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ESV — Every Day in the Word: Day 145
145
Old Testament
2 Samuel 4:1-6:23

New Testament
John 13:31-14:14

Psalm
Psalm 119:17-32

Proverb
Proverbs 15:32

Ish-bosheth Murdered

When Ish-bosheth, Saul's son, heard that Abner had died at Hebron, fhis courage failed, and all Israel was dismayed. Now Saul's son had two men who were captains of raiding bands; the name of the one was Baanah, and the name of the other Rechab, sons of Rimmon a man of Benjamin from Beeroth (gfor Beeroth also is counted part of Benjamin; hthe Beerothites fled ito Gittaim and have been sojourners there to this day).

jJonathan, the son of Saul, had a son who was crippled in his feet. He was five years old when the news about Saul and Jonathan kcame from Jezreel, and his nurse took him up and fled, and as she fled in her haste, he fell and became lame. And his name was Mephibosheth.

Now the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, set out, and about the heat of the day they came to the house of Ish-bosheth as he was taking his noonday rest. And they came into the midst of the house as if to get wheat, and they stabbed him lin the stomach. Then Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped.1 When they came into the house, as he lay on his bed in his bedroom, they struck him and put him to death and beheaded him. They took his head and went by the way of mthe Arabah all night, and brought the head of Ish-bosheth to David at Hebron. And they said to the king, “Here is the head of Ish-bosheth, the son of Saul, your enemy, nwho sought your life. The Lord has avenged my lord the king this day on Saul and on his offspring.” But David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, o“As the Lord lives, pwho has redeemed my life out of every adversity, 10 qwhen one told me, ‘Behold, Saul is dead,’ and thought he was bringing good news, rI seized him and killed him at Ziklag, which was the reward I gave him for his news. 11 How much more, when wicked men have killed a righteous man in his own house on his bed, shall I not now srequire his blood at your hand and destroy you from the earth?” 12 And David commanded his young men, and they killed them and cut off their hands and feet and hanged them beside the pool at Hebron. But they took the head of Ish-bosheth and buried it tin the tomb of Abner at Hebron.

David Anointed King of Israel

Then all the tribes of Israel ucame to David at Hebron and said, “Behold, vwe are your bone and flesh. In times past, when Saul was king over us, wit was you who led out and brought in Israel. And the Lord said to you, x‘You shall be shepherd of my people Israel, and you shall be prince2 over Israel.’” So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, yand King David made a covenant with them at Hebron zbefore the Lord, and they anointed David king over Israel. David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and ahe reigned forty years. aAt Hebron he reigned over Judah bseven years and six months, and at Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah thirty-three years.3

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

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

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

David Defeats the Philistines

17 When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over Israel, all the Philistines went up to search for David. But David heard of it and went down kto the stronghold. 18 Now the Philistines had come and spread out in lthe Valley of Rephaim. 19 And David minquired of the Lord, “Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will you give them into my hand?” And the Lord said to David, “Go up, for I will certainly give the Philistines into your hand.” 20 And David came to Baal-perazim, and David defeated them there. And he said, “The Lord has broken through my enemies before me like a breaking flood.” nTherefore the name of that place is called Baal-perazim.4 21 And the Philistines left their idols there, and David and his men carried them away.

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

The Ark Brought to Jerusalem

tDavid again gathered all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand. And David arose and went with all the people who were with him from uBaale-judah vto bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the name of the Lord of hosts wwho sits enthroned on the cherubim. And they carried the ark of God xon a new cart and brought it yout of the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. And Uzzah and Ahio,5 the sons of Abinadab, were driving the new cart,6 with the ark of God, and Ahio went before the ark.

Uzzah and the Ark

And David and all the house of Israel were celebrating before the Lord, with zsongs7 and lyres and harps and tambourines and castanets and cymbals. And when they came to the threshing floor of aNacon, Uzzah bput out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled. And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah, and cGod struck him down there because of his error, and he died there beside the ark of God. And David was angry because the Lord had broken out against Uzzah. And that place is called Perez-uzzah8 to this day. And David was afraid of the Lord that day, and he said, “How can the ark of the Lord come to me?” 10 So David was not willing to take the ark of the Lord into the city of David. But David took it aside dto the house of Obed-edom the Gittite. 11 And the ark of the Lord remained in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite three months, eand the Lord blessed Obed-edom and all his household.

12 And it was told King David, “The Lord has blessed the household of Obed-edom and all that belongs to him, because of the ark of God.” fSo David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom gto the city of David with rejoicing. 13 And when hthose who bore the ark of the Lord had gone six steps, ihe sacrificed an ox and a fattened animal. 14 And David jdanced before the Lord with all his might. And David was kwearing a linen ephod. 15 So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting and with the sound of the horn.

David and Michal

16 As the ark of the Lord came into the city of David, Michal the daughter of Saul looked out of the window and saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, and she despised him in her heart. 17 And they brought in the ark of the Lord and set it lin its place, inside the tent that David had pitched for it. mAnd David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord. 18 And when David had finished offering the burnt offerings and the peace offerings, nhe blessed the people in the name of the Lord of hosts 19 and distributed among all the people, the whole multitude of Israel, both men and women, a cake of bread, a portion of meat,9 and a cake of raisins to each one. oThen all the people departed, each to his house.

20 And David returned to bless his household. But Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David and said, “How the king of Israel honored himself today, puncovering himself today before the eyes of his servants' female servants, as one of the qvulgar fellows shamelessly uncovers himself!” 21 And David said to Michal, “It was before the Lord, rwho chose me above your father and above all his house, to appoint me as prince10 over Israel, the people of the Lord—and I will celebrate before the Lord. 22 I will make myself yet more contemptible than this, and I will be abased in your11 eyes. But by the female servants of whom you have spoken, by them I shall be held in honor.” 23 And Michal the daughter of Saul had no child to the day of her death.

Footnotes

[1] 4:6 Septuagint And behold, the doorkeeper of the house had been cleaning wheat, but she grew drowsy and slept. So Rechab and Baanah his brother slipped in
[2] 5:2 Or leader
[3] 5:5 Dead Sea Scroll lacks verses 4–5
[4] 5:20 Baal-perazim means lord of bursting through
[5] 6:3 Or and his brother; also verse 4
[6] 6:3 Compare Septuagint; Hebrew the new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill
[7] 6:5 Septuagint, 1 Chronicles 13:8; Hebrew fir trees
[8] 6:8 Perez-uzzah means the breaking out against Uzzah
[9] 6:19 Vulgate; the meaning of the Hebrew term is uncertain
[10] 6:21 Or leader
[11] 6:22 Septuagint; Hebrew my

A New Commandment

31 When he had gone out, Jesus said, n“Now is the Son of Man glorified, and oGod is glorified in him. 32 If God is glorified in him, pGod will also glorify him in himself, and qglorify him at once. 33 Little children, ryet a little while I am with you. You will seek me, and just sas I said to the Jews, so now I also say to you, ‘Where I am going you cannot come.’ 34 tA new commandment uI give to you, vthat you love one another: wjust as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 xBy this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Jesus Foretells Peter's Denial

36 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, where are you going?” yJesus answered him, “Where I am going zyou cannot follow me now, abut you will follow afterward.” 37 bPeter said to him, “Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” 38 Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for me? Truly, truly, I say to you, cthe rooster will not crow till you have denied me three times.

I Am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life

14 d“Let not your hearts be troubled. eBelieve in God;1 believe also in me. In fmy Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that gI go to prepare a place for you?2 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you hto myself, that iwhere I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going.”3 jThomas said to him, “Lord, kwe do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am lthe way, and mthe truth, and nthe life. No one comes to the Father except through me. oIf you had known me, you would have pknown my Father also.4 From now on you do know him and qhave seen him.”

rPhilip said to him, “Lord, sshow us the Father, and it is enough for us.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? tWhoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Do you not believe that uI am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you vI do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. 11 Believe me that uI am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else wbelieve on account of the works themselves.

12 “Truly, truly, I say to you, xwhoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I yam going to the Father. 13 zWhatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that athe Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 zIf you ask me5 anything in my name, I will do it.

Footnotes

[1] 14:1 Or You believe in God
[2] 14:2 Or In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you
[3] 14:4 Some manuscripts Where I am going you know, and the way you know
[4] 14:7 Or If you know me, you will know my Father also, or If you have known me, you will know my Father also
[5] 14:14 Some manuscripts omit me

17 gDeal bountifully with your servant,

hthat I may live and keep your word.

18 Open my eyes, that I may behold

wondrous things out of your law.

19 I am ia sojourner on the earth;

jhide not your commandments from me!

20 My soul is consumed with klonging

for your rules1 at all times.

21 You rebuke lthe insolent, maccursed ones,

who nwander from your commandments.

22 Take away from me oscorn and contempt,

pfor I have kept your testimonies.

23 Even though qprinces sit plotting against me,

your servant will rmeditate on your statutes.

24 Your testimonies are my sdelight;

they are my tcounselors.

Daleth

25 uMy soul clings to the dust;

vgive me life waccording to your word!

26 When xI told of my ways, you answered me;

yteach me your statutes!

27 zMake me understand the way of your precepts,

and I will ameditate on your wondrous works.

28 bMy soul melts away for sorrow;

strengthen me according to your word!

29 Put false ways far from me

and graciously cteach me your law!

30 I have chosen the way of faithfulness;

I dset your rules before me.

31 I cling to your testimonies, O Lord;

elet me not be put to shame!

32 I will run in the way of your commandments

when you fenlarge my heart!2

Footnotes

[1] 119:20 Or your just decrees; also verses 30, 39, 43, 52, 75, 102, 108, 137, 156, 175
[2] 119:32 Or for you set my heart free

32 Whoever gignores instruction hdespises himself,

but he who listens to reproof igains intelligence.