Day 153 of 365

1 Sam 30:1–31:13

30:1 It happened, when David and his men had come to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had made a raid on the Negev, and on Ziklag, and had struck Ziklag, and burned it with fire,

30:2 and had taken captive the women and all who were therein, both small and great. They did not kill any, but carried them off, and went their way.

30:3 When David and his men came to the city, behold, it was burned with fire; and their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, were taken captive.

30:4 Then David and the people who were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep.

30:5 David's two wives were taken captive, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite.

30:6 David was greatly distressed; for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.

30:7 David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, "Please bring me here the ephod." Abiathar brought the ephod to David.

30:8 David inquired of the Lord, saying, "If I pursue after this troop, shall I overtake them?" He answered him, "Pursue; for you shall surely overtake them, and shall without fail recover all."

30:9 So David went, he and the six hundred men who were with him, and came to the brook Besor, where those who were left behind stayed.

30:10 But David pursued, he and four hundred men; for two hundred stayed behind, who were so faint that they couldn't go over the brook Besor.

30:11 They found an Egyptian in the field, and brought him to David, and gave him bread, and he ate; and they gave him water to drink.

30:12 They gave him a piece of a cake of figs, and two clusters of raisins. When he had eaten, his spirit came again to him; for he had eaten no bread, nor drunk any water, three days and three nights.

30:13 David asked him, "To whom do you belong? Where are you from?" He said, "I am a young man of Egypt, servant to an Amalekite; and my master left me, because three days ago I fell sick.

30:14 We made a raid on the South of the Kerethites, and on that which belongs to Judah, and on the Negev of Caleb; and we burned Ziklag with fire."

30:15 David said to him, "Will you bring me down to this troop?" He said, "Swear to me by God that you will neither kill me, nor deliver me up into the hands of my master, and I will bring you down to this troop."

30:16 When he had brought him down, behold, they were spread around over all the ground, eating, drinking, and dancing, because of all the great spoil that they had taken out of the land of the Philistines, and out of the land of Judah.

30:17 David struck them from the twilight even to the evening of the next day. Not a man of them escaped from there, except four hundred young men, who rode on camels and fled.

30:18 David recovered all that the Amalekites had taken; and David rescued his two wives.

30:19 There was nothing lacking to them, neither small nor great, neither sons nor daughters, neither spoil, nor anything that they had taken to them. David brought back all.

30:20 David took all the flocks and the herds, which they drove before those other livestock, and said, "This is David's spoil."

30:21 David came to the two hundred men, who were so faint that they could not follow David, whom also they had made to stay at the brook Besor; and they went forth to meet David, and to meet the people who were with him. When David came near to the people, he greeted them.

30:22 Then all the wicked men and base fellows, of those who went with David, answered and said, "Because they did not go with us, we will not give them anything of the spoil that we have recovered, except to every man his wife and his children, that he may lead them away, and depart."

30:23 Then David said, "You shall not do so, my brothers, with that which the Lord has given to us, who has preserved us, and delivered the troop that came against us into our hand.

30:24 Who will listen to you in this matter? For as his share is who goes down to the battle, so shall his share be who tarries by the baggage: they shall share alike."

30:25 It was so from that day forward, that he made it a statute and an ordinance for Israel to this day.

30:26 When David came to Ziklag, he sent of the spoil to the elders of Judah, even to his friends, saying, "Behold, a present for you of the spoil of the enemies of the Lord."

30:27 He sent it to those who were in Bethel, and to those who were in Ramoth of the Negev, and to those who were in Jattir,

30:28 and to those who were in Aroer, and to those who were in Siphmoth, and to those who were in Eshtemoa,

30:29 and to those who were in Racal, and to those who were in the cities of the Jerahmeelites, and to those who were in the cities of the Kenites,

30:30 and to those who were in Hormah, and to those who were in Borashan, and to those who were in Athach,

30:31 and to those who were in Hebron, and to all the places where David himself and his men used to stay.

31:1 Now the Philistines fought against Israel: and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain on Mount Gilboa.

31:2 The Philistines followed hard on Saul and on his sons; and the Philistines killed Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchishua, the sons of Saul.

31:3 The battle went hard against Saul, and the archers overtook him; and he was greatly distressed by reason of the archers.

31:4 Then Saul said to his armor bearer, "Draw your sword, and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and abuse me!" But his armor bearer would not; for he was terrified. Therefore Saul took his sword, and fell on it.

31:5 When his armor bearer saw that Saul was dead, he likewise fell on his sword, and died with him.

31:6 So Saul died, and his three sons, and his armor bearer, and all his men, that same day together.

31:7 When the men of Israel who were on the other side of the valley, and those who were beyond the Jordan, saw that the men of Israel fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead, they forsook the cities, and fled; and the Philistines came and lived in them.

31:8 It happened on the next day, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, that they found Saul and his three sons fallen on Mount Gilboa.

31:9 They cut off his head, and stripped off his armor, and sent into the land of the Philistines all around, to carry the news to the house of their idols, and to the people.

31:10 They put his armor in the house of the Ashtaroth; and they fastened his body to the wall of Beth Shan.

31:11 When the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead heard concerning him that which the Philistines had done to Saul,

31:12 all the valiant men arose, and went all night, and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth Shan; and they came to Jabesh, and burnt them there.

31:13 They took their bones, and buried them under the tamarisk tree in Jabesh, and fasted seven days.

2 Sam 1:1–27

1 It happened after the death of Saul, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, and David had stayed two days in Ziklag;

2 it happened on the third day, that behold, a man came out of the camp from Saul, with his clothes torn, and earth on his head: and so it was, when he came to David, that he fell to the earth, and showed respect.

3 David said to him, "Where do you come from?" He said to him, "I have escaped out of the camp of Israel."

4 David said to him, "How did it go? Please tell me." He answered, "The people have fled from the battle, and many of the people also have fallen and are dead; and Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also."

5 David said to the young man who told him, "How do you know that Saul and Jonathan his son are dead?"

6 The young man who told him said, "As I happened by chance on Mount Gilboa, behold, Saul was leaning on his spear; and behold, the chariots and the horsemen followed hard after him.

7 When he looked behind him, he saw me, and called to me. I answered, 'Here I am.'

8 He said to me, 'Who are you?' I answered him, 'I am an Amalekite.'

9 He said to me, 'Please stand beside me, and kill me; for anguish has taken hold of me, because my life is yet whole in me.'

10 So I stood beside him, and killed him, because I was sure that he could not live after that he had fallen. I took the crown that was on his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them here to my lord."

11 Then David took hold on his clothes, and tore them; and likewise all the men who were with him.

12 They mourned, and wept, and fasted until evening, for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of the Lord, and for the house of Israel; because they were fallen by the sword.

13 David said to the young man who told him, "Where are you from?" He answered, "I am the son of a foreigner, an Amalekite."

14 David said to him, "How were you not afraid to put forth your hand to destroy the Lord's anointed?"

15 David called one of the young men, and said, "Go near, and fall on him." He struck him, so that he died.

16 David said to him, "Your blood be on your head; for your mouth has testified against you, saying, 'I have slain the Lord's anointed.'"

17 David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son

18 (and he commanded them to teach the children of Judah the song of the bow: behold, it is written in the book of Jashar):

19 "Your glory, Israel, is slain on your high places! How the mighty have fallen!

20 Do not tell it in Gath. Do not publish it in the streets of Ashkelon, lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.

21 You mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew nor rain on you, neither fields of offerings; For there the shield of the mighty was vilely cast away, The shield of Saul was not anointed with oil.

22 From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, Jonathan's bow did not turn back. Saul's sword did not return empty.

23 Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives. In their death, they were not divided. They were swifter than eagles. They were stronger than lions.

24 You daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet delicately, who put ornaments of gold on your clothing.

25 How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! Jonathan is slain on your high places.

26 I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan. You have been very pleasant to me. Your love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women.

27 How are the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perished!"

John 13:1–27

1 Now before the feast of the Passover, Jesus, knowing that his time had come that he would depart from this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.

2 During supper, the devil having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him,

3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he came forth from God, and was going to God,

4 arose from supper, and laid aside his outer garments. He took a towel, and wrapped a towel around his waist.

5 Then he poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

6 Then he came to Simon Peter. He said to him, "Lord, do you wash my feet?"

7 Jesus answered him, "You do not know what I am doing now, but you will understand later."

8 Peter said to him, "You will never wash my feet!" Jesus answered him, "If I do not wash you, you have no part with me."

9 Simon Peter said to him, "Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!"

10 Jesus said to him, "Someone who has bathed only needs to have his feet washed, but is completely clean. You are clean, but not all of you."

11 For he knew him who would betray him, therefore he said, "You are not all clean."

12 So when he had washed their feet, put his outer garment back on, and sat down again, he said to them, "Do you know what I have done to you?

13 You call me, 'Teacher' and 'Lord.' You say so correctly, for so I am.

14 If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet.

15 For I have given you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you.

16 Truly, truly, I tell you, a servant is not greater than his lord, neither one who is sent greater than he who sent him.

17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.

18 I do not speak concerning all of you. I know whom I have chosen. But that the Scripture may be fulfilled, 'He who eats my bread has lifted up his heel against me.'

19 From now on, I tell you before it happens, that when it happens, you may believe that I am he.

20 Truly, truly, I tell you, he who receives whomever I send, receives me; and he who receives me, receives him who sent me."

21 When Jesus had said this, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, "Truly, truly, I tell you that one of you will betray me."

22 The disciples looked at one another, perplexed about whom he spoke.

23 One of his disciples, whom Jesus loved, was at the table, leaning against Jesus' breast.

24 Simon Peter therefore beckoned to him, and said to him, "Tell us who it is of whom he speaks."

25 He, leaning back, as he was, on Jesus' breast, asked him, "Lord, who is it?"

26 Jesus therefore answered, "It is he to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped it." So when he had dipped the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot.

27 After the piece of bread, then Satan entered into him. Then Jesus said to him, "What you do, do quickly."

Ps 66:1–20

1 Make a joyful shout to God, all the earth!

2 Sing to the glory of his name! Offer glory and praise!

3 Tell God, "How awesome are your deeds! Through the greatness of your power, your enemies submit themselves to you.

4 All the earth will worship you, and will sing to you; they will sing to your name." Selah.

5 Come, and see God's deeds- awesome work on behalf of the children of men.

6 He turned the sea into dry land. They went through the river on foot. There, we rejoiced in him.

7 He rules by his might forever. His eyes watch the nations. Do not let the rebellious rise up against him. Selah.

8 Praise our God, you peoples! Make the sound of his praise heard,

9 who preserves our life among the living, and doesn't allow our feet to be moved.

10 For you, God, have tested us. You have refined us, as silver is refined.

11 You brought us into prison. You laid a burden on our backs.

12 You allowed men to ride over our heads. We went through fire and through water, but you brought us to the place of abundance.

13 I will come into your temple with burnt offerings. I will pay my vows to you,

14 which my lips promised, and my mouth spoke, when I was in distress.

15 I will offer to you burnt offerings of fat animals, with the offering of rams, I will offer bulls with goats. Selah.

16 Come, and hear, all you who fear God. I will declare what he has done for my soul.

17 I cried to him with my mouth. He was extolled with my tongue.

18 If I cherished sin in my heart, the Lord wouldn't have listened.

19 But most certainly, God has listened. He has heard the voice of my prayer.

20 Blessed be God, who has not turned away my prayer, nor his loving kindness from me.