1 Chronicles 11 - 13, 1 Peter 3 - 4, Proverbs 26

David Anointed King over All Israel

11^aThen all Israel gathered to David at Hebron ¹and said, “Behold, we are your bone and your flesh. ²“Previously, even when Saul was king, you were the one who led out and brought in Israel; and Yahweh your God said to you, ‘^aYou will shepherd My people Israel, and you will be a ruler over My people Israel.’” ³So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and David cut a covenant with them in Hebron before Yahweh; then ^athey anointed David king over Israel, ^baccording to the word of Yahweh through Samuel.

David Captures Jerusalem

⁴Then David and all Israel went to Jerusalem (^athat is, Jebus); and the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, were there. ⁵Then the inhabitants of Jebus said to David, “You shall not come in here.” Nevertheless, David captured the fortress of Zion, that is, the city of David. ⁶And David said, “Whoever strikes down a Jebusite first shall be chief and commander.” ^aJoab the son of Zeruiah went up first, so he became chief. ⁷Then David lived in the stronghold; therefore it was called the city of David. ⁸And he ¹built the city all around, from the ²Millo even to the surrounding area; and Joab ³repaired the rest of the city. ⁹^aAnd David became greater and greater, and Yahweh of hosts was with him.

David’s Mighty Men

¹⁰^aNow these are the heads of the mighty men whom David had, who gave him strong support in his kingdom, together with all Israel, to make him king, ^baccording to the word of Yahweh concerning Israel. ¹¹These constitute the list of the mighty men whom David had: ^aJashobeam, the son of a Hachmonite, ^bthe chief of the thirty; he lifted up his spear against three hundred ¹slain by him at one time.

¹²And after him was Eleazar the son of ^aDodo, the Ahohite, who was ¹one of the three mighty men. ¹³He was with David at ¹Pasdammim. ^aNow the Philistines had gathered together there to battle, and there was a portion of the field full of barley; and the people fled from before the Philistines. ¹⁴But they took their stand in the midst of that portion and delivered it, and struck down the Philistines. So Yahweh saved them by a great salvation.

¹⁵Then three of the thirty chief men went down to the rock to David, to the cave of Adullam, while ^athe camp of the Philistines was camping in the valley of Rephaim. ¹⁶And David was then in the fortress, while ^athe garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem. ¹⁷Then David had a craving and said, “Oh that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!” ¹⁸So the three broke through the camp of the Philistines and drew water from the well of Bethlehem which was by the gate, and carried it and brought it to David. Nevertheless, David was not willing to drink it, but poured it out to Yahweh; ¹⁹and he said, “Be it far from me before my God that I should do this. Shall I drink the blood of these men who went ¹at the risk of their lives? For at the risk of their lives they brought it.” Therefore he was not willing to drink it. These things the three mighty men did.

²⁰Now ¹Abshai, the brother of Joab, was chief of the ²thirty. And he swung his spear against three hundred ³who were slain by him; and he had a name as well as the ⁴thirty. ²¹Of the three in the second rank he was the most honored and became their commander; however, he did not attain to the first three.

²²^aBenaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man of Kabzeel, mighty in deeds, struck down the ¹two sons of Ariel of Moab. He also went down and struck down a lion in the midst of a pit on a snowy day. ²³He had also struck down an Egyptian, ¹an impressive man, ²five cubits tall. Now in the Egyptian’s hand was ^aa spear like a weaver’s beam, but he went down to him with a club and snatched the spear from the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with his own spear. ²⁴These things Benaiah the son of Jehoiada did, and had a name as well as the three mighty men. ²⁵Behold, he was honored among the thirty, but he did not attain to the three. And David appointed him over his guard.

²⁶Now the mighty men of the military forces were Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem,

²⁷¹Shammoth the Harorite, Helez the ²Pelonite, ²⁸Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, Abiezer the Anathothite, ²⁹¹Sibbecai the Hushathite, ²Ilai the Ahohite, ³⁰Maharai the Netophathite, ¹Heled the son of Baanah the Netophathite, ³¹Ithai the son of Ribai of Gibeah of the sons of Benjamin, Benaiah the Pirathonite, ³²¹Hurai of the brooks of Gaash, ²Abiel the Arbathite, ³³Azmaveth the Baharumite, Eliahba the Shaalbonite, ³⁴the sons of ¹Hashem the Gizonite, Jonathan the son of Shagee the Hararite, ³⁵Ahiam the son of ¹Sacar the Hararite, ²Eliphal the son of Ur, ³⁶Hepher the Mecherathite, Ahijah the Pelonite, ³⁷Hezro the Carmelite, ¹Naarai the son of Ezbai, ³⁸Joel the brother of Nathan, Mibhar the son of Hagri, ³⁹Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Berothite, the armor bearer of Joab the son of Zeruiah, ⁴⁰Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, ⁴¹Uriah the Hittite, Zabad the son of Ahlai, ⁴²Adina the son of Shiza the Reubenite, a chief of the Reubenites, and thirty with him, ⁴³Hanan the son of Maacah and Joshaphat the Mithnite, ⁴⁴Uzzia the Ashterathite, Shama and Jeiel the sons of Hotham the Aroerite, ⁴⁵Jediael the son of Shimri and Joha his brother, the Tizite, ⁴⁶Eliel the Mahavite and Jeribai and Joshaviah, the sons of Elnaam, and Ithmah the Moabite, ⁴⁷Eliel and Obed and Jaasiel the Mezobaite.

David’s Mighty Men

12^aNow these are the ones who came to David at Ziklag, while he was still restricted because of Saul the son of Kish; and they were among the mighty men who helped him in war. ²They were equipped with bows, ^ausing both the right hand and the left to sling stones and to shoot arrows from the bow; ^bthey were Saul’s relatives from Benjamin.

³The chief was Ahiezer, then Joash, the sons of Shemaah the Gibeathite; and Jeziel and Pelet, the sons of Azmaveth, and Beracah and Jehu the Anathothite, ⁴and Ishmaiah the Gibeonite, a mighty man among the thirty, and over the thirty. ¹Then Jeremiah, Jahaziel, Johanan, Jozabad the Gederathite, ⁵¹Eluzai, Jerimoth, Bealiah, Shemariah, Shephatiah the Haruphite, ⁶Elkanah, Isshiah, Azarel, Joezer, Jashobeam, the Korahites, ⁷and Joelah and Zebadiah, the sons of Jeroham of Gedor. ⁸From the Gadites, mighty men of valor separated themselves to David in the stronghold in the wilderness, men of war who had gone out for military duty, who could ¹handle large shield and spear, and whose faces were like the faces of lions, and ^athey were as swift as the gazelles on the mountains. ⁹Ezer was the first, Obadiah the second, Eliab the third, ¹⁰Mishmannah the fourth, Jeremiah the fifth, ¹¹Attai the sixth, Eliel the seventh, ¹²Johanan the eighth, Elzabad the ninth, ¹³Jeremiah the tenth, Machbannai the eleventh.

¹⁴These of the sons of Gad were chiefs of the army; ^ahe who was least was equal to one hundred and the greatest to one thousand. ¹⁵^aThese are the ones who crossed the Jordan in the first month when it was overflowing all its banks and they made all those in the valleys flee, both to the east and to the west.

¹⁶Then some of the sons of Benjamin and Judah came to the stronghold to David. ¹⁷David went out before them, and he answered and said to them, “If you come peacefully to me to help me, my heart shall be united with you; but if to betray me to my adversaries, since there is no violence in my hands, may the God of our fathers look on it and reprove.” ¹⁸And ^athe Spirit clothed ^bAmasai, who was the chief of the thirty, and he said, “We are yours, O David,And with you, O son of Jesse!^cPeace, peace to you,And peace to him who helps you;Indeed, your God helps you!” Then David received them and made them chiefs of the band.

¹⁹^aNow from Manasseh also some defected to David when he was about to go to battle with the Philistines against Saul. But they did not help them, for the lords of the Philistines after counsel sent him away, saying, “At the cost of our heads he may defect to his master Saul.” ²⁰As he went to Ziklag there defected to him from Manasseh: Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu and Zillethai, chiefs of thousands who belonged to Manasseh. ²¹They helped David against ^athe marauding band, for they were all mighty men of valor, and were commanders in the army. ²²For day by day men came to David to help him, until there was a great camp ^alike the camp of God.

David’s Military Companies in Hebron

²³Now these are the numbers of the ¹companies equipped for military duty, ^awho came to David at Hebron, ^bto turn the kingdom of Saul to him, ^caccording to the ²command of Yahweh.

²⁴The sons of Judah who bore shield and spear were 6,800, equipped for military duty. ²⁵Of the sons of Simeon, mighty men of valor for military duty, 7,100. ²⁶Of the sons of Levi 4,600. ²⁷Now Jehoiada was the leader of the house of Aaron, and with him were 3,700, ²⁸also ^aZadok, a young man mighty of valor, and of his father’s house 22 commanders. ²⁹Of the sons of Benjamin, ^aSaul’s relatives, 3,000; for until now ^bthe greatest part of them had kept their allegiance to the house of Saul. ³⁰Of the sons of Ephraim 20,800, mighty men of valor, men ¹who had a name in their fathers’ households. ³¹Of the half-tribe of Manasseh 18,000, who were designated by name to come and make David king. ³²Of the sons of Issachar, ^amen who knew how to discern the times, to know what Israel should do, their chiefs were two hundred; and all their relatives were at their command. ³³Of Zebulun, there were 50,000 who went out in the army, who could arrange themselves for battle with all kinds of weapons of war and helped David ¹with ^aan undivided heart. ³⁴Of Naphtali there were 1,000 commanders, and with them 37,000 with large shield and spear. ³⁵Of the Danites who could arrange themselves for battle, there were 28,600. ³⁶Of Asher there were 40,000 who went out in the army to arrange themselves for battle. ³⁷From the other side of the Jordan, of the Reubenites and the Gadites and of the half-tribe of Manasseh, there were 120,000 with all kinds of weapons for the army for battle.

³⁸All these, being men of war who could draw up in battle ¹lines, came to Hebron with ^atheir whole heart to make David king over all Israel; and all the rest also of Israel were of one heart to make David king. ³⁹They were there with David three days, eating and drinking, for their relatives had prepared for them. ⁴⁰Moreover those who were near to them, even as far as Issachar and Zebulun and Naphtali, ^abrought food on donkeys, camels, mules, and on oxen, great provisions of flour, fig cakes and bunches of raisins, wine, oil, oxen, and sheep. There was gladness indeed in Israel.

Uzza Dies from Touching the Ark

13Then David took counsel with the commanders of the thousands and the hundreds, even with every leader. ²And David said to all the assembly of Israel, “If it seems good to you, and if it is from Yahweh our God, let us send everywhere to our relatives who remain in all the lands of Israel, also to the priests and Levites who are with them in their cities with pasture lands, that they may gather with us; ³and let us bring back the ark of our God to us, ^afor we did not seek it in the days of Saul.” ⁴Then all the assembly said that they would do so, for the thing was right in the eyes of all the people.

⁵^aSo David assembled all Israel together, from the Shihor of Egypt even to ¹Lebo-hamath, ^bto bring the ark of God from Kiriath-jearim. ⁶^aAnd David and all Israel went up to ^bBaalah, that is, to Kiriath-jearim, which belongs to Judah, to bring up from there the ark of God, Yahweh, ^cwho is enthroned above the cherubim, where His name is called. ⁷And they drove the ark of God on a new cart from ^athe house of Abinadab, and Uzza and Ahio were leading the cart. ⁸Now David and all Israel were celebrating before God with all their strength, ^aeven with songs and with lyres, harps, tambourines, cymbals, and with trumpets.

⁹Then they came to ^athe threshing floor of Chidon. And Uzza reached out with his hand to take hold of the ark, because the oxen nearly upset it. ¹⁰And the anger of Yahweh burned against Uzza, and He struck him down ^abecause he reached out with his hand to the ark; ^band he died there before God. ¹¹And David became angry because ¹of Yahweh’s breaking out against Uzza; and that place is called ²Perez-uzza to this day. ¹²So David was afraid of God that day, saying, “How can I bring the ark of God back to me?” ¹³And David did not move the ark with him to the city of David, but took it aside ^ato the house of Obed-edom the Gittite. ¹⁴Thus the ark of God remained with the household of Obed-edom in his house three months; and ^aYahweh blessed the household of Obed-edom with all that he had.

Wives and Husbands

3^aIn the same way, you wives, ^bbe subject to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be ^cwon without a word by the conduct of their wives, ²as they observe your pure conduct with fear. ³^aYour adornment must not be merely external—braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on garments; ⁴but let it be ^athe hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible quality of a lowly and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God. ⁵For in this way in former times the holy women also, ^awho hoped in God, used to adorn themselves, being subject to their own husbands, ⁶just as Sarah obeyed Abraham, ^acalling him lord. You have become her children if you do good, ¹^,^bnot fearing any intimidation.

⁷^aYou husbands in the same way, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with a weaker ^bvessel, since she is a woman; and show her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.

⁸¹Now to sum up, ^aall of you be like-minded, sympathetic, ^bbrotherly, ^ctender-hearted, and ^dhumble in spirit; ⁹^anot returning evil for evil or ^breviling for reviling, but ¹giving a ^cblessing instead, for ^dyou were called for the very purpose that you might ^einherit a blessing. ¹⁰For, “^aThe one who desires life, to love and see good days,Must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit.

¹¹“^aHe must turn away from evil and do good;He must seek peace and pursue it.¹²“^aFor the eyes of the ¹Lord are toward the righteous,And His ears attend to their prayer,But the face of the ²Lord is against those who do evil.”

Suffering for Righteousness

¹³^aAnd who is ¹there to ²harm you if you prove zealous for what is good? ¹⁴But even if you should ^asuffer for the sake of righteousness, ^byou ¹are blessed. ^cAnd do not fear their fear, and do not be troubled, ¹⁵but ¹sanctify ^aChrist as Lord in your hearts, always being ready ^bto make ²a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the ^chope that is in you, yet ^dwith gentleness and ^efear, ¹⁶having a ^agood conscience so that in the thing in which ^byou are slandered, those who disparage your good conduct in Christ will be put to shame. ¹⁷For ^ait is better, ^bif ¹God should will it so, that you suffer for doing good rather than for doing wrong. ¹⁸For ^aChrist also suffered for sins ^bonce for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, so that He might ^cbring you to God, having been put to death ^din the flesh, but made alive ^ein the ¹spirit; ¹⁹in ¹which also He went and made proclamation to the spirits now in prison, ²⁰who once were disobedient, when the ^apatience of God ^bkept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of ^cthe ark, in which a few, that is, ^deight ^epersons, were brought safely through the ¹water. ²¹^aCorresponding to that, baptism now saves you—^bnot the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal ¹of a ^cgood conscience to God—through ^dthe resurrection of Jesus Christ, ²²^awho is at the right hand of God, ^bhaving gone into heaven, ^cafter angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him.

Keep Fervent in Your Love

4Therefore, since ^aChrist has ¹suffered in the flesh, ^barm yourselves also with the same purpose—because ^che who has ²suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin— ²^aso as to no longer live ^bthe rest of the time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the ^cwill of God. ³For ^athe time already past is sufficient for you to have worked out the desire of the Gentiles, ¹^,^bhaving pursued a course of sensuality, lusts, drunkenness, carousing, drinking parties, and ²abominable idolatries. ⁴In all this, they are surprised that you do not run with them into the same excesses of ^adissipation, ^bmaligning you, ⁵but they will give account to Him who is ready to judge ^athe living and the dead. ⁶For to this ^athe gospel has been ¹proclaimed even to those who are now dead, so that though they were judged in the flesh as men, they live in the spirit according to the will of God.

⁷^aThe end of all things is at hand; therefore, ^bbe of sound thinking and sober spirit for the purpose of ¹prayer. ⁸Above all, ^akeep fervent in your love for one another, because ^blove covers a multitude of sins. ⁹^aBe hospitable to one another without ^bgrumbling. ¹⁰^aAs each one has received a gift, employ it in serving one another as good ^bstewards of the manifold grace of God— ¹¹^awhoever speaks, ¹as one speaking the ^boracles of God; whoever serves, as one serving ²^,^cby the strength which God supplies; so that ^din all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, ^eto whom belongs the glory and might forever and ever. Amen.

Sharing the Suffering of Christ

¹²^aBeloved, do not be surprised at the ^bfiery trial among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you. ¹³But to the degree you are ^asharing the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the ^brevelation of His glory ^cyou may rejoice with exultation. ¹⁴If you are insulted ¹^,^afor the name of Christ, ^byou are blessed, ^cbecause the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. ¹⁵Make sure that ^anone of you suffers as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a ¹^,^btroublesome meddler; ¹⁶but if anyone suffers as a ^aChristian, he is not to be put to shame, but is to ^bglorify God in this name. ¹⁷For it is time for judgment ^ato begin ¹with ^bthe house of God; and if it ^cbegins with us first, what will be the outcome for those ^dwho do not obey the ^egospel of God? ¹⁸^aAnd if it is with difficulty that the righteous is saved, ¹what will become of the ^bgodless man and the sinner? ¹⁹Therefore, those also who suffer according to ^athe will of God must entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing good.

26Like snow in summer and like ^arain in harvest,So glory is not ^bfitting for a fool.²Like a ^asparrow in its ¹flitting, like a swallow in flying,So a ^bcurse without cause does not come to pass.³A ^awhip is for the horse, a bridle for the donkey,And a ^brod for the back of fools.⁴^aDo not answer a fool according to his folly,Lest you yourself also be like him.⁵^aAnswer a fool according to his folly,Lest he be ^bwise in his own eyes.⁶He cuts off his own feet and drinks violenceWho sends words by the hand of a fool.⁷Like the legs which hang limp on the lame,So is a proverb in the mouth of fools.⁸Like ¹one who binds a stone in a sling,So is he who gives glory to a fool.⁹Like a thorn which goes up into the hand of a drunkard,So is a proverb in the mouth of fools.¹⁰¹Like an archer who wounds everyone,So is he who hires a fool or who hires those who pass by.¹¹Like ^aa dog that returns to its vomitIs a fool who ^brepeats ¹his folly.¹²Do you see a man ^awise in his own eyes?^bThere is more hope for a fool than for him.¹³The ^asluggard says, “There is a fierce lion in the road!A lion is ¹among the streets!”¹⁴As the door turns on its hinges,So does the ^asluggard on his bed.¹⁵The ^asluggard buries his hand in the dish;He is too weary to return it to his mouth.¹⁶The sluggard is ^awiser in his own eyesThan seven men who can respond with a discreet answer.¹⁷Like one who seizes a dog by the earsIs he who passes by and becomes passionate about ^astrife not belonging to him.¹⁸Like a madman who shoots^aFirebrands, arrows, and death,¹⁹So is the man who ^adeceives his neighbor,And says, “^bAm I not joking?”²⁰With no wood the fire goes out,And where there is no ^awhisperer, ^bstrife quiets down.²¹Like charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire,So is a ^acontentious man to kindle strife.²²The ^awords of a whisperer are like dainty morsels,And they go down into the innermost parts of the stomach.²³Like an earthen ^avessel overlaid with silver ^bdrossAre fiery lips and an evil heart.²⁴He who ^ahates disguises it with his lips,But he sets up ^bdeceit within himself.²⁵When he ^amakes his voice gracious, do not believe him,For there are seven abominations in his heart.²⁶Though his hatred ^acovers itself with guile,His evil will be ^brevealed in the assembly.²⁷He who ^adigs a pit will fall into it,And he who rolls a stone, it will turn back on him.²⁸A lying tongue hates ¹those it crushes,And a ^aflattering mouth works ruin.