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14 Sheba passed through all the tribes of Israel to Abel of Beth-maacah. All the Berites[a] came together and followed him. 15 Joab’s troops came and besieged Sheba in Abel of Beth-maacah. They built an assault ramp against the outer wall of the city. While all the troops with Joab were battering the wall to make it collapse, 16 a wise woman called out from the city, “Listen! Listen! Please tell Joab to come here and let me speak with him.”
17 When he had come near her, the woman asked, “Are you Joab?”
“I am,” he replied.
“Listen to the words of your servant,” she said to him.
He answered, “I’m listening.”
18 She said, “In the past they used to say, ‘Seek counsel in Abel,’ and that’s how they settled disputes. 19 I am a peaceful person, one of the faithful in Israel, but you’re trying to destroy a city that is like a mother in Israel. Why would you devour the Lord’s inheritance?”
20 Joab protested: “Never! I do not want to destroy! 21 That is not my intention. There is a man named Sheba son of Bichri, from the hill country of Ephraim, who has rebelled against King David. Deliver this one man, and I will withdraw from the city.”
The woman replied to Joab, “All right. His head will be thrown over the wall to you.” 22 The woman went to all the people with her wise counsel,(A) and they cut off the head of Sheba son of Bichri and threw it to Joab. So he blew the ram’s horn, and they dispersed from the city, each to his own tent. Joab returned to the king in Jerusalem.
23 Joab commanded the whole army of Israel;(B) Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and Pelethites; 24 Adoram[b] was in charge of forced labor; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was court historian; 25 Sheva was court secretary; Zadok and Abiathar were priests; 26 and in addition, Ira the Jairite was David’s priest.
Justice for the Gibeonites
21 During David’s reign there was a famine for three successive years, so David inquired of the Lord. The Lord answered, “It is because of the blood shed by Saul and his family when he killed the Gibeonites.”
2 The Gibeonites were not Israelites but rather a remnant of the Amorites. The Israelites had taken an oath concerning them,(C) but Saul had tried to kill them in his zeal for the Israelites and Judah. So David summoned the Gibeonites and spoke to them. 3 He asked the Gibeonites, “What should I do for you? How can I make atonement so that you will bring a blessing on[c] the Lord’s inheritance?”
4 The Gibeonites said to him, “We are not asking for money from[d] Saul or his family,(D) and we cannot put anyone to death in Israel.”(E)
“Whatever you say, I will do for you,” he said.
5 They replied to the king, “As for the man who annihilated us and plotted to destroy us so we would not exist within the whole territory of Israel, 6 let seven of his male descendants be handed over to us so we may hang[e] them in the presence of the Lord(F) at Gibeah of Saul,(G) the Lord’s chosen.”(H)
The king answered, “I will hand them over.”
7 David spared Mephibosheth, the son of Saul’s son Jonathan, because of the oath of the Lord that was between David and Jonathan, Saul’s son.(I) 8 But the king took Armoni and Mephibosheth, who were the two sons whom Rizpah(J) daughter of Aiah had borne to Saul, and the five sons whom Merab[f](K) daughter of Saul had borne to Adriel son of Barzillai the Meholathite 9 and handed them over to the Gibeonites. They hanged[g] them on the hill in the presence of the Lord; the seven of them died together. They were executed in the first days of the harvest at the beginning of the barley harvest.[h]
The Burial of Saul’s Family
10 Rizpah, Aiah’s daughter, took sackcloth and spread it out for herself on the rock from the beginning of the harvest[i] until the rain poured down from heaven on the bodies. She kept the birds of the sky from them by day and the wild animals by night.
11 When it was reported to David what Saul’s concubine Rizpah, daughter of Aiah, had done, 12 he went and got the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan from the leaders of Jabesh-gilead. They had stolen them from the public square of Beth-shan where the Philistines had hung the bodies the day the Philistines killed Saul at Gilboa.(L) 13 David had the bones brought from there. They gathered up the bones of Saul’s family who had been hung[j] 14 and buried the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan at Zela in the land of Benjamin in the tomb of Saul’s father Kish. They did everything the king commanded. After this, God answered prayer for the land.(M)
The Philistine Giants
15 The Philistines again waged war against Israel. David went down with his soldiers, and they fought the Philistines, but David became exhausted. 16 Then Ishbi-benob, one of the descendants of the giant,[k] whose bronze spear weighed about eight pounds[l] and who wore new armor, intended to kill David. 17 But Abishai son of Zeruiah came to his aid, struck the Philistine, and killed him. Then David’s men swore to him: “You must never again go out with us to battle. You must not extinguish the lamp of Israel.”(N)
18 After this,(O) there was another battle with the Philistines at Gob. At that time Sibbecai the Hushathite killed Saph, who was one of the descendants of the giant.[m]
19 Once again there was a battle with the Philistines at Gob, and Elhanan son of Jaare-oregim the Bethlehemite killed[n] Goliath the Gittite. The shaft of his spear was like a weaver’s beam.(P)
20 At Gath there was still another battle. A huge man was there with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot—24 in all. He, too, was descended from the giant.[o] 21 When he taunted Israel, Jonathan, son of David’s brother Shimei, killed him.
22 These four were descended from the giant[p] in Gath and were killed by David and his soldiers.
Prologue
1 I wrote the first narrative, Theophilus, about all that Jesus began to do and teach(A) 2 until the day He was taken up, after He had given orders through the Holy Spirit to the apostles He had chosen.(B) 3 After He had suffered, He also presented Himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them during 40 days and speaking about the kingdom of God.(C)
The Holy Spirit Promised
4 While He was together[a] with them, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for the Father’s promise.(D) “This,” He said, “is what you heard from Me; 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”(E)
6 So when they had come together, they asked Him, “Lord, are You restoring the kingdom to Israel at this time?”
7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or periods that the Father has set by His own authority.(F) 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends[b] of the earth.”(G)
The Ascension
9 After He had said this, He was taken up as they were watching, and a cloud took Him out of their sight. 10 While He was going, they were gazing into heaven, and suddenly two men in white clothes stood by them.(H) 11 They said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up into heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come in the same way that you have seen Him going into heaven.”(I)
United in Prayer
12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called the Mount of Olives, which is near Jerusalem—a Sabbath day’s journey away. 13 When they arrived, they went to the room(J) upstairs where they were staying:
Peter, John,
James, Andrew,
Philip, Thomas,
Bartholomew, Matthew,
James the son of Alphaeus,
Simon the Zealot,
and Judas the son of James.(K)
14 All these were continually united(L) in prayer,[c] along with the women, including Mary[d] the mother of Jesus, and His brothers.(M)
Matthias Chosen
15 During these days Peter stood up among the brothers[e]—the number of people who were together was about 120—and said: 16 “Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled that the Holy Spirit through the mouth of David spoke in advance about Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus.(N) 17 For he was one of our number and was allotted a share in this ministry.”(O) 18 Now this man acquired a field with his unrighteous wages. He fell headfirst and burst open in the middle, and all his insides spilled out.(P) 19 This became known to all the residents of Jerusalem, so that in their own language that field is called Hakeldama (that is, Field of Blood). 20 “For it is written in the Book of Psalms:
Let his dwelling become desolate;
let no one live in it;[f] and
Let someone else take his position.(Q)[g]
21 “Therefore, from among the men who have accompanied us during the whole time the Lord Jesus went in and out among us— 22 beginning from the baptism of John until the day He was taken up from us—from among these, it is necessary that one become a witness with us of His resurrection.”(R)
23 So they proposed two: Joseph, called Barsabbas, who was also known as Justus, and Matthias.(S) 24 Then they prayed,(T) “You, Lord, know the hearts of all; show which of these two You have chosen(U) 25 to take the place[h] in this apostolic service(V) that Judas left to go to his own place.” 26 Then they cast lots(W) for them, and the lot fell to Matthias. So he was numbered with the 11 apostles.
Psalm 121
The Lord Our Protector
A song of ascents.
1 I lift my eyes toward the mountains.
Where will my help come from?(A)
2 My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.(B)
3 He will not allow your foot to slip;
your Protector will not slumber.(C)
4 Indeed, the Protector of Israel
does not slumber or sleep.(D)
18 Pride comes before destruction,
and an arrogant spirit before a fall.(A)
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