Jumat, 19 April

1.   Again David gathered all the choice men of Israel, thirty thousand. 2.   And David arose and went with all the people who were with him from Baale Judah to bring up from there the ark of God, whose name is called by the Name, the LORD of Hosts, who dwells between the cherubim. 3.   So they set the ark of God on a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill; and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drove the new cart. 4.   And they brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill, accompanying the ark of God; and Ahio went before the ark. 5.   Then David and all the house of Israel played music before the LORD on all kinds of instruments of fir wood, on harps, on stringed instruments, on tambourines, on sistrums, and on cymbals. 6.   And when they came to Nachon’s threshing floor, Uzzah put out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled. 7.   Then the anger of the LORD was aroused against Uzzah, and God struck him there for his error; and he died there by the ark of God. 8.   And David became angry because of the LORD’S outbreak against Uzzah; and he called the name of the place Perez Uzzah to this day. 9.   David was afraid of the LORD that day; and he said, "How can the ark of the LORD come to me?" 10.   So David would not move the ark of the LORD with him into the City of David; but David took it aside into the house of Obed–Edom the Gittite. 11.   The ark of the LORD remained in the house of Obed–Edom the Gittite three months. And the LORD blessed Obed–Edom and all his household. 12.   Now it was told King David, saying, "The LORD has blessed the house of Obed–Edom and all that belongs to him, because of the ark of God." So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed–Edom to the City of David with gladness. 13.   And so it was, when those bearing the ark of the LORD had gone six paces, that he sacrificed oxen and fatted sheep. 14.   Then David danced before the LORD with all his might; and David was wearing a linen ephod. 15.   So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouting and with the sound of the trumpet. 16.   Now as the ark of the LORD came into the City of David, Michal, Saul’s daughter, looked through a window and saw King David leaping and whirling before the LORD; and she despised him in her heart. 17.   So they brought the ark of the LORD, and set it in its place in the midst of the tabernacle that David had erected for it. Then David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD. 18.   And when David had finished offering burnt offerings and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD of hosts. 19.   Then he distributed among all the people, among the whole multitude of Israel, both the women and the men, to everyone a loaf of bread, a piece of meat , and a cake of raisins. So all the people departed, everyone to his house. 20.   Then David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, "How glorious was the king of Israel today, uncovering himself today in the eyes of the maids of his servants, as one of the base fellows shamelessly uncovers himself!" 21.   So David said to Michal, " It was before the LORD, who chose me instead of your father and all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the LORD, over Israel. Therefore I will play music before the LORD. 22.   "And I will be even more undignified than this, and will be humble in my own sight. But as for the maidservants of whom you have spoken, by them I will be held in honor." 23.   Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no children to the day of her death.

1.   Now it came to pass when the king was dwelling in his house, and the LORD had given him rest from all his enemies all around, 2.   that the king said to Nathan the prophet, "See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells inside tent curtains." 3.   Then Nathan said to the king, "Go, do all that is in your heart, for the LORD is with you." 4.   But it happened that night that the word of the LORD came to Nathan, saying, 5.   "Go and tell My servant David, ‘Thus says the LORD: "Would you build a house for Me to dwell in? 6.   "For I have not dwelt in a house since the time that I brought the children of Israel up from Egypt, even to this day, but have moved about in a tent and in a tabernacle. 7.   "Wherever I have moved about with all the children of Israel, have I ever spoken a word to anyone from the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd My people Israel, saying, ‘Why have you not built Me a house of cedar?’"’ 8.   "Now therefore, thus shall you say to My servant David, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts: "I took you from the sheepfold, from following the sheep, to be ruler over My people, over Israel. 9.   "And I have been with you wherever you have gone, and have cut off all your enemies from before you, and have made you a great name, like the name of the great men who are on the earth. 10.   "Moreover I will appoint a place for My people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own and move no more; nor shall the sons of wickedness oppress them anymore, as previously, 11.   "since the time that I commanded judges to be over My people Israel, and have caused you to rest from all your enemies. Also the LORD tells you that He will make you a house. 12.   "When your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will set up your seed after you, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13.   "He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14.   "I will be his Father, and he shall be My son. If he commits iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men and with the blows of the sons of men. 15.   "But My mercy shall not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I removed from before you. 16.   "And your house and your kingdom shall be established forever before you. Your throne shall be established forever."’" 17.   According to all these words and according to all this vision, so Nathan spoke to David. 18.   Then King David went in and sat before the LORD; and he said: "Who am I, O Lord GOD? And what is my house, that You have brought me this far? 19.   "And yet this was a small thing in Your sight, O Lord GOD; and You have also spoken of Your servant’s house for a great while to come. Is this the manner of man, O Lord GOD? 20.   "Now what more can David say to You? For You, Lord GOD, know Your servant. 21.   "For Your word’s sake, and according to Your own heart, You have done all these great things, to make Your servant know them . 22.   "Therefore You are great, O LORD GOD. For there is none like You, nor is there any God besides You, according to all that we have heard with our ears. 23.   "And who is like Your people, like Israel, the one nation on the earth whom God went to redeem for Himself as a people, to make for Himself a name––and to do for Yourself great and awesome deeds for Your land––before Your people whom You redeemed for Yourself from Egypt, the nations, and their gods? 24.   "For You have made Your people Israel Your very own people forever; and You, LORD, have become their God. 25.   "Now, O LORD God, the word which You have spoken concerning Your servant and concerning his house, establish it forever and do as You have said. 26.   "So let Your name be magnified forever, saying, ‘The LORD of hosts is the God over Israel.’ And let the house of Your servant David be established before You. 27.   "For You, O LORD of hosts, God of Israel, have revealed this to Your servant, saying, ‘I will build you a house.’ Therefore Your servant has found it in his heart to pray this prayer to You. 28.   "And now, O Lord GOD, You are God, and Your words are true, and You have promised this goodness to Your servant. 29.   "Now therefore, let it please You to bless the house of Your servant, that it may continue forever before You; for You, O Lord GOD, have spoken it , and with Your blessing let the house of Your servant be blessed forever."

1.   After this it came to pass that David attacked the Philistines and subdued them. And David took Metheg Ammah from the hand of the Philistines. 2.   Then he defeated Moab. Forcing them down to the ground, he measured them off with a line. With two lines he measured off those to be put to death, and with one full line those to be kept alive. So the Moabites became David’s servants, and brought tribute. 3.   David also defeated Hadadezer the son of Rehob, king of Zobah, as he went to recover his territory at the River Euphrates. 4.   David took from him one thousand chariots , seven hundred horsemen, and twenty thousand foot soldiers. Also David hamstrung all the chariot horses, except that he spared enough of them for one hundred chariots. 5.   When the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David killed twenty–two thousand of the Syrians. 6.   Then David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus; and the Syrians became David’s servants, and brought tribute. The LORD preserved David wherever he went. 7.   And David took the shields of gold that had belonged to the servants of Hadadezer, and brought them to Jerusalem. 8.   Also from Betah and from Berothai, cities of Hadadezer, King David took a large amount of bronze. 9.   When Toi king of Hamath heard that David had defeated all the army of Hadadezer, 10.   then Toi sent Joram his son to King David, to greet him and bless him, because he had fought against Hadadezer and defeated him (for Hadadezer had been at war with Toi); and Joram brought with him articles of silver, articles of gold, and articles of bronze. 11.   King David also dedicated these to the LORD, along with the silver and gold that he had dedicated from all the nations which he had subdued–– 12.   from Syria, from Moab, from the people of Ammon, from the Philistines, from Amalek, and from the spoil of Hadadezer the son of Rehob, king of Zobah. 13.   And David made himself a name when he returned from killing eighteen thousand Syrians in the Valley of Salt. 14.   He also put garrisons in Edom; throughout all Edom he put garrisons, and all the Edomites became David’s servants. And the LORD preserved David wherever he went. 15.   So David reigned over all Israel; and David administered judgment and justice to all his people. 16.   Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the army; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder; 17.   Zadok the son of Ahitub and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar were the priests; Seraiah was the scribe; 18.   Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over both the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and David’s sons were chief ministers.

1.   Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things. 2.   For one believes he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables. 3.   Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats; for God has received him. 4.   Who are you to judge another’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand. 5.   One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike . Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. 6.   He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it . He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he who does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks. 7.   For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself. 8.   For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. 9.   For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living. 10.   But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. 11.   For it is written: " As I live, says the LORD, Every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall confess to God." 12.   So then each of us shall give account of himself to God. 13.   Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way. 14.   I know and am convinced by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean of itself; but to him who considers anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean. 15.   Yet if your brother is grieved because of your food, you are no longer walking in love. Do not destroy with your food the one for whom Christ died. 16.   Therefore do not let your good be spoken of as evil; 17.   for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18.   For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men. 19.   Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another. 20.   Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are pure, but it is evil for the man who eats with offense. 21.   It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak. 22.   Do you have faith? Have it to yourself before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves. 23.   But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin.