1
Saul and David finished their conversation. After that, Saul's son Jonathan was deeply attracted to David and came to love him as much as he loved himself.
2
Saul kept David with him from that day on and did not let him go back home.
3
Jonathan swore eternal friendship with David because of his deep affection for him.
4
He took off the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, together with his armor and also his sword, bow, and belt.
5
David was successful in all the missions on which Saul sent him, and so Saul made him an officer in his army. This pleased all of Saul's officers and men.
6
As David was returning after killing Goliath and as the soldiers were coming back home, women from every town in Israel came out to meet King Saul. They were singing joyful songs, dancing, and playing tambourines and lyres.
7
In their celebration the women sang, "Saul has killed thousands, but David tens of thousands."
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Saul did not like this, and he became very angry. He said, "For David they claim tens of thousands, but only thousands for me. They will be making him king next!"
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And so he was jealous and suspicious of David from that day on.
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The next day an evil spirit from God suddenly took control of Saul, and he raved in his house like a madman. David was playing the harp, as he did every day, and Saul was holding a spear.
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"I'll pin him to the wall," Saul said to himself, and he threw the spear at him twice; but David dodged each time.
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Saul was afraid of David because the LORD was with David but had abandoned him.
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So Saul sent him away and put him in command of a thousand men. David led his men in battle
14
and was successful in all he did, because the LORD was with him.
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Saul noticed David's success and became even more afraid of him.
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But everyone in Israel and Judah loved David because he was such a successful leader.
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Then Saul said to David, "Here is my older daughter Merab. I will give her to you as your wife on condition that you serve me as a brave and loyal soldier, and fight the LORD's battles." (Saul was thinking that in this way the Philistines would kill David, and he would not have to do it himself.)
18
David answered, "Who am I and what is my family that I should become the king's son-in-law?"
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But when the time came for Merab to be given to David, she was given instead to a man named Adriel from Meholah.
20
Saul's daughter Michal, however, fell in love with David, and when Saul heard of this, he was pleased.
21
He said to himself, "I'll give Michal to David; I will use her to trap him, and he will be killed by the Philistines." So for the second time Saul said to David, "You will be my son-in-law."
22
He ordered his officials to speak privately with David and tell him, "The king is pleased with you and all his officials like you; now is a good time for you to marry his daughter."
23
So they told this to David, and he answered, "It's a great honor to become the king's son-in-law, too great for someone poor and insignificant like me."
24
The officials told Saul what David had said,
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and Saul ordered them to tell David: "All the king wants from you as payment for the bride are the foreskins of a hundred dead Philistines, as revenge on his enemies." (This was how Saul planned to have David killed by the Philistines.)
26
Saul's officials reported to David what Saul had said, and David was delighted with the thought of becoming the king's son-in-law. Before the day set for the wedding,
27
David and his men went and killed two hundred Philistines. He took their foreskins to the king and counted them all out to him, so that he might become his son-in-law. So Saul had to give his daughter Michal in marriage to David.
28
Saul realized clearly that the LORD was with David and also that his daughter Michal loved him.
29
So he became even more afraid of David and was his enemy as long as he lived.
30
The Philistine armies would come and fight, but in every battle David was more successful than any of Saul's other officers. As a result David became very famous.
1
Levi had three sons: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
2
Kohath had four sons: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel.
3
Amram had two sons, Aaron and Moses, and one daughter, Miriam. Aaron had four sons: Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
4
The descendants of Eleazar from generation to generation are as follows: Phinehas, Abishua,
10
Azariah (the one who served in the Temple which King Solomon built in Jerusalem),
15
King Nebuchadnezzar deported Jehozadak along with the other people of Judah and Jerusalem whom the LORD sent into exile.
16
Levi had three sons: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
17
Each of them also had sons. Gershon was the father of Libni and Shimei;
18
Kohath was the father of Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel;
19
and Merari was the father of Mahli and Mushi.
20
These are the descendants of Gershon from generation to generation: Libni, Jahath, Zimmah,
21
Joah, Iddo, Zerah, Jeatherai.
22
These are the descendants of Kohath from generation to generation: Amminadab, Korah, Assir,
23
Elkanah, Ebiasaph, Assir,
24
Tahath, Uriel, Uzziah, Shaul.
25
Elkanah had two sons, Amasai and Ahimoth.
26
These are Ahimoth's descendants from generation to generation: Elkanah, Zophai, Nahath,
27
Eliab, Jeroham, Elkanah.
28
Samuel had two sons: Joel, the older, and Abijah, the younger.
29
These are the descendants of Merari from generation to generation: Mahli, Libni, Shimei, Uzzah,
30
Shimea, Haggiah, Asaiah.
31
These are the men whom King David put in charge of the music at the place of worship in Jerusalem after the Covenant Box was moved there.
32
They took regular turns of duty at the Tent of the LORD's presence during the time before King Solomon built the Temple.
33
The family lines of those who held this office are as follows: The clan of Kohath: Heman, the leader of the first choir, was the son of Joel. His family line went back to Jacob as follows: Heman, Joel, Samuel,
34
Elkanah, Jeroham, Eliel, Toah,
35
Zuph, Elkanah, Mahath, Amasai,
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Elkanah, Joel, Azariah, Zephaniah,
37
Tahath, Assir, Ebiasaph, Korah,
38
Izhar, Kohath, Levi, Jacob.
39
Asaph was leader of the second choir. His family line went back to Levi as follows: Asaph, Berechiah, Shimea,
40
Michael, Baaseiah, Malchijah,
42
Ethan, Zimmah, Shimei,
43
Jahath, Gershon, Levi.
44
Ethan of the clan of Merari was the leader of the third choir. His family line went back to Levi as follows: Ethan, Kishi, Abdi, Malluch,
45
Hashabiah, Amaziah, Hilkiah,
47
Mahli, Mushi, Merari, Levi.
48
The other Levites were assigned all the other duties at the place of worship.
49
Aaron and his descendants presented the offerings of incense and offered the sacrifices that were burnt on the altar. They were responsible for all the worship in the Most Holy Place and for the sacrifices by which God forgives Israel's sins. They did all this in accordance with the instructions given by Moses, God's servant.
50
This is the line of Aaron's descendants: Eleazar, Phinehas, Abishua,
51
Bukki, Uzzi, Zerahiah,
52
Meraioth, Amariah, Ahitub,
54
This is the territory assigned to the descendants of Aaron of the clan of Kohath. They received the first share of the land assigned to the Levites.
55
This included Hebron in the territory of Judah and the pasture lands around it.
56
The fields and villages, however, that belonged to the city were assigned to Caleb son of Jephunneh.
57
The following towns were assigned to Aaron's descendants: Hebron, a city of refuge, Jattir, and the towns of Libnah, Eshtemoa, Hilen, Debir, Ashan, and Beth Shemesh, with their pasture lands.
60
In the territory of Benjamin they were assigned the following towns with their pasture lands: Geba, Alemeth, and Anathoth. This made a total of thirteen towns for all their families to live in.
61
Ten towns in the territory of West Manasseh were assigned by lot to the rest of the clan of Kohath, family by family.
62
To the clan of Gershon, family by family, were assigned thirteen towns in the territories of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and East Manasseh in Bashan.
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In the same way, twelve towns in the territories of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun were assigned to the clan of Merari, family by family.
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In this way the people of Israel assigned towns for the Levites to live in, together with the pasture lands around the towns.
65
(The towns in the territories of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin, mentioned above, were also assigned by drawing lots.)
66
Some of the families of the clan of Kohath were assigned towns and pasture lands in the territory of Ephraim:
67
Shechem, the city of refuge in the hills of Ephraim, Gezer,
69
Aijalon, and Gath Rimmon.
70
In the territory of West Manasseh they were assigned the towns of Aner and Bileam with the surrounding pasture lands.
71
The families of the clan of Gershon were assigned the following towns, with the surrounding pasture lands: In the territory of East Manasseh: Golan in Bashan, and Ashtaroth.
72
In the territory of Issachar: Kedesh, Daberath,
74
In the territory of Asher: Mashal, Abdon,
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In the territory of Naphtali: Kedesh in Galilee, Hammon, and Kiriathaim.
77
The remaining families of the clan of Merari were assigned the following towns with the surrounding pasture lands: In the territory of Zebulun: Rimmono and Tabor.
78
In the territory of Reuben, east of the Jordan River beyond Jericho: Bezer on the plateau, Jahzah,
79
Kedemoth, and Mephaath.
80
In the territory of Gad: Ramoth in Gilead, Mahanaim,
1
At that time John the Baptist came to the desert of Judea and started preaching.
2
"Turn away from your sins," he said, "because the Kingdom of heaven is near!"
3
John was the man the prophet Isaiah was talking about when he said, "Someone is shouting in the desert, 'Prepare a road for the Lord; make a straight path for him to travel!' "
4
John's clothes were made of camel's hair; he wore a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey.
5
People came to him from Jerusalem, from the whole province of Judea, and from all over the country near the Jordan River.
6
They confessed their sins, and he baptized them in the Jordan.
7
When John saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming to him to be baptized, he said to them, "You snakes---who told you that you could escape from the punishment God is about to send?
8
Do those things that will show that you have turned from your sins.
9
And don't think you can escape punishment by saying that Abraham is your ancestor. I tell you that God can take these rocks and make descendants for Abraham!
10
The ax is ready to cut down the trees at the roots; every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown in the fire.
11
I baptize you with water to show that you have repented, but the one who will come after me will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. He is much greater than I am; and I am not good enough even to carry his sandals.
12
He has his winnowing shovel with him to thresh out all the grain. He will gather his wheat into his barn, but he will burn the chaff in a fire that never goes out."
13
At that time Jesus arrived from Galilee and came to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him.
14
But John tried to make him change his mind. "I ought to be baptized by you," John said, "and yet you have come to me!"
15
But Jesus answered him, "Let it be so for now. For in this way we shall do all that God requires." So John agreed.
16
As soon as Jesus was baptized, he came up out of the water. Then heaven was opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God coming down like a dove and lighting on him.
17
Then a voice said from heaven, "This is my own dear Son, with whom I am pleased."
