Tuesday, 23 April

1.   When David was a little past the top of the mountain , there was Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth, who met him with a couple of saddled donkeys, and on them two hundred loaves of bread, one hundred clusters of raisins, one hundred summer fruits, and a skin of wine. 2.   And the king said to Ziba, "What do you mean to do with these?" So Ziba said, "The donkeys are for the king’s household to ride on, the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat, and the wine for those who are faint in the wilderness to drink." 3.   Then the king said, "And where is your master’s son?" And Ziba said to the king, "Indeed he is staying in Jerusalem, for he said, ‘Today the house of Israel will restore the kingdom of my father to me.’" 4.   So the king said to Ziba, "Here, all that belongs to Mephibosheth is yours." And Ziba said, "I humbly bow before you, that I may find favor in your sight, my lord, O king!" 5.   Now when King David came to Bahurim, there was a man from the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei the son of Gera, coming from there. He came out, cursing continuously as he came. 6.   And he threw stones at David and at all the servants of King David. And all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left. 7.   Also Shimei said thus when he cursed: "Come out! Come out! You bloodthirsty man, you rogue! 8.   "The LORD has brought upon you all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned; and the LORD has delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom your son. So now you are caught in your own evil, because you are a bloodthirsty man!" 9.   Then Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, "Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Please, let me go over and take off his head!" 10.   But the king said, "What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? So let him curse, because the LORD has said to him, ‘Curse David.’ Who then shall say, ‘Why have you done so?’" 11.   And David said to Abishai and all his servants, "See how my son who came from my own body seeks my life. How much more now may this Benjamite? Let him alone, and let him curse; for so the LORD has ordered him. 12.   "It may be that the LORD will look on my affliction, and that the LORD will repay me with good for his cursing this day." 13.   And as David and his men went along the road, Shimei went along the hillside opposite him and cursed as he went, threw stones at him and kicked up dust. 14.   Now the king and all the people who were with him became weary; so they refreshed themselves there. 15.   Meanwhile Absalom and all the people, the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem; and Ahithophel was with him. 16.   And so it was, when Hushai the Archite, David’s friend, came to Absalom, that Hushai said to Absalom, " Long live the king! Long live the king!" 17.   So Absalom said to Hushai, " Is this your loyalty to your friend? Why did you not go with your friend?" 18.   And Hushai said to Absalom, "No, but whom the LORD and this people and all the men of Israel choose, his I will be, and with him I will remain. 19.   Furthermore, whom should I serve? Should I not serve in the presence of his son? As I have served in your father’s presence, so will I be in your presence." 20.   Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, "Give counsel as to what we should do." 21.   And Ahithophel said to Absalom, "Go in to your father’s concubines, whom he has left to keep the house; and all Israel will hear that you are abhorred by your father. Then the hands of all who are with you will be strong." 22.   So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the top of the house, and Absalom went in to his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel. 23.   Now the advice of Ahithophel, which he gave in those days, was as if one had inquired at the oracle of God. So was all the advice of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom.

1.   Moreover Ahithophel said to Absalom, "Now let me choose twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue David tonight. 2.   "I will come upon him while he is weary and weak, and make him afraid. And all the people who are with him will flee, and I will strike only the king. 3.   "Then I will bring back all the people to you. When all return except the man whom you seek, all the people will be at peace." 4.   And the saying pleased Absalom and all the elders of Israel. 5.   Then Absalom said, "Now call Hushai the Archite also, and let us hear what he says too." 6.   And when Hushai came to Absalom, Absalom spoke to him, saying, "Ahithophel has spoken in this manner. Shall we do as he says? If not, speak up." 7.   So Hushai said to Absalom: "The advice that Ahithophel has given is not good at this time. 8.   "For," said Hushai, "you know your father and his men, that they are mighty men, and they are enraged in their minds, like a bear robbed of her cubs in the field; and your father is a man of war, and will not camp with the people. 9.   "Surely by now he is hidden in some pit, or in some other place. And it will be, when some of them are overthrown at the first, that whoever hears it will say, ‘There is a slaughter among the people who follow Absalom.’ 10.   "And even he who is valiant, whose heart is like the heart of a lion, will melt completely. For all Israel knows that your father is a mighty man, and those who are with him are valiant men. 11.   "Therefore I advise that all Israel be fully gathered to you, from Dan to Beersheba, like the sand that is by the sea for multitude, and that you go to battle in person. 12.   "So we will come upon him in some place where he may be found, and we will fall on him as the dew falls on the ground. And of him and all the men who are with him there shall not be left so much as one. 13.   "Moreover, if he has withdrawn into a city, then all Israel shall bring ropes to that city; and we will pull it into the river, until there is not one small stone found there." 14.   So Absalom and all the men of Israel said, "The advice of Hushai the Archite is better than the advice of Ahithophel." For the LORD had purposed to defeat the good advice of Ahithophel, to the intent that the LORD might bring disaster on Absalom. 15.   Then Hushai said to Zadok and Abiathar the priests, "Thus and so Ahithophel advised Absalom and the elders of Israel, and thus and so I have advised. 16.   "Now therefore, send quickly and tell David, saying, ‘Do not spend this night in the plains of the wilderness, but speedily cross over, lest the king and all the people who are with him be swallowed up.’" 17.   Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz stayed at En Rogel, for they dared not be seen coming into the city; so a female servant would come and tell them, and they would go and tell King David. 18.   Nevertheless a lad saw them, and told Absalom. But both of them went away quickly and came to a man’s house in Bahurim, who had a well in his court; and they went down into it. 19.   Then the woman took and spread a covering over the well’s mouth, and spread ground grain on it; and the thing was not known. 20.   And when Absalom’s servants came to the woman at the house, they said, "Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?" So the woman said to them, "They have gone over the water brook." And when they had searched and could not find them , they returned to Jerusalem. 21.   Now it came to pass, after they had departed, that they came up out of the well and went and told King David, and said to David, "Arise and cross over the water quickly. For thus has Ahithophel advised against you." 22.   So David and all the people who were with him arose and crossed over the Jordan. By morning light not one of them was left who had not gone over the Jordan. 23.   Now when Ahithophel saw that his advice was not followed, he saddled a donkey, and arose and went home to his house, to his city. Then he put his household in order, and hanged himself, and died; and he was buried in his father’s tomb. 24.   Then David went to Mahanaim. And Absalom crossed over the Jordan, he and all the men of Israel with him. 25.   And Absalom made Amasa captain of the army instead of Joab. This Amasa was the son of a man whose name was Jithra, an Israelite, who had gone in to Abigail the daughter of Nahash, sister of Zeruiah, Joab’s mother. 26.   So Israel and Absalom encamped in the land of Gilead. 27.   Now it happened, when David had come to Mahanaim, that Shobi the son of Nahash from Rabbah of the people of Ammon, Machir the son of Ammiel from Lo Debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite from Rogelim, 28.   brought beds and basins, earthen vessels and wheat, barley and flour, parched grain and beans, lentils and parched seeds , 29.   honey and curds, sheep and cheese of the herd, for David and the people who were with him to eat. For they said, "The people are hungry and weary and thirsty in the wilderness."

1.   And David numbered the people who were with him, and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them. 2.   Then David sent out one third of the people under the hand of Joab, one third under the hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, and one third under the hand of Ittai the Gittite. And the king said to the people, "I also will surely go out with you myself." 3.   But the people answered, "You shall not go out! For if we flee away, they will not care about us; nor if half of us die, will they care about us. But you are worth ten thousand of us now. For you are now more help to us in the city." 4.   Then the king said to them, "Whatever seems best to you I will do." So the king stood beside the gate, and all the people went out by hundreds and by thousands. 5.   Now the king had commanded Joab, Abishai, and Ittai, saying, " Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom." And all the people heard when the king gave all the captains orders concerning Absalom. 6.   So the people went out into the field of battle against Israel. And the battle was in the woods of Ephraim. 7.   The people of Israel were overthrown there before the servants of David, and a great slaughter of twenty thousand took place there that day. 8.   For the battle there was scattered over the face of the whole countryside, and the woods devoured more people that day than the sword devoured. 9.   Then Absalom met the servants of David. Absalom rode on a mule. The mule went under the thick boughs of a great terebinth tree, and his head caught in the terebinth; so he was left hanging between heaven and earth. And the mule which was under him went on. 10.   Now a certain man saw it and told Joab, and said, "I just saw Absalom hanging in a terebinth tree!" 11.   So Joab said to the man who told him, "You just saw him ! And why did you not strike him there to the ground? I would have given you ten shekels of silver and a belt." 12.   But the man said to Joab, "Though I were to receive a thousand shekels of silver in my hand, I would not raise my hand against the king’s son. For in our hearing the king commanded you and Abishai and Ittai, saying, ‘Beware lest anyone touch the young man Absalom!’ 13.   "Otherwise I would have dealt falsely against my own life. For there is nothing hidden from the king, and you yourself would have set yourself against me ." 14.   Then Joab said, "I cannot linger with you." And he took three spears in his hand and thrust them through Absalom’s heart, while he was still alive in the midst of the terebinth tree. 15.   And ten young men who bore Joab’s armor surrounded Absalom, and struck and killed him. 16.   So Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing Israel. For Joab held back the people. 17.   And they took Absalom and cast him into a large pit in the woods, and laid a very large heap of stones over him. Then all Israel fled, everyone to his tent. 18.   Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and set up a pillar for himself, which is in the King’s Valley. For he said, "I have no son to keep my name in remembrance." He called the pillar after his own name. And to this day it is called Absalom’s Monument. 19.   Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, "Let me run now and take the news to the king, how the LORD has avenged him of his enemies." 20.   And Joab said to him, "You shall not take the news this day, for you shall take the news another day. But today you shall take no news, because the king’s son is dead." 21.   Then Joab said to the Cushite, "Go, tell the king what you have seen." So the Cushite bowed himself to Joab and ran. 22.   And Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said again to Joab, "But whatever happens, please let me also run after the Cushite." So Joab said, "Why will you run, my son, since you have no news ready?" 23.   "But whatever happens," he said , "let me run." So he said to him, "Run." Then Ahimaaz ran by way of the plain, and outran the Cushite. 24.   Now David was sitting between the two gates. And the watchman went up to the roof over the gate, to the wall, lifted his eyes and looked, and there was a man, running alone. 25.   Then the watchman cried out and told the king. And the king said, "If he is alone, there is news in his mouth." And he came rapidly and drew near. 26.   Then the watchman saw another man running, and the watchman called to the gatekeeper and said, "There is another man, running alone!" And the king said, "He also brings news." 27.   So the watchman said, "I think the running of the first is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok." And the king said, "He is a good man, and comes with good news." 28.   And Ahimaaz called out and said to the king, "All is well!" Then he bowed down with his face to the earth before the king, and said, "Blessed be the LORD your God, who has delivered up the men who raised their hand against my lord the king!" 29.   The king said, "Is the young man Absalom safe?" Ahimaaz answered, "When Joab sent the king’s servant and me your servant, I saw a great tumult, but I did not know what it was about ." 30.   And the king said, "Turn aside and stand here." So he turned aside and stood still. 31.   Just then the Cushite came, and the Cushite said, "There is good news, my lord the king! For the LORD has avenged you this day of all those who rose against you." 32.   And the king said to the Cushite, "Is the young man Absalom safe?" So the Cushite answered, "May the enemies of my lord the king, and all who rise against you to do harm, be like that young man!" 33.   Then the king was deeply moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept. And as he went, he said thus: "O my son Absalom––my son, my son Absalom––if only I had died in your place! O Absalom my son, my son!"

1.   Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, 2.   To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours: 3.   Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 4.   I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given to you by Christ Jesus, 5.   that you were enriched in everything by Him in all utterance and all knowledge, 6.   even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you, 7.   so that you come short in no gift, eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, 8.   who will also confirm you to the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9.   God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. 10.   Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. 11.   For it has been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of Chloe’s household , that there are contentions among you. 12.   Now I say this, that each of you says, "I am of Paul," or "I am of Apollos," or "I am of Cephas," or "I am of Christ." 13.   Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? 14.   I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15.   lest anyone should say that I had baptized in my own name. 16.   Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas. Besides, I do not know whether I baptized any other. 17.   For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect. 18.   For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19.   For it is written: "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent." 20.   Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? 21.   For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. 22.   For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; 23.   but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, 24.   but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25.   Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. 26.   For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called . 27.   But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; 28.   and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, 29.   that no flesh should glory in His presence. 30.   But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God––and righteousness and sanctification and redemption–– 31.   that, as it is written, "He who glories, let him glory in the LORD."