The Daily Audio Bible Reading for Friday May 22, 2020 (NIV)

Responses to Saul’s Death

1 After the death of Saul,^(A) David returned from defeating the Amalekites^(B) and stayed at Ziklag two days. ² On the third day a man with torn clothes and dust on his head^(C) came from Saul’s camp. When he came to David, he fell to the ground and paid homage. ³ David asked him, “Where have you come from?”

He replied to him, “I’ve escaped from the Israelite camp.”

⁴ “What was the outcome? Tell me,” David asked him.

“The troops fled from the battle,” he answered. “Many of the troops have fallen and are dead. Also, Saul and his son Jonathan are dead.”^(D)

⁵ David asked the young man who had brought him the report, “How do you know Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?”

⁶ “I happened to be on Mount Gilboa,”^(E) he replied, “and there was Saul, leaning on his spear. At that very moment the chariots and the cavalry were closing in on him. ⁷ When he turned around and saw me, he called out to me, so I answered: I’m at your service. ⁸ He asked me, ‘Who are you?’ I told him: I’m an Amalekite.^{(F) 9} Then he begged me, ‘Stand over me and kill me, for I’m mortally wounded,^[a] but my life still lingers.’^{(G) 10} So I stood over him and killed him because I knew that after he had fallen he couldn’t survive. I took the crown that was on his head and the armband that was on his arm, and I’ve brought them here to my lord.”

¹¹ Then David took hold of his clothes and tore them,^(H) and all the men with him did the same. ¹² They mourned, wept, and fasted until the evening^(I) for those who died by the sword—for Saul, his son Jonathan, the Lord’s people, and the house of Israel.

¹³ David inquired of the young man who had brought him the report, “Where are you from?”

“I’m the son of a resident alien,” he said. “I’m an Amalekite.”

¹⁴ David questioned him, “How is it that you were not afraid to lift your hand to destroy the Lord’s anointed?” ^{(J) 15} Then David summoned one of his servants and said, “Come here and kill him!” The servant struck him, and he died.^{(K) 16} For David had said to the Amalekite, “Your blood is on your own head^(L) because your own mouth testified against you by saying, ‘I killed the Lord’s anointed.’”

¹⁷ David sang the following lament^(M) for Saul and his son Jonathan, ¹⁸ and he ordered that the Judahites be taught The Song of the Bow. It is written in the Book of Jashar:^[b](N)

David, King of Judah

2 Some time later, David inquired of the Lord:^(T) “Should I go to one of the towns of Judah?”

The Lord answered him, “Go.”

Then David asked, “Where should I go?”

“To Hebron,”^(U) the Lord replied.

² So David went there with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelite and Abigail, the widow of Nabal the Carmelite.^{(V) 3} In addition, David brought the men who were with him, each one with his family, and they settled in the towns near Hebron.^{(W) 4} Then the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah.^(X) They told David, “It was the men of Jabesh-gilead who buried Saul.”^(Y)

⁵ David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh-gilead and said to them, “The Lord bless you because you have shown this kindness to Saul your lord when you buried him. ⁶ Now, may the Lord show kindness and faithfulness to you, and I will also show the same goodness to you because you have done this deed. ⁷ Therefore, be strong^[f] and valiant, for though Saul your lord is dead, the house of Judah has anointed me king over them.”

⁸ Abner son of Ner, commander of Saul’s army,^(Z) took Saul’s son Ish-bosheth^[g][h] and moved him to Mahanaim. ⁹ He made him king over Gilead, Asher, Jezreel, Ephraim, Benjamin—over all Israel. ¹⁰ Saul’s son Ish-bosheth was forty years old when he became king over Israel; he reigned for two years. The house of Judah, however, followed David. ¹¹ The length of time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.^(AA)

Jesus Predicts His Crucifixion

²⁰ Now some Greeks were among those who went up to worship at the festival. ²¹ So they came to Philip,^(A) who was from Bethsaida^(B) in Galilee,^(C) and requested of him, “Sir,^(D) we want to see Jesus.” ²² Philip went and told Andrew;^(E) then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus.

²³ Jesus replied to them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man^(F) to be glorified. ²⁴ Truly I tell you, unless a grain of wheat^(G) falls to the ground and dies, it remains by itself. But if it dies, it produces much fruit.^{(H) 25} The one who loves his life will lose it,^(I) and the one who hates^(J) his life^(K) in this world will keep it for eternal life. ²⁶ If anyone serves me, he must follow me. Where I am, there my servant^(L) also will be.^(M) If anyone serves me, the Father will honor^(N) him.

²⁷ “Now my soul is troubled. What should I say—Father, save me^(O) from this hour? But that is why I came to this hour. ²⁸ Father, glorify your name.”^[a](P)

Then a voice^(Q) came from heaven: ^(R) “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.”^(S)

²⁹ The crowd standing there heard it and said it was thunder. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.”

³⁰ Jesus responded, “This voice came, not for me, but for you.^{(T) 31} Now is the judgment of this world.^(U) Now the ruler of this world^(V) will be cast out.^{(W) 32} As for me, if I am lifted up^[b] from the earth I will draw all people to myself.”^{(X) 33} He said this to indicate what kind of death he was about to die.^(Y)

³⁴ Then the crowd replied to him, “We have heard from the law that the Messiah will remain forever.^(Z) So how can you say, ‘The Son of Man^(AA) must be lifted up’? Who is this Son of Man?”

³⁵ Jesus answered, “The light will be with you only a little longer.^(AB) Walk while you have the light^(AC) so that darkness doesn’t overtake you.^(AD) The one who walks in darkness doesn’t know where he’s going.^{(AE) 36} While you have the light,^(AF) believe in the light so that you may become children of light.” Jesus said this, then went away and hid from them.^(AG)

Isaiah’s Prophecies Fulfilled

³⁷ Even though he had performed so many signs in their presence, they did not believe in him. ³⁸ This was to fulfill^(AH) the word of Isaiah^(AI) the prophet, who said:^[c]

³⁹ This is why they were unable to believe, because Isaiah also said:

⁴¹ Isaiah said these things because^[f] he saw his glory^(AP) and spoke about him.

⁴² Nevertheless, many did believe in him even among the rulers,^(AQ) but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, so that they would not be banned from the synagogue. ⁴³ For they loved human praise^(AR) more than praise from God.^(AS)

A Summary of Jesus’s Mission

⁴⁴ Jesus cried out, “The one who believes in me^(AT) believes not in me, but in him who sent me. ⁴⁵ And the one who sees me sees him^(AU) who sent me. ⁴⁶ I have come as light into the world, so that everyone who believes in me would not remain in darkness. ⁴⁷ If anyone hears my words and doesn’t keep^(AV) them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world^(AW) but to save the world.^{(AX) 48} The one who rejects me^(AY) and doesn’t receive my sayings has this as his judge: ^[g] The word I have spoken will judge him on the last day.^{(AZ) 49} For I have not spoken on my own, but the Father^(BA) himself who sent me has given me a command to say everything I have said. ⁵⁰ I know that his command is eternal life.^(BB) So the things that I speak, I speak just as the Father has told me.”^(BC)