people had finished leaving the city.

25 The king said to Tzadok, "Carry the ark of God back into the city. If I find favor in ADONAI's sight, he will bring me back and show me both it and the place where it is kept.

26 But if he says, 'I am displeased with you,' then - here I am; let him do to me whatever seems good to him."

27 The king then said to Tzadok the cohen, "Do you see? Return to the city in peace, your two sons with you - Achima'atz your own son and Y'honatan the son of Evyatar.

28 I will wait on the desert plains until a message with new information comes from you."

29 So Tzadok and Evyatar carried the ark of God back to Yerushalayim and stayed there.

30 David continued up the road to the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went up, head covered and barefoot; and all the people with him had their heads covered and wept as they went up.

31 One of them told David, "Achitofel is among the conspirators with Avshalom." David said, "ADONAI, please! Turn Achitofel's advice into foolishness!"

32 When David reached the top of the ascent, where it was customary to worship God, Hushai the Arki came to meet him with his tunic torn and earth on his head.

33 David said to him, "If you go on with me, you will become a burden to me.

34 But if you go back to the city and tell Avshalom, 'King, I will be your servant; just as I was your father's servant in the past, so I will now be your servant'- then you will be able to frustrate Achitofel's advice for me.

35 You have Tzadok and Evyatar the cohanim there with you. So whatever you hear from the king's house, you tell to Tzadok and Evyatar the cohanim.

36 Their two sons, Achima'atz the son of Tzadok and Y'honatan the son of Evyatar, are there with them; through them send me everything you hear."

37 So Hushai David's friend came into the city when Avshalom was about to enter Yerushalayim.

Daniel 9

1 In the first year of Daryavesh the son of Achashverosh, a Mede by birth who was made king over the kingdom of the Kasdim -

2 in the first year of his reign, I, Dani'el, was reading the Scriptures and thinking about the number of years which ADONAI had told Yirmeyah the prophet would be the period of Yerushalayim's desolation, seventy years.

3 I turned to Adonai, God, to seek an answer, pleading with him in prayer, with fasting, sackcloth and ashes.

4 I prayed to ADONAI my God and made this confession: "Please, Adonai, great and fearsome God, who keeps his covenant and extends grace to those who love him and observe his mitzvot!

5 We have sinned, done wrong, acted wickedly, rebelled and turned away from your mitzvot and rulings.

6 We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our leaders, our ancestors and to all the people of the land.

7 "To you, Adonai, belongs righteousness; but to us today belongs shame - to us, the men of Y'hudah, the inhabitants of Yerushalayim and all Isra'el, including those nearby and those far away, throughout all the countries where you have driven them; because they broke faith with you.

8 Yes, ADONAI, shame falls on us, our kings, our leaders and our ancestors; because we sinned against you.

9 It is for Adonai our God to show compassion and forgiveness, because we rebelled against him.

10 We didn't listen to the voice of ADONAI our God, so that we could live by his laws, which he presented to us through his servants the prophets.

11 Yes, all Isra'el flouted your Torah and turned away, unwilling to listen to your voice. Therefore the curse and oath written in the Torah of Moshe the servant of God was poured out on us, because we sinned against him.

12 He carried out the threats he spoke against us and against our judges who judged us, by bringing upon us disaster so great that under all of heaven, nothing has been done like what has been done to Yerushalayim.

13 As written in the Torah of Moshe, this whole disaster came upon us. Yet we did not appease ADONAI our God by renouncing our wrongdoing and discerning your truth.

14 So ADONAI watched for the right moment to bring this disaster upon us, for ADONAI our God was just in everything he did, yet we didn't listen when he spoke.

15 "Now, Adonai our God, who brought your people out of the land of Egypt with a strong hand, thereby winning renown for yourself, as is the case today - we sinned, we acted wickedly.

16 Adonai, in keeping with all your justice, please allow your anger and fury to be turned away from your city Yerushalayim, your holy mountain; because it is due to our sins and the wrongdoings of our ancestors that Yerushalayim and your people have become objects of scorn among everyone around us.

17 Therefore, our God, listen to the prayer and pleadings of your servant; and cause your face to shine on your desolated sanctuary, for your own sake.

18 My God, turn your ear, and hear; open your eyes and see how desolated we are, as well as the city which bears your name. For we plead with you not because of our own righteousness, but because of your compassion.

19 Adonai, hear! Adonai, forgive! Adonai, pay attention, and don't delay action - for your own sake, my God, because your city and your people bear your name!"

20 While I was speaking, praying, confessing my own sin and the sin of my people Isra'el, and pleading before ADONAI my God for the holy mountain of my God -

21 yes, while I was speaking in prayer, the man Gavri'el, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, swooped down on me in full flight at about the time of the evening sacrifice,

22 and explained things to me. He said, "I have come now, Dani'el, to enable you to understand this vision clearly.

23 At the beginning of your prayers, an answer was given; and I have come to say what it is; because you are greatly loved. Therefore look into this answer, and understand the vision.

24 "Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and for your holy city for putting an end to the transgression, for making an end of sin, for forgiving iniquity, for bringing in everlasting justice, for setting the seal on vision and prophet, and for anointing the Especially Holy Place.

25 Know, therefore, and discern that seven weeks [of years] will elapse between the issuing of the decree to restore and rebuild Yerushalayim until an anointed prince comes. It will remain built for sixty-two weeks [of years], with open spaces and moats; but these will be troubled times.

26 Then, after the sixty-two weeks, Mashiach will be cut off and have nothing. The people of a prince yet to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary, but his end will come with a flood, and desolations are decreed until the war is over.

27 He will make a strong covenant with leaders for one week [of years]. For half of the week he will put a stop to the sacrifice and the grain offering. On the wing of detestable things the desolator will come and continue until the already decreed destruction is poured out on the desolator."

[phkrause]

Today's Bible Reading

June 22

Mark 6:30-56; 2 Samuel 16; Daniel 10:1-21 CJB

Mark 6:30-56

30 Those who had been sent out rejoined Yeshua and reported to him all they had done and taught.

31 There were so many people coming and going that they couldn't even take time to eat, so he said to them, "Come with me by yourselves to a place where we can be alone, and you can get some rest."

32 They went off by themselves to an isolated spot;

33 but many people, seeing them leave and recognizing them, ran ahead on foot from all the towns and got there first.

34 When Yeshua came ashore, he saw a huge crowd. Filled with compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd, he began teaching them many things.

35 By this time, the hour was late. The talmidim came to him and said, "This is a remote place, and it's getting late.

36 Send the people away, so that they can go and buy food for themselves in the farms and towns around here."

37 But he answered them, "Give them something to eat, yourselves!" They replied, "We are to go and spend thousands on bread, and give it to them to eat?"

38 He asked them, "How many loaves do you have? Go and check." When they had found out, they said, "Five. And two fish."

39 Then he ordered all the people to sit down in groups on the green grass.

40 They sat down in groups of fifty or a hundred.

41 Then he took the five loaves and the two fish, and, looking up toward heaven, made a b'rakhah. Next he broke up the loaves and began giving them to the talmidim to distribute. He also divided up the two fish among them all.

42 They all ate as much as they wanted,

43 and they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces and fish.

44 Those who ate the loaves numbered five thousand men.

45 Immediately Yeshua had his talmidim get in the boat and go on ahead of him toward the other side of the lake, toward Beit-Tzaidah, while he sent the crowds away.

46 After he had left them, he went into the hills to pray.

47 When night came, the boat was out on the lake, and he was by himself on land.

48 He saw that they were having difficulty rowing, because the wind was against them; so at around four o'clock in the morning he came toward them, walking on the lake! He meant to come alongside them;

49 but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought it was a ghost and let out a shriek;

50 for they had all seen him and were terrified. However, he spoke to them. "Courage," he said, "it is I. Stop being afraid!"

51 He got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased. They were completely astounded,

52 for they did not understand about the loaves; on the contrary, their hearts had been made stone-like.

53 After they had made the crossing, they landed at Ginosar and anchored.

54 As soon as they got out of the boat, the people recognized him

55 and began running around throughout that whole region and bringing sick people on their stretchers to any place where they heard he was.

56 Wherever he went, in towns, cities or country, they laid the sick in the marketplaces. They begged him to let them touch even the tzitzit on his robe, and all who touched it were healed.

2 Samuel 16

1 When David had gone a little past the summit, there was Tziva, the servant of M'fivoshet, who met him with a pair of donkeys saddled and on them 200 loaves of bread, 100 bunches of raisins, 100 pieces of summer fruit and a skin of wine.

2 The king said to Tziva, "What do you mean by these?" Tziva replied, "The donkeys are for the king's household to ride on; the bread and summer fruit are for the young men to eat; and the wine is for those who collapse in the desert to drink."

3 The king asked, "Where is your master's [grand]son?"Tziva answered the king, "He's staying in Yerushalayim, because he said, 'Today the house of Isra'el will restore my father's kingship to me.'"

4 The king said to Tziva, "Everything that belongs to M'fivoshet is now yours." Tziva answered, "I bow down before you; may I find favor in your sight, my lord, king."

5 When King David arrived at Bachurim, there came out from there a man from Sha'ul's family named Shim'i the son of Gera; and he came out pronouncing curses

6 and throwing stones at David and all King David's servants; even though all the people, including his bodyguard, surrounded him right and left.

7 When Shim'i cursed, he said, "Get out of here! Get out of here, you killer, you good-for-nothing!

8 ADONAI has brought back on you all the blood of the house of Sha'ul. You usurped his kingship, but ADONAI has handed over the kingdom to Avshalom your son. Now your own evil has overtaken you, because you are a man of blood!"

9 Avishai the son of Tz'ruyah said to the king, "Why allow this dead dog to curse my lord the king? Just let me go over and remove his head!"

10 The king said, "Do you sons of Tz'ruyah and I have anything in common? Let him curse. If ADONAI tells him, 'Curse David,' who has the right to ask, 'Why are you doing it?'"

11 David then said to Avishai and all his servants, "Look, my own son, who came from my own body, seeks my life. So how much more now this Binyamini! Let him alone; and let him curse, if ADONAI told him to.

12 Maybe ADONAI will notice how I'm treating him, and ADONAI will reward me with good instead of his curses."

13 So David and his men went on their way, while on the opposite hillside Shim'i kept pace with him, cursing, throwing stones and flinging dust as he went.

14 The king and all the people with him arrived exhausted, so he rested there.

15 Meanwhile Avshalom and all the people, the men of Isra'el, came to Yerushalayim; Achitofel was with him.

16 Hushai the Arki, David's friend, came to Avshalom and said to him, "Long live the king! Long live the king!"

17 Avshalom asked Hushai, "Is this how you show kindness to your friend? Why didn't you go with your friend?"

18 Hushai replied, "No, but whomever ADONAI and this people and all the men of Isra'el choose, his I will be; and with him I will stay.

19 Moreover, whom should I serve? Shouldn't I serve in the presence of his son? Just as I have served in your father's presence, so will I be in your presence."

20 Avshalom said to Achitofel, "Give your advice as to what we should do."

21 Achitofel answered Avshalom, "Go in, and sleep with your father's concubines, the ones he left to take care of the palace. All Isra'el will hear that your father utterly despises you, and this will strengthen the position of all those who are on your side."

22 So they set up a tent for Avshalom on the roof of the palace; and Avshalom went in to sleep with his father's concubines in the sight of all Isra'el.

23 In those days Achitofel's advice was regarded as highly as if someone had sought out the word of God; it was this way with Achitofel's advice both to David and to Avshalom.

Daniel 10

1 In the third year of Koresh king of Persia, a word was revealed to Dani'el, also called Belt'shatzar. The word was certain: a great war. He understood the word, having gained understanding in the vision.

2 At that time I, Dani'el, had been mourning for three whole weeks.

3 I hadn't eaten any food that satisfied me - neither meat nor wine had entered my mouth, and I didn't anoint myself once, until three full weeks had passed.

4 On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, I was on the bank of the great river, the Tigris,

5 when I looked up, and there before me was a man dressed in linen wearing a belt made of fine Ufaz gold.

6 His body was like beryl, his face looked like lightning and his eyes like fiery torches; his arms and feet were the color of burnished bronze; and when he spoke, it sounded like the roar of a crowd.

7 Only I, Dani'el, saw the vision; the men who were with me did not see the vision; however, a great trembling fell over them; so that they rushed to hide themselves.

8 Thus I was left alone; and when I saw this great vision, there was no strength left in me - my face, normally pleasant-looking, became disfigured; and I had no strength.

9 I heard his voice speaking; and when I heard him speaking, I fell down in a faint, with my face to the ground.

10 Then a hand touched me and raised me, tottering, to my hands and knees.

11 He said to me, "Dani'el, you are a greatly loved man. Now pay attention to the words I am saying to you, and stand upright; for it is to you that I have been sent now."After he had said this to me, I stood up, trembling.

12 Then he said to me, "Don't be afraid, Dani'el; because since the first day that you determined to understand and to humble yourself before your God, your words have been heard; and I have come because of what you said.

13 The prince of the kingdom of Persia prevented me from coming for twenty-one days; but Mikha'el, one of the chief princes, came to assist me; so that I was no longer needed there with the kings of Persia.

14 So I have come to make you understand what will happen to your people in the acharit-hayamim; for there is still another vision which will relate to those days."

15 After he had said these things to me, I looked down at the ground and couldn't speak.

16 Then someone who looked like a human being touched my lips, after which I could open my mouth and speak; I said to the one standing in front of me, "My lord, it is because of the vision that I am seized with such anguish; I don't have any strength.

17 For how can this servant of my lord speak with my lord, when my strength and breath have failed me?"

18 Then, again someone who looked human touched me and revived me.

19 He said, "You man so greatly loved, don't be afraid. Shalom to you; and be strong, yes, truly strong." His speaking to me strengthened me, and I said, "My lord, keep speaking; because you've given me strength."

20 Then he said, "Do you know why I came to you? Although now I must return to fight the prince of Persia; and when I leave, the prince of Greece will come;

21 nevertheless, I will tell you what is written in the Book of Truth. There is no one standing with me against them except Mikha'el your prince;

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Today's Bible Reading

June 23

Mark 7:1-13; 2 Samuel 17; Daniel 11:1-19 CJB

Mark 7:1-13

1 The P'rushim and some of the Torah-teachers who had come from Yerushalayim gathered together with Yeshua

2 and saw that some of his talmidim ate with ritually unclean hands, that is, without doing n'tilat-yadayim.

3 (For the P'rushim, and indeed all the Judeans, holding fast to the Tradition of the Elders, do not eat unless they have given their hands a ceremonial washing.

4 Also, when they come from the marketplace they do not eat unless they have rinsed their hands up to the wrist; and they adhere to many other traditions, such as washing cups, pots and bronze vessels.)

5 The P'rushim and the Torah-teachers asked him, "Why don't your talmidim live in accordance with the Tradition of the Elders, but instead eat with ritually unclean hands?"

6 Yeshua answered them, "Yesha`yahu was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites -- as it is written, `These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far away from me.

7 Their worship of me is useless, because they teach man-made rules as if they were doctrines.'

8 "You depart from God's command and hold onto human tradition. Indeed,"

9 he said to them, "you have made a fine art of departing from God's command in order to keep your tradition!

10 For Moshe said, `Honor your father and your mother,' and `Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.'

11 But you say, `If someone says to his father or mother, "I have promised as a korban" ' " (that is, as a gift to God) " ` "what I might have used to help you," '

12 then you no longer let him do anything for his father or mother.

13 Thus, with your tradition which you had handed down to you, you nullify the Word of God! And you do other things like this."

2 Samuel 17

1 Achitofel said to Avshalom, "Let me now choose 12,000 men, and I will pursue David tonight.

2 I'll fall on him unexpectedly when he's tired and powerless. I'll frighten him, all the people with him will flee, and I'll attack only the king.

3 Then I will bring back to you all the people; and when they have all returned, except the one you are seeking, all the people will be at peace."

4 What he said pleased Avshalom and all the leaders of Isra'el.

5 Then Avshalom said, "Now call also Hushai the Arki, and let's give equal hearing to what he has to say."

6 When Hushai appeared before Avshalom, Avshalom said to him, "Achitofel has said such-and-such. Should we do what he says? If not, you tell us."

7 Hushai said to Avshalom, "The advice Achitofel has given this time is not good.

8 You know," continued Hushai, "that your father and his men are powerful men, and that they are as bitter as a bear deprived of her cubs in the wild. Moreover, your father is a military man, and he won't camp with the rest of the people -

9 right now he's hidden in a pit or somewhere. So what will happen is this: when they begin their attack, and whoever hears about it says, 'A slaughter is taking place among Avshalom's followers,'

10 then even the strongest among them, someone whose courage is that of a lion, will completely collapse! For all Isra'el knows that your father is a powerful man, and those with him are powerful men.

11 Rather, I advise that you summon all Isra'el to come to you, from Dan to Be'er-Sheva, numbering as many as sand grains on the seashore; and then you go to battle, yourself.

12 In this way we'll come upon him wherever he is, and we'll fall on him as the dew falls on the ground; of him and all the men with him we won't leave even one alive.

13 If he withdraws into a city, then all Isra'el will bring up ropes to that city, and we will drag it into the riverbed until not even a pebble is left."

14 Avshalom and all the men of Isra'el said, "The advice of Hushai the Arki is better than the advice of Achitofel"- for ADONAI had determined to frustrate the good advice of Achitofel, so that ADONAI could bring disaster on Avshalom.

15 Then Hushai said to Tzadok and Evyatar the cohanim, "Achitofel gave such-and-such advice to Avshalom and the leaders of Isra'el, but I advised so and so.

16 Now therefore send quickly and tell David, "Don't stay tonight in the desert plains; but, whatever it takes, move on from there! Otherwise, the king and all the people with him will be engulfed."

17 Y'honatan and Achima'atz were staying at 'Ein-Rogel; a female servant was to go and tell them, and they in turn were to go and tell King David - for it would not do to have them seen entering the city.

18 But a boy saw them and told Avshalom; so both of them took off quickly and came to the house of a man in Bachurim who had a cistern in his courtyard; and they went down into it.

19 His wife spread a covering over the cistern's opening and scattered drying grain on it, so that nothing showed.

20 Avshalom's servants came to the woman at the house and asked, "Where are Achima'atz and Y'honatan?"The woman answered them, "They've crossed the stream."After searching and not finding them, they returned to Yerushalayim.

21 After they had left, the two climbed out of the cistern and went and told King David, "Get up and cross the river, because Achitofel has given such-and-such advice against you."

22 David and all the people with him got up and crossed the Yarden; by dawn every one of them had crossed the Yarden.

23 When Achitofel saw that his advice was not being followed, he saddled his donkey, set out, and went home to his own city. After setting his house in order, he hanged himself; he died and was buried in his father's tomb.

24 David had reached Machanayim by the time Avshalom and all the men of Isra'el crossed the Yarden.

25 Avshalom had put 'Amasa in charge of the army in place of Yo'av. 'Amasa was the son of a man whose name was Yitra the Isra'eli, who had had sexual relations with Avigal the daughter of Nachash, Tz'ruyah's sister and Yo'av's mother.

26 Isra'el and Avshalom pitched camp in the land of Gil'ad.

27 After David had arrived in Machanayim, Shovi the son of Nachash, from Rabbah of the people of 'Amon; Machir the son of 'Ammi'el from Lo-D'var and Barzillai the Gil'adi from Roglim

28 brought beds, basins, clay pots, wheat, barley, flour, roasted grain, beans, lentils, roasted millet,

29 honey, curdled milk, sheep and cheese made of cow's milk for David and the people with him to eat; because they said, "These people are hungry, tired and thirsty from the desert."

Daniel 11:1-19

1 however, I was already standing up to support and help Daryavesh the Mede in the first year of his reign.

2 What I am going to tell you now is true. "Three kings will arise in Persia, followed by a fourth, who will be far wealthier than all of them; and when he has grown strong by means of his wealth, he will stir up everyone against the kingdom of Greece.

3 "Then a powerful king will appear who will rule a vast kingdom and do whatever he pleases.

4 But once he appears, his kingdom will be broken up and divided to the four winds of heaven. It won't be inherited by his descendants, and it won't be ruled with the power he had, because his kingship will be uprooted and will pass to others than his own posterity.

5 "The king in the south will be strong, and one of his princes will gain power over him and have dominion; his domain will be a great dominion.

6 After a number of years they will form an alliance. The daughter of the king of the south will approach the king of the north to make an agreement, but she won't retain her power; and he and his power won't last either. Rather, she will be surrendered, along with her attendants, her father and the one who supported her during those times.

7 But another branch from the same roots as hers will appear in her father's place. He will attack the army of the king of the north, enter his fortress and succeed in conquering them.

8 He will also carry off as booty to Egypt their gods, their cast metal images and their valuable gold and silver vessels. Then for some years, he will refrain from attacking the king of the north.

9 "Afterwards, the king of the north will invade the kingdom of the king of the south, but he will retire to his own land.

10 His sons will rouse themselves to muster a large and powerful army, which will advance like a flood passing through. In another campaign, it will march on the enemy stronghold.

11 The king of the south, enraged, will set out to do battle with the king of the north, who, in turn, will muster a large army; but this army will be defeated by his enemy

12 and carried off. The conqueror will grow proud as he slaughters tens of thousands, yet he will not prevail.

13 Rather, the king of the north will again muster an army, larger than the first one, at the end of this period, after a number of years; it will be a large, well-supplied army.

14 Those will be times in which many will resist the king of the south; and the more violent ones among your own people will rebel in order to fulfill their vision; but they will fail.

15 "Then the king of the north will come, set up siege-works and capture a fortified city; the forces of the south will be insufficient defense, even his elite troops will not be strong enough to resist.

16 The invader will do as he pleases; no one will be able to withstand him. So he will establish himself in the Land of Glory, and he will have the power to destroy it.

17 He will determinedly advance with the full force of his kingdom, but he will make an agreement with the king of the south and give him a daughter in marriage. His object will be to destroy him, but the agreement will not last or work out in his favor.

18 Next, he will put his attention on the coastlands and islands and capture many, but an army commander will put a stop to his outrages and cause his outrages to come back upon him.

19 After this, he will put his attention on the strongholds in his own land; but he will stumble, fall and not be seen again.

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Today's Bible Reading

June 24

Mark 7:14-37; 2 Samuel 18; Daniel 11:20-45 CJB

Mark 7:14-37

14 Then Yeshua called the people to him again and said, "Listen to me, all of you, and understand this!

15 There is nothing outside a person which, by going into him, can make him unclean. Rather, it is the things that come out of a person which make a person unclean!"

16 Some manuscripts include verse 16: "Anyone who has ears that can hear, let him hear!"

17 When he had left the people and entered the house, his talmidim asked him about the parable.

18 He replied to them, "So you too are without understanding? Don't you see that nothing going into a person from outside can make him unclean?

19 For it doesn't go into his heart but into his stomach, and it passes out into the latrine." (Thus he declared all foods ritually clean.)

20 "It is what comes out of a person," he went on, "that makes him unclean.

21 For from within, out of a person's heart, come forth wicked thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery,

22 greed, malice, deceit, indecency, envy, slander, arrogance, foolishness...

23 All these wicked things come from within, and they make a person unclean."

24 Next, Yeshua left that district and went off to the vicinity of Tzor and Tzidon. There he found a house to stay in and wanted to remain unrecognized, but keeping hidden proved impossible.

25 Instead, a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit in her came to him and fell down at his feet.

26 The woman was a Greek, by birth a Syro-phoenician, and she begged him to drive the demon out of her daughter.

27 He said, "Let the children be fed first, for it is not right to take the children's food and toss it to their pet dogs."

28 She answered him, "That is true, sir; but even the dogs under the table eat the children's leftovers."

29 Then he said to her, "For such an answer you may go on home; the demon has left your daughter."

30 She went back home and found the child lying on the couch, the demon gone.

31 Then he left the district of Tzor and went through Tzidon to Lake Kinneret and on to the region of the Ten Towns.

32 They brought him a man who was deaf and had a speech impediment and asked Yeshua to lay his hand on him.

33 Taking him off alone, away from the crowd, Yeshua put his fingers into the man's ears, spat, and touched his tongue;

34 then, looking up to heaven, he gave a deep groan and said to him, "Hippatach!" (that is, "Be opened!").

35 His ears were opened, his tongue was freed, and he began speaking clearly.

36 Yeshua ordered the people to tell no one; but the more he insisted, the more zealously they spread the news.

37 People were overcome with amazement. "Everything he does, he does well!" they said. "He even makes the deaf hear and the dumb speak!"

2 Samuel 18

1 David took a census of the people who were with him and appointed over them commanders of thousands and of hundreds.

2 Then David dispatched the people, a third of them under the command of Yo'av, a third under Avishai the son of Tz'ruyah, Yo'av's brother, and a third under Ittai the Gitti; and the king said to the people, "I will also go out with you, myself."

3 But the people replied, "Don't go out; because if we flee, they won't care about us. Even if half of us die, they won't care about us. But you are worth ten thousand of us; so it is better now that you stay in the city and be ready if we need help."

4 The king answered them, "I will do whatever you think best." So the king stood at the side of the gate, while all the people went out by hundreds and by thousands.

5 The king gave orders to Yo'av, Avishai and Ittai, "For my sake, deal gently with young Avshalom."All the people were listening when the king gave all the commanders this order concerning Avshalom.

6 So the people went out into the field against Isra'el; the battle took place in the forest of Efrayim.

7 The people of Isra'el were defeated there by David's servants; there was a terrible slaughter that day of 20,000 men.

8 For the battle there was spread all over the countryside; the forest devoured more people that day than did the sword.

9 Avshalom happened to meet some of David's servants. Avshalom was riding his mule, and as the mule walked under the thick branches of a big terebinth tree, his head got caught in the terebinth, so that he was left hanging between earth and sky, as the mule went on from under him.

10 Someone saw it and told Yo'av, "I saw Avshalom hanging in a terebinth."

11 Yo'av asked the man who told him, "Here now, you saw it; so why didn't you strike him to the ground then and there? I would have had to give you ten pieces of silver and a belt besides."

12 The man replied to Yo'av, "Even if I were to get a thousand pieces of silver, I still wouldn't raise my hand against the son of the king! After all, while we were listening, the king ordered you, Avishai and Ittai, 'Be careful that no one touches young Avshalom.'

13 Or, if I had pretended that I didn't know, the king would have known otherwise anyway; and you wouldn't have interceded for me either."

14 Yo'av said, "I can't waste time arguing with you!" He took three darts in his hand and rammed them through Avshalom's heart while he was still alive, hanging from the terebinth.

15 Then Yo'av's ten young armor-bearers surrounded Avshalom, struck him and killed him.

16 Yo'av sounded the shofar, and the people returned from pursuing Isra'el, because Yo'av held back the troops.

17 They took Avshalom and threw him into a big pit in the forest and piled a big heap of stones over him. All Isra'el fled, each one to his tent.

18 In his own lifetime Avshalom had taken and raised for himself the pillar which stands in the King's Valley; because he said, "I don't have a son to preserve the memory of my name." So he named the pillar after himself, and it's called Avshalom's Monument to this day.

19 Then Achima'atz the son of Tzadok said, "Let me run now and bring news to the king that ADONAI has judged in his favor by releasing him from his enemies."

20 Yo'av said to him, "You are not to be the one to bring the news today; you can convey news another day; but today you will not bring news, because the king's son is dead."

21 Then Yo'av said to the Ethiopian, "Go, tell the king what you saw."The Ethiopian bowed to Yo'av, then ran off.

22 But Achima'atz the son of Tzadok said again to Yo'av, "Come what may, please let me also run after the Ethiopian." Yo'av answered, "Why do you want to run, my son? You won't receive any reward for bringing the news."

23 "I don't care - whatever happens, I want to run." So he said to him, "Run." Then Achima'atz ran by the road through the desert flats and outran the Ethiopian.

24 David was sitting between the two gates. A watchman went up to the roof of the gate and out onto the wall, raised his eyes, looked, and saw there a man running by himself.

25 The watchman cried out and told the king. The king said, "If he's alone, he has good news to tell."As he ran along and came close,

26 the watchman saw another man running and called to the gatekeeper, "There's another man running by himself."The king said, "He too must have good news."

27 The watchman said, "The first one runs like Achima'atz the son of Tzadok."The king said, "He's a good man, he comes with good news."

28 Achima'atz called to the king, "Shalom," prostrated himself before the king with his face to the ground and said, "Blessed be ADONAI your God, who has handed over the men who rebelled against my lord the king."

29 The king asked, "Is everything all right with young Avshalom?" Achima'atz answered, "When Yo'av sent the king's servant and me your servant, I saw a big commotion; but I didn't know what it was."

30 The king said, "Go, and stand over there." So he went and stood there.

31 Then up came the Ethiopian, and the Ethiopian said, "There's good news for my lord the king, for ADONAI has judged in your favor and rid you of all those who rebelled against you."

32 The king asked the Ethiopian, "Is everything all right with young Avshalom?"The Ethiopian answered, "May the enemies of my lord the king and all who rebel against you in order to harm you be as that young man is."

33 Trembling, the king went up to the room over the gate, weeping and crying, "Oh, my son Avshalom! My son! My son Avshalom! If only I had died instead of you! Oh, Avshalom, my son, my son!"

Daniel 11:21-45

20 "In his place will arise one who will send a tax collector through the Glorious Kingdom; but within a few days, he will be broken, though neither in anger nor in battle.

21 "There will arise in his place a despicable man not entitled to inherit the majesty of the kingdom, but he will come without warning and gain the kingdom by intrigue.

22 Large armies will be broken and swept away before him, as well as the prince of the covenant.

23 Alliances will be made with him, but he will undermine them by deceit. Then, although he will have but a small following, he will emerge and become strong.

24 Without warning, he will assail the most powerful men in each province and do things his predecessors never did, either recently or in the distant past; he will reward them with plunder, spoil and wealth while devising plots against their strongholds, but only for a time.

25 "He will summon his power and courage against the king of the south with a great army, and the king of the south will fight back with a very large and powerful army; but he will not succeed, because of plots devised against him.

26 Yes, those who shared his food will destroy him; his army will be swept away; and many will fall in the slaughter.

27 These two kings, bent on mischief, will sit at the same table, speaking lies to each other; but none of this will succeed; because the appointed end will not have come yet.

28 Then the king of the north will return to his own land with great wealth; with his heart set against the holy covenant, he will take action and then return home.

29 "At the time designated, he will come back to the south. But this time, things will turn out differently than before;

30 because ships from Kittim will come against him, so that his courage will fail him. Then, in retreat, he will take furious action against the holy covenant, again showing favor to those who abandon the holy covenant.

31 Armed forces will come at his order and profane the sanctuary and fortress. They will abolish the daily burnt offering and set up the abomination that causes desolation.

32 Those who act wickedly against the covenant he will corrupt with his blandishments, but the people who know their God will stand firm and prevail.

33 Those among the people who have discernment will cause the rest of the people to understand what is happening; nevertheless, for a while they will fall victim to sword, fire, exile and pillage.

34 When they stumble, they will receive a little help, although many who join them will be insincere.

35 Even some of those with discernment will stumble, so that some of them will be refined, purified and cleansed for an end yet to come at the designated time.

36 "The king will do as he pleases. He will exalt himself and consider himself greater than any god, and he will utter monstrous blasphemies against the God of gods. He will prosper only until the period of wrath is over, for what has been determined must take place.

37 He will show no respect for the gods his ancestors worshipped, or for the god women worship - he won't show respect for any god, because he will consider himself greater than all of them.

38 But instead, he will honor the god of strongholds; with gold, silver, precious stones and other costly things he will honor a god unknown to his ancestors.

39 He will deal with the strongest fortresses with the help of a foreign god. He will confer honor on those he acknowledges, causing them to rule over many and distributing land as a reward.

40 "When the time for the end comes, the king of the south will push at him; while the king of the north will attack him like a whirlwind, with chariots, cavalry and a large navy. He will invade countries, overrun them and move on.

41 He will also enter the Land of Glory, and many [countries] will come to grief, but these will be saved from his power - Edom, Mo'av and the people of 'Amon.

42 He will reach out his hand to seize other countries too. The land of Egypt will not escape -

43 he will control the treasures of gold and silver, as well as everything else in Egypt of value. Put and Ethiopia will be subject to him.

44 However, news from the east and north will frighten him, so that he moves out in great fury to ruin and completely do away with many.

45 Finally, when he pitches the tents of his palace between the seas and the mountain of the holy Glory, he will come to his end, with no one to help him.