Day 144 of 365

1 Sam 15:1–16:23

15:1 Samuel said to Saul, "The Lord sent me to anoint you to be king over his people, over Israel. Now therefore listen to the voice of the words of the Lord.

15:2 Thus says the Lord of hosts, 'I have marked that which Amalek did to Israel, how he set himself against him in the way, when he came up out of Egypt.

15:3 Now go and strike Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and do not spare them; but kill both man and woman, infant and nursing baby, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.'"

15:4 Saul summoned the people, and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen, and ten thousand men of Judah.

15:5 Saul came to the city of Amalek, and lay in wait in the valley.

15:6 Saul said to the Kenites, "Go, depart, go down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them; for you showed kindness to all the children of Israel, when they came up out of Egypt." So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites.

15:7 Saul struck the Amalekites, from Havilah as you go to Shur, that is before Egypt.

15:8 He took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword.

15:9 But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the cattle, and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all that was good, and wouldn't utterly destroy them: but everything that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly.

15:10 Then the word of the Lord came to Samuel, saying,

15:11 "It grieves me that I have set up Saul to be king; for he is turned back from following me, and has not performed my commandments." Samuel was angry; and he cried to the Lord all night.

15:12 Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning; and it was told Samuel, saying, "Saul came to Carmel, and behold, he set up a monument for himself, and turned, and passed on, and went down to Gilgal."

15:13 Samuel came to Saul; and Saul said to him, "You are blessed by the Lord! I have performed the commandment of the Lord."

15:14 Samuel said, "Then what does this bleating of the sheep in my ears, and the lowing of the cattle which I hear mean?"

15:15 Saul said, "They have brought them from the Amalekites; for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the cattle, to sacrifice to the Lord your God. We have utterly destroyed the rest."

15:16 Then Samuel said to Saul, "Stay, and I will tell you what the Lord has said to me last night." He said to him, "Say on."

15:17 Samuel said, "Though you were little in your own sight, weren't you made the head of the tribes of Israel? The Lord anointed you king over Israel;

15:18 and the Lord sent you on a journey, and said, 'Go, and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are consumed.'

15:19 Why then did you not obey the voice of the Lord, but took the spoils, and did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord?"

15:20 Saul said to Samuel, "But I have obeyed the voice of the Lord, and have gone the way which the Lord sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites.

15:21 But the people took of the spoil, sheep and cattle, the chief of the devoted things, to sacrifice to the Lord your God in Gilgal."

15:22 Samuel said, "Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.

15:23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as idolatry and teraphim. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has also rejected you from being king."

15:24 Saul said to Samuel, "I have sinned; for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord, and your words, because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice.

15:25 Now therefore, please pardon my sin, and turn again with me, that I may worship the Lord."

15:26 Samuel said to Saul, "I will not return with you; for you have rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord has rejected you from being king over Israel."

15:27 As Samuel turned about to go away, Saul grabbed the skirt of his robe, and it tore.

15:28 Samuel said to him, "The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this day, and has given it to a neighbor of yours who is better than you.

15:29 Also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent; for he is not a man, that he should repent."

15:30 Then he said, "I have sinned: yet please honor me now before the elders of my people, and before Israel, and come back with me, that I may worship the Lord your God."

15:31 So Samuel went back with Saul; and Saul worshiped the Lord.

15:32 Then Samuel said, "Bring here to me Agag the king of the Amalekites!" Agag came to him cheerfully. Agag said, "Surely the bitterness of death is past."

15:33 Samuel said, "As your sword has made women childless, so your mother will be childless among women!" Samuel cut Agag in pieces before the Lord in Gilgal.

15:34 Then Samuel went to Ramah; and Saul went up to his house to Gibeah of Saul.

15:35 Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death; for Samuel mourned for Saul: and the Lord grieved that he had made Saul king over Israel.

16:1 The Lord said to Samuel, "How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go. I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite; for I have provided a king for myself among his sons."

16:2 Samuel said, "How can I go? If Saul hears it, he will kill me." The Lord said, "Take a heifer with you, and say, I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.

16:3 Call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do. You shall anoint to me him whom I name to you."

16:4 Samuel did that which the Lord spoke, and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling, and said, "Do you come peaceably?"

16:5 He said, "Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice." He sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.

16:6 It happened, when they had come, that he looked at Eliab, and said, "Surely the Lord's anointed is before him."

16:7 But the Lord said to Samuel, "Do not look on his face, or on the height of his stature; because I have rejected him: for I see not as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."

16:8 Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. He said, "Neither has the Lord chosen this one."

16:9 Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. He said, "Neither has the Lord chosen this one."

16:10 Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. Samuel said to Jesse, "The Lord has not chosen these."

16:11 Samuel said to Jesse, "Are all your children here?" He said, "There remains yet the youngest, and behold, he is keeping the sheep." Samuel said to Jesse, "Send and get him; for we will not sit down until he comes here."

16:12 He sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful face, and goodly to look on. The Lord said, "Arise, anoint him; for this is he."

16:13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brothers: and the Spirit of the Lord came mightily on David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.

16:14 Now the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him.

16:15 Saul's servants said to him, "See now, an evil spirit from God troubles you.

16:16 Let our lord now command your servants who are before you, to seek out a man who is a skillful player on the harp. It shall happen, when the evil spirit from God is on you, that he shall play with his hand, and you shall be well."

16:17 Saul said to his servants, "Provide me now a man who can play well, and bring him to me."

16:18 Then one of the young men answered, and said, "Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skillful in playing, a mighty man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a comely person; and the Lord is with him."

16:19 Therefore Saul sent messengers to Jesse, and said, "Send me David your son, who is with the sheep."

16:20 Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a young goat, and sent them by David his son to Saul.

16:21 David came to Saul, and stood before him. He loved him greatly; and he became his armor bearer.

16:22 Saul sent to Jesse, saying, "Please let David stand before me; for he has found favor in my sight."

16:23 It happened, when the spirit from God was on Saul, that David took the harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.

John 8:35–59

35 A bondservant does not live in the house forever. A son remains forever.

36 If therefore the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.

37 I know that you are Abraham's seed, yet you seek to kill me, because my word finds no place in you.

38 I say the things which I have seen with my Father; and you also do the things which you have heard from your father."

39 They answered him, "Our father is Abraham." Jesus said to them, "If you were Abraham's children, you would do the works of Abraham.

40 But now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth, which I heard from God. Abraham did not do this.

41 You do the works of your father." They said to him, "We were not born of sexual immorality. We have one Father, God."

42 Therefore Jesus said to them, "If God were your father, you would love me, for I came out and have come from God. For I have not come of myself, but he sent me.

43 Why do you not understand my speech? Because you cannot hear my word.

44 You are of your father, the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks on his own; for he is a liar, and its father.

45 But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me.

46 Which of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me?

47 He who is of God hears the words of God. For this cause you do not hear, because you are not of God."

48 Then the Judeans answered him, "Do not we say well that you are a Samaritan, and have a demon?"

49 Jesus answered, "I do not have a demon, but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me.

50 But I do not seek my own glory. There is one who seeks and judges.

51 Truly, truly, I tell you, if a person keeps my word, he will never see death."

52 Then the Judeans said to him, "Now we know that you have a demon. Abraham died, and the prophets; and you say, 'If a man keeps my word, he will never taste of death.'

53 Are you greater than our father, Abraham, who died? The prophets died. Who do you make yourself out to be?"

54 Jesus answered, "If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say 'He is our God.'

55 You have not known him, but I know him. If I said, 'I do not know him,' I would be like you, a liar. But I know him, and keep his word.

56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day. He saw it, and was glad."

57 The Judeans therefore said to him, "You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?"

58 Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I tell you, before Abraham came into existence, I AM."

59 Therefore they took up stones to throw at him, but Jesus was hidden, and went out of the temple.

Ps 62:1–12

1 My soul rests in God alone. My salvation is from him.

2 He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress- I will never be greatly shaken.

3 How long will you assault a man, would all of you throw him down, Like a leaning wall, like a tottering fence?

4 They fully intend to throw him down from his lofty place. They delight in lies. They bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly. Selah.

5 My soul, wait in silence for God alone, for my expectation is from him.

6 He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress. I will not be shaken.

7 With God is my salvation and my honor. The rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.

8 Trust in him at all times, O people. Pour out your heart before him. God is a refuge for us. Selah.

9 Surely men of low degree are just a breath, and men of high degree are a lie. In the balances they will go up. They are together lighter than a breath.

10 Do not trust in oppression. Do not become vain in robbery. If riches increase, do not set your heart on them.

11 God has spoken once; twice I have heard this, that power belongs to God.

12 Also to you, Lord, belongs loving kindness, for you reward every man according to his work.