The Daily Audio Bible Reading for Monday July 18, 2022 (NIV)

¹² These divisions of the gatekeepers, corresponding to their chief men, had duties, just as their brothers did, ministering in the house of the Lord. ¹³ And they cast lots by fathers' houses, ^(A)small and great alike, for their gates. ¹⁴ The lot for the east fell to Shelemiah. They cast lots also for his son Zechariah, a shrewd counselor, and his lot came out for the north. ¹⁵ Obed-edom's came out for the south, and to his sons was allotted ^(B)the gatehouse. ¹⁶ For Shuppim and ^(C)Hosah it came out for the west, at the gate of Shallecheth on the road that goes up. Watch corresponded to watch. ¹⁷ On the east there were six each day,^[a] on the north four each day, on the south four each day, as well as two and two at the gatehouse. ¹⁸ And for the ^(D)colonnade^[b] on the west there were four at the road and two at the colonnade. ¹⁹ These were the divisions of the gatekeepers among the Korahites and the sons of Merari.

Treasurers and Other Officials

²⁰ And of the Levites, Ahijah had charge of ^(E)the treasuries of the house of God and the treasuries of the dedicated gifts. ²¹ The sons of Ladan, the sons of the Gershonites belonging to Ladan, the heads of the fathers' houses belonging to Ladan the Gershonite: ^(F)Jehieli.^[c]

^22 (G)The sons of Jehieli, Zetham, and Joel his brother, were in charge of the treasuries of the house of the Lord. ^23 (H)Of the Amramites, the Izharites, the Hebronites, and the Uzzielites— ²⁴ and ^(I)Shebuel the son of Gershom, son of Moses, was chief officer in charge of the treasuries. ²⁵ His brothers: from ^(J)Eliezer were his son Rehabiah, and his son ^(K)Jeshaiah, and his son Joram, and his son Zichri, and his son ^(L)Shelomoth. ²⁶ This Shelomoth and his brothers were in charge of all the treasuries of the dedicated gifts that David the king and the heads of the fathers' houses and the officers of the thousands and the hundreds and the commanders of the army ^(M)had dedicated. ²⁷ From spoil won in battles they dedicated gifts for the maintenance of the house of the Lord. ²⁸ Also all that ^(N)Samuel the seer and Saul the son of Kish and Abner the son of Ner and Joab the son of Zeruiah had dedicated—all dedicated gifts were in the care of ^(O)Shelomoth^[d] and his brothers.

²⁹ Of the Izharites, Chenaniah and his sons were appointed to ^(P)external duties for Israel, ^(Q)as officers and judges. ³⁰ Of the Hebronites, ^(R)Hashabiah and his brothers, 1,700 men of ability, had the oversight of Israel westward of the Jordan for all the work of the Lord and for the service of the king. ³¹ Of the Hebronites, ^(S)Jerijah was chief of the Hebronites of whatever genealogy or fathers' houses. (In the fortieth year of David's reign search was made and men of great ability among them were found at ^(T)Jazer in Gilead.) ³² King David appointed him and his brothers, 2,700 men of ability, heads of fathers' houses, to have the oversight of the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of the Manassites for everything pertaining to God and for ^(U)the affairs of the king.

Military Divisions

27 This is the number of the people of Israel, the heads of fathers' houses, the commanders of thousands and hundreds, and their officers who served the king in all matters concerning the divisions that came and went, month after month throughout the year, each division numbering 24,000:

^2 (V)Jashobeam the son of Zabdiel was in charge of the first division in the first month; in his division were 24,000. ³ He was a ^(W)descendant of Perez and was chief of all the commanders. He served for the first month. ^4 (X)Dodai the Ahohite^[e] was in charge of the division of the second month; in his division were 24,000. ⁵ The third commander, for the third month, was ^(Y)Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada the chief priest; in his division were 24,000. ⁶ This is the Benaiah ^(Z)who was a mighty man of the thirty and in command of the thirty; Ammizabad his son was in charge of his division.^{[f] 7 (AA)}Asahel the brother of Joab was fourth, for the fourth month, and his son Zebadiah after him; in his division were 24,000. ⁸ The fifth commander, for the fifth month, was ^(AB)Shamhuth the Izrahite; in his division were 24,000. ⁹ Sixth, for the sixth month, was ^(AC)Ira, the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite; in his division were 24,000. ¹⁰ Seventh, for the seventh month, was ^(AD)Helez the Pelonite, of the sons of Ephraim; in his division were 24,000. ¹¹ Eighth, for the eighth month, was ^(AE)Sibbecai the Hushathite, of the Zerahites; in his division were 24,000. ¹² Ninth, for the ninth month, was ^(AF)Abiezer of Anathoth, a Benjaminite; in his division were 24,000. ¹³ Tenth, for the tenth month, was ^(AG)Maharai of Netophah, of the Zerahites; in his division were 24,000. ¹⁴ Eleventh, for the eleventh month, was ^(AH)Benaiah of Pirathon, of the sons of Ephraim; in his division were 24,000. ¹⁵ Twelfth, for the twelfth month, was ^(AI)Heldai the Netophathite, of ^(AJ)Othniel; in his division were 24,000.

Leaders of Tribes

¹⁶ Over the tribes of Israel, for the Reubenites, Eliezer the son of Zichri was chief officer; for the Simeonites, Shephatiah the son of Maacah; ¹⁷ for Levi, ^(AK)Hashabiah the son of Kemuel; for Aaron, ^(AL)Zadok; ¹⁸ for Judah, Elihu, one of David's brothers; for Issachar, Omri the son of Michael; ¹⁹ for Zebulun, Ishmaiah the son of Obadiah; for Naphtali, Jeremoth the son of Azriel; ²⁰ for the Ephraimites, Hoshea the son of Azaziah; for the half-tribe of Manasseh, Joel the son of Pedaiah; ²¹ for the half-tribe of Manasseh in Gilead, Iddo the son of Zechariah; for Benjamin, Jaasiel the son of Abner; ²² for Dan, Azarel the son of Jeroham. These were the ^(AM)leaders of the tribes of Israel. ²³ David did not count those below twenty years of age, for the ^(AN)Lord had promised to make Israel as many as the stars of heaven. ²⁴ Joab the son of Zeruiah began to count, but ^(AO)did not finish. Yet ^(AP)wrath came upon Israel for this, and the number was not entered in the chronicles of King David.

²⁵ Over the king's treasuries was ^(AQ)Azmaveth the son of Adiel; and over the treasuries in the country, in the cities, in the villages, and in the towers, was Jonathan the son of Uzziah; ²⁶ and over those who did the work of the field for tilling the soil was Ezri the son of Chelub; ²⁷ and over the vineyards was Shimei the Ramathite; and over the produce of the vineyards for the wine cellars was Zabdi the Shiphmite. ²⁸ Over the olive and ^(AR)sycamore trees in the Shephelah was Baal-hanan the Gederite; and over the stores of oil was Joash. ²⁹ Over the herds that pastured in ^(AS)Sharon was Shitrai the Sharonite; over the herds in the valleys was Shaphat the son of Adlai. ³⁰ Over the camels was Obil the Ishmaelite; and over the donkeys was Jehdeiah the Meronothite. Over the flocks was Jaziz the ^(AT)Hagrite. ³¹ All these were stewards of King David's property.

³² Jonathan, David's uncle, was a counselor, being a man of understanding and a scribe. He and Jehiel the son of Hachmoni attended the king's sons. ^33 (AU)Ahithophel was the ^(AV)king's counselor, and Hushai the Archite was the king's friend. ³⁴ Ahithophel was succeeded by Jehoiada the son of ^(AW)Benaiah, and ^(AX)Abiathar. Joab was ^(AY)commander of the king's army.

The Promise Realized Through Faith

¹³ For ^(A)the promise to Abraham and his offspring ^(B)that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith. ^14 (C)For if it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. ¹⁵ For ^(D)the law brings wrath, but ^(E)where there is no law ^(F)there is no transgression.

¹⁶ That is why it depends on faith, ^(G)in order that the promise may rest on grace and ^(H)be guaranteed to all his offspring—not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, ^(I)who is the father of us all, ¹⁷ as it is written, ^(J)“I have made you the father of many nations”—in the presence of the God in whom he believed, ^(K)who gives life to the dead and calls into existence ^(L)the things that do not exist. ¹⁸ In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, ^(M)“So shall your offspring be.” ¹⁹ He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was ^(N)as good as dead (^(O)since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered ^(P)the barrenness^[a] of Sarah's womb. ²⁰ No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, ²¹ fully convinced that ^(Q)God was able to do what he had promised. ²² That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.” ²³ But ^(R)the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone, ²⁴ but for ours also. It will be counted to us ^(S)who believe in ^(T)him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, ^25 (U)who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised ^(V)for our justification.

Peace with God Through Faith

5 ^(W)Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, ^(X)we^[b] have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. ² Through him we have also ^(Y)obtained access by faith^[c] into this grace ^(Z)in which we stand, and ^(AA)we^[d] rejoice^[e] in hope of the glory of God. ³ Not only that, but we ^(AB)rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering ^(AC)produces endurance, ⁴ and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, ⁵ and ^(AD)hope does not put us to shame, because God's love ^(AE)has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

The Fool Says, There Is No God

To the choirmaster. Of David.