Selasa, 21 Mei

1.   Then David consulted with the captains of thousands and hundreds, and with every leader. 2.   And David said to all the assembly of Israel, "If it seems good to you, and if it is of the LORD our God, let us send out to our brethren everywhere who are left in all the land of Israel, and with them to the priests and Levites who are in their cities and their common–lands, that they may gather together to us; 3.   "and let us bring the ark of our God back to us, for we have not inquired at it since the days of Saul." 4.   Then all the assembly said that they would do so, for the thing was right in the eyes of all the people. 5.   So David gathered all Israel together, from Shihor in Egypt to as far as the entrance of Hamath, to bring the ark of God from Kirjath Jearim. 6.   And David and all Israel went up to Baalah, to Kirjath Jearim, which belonged to Judah, to bring up from there the ark of God the LORD, who dwells between the cherubim, where His name is proclaimed. 7.   So they carried the ark of God on a new cart from the house of Abinadab, and Uzza and Ahio drove the cart. 8.   Then David and all Israel played music before God with all their might, with singing, on harps, on stringed instruments, on tambourines, on cymbals, and with trumpets. 9.   And when they came to Chidon’s threshing floor, Uzza put out his hand to hold the ark, for the oxen stumbled. 10.   Then the anger of the LORD was aroused against Uzza, and He struck him because he put his hand to the ark; and he died there before God. 11.   And David became angry because of the LORD’S outbreak against Uzza; therefore that place is called Perez Uzza to this day. 12.   David was afraid of God that day, saying, "How can I bring the ark of God to me?" 13.   So David would not move the ark with him into the City of David, but took it aside into the house of Obed–Edom the Gittite. 14.   The ark of God remained with the family of Obed–Edom in his house three months. And the LORD blessed the house of Obed–Edom and all that he had.

1.   Now Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, with masons and carpenters, to build him a house. 2.   So David knew that the LORD had established him as king over Israel, for his kingdom was highly exalted for the sake of His people Israel. 3.   Then David took more wives in Jerusalem, and David begot more sons and daughters. 4.   And these are the names of his children whom he had in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, 5.   Ibhar, Elishua, Elpelet, 6.   Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia, 7.   Elishama, Beeliada, and Eliphelet. 8.   Now when the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over all Israel, all the Philistines went up to search for David. And David heard of it and went out against them. 9.   Then the Philistines went and made a raid on the Valley of Rephaim. 10.   And David inquired of God, saying, "Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will You deliver them into my hand?" And the LORD said to him, "Go up, for I will deliver them into your hand." 11.   So they went up to Baal Perazim, and David defeated them there. Then David said, "God has broken through my enemies by my hand like a breakthrough of water." Therefore they called the name of that place Baal Perazim. 12.   And when they left their gods there, David gave a commandment, and they were burned with fire. 13.   Then the Philistines once again made a raid on the valley. 14.   Therefore David inquired again of God, and God said to him, "You shall not go up after them; circle around them, and come upon them in front of the mulberry trees. 15.   "And it shall be, when you hear a sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, then you shall go out to battle, for God has gone out before you to strike the camp of the Philistines." 16.   So David did as God commanded him, and they drove back the army of the Philistines from Gibeon as far as Gezer. 17.   Then the fame of David went out into all lands, and the LORD brought the fear of him upon all nations.

1.   David built houses for himself in the City of David; and he prepared a place for the ark of God, and pitched a tent for it. 2.   Then David said, "No one may carry the ark of God but the Levites, for the LORD has chosen them to carry the ark of God and to minister before Him forever." 3.   And David gathered all Israel together at Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the LORD to its place, which he had prepared for it. 4.   Then David assembled the children of Aaron and the Levites: 5.   of the sons of Kohath, Uriel the chief, and one hundred and twenty of his brethren; 6.   of the sons of Merari, Asaiah the chief, and two hundred and twenty of his brethren; 7.   of the sons of Gershom, Joel the chief, and one hundred and thirty of his brethren; 8.   of the sons of Elizaphan, Shemaiah the chief, and two hundred of his brethren; 9.   of the sons of Hebron, Eliel the chief, and eighty of his brethren; 10.   of the sons of Uzziel, Amminadab the chief, and one hundred and twelve of his brethren. 11.   And David called for Zadok and Abiathar the priests, and for the Levites: for Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel, and Amminadab. 12.   He said to them, "You are the heads of the fathers’ houses of the Levites; sanctify yourselves, you and your brethren, that you may bring up the ark of the LORD God of Israel to the place I have prepared for it. 13.   "For because you did not do it the first time , the LORD our God broke out against us, because we did not consult Him about the proper order." 14.   So the priests and the Levites sanctified themselves to bring up the ark of the LORD God of Israel. 15.   And the children of the Levites bore the ark of God on their shoulders, by its poles, as Moses had commanded according to the word of the LORD. 16.   Then David spoke to the leaders of the Levites to appoint their brethren to be the singers accompanied by instruments of music, stringed instruments, harps, and cymbals, by raising the voice with resounding joy. 17.   So the Levites appointed Heman the son of Joel; and of his brethren, Asaph the son of Berechiah; and of their brethren, the sons of Merari, Ethan the son of Kushaiah; 18.   and with them their brethren of the second rank : Zechariah, Ben, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Elipheleh, Mikneiah, Obed–Edom, and Jeiel, the gatekeepers; 19.   the singers, Heman, Asaph, and Ethan, were to sound the cymbals of bronze; 20.   Zechariah, Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah, and Benaiah, with strings according to Alamoth; 21.   Mattithiah, Elipheleh, Mikneiah, Obed–Edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah, to direct with harps on the Sheminith; 22.   Chenaniah, leader of the Levites, was instructor in charge of the music, because he was skillful; 23.   Berechiah and Elkanah were doorkeepers for the ark; 24.   Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah, and Eliezer, the priests, were to blow the trumpets before the ark of God; and Obed–Edom and Jehiah, doorkeepers for the ark. 25.   So David, the elders of Israel, and the captains over thousands went to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD from the house of Obed–Edom with joy. 26.   And so it was, when God helped the Levites who bore the ark of the covenant of the LORD, that they offered seven bulls and seven rams. 27.   David was clothed with a robe of fine linen, as were all the Levites who bore the ark, the singers, and Chenaniah the music master with the singers. David also wore a linen ephod. 28.   Thus all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the LORD with shouting and with the sound of the horn, with trumpets and with cymbals, making music with stringed instruments and harps. 29.   And it happened, as the ark of the covenant of the LORD came to the City of David, that Michal, Saul’s daughter, looked through a window and saw King David whirling and playing music; and she despised him in her heart.

1.   Moreover, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia: 2.   that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality. 3.   For I bear witness that according to their ability, yes, and beyond their ability, they were freely willing, 4.   imploring us with much urgency that we would receive the gift and the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. 5.   And not only as we had hoped, but they first gave themselves to the Lord, and then to us by the will of God. 6.   So we urged Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also complete this grace in you as well. 7.   But as you abound in everything––in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all diligence, and in your love for us–– see that you abound in this grace also. 8.   I speak not by commandment, but I am testing the sincerity of your love by the diligence of others. 9.   For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich. 10.   And in this I give advice: It is to your advantage not only to be doing what you began and were desiring to do a year ago; 11.   but now you also must complete the doing of it ; that as there was a readiness to desire it , so there also may be a completion out of what you have. 12.   For if there is first a willing mind, it is accepted according to what one has, and not according to what he does not have. 13.   For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened; 14.   but by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may supply their lack, that their abundance also may supply your lack––that there may be equality. 15.   As it is written, "He who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who gathered little had no lack." 16.   But thanks be to God who puts the same earnest care for you into the heart of Titus. 17.   For he not only accepted the exhortation, but being more diligent, he went to you of his own accord. 18.   And we have sent with him the brother whose praise is in the gospel throughout all the churches, 19.   and not only that , but who was also chosen by the churches to travel with us with this gift, which is administered by us to the glory of the Lord Himself and to show your ready mind, 20.   avoiding this: that anyone should blame us in this lavish gift which is administered by us–– 21.   providing honorable things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men. 22.   And we have sent with them our brother whom we have often proved diligent in many things, but now much more diligent, because of the great confidence which we have in you. 23.   If anyone inquires about Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker concerning you. Or if our brethren are inquired about, they are messengers of the churches, the glory of Christ. 24.   Therefore show to them, and before the churches the proof of your love and of our boasting on your behalf.