The Daily Audio Bible Reading for Sunday July 11, 2021 (NIV)

David’s Anointing as King

11 All Israel^(A) came together to David at Hebron and said, “Here we are, your own flesh and blood.^{[a] 2} Even previously when Saul was king, you were leading Israel out to battle and bringing us back. The Lord your God also said to you, ‘You will shepherd my people Israel, and you will be ruler over my people Israel.’”

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

David’s Capture of Jerusalem

⁴ David^(C) and all Israel marched to Jerusalem (that is, Jebus); the Jebusites who inhabited the land were there.^{(D) 5} The inhabitants of Jebus said to David, “You will never get in here.” Yet David did capture the stronghold of Zion, that is, the city of David.

⁶ David said, “Whoever is the first to kill a Jebusite will become chief commander.” Joab^(E) son of Zeruiah went up first, so he became the chief.

⁷ Then David took up residence in the stronghold; therefore, it was called the city of David. ⁸ He built up the city all the way around, from the supporting terraces to the surrounding parts, and Joab restored the rest of the city. ⁹ David steadily grew more powerful,^(F) and the Lord of Armies was with him.

Exploits of David’s Warriors

¹⁰ The following were the chiefs of David’s warriors who, together with all Israel, strongly supported him in his reign to make him king according to the Lord’s word about Israel.^{(G) 11} This^(H) is the list of David’s warriors:

Jashobeam son of Hachmoni was chief^(I) of the Thirty;^[b] he wielded his spear against three hundred and killed them at one time.

¹² After him, Eleazar son of Dodo^(J) the Ahohite was one of the three warriors. ¹³ He was with David at Pas-dammim when the Philistines had gathered there for battle. There was a portion of a field full of barley, where the troops had fled from the Philistines.^{(K) 14} But Eleazar and David^[c] took their stand in the middle of the field and defended it. They killed the Philistines, and the Lord gave them a great victory.

¹⁵ Three of the thirty chief men went down to David, to the rock at the cave of Adullam,^(L) while the Philistine army was encamped in Rephaim Valley.^{(M) 16} At that time David was in the stronghold,^(N) and a Philistine garrison^(O) was at Bethlehem. ¹⁷ David was extremely thirsty^[d] and said, “If only someone would bring me water to drink from the well at the city gate of Bethlehem!” ¹⁸ So the Three broke through the Philistine camp and drew water from the well at the gate of Bethlehem. They brought it back to David, but he refused to drink it. Instead, he poured it out to the Lord. ¹⁹ David said, “I would never do such a thing in the presence of my God! How can I drink the blood of these men who risked their lives?” For they brought it at the risk of their lives. So he would not drink it. Such were the exploits of the three warriors.

²⁰ Abishai,^(P) Joab’s brother, was the leader of the Three.^[e] He raised his spear against three hundred men and killed them, gaining a reputation among the Three. ²¹ He was more honored than the Three and became their commander even though he did not become one of the Three.

²² Benaiah son of Jehoiada^(Q) was the son of a brave man^[f] from Kabzeel, a man of many exploits. Benaiah killed two sons of Ariel of Moab,^[g] and he went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion. ²³ He also killed an Egyptian who was seven and a half feet tall.^[h] Even though the Egyptian had a spear in his hand like a weaver’s beam,^(R) Benaiah went down to him with a staff, snatched the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand, and then killed him with his own spear. ²⁴ These were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoiada, who had a reputation among the three warriors. ²⁵ He was the most honored of the Thirty, but he did not become one of the Three. David put him in charge of his bodyguard.

²⁶ The best soldiers^(S) were

David’s First Supporters

12 The following were the men who came to David at Ziklag while he was still banned from the presence of Saul son of Kish.^(V) They were among the warriors who helped him in battle. ² They were archers who could use either the right or left hand, both to sling stones and shoot arrows from a bow.^(W) They were Saul’s relatives^(X) from Benjamin:

⁸ Some Gadites defected to David at his stronghold in the desert. They were valiant warriors, trained for battle, expert with shield and spear. Their faces were like the faces of lions, and they were as swift as gazelles on the mountains.^(Y)

¹⁴ These Gadites were army commanders; the least of them was a match for a hundred, and the greatest of them for a thousand.^{(Z) 15} These are the men who crossed the Jordan in the first month^[j] when it was overflowing all its banks,^(AA) and put to flight all those in the valleys to the east and to the west.

¹⁶ Other Benjaminites and men from Judah also went to David at the stronghold.^{(AB) 17} David went out to meet them and said to them, “If you have come in peace to help me, my heart will be united with you, but if you have come to betray me to my enemies even though my hands have done no wrong, may the God of our ancestors look on it and judge.”

¹⁸ Then the Spirit enveloped^[k](AC) Amasai,^(AD) chief of the Thirty, and he said:

So David received them and made them leaders of his troops.

Malta’s Hospitality

28 Once safely ashore, we^(A) then learned that the island was called Malta.^{(B) 2} The local people^(C) showed us extraordinary kindness. They lit a fire and took us all in, since it was raining and cold. ³ As Paul gathered a bundle of brushwood and put it on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened itself on his hand. ⁴ When the local people saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “This man, no doubt, is a murderer. Even though he has escaped the sea, Justice has not allowed him to live.”^{(D) 5} But he shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no harm.^{(E) 6} They expected that he would begin to swell up or suddenly drop dead. After they waited a long time and saw nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said he was a god.^(F)

Ministry in Malta

⁷ Now in the area around that place was an estate belonging to the leading man of the island, named Publius, who welcomed us and entertained us hospitably for three days. ⁸ Publius’s father was in bed suffering from fever and dysentery. Paul went to him, and praying and laying his hands on him, he healed him.^{(G) 9} After this, the rest of those on the island who had diseases also came and were healed. ¹⁰ So they heaped many honors on us, and when we sailed, they gave us what we needed.

Rome at Last

¹¹ After three months we set sail in an Alexandrian ship that had wintered at the island, with the Twin Gods^[a] as its figurehead. ¹² Putting in at Syracuse, we stayed three days. ¹³ From there, after making a circuit along the coast,^[b] we reached Rhegium. After one day a south wind sprang up, and the second day we came to Puteoli. ¹⁴ There we found brothers and sisters^(H) and were invited to stay a week with them. And so we came to Rome. ¹⁵ Now the brothers and sisters from there had heard the news about us and had come to meet us as far as the Forum of Appius and the Three Taverns. When Paul saw them, he thanked God and took courage. ¹⁶ When we entered Rome,^[c] Paul was allowed to live by himself with the soldier who guarded him.^(I)

Paul’s First Interview with Roman Jews

¹⁷ After three days he called together the leaders of the Jews. When they had gathered he said to them, “Brothers, although I have done nothing against our people or the customs of our ancestors, I was delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans.^{(J) 18} After they examined me, they wanted to release me, since there was no reason for the death penalty in my case.^{(K) 19} Because the Jews objected, I was compelled to appeal to Caesar;^(L) even though I had no charge to bring against my people. ²⁰ For this reason I’ve asked to see you and speak to you. In fact, it is for the hope of Israel that I’m wearing this chain.”^(M)

²¹ Then they said to him, “We haven’t received any letters about you from Judea. None of the brothers has come and reported or spoken anything evil about you. ²² But we want to hear what your views are, since we know that people everywhere are speaking against this sect.”^(N)

The Response to Paul’s Message

²³ After arranging a day with him, many came to him at his lodging. From dawn to dusk he expounded and testified about the kingdom of God. He tried to persuade them about Jesus from both the Law of Moses and the Prophets.^{(O) 24} Some were persuaded by what he said, but others did not believe.^(P)

²⁵ Disagreeing among themselves, they began to leave after Paul made one statement:^[d] “The Holy Spirit was right in saying to your^[e] ancestors through the prophet Isaiah ²⁶ when he said,

²⁸ Therefore, let it be known to you that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will listen.”^[g]

Paul’s Ministry Unhindered

³⁰ Paul stayed two whole years in his own rented house. And he welcomed all who visited him, ³¹ proclaiming the kingdom of God^(R) and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness^(S) and without hindrance.

Psalm 9

Celebration of God’s Justice

For the choir director: according to Muth-labben. A psalm of David.