Day 209 of 365

1 Chr 14:1–16:43

14:1 Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, and masons, and carpenters, to build him a house.

14:2 David perceived that the Lord had established him king over Israel; for his kingdom was exalted on high, for his people Israel's sake.

14:3 David took more wives at Jerusalem; and David became the father of more sons and daughters.

14:4 These are the names of the children whom he had in Jerusalem: Shammua, and Shobab, Nathan, and Solomon,

14:5 and Ibhar, and Elishua, and Elpelet,

14:6 and Nogah, and Nepheg, and Japhia,

14:7 and Elishama, and Beeliada, and Eliphelet.

14:8 When the Philistines heard that David was anointed king over all Israel, all the Philistines went up to seek David: and David heard of it, and went out against them.

14:9 Now the Philistines had come and made a raid in the valley of Rephaim.

14:10 David inquired of God, saying, "Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will you deliver them into my hand?" The Lord said to him, "Go up; for I will deliver them into your hand."

14:11 So they came up to Baal Perazim, and David struck them there; and David said, God has broken my enemies by my hand, like the breach of waters. Therefore they called the name of that place Baal Perazim.

14:12 They left their gods there; and David gave commandment, and they were burned with fire.

14:13 The Philistines yet again made a raid in the valley.

14:14 David inquired again of God; and God said to him, "You shall not go up after them. Turn away from them, and come on them over against the mulberry trees.

14:15 It shall be, when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then you shall go out to battle; for God has gone out before you to strike the army of the Philistines."

14:16 David did as God commanded him: and they struck the army of the Philistines from Gibeon even to Gezer.

14:17 The fame of David went out into all lands; and the Lord brought the fear of him on all nations.

15:1 David made him houses in the city of David; and he prepared a place for the ark of God, and pitched for it a tent.

15:2 Then David said, "No one ought to carry the ark of God but the Levites. For the Lord has chosen them to carry the ark of God, and to minister to him forever."

15:3 David assembled all Israel at Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the Lord to its place, which he had prepared for it.

15:4 David gathered together the sons of Aaron, and the Levites:

15:5 of the sons of Kohath, Uriel the chief, and his brothers one hundred twenty;

15:6 of the sons of Merari, Asaiah the chief, and his brothers two hundred twenty;

15:7 of the sons of Gershom, Joel the chief, and his brothers one hundred thirty;

15:8 of the sons of Elizaphan, Shemaiah the chief, and his brothers two hundred;

15:9 of the sons of Hebron, Eliel the chief, and his brothers eighty;

15:10 of the sons of Uzziel, Amminadab the chief, and his brothers one hundred twelve.

15:11 David called for Zadok and Abiathar the priests, and for the Levites, for Uriel, Asaiah, and Joel, Shemaiah, and Eliel, and Amminadab,

15:12 and said to them, "You are the heads of the fathers' households of the Levites. Sanctify yourselves, both you and your brothers, that you may bring up the ark of the Lord, the God of Israel, to the place that I have prepared for it.

15:13 For because you did not carry it at first, the Lord our God made an outbreak against us, because we did not seek him according to the ordinance."

15:14 So the priests and the Levites sanctified themselves to bring up the ark of the Lord, the God of Israel.

15:15 The children of the Levites bore the ark of God on their shoulders with the poles thereon, as Moses commanded according to the word of the Lord.

15:16 David spoke to the chief of the Levites to appoint their brothers the singers, with instruments of music, stringed instruments and harps and cymbals, sounding aloud and lifting up the voice with joy.

15:17 So the Levites appointed Heman the son of Joel; and of his brothers, Asaph the son of Berechiah; and of the sons of Merari their brothers, Ethan the son of Kushaiah;

15:18 and with them their brothers of the second degree, Zechariah, Ben, and Jaaziel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Unni, Eliab, and Benaiah, and Maaseiah, and Mattithiah, and Eliphelehu, and Mikneiah, and Obed-Edom, and Jeiel, the doorkeepers.

15:19 So the singers, Heman, Asaph, and Ethan, were given cymbals of brass to sound aloud;

15:20 and Zechariah, and Aziel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Unni, and Eliab, and Maaseiah, and Benaiah, with stringed instruments set to Alamoth;

15:21 and Mattithiah, and Eliphelehu, and Mikneiah, and Obed-Edom, and Jeiel, and Azaziah, with harps tuned to the eight-stringed lyre, to lead.

15:22 Chenaniah, chief of the Levites, was over the song: he instructed about the song, because he was skillful.

15:23 Berechiah and Elkanah were doorkeepers for the ark.

15:24 Shebaniah, and Joshaphat, and Nethanel, and Amasai, and Zechariah, and Benaiah, and Eliezer, the priests, blew the trumpets before the ark of God: and Obed-Edom and Jehiah were doorkeepers for the ark.

15:25 So David, and the elders of Israel, and the captains over thousands, went to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of the house of Obed-Edom with joy.

15:26 It happened, when God helped the Levites who bore the ark of the covenant of the Lord, that they sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams.

15:27 David was clothed with a robe of fine linen, and all the Levites who bore the ark, and the singers, and Chenaniah the master of the song with the singers: and David had on him an ephod of linen.

15:28 Thus all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the Lord with shouting, and with sound of the cornet, and with trumpets, and with cymbals, sounding aloud with stringed instruments and harps.

15:29 It happened, as the ark of the covenant of the Lord came to the city of David, that Michal the daughter of Saul looked out at the window, and saw king David dancing and playing; and she despised him in her heart.

16:1 They brought in the ark of God, and set it in the midst of the tent that David had pitched for it: and they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before God.

16:2 When David had made an end of offering the burnt offering and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord.

16:3 He dealt to everyone of Israel, both man and woman, to every one a loaf of bread, and a portion of meat, and a cake of raisins.

16:4 He appointed certain of the Levites to minister before the ark of the Lord, and to celebrate and to thank and praise the Lord, the God of Israel:

16:5 Asaph the chief, and second to him Zechariah, Jeiel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Mattithiah, and Eliab, and Benaiah, and Obed-Edom, and Jeiel, with stringed instruments and with harps; and Asaph with cymbals, sounding aloud;

16:6 and Benaiah and Jahaziel the priests with trumpets continually, before the ark of the covenant of God.

16:7 Then on that day David first ordained to give thanks to the Lord, by the hand of Asaph and his brothers.

16:8 Oh give thanks to the Lord. Call on his name. Make his doings known among the peoples.

16:9 Sing to him. Sing praises to him. Tell of all his marvelous works.

16:10 Glory in his holy name. Let the heart of those who seek the Lord rejoice.

16:11 Seek the Lord and his strength. Seek his face forever more.

16:12 Remember his marvelous works that he has done, his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth,

16:13 you seed of Israel his servant, you children of Jacob, his chosen ones.

16:14 He is the Lord our God. His judgments are in all the earth.

16:15 Remember his covenant forever, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations,

16:16 the covenant which he made with Abraham, his oath to Isaac.

16:17 He confirmed the same to Jacob for a statute, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant,

16:18 saying, "I will give you the land of Canaan, The lot of your inheritance,"

16:19 when you were but a few men in number, yes, very few, and foreigners were in it.

16:20 They went about from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another people.

16:21 He allowed no man to do them wrong. Yes, he reproved kings for their sakes,

16:22 "Do not touch my anointed ones! Do my prophets no harm!"

16:23 Sing to the Lord, all the earth! Display his salvation from day to day.

16:24 Declare his glory among the nations, and his marvelous works among all the peoples.

16:25 For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised. He also is to be feared above all gods.

16:26 For all the gods of the peoples are idols, but the Lord made the heavens.

16:27 Honor and majesty are before him. Strength and gladness are in his place.

16:28 Ascribe to the Lord, you relatives of the peoples, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength!

16:29 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due to his name. Bring an offering, and come before him. Worship the Lord in holy array.

16:30 Tremble before him, all the earth. The world also is established that it can't be moved.

16:31 Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice! Let them say among the nations, "The Lord reigns!"

16:32 Let the sea roar, and its fullness! Let the field exult, and all that is therein!

16:33 Then the trees of the forest will sing for joy before the Lord, for he comes to judge the earth.

16:34 Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his loving kindness endures forever.

16:35 Say, "Save us, God of our salvation! Gather us together and deliver us from the nations, to give thanks to your holy name, to triumph in your praise."

16:36 Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting even to everlasting. All the people said, "Amen," and praised the Lord.

16:37 So he left there, before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, Asaph and his brothers, to minister before the ark continually, as every day's work required;

16:38 and Obed-Edom with their brothers, sixty-eight; Obed-Edom also the son of Jeduthun and Hosah to be doorkeepers;

16:39 and Zadok the priest, and his brothers the priests, before the tabernacle of the Lord in the high place that was at Gibeon,

16:40 to offer burnt offerings to the Lord on the altar of burnt offering continually morning and evening, even according to all that is written in the law of the Lord, which he commanded to Israel;

16:41 and with them Heman and Jeduthun, and the rest who were chosen, who were mentioned by name, to give thanks to the Lord, because his loving kindness endures forever;

16:42 and with them Heman and Jeduthun with trumpets and cymbals for those that should sound aloud, and with instruments for the songs of God; and the sons of Jeduthun to be at the gate.

16:43 All the people departed every man to his house: and David returned to bless his house.

Acts 25:1–13

1 Festus therefore, having come into the province, after three days went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea.

2 Then the high priest and the principal men of the Judeans informed him against Paul, and they begged him,

3 asking a favor against him, that he would summon him to Jerusalem; plotting to kill him on the way.

4 However Festus answered that Paul should be kept in custody at Caesarea, and that he himself was about to depart shortly.

5 "Let them therefore," said he, "that are in power among you go down with me, and if there is anything wrong in the man, let them accuse him."

6 When he had stayed among them more than eight or ten days, he went down to Caesarea, and on the next day he sat on the judgment seat, and commanded Paul to be brought.

7 When he had come, the Judeans who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing against him many and grievous charges which they could not prove,

8 while he said in his defense, "Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar, have I sinned at all."

9 But Festus, desiring to gain favor with the Judeans, answered Paul and said, "Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem, and be judged by me there concerning these things?"

10 But Paul said, "I am standing before Caesar's judgment seat, where I ought to be tried. I have done no wrong to the Judeans, as you also know very well.

11 For if I have done wrong, and have committed anything worthy of death, I do not refuse to die; but if none of those things is true that they accuse me of, no one can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar!"

12 Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, "You have appealed to Caesar. To Caesar you shall go."

13 Now when some days had passed, Agrippa the King and Bernice arrived at Caesarea, and greeted Festus.

Song 7:10–8:4

7:10 I am my beloved's. His desire is toward me.

7:11 Come, my beloved, let us go forth into the field. Let us lodge in the villages.

7:12 Let's go early up to the vineyards. Let's see whether the vine has budded, its blossom is open, and the pomegranates are in flower. There I will give you my love.

7:13 The mandrakes give forth fragrance. At our doors are all kinds of precious fruits, new and old, which I have stored up for you, my beloved.

8:1 Oh that you were like my brother, who sucked the breasts of my mother! If I found you outside, I would kiss you; yes, and no one would despise me.

8:2 I would lead you, bringing you into my mother's house, who would instruct me. I would have you drink spiced wine, of the juice of my pomegranate.

8:3 His left hand would be under my head. His right hand would embrace me.

8:4 I adjure you, daughters of Jerusalem, that you not stir up, nor awaken love, until it so desires. Friends