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David Finds Mephibosheth
9 [a] Then David asked, “Is anyone still left from the family[b] of Saul, so that I may extend kindness to him for the sake of Jonathan?”
2 Now there was a servant from Saul’s house named Ziba, so he was summoned to David. The king asked him, “Are you Ziba?” He replied, “At your service.”[c] 3 The king asked, “Is there not someone left from Saul’s family[d] that I may extend God’s kindness to him?” Ziba said to the king, “One of Jonathan’s sons is left; both of his feet are crippled.” 4 The king asked him, “Where is he?” Ziba told the king, “He is at the house of Makir son of Ammiel in Lo Debar.”
5 So King David had him brought[e] from the house of Makir son of Ammiel in[f] Lo Debar. 6 When Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David, he bowed low with his face toward the ground.[g] David said, “Mephibosheth?” He replied, “Yes, at your service.”[h]
7 David said to him, “Don’t be afraid, because I will certainly extend kindness to you for the sake of Jonathan your father. I will give back to you all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will be a regular guest at my table.”[i] 8 Then Mephibosheth[j] bowed and said, “Of what importance am I, your servant, that you show regard for a dead dog like me?”[k]
9 Then the king summoned Ziba, Saul’s attendant, and said to him, “Everything that belonged to Saul and to his entire house I hereby give to your master’s grandson. 10 You will cultivate[l] the land for him—you and your sons and your servants. You will bring its produce[m] and it will be[n] food for your master’s grandson to eat.[o] But Mephibosheth, your master’s grandson, will be a regular guest at my table.” (Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.)
11 Ziba said to the king, “Your servant will do everything that my lord the king has instructed his servant to do.” So Mephibosheth was a regular guest[p] at David’s table,[q] just as though he were one of the king’s sons.
12 Now Mephibosheth had a young son whose name was Mica. All the members of Ziba’s household were Mephibosheth’s servants. 13 Mephibosheth was living in Jerusalem, for he was a regular guest at the king’s table. But both his feet were crippled.
David and the Ammonites
10 Later the king of the Ammonites died and his son Hanun succeeded him.[r] 2 David said, “I will express my loyalty[s] to Hanun son of Nahash just as his father was loyal[t] to me.” So David sent his servants with a message expressing sympathy over his father’s death.[u] When David’s servants entered the land of the Ammonites, 3 the Ammonite officials said to their lord Hanun, “Do you really think David is trying to honor your father by sending these messengers to express his sympathy?[v] No, David has sent his servants to you to get information about the city and spy on it so they can overthrow it!”[w]
4 So Hanun seized David’s servants and shaved off half of each one’s beard. He cut the lower part of their robes off so that their buttocks were exposed,[x] and then sent them away. 5 Messengers[y] told David what had happened,[z] so he sent them to the men who were thoroughly humiliated. The king said, “Stay in Jericho until your beards have grown again; then you may come back.”
6 When the Ammonites realized that David was disgusted with them,[aa] they[ab] sent and hired 20,000 foot soldiers from Aram Beth Rehob and Aram Zobah,[ac] in addition to 1,000 men from the king of Maacah and 12,000 men from Ish Tob.[ad]
7 When David heard the news, he sent Joab and the entire army to meet them.[ae] 8 The Ammonites marched out and were deployed for battle at the entrance of the city gate, while the men from Aram Zobah, Rehob, Ish Tob, and Maacah were by themselves in the field.
9 When Joab saw that the battle would be fought on two fronts, he chose some of Israel’s best men and deployed them against the Arameans.[af] 10 He put his brother Abishai in charge of the rest of the army[ag] and they were deployed[ah] against the Ammonites. 11 Joab[ai] said, “If the Arameans start to overpower me,[aj] you come to my rescue. If the Ammonites start to overpower you,[ak] I will come to your rescue. 12 Be strong! Let’s fight bravely for the sake of our people and the cities of our God! The Lord will do what he decides is best!”[al]
13 So Joab and his men[am] marched out to do battle with the Arameans, and they fled before him. 14 When the Ammonites saw the Arameans flee, they fled before his brother Abishai and went into the city. Joab withdrew from fighting the Ammonites and returned to[an] Jerusalem.
15 When the Arameans realized that they had been defeated by Israel, they consolidated their forces.[ao] 16 Then Hadadezer sent for Arameans from[ap] beyond the Euphrates River,[aq] and they came to Helam. Shobach, the general in command of Hadadezer’s army, led them.[ar]
17 When David was informed, he gathered all Israel, crossed the Jordan River,[as] and came to Helam. The Arameans deployed their forces against David and fought with him. 18 The Arameans fled before Israel. David killed 700 Aramean charioteers and 40,000 foot soldiers.[at] He also struck down Shobach, the general in command of the army, who died there. 19 When all the kings who were subject to Hadadezer[au] saw they were defeated by Israel, they made peace with Israel and became subjects of Israel.[av] The Arameans were no longer willing to help the Ammonites.
David Commits Adultery with Bathsheba
11 In the spring of the year, at the time when kings[aw] normally conduct wars,[ax] David sent out Joab with his officers[ay] and the entire Israelite army.[az] They defeated the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David stayed behind in Jerusalem.[ba] 2 One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of his palace.[bb] From the roof he saw a woman bathing. Now this woman was very attractive.[bc] 3 So David sent someone to inquire about the woman. The messenger[bd] said, “Isn’t this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?”
4 David sent some messengers to get her.[be] She came to[bf] him and he went to bed with her.[bg] (Now at that time she was in the process of purifying herself from her menstrual uncleanness.)[bh] Then she returned to her home. 5 The woman conceived and then sent word to David saying, “I’m pregnant.”
6 So David sent a message to Joab that said, “Send me Uriah the Hittite.” So Joab sent Uriah to David. 7 When Uriah came to him, David asked about how Joab and the army were doing and how the campaign was going.[bi] 8 Then David said to Uriah, “Go down to your home and relax.”[bj] When Uriah left the palace, the king sent a gift to him.[bk] 9 But Uriah stayed at the door of the palace with all[bl] the servants of his lord. He did not go down to his house.
10 So they informed David, “Uriah has not gone down to his house.” So David said to Uriah, “Haven’t you just arrived from a journey? Why haven’t you gone down to your house?” 11 Uriah replied to David, “The ark and Israel and Judah reside in temporary shelters, and my lord Joab and my lord’s soldiers are camping in the open field. Should I go to my house to eat and drink and go to bed with[bm] my wife? As surely as you are alive,[bn] I will not do this thing!” 12 So David said to Uriah, “Stay here another day. Tomorrow I will send you back.” So Uriah stayed in Jerusalem both that day and the following one.[bo] 13 Then David summoned him. He ate and drank with him, and got him drunk. But in the evening he went out to sleep on his bed with the servants of his lord; he did not go down to his own house.
14 In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it with Uriah. 15 In the letter he wrote: “Station Uriah at the front in the thick of the battle and then withdraw from him so he will be cut down and killed.”
16 So as Joab kept watch on the city, he stationed Uriah at the place where he knew the best enemy soldiers[bp] were. 17 When the men of the city came out and fought with Joab, some of David’s soldiers[bq] fell in battle. Uriah the Hittite also died.
18 Then Joab sent a full battle report to David.[br] 19 He instructed the messenger as follows: “When you finish giving the battle report to the king, 20 if the king becomes angry and asks you, ‘Why did you go so close to the city to fight? Didn’t you realize they would shoot from the wall? 21 Who struck down Abimelech the son of Jerub-Besheth? Didn’t a woman throw an upper millstone[bs] down on him from the wall so that he died in Thebez? Why did you go so close to the wall?’ just say to him, ‘Your servant Uriah the Hittite is also dead.’”
22 So the messenger departed. When he arrived, he informed David of all the news that Joab had sent with him. 23 The messenger said to David, “The men overpowered us and attacked us[bt] in the field. But we forced them to retreat[bu] all the way to the door of the city gate. 24 Then the archers shot at your servants from the wall and some of the king’s soldiers[bv] died. Your servant Uriah the Hittite is also dead.” 25 David said to the messenger, “Tell Joab, ‘Don’t let this thing upset you.[bw] There is no way to anticipate whom the sword will cut down.[bx] Press the battle against the city and conquer[by] it.’ Encourage him with these words.”[bz]
26 When Uriah’s wife heard that her husband Uriah was dead, she mourned for him.[ca] 27 When the time of mourning passed, David had her brought to his palace.[cb] She became his wife and she bore him a son. But what David had done upset the Lord.[cc]
The Vine and the Branches
15 “I am the true vine[a] and my Father is the gardener.[b] 2 He takes away[c] every branch that does not bear[d] fruit in me. He[e] prunes[f] every branch that bears[g] fruit so that it will bear more fruit. 3 You are clean already[h] because of the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Remain[i] in me, and I will remain in you.[j] Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself,[k] unless it remains[l] in[m] the vine, so neither can you unless you remain[n] in me.
5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains[o] in me—and I in him—bears[p] much fruit,[q] because apart from me you can accomplish[r] nothing. 6 If anyone does not remain[s] in me, he is thrown out like a branch, and dries up; and such branches are gathered up and thrown into the fire,[t] and are burned up.[u] 7 If you remain[v] in me and my words remain[w] in you, ask whatever you want, and it will be done for you.[x] 8 My Father is honored[y] by this, that[z] you bear[aa] much fruit and show that you are[ab] my disciples.
9 “Just as the Father has loved me, I have also loved you; remain[ac] in my love. 10 If you obey[ad] my commandments, you will remain[ae] in my love, just as I have obeyed[af] my Father’s commandments and remain[ag] in his love. 11 I have told you these things[ah] so that my joy may be in you, and your joy may be complete. 12 My commandment is this—to love one another just as I have loved you.[ai] 13 No one has greater love than this—that one lays down his life[aj] for his friends. 14 You are my friends[ak] if you do what I command you. 15 I no longer call you slaves,[al] because the slave does not understand[am] what his master is doing. But I have called you friends, because I have revealed to you everything[an] I heard[ao] from my Father. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you[ap] and appointed you to go and bear[aq] fruit, fruit that remains,[ar] so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you. 17 This[as] I command you—to love one another.
The World’s Hatred
18 “If the world hates you, be aware[at] that it hated me first.[au] 19 If you belonged to the world,[av] the world would love you as its own.[aw] However, because you do not belong to the world,[ax] but I chose you out of the world, for this reason[ay] the world hates you.[az] 20 Remember what[ba] I told you, ‘A slave[bb] is not greater than his master.’[bc] If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they obeyed[bd] my word, they will obey[be] yours too. 21 But they will do all these things to you on account of[bf] my name, because they do not know the one who sent me.[bg] 22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin.[bh] But they no longer have any excuse for their sin. 23 The one who hates me hates my Father too. 24 If I had not performed[bi] among them the miraculous deeds[bj] that no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin.[bk] But now they have seen the deeds[bl] and have hated both me and my Father.[bm] 25 Now this happened[bn] to fulfill the word that is written in their law, ‘They hated me without reason.’[bo] 26 When the Advocate[bp] comes, whom I will send you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he[bq] will testify about me, 27 and you also will testify, because you have been with me from the beginning.
ז (Zayin)
49 Remember your word to your servant,
for you have given me hope.
50 This[a] is what comforts me in my trouble,
for your promise revives me.[b]
51 Arrogant people do nothing but scoff at me.[c]
Yet I do not turn aside from your law.
52 I remember your ancient regulations,[d]
O Lord, and console myself.[e]
53 Rage takes hold of me because of the wicked,
those who reject your law.
54 Your statutes have been my songs[f]
in the house where I live.[g]
55 I remember your name during the night, O Lord,
and I will keep[h] your law.
56 This[i] has been my practice,
for I observe your precepts.
ח (Khet)
57 The Lord is my source of security.[j]
I have determined[k] to follow your instructions.[l]
58 I seek your favor[m] with all my heart.
Have mercy on me as you promised.[n]
59 I consider my actions[o]
and follow[p] your rules.
60 I keep your commands eagerly
and without delay.[q]
61 The ropes of the wicked tighten around[r] me,
but I do not forget your law.
62 In the middle of the night I arise[s] to thank you
for your just regulations.
63 I am a friend to all your loyal followers,[t]
and to those who keep your precepts.
64 O Lord, your loyal love fills the earth.
Teach me your statutes!
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