Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
34 Then Samuel went to Ramah, and Saul went to his home at Gibeah. 35 Samuel didn’t see Saul again before he died, though Samuel mourned over Saul. And Yahweh regretted that he had made Saul king of Israel.
David Chosen to Be King
16 Yahweh asked Samuel, “How long are you going to mourn for Saul now that I have rejected him as king of Israel? Fill a flask with olive oil and go. I’m sending you to Jesse in Bethlehem because I’ve selected one of his sons to be king.”
2 “How can I go?” Samuel asked. “When Saul hears about it, he’ll kill me.”
Yahweh said, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I’ve come to sacrifice to Yahweh.’ 3 Invite Jesse to the sacrifice. I will reveal to you what you should do, and you will anoint for me the one I point out to you.”
4 Samuel did what Yahweh told him. When he came to Bethlehem, the leaders of the city, trembling with fear, greeted him and said, “May peace be with you.”
5 “Greetings,” he replied, “I have come to sacrifice to Yahweh. Perform the ceremonies to make yourselves holy, and come with me to the sacrifice.” He performed the ceremonies for Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice. 6 When they came, he saw Eliab and thought, “Certainly, here in Yahweh’s presence is his anointed king.”
7 But Yahweh told Samuel, “Don’t look at his appearance or how tall he is, because I have rejected him. Elohim does not see as humans see.[a] Humans look at outward appearances, but Yahweh looks into the heart.”
8 Then Jesse called Abinadab and brought him to Samuel. But Samuel said, “Yahweh has not chosen this one either.”
9 Then Jesse had Shammah come to Samuel. “Yahweh has not chosen this one either,” Samuel said. 10 So Jesse brought seven more of his sons to Samuel, but Samuel told Jesse, “Yahweh has not chosen any of these. 11 Are these all the sons you have?”
“There’s still the youngest one,” Jesse answered. “He’s tending the sheep.”
Samuel told Jesse, “Send someone to get him. We won’t continue until he gets here.”
12 So Jesse sent for him. He had a healthy complexion, attractive eyes, and a handsome appearance. Yahweh said, “Go ahead, anoint him. He is the one.” 13 Samuel took the flask of olive oil and anointed David in the presence of his brothers. The Ruach Yahweh came over David and stayed with him from that day on. Then Samuel left for Ramah.
Psalm 20
For the choir director; a psalm by David.
1 Yahweh will answer you in times of trouble.
The name of the Elohim of Jacob will protect you.
2 He will send you help from his holy place
and support you from Zion.
3 He will remember all your grain offerings
and look with favor on your burnt offerings. Selah
4 He will give you your heart’s desire
and carry out all your plans.
5 We will joyfully sing about your victory.
We will wave our flags in the name of our Elohim.
Yahweh will fulfill all your requests.
6 Now I know that Yahweh will give victory to his anointed king.
He will answer him from his holy heaven
with mighty deeds of his powerful hand.
7 Some rely on chariots and others on horses,
but we will boast in the name of Yahweh our Elohim.
8 They will sink to their knees and fall,
but we will rise and stand firm.
9 Give victory to the king, O Yahweh.
Answer us when we call.
6 So we are always confident. We know that as long as we are living in these bodies, we are living away from the Lord. 7 Indeed, our lives are guided by faith, not by sight. 8 We are confident and prefer to live away from this body and to live with the Lord. 9 Whether we live in the body or move out of it, our goal is to be pleasing to him. 10 All of us must appear in front of Christ’s judgment seat. Then all people will receive what they deserve for the good or evil they have done while living in their bodies.
Christ’s Love Guides Us
11 As people who know what it means to fear the Lord, we try to persuade others. God already knows what we are, and I hope that you also know what we are. 12 We are not trying to show you our qualifications again, but we are giving you an opportunity to be proud of us. Then you can answer those who are proud of their appearance rather than their character. 13 So if we were crazy, it was for God. If we are sane, it is for you.
14 Clearly, Christ’s love guides us. We are convinced of the fact that one man has died for all people. Therefore, all people have died. 15 He died for all people so that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for the man who died and was brought back to life for them.
16 So from now on we don’t think of anyone from a human point of view. If we did think of Christ from a human point of view, we don’t anymore. 17 Whoever is a believer in Christ is a new creation. The old way of living has disappeared. A new way of living has come into existence.
A Story about Seeds That Grow
26 Yeshua said, “The kingdom of God is like a man who scatters seeds on the ground. 27 He sleeps at night and is awake during the day. The seeds sprout and grow, although the man doesn’t know how. 28 The ground produces grain by itself. First the green blade appears, then the head, then the head full of grain. 29 As soon as the grain is ready, he cuts it with a sickle, because harvest time has come.”
A Story about a Mustard Seed(A)
30 Yeshua asked, “How can we show what the kingdom of God is like? To what can we compare it? 31 It’s like a mustard seed planted in the ground. The mustard seed is one of the smallest seeds on earth. 32 However, when planted, it comes up and becomes taller than all the garden plants. It grows such large branches that birds can nest in its shade.”
33 Yeshua spoke God’s word to them using many illustrations like these. In this way people could understand what he taught. 34 He did not speak to them without using an illustration. But when he was alone with his disciples, he explained everything to them.
The Names of God Bible (without notes) © 2011 by Baker Publishing Group.