The Daily Audio Bible Reading for Monday July 17, 2017 (NIV)

1 Chronicles 24:1-26:11

The Divisions of the Priests

24 The divisions of the descendants of Aaron were as follows: Aaron’s sons were Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.(A) But Nadab and Abihu died before their father, and they had no sons, so Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests.(B) Together with Zadok(C) from the sons of Eleazar and Ahimelech from the sons of Ithamar, David divided them according to the assigned duties of their service. Since more leaders were found among Eleazar’s descendants than Ithamar’s, they were divided accordingly: 16 heads of ancestral houses were from Eleazar’s descendants, and eight heads of ancestral houses were from Ithamar’s. They(D) were assigned by lot, for there were officers of the sanctuary and officers of God among both Eleazar’s and Ithamar’s descendants.

The secretary, Shemaiah son of Nethanel, a Levite, recorded them in the presence of the king and the officers, Zadok the priest, Ahimelech(E) son of Abiathar, and the heads of families of the priests and the Levites. One ancestral house was taken for Eleazar, and then one for Ithamar.

The first lot fell to Jehoiarib, the second to Jedaiah,
the third to Harim, the fourth to Seorim,
the fifth to Malchijah, the sixth to Mijamin,
10 the seventh to Hakkoz, the eighth to Abijah,(F)
11 the ninth to Jeshua, the tenth to Shecaniah,
12 the eleventh to Eliashib, the twelfth to Jakim,
13 the thirteenth to Huppah, the fourteenth to Jeshebeab,
14 the fifteenth to Bilgah, the sixteenth to Immer,
15 the seventeenth to Hezir, the eighteenth to Happizzez,
16 the nineteenth to Pethahiah, the twentieth to Jehezkel,
17 the twenty-first to Jachin, the twenty-second to Gamul,
18 the twenty-third to Delaiah, and the twenty-fourth to Maaziah.

19 These had their assigned duties for service when they entered the Lord’s temple, according to their regulations, which they received from their ancestor Aaron, as the Lord God of Israel had commanded him.

The Rest of the Levites

20 As for the rest of Levi’s sons:
from Amram’s sons: Shubael;
from Shubael’s sons: Jehdeiah.
21 From Rehabiah:
from Rehabiah’s sons: Isshiah was the first.
22 From the Izharites: Shelomoth;
from Shelomoth’s sons: Jahath.
23 Hebron’s[a](G) sons:
Jeriah the first, Amariah the second,
Jahaziel the third, and Jekameam the fourth.
24 From Uzziel’s sons: Micah;
from Micah’s sons: Shamir.
25 Micah’s brother: Isshiah;
from Isshiah’s sons: Zechariah.
26 Merari’s sons: Mahli and Mushi,
and from his sons, Jaaziah his son.[b]
27 Merari’s sons, by his son Jaaziah:[c]
Shoham, Zaccur, and Ibri.
28 From Mahli: Eleazar, who had no sons.
29 From Kish, from Kish’s sons: Jerahmeel.
30 Mushi’s sons: Mahli, Eder, and Jerimoth.

Those were the sons of the Levites according to their ancestral houses. 31 They also cast lots the same way as their relatives the sons of Aaron did in the presence of King David, Zadok, Ahimelech, and the heads of the families of the priests and Levites—the family heads and their younger brothers alike.(H)

The Levitical Musicians

25 David and the officers of the army also set apart some of the sons of Asaph, Heman,(I) and Jeduthun, who were to prophesy(J) accompanied by lyres, harps, and cymbals.(K) This is the list of the men who performed their service:

From Asaph’s sons:
Zaccur, Joseph, Nethaniah, and Asarelah, sons of Asaph, under Asaph’s authority, who prophesied under the authority of the king.
From Jeduthun:(L) Jeduthun’s sons:
Gedaliah, Zeri, Jeshaiah, Shimei,[d] Hashabiah, and Mattithiah—six—under the authority of their father Jeduthun, prophesying to the accompaniment of lyres, giving thanks and praise to the Lord.
From Heman: Heman’s sons:
Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shebuel, Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti, Romamti-ezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, and Mahazioth. All these sons of Heman, the king’s seer,(M) were given by the promises of God to exalt him,[e] for God had given Heman fourteen sons and three daughters.

All these men were under their own fathers’ authority for the music in the Lord’s temple, with cymbals, harps, and lyres for the service of God’s temple. Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman were under the king’s authority. They numbered 288 together with their relatives who were all trained and skillful in music for the Lord. They cast lots for their duties, young and old alike, teacher as well as pupil.(N)

The first lot for Asaph fell to Joseph, his sons, and his brothers—12
to Gedaliah the second: him, his brothers, and his sons—12
10 the third to Zaccur, his sons, and his brothers—12
11 the fourth to Izri,[f] his sons, and his brothers—12
12 the fifth to Nethaniah, his sons, and his brothers—12
13 the sixth to Bukkiah, his sons, and his brothers—12
14 the seventh to Jesarelah, his sons, and his brothers—12
15 the eighth to Jeshaiah, his sons, and his brothers—12
16 the ninth to Mattaniah, his sons, and his brothers—12
17 the tenth to Shimei, his sons, and his brothers—12
18 the eleventh to Azarel,[g] his sons, and his brothers—12
19 the twelfth to Hashabiah, his sons, and his brothers—12
20 the thirteenth to Shubael, his sons, and his brothers—12
21 the fourteenth to Mattithiah, his sons, and his brothers—12
22 the fifteenth to Jeremoth, his sons, and his brothers—12
23 the sixteenth to Hananiah, his sons, and his brothers—12
24 the seventeenth to Joshbekashah, his sons, and his brothers—12
25 the eighteenth to Hanani, his sons, and his brothers—12
26 the nineteenth to Mallothi, his sons, and his brothers—12
27 the twentieth to Eliathah, his sons, and his brothers—12
28 the twenty-first to Hothir, his sons, and his brothers—12
29 the twenty-second to Giddalti, his sons, and his brothers—12
30 the twenty-third to Mahazioth, his sons, and his brothers—12
31 and the twenty-fourth to Romamti-ezer, his sons, and his brothers—12.

The Levitical Gatekeepers

26 The following were the divisions of the gatekeepers:

From the Korahites: Meshelemiah son of Kore, one of the sons of Asaph.
Meshelemiah had sons:
Zechariah the firstborn, Jediael the second,
Zebadiah the third, Jathniel the fourth,
Elam the fifth, Jehohanan the sixth,
and Eliehoenai the seventh.
Obed-edom also had sons:
Shemaiah the firstborn, Jehozabad the second,
Joah the third, Sachar the fourth,
Nethanel the fifth, Ammiel the sixth,
Issachar the seventh, and Peullethai the eighth,
for God blessed him.
Also, to his son Shemaiah were born sons who ruled over their ancestral houses because they were strong, capable men.
Shemaiah’s sons: Othni, Rephael, Obed, and Elzabad; his brothers Elihu and Semachiah were also capable men. All of these were among the sons of Obed-edom with their sons and brothers; they were capable men with strength for the work—62 from Obed-edom.
Meshelemiah also had sons and brothers who were capable men—18.
10 Hosah,(O) from the Merarites, also had sons: Shimri the first (although he was not the firstborn, his father had appointed him as the first), 11 Hilkiah the second, Tebaliah the third, and Zechariah the fourth. The sons and brothers of Hosah were 13 in all.

Footnotes:

  1. 1 Chronicles 24:23 Some Hb mss, some LXX mss; other Hb mss omit Hebron’s; 1Ch 23:19
  2. 1 Chronicles 24:26 Or Mushi; Jaaziah’s sons: Beno.
  3. 1 Chronicles 24:27 Or sons, Jaaziah: Beno,
  4. 1 Chronicles 25:3 One Hb ms, LXX; other Hb mss omit Shimei
  5. 1 Chronicles 25:5 Or Him; lit by the words of God to lift a horn
  6. 1 Chronicles 25:11 Variant of Zeri
  7. 1 Chronicles 25:18 Variant of Uzziel

Romans 4:1-12

Abraham Justified by Faith

What then can we say that Abraham, our physical ancestor,[a](A) has found? If Abraham was justified[b] by works,(B) he has something to brag about—but not before God.[c] For what does the Scripture say?

Abraham believed God,
and it was credited to him for righteousness.(C)[d]

Now to the one who works,(D) pay is not considered as a gift, but as something owed. But to the one who does not work, but believes on Him who declares the ungodly to be righteous,[e](E) his faith is credited for righteousness.

David Celebrating the Same Truth

Likewise, David also speaks of the blessing of the man God credits righteousness to apart from works:

How joyful are those whose lawless acts are forgiven
and whose sins are covered!
How joyful is the man
the Lord will never charge with sin!(F)[f]

Abraham Justified before Circumcision

Is this blessing only for the circumcised,(G) then? Or is it also for the uncircumcised? For we say, Faith was credited to Abraham for righteousness.(H)[g] 10 In what way then was it credited—while he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while he was circumcised, but uncircumcised. 11 And he received the sign of circumcision(I) as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith[h](J) while still uncircumcised. This was to make him the father(K) of all who believe(L) but are not circumcised, so that righteousness may be credited to them also. 12 And he became the father of the circumcised, who are not only circumcised but who also follow in the footsteps of the faith our father Abraham had while he was still uncircumcised.

Footnotes:

  1. Romans 4:1 Lit our ancestor according to the flesh
  2. Romans 4:2 Or was declared righteous, or was acquitted
  3. Romans 4:2 He has no reason for boasting in God’s presence.
  4. Romans 4:3 Gn 15:6
  5. Romans 4:5 Or who acquits, or who justifies
  6. Romans 4:8 Ps 32:1-2
  7. Romans 4:9 Gn 15:6
  8. Romans 4:11 Lit righteousness of faith

Psalm 13

Psalm 13

A Plea for Deliverance

For the choir director. A Davidic psalm.

Lord, how long will You forget me?
Forever?
How long will You hide Your face from me?(A)
How long will I store up anxious concerns[a] within me,
agony in my mind every day?
How long will my enemy dominate me?(B)

Consider me and answer, Lord my God.
Restore brightness to my eyes;(C)
otherwise, I will sleep in death.
My enemy will say, “I have triumphed over him,”
and my foes will rejoice because I am shaken.(D)

But I have trusted in Your faithful love;(E)
my heart will rejoice in Your deliverance.(F)
I will sing to the Lord
because He has treated me generously.(G)

Footnotes:

  1. Psalm 13:2 Or up counsels

Proverbs 19:15-16

15 Laziness induces deep sleep,
and a lazy person will go hungry.(A)

16 The one who keeps commands preserves himself;(B)
one who disregards[a] his ways will die.(C)

Footnotes:

  1. Proverbs 19:16 Or despises, or treats lightly