1 Samuel 21-22
Christian Standard Bible
David Flees to Nob
21 David went to the priest Ahimelech(A) at Nob.(B) Ahimelech was afraid to meet David, so he said to him, “Why are you alone and no one is with you?”
2 David answered the priest Ahimelech, “The king gave me a mission, but he told me, ‘Don’t let anyone know anything about the mission I’m sending you on or what I have ordered you to do.’ I have stationed my young men at a certain place. 3 Now what do you have on hand? Give me five loaves of bread or whatever can be found.”
4 The priest told him, “There is no ordinary bread on hand. However, there is consecrated bread,(C) but the young men may eat it[a] only if they have kept themselves from women.”(D)
5 David answered him, “I swear that women are being kept from us, as always when I go out to battle.(E) The young men’s bodies[b] are consecrated(F) even on an ordinary mission, so of course their bodies are consecrated today.” 6 So the priest gave him the consecrated bread,(G) for there was no bread there except the Bread of the Presence(H) that had been removed from the presence of the Lord. When the bread was removed, it had been replaced with warm bread.
7 One of Saul’s servants, detained before the Lord, was there that day. His name was Doeg the Edomite,(I) chief of Saul’s shepherds.
8 David said to Ahimelech, “Do you have a spear or sword on hand? I didn’t even bring my sword or my weapons since the king’s mission was urgent.”
9 The priest replied, “The sword of Goliath the Philistine,(J) whom you killed in the Valley of Elah, is here, wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod. If you want to take it for yourself, then take it, for there isn’t another one here.”
“There’s none like it!” David said. “Give it to me.”
David Flees to Gath
10 David fled that day from Saul’s presence and went to King Achish of Gath.(K) 11 But Achish’s servants said to him, “Isn’t this David, the king of the land? Don’t they sing about him during their dances:
Saul has killed his thousands,
but David his tens of thousands?” (L)
12 David took this to heart and became very afraid of King Achish of Gath, 13 so he pretended to be insane in their presence.(M) He acted like a madman around them,[c] scribbling[d] on the doors of the city gate and letting saliva run down his beard.
14 “Look! You can see the man is crazy,” Achish said to his servants. “Why did you bring him to me? 15 Do I have such a shortage of crazy people that you brought this one to act crazy around me? Is this one going to come into my house?” (N)
Saul’s Increasing Paranoia
22 So David left Gath and took refuge in the cave of Adullam.(O) When David’s brothers and his father’s whole family heard, they went down and joined him there. 2 In addition, every man who was desperate, in debt, or discontented rallied around him, and he became their leader. About four hundred men were with him.(P)
3 From there David went to Mizpeh of Moab where he said to the king of Moab, “Please let my father and mother stay with you until I know what God will do for me.” 4 So he left them in the care of the king of Moab, and they stayed with him the whole time David was in the stronghold.
5 Then the prophet Gad(Q) said to David, “Don’t stay in the stronghold. Leave and return to the land of Judah.” So David left and went to the forest of Hereth.
6 Saul heard that David and his men had been discovered. At that time Saul was in Gibeah, sitting under the tamarisk tree(R) at the high place. His spear was in his hand, and all his servants were standing around him. 7 Saul said to his servants, “Listen, men of Benjamin: Is Jesse’s son going to give all of you fields and vineyards? Do you think he’ll make all of you commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds?(S) 8 That’s why all of you have conspired against me! Nobody tells me when my own son makes a covenant with Jesse’s son.(T) None of you cares about me(U) or tells me that my son has stirred up my own servant to wait in ambush for me, as is the case today.”
9 Then Doeg the Edomite,(V) who was in charge of Saul’s servants, answered, “I saw Jesse’s son come to Ahimelech son of Ahitub at Nob.(W) 10 Ahimelech inquired of the Lord for him(X) and gave him provisions.(Y) He also gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.”(Z)
Slaughter of the Priests
11 The king sent messengers to summon the priest Ahimelech son of Ahitub, and his father’s whole family, who were priests in Nob. All of them came to the king. 12 Then Saul said, “Listen, son of Ahitub!”
“I’m at your service,(AA) my lord,” he said.
13 Saul asked him, “Why did you and Jesse’s son conspire against me? You gave him bread and a sword and inquired of God for him, so he could rise up against me and wait in ambush, as is the case today.”(AB)
14 Ahimelech replied to the king, “Who among all your servants is as faithful as David?(AC) He is the king’s son-in-law, captain of your bodyguard, and honored in your house. 15 Was today the first time I inquired of God for him?(AD) Of course not! Please don’t let the king make an accusation against your servant or any of my father’s family, for your servant didn’t have any idea[e] about all this.”
16 But the king said, “You will die, Ahimelech—you and your father’s whole family!”
17 Then the king ordered the guards standing by him, “Turn and kill the priests of the Lord(AE) because they sided with David. For they knew he was fleeing, but they didn’t tell me.” But the king’s servants would not lift a hand to execute the priests of the Lord.
18 So the king said to Doeg, “Go and execute the priests!” So Doeg the Edomite went and executed the priests himself. On that day, he killed eighty-five men(AF) who wore linen ephods.(AG) 19 He also struck down Nob, the city of the priests, with the sword—both men and women, infants and nursing babies, oxen, donkeys, and sheep.(AH)
20 However, one of the sons of Ahimelech son of Ahitub escaped. His name was Abiathar,(AI) and he fled to David.(AJ) 21 Abiathar told David that Saul had killed the priests of the Lord. 22 Then David said to Abiathar, “I knew that Doeg the Edomite(AK) was there that day and that he was sure to report to Saul. I myself am responsible for[f] the lives of everyone in your father’s family. 23 Stay with me. Don’t be afraid, for the one who wants to take my life wants to take your life.(AL) You will be safe with me.”
1 Chronicles 5
Christian Standard Bible
Reuben’s Descendants
5 These were the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel. He was the firstborn,(A) but his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph(B) son of Israel, because Reuben defiled his father’s bed.(C) He is not listed in the genealogy according to birthright. 2 Although Judah became strong among his brothers(D) and a ruler came from him,(E) the birthright was given to Joseph.
3 The sons of Reuben, Israel’s firstborn:(F)
Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.
4 Joel’s sons: his son Shemaiah,
his son Gog, his son Shimei,
5 his son Micah, his son Reaiah,
his son Baal, 6 and his son Beerah.
Beerah was a leader of the Reubenites, and King Tiglath-pileser[a] of Assyria took him into exile. 7 His relatives by their families as they are recorded in their family records:(G)
Jeiel the chief, Zechariah,
8 and Bela son of Azaz,
son of Shema, son of Joel.
They settled in Aroer(H) as far as Nebo and Baal-meon. 9 They also settled in the east as far as the edge of the desert that extends to the Euphrates River, because their herds had increased in the land of Gilead.(I) 10 During Saul’s reign they waged war against the Hagrites,(J) who were defeated by their power. And they lived in their tents throughout the region east of Gilead.
Gad’s Descendants
11 The sons(K) of Gad lived next to them in the land of Bashan as far as Salecah:(L)
12 Joel the chief, Shapham the second in command, Janai, and Shaphat in Bashan.
13 Their relatives according to their ancestral houses: Michael, Meshullam, Sheba, Jorai, Jacan, Zia, and Eber—seven.
14 These were the sons of Abihail son of Huri,
son of Jaroah, son of Gilead,
son of Michael, son of Jeshishai,
son of Jahdo, son of Buz.
15 Ahi son of Abdiel, son of Guni, was head of their ancestral family.[b] 16 They lived in Gilead, in Bashan and its surrounding villages, and throughout the pasturelands of Sharon.(M) 17 All of them were registered in the genealogies during the reigns of Judah’s King Jotham(N) and Israel’s King Jeroboam.(O)
18 The descendants of Reuben and Gad and half the tribe of Manasseh had 44,760 warriors who could serve(P) in the army—men who carried shield and sword, drew the bow, and were trained for war. 19 They waged war against the Hagrites,(Q) Jetur,(R) Naphish, and Nodab. 20 They received help against these enemies because they cried out to God in battle, and the Hagrites and all their allies were handed over to them.(S) He was receptive to their prayer because they trusted in him.(T) 21 They captured the Hagrites’ livestock—fifty thousand of their camels, two hundred fifty thousand sheep, and two thousand donkeys—as well as one hundred thousand people. 22 Many of the Hagrites were killed because it was God’s battle.(U) And they lived there in the Hagrites’ place(V) until the exile.(W)
Half the Tribe of Manasseh
23 The descendants of half the tribe of Manasseh settled in the land from Bashan to Baal-hermon (that is, Senir(X) or Mount Hermon); they were numerous. 24 These were the heads of their ancestral families: Epher, Ishi, Eliel, Azriel, Jeremiah, Hodaviah, and Jahdiel. They were valiant warriors, famous men, and heads of their ancestral houses. 25 But they were unfaithful to the God of their ancestors. They prostituted themselves(Y) with the gods of the nations[c] God had destroyed before them.(Z) 26 So the God of Israel roused the spirit of King Pul(AA) (that is, Tiglath-pileser[d]) of Assyria, and he took the Reubenites, Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh into exile. He took them to Halah, Habor, Hara, and Gozan’s river, where they are until today.
Psalm 52
Christian Standard Bible
Psalm 52
God Judges the Proud
For the choir director. A Maskil of David. When Doeg the Edomite went and reported to Saul, telling him, “David went to Ahimelech’s house.”(A)
1 Why boast about evil, you hero!(B)
God’s faithful love is constant.(C)
2 Like a sharpened razor,
your tongue devises destruction,
working treachery.(D)
3 You love evil instead of good,
lying instead of speaking truthfully.(E)Selah
4 You love any words that destroy,
you treacherous tongue!(F)
5 This is why God will bring you down forever.
He will take you, ripping you out of your tent;
he will uproot you from the land of the living.(G)Selah
6 The righteous will see and fear,
and they will derisively say about that hero,[a](H)
7 “Here is the man
who would not make God his refuge,
but trusted in the abundance of his riches,
taking refuge in his destructive behavior.”(I)
8 But I am like a flourishing olive tree
in the house of God;(J)
I trust in God’s faithful love forever and ever.(K)
9 I will praise you forever for what you have done.
In the presence of your faithful people,
I will put my hope in your name, for it is good.(L)
Footnotes
- 52:6 Lit about him
Acts 15
Christian Standard Bible
Dispute in Antioch
15 Some men(A) came down from Judea and began to teach the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised(B) according to the custom prescribed by Moses,(C) you cannot be saved.” 2 After Paul and Barnabas had engaged them in serious argument and debate, Paul and Barnabas and some others were appointed to go up to the apostles and elders in Jerusalem about this issue.(D) 3 When they had been sent on their way by the church,(E) they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and they brought great joy to all the brothers and sisters.
4 When they arrived at Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church, the apostles, and the elders, and they reported all that God had done with them.(F) 5 But some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, “It is necessary to circumcise them and to command them to keep the law of Moses.”
The Jerusalem Council
6 The apostles and the elders gathered to consider this matter. 7 After there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “Brothers, you are aware that in the early days God made a choice among you,[a] that by my mouth the Gentiles would hear the gospel message and believe. 8 And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he also did to us.(G) 9 He made no distinction between us and them,(H) cleansing their hearts by faith.(I) 10 Now then, why are you testing God by putting a yoke on the disciples’ necks(J) that neither our ancestors nor we have been able to bear? 11 On the contrary, we believe that we are saved through the grace(K) of the Lord Jesus in the same way they are.”
12 The whole assembly became silent and listened to Barnabas and Paul describe all the signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles.(L) 13 After they stopped speaking, James responded, “Brothers, listen to me. 14 Simeon[b] has reported how God first intervened to take from the Gentiles a people for his name.(M) 15 And the words of the prophets agree with this, as it is written:
16 After these things I will return
and rebuild David’s fallen tent.
I will rebuild its ruins
and set it up again,
17 so that the rest of humanity
may seek the Lord—
even all the Gentiles
who are called by my name—
declares the Lord
who makes these things 18 known from long ago.[c][d](N)
19 Therefore, in my judgment, we should not cause difficulties for those among the Gentiles who turn to God, 20 but instead we should write to them to abstain from things polluted by idols, from sexual immorality,(O) from eating anything that has been strangled, and from blood. 21 For since ancient times, Moses has had those who proclaim him in every city, and every Sabbath day he is read aloud in the synagogues.”(P)
The Letter to the Gentile Believers
22 Then the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, decided to select men who were among them and to send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas: Judas, called Barsabbas, and Silas,(Q) both leading men among the brothers. 23 They wrote:
“From the apostles and the elders, your brothers,
To the brothers and sisters among the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia:(R)
Greetings.
24 Since we have heard that some without our authorization went out from us(S) and troubled you with their words and unsettled your hearts,[e](T) 25 we have unanimously(U) decided to select men and send them to you along with our dearly loved Barnabas and Paul, 26 who have risked their lives(V) for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 Therefore we have sent Judas and Silas, who will personally report the same things by word of mouth. 28 For it was the Holy Spirit’s decision—and ours—not to place further burdens on you beyond these requirements:(W) 29 that you abstain from food offered to idols, from blood, from eating anything that has been strangled, and from sexual immorality.(X) You will do well if you keep yourselves from these things.
Farewell.”
The Outcome of the Jerusalem Letter
30 So they were sent off and went down to Antioch, and after gathering the assembly, they delivered the letter. 31 When they read it, they rejoiced because of its encouragement. 32 Both Judas and Silas, who were also prophets themselves, encouraged the brothers and sisters and strengthened them with a long message.(Y) 33 After spending some time there, they were sent back in peace(Z) by the brothers and sisters to those who had sent them.[f][g] 35 But Paul and Barnabas, along with many others, remained in Antioch, teaching and proclaiming the word of the Lord.(AA)
Paul and Barnabas Part Company
36 After some time had passed, Paul said to Barnabas, “Let’s go back and visit the brothers and sisters in every town(AB) where we have preached the word of the Lord and see how they’re doing.” 37 Barnabas wanted to take along John who was called Mark. 38 But Paul insisted that they should not take along this man who had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not gone on with them to the work. 39 They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company, and Barnabas took Mark(AC) with him and sailed off to Cyprus. 40 But Paul chose Silas and departed, after being commended by the brothers and sisters to the grace of the Lord.(AD) 41 He traveled through Syria(AE) and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.
Footnotes
- 15:7 Other mss read us
- 15:14 Simon (Peter)
- 15:17–18 Other mss read says the Lord who does all these things. Known to God from long ago are all his works.
- 15:16–18 Am 9:11–12; Is 45:21
- 15:24 Other mss add by saying, ‘Be circumcised and keep the law,’
- 15:33 Other mss read the brothers to the apostles
- 15:33 Other mss add v. 34: But Silas decided to stay there.
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