1
When Saul's son Ishbosheth heard that Abner had been killed in Hebron, he was afraid, and all the people of Israel were alarmed.
2
Ishbosheth had two officers who were leaders of raiding parties, Baanah and Rechab, sons of Rimmon, from Beeroth in the tribe of Benjamin. (Beeroth is counted as part of Benjamin.
3
Its original inhabitants had fled to Gittaim, where they have lived ever since.)
4
Another descendant of Saul was Jonathan's son Mephibosheth, who was five years old when Saul and Jonathan were killed. When the news about their death came from the city of Jezreel, his nurse picked him up and fled; but she was in such a hurry that she dropped him, and he became crippled.
5
Rechab and Baanah set out for Ishbosheth's house and arrived there about noon, while he was taking his midday rest.
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The woman at the door had become drowsy while she was sifting wheat and had fallen asleep, so Rechab and Baanah slipped in.
7
Once inside, they went to Ishbosheth's bedroom, where he was sound asleep, and killed him. Then they cut off his head, took it with them, and walked all night through the Jordan Valley.
8
They presented the head to King David at Hebron and said to him, "Here is the head of Ishbosheth, the son of your enemy Saul, who tried to kill you. Today the LORD has allowed Your Majesty to take revenge on Saul and his descendants."
9
David answered them, "I take a vow by the living LORD, who has saved me from all dangers!
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The messenger who came to me at Ziklag and told me of Saul's death thought he was bringing good news. I seized him and had him put to death. That was the reward I gave him for his good news!
11
How much worse it will be for evil men who murder an innocent man asleep in his own house! I will now take revenge on you for murdering him and will wipe you off the face of the earth!"
12
David gave the order, and his soldiers killed Rechab and Baanah and cut off their hands and feet, which they hung up near the pool in Hebron. They took Ishbosheth's head and buried it in Abner's tomb there at Hebron.
1
Then all the tribes of Israel went to David at Hebron and said to him, "We are your own flesh and blood.
2
In the past, even when Saul was still our king, you led the people of Israel in battle, and the LORD promised you that you would lead his people and be their ruler."
3
So all the leaders of Israel came to King David at Hebron. He made a sacred alliance with them, they anointed him, and he became king of Israel.
4
David was thirty years old when he became king, and he ruled for forty years.
5
He ruled in Hebron over Judah for seven and a half years, and in Jerusalem over all Israel and Judah for thirty-three years.
6
The time came when King David and his men set out to attack Jerusalem. The Jebusites, who lived there, thought that David would not be able to conquer the city, and so they said to him, "You will never get in here; even the blind and the crippled could keep you out."
7
(But David did capture their fortress of Zion, and it became known as "David's City.")
8
That day David said to his men, "Does anybody here hate the Jebusites as much as I do? Enough to kill them? Then go up through the water tunnel and attack those poor blind cripples." (That is why it is said, "The blind and the crippled cannot enter the LORD's house.")
9
After capturing the fortress, David lived in it and named it "David's City." He built the city around it, starting at the place where land was filled in on the east side of the hill.
10
He grew stronger all the time, because the LORD God Almighty was with him.
11
King Hiram of Tyre sent a trade mission to David; he provided him with cedar logs and with carpenters and stone masons to build a palace.
12
And so David realized that the LORD had established him as king of Israel and was making his kingdom prosperous for the sake of his people.
13
After moving from Hebron to Jerusalem, David took more concubines and wives, and had more sons and daughters.
14
The following children were born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon,
15
Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia,
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Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet.
17
The Philistines were told that David had been made king of Israel, so their army set out to capture him. When David heard of it, he went down to a fortified place.
18
The Philistines arrived at Rephaim Valley and occupied it.
19
David asked the LORD, "Shall I attack the Philistines? Will you give me the victory?" "Yes, attack!" the LORD answered. "I will give you the victory!"
20
So David went to Baal Perazim and there he defeated the Philistines. He said, "The LORD has broken through my enemies like a flood." And so that place is called Baal Perazim.
21
When the Philistines fled, they left their idols behind, and David and his men carried them away.
22
Then the Philistines went back to Rephaim Valley and occupied it again.
23
Once more David consulted the LORD, who answered, "Don't attack them from here, but go around and get ready to attack them from the other side, near the balsam trees.
24
When you hear the sound of marching in the treetops, then attack because I will be marching ahead of you to defeat the Philistine army."
25
David did what the LORD had commanded, and was able to drive the Philistines back from Geba all the way to Gezer.
1
LORD, you have examined me and you know me.
2
You know everything I do; from far away you understand all my thoughts.
3
You see me, whether I am working or resting; you know all my actions.
4
Even before I speak, you already know what I will say.
5
You are all around me on every side; you protect me with your power.
6
Your knowledge of me is too deep; it is beyond my understanding.
7
Where could I go to escape from you? Where could I get away from your presence?
8
If I went up to heaven, you would be there; if I lay down in the world of the dead, you would be there.
9
If I flew away beyond the east or lived in the farthest place in the west,
10
you would be there to lead me, you would be there to help me.
11
I could ask the darkness to hide me or the light around me to turn into night,
12
but even darkness is not dark for you, and the night is as bright as the day. Darkness and light are the same to you.
13
You created every part of me; you put me together in my mother's womb.
14
I praise you because you are to be feared; all you do is strange and wonderful. I know it with all my heart.
15
When my bones were being formed, carefully put together in my mother's womb, when I was growing there in secret, you knew that I was there---
16
you saw me before I was born. The days allotted to me had all been recorded in your book, before any of them ever began.
17
O God, how difficult I find your thoughts; how many of them there are!
18
If I counted them, they would be more than the grains of sand. When I awake, I am still with you.
19
O God, how I wish you would kill the wicked! How I wish violent people would leave me alone!
20
They say wicked things about you; they speak evil things against your name.
21
O LORD, how I hate those who hate you! How I despise those who rebel against you!
22
I hate them with a total hatred; I regard them as my enemies.
23
Examine me, O God, and know my mind; test me, and discover my thoughts.
24
Find out if there is any evil in me and guide me in the everlasting way.
1
Some Pharisees and Sadducees who came to Jesus wanted to trap him, so they asked him to perform a miracle for them, to show that God approved of him.
2
But Jesus answered, "When the sun is setting, you say, 'We are going to have fine weather, because the sky is red.'
3
And early in the morning you say, 'It is going to rain, because the sky is red and dark.' You can predict the weather by looking at the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs concerning these times!
4
How evil and godless are the people of this day! You ask me for a miracle? No! The only miracle you will be given is the miracle of Jonah." So he left them and went away.
5
When the disciples crossed over to the other side of the lake, they forgot to take any bread.
6
Jesus said to them, "Take care; be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees."
7
They started discussing among themselves, "He says this because we didn't bring any bread."
8
Jesus knew what they were saying, so he asked them, "Why are you discussing among yourselves about not having any bread? What little faith you have!
9
Don't you understand yet? Don't you remember when I broke the five loaves for the five thousand men? How many baskets did you fill?
10
And what about the seven loaves for the four thousand men? How many baskets did you fill?
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How is it that you don't understand that I was not talking to you about bread? Guard yourselves from the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees!"
12
Then the disciples understood that he was not warning them to guard themselves from the yeast used in bread but from the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
13
Jesus went to the territory near the town of Caesarea Philippi, where he asked his disciples, "Who do people say the Son of Man is?"
14
"Some say John the Baptist," they answered. "Others say Elijah, while others say Jeremiah or some other prophet."
15
"What about you?" he asked them. "Who do you say I am?"
16
Simon Peter answered, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God."
17
"Good for you, Simon son of John!" answered Jesus. "For this truth did not come to you from any human being, but it was given to you directly by my Father in heaven.
18
And so I tell you, Peter: you are a rock, and on this rock foundation I will build my church, and not even death will ever be able to overcome it.
19
I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of heaven; what you prohibit on earth will be prohibited in heaven, and what you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven."
20
Then Jesus ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.
21
From that time on Jesus began to say plainly to his disciples, "I must go to Jerusalem and suffer much from the elders, the chief priests, and the teachers of the Law. I will be put to death, but three days later I will be raised to life."
22
Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. "God forbid it, Lord!" he said. "That must never happen to you!"
23
Jesus turned around and said to Peter, "Get away from me, Satan! You are an obstacle in my way, because these thoughts of yours don't come from God, but from human nature."
24
Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If any of you want to come with me, you must forget yourself, carry your cross, and follow me.
25
For if you want to save your own life, you will lose it; but if you lose your life for my sake, you will find it.
26
Will you gain anything if you win the whole world but lose your life? Of course not! There is nothing you can give to regain your life.
27
For the Son of Man is about to come in the glory of his Father with his angels, and then he will reward each one according to his deeds.
28
I assure you that there are some here who will not die until they have seen the Son of Man come as King."
