Old/New Testament
Uzzah Meets Disaster
13 David consulted with his military officers, including those who led groups of a thousand and those who led groups of a hundred.[a] 2 David said to the whole Israelite assembly, “If you so desire and the Lord our God approves,[b] let’s spread the word[c] to our brothers who remain in all the regions of Israel, and to the priests and Levites in their cities,[d] so they may join us. 3 Let’s move the ark of our God back here,[e] for we did not seek his will[f] throughout Saul’s reign.”[g] 4 The whole assembly agreed to do this,[h] for the proposal seemed right to all the people.[i] 5 So David assembled all Israel from the Shihor River[j] in Egypt to Lebo Hamath,[k] to bring the ark of God from Kiriath Jearim. 6 David and all Israel went up to Baalah (that is, Kiriath Jearim) in Judah to bring up from there the ark of God the Lord, who sits enthroned between the cherubim—the ark that is called by his Name.[l]
7 They transported the ark of God on a new cart from the house of Abinadab; Uzzah and Ahio were guiding the cart, 8 while David and all Israel were energetically[m] celebrating before God, singing and playing various stringed instruments,[n] tambourines, cymbals, and trumpets. 9 When they arrived at the threshing floor of Kidon, Uzzah reached out his hand to take hold of[o] the ark, because the oxen stumbled. 10 The Lord was so furious with Uzzah,[p] he killed him, because he reached out his hand and touched the ark.[q] He died right there before God.[r]
11 David was angry because the Lord attacked Uzzah;[s] so he called that place Perez Uzzah,[t] which remains its name to this very day. 12 David was afraid of God that day and said, “How will I ever be able to bring the ark of God up here?” 13 So David did not move the ark to the City of David;[u] he left it in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite. 14 The ark of God remained in Obed-Edom’s house for three months; the Lord blessed Obed-Edom’s family and everything that belonged to him.
David’s Prestige Grows
14 King Hiram of Tyre sent messengers to David, along with cedar logs, stonemasons,[v] and carpenters to build a palace for him. 2 David realized that the Lord had established him as king over Israel and that he had elevated[w] his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel.
3 In Jerusalem David married[x] more wives and fathered more sons and daughters. 4 These are the names of children born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, 5 Ibhar, Elishua, Elpelet, 6 Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia, 7 Elishama, Beeliada,[y] and Eliphelet.
8 When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed[z] king of all Israel, all the Philistines marched up to confront him.[aa] When David heard about it, he marched out against[ab] them. 9 Now the Philistines had come and raided[ac] the Valley of Rephaim. 10 David asked God, “Should I march up against the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?” The Lord said to him, “March up! I will hand them over to you!” 11 So they marched against Baal Perazim and David defeated them there. David said, “Using me as his instrument,[ad] God has burst out against my enemies like water bursts out.” So that place is called Baal Perazim.[ae] 12 The Philistines left[af] their idols[ag] there, so David ordered that they be burned.
13 The Philistines again raided the valley. 14 So David again asked God what he should do.[ah] This time[ai] God told him, “Don’t march up after them; circle around them and come against them in front of the trees.[aj] 15 When you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the trees, then attack.[ak] For at that moment God is going before you to strike down the army[al] of the Philistines.” 16 David did just as God commanded him, and they struck down the Philistine army from Gibeon to Gezer.
17 So David became famous[am] in all the lands; the Lord caused all the nations to fear him.[an]
David Brings the Ark to Jerusalem
15 David constructed buildings in the City of David; he then prepared a place for the ark of God and pitched a tent for it. 2 Then David said, “Only the Levites may carry the ark of God, for the Lord chose them to carry the ark of the Lord and to serve before him perpetually.” 3 David assembled all Israel at Jerusalem to bring the ark of the Lord up to the place he had prepared for it. 4 David gathered together the descendants of Aaron and the Levites:
5 From the descendants of Kohath: Uriel the leader and 120 of his relatives.
6 From the descendants of Merari: Asaiah the leader and 220 of his relatives.
7 From the descendants of Gershom:[ao] Joel the leader and 130 of his relatives.
8 From the descendants of Elizaphan: Shemaiah the leader and 200 of his relatives.
9 From the descendants of Hebron: Eliel the leader and 80 of his relatives.
10 From the descendants of Uzziel: Amminadab the leader and 112 of his relatives.
11 David summoned the priests Zadok and Abiathar, along with the Levites Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel, and Amminadab. 12 He told them: “You are the leaders of the Levites’ families. You and your relatives must consecrate yourselves and bring the ark of the Lord God of Israel up to the place I have prepared for it. 13 The first time you did not carry it; that is why the Lord God attacked us, because we did not ask him about the proper way to carry it.”[ap] 14 The priests and Levites consecrated themselves so they could bring up the ark of the Lord God of Israel. 15 The descendants of Levi carried the ark of God on their shoulders with poles, just as Moses had commanded in keeping with the Lord’s instruction.[aq]
16 David told the leaders of the Levites to appoint some of their relatives as musicians; they were to play various instruments, including stringed instruments and cymbals, and to sing loudly and joyfully.[ar] 17 So the Levites appointed Heman son of Joel; one of his relatives, Asaph son of Berechiah; one of the descendants of Merari,[as] Ethan son of Kushaiah; 18 along with some of their relatives who were second in rank, including Zechariah,[at] Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, and Jeiel, the gatekeepers.
19 The musicians Heman, Asaph, and Ethan were to sound the bronze cymbals; 20 Zechariah, Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah, and Benaiah were to play the harps according to the alamoth style;[au] 21 Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah were to play the lyres according to the sheminith style,[av] as led by[aw] the director; 22 Kenaniah, the leader of the Levites, was in charge of transport,[ax] for he was well-informed[ay] on this matter; 23 Berechiah and Elkanah were guardians[az] of the ark; 24 Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah, and Eliezer the priests were to blow the trumpets before the ark of God; Obed-Edom and Jehiel were also guardians[ba] of the ark.
25 So David, the leaders of Israel, and the commanders of units of a thousand went to bring up the ark of the Lord’s covenant from the house of Obed-Edom with celebration. 26 When God helped the Levites who were carrying the ark of the Lord’s covenant, they sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams. 27 David was wrapped in a linen robe, as were all the Levites carrying the ark, the musicians, and Kenaniah the supervisor of transport and the musicians;[bb] David also wore a linen ephod.[bc] 28 All Israel brought up the ark of the Lord’s covenant; they were shouting, blowing trumpets, sounding cymbals, and playing stringed instruments. 29 As the ark of the Lord’s covenant entered the City of David, Michal, Saul’s daughter, looked out the window. When she saw King David jumping and celebrating, she despised him.[bd]
The Feast of Shelters
7 After this[a] Jesus traveled throughout Galilee.[b] He[c] stayed out of Judea[d] because the Jewish leaders[e] wanted[f] to kill him. 2 Now the Jewish Feast of Shelters[g] was near.[h] 3 So Jesus’ brothers[i] advised him, “Leave here and go to Judea so your disciples may see your miracles that you are performing.[j] 4 For no one who seeks to make a reputation for himself[k] does anything in secret.[l] If you are doing these things, show yourself to the world.” 5 (For not even his own brothers believed in him.)[m]
6 So Jesus replied,[n] “My time[o] has not yet arrived,[p] but you are ready at any opportunity![q] 7 The world cannot hate you, but it hates me, because I am testifying about it that its deeds are evil. 8 You go up[r] to the feast yourselves. I am not going up to this feast[s] because my time[t] has not yet fully arrived.”[u] 9 When he had said this, he remained in Galilee.
10 But when his brothers had gone up to the feast, then Jesus[v] himself also went up, not openly but in secret. 11 So the Jewish leaders[w] were looking for him at the feast, asking, “Where is he?”[x] 12 There was[y] a lot of grumbling[z] about him among the crowds.[aa] Some were saying, “He is a good man,” but others, “He deceives the common people.”[ab] 13 However, no one spoke openly about him for fear of the Jewish leaders.[ac]
Teaching in the Temple
14 When the feast was half over, Jesus went up to the temple courts[ad] and began to teach.[ae] 15 Then the Jewish leaders[af] were astonished[ag] and said, “How does this man know so much when he has never had formal instruction?”[ah] 16 So Jesus replied,[ai] “My teaching is not from me, but from the one who sent me.[aj] 17 If anyone wants to do God’s will,[ak] he will know about my teaching, whether it is from God or whether I speak from my own authority.[al] 18 The person who speaks on his own authority[am] desires[an] to receive honor[ao] for himself; the one who desires[ap] the honor[aq] of the one who sent him is a man of integrity,[ar] and there is no unrighteousness in him. 19 Hasn’t Moses given you the law? Yet not one of you keeps[as] the law! Why do you want[at] to kill me?”
20 The crowd[au] answered, “You’re possessed by a demon![av] Who is trying to kill you?”[aw] 21 Jesus replied,[ax] “I performed one miracle[ay] and you are all amazed.[az] 22 However, because Moses gave you the practice of circumcision[ba] (not that it came from Moses, but from the forefathers), you circumcise a male child[bb] on the Sabbath. 23 But if a male child[bc] is circumcised[bd] on the Sabbath so that the law of Moses is not broken,[be] why are you angry with me because I made a man completely well[bf] on the Sabbath? 24 Do not judge according to external appearance,[bg] but judge with proper[bh] judgment.”
Questions About Jesus’ Identity
25 Then some of the residents of Jerusalem began to say, “Isn’t this the man[bi] they are trying[bj] to kill? 26 Yet here he is, speaking publicly,[bk] and they are saying nothing to him.[bl] Do the ruling authorities[bm] really know that this man[bn] is the Christ?[bo] 27 But we know where this man[bp] comes from.[bq] Whenever the Christ[br] comes, no one will know where he comes from.”[bs]
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