²² The divisions of the camp of Ephraim^(A) went next, under their standard. Elishama son of Ammihud^(B) was in command. ²³ Gamaliel son of Pedahzur was over the division of the tribe of Manasseh,^{(C) 24} and Abidan son of Gideoni was over the division of the tribe of Benjamin.^(D)

²⁵ Finally, as the rear guard^(E) for all the units, the divisions of the camp of Dan set out under their standard. Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai^(F) was in command. ²⁶ Pagiel son of Okran was over the division of the tribe of Asher,^{(G) 27} and Ahira son of Enan was over the division of the tribe of Naphtali.^{(H) 28} This was the order of march for the Israelite divisions as they set out.

²⁹ Now Moses said to Hobab^(I) son of Reuel^(J) the Midianite, Moses’ father-in-law,^(K) “We are setting out for the place about which the Lord said, ‘I will give it to you.’^(L) Come with us and we will treat you well, for the Lord has promised good things to Israel.”

³⁰ He answered, “No, I will not go;^(M) I am going back to my own land and my own people.^(N)”

³¹ But Moses said, “Please do not leave us. You know where we should camp in the wilderness, and you can be our eyes.^{(O) 32} If you come with us, we will share with you^(P) whatever good things the Lord gives us.^(Q)”

³³ So they set out^(R) from the mountain of the Lord and traveled for three days. The ark of the covenant of the Lord^(S) went before them during those three days to find them a place to rest.^{(T) 34} The cloud of the Lord was over them by day when they set out from the camp.^(U)

³⁵ Whenever the ark set out, Moses said,

³⁶ Whenever it came to rest, he said,

Saul Takes His Life^(A)

10 Now the Philistines fought against Israel; the Israelites fled before them, and many fell dead on Mount Gilboa. ² The Philistines were in hot pursuit of Saul and his sons, and they killed his sons Jonathan, Abinadab and Malki-Shua. ³ The fighting grew fierce around Saul, and when the archers overtook him, they wounded him.

⁴ Saul said to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword and run me through, or these uncircumcised fellows will come and abuse me.”

But his armor-bearer was terrified and would not do it; so Saul took his own sword and fell on it. ⁵ When the armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he too fell on his sword and died. ⁶ So Saul and his three sons died, and all his house died together.

⁷ When all the Israelites in the valley saw that the army had fled and that Saul and his sons had died, they abandoned their towns and fled. And the Philistines came and occupied them.

⁸ The next day, when the Philistines came to strip the dead, they found Saul and his sons fallen on Mount Gilboa. ⁹ They stripped him and took his head and his armor, and sent messengers throughout the land of the Philistines to proclaim the news among their idols and their people. ¹⁰ They put his armor in the temple of their gods and hung up his head in the temple of Dagon.^(B)

¹¹ When all the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead^(C) heard what the Philistines had done to Saul, ¹² all their valiant men went and took the bodies of Saul and his sons and brought them to Jabesh. Then they buried their bones under the great tree in Jabesh, and they fasted seven days.

¹³ Saul died^(D) because he was unfaithful^(E) to the Lord; he did not keep^(F) the word of the Lord and even consulted a medium^(G) for guidance, ¹⁴ and did not inquire of the Lord. So the Lord put him to death and turned^(H) the kingdom^(I) over to David son of Jesse.

David Becomes King Over Israel^(J)

11 All Israel^(K) came together to David at Hebron^(L) and said, “We are your own flesh and blood. ² In the past, even while Saul was king, you were the one who led Israel on their military campaigns.^(M) And the Lord your God said to you, ‘You will shepherd^(N) my people Israel, and you will become their ruler.^(O)’”

³ When all the elders of Israel had come to King David at Hebron, he made a covenant with them at Hebron before the Lord, and they anointed^(P) David king over Israel, as the Lord had promised through Samuel.

David Conquers Jerusalem^(Q)

⁴ David and all the Israelites marched to Jerusalem (that is, Jebus). The Jebusites^(R) who lived there ⁵ said to David, “You will not get in here.” Nevertheless, David captured the fortress of Zion—which is the City of David.

⁶ David had said, “Whoever leads the attack on the Jebusites will become commander in chief.” Joab^(S) son of Zeruiah went up first, and so he received the command.

⁷ David then took up residence in the fortress, and so it was called the City of David. ⁸ He built up the city around it, from the terraces^[a](T) to the surrounding wall, while Joab restored the rest of the city. ⁹ And David became more and more powerful,^(U) because the Lord Almighty was with him.

The Lord’s Great Victory Over the Nations

38 The word of the Lord came to me: ² “Son of man, set your face against Gog,^(A) of the land of Magog,^(B) the chief prince of^[a] Meshek and Tubal;^(C) prophesy against him ³ and say: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am against you, Gog, chief prince of^[b] Meshek and Tubal.^{(D) 4} I will turn you around, put hooks^(E) in your jaws and bring you out with your whole army—your horses, your horsemen fully armed, and a great horde with large and small shields, all of them brandishing their swords.^{(F) 5} Persia, Cush^[c](G) and Put^(H) will be with them, all with shields and helmets, ⁶ also Gomer^(I) with all its troops, and Beth Togarmah^(J) from the far north^(K) with all its troops—the many nations with you.

⁷ “‘Get ready; be prepared,^(L) you and all the hordes gathered about you, and take command of them. ⁸ After many days^(M) you will be called to arms. In future years you will invade a land that has recovered from war, whose people were gathered from many nations^(N) to the mountains of Israel, which had long been desolate. They had been brought out from the nations, and now all of them live in safety.^{(O) 9} You and all your troops and the many nations with you will go up, advancing like a storm;^(P) you will be like a cloud^(Q) covering the land.^(R)

¹⁰ “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: On that day thoughts will come into your mind^(S) and you will devise an evil scheme.^{(T) 11} You will say, “I will invade a land of unwalled villages; I will attack a peaceful and unsuspecting people^(U)—all of them living without walls and without gates and bars.^{(V) 12} I will plunder and loot and turn my hand against the resettled ruins and the people gathered from the nations, rich in livestock and goods, living at the center of the land.^[d]” ¹³ Sheba^(W) and Dedan^(X) and the merchants of Tarshish^(Y) and all her villages^[e] will say to you, “Have you come to plunder? Have you gathered your hordes to loot, to carry off silver and gold, to take away livestock and goods and to seize much plunder?^(Z)”’

¹⁴ “Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say to Gog: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: In that day, when my people Israel are living in safety,^(AA) will you not take notice of it? ¹⁵ You will come from your place in the far north,^(AB) you and many nations with you, all of them riding on horses, a great horde, a mighty army.^{(AC) 16} You will advance against my people Israel like a cloud^(AD) that covers the land.^(AE) In days to come, Gog, I will bring you against my land, so that the nations may know me when I am proved holy^(AF) through you before their eyes.^(AG)

Psalm 130

A song of ascents.

¹⁸ “The second came and said, ‘Sir, your mina has earned five more.’

¹⁹ “His master answered, ‘You take charge of five cities.’

²⁰ “Then another servant came and said, ‘Sir, here is your mina; I have kept it laid away in a piece of cloth. ²¹ I was afraid of you, because you are a hard man. You take out what you did not put in and reap what you did not sow.’^(A)

²² “His master replied, ‘I will judge you by your own words,^(B) you wicked servant! You knew, did you, that I am a hard man, taking out what I did not put in, and reaping what I did not sow?^{(C) 23} Why then didn’t you put my money on deposit, so that when I came back, I could have collected it with interest?’

²⁴ “Then he said to those standing by, ‘Take his mina away from him and give it to the one who has ten minas.’

²⁵ “‘Sir,’ they said, ‘he already has ten!’

²⁶ “He replied, ‘I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but as for the one who has nothing, even what they have will be taken away.^{(D) 27} But those enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them—bring them here and kill them in front of me.’”

1 Paul and Timothy,^(A) servants of Christ Jesus,

To all God’s holy people^(B) in Christ Jesus at Philippi,^(C) together with the overseers^(D) and deacons^[a]:^(E)

² Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.^(F)

Thanksgiving and Prayer

³ I thank my God every time I remember you.^{(G) 4} In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray^(H) with joy ⁵ because of your partnership^(I) in the gospel from the first day^(J) until now, ⁶ being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion^(K) until the day of Christ Jesus.^(L)

⁷ It is right^(M) for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart^(N) and, whether I am in chains^(O) or defending^(P) and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me. ⁸ God can testify^(Q) how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.

⁹ And this is my prayer: that your love^(R) may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight,^{(S) 10} so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,^{(T) 11} filled with the fruit of righteousness^(U) that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.