2 Samuel 6

Moving the Ark to Jerusalem
 ¹  Then David again gathered all the elite troops in Israel, 30,000 in all.  ²  He led them to Baalah of Judah [2]  to bring back the Ark of God, which bears the name of the LORD of Heaven's Armies, [2]  who is enthroned between the cherubim.  ³  They placed the Ark of God on a new cart and brought it from Abinadab's house, which was on a hill. Uzzah and Ahio, Abinadab's sons, were guiding the cart as it left the house,  ⁴  carrying the Ark of God. Ahio walked in front of the Ark.  ⁵  David and all the people of Israel were celebrating before the LORD, singing songs [5]  and playing all kinds of musical instruments—lyres, harps, tambourines, castanets, and cymbals.
   ⁶  But when they arrived at the threshing floor of Nacon, the oxen stumbled, and Uzzah reached out his hand and steadied the Ark of God.  ⁷  Then the LORD's anger was aroused against Uzzah, and God struck him dead because of this. [7]  So Uzzah died right there beside the Ark of God.
   ⁸  David was angry because the LORD's anger had burst out against Uzzah. He named that place Perez-uzzah (which means "to burst out against Uzzah"), as it is still called today.
   ⁹  David was now afraid of the LORD, and he asked, "How can I ever bring the Ark of the LORD back into my care?"  ¹⁰  So David decided not to move the Ark of the LORD into the City of David. Instead, he took it to the house of Obed-edom of Gath.  ¹¹  The Ark of the LORD remained there in Obed-edom's house for three months, and the LORD blessed Obed-edom and his entire household.
   ¹²  Then King David was told, "The LORD has blessed Obed-edom's household and everything he has because of the Ark of God." So David went there and brought the Ark of God from the house of Obed-edom to the City of David with a great celebration.  ¹³  After the men who were carrying the Ark of the LORD had gone six steps, David sacrificed a bull and a fattened calf.  ¹⁴  And David danced before the LORD with all his might, wearing a priestly garment. [14]   ¹⁵  So David and all the people of Israel brought up the Ark of the LORD with shouts of joy and the blowing of rams' horns.

Michal's Contempt for David
 ¹⁶  But as the Ark of the LORD entered the City of David, Michal, the daughter of Saul, looked down from her window. When she saw King David leaping and dancing before the LORD, she was filled with contempt for him.
   ¹⁷  They brought the Ark of the LORD and set it in its place inside the special tent David had prepared for it. And David sacrificed burnt offerings and peace offerings to the LORD.  ¹⁸  When he had finished his sacrifices, David blessed the people in the name of the LORD of Heaven's Armies.  ¹⁹  Then he gave to every Israelite man and woman in the crowd a loaf of bread, a cake of dates, [19]  and a cake of raisins. Then all the people returned to their homes.
   ²⁰  When David returned home to bless his own family, Michal, the daughter of Saul, came out to meet him. She said in disgust, "How distinguished the king of Israel looked today, shamelessly exposing himself to the servant girls like any vulgar person might do!"
   ²¹  David retorted to Michal, "I was dancing before the LORD, who chose me above your father and all his family! He appointed me as the leader of Israel, the people of the LORD, so I celebrate before the LORD.  ²²  Yes, and I am willing to look even more foolish than this, even to be humiliated in my own eyes! But those servant girls you mentioned will indeed think I am distinguished!"  ²³  So Michal, the daughter of Saul, remained childless throughout her entire life.

2 Samuel 7

The LORD's Covenant Promise to David
 ¹  When King David was settled in his palace and the LORD had given him rest from all the surrounding enemies,  ²  the king summoned Nathan the prophet. "Look," David said, "I am living in a beautiful cedar palace, [2]  but the Ark of God is out there in a tent!"
   ³  Nathan replied to the king, "Go ahead and do whatever you have in mind, for the LORD is with you."
   ⁴  But that same night the LORD said to Nathan,

 ⁵  "Go and tell my servant David, `This is what the LORD has declared: Are you the one to build a house for me to live in?  <sup>6</sup>  I have never lived in a house, from the day I brought the Israelites out of Egypt until this very day. I have always moved from one place to another with a tent and a Tabernacle as my dwelling.  <sup>7</sup>  Yet no matter where I have gone with the Israelites, I have never once complained to Israel's tribal leaders, the shepherds of my people Israel. I have never asked them, "Why haven't you built me a beautiful cedar house?"'
   <sup>8</sup>  "Now go and say to my servant David, `This is what the LORD of Heaven's Armies has declared: I took you from tending sheep in the pasture and selected you to be the leader of my people Israel.'"  ⁹  I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have destroyed all your enemies before your eyes. Now I will make your name as famous as anyone who has ever lived on the earth!  ¹⁰  And I will provide a homeland for my people Israel, planting them in a secure place where they will never be disturbed. Evil nations won't oppress them as they've done in the past,  ¹¹  starting from the time I appointed judges to rule my people Israel. And I will give you rest from all your enemies.
  "`Furthermore, the LORD declares that he will make a house for you—a dynasty of kings!  ¹²  For when you die and are buried with your ancestors, I will raise up one of your descendants, your own offspring, and I will make his kingdom strong.  ¹³  He is the one who will build a house—a temple—for my name. And I will secure his royal throne forever.  ¹⁴  I will be his father, and he will be my son. If he sins, I will correct and discipline him with the rod, like any father would do.  ¹⁵  But my favor will not be taken from him as I took it from Saul, whom I removed from your sight.  ¹⁶  "Your house and your kingdom will continue before me for all time, and your throne will be secure forever."  ¹⁷  So Nathan went back to David and told him everything the LORD had said in this vision.

David's Prayer of Thanks
 ¹⁸  Then King David went in and sat before the LORD and prayed,

"Who am I, O Sovereign LORD, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far?  ¹⁹  And now, Sovereign LORD, in addition to everything else, you speak of giving your servant a lasting dynasty! Do you deal with everyone this way, O Sovereign LORD? [19] 
   ²⁰  "What more can I say to you? You know what your servant is really like, Sovereign LORD.  ²¹  Because of your promise and according to your will, you have done all these great things and have made them known to your servant.
   ²²  "How great you are, O Sovereign LORD! There is no one like you. We have never even heard of another God like you!"  ²³  What other nation on earth is like your people Israel? What other nation, O God, have you redeemed from slavery to be your own people? You made a great name for yourself when you redeemed your people from Egypt. You performed awesome miracles and drove out the nations and gods that stood in their way. [23]   ²⁴  You made Israel your very own people forever, and you, O LORD, became their God.
   ²⁵  "And now, O LORD God, I am your servant; do as you have promised concerning me and my family. Confirm it as a promise that will last forever.  ²⁶  "And may your name be honored forever so that everyone will say, 'The LORD of Heaven's Armies is God over Israel!' And may the house of your servant David continue before you forever."    ²⁷  "O LORD of Heaven's Armies, God of Israel, I have been bold enough to pray this prayer to you because you have revealed all this to your servant, saying, `I will build a house for you—a dynasty of kings!'  ²⁸  For you are God, O Sovereign LORD. Your words are truth, and you have promised these good things to your servant.  ²⁹  And now, may it please you to bless the house of your servant, so that it may continue forever before you. For you have spoken, and when you grant a blessing to your servant, O Sovereign LORD, it is an eternal blessing!"

2 Samuel 8

David's Military Victories
 ¹  After this, David defeated and subdued the Philistines by conquering Gath, their largest town. [1]   ²  David also conquered the land of Moab. He made the people lie down on the ground in a row, and he measured them off in groups with a length of rope. He measured off two groups to be executed for every one group to be spared. The Moabites who were spared became David's subjects and paid him tribute money.
   ³  David also destroyed the forces of Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah, when Hadadezer marched out to strengthen his control along the Euphrates River.  ⁴  David captured 1,000 chariots, 7,000 charioteers, [4]  and 20,000 foot soldiers. He crippled all the chariot horses except enough for 100 chariots.
   ⁵  When Arameans from Damascus arrived to help King Hadadezer, David killed 22,000 of them.  ⁶  Then he placed several army garrisons in Damascus, the Aramean capital, and the Arameans became David's subjects and paid him tribute money. So the LORD made David victorious wherever he went.
   ⁷  David brought the gold shields of Hadadezer's officers to Jerusalem,  ⁸  along with a large amount of bronze from Hadadezer's towns of Tebah [8]  and Berothai.
   ⁹  When King Toi of Hamath heard that David had destroyed the entire army of Hadadezer,  ¹⁰  he sent his son Joram to congratulate King David for his successful campaign. Hadadezer and Toi had been enemies and were often at war. Joram presented David with many gifts of silver, gold, and bronze.
   ¹¹  King David dedicated all these gifts to the LORD, as he did with the silver and gold from the other nations he had defeated—  ¹²  from Edom, [12]  Moab, Ammon, Philistia, and Amalek—and from Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah.
   ¹³  So David became even more famous when he returned from destroying 18,000 Edomites [13]  in the Valley of Salt.  ¹⁴  He placed army garrisons throughout Edom, and all the Edomites became David's subjects. In fact, the LORD made David victorious wherever he went.
   ¹⁵  So David reigned over all Israel and did what was just and right for all his people.  ¹⁶  Joab son of Zeruiah was commander of the army. Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the royal historian.  ¹⁷  Zadok son of Ahitub and Ahimelech son of Abiathar were the priests. Seraiah was the court secretary.  ¹⁸  Benaiah son of Jehoiada was captain of the king's bodyguard. [18]  And David's sons served as priestly leaders. [18] 

<<  6:2a Baalah of Judah is another name for Kiriath-jearim; compare 1 Chr 13:6. 6:2b Or the Ark of God where the Name is proclaimed—the name of the L<%=ftSC%>ORD of Heaven's Armies.
<<  6:5 As in Dead Sea Srolls and Greek version (see also 1 Chr 13:8); Masoretic Text reads before the L<%=ftSC%>ORD with all manner of cypress wood.
<<  6:7 As in Dead Sea Scrolls; Masoretic Text reads because of his irreverence.
<<  6:14 Hebrew a linen ephod.
<<  6:19 Or a portion of meat. The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain.
<<  7:2 Hebrew a house of cedar.
<<  7:16 As in Greek version and some Hebrew manuscripts; Masoretic Text reads before you.
<<  7:19 Or This is your instruction for all humanity, O Sovereign L<%=ftSC%>ORD.
<<  7:23 As in Greek version (see also 1 Chr 17:21); Hebrew reads You made a great name for yourself and performed awesome miracles for your land. You did this in the sight of your people, whom you redeemed from Egypt, from nations and their gods.
<<  8:1 Hebrew by conquering Metheg-ammah, a name that means "the bridle," possibly referring to the size of the town or the tribute money taken from it. Compare 1 Chr 18:1.
<<  8:4 As in Dead Sea Scrolls and Greek version (see also 1 Chr 18:4); Masoretic Text reads captured 1,700 charioteers.
<<  8:8 As in some Greek manuscripts (see also 1 Chr 18:8); Hebrew reads Betah.
<<  8:12 As in a few Hebrew manuscripts and Greek and Syriac versions (see also 8:14; 1 Chr 18:11); most Hebrew manuscripts read Aram.
<<  8:13 As in a few Hebrew manuscripts and Greek and Syriac versions (see also 8:14; 1 Chr 18:12); most Hebrew manuscripts read Arameans.
<<  8:18a Hebrew of the Kerethites and Pelethites. 8:18b Hebrew David's sons were priests; compare parallel text at 1 Chr 18:17.

Luke 15 : 1-10

Parable of the Lost Sheep
 ¹  Tax collectors and other notorious sinners often came to listen to Jesus teach.  ²  This made the Pharisees and teachers of religious law complain that he was associating with such sinful people—even eating with them!
   ³  So Jesus told them this story:  ⁴  "If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, what will he do? Won't he leave the ninety-nine others in the wilderness and go to search for the one that is lost until he finds it?"  ⁵  And when he has found it, he will joyfully carry it home on his shoulders.  ⁶  When he arrives, he will call together his friends and neighbors, saying, `Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.'  <sup>7</sup>  "In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven't strayed away!" Parable of the Lost Coin
 <sup>8</sup>  "Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Won't she light a lamp and sweep the entire house and search carefully until she finds it?"  <sup>9</sup>  And when she finds it, she will call in her friends and neighbors and say, `Rejoice with me because I have found my lost coin.'  ¹⁰  In the same way, there is joy in the presence of God's angels when even one sinner repents."

<<  15:8 Greek ten drachmas. A drachma was the equivalent of a full day's wage.