Bible Reading Plan

Chapter 9

After the Exile

¹ All Israel was registered in the genealogies that are written in the Book of the Kings of Israel. But Judah was exiled^(a) to Babylon because of their unfaithfulness. ² The first^(b) to live in their towns on their own property again were Israelites, priests, Levites, and temple servants.^(c)

²² The total number of those chosen to be gatekeepers at the thresholds was 212. They were registered by genealogy in their villages. David and Samuel the seer had appointed them^(l) to their trusted positions. ²³ So they and their sons were assigned to the gates of the Lord 's temple, which had been the tent-temple. ²⁴ The gatekeepers were on the four sides: east, west, north, and south. ²⁵ Their relatives came from their villages^(m) at fixed times to be with them seven days,^{(n) 26} but the four chief gatekeepers, who were Levites, were entrusted with the rooms and the treasuries of God's temple.^{(o) 27} They spent the night in the vicinity of God's temple, because they had guard duty and were in charge of opening it every morning.^(p)

²⁸ Some of them were in charge of the utensils used in worship. They would count them when they brought them in and when they took them out. ²⁹ Others were put in charge of the furnishings and all the utensils of the sanctuary,^(q) as well as the fine flour,^(r) wine, oil, incense, and spices. ³⁰ Some of the priests' sons mixed the spices.^{(s) 31} A Levite called Mattithiah, the firstborn of Shallum the Korahite, was entrusted with baking the bread.^{[c] 32} Some of the Kohathites' relatives were responsible for preparing the rows of the bread of the Presence^(t) every Sabbath.

³³ The singers,^(u) the heads of the Levite families, stayed in the temple chambers and were exempt from other tasks because they were on duty day and night.^{(v) 34} These^(w) were the heads of the Levite families, chiefs according to their genealogies, and lived in Jerusalem.

Saul's Family

Chapter 10

The Deaths of Saul and His Sons

¹ The Philistines^(a) fought against Israel, and Israel's men fled from them and were killed on Mount Gilboa. ² The Philistines pursued Saul and his sons and killed Saul's sons Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchishua. ³ When the battle intensified against Saul, the archers found him and severely wounded him. ⁴ Then Saul said to his armor-bearer, "Draw your sword and run me through with it, or these uncircumcised men will come and torture me!" But his armor-bearer wouldn't do it because he was terrified. Then Saul took his sword and fell on it. ⁵ When his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell on his own sword and died. ⁶ So Saul and his three sons died—his whole house died together.

⁷ When all the men of Israel in the valley saw that the army had fled and that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned their cities and fled. So the Philistines came and settled in them.

⁸ The next day when the Philistines came to strip the slain, they found Saul and his sons dead on Mount Gilboa. ⁹ They stripped Saul, cut off his head, took his armor, and sent messengers throughout the land of the Philistines to spread the good news to their idols and their people. ¹⁰ Then they put his armor in the temple of their gods and hung his skull in the temple of Dagon.^(b)

¹¹ When all Jabesh-gilead heard of everything the Philistines had done to Saul, ¹² all their brave men set out and retrieved the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons and brought them to Jabesh. They buried their bones under the oak^[a] in Jabesh^(c) and fasted seven days.

¹³ Saul died for his unfaithfulness to the Lord because he did not keep the Lord 's word.^(d) He even consulted a medium for guidance,^{(e) 14} but he did not inquire of the Lord . So the Lord put him to death and turned the kingdom over to David son of Jesse.^(f)

Chapter 11

David's Anointing as King

¹ All Israel^(a) came together to David at Hebron and said, "Here we are, your own flesh and blood.^{[a] 2} Even when Saul was king, you led us out to battle and brought us back. The Lord your God also said to you, ‘You will shepherd My people Israel and be ruler over My people Israel.'"

³ So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron. David made a covenant with them at Hebron in the Lord 's presence, and they anointed David king over Israel, in keeping with the Lord 's word through Samuel.^(b)

David's Capture of Jerusalem

⁴ David^(c) and all Israel marched to Jerusalem (that is, Jebus^(d)); the Jebusites who inhabited the land were there. ⁵ The inhabitants of Jebus said to David, "You will never get in here." Yet David did capture the stronghold of Zion, that is, the city of David.

⁶ David said, "Whoever is the first to kill a Jebusite will become chief commander." Joab^(e) son of Zeruiah went up first, so he became the chief.

⁷ Then David took up residence in the stronghold; therefore, it was called the city of David. ⁸ He built up the city all the way around, from the supporting terraces to the surrounding parts, and Joab restored the rest of the city. ⁹ David steadily grew more powerful,^(f) and the Lord of Hosts was with him.

Exploits of David's Warriors

¹⁰ The following were the chiefs of David's warriors who, together with all Israel, strongly supported him in his reign to make him king according to the Lord 's word about Israel.^{(g) 11} This^(h) is the list of David's warriors:

Jashobeam son of Hachmoni was chief⁽ⁱ⁾ of the Thirty;^[b] he wielded his spear against 300 and killed them at one time.

¹² After him, Eleazar son of Dodo^(j) the Ahohite was one of the three warriors. ¹³ He was with David at Pas-dammim when the Philistines had gathered there for battle. There was a portion of a field full of barley, where the troops had fled from the Philistines.^{(k) 14} But Eleazar and David^[c] took their stand in the middle of the field and defended it. They killed the Philistines, and the Lord gave them a great victory.

¹⁵ Three of the 30 chief men went down to David, to the rock at the cave of Adullam,^(l) while the Philistine army was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim.^{(m) 16} At that time David was in the stronghold,⁽ⁿ⁾ and a Philistine garrison^(o) was at Bethlehem. ¹⁷ David was extremely thirsty^[d] and said, "If only someone would bring me water to drink from the well at the city gate of Bethlehem!" ¹⁸ So the Three broke through the Philistine camp and drew water from the well at the gate of Bethlehem. They brought it back to David, but he refused to drink it. Instead, he poured it out to the Lord . ¹⁹ David said, "I would never do such a thing in the presence of God! How can I drink the blood of these men who risked their lives?" For they brought it at the risk of their lives. So he would not drink it. Such were the exploits of the three warriors.

²⁰ Abishai,^(p) Joab's brother, was the leader of the Three.^[e] He raised his spear against 300 men and killed them, gaining a reputation among the Three. ²¹ He was more honored than the Three and became their commander even though he did not become one of the Three.