The Daily Audio Bible Reading for Saturday June 3, 2023 (NIV)

2 Samuel 20:14-21:22

14 Sheba passed through all the tribes of Israel to Abel of Beth-maacah. All the Berites[a] came together and followed him. 15 Joab’s troops came and besieged Sheba in Abel of Beth-maacah. They built a siege ramp(A) against the outer wall of the city. While all the troops with Joab were battering the wall to make it collapse, 16 a wise woman called out from the city, “Listen! Listen! Please tell Joab to come here and let me speak with him.”

17 When he had come near her, the woman asked, “Are you Joab?”

“I am,” he replied.

“Listen to the words of your servant,” she said to him.

He answered, “I’m listening.”

18 She said, “In the past they used to say, ‘Seek counsel in Abel,’ and that’s how they settled disputes. 19 I am one of the peaceful and faithful in Israel, but you’re trying to destroy a city that is like a mother in Israel. Why would you devour the Lord’s inheritance?”

20 Joab protested: “Never! I would never devour or demolish! 21 That is not the case. There is a man named Sheba son of Bichri, from the hill country of Ephraim, who has rebelled against King David. Deliver this one man, and I will withdraw from the city.”

The woman replied to Joab, “Watch! His head will be thrown over the wall to you.” 22 The woman went to all the people with her wise counsel,(B) and they cut off the head of Sheba son of Bichri and threw it to Joab. So he blew the ram’s horn, and they dispersed from the city, each to his own tent. Joab returned to the king in Jerusalem.

23 Joab commanded the whole army of Israel;(C)

Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and Pelethites;

24 Adoram[b] was over forced labor;(D)

Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was court historian;

25 Sheva was court secretary;

Zadok and Abiathar were priests;

26 and in addition, Ira the Jairite was David’s priest.

Justice for the Gibeonites

21 During David’s reign there was a famine for three successive years, so David inquired[c] of the Lord. The Lord answered, “It is due to Saul and to his bloody family, because he killed the Gibeonites.”

The Gibeonites were not Israelites but rather a remnant of the Amorites. The Israelites had taken an oath concerning them,(E) but Saul had tried to kill them in his zeal for the Israelites and Judah. So David summoned the Gibeonites and spoke to them. He asked the Gibeonites, “What should I do for you? How can I make atonement so that you will bring a blessing on[d] the Lord’s inheritance?”

The Gibeonites said to him, “We are not asking for silver and gold from Saul or his family,(F) and we cannot put anyone to death in Israel.”(G)

“Whatever you say, I will do for you,” he said.

They replied to the king, “As for the man who annihilated us and plotted to destroy us so we would not exist within the whole territory of Israel, let seven of his male descendants be handed over to us so we may hang[e] them in the presence of the Lord(H) at Gibeah of Saul,(I) the Lord’s chosen.”(J)

The king answered, “I will hand them over.”

David spared Mephibosheth, the son of Saul’s son Jonathan, because of the oath of the Lord that was between David and Jonathan, Saul’s son.(K) But the king took Armoni and Mephibosheth, who were the two sons whom Rizpah(L) daughter of Aiah had borne to Saul, and the five sons whom Merab[f](M) daughter of Saul had borne to Adriel son of Barzillai the Meholathite and handed them over to the Gibeonites. They hanged[g] them on the hill in the presence of the Lord; the seven of them died together. They were executed in the first days of the harvest at the beginning of the barley harvest.[h]

The Burial of Saul’s Family

10 Rizpah, Aiah’s daughter, took sackcloth and spread it out for herself on the rock from the beginning of the harvest[i] until the rain poured down from heaven on the bodies. She kept the birds of the sky from them by day and the wild animals by night.

11 When it was reported to David what Saul’s concubine Rizpah daughter of Aiah had done, 12 he went and got the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan from the citizens of Jabesh-gilead. They had stolen them from the public square of Beth-shan where the Philistines had hung the bodies the day the Philistines killed Saul at Gilboa.(N) 13 David had the bones brought from there. They gathered up the bones of Saul’s family who had been hanged 14 and buried the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan at Zela in the land of Benjamin in the tomb of Saul’s father Kish. They did everything the king commanded. After this, God was receptive to prayer for the land.(O)

The Philistine Giants

15 The Philistines again waged war against Israel. David went down with his soldiers, and they fought the Philistines, but David became exhausted. 16 Then Ishbi-benob, one of the descendants of the giant,[j] whose bronze spear weighed about eight pounds[k] and who wore new armor, intended to kill David. 17 But Abishai son of Zeruiah came to his aid, struck the Philistine, and killed him. Then David’s men swore to him, “You must never again go out with us to battle. You must not extinguish the lamp of Israel.”(P)

18 After this,(Q) there was another battle with the Philistines at Gob. At that time Sibbecai the Hushathite killed Saph, who was one of the descendants of the giant.

19 Once again there was a battle with the Philistines at Gob, and Elhanan son of Jaare-oregim the Bethlehemite killed[l] Goliath of Gath. The shaft of his spear was like a weaver’s beam.(R)

20 At Gath there was still another battle. A huge man was there with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot—twenty-four in all. He, too, was descended from the giant. 21 When he taunted Israel, Jonathan, son of David’s brother Shimei, killed him.

22 These four were descended from the giant in Gath and were killed by David and his soldiers.

Footnotes:

  1. 20:14 LXX, Vg read Bichrites
  2. 20:24 Some Hb mss, LXX, Syr read Adoniram; 1Kg 4:6; 5:14
  3. 21:1 Lit sought the face of
  4. 21:3 Lit will bless
  5. 21:6 Or impale, or expose
  6. 21:8 Some Hb mss, LXX, Syr, Tg; other Hb mss read Michal
  7. 21:9 Or impaled, or exposed, also in v. 13
  8. 21:9 = March–April
  9. 21:10 = April to October
  10. 21:16 Or Raphah, also in vv. 18,20,22
  11. 21:16 Lit 300 (shekels)
  12. 21:19 1Ch 20:5 adds the brother of
Christian Standard Bible (CSB)

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Acts 1

Prologue

I wrote the first narrative, Theophilus, about all that Jesus began to do and teach(A) until the day he was taken up, after he had given instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen.(B) After he had suffered, he also presented himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.(C)

The Holy Spirit Promised

While he was[a] with them, he commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for the Father’s promise.(D) “Which,” he said, “you have heard me speak about; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit in a few days.”(E)

So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, are you restoring the kingdom to Israel at this time?”

He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority.(F) But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”(G)

The Ascension

After he had said this, he was taken up as they were watching, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 While he was going, they were gazing into heaven, and suddenly two men in white clothes stood by them.(H) 11 They said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up into heaven? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come in the same way that you have seen him going into heaven.”(I)

United in Prayer

12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives, which is near Jerusalem—a Sabbath day’s journey away. 13 When they arrived, they went to the room(J) upstairs where they were staying: Peter, John, James, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas the son of James.(K) 14 They all were continually united(L) in prayer,[b] along with the women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.(M)

Matthias Chosen

15 In those days Peter stood up among the brothers and sisters[c]—the number of people who were together was about a hundred twenty—and said, 16 “Brothers and sisters, it was necessary that the Scripture be fulfilled that the Holy Spirit through the mouth of David foretold about Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus.(N) 17 For he was one of our number and shared in this ministry.”(O) 18 Now this man acquired a field with his unrighteous wages. He fell headfirst, his body burst open and his intestines spilled out.(P) 19 This became known to all the residents of Jerusalem, so that in their own language that field is called Hakeldama (that is, “Field of Blood”). 20 “For it is written in the Book of Psalms:

Let his dwelling become desolate;
let no one live in it; [d] and
Let someone else take his position.[e](Q)

21 “Therefore, from among the men who have accompanied us during the whole time the Lord Jesus went in and out among us— 22 beginning from the baptism of John until the day he was taken up from us—from among these, it is necessary that one become a witness with us of his resurrection.”(R)

23 So they proposed two: Joseph, called Barsabbas, who was also known as Justus, and Matthias.(S) 24 Then they prayed,(T) “You, Lord, know everyone’s hearts; show which of these two you have chosen(U) 25 to take the place[f] in this apostolic ministry(V) that Judas left to go where he belongs.” 26 Then they cast lots(W) for them, and the lot fell to Matthias and he was added to the eleven apostles.

Footnotes:

  1. 1:4 Or he was eating, or he was lodging
  2. 1:14 Other mss add and petition
  3. 1:15 Other mss read disciples
  4. 1:20 Ps 69:25
  5. 1:20 Ps 109:8
  6. 1:25 Other mss read to share
Christian Standard Bible (CSB)

The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.

Psalm 121

Psalm 121

The Lord Our Protector

A song of ascents.

I lift my eyes toward the mountains.
Where will my help come from?(A)
My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.(B)

He will not allow your foot to slip;
your Protector will not slumber.(C)
Indeed, the Protector of Israel
does not slumber or sleep.(D)

The Lord protects you;
the Lord is a shelter right by your side.[a](E)
The sun will not strike you by day
or the moon by night.(F)

The Lord will protect you from all harm;
he will protect your life.(G)
The Lord will protect your coming and going
both now and forever.(H)

Footnotes:

  1. 121:5 Lit is your shelter at your right hand
Christian Standard Bible (CSB)

The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.

Proverbs 16:18

18 Pride comes before destruction,
and an arrogant spirit before a fall.(A)

Christian Standard Bible (CSB)

The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.