Month: May 2019

Nathan Rebukes David^(A)

12 The Lord sent Nathan^(B) to David.^(C) When he came to him,^(D) he said, “There were two men in a certain town, one rich and the other poor. ² The rich man had a very large number of sheep and cattle, ³ but the poor man had nothing except one little ewe lamb he had bought. He raised it, and it grew up with him and his children. It shared his food, drank from his cup and even slept in his arms. It was like a daughter to him.

⁴ “Now a traveler came to the rich man, but the rich man refrained from taking one of his own sheep or cattle to prepare a meal for the traveler who had come to him. Instead, he took the ewe lamb that belonged to the poor man and prepared it for the one who had come to him.”

⁵ David^(E) burned with anger^(F) against the man^(G) and said to Nathan, “As surely as the Lord lives,^(H) the man who did this must die! ⁶ He must pay for that lamb four times over,^(I) because he did such a thing and had no pity.”

⁷ Then Nathan said to David, “You are the man!^(J) This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘I anointed^(K) you^(L) king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. ⁸ I gave your master’s house to you,^(M) and your master’s wives into your arms. I gave you all Israel and Judah. And if all this had been too little, I would have given you even more. ⁹ Why did you despise^(N) the word of the Lord by doing what is evil in his eyes? You struck down^(O) Uriah^(P) the Hittite with the sword and took his wife to be your own. You killed^(Q) him with the sword of the Ammonites. ¹⁰ Now, therefore, the sword^(R) will never depart from your house, because you despised me and took the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own.’

¹¹ “This is what the Lord says: ‘Out of your own household^(S) I am going to bring calamity on you.^(T) Before your very eyes I will take your wives and give them to one who is close to you, and he will sleep with your wives in broad daylight.^{(U) 12} You did it in secret,^(V) but I will do this thing in broad daylight^(W) before all Israel.’”

¹³ Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned^(X) against the Lord.”

Nathan replied, “The Lord has taken away^(Y) your sin.^(Z) You are not going to die.^{(AA) 14} But because by doing this you have shown utter contempt for^[a] the Lord,^(AB) the son born to you will die.”

¹⁵ After Nathan had gone home, the Lord struck^(AC) the child that Uriah’s wife had borne to David, and he became ill. ¹⁶ David pleaded with God for the child. He fasted and spent the nights lying^(AD) in sackcloth^[b] on the ground. ¹⁷ The elders of his household stood beside him to get him up from the ground, but he refused,^(AE) and he would not eat any food with them.^(AF)

¹⁸ On the seventh day the child died. David’s attendants were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they thought, “While the child was still living, he wouldn’t listen to us when we spoke to him. How can we now tell him the child is dead? He may do something desperate.”

¹⁹ David noticed that his attendants were whispering among themselves, and he realized the child was dead. “Is the child dead?” he asked.

“Yes,” they replied, “he is dead.”

²⁰ Then David got up from the ground. After he had washed,^(AG) put on lotions and changed his clothes,^(AH) he went into the house of the Lord and worshiped. Then he went to his own house, and at his request they served him food, and he ate.

²¹ His attendants asked him, “Why are you acting this way? While the child was alive, you fasted and wept,^(AI) but now that the child is dead, you get up and eat!”

²² He answered, “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept. I thought, ‘Who knows?^(AJ) The Lord may be gracious to me and let the child live.’^{(AK) 23} But now that he is dead, why should I go on fasting? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him,^(AL) but he will not return to me.”^(AM)

²⁴ Then David comforted his wife Bathsheba,^(AN) and he went to her and made love to her. She gave birth to a son, and they named him Solomon.^(AO) The Lord loved him; ²⁵ and because the Lord loved him, he sent word through Nathan the prophet to name him Jedidiah.^[c](AP)

²⁶ Meanwhile Joab fought against Rabbah^(AQ) of the Ammonites and captured the royal citadel. ²⁷ Joab then sent messengers to David, saying, “I have fought against Rabbah and taken its water supply. ²⁸ Now muster the rest of the troops and besiege the city and capture it. Otherwise I will take the city, and it will be named after me.”

²⁹ So David mustered the entire army and went to Rabbah, and attacked and captured it. ³⁰ David took the crown^(AR) from their king’s^[d] head, and it was placed on his own head. It weighed a talent^[e] of gold, and it was set with precious stones. David took a great quantity of plunder from the city ³¹ and brought out the people who were there, consigning them to labor with saws and with iron picks and axes, and he made them work at brickmaking.^[f] David did this to all the Ammonite^(AS) towns. Then he and his entire army returned to Jerusalem.

16 “All this^(A) I have told you so that you will not fall away.^{(B) 2} They will put you out of the synagogue;^(C) in fact, the time is coming when anyone who kills you will think they are offering a service to God.^{(D) 3} They will do such things because they have not known the Father or me.^{(E) 4} I have told you this, so that when their time comes you will remember^(F) that I warned you about them. I did not tell you this from the beginning because I was with you,^{(G) 5} but now I am going to him who sent me.^(H) None of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’^{(I) 6} Rather, you are filled with grief^(J) because I have said these things. ⁷ But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate^(K) will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.^{(L) 8} When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: ⁹ about sin,^(M) because people do not believe in me; ¹⁰ about righteousness,^(N) because I am going to the Father,^(O) where you can see me no longer; ¹¹ and about judgment, because the prince of this world^(P) now stands condemned.

¹² “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear.^{(Q) 13} But when he, the Spirit of truth,^(R) comes, he will guide you into all the truth.^(S) He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. ¹⁴ He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. ¹⁵ All that belongs to the Father is mine.^(T) That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.”

The Disciples’ Grief Will Turn to Joy

¹⁶ Jesus went on to say, “In a little while^(U) you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me.”^(V)

¹⁷ At this, some of his disciples said to one another, “What does he mean by saying, ‘In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me,’^(W) and ‘Because I am going to the Father’?”^{(X) 18} They kept asking, “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We don’t understand what he is saying.”

¹⁹ Jesus saw that they wanted to ask him about this, so he said to them, “Are you asking one another what I meant when I said, ‘In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me’? ²⁰ Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn^(Y) while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy.^{(Z) 21} A woman giving birth to a child has pain^(AA) because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world. ²² So with you: Now is your time of grief,^(AB) but I will see you again^(AC) and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.^{(AD) 23} In that day^(AE) you will no longer ask me anything. Very truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.^{(AF) 24} Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive,^(AG) and your joy will be complete.^(AH)

²⁵ “Though I have been speaking figuratively,^(AI) a time is coming^(AJ) when I will no longer use this kind of language but will tell you plainly about my Father. ²⁶ In that day you will ask in my name.^(AK) I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf. ²⁷ No, the Father himself loves you because you have loved me^(AL) and have believed that I came from God.^{(AM) 28} I came from the Father and entered the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.”^(AN)

²⁹ Then Jesus’ disciples said, “Now you are speaking clearly and without figures of speech.^{(AO) 30} Now we can see that you know all things and that you do not even need to have anyone ask you questions. This makes us believe^(AP) that you came from God.”^(AQ)

³¹ “Do you now believe?” Jesus replied. ³² “A time is coming^(AR) and in fact has come when you will be scattered,^(AS) each to your own home. You will leave me all alone.^(AT) Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me.^(AU)

³³ “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace.^(AV) In this world you will have trouble.^(AW) But take heart! I have overcome^(AX) the world.”

ט Teth

י Yodh

David and Mephibosheth

9 David asked, “Is there anyone still left of the house of Saul to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan’s sake?”^(A)

² Now there was a servant of Saul’s household named Ziba.^(B) They summoned him to appear before David, and the king said to him, “Are you Ziba?”

“At your service,” he replied.

³ The king asked, “Is there no one still alive from the house of Saul to whom I can show God’s kindness?”

Ziba answered the king, “There is still a son of Jonathan;^(C) he is lame^(D) in both feet.”

⁴ “Where is he?” the king asked.

Ziba answered, “He is at the house of Makir^(E) son of Ammiel in Lo Debar.”

⁵ So King David had him brought from Lo Debar, from the house of Makir son of Ammiel.

⁶ When Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David, he bowed down to pay him honor.^(F)

David said, “Mephibosheth!”

“At your service,” he replied.

⁷ “Don’t be afraid,” David said to him, “for I will surely show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan.^(G) I will restore to you all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will always eat at my table.^(H)”

⁸ Mephibosheth^(I) bowed down and said, “What is your servant, that you should notice a dead dog^(J) like me?”

⁹ Then the king summoned Ziba, Saul’s steward, and said to him, “I have given your master’s grandson everything that belonged to Saul and his family. ¹⁰ You and your sons and your servants are to farm the land for him and bring in the crops, so that your master’s grandson^(K) may be provided for. And Mephibosheth, grandson of your master, will always eat at my table.” (Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.)

¹¹ Then Ziba said to the king, “Your servant will do whatever my lord the king commands his servant to do.” So Mephibosheth ate at David’s^[a] table like one of the king’s sons.^(L)

¹² Mephibosheth had a young son named Mika, and all the members of Ziba’s household were servants of Mephibosheth.^{(M) 13} And Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, because he always ate at the king’s table; he was lame in both feet.

David Defeats the Ammonites^(N)

10 In the course of time, the king of the Ammonites died, and his son Hanun succeeded him as king. ² David thought, “I will show kindness to Hanun son of Nahash,^(O) just as his father showed kindness to me.” So David sent a delegation to express his sympathy to Hanun concerning his father.

When David’s men came to the land of the Ammonites, ³ the Ammonite commanders said to Hanun their lord, “Do you think David is honoring your father by sending envoys to you to express sympathy? Hasn’t David sent them to you only to explore the city and spy it out^(P) and overthrow it?” ⁴ So Hanun seized David’s envoys, shaved off half of each man’s beard,^(Q) cut off their garments at the buttocks,^(R) and sent them away.

⁵ When David was told about this, he sent messengers to meet the men, for they were greatly humiliated. The king said, “Stay at Jericho till your beards have grown, and then come back.”

⁶ When the Ammonites realized that they had become obnoxious^(S) to David, they hired twenty thousand Aramean^(T) foot soldiers from Beth Rehob^(U) and Zobah,^(V) as well as the king of Maakah^(W) with a thousand men, and also twelve thousand men from Tob.^(X)

⁷ On hearing this, David sent Joab^(Y) out with the entire army of fighting men. ⁸ The Ammonites came out and drew up in battle formation at the entrance of their city gate, while the Arameans of Zobah and Rehob and the men of Tob and Maakah were by themselves in the open country.

⁹ Joab saw that there were battle lines in front of him and behind him; so he selected some of the best troops in Israel and deployed them against the Arameans. ¹⁰ He put the rest of the men under the command of Abishai^(Z) his brother and deployed them against the Ammonites. ¹¹ Joab said, “If the Arameans are too strong for me, then you are to come to my rescue; but if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will come to rescue you. ¹² Be strong,^(AA) and let us fight bravely for our people and the cities of our God. The Lord will do what is good in his sight.”^(AB)

¹³ Then Joab and the troops with him advanced to fight the Arameans, and they fled before him. ¹⁴ When the Ammonites^(AC) realized that the Arameans were fleeing, they fled before Abishai and went inside the city. So Joab returned from fighting the Ammonites and came to Jerusalem.

¹⁵ After the Arameans saw that they had been routed by Israel, they regrouped. ¹⁶ Hadadezer had Arameans brought from beyond the Euphrates River; they went to Helam, with Shobak the commander of Hadadezer’s army leading them.

¹⁷ When David was told of this, he gathered all Israel, crossed the Jordan and went to Helam. The Arameans formed their battle lines to meet David and fought against him. ¹⁸ But they fled before Israel, and David killed seven hundred of their charioteers and forty thousand of their foot soldiers.^[b] He also struck down Shobak the commander of their army, and he died there. ¹⁹ When all the kings who were vassals of Hadadezer saw that they had been routed by Israel, they made peace with the Israelites and became subject^(AD) to them.

So the Arameans^(AE) were afraid to help the Ammonites anymore.

David and Bathsheba

11 In the spring,^(AF) at the time when kings go off to war, David sent Joab^(AG) out with the king’s men and the whole Israelite army.^(AH) They destroyed the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah.^(AI) But David remained in Jerusalem.

² One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof^(AJ) of the palace. From the roof he saw^(AK) a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful, ³ and David sent someone to find out about her. The man said, “She is Bathsheba,^(AL) the daughter of Eliam^(AM) and the wife of Uriah^(AN) the Hittite.” ⁴ Then David sent messengers to get her.^(AO) She came to him, and he slept^(AP) with her. (Now she was purifying herself from her monthly uncleanness.)^(AQ) Then she went back home. ⁵ The woman conceived and sent word to David, saying, “I am pregnant.”

⁶ So David sent this word to Joab: “Send me Uriah^(AR) the Hittite.” And Joab sent him to David. ⁷ When Uriah came to him, David asked him how Joab was, how the soldiers were and how the war was going. ⁸ Then David said to Uriah, “Go down to your house and wash your feet.”^(AS) So Uriah left the palace, and a gift from the king was sent after him. ⁹ But Uriah slept at the entrance to the palace with all his master’s servants and did not go down to his house.

¹⁰ David was told, “Uriah did not go home.” So he asked Uriah, “Haven’t you just come from a military campaign? Why didn’t you go home?”

¹¹ Uriah said to David, “The ark^(AT) and Israel and Judah are staying in tents,^[c] and my commander Joab and my lord’s men are camped in the open country. How could I go to my house to eat and drink and make love^(AU) to my wife? As surely as you live, I will not do such a thing!”

¹² Then David said to him, “Stay here one more day, and tomorrow I will send you back.” So Uriah remained in Jerusalem that day and the next. ¹³ At David’s invitation, he ate and drank with him, and David made him drunk. But in the evening Uriah went out to sleep on his mat among his master’s servants; he did not go home.

¹⁴ In the morning David wrote a letter^(AV) to Joab and sent it with Uriah. ¹⁵ In it he wrote, “Put Uriah out in front where the fighting is fiercest. Then withdraw from him so he will be struck down^(AW) and die.^(AX)”

¹⁶ So while Joab had the city under siege, he put Uriah at a place where he knew the strongest defenders were. ¹⁷ When the men of the city came out and fought against Joab, some of the men in David’s army fell; moreover, Uriah the Hittite died.

¹⁸ Joab sent David a full account of the battle. ¹⁹ He instructed the messenger: “When you have finished giving the king this account of the battle, ²⁰ the king’s anger may flare up, and he may ask you, ‘Why did you get so close to the city to fight? Didn’t you know they would shoot arrows from the wall? ²¹ Who killed Abimelek^(AY) son of Jerub-Besheth^[d]? Didn’t a woman drop an upper millstone on him from the wall,^(AZ) so that he died in Thebez? Why did you get so close to the wall?’ If he asks you this, then say to him, ‘Moreover, your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead.’”

²² The messenger set out, and when he arrived he told David everything Joab had sent him to say. ²³ The messenger said to David, “The men overpowered us and came out against us in the open, but we drove them back to the entrance of the city gate. ²⁴ Then the archers shot arrows at your servants from the wall, and some of the king’s men died. Moreover, your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead.”

²⁵ David told the messenger, “Say this to Joab: ‘Don’t let this upset you; the sword devours one as well as another. Press the attack against the city and destroy it.’ Say this to encourage Joab.”

²⁶ When Uriah’s wife heard that her husband was dead, she mourned for him. ²⁷ After the time of mourning^(BA) was over, David had her brought to his house, and she became his wife and bore him a son. But the thing David had done displeased^(BB) the Lord.

The Vine and the Branches

15 “I am^(A) the true vine,^(B) and my Father is the gardener. ² He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit,^(C) while every branch that does bear fruit^(D) he prunes^[a] so that it will be even more fruitful. ³ You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.^{(E) 4} Remain in me, as I also remain in you.^(F) No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

⁵ “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit;^(G) apart from me you can do nothing. ⁶ If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.^{(H) 7} If you remain in me^(I) and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.^{(J) 8} This is to my Father’s glory,^(K) that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.^(L)

⁹ “As the Father has loved me,^(M) so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. ¹⁰ If you keep my commands,^(N) you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. ¹¹ I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.^{(O) 12} My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.^{(P) 13} Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.^{(Q) 14} You are my friends^(R) if you do what I command.^{(S) 15} I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.^{(T) 16} You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you^(U) so that you might go and bear fruit^(V)—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.^{(W) 17} This is my command: Love each other.^(X)

The World Hates the Disciples

¹⁸ “If the world hates you,^(Y) keep in mind that it hated me first. ¹⁹ If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you^(Z) out of the world. That is why the world hates you.^{(AA) 20} Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’^[b](AB) If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also.^(AC) If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. ²¹ They will treat you this way because of my name,^(AD) for they do not know the one who sent me.^{(AE) 22} If I had not come and spoken to them,^(AF) they would not be guilty of sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin.^{(AG) 23} Whoever hates me hates my Father as well. ²⁴ If I had not done among them the works no one else did,^(AH) they would not be guilty of sin.^(AI) As it is, they have seen, and yet they have hated both me and my Father. ²⁵ But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law:^(AJ) ‘They hated me without reason.’^[c](AK)

The Work of the Holy Spirit

²⁶ “When the Advocate^(AL) comes, whom I will send to you from the Father^(AM)—the Spirit of truth^(AN) who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me.^{(AO) 27} And you also must testify,^(AP) for you have been with me from the beginning.^(AQ)

ז Zayin

ח Heth

The Lord’s Covenant with David

7 When the king had settled into his palace^(A) and the Lord had given him rest on every side from all his enemies, ² the king said to the prophet Nathan,^(B) “Look, I am living in a cedar house while the ark of God sits inside tent curtains.”^(C)

³ So Nathan told the king, “Go and do all that is on your mind, for the Lord is with you.”

⁴ But that night the word of the Lord came to Nathan: ⁵ “Go to my servant David and say, ‘This is what the Lord says: Are you to build me a house to dwell in?^{(D) 6} From the time I brought the Israelites out of Egypt until today I have not dwelt in a house; instead, I have been moving around with a tent as my dwelling.^{(E) 7} In all my journeys with all the Israelites, have I ever spoken a word to one of the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, asking: Why haven’t you built me a house of cedar?’

⁸ “So now this is what you are to say to my servant David: ‘This is what the Lord of Armies says: I took you from the pasture, from tending the flock, to be ruler over my people Israel.^{(F) 9} I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have destroyed all your enemies before you. I will make a great name^(G) for you like that of the greatest on the earth.^{(H) 10} I will designate a place^(I) for my people Israel and plant them,^(J) so that they may live there and not be disturbed again. Evildoers will not continue to oppress them as they have done ¹¹ ever since the day I ordered judges to be over my people Israel.^(K) I will give you rest from all your enemies.

“‘The Lord declares to you: The Lord himself will make a house for you. ¹² When your time comes and you rest with your fathers, I will raise up after you your descendant, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom.^{(L) 13} He is the one who will build a house for my name,^(M) and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.^{(N) 14} I will be his father, and he will be my son.^(O) When he does wrong, I will discipline him with a rod of men and blows from mortals. ¹⁵ But my faithful love will never leave him^(P) as it did when I removed it from Saul, whom I removed from before you.^{(Q) 16} Your house and kingdom will endure before me^[a] forever,^(R) and your throne will be established forever.’”^(S)

¹⁷ Nathan reported all these words and this entire vision to David.

David’s Prayer of Thanksgiving

¹⁸ Then King David went in,^(T) sat in the Lord’s presence, and said,

Who am I, Lord God, and what is my house that you have brought me this far? ¹⁹ What you have done so far^[b] was a little thing to you, Lord God, for you have also spoken about your servant’s house in the distant future. And this is a revelation^[c] for mankind, Lord God. ²⁰ What more can David say to you? You know your servant,^(U) Lord God. ²¹ Because of your word and according to your will, you have revealed all these great things to your servant.

²² This is why you are great,^(V) Lord God. There is no one like you, and there is no God besides you,^(W) as all we have heard confirms. ²³ And who is like your people Israel? God came to one nation on earth in order to redeem a people for himself, to make a name for himself, and to perform for them^[d] great and awesome acts,^[e] driving out nations and their gods before your people you redeemed for yourself from Egypt.^{(X) 24} You established your people Israel to be your own people forever, and you, Lord, have become their God.^(Y)

²⁵ Now, Lord God, fulfill the promise forever that you have made to your servant and his house. Do as you have promised, ²⁶ so that your name will be exalted forever, when it is said, “The Lord of Armies is God over Israel.” The house of your servant David^(Z) will be established before you ²⁷ since you, Lord of Armies, God of Israel, have revealed this to your servant when you said, “I will build a house for you.” Therefore, your servant has found the courage to pray this prayer to you. ²⁸ Lord God, you are God; your words are true, and you have promised this good thing to your servant. ²⁹ Now, please bless your servant’s house so that it will continue before you forever. For you, Lord God, have spoken, and with your blessing your servant’s house will be blessed forever.^(AA)

David’s Victories

8 After this, David defeated the Philistines,^(AB) subdued them, and took Metheg-ammah^[f] from Philistine control.^{[g](AC) 2} He also defeated the Moabites, and after making them lie down on the ground, he measured them off with a cord. He measured every two cord lengths of those to be put to death and one full length of those to be kept alive. So the Moabites became David’s subjects and brought tribute.^(AD)

³ David also defeated Hadadezer^(AE) son of Rehob, king of Zobah, when he went to restore his control at the Euphrates River. ⁴ David captured seventeen hundred horsemen^[h] and twenty thousand foot soldiers from him, and he hamstrung all the horses^(AF) and kept a hundred chariots.^[i]

⁵ When the Arameans of Damascus^(AG) came to assist King Hadadezer of Zobah, David struck down twenty-two thousand Aramean men. ⁶ Then he placed garrisons in Aram of Damascus, and the Arameans became David’s subjects and brought tribute. The Lord made David victorious wherever he went.^(AH)

⁷ David took the gold shields of Hadadezer’s officers and brought them to Jerusalem.^{(AI) 8} King David also took huge quantities of bronze from Betah^[j] and Berothai, Hadadezer’s cities.

⁹ When King Toi of Hamath^(AJ) heard that David had defeated the entire army of Hadadezer, ¹⁰ he sent his son Joram to King David to greet him and to congratulate him because David had fought against Hadadezer and defeated him, for Toi and Hadadezer had fought many wars. Joram had items of silver, gold, and bronze with him. ¹¹ King David also dedicated these to the Lord, along with the silver and gold he had dedicated from all the nations he had subdued^(AK)— ¹² from Edom,^[k] Moab, the Ammonites, the Philistines, the Amalekites, and the spoil of Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah.

¹³ David made a reputation^(AL) for himself when he returned from striking down eighteen thousand Edomites^[l] in Salt Valley.^{[m](AM) 14} He placed garrisons throughout Edom, and all the Edomites were subject to David.^(AN) The Lord made David victorious wherever he went.^(AO)

¹⁵ So David reigned over all Israel, administering justice and righteousness for all his people.^(AP)

Another Counselor Promised

¹⁵ “If you love me, you will keep^[a] my commands.^{(A) 16} And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor^[b](B) to be with you forever. ¹⁷ He is the Spirit^(C) of truth.^(D) The world is unable to receive him because it doesn’t see him or know him. But you do know him, because he remains with you and will be^[c] in you.^(E)

The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit

¹⁸ “I will not leave you as orphans; I am coming to you. ¹⁹ In a little while the world will no longer see me,^(F) but you will see me.^(G) Because I live, you will live^(H) too. ²⁰ On that day you will know that I am in my Father,^(I) you are in me, and I am in you. ²¹ The one who has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me.^(J) And the one who loves me will be loved by my Father.^(K) I also will love him and will reveal myself to him.”

²² Judas^(L) (not Iscariot) said to him, “Lord, how is it you’re going to reveal yourself to us and not to the world?” ^(M)

²³ Jesus answered, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.^{(N) 24} The one who doesn’t love me will not keep my words. The word that you hear is not mine but is from the Father who sent me.^(O)

²⁵ “I have spoken these things to you while I remain with you. ²⁶ But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit,^(P) whom the Father will send^(Q) in my name, will teach you all things^(R) and remind you of everything I have told you.^(S)

Jesus’s Gift of Peace

²⁷ “Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Don’t let your heart be troubled or fearful.^{(T) 28} You have heard me tell you, ‘I am going away^(U) and I am coming to you.’ If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father,^(V) because the Father is greater than I.^{(W) 29} I have told you now before it happens^(X) so that when it does happen you may believe. ³⁰ I will not talk with you much longer, because the ruler of the world^(Y) is coming. He has no power over me.^{[d](Z) 31} On the contrary, so that the world may know that I love the Father, I do as the Father commanded me.

“Get up; let’s leave this place.

ה He

ו Waw

The Assassination of Ish-bosheth

4 When Saul’s son Ish-bosheth heard that Abner had died in Hebron, he gave up,^[a] and all Israel was dismayed. ² Saul’s son had two men who were leaders of raiding parties: one named Baanah and the other Rechab, sons of Rimmon the Beerothite of the Benjaminites. Beeroth is also considered part of Benjamin, ³ and the Beerothites fled to Gittaim and still reside there as aliens today.

⁴ Saul’s son Jonathan had a son whose feet were crippled. He was five years old when the report about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel. His nanny^[b] picked him up and fled, but as she was hurrying to flee, he fell and became lame. His name was Mephibosheth.^(A)

⁵ Rechab and Baanah, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, set out and arrived at Ish-bosheth’s house during the heat of the day while the king was taking his midday nap. ⁶ They entered the interior of the house as if to get wheat and stabbed him in the stomach. Then Rechab and his brother Baanah escaped. ⁷ They had entered the house while Ish-bosheth was lying on his bed in his bedroom and stabbed and killed him. They removed his head, took it, and traveled by way of the Arabah^(B) all night. ⁸ They brought Ish-bosheth’s head to David at Hebron and said to the king, “Here’s the head of Ish-bosheth son of Saul, your enemy who intended to take your life. Today the Lord has granted vengeance to my lord the king against Saul and his offspring.”

⁹ But David answered Rechab and his brother Baanah, sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, “As the Lord lives, the one who has redeemed my life from every distress,^{(C) 10} when the person told me, ‘Look, Saul is dead,’ he thought he was a bearer of good news, but I seized him and put him to death at Ziklag.^(D) That was my reward to him for his news! ¹¹ How much more when wicked men kill a righteous man in his own house on his own bed! So now, should I not require his blood from you and purge you from the earth?” ^(E)

¹² So David gave orders to the young men, and they killed Rechab and Baanah. They cut off their hands and feet and hung their bodies by the pool in Hebron, but they took Ish-bosheth’s head and buried it in Abner’s tomb in Hebron.^(F)

David, King of Israel

5 All the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron^(G) and said, “Here we are, your own flesh and blood.^{[c](H) 2} Even while Saul was king over us, you were the one who led us out to battle and brought us back.^(I) The Lord also said to you, ‘You will shepherd my people Israel, and you will be ruler over Israel.’”

³ So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron. King David made a covenant with them^(J) at Hebron in the Lord’s presence, and they anointed David king over Israel.

⁴ David was thirty years old when he began his reign;^(K) he reigned forty years. ⁵ In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty-three years over all Israel and Judah.

⁶ The king and his men marched to Jerusalem against the Jebusites^(L) who inhabited the land. The Jebusites had said to David: “You will never get in here. Even the blind and lame can repel you” thinking, “David can’t get in here.”

⁷ Yet David did capture the stronghold of Zion, that is, the city of David.^{(M) 8} He said that day, “Whoever attacks the Jebusites must go through the water shaft to reach the lame and the blind who are despised by David.”^[d] For this reason it is said, “The blind and the lame will never enter the house.”^[e]

⁹ David took up residence in the stronghold, which he named the city of David. He built it up all the way around from the supporting terraces inward. ¹⁰ David became more and more powerful,^(N) and the Lord God of Armies was with him.^{(O) 11} King Hiram of Tyre sent envoys to David; he also sent cedar logs, carpenters, and stonemasons,^(P) and they built a palace for David. ¹² Then David knew that the Lord had established him as king over Israel and had exalted his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel.

¹³ After he arrived from Hebron, David took more concubines and wives from Jerusalem, and more sons and daughters were born to him. ¹⁴ These are the names of those born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan,^(Q) Solomon, ¹⁵ Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia, ¹⁶ Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet.^(R)

¹⁷ When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over Israel,^(S) they all went in search of David, but he heard about it and went down to the stronghold.^{(T) 18} So the Philistines came and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim.

¹⁹ Then David inquired of the Lord:^(U) “Should I attack the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?”

The Lord replied to David, “Attack, for I will certainly hand the Philistines over to you.”

²⁰ So David went to Baal-perazim and defeated them there and said, “Like a bursting flood, the Lord has burst out against my enemies before me.”^(V) Therefore, he named that place The Lord Bursts Out.^{[f] 21} The Philistines abandoned their idols there, and David and his men carried them off.

²² The Philistines came up again and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim. ²³ So David inquired of the Lord, and he answered, “Do not attack directly, but circle around behind them and come at them opposite the balsam trees. ²⁴ When you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, act decisively, for then the Lord will have gone out ahead of you to strike down the army of the Philistines.”^{(W) 25} So David did exactly as the Lord commanded him, and he struck down the Philistines all the way from Geba to Gezer.

David Moves the Ark

6 David again assembled all the fit young men in Israel:^(X) thirty thousand. ² He and all his troops set out^(Y) to bring the ark of God from Baale-judah.^[g] The ark bears the Name, the name of the Lord of Armies who is enthroned between the cherubim.^{(Z) 3} They set the ark of God on a new cart and transported it from Abinadab’s house, which was on the hill. Uzzah and Ahio,^[h] sons of Abinadab, were guiding the cart^{(AA) 4} and brought it with the ark of God from Abinadab’s house on the hill. Ahio walked in front of the ark. ⁵ David and the whole house of Israel were dancing before the Lord with all kinds of fir wood instruments,^[i] lyres, harps, tambourines, sistrums,^[j] and cymbals.^(AB)

⁶ When they came to Nacon’s threshing floor, Uzzah reached out to the ark of God and took hold of it because the oxen had stumbled. ⁷ Then the Lord’s anger burned against Uzzah,^(AC) and God struck him dead on the spot for his irreverence,^(AD) and he died there next to the ark of God. ⁸ David was angry because of the Lord’s outburst against Uzzah, so he named that place Outburst Against Uzzah,^[k] as it is today. ⁹ David feared the Lord that day and said, “How can the ark of the Lord ever come to me?” ¹⁰ So he was not willing to bring the ark of the Lord to the city of David;^(AE) instead, he diverted it to the house of Obed-edom of Gath. ¹¹ The ark of the Lord remained in his house three months, and the Lord blessed Obed-edom^(AF) and his whole family.

¹² It was reported to King David: “The Lord has blessed Obed-edom’s family and all that belongs to him because of the ark of God.” So David went and had the ark of God brought up from Obed-edom’s house to the city of David with rejoicing.^{(AG) 13} When those carrying the ark of the Lord advanced six steps, he sacrificed an ox and a fattened calf.^{(AH) 14} David was dancing^[l] with all his might before the Lord wearing a linen ephod.^{(AI) 15} He and the whole house of Israel were bringing up the ark of the Lord with shouts and the sound of the ram’s horn. ¹⁶ As the ark of the Lord was entering the city of David,^(AJ) Saul’s daughter Michal looked down from the window and saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, and she despised him in her heart.

¹⁷ They brought the ark of the Lord and set it in its place inside the tent David had pitched for it.^(AK) Then David offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings in the Lord’s presence. ¹⁸ When David had finished offering the burnt offering and the fellowship offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of Armies. ¹⁹ Then he distributed a loaf of bread, a date cake, and a raisin cake to each one in the entire Israelite community, both men and women.^(AL) Then all the people went home.

²⁰ When David returned home to bless his household,^(AM) Saul’s daughter Michal came out to meet him. “How the king of Israel honored himself today!” she said. “He exposed himself today in the sight of the slave girls of his subjects like a vulgar person would expose himself.”

²¹ David replied to Michal, “It was before the Lord who chose me over your father and his whole family to appoint me ruler over the Lord’s people Israel.^(AN) I will dance before the Lord, ²² and I will dishonor myself and humble myself even more.^[m][n] However, by the slave girls you spoke about, I will be honored.” ²³ And Saul’s daughter Michal had no child to the day of her death.

The New Command

³¹ When^(A) he had left, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man^(B) is glorified, and God is glorified^(C) in him.^{(D) 32} If God is glorified in him,^[a] God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once. ³³ Children, I am with you a little while longer.^(E) You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so now I tell you: ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’^(F)

³⁴ “I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another. ³⁵ By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love^(G) one another.”

Peter’s Denials Predicted

³⁶ “Lord,” Simon Peter said to him, “where are you going?”

Jesus answered, “Where I am going^(H) you cannot follow me now, but you will follow later.”

³⁷ “Lord,” Peter asked, “why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life^(I) for you.”^(J)

³⁸ Jesus replied, “Will you lay down your life for me? Truly I tell you, a rooster will not crow until you have denied me three times.

The Way to the Father

14 “Don’t let your heart be troubled.^(K) Believe^[b] in God; ^(L) believe also in me. ² In my Father’s house are many rooms; if not, I would have told you. I am going away^(M) to prepare a place for you. ³ If I go away and prepare a place for you, I will come again^(N) and take you to myself, so that where I am you may be also.^{(O) 4} You know the way to where I am going.”^[c](P)

⁵ “Lord,” Thomas^(Q) said, “we don’t know where you’re going. How can we know the way?”

⁶ Jesus told him, “I am^(R) the way,^(S) the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. ⁷ If you know me, you will also know^[d] my Father.^(T) From now on you do know him^(U) and have seen him.”

Jesus Reveals the Father

⁸ “Lord,” said Philip,^(V) “show us the Father, and that’s enough for us.”

⁹ Jesus said to him, “Have I been among you all this time and you do not know me, Philip? The one who has seen me has seen the Father.^(W) How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? ¹⁰ Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me?^(X) The words I speak to you I do not speak on my own.^(Y) The Father who lives in me does his works.^{(Z) 11} Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me. Otherwise, believe^[e] because of the works themselves.^(AA)

Praying in Jesus’s Name

¹² “Truly I tell you, the one who believes in me^(AB) will also do the works that I do. And he will do even greater works than these,^(AC) because I am going to the Father.^{(AD) 13} Whatever you ask in my name, I will do it so that the Father may be glorified^(AE) in the Son.^{(AF) 14} If you ask me^[f] anything in my name,^(AG) I will do it.^[g](AH)

ג Gimel

ד Daleth

The Assassination of Ish-bosheth

4 When Saul’s son Ish-bosheth heard that Abner had died in Hebron, he gave up,^[a] and all Israel was dismayed. ² Saul’s son had two men who were leaders of raiding parties: one named Baanah and the other Rechab, sons of Rimmon the Beerothite of the Benjaminites. Beeroth is also considered part of Benjamin, ³ and the Beerothites fled to Gittaim and still reside there as aliens today.

⁴ Saul’s son Jonathan had a son whose feet were crippled. He was five years old when the report about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel. His nanny^[b] picked him up and fled, but as she was hurrying to flee, he fell and became lame. His name was Mephibosheth.^(A)

⁵ Rechab and Baanah, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, set out and arrived at Ish-bosheth’s house during the heat of the day while the king was taking his midday nap. ⁶ They entered the interior of the house as if to get wheat and stabbed him in the stomach. Then Rechab and his brother Baanah escaped. ⁷ They had entered the house while Ish-bosheth was lying on his bed in his bedroom and stabbed and killed him. They removed his head, took it, and traveled by way of the Arabah^(B) all night. ⁸ They brought Ish-bosheth’s head to David at Hebron and said to the king, “Here’s the head of Ish-bosheth son of Saul, your enemy who intended to take your life. Today the Lord has granted vengeance to my lord the king against Saul and his offspring.”

⁹ But David answered Rechab and his brother Baanah, sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, “As the Lord lives, the one who has redeemed my life from every distress,^{(C) 10} when the person told me, ‘Look, Saul is dead,’ he thought he was a bearer of good news, but I seized him and put him to death at Ziklag.^(D) That was my reward to him for his news! ¹¹ How much more when wicked men kill a righteous man in his own house on his own bed! So now, should I not require his blood from you and purge you from the earth?” ^(E)

¹² So David gave orders to the young men, and they killed Rechab and Baanah. They cut off their hands and feet and hung their bodies by the pool in Hebron, but they took Ish-bosheth’s head and buried it in Abner’s tomb in Hebron.^(F)

David, King of Israel

5 All the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron^(G) and said, “Here we are, your own flesh and blood.^{[c](H) 2} Even while Saul was king over us, you were the one who led us out to battle and brought us back.^(I) The Lord also said to you, ‘You will shepherd my people Israel, and you will be ruler over Israel.’”

³ So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron. King David made a covenant with them^(J) at Hebron in the Lord’s presence, and they anointed David king over Israel.

⁴ David was thirty years old when he began his reign;^(K) he reigned forty years. ⁵ In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty-three years over all Israel and Judah.

⁶ The king and his men marched to Jerusalem against the Jebusites^(L) who inhabited the land. The Jebusites had said to David: “You will never get in here. Even the blind and lame can repel you” thinking, “David can’t get in here.”

⁷ Yet David did capture the stronghold of Zion, that is, the city of David.^{(M) 8} He said that day, “Whoever attacks the Jebusites must go through the water shaft to reach the lame and the blind who are despised by David.”^[d] For this reason it is said, “The blind and the lame will never enter the house.”^[e]

⁹ David took up residence in the stronghold, which he named the city of David. He built it up all the way around from the supporting terraces inward. ¹⁰ David became more and more powerful,^(N) and the Lord God of Armies was with him.^{(O) 11} King Hiram of Tyre sent envoys to David; he also sent cedar logs, carpenters, and stonemasons,^(P) and they built a palace for David. ¹² Then David knew that the Lord had established him as king over Israel and had exalted his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel.

¹³ After he arrived from Hebron, David took more concubines and wives from Jerusalem, and more sons and daughters were born to him. ¹⁴ These are the names of those born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan,^(Q) Solomon, ¹⁵ Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia, ¹⁶ Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet.^(R)

¹⁷ When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over Israel,^(S) they all went in search of David, but he heard about it and went down to the stronghold.^{(T) 18} So the Philistines came and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim.

¹⁹ Then David inquired of the Lord:^(U) “Should I attack the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?”

The Lord replied to David, “Attack, for I will certainly hand the Philistines over to you.”

²⁰ So David went to Baal-perazim and defeated them there and said, “Like a bursting flood, the Lord has burst out against my enemies before me.”^(V) Therefore, he named that place The Lord Bursts Out.^{[f] 21} The Philistines abandoned their idols there, and David and his men carried them off.

²² The Philistines came up again and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim. ²³ So David inquired of the Lord, and he answered, “Do not attack directly, but circle around behind them and come at them opposite the balsam trees. ²⁴ When you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, act decisively, for then the Lord will have gone out ahead of you to strike down the army of the Philistines.”^{(W) 25} So David did exactly as the Lord commanded him, and he struck down the Philistines all the way from Geba to Gezer.

David Moves the Ark

6 David again assembled all the fit young men in Israel:^(X) thirty thousand. ² He and all his troops set out^(Y) to bring the ark of God from Baale-judah.^[g] The ark bears the Name, the name of the Lord of Armies who is enthroned between the cherubim.^{(Z) 3} They set the ark of God on a new cart and transported it from Abinadab’s house, which was on the hill. Uzzah and Ahio,^[h] sons of Abinadab, were guiding the cart^{(AA) 4} and brought it with the ark of God from Abinadab’s house on the hill. Ahio walked in front of the ark. ⁵ David and the whole house of Israel were dancing before the Lord with all kinds of fir wood instruments,^[i] lyres, harps, tambourines, sistrums,^[j] and cymbals.^(AB)

⁶ When they came to Nacon’s threshing floor, Uzzah reached out to the ark of God and took hold of it because the oxen had stumbled. ⁷ Then the Lord’s anger burned against Uzzah,^(AC) and God struck him dead on the spot for his irreverence,^(AD) and he died there next to the ark of God. ⁸ David was angry because of the Lord’s outburst against Uzzah, so he named that place Outburst Against Uzzah,^[k] as it is today. ⁹ David feared the Lord that day and said, “How can the ark of the Lord ever come to me?” ¹⁰ So he was not willing to bring the ark of the Lord to the city of David;^(AE) instead, he diverted it to the house of Obed-edom of Gath. ¹¹ The ark of the Lord remained in his house three months, and the Lord blessed Obed-edom^(AF) and his whole family.

¹² It was reported to King David: “The Lord has blessed Obed-edom’s family and all that belongs to him because of the ark of God.” So David went and had the ark of God brought up from Obed-edom’s house to the city of David with rejoicing.^{(AG) 13} When those carrying the ark of the Lord advanced six steps, he sacrificed an ox and a fattened calf.^{(AH) 14} David was dancing^[l] with all his might before the Lord wearing a linen ephod.^{(AI) 15} He and the whole house of Israel were bringing up the ark of the Lord with shouts and the sound of the ram’s horn. ¹⁶ As the ark of the Lord was entering the city of David,^(AJ) Saul’s daughter Michal looked down from the window and saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, and she despised him in her heart.

¹⁷ They brought the ark of the Lord and set it in its place inside the tent David had pitched for it.^(AK) Then David offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings in the Lord’s presence. ¹⁸ When David had finished offering the burnt offering and the fellowship offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of Armies. ¹⁹ Then he distributed a loaf of bread, a date cake, and a raisin cake to each one in the entire Israelite community, both men and women.^(AL) Then all the people went home.

²⁰ When David returned home to bless his household,^(AM) Saul’s daughter Michal came out to meet him. “How the king of Israel honored himself today!” she said. “He exposed himself today in the sight of the slave girls of his subjects like a vulgar person would expose himself.”

²¹ David replied to Michal, “It was before the Lord who chose me over your father and his whole family to appoint me ruler over the Lord’s people Israel.^(AN) I will dance before the Lord, ²² and I will dishonor myself and humble myself even more.^[m][n] However, by the slave girls you spoke about, I will be honored.” ²³ And Saul’s daughter Michal had no child to the day of her death.

The New Command

³¹ When^(A) he had left, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man^(B) is glorified, and God is glorified^(C) in him.^{(D) 32} If God is glorified in him,^[a] God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once. ³³ Children, I am with you a little while longer.^(E) You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so now I tell you: ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’^(F)

³⁴ “I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another. ³⁵ By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love^(G) one another.”

Peter’s Denials Predicted

³⁶ “Lord,” Simon Peter said to him, “where are you going?”

Jesus answered, “Where I am going^(H) you cannot follow me now, but you will follow later.”

³⁷ “Lord,” Peter asked, “why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life^(I) for you.”^(J)

³⁸ Jesus replied, “Will you lay down your life for me? Truly I tell you, a rooster will not crow until you have denied me three times.

The Way to the Father

14 “Don’t let your heart be troubled.^(K) Believe^[b] in God; ^(L) believe also in me. ² In my Father’s house are many rooms; if not, I would have told you. I am going away^(M) to prepare a place for you. ³ If I go away and prepare a place for you, I will come again^(N) and take you to myself, so that where I am you may be also.^{(O) 4} You know the way to where I am going.”^[c](P)

⁵ “Lord,” Thomas^(Q) said, “we don’t know where you’re going. How can we know the way?”

⁶ Jesus told him, “I am^(R) the way,^(S) the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. ⁷ If you know me, you will also know^[d] my Father.^(T) From now on you do know him^(U) and have seen him.”

Jesus Reveals the Father

⁸ “Lord,” said Philip,^(V) “show us the Father, and that’s enough for us.”

⁹ Jesus said to him, “Have I been among you all this time and you do not know me, Philip? The one who has seen me has seen the Father.^(W) How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? ¹⁰ Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me?^(X) The words I speak to you I do not speak on my own.^(Y) The Father who lives in me does his works.^{(Z) 11} Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me. Otherwise, believe^[e] because of the works themselves.^(AA)

Praying in Jesus’s Name

¹² “Truly I tell you, the one who believes in me^(AB) will also do the works that I do. And he will do even greater works than these,^(AC) because I am going to the Father.^{(AD) 13} Whatever you ask in my name, I will do it so that the Father may be glorified^(AE) in the Son.^{(AF) 14} If you ask me^[f] anything in my name,^(AG) I will do it.^[g](AH)

ג Gimel

ד Daleth

¹² Abner son of Ner and soldiers of Ish-bosheth son of Saul marched out from Mahanaim to Gibeon. ¹³ So Joab son of Zeruiah and David’s soldiers marched out and met them by the pool of Gibeon.^(A) The two groups took up positions on opposite sides of the pool.

¹⁴ Then Abner said to Joab, “Let’s have the young men get up and compete in front of us.”

“Let them get up,” Joab replied.

¹⁵ So they got up and were counted off—twelve for Benjamin and Ish-bosheth son of Saul, and twelve from David’s soldiers. ¹⁶ Then each man grabbed his opponent by the head and thrust his sword into his opponent’s side so that they all died together. So this place, which is in Gibeon, is named Field of Blades.^[a]

¹⁷ The battle that day was extremely fierce, and Abner and the men of Israel were defeated by David’s soldiers. ¹⁸ The three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab, Abishai, and Asahel.^(B) Asahel was a fast runner, like one of the wild gazelles.^{(C) 19} He chased Abner and did not turn to the right or the left in his pursuit of him. ²⁰ Abner glanced back and said, “Is that you, Asahel?”

“Yes it is,” Asahel replied.

²¹ Abner said to him, “Turn to your right or left, seize one of the young soldiers, and take whatever you can get from him.” But Asahel would not stop chasing him. ²² Once again, Abner warned Asahel, “Stop chasing me. Why should I strike you to the ground? How could I ever look your brother Joab in the face?” ^(D)

²³ But Asahel refused to turn away, so Abner hit him in the stomach with the butt of his spear. The spear went through his body, and he fell and died right there. As they all came to the place where Asahel had fallen and died, they stopped, ²⁴ but Joab and Abishai pursued Abner. By sunset, they had gone as far as the hill of Ammah, which is opposite Giah on the way to the wilderness of Gibeon.

²⁵ The Benjaminites rallied to Abner; they formed a unit and took their stand on top of a hill. ²⁶ Then Abner called out to Joab: “Must the sword devour forever? Don’t you realize this will only end in bitterness? How long before you tell the troops to stop pursuing their brothers?”

²⁷ “As God lives,” Joab replied, “if you had not spoken up, the troops wouldn’t have stopped pursuing their brothers until morning.”^{(E) 28} Then Joab blew the ram’s horn, and all the troops stopped; they no longer pursued Israel or continued to fight. ²⁹ So Abner and his men marched through the Arabah all that night. They crossed the Jordan, marched all morning,^[b] and arrived at Mahanaim.^(F)

³⁰ When Joab had turned back from pursuing Abner, he gathered all the troops. In addition to Asahel, nineteen of David’s soldiers were missing, ³¹ but they had killed 360 of the Benjaminites and Abner’s men. ³² Afterward, they carried Asahel to his father’s tomb in Bethlehem and buried him. Then Joab and his men marched all night and reached Hebron at dawn.

Civil War

3 During the long war between the house of Saul and the house of David,^(G) David was growing stronger^(H) and the house of Saul was becoming weaker.

² Sons were born to David in Hebron:

These were born to David in Hebron.^(O)

⁶ During the war between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner kept acquiring more power in the house of Saul.^{(P) 7} Now Saul had a concubine whose name was Rizpah^(Q) daughter of Aiah, and Ish-bosheth questioned Abner, “Why did you sleep with my father’s concubine?”

⁸ Abner was very angry about Ish-bosheth’s accusation. “Am I a dog’s head^[c](R) who belongs to Judah?” he asked. “All this time I’ve been loyal to the family of your father Saul, to his brothers, and to his friends and haven’t betrayed you to David, but now you accuse me of wrongdoing with this woman! ⁹ May God punish Abner and do so severely if I don’t do for David what the Lord swore to him: ¹⁰ to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul and establish the throne of David over Israel and Judah^(S) from Dan to Beer-sheba.” ¹¹ Ish-bosheth did not dare respond to Abner because he was afraid of him.

¹² Abner sent messengers as his representatives to say to David, “Whose land is it? Make your covenant with me, and you can be certain I am on your side to turn all Israel over to you.”

¹³ David replied, “Good, I will make a covenant with you. However, there’s one thing I require of you: You will not see my face unless you first bring Saul’s daughter Michal^(T) when you come to see me.”

¹⁴ Then David sent messengers to say to Ish-bosheth son of Saul, “Give me back my wife, Michal. I was engaged to her for the price of a hundred Philistine foreskins.”^(U)

¹⁵ So Ish-bosheth sent someone to take her away from her husband, Paltiel son of Laish.^{(V) 16} Her husband followed her, weeping all the way to Bahurim. Abner said to him, “Go back.” So he went back.

The Assassination of Abner

¹⁷ Abner conferred with the elders of Israel: “In the past you wanted David to be king over you. ¹⁸ Now take action, because the Lord has spoken concerning David: ‘Through my servant David I will save my people Israel from the power of the Philistines and the power of all Israel’s enemies.’”

¹⁹ Abner also informed the Benjaminites and went to Hebron to inform David about all that was agreed on by Israel and the whole house of Benjamin.^{(W) 20} When Abner and twenty men came to David at Hebron, David held a banquet for him and his men.

²¹ Abner said to David, “Let me now go and I will gather all Israel to my lord the king. They will make a covenant with you,^(X) and you will reign over all you desire.” So David dismissed Abner, and he went in peace.

²² Just then David’s soldiers and Joab returned from a raid and brought a large amount of plundered goods with them. Abner was not with David in Hebron because David had dismissed him, and he had gone in peace. ²³ When Joab and his whole army arrived, Joab was informed, “Abner son of Ner came to see the king, the king dismissed him, and he went in peace.”

²⁴ Joab went to the king and said, “What have you done? Look here, Abner came to you. Why did you dismiss him? Now he’s getting away. ²⁵ You know that Abner son of Ner came to deceive you and to find out about your military activities^[d] and everything you’re doing.” ²⁶ Then Joab left David and sent messengers after Abner. They brought him back from the well^[e] of Sirah, but David was unaware of it. ²⁷ When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab pulled him aside to the middle of the city gate, as if to speak to him privately, and there Joab stabbed him in the stomach. So Abner died in revenge for the death of Asahel,^[f] Joab’s brother.^(Y)

²⁸ David heard about it later and said: “I and my kingdom are forever innocent before the Lord concerning the blood of Abner son of Ner. ²⁹ May it hang over Joab’s head and his father’s whole family, and may the house of Joab never be without someone who has a discharge or a skin disease,^(Z) or a man who can only work a spindle,^[g] or someone who falls by the sword or starves.” ³⁰ Joab and his brother Abishai killed Abner because he had put their brother Asahel to death in the battle at Gibeon.^(AA)

³¹ David then ordered Joab and all the people who were with him, “Tear your clothes, put on sackcloth,^(AB) and mourn over Abner.” And King David walked behind the coffin.^[h]

³² When they buried Abner in Hebron, the king wept aloud at Abner’s tomb. All the people wept, ³³ and the king sang a lament for Abner:^(AC)

And all the people wept over him even more.

³⁵ Then they came to urge David to eat food while it was still day, but David took an oath: “May God punish me and do so severely if I taste bread or anything else before sunset!” ^{(AD) 36} All the people took note of this, and it pleased them. In fact, everything the king did pleased them. ³⁷ On that day all the troops and all Israel were convinced that the king had no part in the killing of Abner son of Ner.

³⁸ Then the king said to his soldiers, “You must know that a great leader has fallen in Israel today. ³⁹ As for me, even though I am the anointed king, I have little power today. These men, the sons of Zeruiah, are too fierce for me.^(AE) May the Lord repay the evildoer according to his evil!” ^(AF)

Jesus Washes His Disciples’ Feet

13 Before the Passover Festival, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world to the Father.^(A) Having loved his own who were in the world,^(B) he loved them to the end.

² Now when it was time for supper, the devil^(C) had already put it into the heart of Judas,^(D) Simon Iscariot’s son,^[a] to betray^(E) him. ³ Jesus knew that the Father had given everything into his hands,^(F) that he had come from God,^(G) and that he was going back to God.^{(H) 4} So he got up from supper, laid aside his outer clothing,^(I) took a towel, and tied it around himself.^{(J) 5} Next, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet and to dry them with the towel tied around him.

⁶ He came to Simon Peter,^(K) who asked him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”

⁷ Jesus answered him, “What I’m doing you don’t realize now, but afterward you will understand.”^(L)

⁸ “You will never wash my feet,” Peter said.

Jesus replied, “If I don’t wash you, you have no part with me.”

⁹ Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not only my feet, but also my hands and my head.”

¹⁰ “One who has bathed,” Jesus told him, “doesn’t need to wash anything except his feet, but he is completely clean. You are clean, but not all of you.” ¹¹ For he knew who would betray him. This is why he said, “Not all of you are clean.”

The Meaning of Foot Washing

¹² When Jesus had washed their feet and put on his outer clothing, he reclined again and said to them, “Do you know what I have done for you? ¹³ You call me Teacher and Lord—and you are speaking rightly, since that is what I am. ¹⁴ So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.^{(M) 15} For I have given you an example,^(N) that you also should do just as I have done for you.

¹⁶ “Truly I tell you, a servant is not greater than his master,^[b](O) and a messenger is not greater than the one who sent him. ¹⁷ If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.^(P)

¹⁸ “I’m not speaking about all of you; I know those I have chosen.^(Q) But the Scripture^(R) must be fulfilled: ^(S) The one who eats my bread^[c] has raised his heel against me.^{[d](T) 19} I am telling you now before it happens,^(U) so that when it does happen you will believe^(V) that I am he.^{(W) 20} Truly I tell you, whoever receives anyone I send receives me, and the one who receives^(X) me receives him who sent me.”

Judas’s Betrayal Predicted

²¹ When^(Y) Jesus had said this, he was troubled in his spirit^(Z) and testified,^(AA) “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.”

²² The disciples started looking at one another—uncertain which one he was speaking about. ²³ One of his disciples, the one Jesus loved,^(AB) was reclining close beside Jesus.^{[e] 24} Simon Peter motioned to him to find out who it was he was talking about. ²⁵ So he leaned back against Jesus and asked him, “Lord, who is it?”

²⁶ Jesus replied, “He’s the one I give the piece of bread to after I have dipped it.”^(AC) When he had dipped the bread,^(AD) he gave it to Judas, Simon Iscariot’s son.^{[f] 27} After Judas ate the piece of bread, Satan^(AE) entered him. So Jesus told him, “What you’re doing, do quickly.”

²⁸ None of those reclining at the table knew why he said this to him. ²⁹ Since Judas^(AF) kept the money-bag, some thought that Jesus was telling him, “Buy what we need for the festival,”^(AG) or that he should give something to the poor. ³⁰ After receiving the piece of bread, he immediately left. And it was night.^(AH)

Psalm 119

Delight in God’s Word

א Aleph

ב Beth