David’s Rise and Capture of Zion

11 Then all Israel gathered to David at Hebron, saying: “Behold, we are your own flesh and blood. ² In the past, even when Saul was king, you were the one that led out and brought in Israel. Adonai your God also said to you, ‘You shall shepherd My people Israel and you shall be ruler over My people Israel.’”

³ When all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, David made a covenant with them in Hebron before Adonai. They anointed David king over Israel, in keeping with the word of Adonai by the hand of Samuel.

⁴ Then David and all Israel went to Jerusalem—that is Jebus, where the Jebusite inhabitants of the land lived. ⁵ Now the residents of Jebus said to David, “You cannot get in here!” Nevertheless David captured the stronghold of Zion, which is now the city of David.

⁶ David had said, “Whoever strikes down the Jebusites first will be commander-in-chief.” So Joab son of Zeruiah went up first, so he became commander. ⁷ David lived in the stronghold; for this reason it is called the city of David. ⁸ He fortified the city all around, from the Millo to the surrounding walls, and Joab repaired the rest of the city. ⁹ David grew more and more powerful because Adonai-Tzva’ot was with him.

David’s Mighty Men

¹⁰ Now these were chiefs of David’s mighty men, who strongly supported him in his kingdom, together with all Israel to make him king, according to the word of Adonai, over Israel. ¹¹ This is the list of David’s mighty men: Jashobeam the son of Hachmoni, was the chief of the 30; he wielded his spear against 300 and slew them all at one time. ¹² After him was Eleazar son of Dodo the Ahohite, who was one of the three mighty men. ¹³ He was with David at Pas Dammim, when the Philistines assembled there for battle. There was a plot of ground full of barley where the army retreated from before the Philistines, ¹⁴ but they took a stand in the middle of the plot; they defended it and struck down the Philistines. Adonai delivered a great victory.

¹⁵ Three of the 30 leaders went down to David at the rock at the cave of Adullam, while a band of the Philistines was encamped in the valley of Rephaim. ¹⁶ At that time, David was in the stronghold, while the garrison of the Philistines was in Bethlehem. ¹⁷ David had a craving and said, “If only someone would give me water to drink from the cistern by the gate in Bethlehem!” ¹⁸ So the three broke through the Philistine camp and drew water from the cistern by the gate in Bethlehem and carried it back to David. But David refused to drink it. He poured it out to Adonai ¹⁹ and said: “Far be it for me that I should do this before my God! Can I drink the blood of these men who risked their lives?”—for they brought it at the risk of their lives and he would not drink it. Such were the exploits of the Three mighty men.

²⁰ Abishai, Joab’s brother, was chief of the Three. He once wielded his spear against 300 and slew them. Thus he won a name among the Three. ²¹ Of the Three, he was more highly esteemed than the other two and became their commander, even though he was not one of the three.

²² Beniah son of Jehoiada was a valiant man from Kabzeel who had done mighty deeds. He killed the two sons of Ariel of Moab, and went down and killed a lion inside a pit on a snowy day. ²³ He also killed the giant Egyptian man who was five cubits tall. In his hand the Egyptian had a spear like a weaver’s beam, yet Beniah attacked him with a club. He snatched the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with his own spear. ²⁴ These were the exploits of Beniah son of Jehoiada, who gained renown among the three mighty men. ²⁵ Behold, he was more honorable than the 30, yet he was not one of the Three. Nevertheless, David set him over his bodyguard.

²⁶ The mighty men were:

Asael Joab’s brother,

Elhanan son of Dodo from Bethlehem,

²⁷ Shammoth the Harorite,

Helez the Pelonite,

²⁸ Ira son of Ikkesh the Tekoite,

Abiezer the Anathothite,

²⁹ Sibbecai the Hushathite,

Ilai the Ahohite,

³⁰ Mahrai the Netophathite,

Heled son of Baanah the Netophathite,

³¹ Ithai son of Ribai from Gibeah of the children of Benjamin,

Benaiah the Pirathonite,

³² Hurai of Nahale-gaash,

Abiel the Arbathite,

³³ Azmaveth the Baharumite,

Eliahba the Shaalbonite,

³⁴ the sons of Hashem the Gizonite,

Jonathan son of Shageh the Hararite,

³⁵ Ahiam son of Sacar the Hararite,

Eliphal son of Ur,

³⁶ Hepher the Meherathite,

Ahijah the Pelonite,

³⁷ Hezro the Carmelite,

Naarai the son of Ezbai,

³⁸ Joel the brother of Nathan,

Mibhar son of Hagri,

³⁹ Zelek the Ammonite,

Nahrai the Berothite, the armor-bearer of Joab son of Zeruiah,

⁴⁰ Ira the Ithrite,

Gareb the Ithrite,

⁴¹ Uriah the Hittite,

Zabad son of Ahlai,

⁴² Adina son of Shiza the Reubenite, a chief of the Reubenites, and 30 with him,

⁴³ Hanan son of Maacah, and Joshaphat the Mithnite,

⁴⁴ Uzzijah the Ashterathite,

Shama and Jeiel sons of Hotam the Aroerite,

⁴⁵ Jedaiael son of Shimri and Joha his brother the Tizite,

⁴⁶ Eliel the Mahavite,

Jeribai and Joshaviah, sons of Elnaam,

and Ithmah the Moabite;

⁴⁷ Eliel, Obed, and Jaasiel the Mezobaite.

All Israel Rallies to David

12 Now these are the men who came to David at Ziklag when he was banished from the presence of Saul son of Kish. They were among the warriors who assisted him in battle. ² They were armed with bows, and could use both the right hand and the left to sling stones and shoot arrows from the bow. They were Saul’s kinsmen from Benjamin. ³ Their chief was Ahiezer, then Joash, sons of Shemaah the Gibeathite, Jeziel and Pelet, sons of Azmaveth, and Beracah, Jehu the Anathothite, ⁴ Ishmaiah the Gibeonite, a mighty man among the 30 and leading the 30, ⁵ Jeremiah, Jahaziel, Johanan, Jozabad the Gederathite, ⁶ Eluzai, Jerimoth, Bealiah, Shemariah, Shephatiah the Hariphite, ⁷ Elkanah, Isshiah, Azarel, Joezer and Jashobeam, the Korahites, ⁸ Joelah and Zebadiah, sons of Jeroham from Gedor.

⁹ Some of the Gadites there withdrew to follow David to the stronghold in the wilderness. They were valiant men trained for battle, armed with shield and spear, whose faces were like the faces of lions and were as swift as the gazelles on the mountains. ¹⁰ Ezer the chief, Obadiah the second, Eliab the third, ¹¹ Mishmannah the fourth, Jeremiah the fifth, ¹² Attai the sixth, Eliel the seventh, ¹³ Johanan the eighth, Elzabad the ninth, ¹⁴ Jeremiah the tenth, Machbannai the eleventh. ¹⁵ These were the Gadites, leaders of the army. The least was equal to 100 and the greatest to 1,000. ¹⁶ These were the ones who crossed the Jordan in the first month, when it was overflowing its banks, routing all those in the valleys to the east and to the west.

¹⁷ Some of the children of Benjamin and also from Judah came to David at the stronghold. ¹⁸ David went out to meet them and answered them saying, “If you come to me in peace to support me, then my heart will be united with you. But if it is to betray me to my adversaries, when my hands have done no wrong, then may the God of our fathers take notice and judge.”

From Malta to Rome

28 Once safely ashore, we learned that the island was called Malta. ² The natives showed us unusual kindness. Because it had started raining and it was cold, they kindled a fire and welcomed us all.

³ But when Paul had gathered a bundle of brushwood and placed it on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened on his hand. ⁴ When the natives saw the snake hanging from his hand, they began saying to one another, “No doubt this man is a murderer! Though he has been saved from the sea, Justice^[a] has not allowed him to live.”

⁵ However, Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no harm. ⁶ They were expecting him to swell up or suddenly fall down dead—but after they waited a long time and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds and began to say he was a god.

⁷ Now in the vicinity around that place were lands belonging to the most prominent man of the island, named Publius. He welcomed us and hosted us warmly for three days. ⁸ It so happened that the father of Publius was lying in bed sick with a fever and dysentery. Paul visited him and, when he had prayed and laid hands on him, he healed him. ⁹ After this happened, the rest of the sick on the island started coming and getting healed. ¹⁰ They also heaped honors on us; and when we sailed, they put on board all the supplies we needed.

¹¹ After three months, we set sail in a ship from Alexandria that had wintered at the island, with the Twin Brothers^[b] as its figurehead. ¹² Setting down at Syracuse, we stayed there three days. ¹³ From there we got underway^[c] and reached Rhegium; and a day later a south wind came up, and on the second day we came to Puteoli. ¹⁴ There we found some brothers and sisters, and we were invited to stay with them for seven days. And in this way we came to Rome.

¹⁵ Now the brothers there, when they heard about us, came as far as the Forum of Appius and the Three Taverns to meet us. When Paul saw them, he gave thanks to God and took courage. ¹⁶ When we entered Rome, Paul was permitted to remain in his own quarters, with a soldier guarding him.

Paul Keeps Spreading the Good News

¹⁷ It happened that after three days, Paul called together those who were the prominent Jewish leaders. When they had gathered he said to them, “Brothers, although I had done nothing against our people or the customs of our fathers, I was delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans. ¹⁸ When they examined me, they wanted to release me because there was no basis for the death penalty. ¹⁹ But when the Judean leaders protested, I was forced to appeal to Caesar—not that I had any charge to bring against my own nation. ²⁰ For this reason, therefore, I have requested to see you and to speak with you—since it is for the hope of Israel that I am bearing this chain.”

²¹ They said to him, “We have received no letters from Judea about you, and none of the brothers coming here has reported or spoken any evil about you. ²² But we think it appropriate to hear from you about what you think. For indeed, it is known to us that regarding this sect, it is spoken against everywhere.”

²³ They set a day to meet Paul and came to him at his quarters in large numbers. From morning until evening he was explaining everything to them, testifying about the kingdom of God and trying to persuade them about Yeshua from both the Torah of Moses and the Prophets. ²⁴ Some were convinced by what he said, while others refused to believe. ²⁵ So when they disagreed among themselves, they began leaving after Paul had said one last statement: “The Ruach ha-Kodesh rightly spoke through Isaiah the prophet to your fathers, ²⁶ saying,

²⁸ Therefore let it be known to you that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will listen!” ^29 [e]

³⁰ Paul remained two whole years in his own rented quarters and continued to welcome all who came to him— ³¹ proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Yeshua the Messiah with all boldness and without hindrance.

Our Righteous Judge

Psalm 9

Better to be Poor with Integrity