2 Samuel 21 Cross References - NSB

¹ There was a famine for three successive years during David’s reign. David asked Jehovah for advice about it. Jehovah answered: »It is because of Saul and his family. They are guilty of murder because they killed the people of Gibeon.« ² The Gibeonites were not a part of Israel but were left over from the Amorites. The Israelites swore to spare them. Saul, in his eagerness, tried to destroy them for Israel and Judah. The king called the Gibeonites. ³ He asked them: »What can I do for you? What shall I give you to make peace with you so that you will bless what belongs to Jehovah?« ⁴ The Gibeonites responded: »Our quarrel with Saul and his family cannot be settled with silver or gold. We do not want to kill any Israelite.« What do you want me to do?« David asked. ⁵ They answered: »Saul wanted to destroy us and leave none of us alive anywhere in Israel. ⁶ »Hand over seven of his male descendants. We will hang them before Jehovah at Gibeah, the hometown of Saul, Jehovah’s chosen king.« The king responded: »I will hand them over to you.« ⁷ David made a promise to Jonathan with Jehovah as his witness. He spared Jonathan’s son Mephibosheth, the grandson of Saul. ⁸ Saul and Rizpah the daughter of Aiah had two sons named Armoni and Mephibosheth. Saul’s daughter Merab had five sons whose father was Adriel the son of Barzillai from Meholah. David took Rizpah’s two sons and Merab’s five sons. ⁹ He turned them over to the Gibeonites. They hanged all seven of them on the mountain near the place where Jehovah was worshiped. This happened right at the beginning of the barley harvest. ¹⁰ Rizpah daughter of Aiah spread some sackcloth on a nearby rock. She would not let the birds land on the bodies during the day. She kept the wild animals away at night. She stayed there from the beginning of the harvest until it started to rain. ¹¹ [The Philistines killed Saul and Jonathan on Mount Gilboa and hung their bodies in the town square at Beth-Shan. The people of Jabesh in Gilead secretly took the bodies away.] David found out what Saul’s wife Rizpah did. So he went to the leaders of Jabesh to get the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan. ¹² David took the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan from the citizens of Jabesh Gilead. They had stolen them from the public square of Beth Shean, where the Philistines hung them the day they killed Saul at Gilboa. ¹³ David brought the bones of Saul and Jonathan. His men also gathered the bones of those who had been executed. ¹⁴ Then they buried the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan in the land of Benjamin, at Zela, in the tomb of Saul’s father Kish. They did everything the king ordered. After that God answered the prayers for the land. ¹⁵ Once again there was a battle between the Philistines and Israel. David and his men went to fight the Philistines. David became exhausted. ¹⁶ A descendant of Haraphah named Benob had a copper spear weighing seven and one half pounds. He wore it on a new belt. He captured David and intended to kill him. ¹⁷ Abishai son of Zeruiah came to David’s rescue. Abishai attacked the giant and killed him. Then David’s men made David promise that he would never again go out with them to battle. »You are the hope of Israel. We do not want to lose you!« They said. ¹⁸ After this there was a battle with the Philistines at Gob. Sibbecai from Hushah killed a giant named Saph a descendant of Rapha. ¹⁹ There was another battle with the Philistines at Gob. Elhanan son of Jair from Bethlehem killed Goliath from Gath. Goliath’s spear had a shaft as thick as the bar on a weaver’s loom. ²⁰ There was another war, this time in Gath. One of the enemy soldiers was a descendant of the Rephaim. He was as big as a giant and had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot. ²¹ When he challenged Israel, Jonathan, son of David’s brother Shimei, killed him. ²² These four were descendants of Haraphah from Gath. David and his men killed them.

⁴ The NEPHILIM were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God had sexual intercourse with the daughters of men and had children by them. They were the heroes of old, men of renown.

¹⁰ There was a famine in the land. Abram went down to Egypt to live there for a while, because the famine was severe.

⁵ In the fourteenth year Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him came and subdued the Rephaim in Ashteroth-karnaim, the Zuzim in Ham, the Emim in Shaveh-kiriathaim,

¹⁶ »They shall come back here in the fourth generation. The iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.«

¹ There was another famine in the land besides the earlier one during the time of Abraham. Isaac went to Abimelech, king of the Philistines, at Gerar.

¹⁹ »In three more days Pharaoh will lift up your head from you. He will hang you on a tree, and the birds will eat your flesh off you.«

²² He did indeed hang the chief baker, just as Joseph had interpreted to them.

⁵⁷ People came to Egypt from all over the world to buy grain from Joseph, because the famine was severe everywhere.

¹ The famine was extremely bad in the land.

⁵ »Do not worship them or serve them. I, Jehovah your God, am a God demanding exclusive devotion. (I do not tolerate rivals.) I will not share your affection with any other god. I punish children for their parents’ sins to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me.

²⁷ He said to them, »Jehovah, the God of Israel says: ‘Each man put his sword by his side. Go in and out from gate to gate throughout the camp. Kill each one his brother, and each one his neighbor, and each one his kindred.’« ²⁸ The sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses. About three thousand men died that day. ²⁹ Moses said: »Today you are ordained as Jehovah’s. God gave you a blessing today. Each of you fought with your own sons and brothers.« ³⁰ The next day Moses said to the people: »You have committed a serious sin. Now I will go up the mountain to Jehovah. Maybe I will be able to make a payment for your sin and make atonement with Jehovah for your sin.«

⁴ »‘He should lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering. It may then be accepted for him to make atonement with Jehovah on his behalf.

¹⁹ »‘I will crush your arrogance. You will have no rain, and your land will be as hard as cement. ²⁰ »‘Your strength will be spent uselessly. Your land will not yield its produce and the trees of the land will not yield their fruit.

²⁶ »‘I will destroy your food supply. Ten women will need only one oven to prepare your food. You will eat and go away hungry.

²¹ »He will depend on Eleazar the priest, who will learn my will by using the Urim and Thummim. In this way Eleazar will direct Joshua and the whole congregation of Israel in all their affairs.«

³¹ »Murderers must be put to death. They cannot escape this penalty by the payment of money. ³² »If they have fled to a city of refuge, do not allow them to make a payment in order to return home before the death of the High Priest. ³³ »If you did this, you would defile the land where you are living. Murder defiles the land, and except by the death of the murderer there is no way to perform the ritual of purification for the land where someone has been murdered. ³⁴ »Do not defile the land where you are living! I am Jehovah and I live among the people of Israel.«

²⁸ »‘Where can we go up? Our brothers caused us to lose heart. They said: The people are stronger and taller than we are. The cities are large and the walls go up to the sky. Moreover we have seen the sons of the Anakims there.«’

¹⁰ The Emits used to live there. They are a mighty race of giants who lived in Ar. They were as tall as the Anakim, another race of giants.

³² »They spread lies among the Israelites about the land they had explored. They said: The land we explored is one that devours those who live there. All the people we saw there are very tall. ³³ »We saw Nephilim there. The descendants of Anak are Nephilim. We felt as small as grasshoppers. That is no doubt how we must have looked to them.«

⁴ Jehovah said to Moses: »Take all the leaders of the people and execute them in broad daylight before Jehovah so that the fierce anger of Jehovah may turn away from Israel.« ⁵ Moses said to the judges of Israel: »Each of you put to death those men who have joined in worshiping Baal of Peor.«

¹³ »My promise is that he and his descendants will be priests for a very long time because he stood up for his God. He made peace with Jehovah for the Israelites.«

²¹ »They were as tall as the Anakim. There were many of them. They were a mighty race. But Jehovah destroyed them. Then the Ammonites took over their land and settled there.

¹¹ »Of the Rephaim only King Og of Bashan was left. His bed was made of iron and was more than thirteen feet long and six feet wide. It is still in the Ammonite city of Rabbah.

¹⁶ »Destroy all the peoples whom Jehovah your God gives you. Do not look at them with pity. Do not serve their gods. For that would be a snare to you.

² »Their people are tall and strong. They are descendants of Anakim. You know all about them. You also heard it said: Who can oppose the descendants of Anak?

¹⁴ I will send rain on your land at the proper time, both in the fall and in the spring. You will gather your own grain, new wine, and olive oil.

¹ »This is what you must do if you find a murder victim lying in a field in the land that Jehovah your God is giving you. If no one knows who committed the murder, ² your elders and judges must go and measure the distance from the body to each of the neighboring cities. ³ »When it is determined which city is nearest the body, the elders from that city must choose a heifer that has never been put to work and never worn a yoke. ⁴ »The elders of that city will bring the heifer down to a river, to a location where the land has not been plowed or planted. At the river they must break the heifer's neck. ⁵ »Then the priests, the sons of Levi, shall come near. Jehovah your God has chosen them to serve him and to bless in the name of Jehovah. They will settle every dispute and every assault. ⁶ »All the elders of the city that is nearest to the slain man shall wash their hands over the heifer whose neck was broken in the valley. ⁷ »They will answer: ‘Our hands did not shed this blood, nor did we see it. ⁸ »‘Forgive your people Israel, whom you have redeemed, O Jehovah. Do not hold us responsible for the murder of an innocent person.’ Forgive them of bloodguilt. ⁹ »Remove the guilt of innocent blood from your midst. Do what is right in the eyes of Jehovah’s.

¹³ »She should no longer wear the clothes she was wearing when you captured her. She may live in your house and mourn the loss of her father and mother for one month. After that you may marry her.

²² »If a man commits a sin worthy of death and he is put to death. You hang him on a tree (stake). ²³ »His corpse must not hang all night on the tree (stake). Be sure to bury him the same day for he who is hanged is accursed of God. You do this so that you do not defile your land Jehovah your God gives you as an inheritance.

²⁹ He hung the king of Ai on a tree until evening. As soon as the sun was down, Joshua commanded that they take his carcass down from the tree and throw it at the entering gate of the city. They raised a large pile of rocks over it that is there to this day.

³ When the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and to Ai, ⁴ They resorted to a ruse (scheme) (trick). They acted as if they had been ambassadors, and took old sacks upon their asses, and wine bottles, worn out, torn, and mended. ⁵ They had worn out and patched shoes on their feet, they wore old garments; and all the bread of their provision was dry and moldy. ⁶ They went to Joshua at the camp at Gilgal, and said to him and to the men of Israel: »We come from a distant country, make a treaty with us.« ⁷ The men of Israel said to the Hivites: »Perhaps you live near us. How can we make a treaty with you?« ⁸ They said: »We are your servants.« Joshua said to them: »Who are you? Where do you come from?« ⁹ They said: »From a very far country, your servants came because of the name of Jehovah your God, for we have heard about him and all he did in Egypt; ¹⁰ »and all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites, that were beyond Jordan, to Sihon king of Heshbon, and to Og king of Bashan, which was at Ashtaroth. ¹¹ »Our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spoke to us, saying: ‘Take provisions with you for the journey, and go to meet them, and say to them: »We are your servants. Therefore make a treaty with us.«’« ¹² »We took hot fresh bread for our provision out of our houses on the day we came to you. Now it is dry, and it is moldy: ¹³ »These bottles of wine, which we filled, were new and now they are cracked. Our garments and shoes have become old by reason of the very long journey.« ¹⁴ The men sampled their provisions but did not ask for counsel from Jehovah. ¹⁵ Joshua made a treaty of peace with them to let them live. The leaders of the congregation ratified it by an oath. ¹⁶ At the end of three days after they had made a treaty with them, they heard that they were their neighbors, and that they lived among them. ¹⁷ The children of Israel journeyed to their cities on the third day. Their cities were Gibeon, and Chephirah, and Beeroth, and Kirjath-jearim. ¹⁸ The children of Israel did not kill them, because the leaders of the congregation had sworn to them by Jehovah God of Israel. The entire congregation murmured against the princes. ¹⁹ But all the leaders said to the entire congregation: »We have sworn to them by Jehovah the God of Israel: now therefore we may not touch them. ²⁰ »This we will do to them. We will even let them live in case we become angry. This is because of the oath we swore to them.« ²¹ The leaders said to them: »Let them live; but let them be hewers of wood and drawers of water to the entire congregation as the leaders had promised them.

²⁶ Afterward Joshua struck and killed them. He hanged them on five trees: and they hung on the trees until evening.

¹⁰ »‘Jehovah has kept me alive, as he said, these forty-five years, even since Jehovah spoke this word to Moses, while the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness. Now I am this day eighty-five years old. ¹¹ »‘So far I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me: as my strength was then, even so is my strength is now, for war, both to go out, and to come in. ¹² »‘Now therefore give me this mountain. This is where Jehovah spoke that day. You heard about the Anakims that day. Their cities were large and fortified and Jehovah helped me drive them out just as Jehovah said.«

¹¹ Manasseh had in Issachar and in Asher Beth-shean and her towns, and Ibleam and her towns, and the inhabitants of Dor and her towns, and the inhabitants of Endor and her towns, and the inhabitants of Taanach and her towns, and the inhabitants of Megiddo and her towns, even three countries.

²⁸ And Zelah, Eleph, and Jebusi, which is Jerusalem, Gibeath, and Kirjath; fourteen cities with their villages. This is the inheritance of the children of Benjamin according to their families.

¹ The children of Israel committed a trespass in the devoted things: for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed thing: and the anger of Jehovah was kindled against the children of Israel.

¹¹ »Israel has sinned, and they have also transgressed my covenant I commanded them to keep. They have taken some of the devoted things and put them in their own possessions. ¹² »Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies. They ran from their enemies, because they were accursed. I will not be with you any more until you destroy the devoted things you have among you.

²⁶ They raised over them a great heap of stones that is there to this day. So Jehovah turned from the fierceness of his anger. The name of that place was called, the Valley of Achor, to this day.

²² So Naomi came back out of the country of Moab. Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law, came with her. They came to Bethlehem in the first days of the barley harvest.

¹¹ Boaz answered: »I have heard about everything you have done for your mother-in-law after the death of your husband. You went away from your father and mother and the land of your birth, and came to a people who are strange to you. ¹² »May Jehovah reward you for what you have done. May you have a full reward from Jehovah the God of Israel, to whom you have come for protection!«

¹⁶ »This time tomorrow I will send you a man from the territory of Benjamin. Anoint him to be ruler of my people Israel. He will save my people from the Philistines. I have seen my people suffering and their cry has reached me.« ¹⁷ Samuel noticed Saul. Jehovah told him: »There is the man I told you about. This man will govern my people.«

¹ Samuel took a flask of olive oil and poured it on Saul’s head. He kissed him and said: »Jehovah has anointed you to be ruler of his people Israel. You will rule his people. You will save them from all their enemies. This will be the sign that Jehovah has anointed you to be ruler of his people. ² »When you leave me today two men will be at Rachel’s grave on the border of Benjamin at Zelzah. They will tell you: ‘We have found the donkeys you are looking for. Your father no longer cares about them. Instead he is worried about you. He keeps asking: What can I do to find my son?’«

²⁵ »If one man sins against another, God will judge him. But if a man sins against Jehovah, who will intercede for him?« But his sons did not listen to the voice of their father. Jehovah desired to put them to death.

²⁴ Samuel asked the people: »Do you see whom Jehovah has chosen? There is no one like him among all the people.« Then all the people shouted: »Long live the king!«

²⁶ Saul also went home to Gibeah. With him went some soldiers whose hearts God had touched.

⁴ The messengers arrived at Gibeah where Saul lived. When they told the news, the people started crying in despair.

³³ But Samuel said: »As your sword made women childless, so your mother will be made childless among women.« Samuel cut Agag in pieces in the presence of Jehovah at Gilgal.

⁹ Next Jesse made Shammah pass by. He said: »Jehovah has not chosen this one either.«

³ The Philistines were stationed on the mountain on one side. Israel was on the mountain on the other side. There was a valley between them. ⁴ A fighter came out from the tents of the Philistines. His name was Goliath of Gath. He was over nine feet tall.

⁴ A fighter came out from the tents of the Philistines. His name was Goliath of Gath. He was over nine feet tall. ⁵ He had a headdress of copper on his head. He was dressed in a coat of metal that weighed one hundred twenty five pounds.

⁵ He had a headdress of copper on his head. He was dressed in a coat of metal that weighed one hundred twenty five pounds. ⁶ He had copper shin guards on his legs and on his back a copper javelin. ⁷ The shaft of his spear was like the beam used by weavers. The head of his spear was made of fifteen pounds of iron. The man who carried his shield walked ahead of him. ⁸ Goliath stood and called to the Israelites: »Why do you form a battle line? Am I not a Philistine? Are you Saul’s servants? Choose a man, and let him come down to fight me. ⁹ »If he can fight me and kill me we will be your slaves. But if I overpower him and kill him you will be our slaves and serve us.« ¹⁰ The Philistine added: »I challenge the Israelite battle line today. Send out a man so we can fight each other.«

¹⁰ The Philistine added: »I challenge the Israelite battle line today. Send out a man so we can fight each other.« ¹¹ Saul and all the Israelites were overcome with fear when they heard what this Philistine said.

⁸ »‘Therefore deal kindly with your servant. You brought your servant into a covenant of Jehovah with you. But if there is iniquity in me kill me yourself. Why should you take me to your father?’«

¹⁵ »Show the same kind of loyalty to my family as long as you live. When Jehovah has completely destroyed all your enemies,

¹⁷ Once again Jonathan made David promise to love him. Jonathan loved David as much as he loved himself.

¹⁹ »Please let my lord the king listen to the words of his servant. If Jehovah has stirred you up against me, let Him accept an offering. If it is men, cursed are they before Jehovah. They have driven me out today so that I would have no attachment with the inheritance of Jehovah, saying: ‘Go serve other gods.’«

⁴ The Philistine troops assembled and camped near the town of Shunem. Saul gathered the Israelites and camped at Mount Gilboa.

¹ When the Philistines fought Israel, the men of Israel fled from the Philistines and were killed in battle on Mount Gilboa.

¹⁰ They put his armor in the temple of their goddesses the Asherahs and fastened his corpse to the wall of Beth Shan. ¹¹ The people living in Jabesh Gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul. ¹² All the fighting men marched all night and took the dead bodies of Saul and his sons from the wall of Beth Shan. They came back to Jabesh and burned the bodies. ¹³ They buried the bones under a small tree in Jabesh. Then for seven days, they went without eating to show their sorrow.

⁶ He answered: »I was on Mount Gilboa. I saw Saul leaning on his spear. The chariots and cavalry of the enemy closed in on him.

³² Abner was buried in Hebron. David and everyone else stood at the tomb and cried loudly.

⁴ Saul’s son Jonathan had a son who was crippled. When the boy was five years old, the news about the death of Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel. His nurse picked him up and fled to Gittaim. She was in a hurry when she left. He fell from her arms and became disabled. His name was Mephibosheth.

¹² David gave the order for his soldiers to kill Rechab and Baanah and cut off their hands and feet. They killed them and hung their hands and feet near the pool in Hebron. They took Ishbosheth’s head and buried it in Abner’s tomb there at Hebron.

¹⁷ The Philistines heard that David was now king of Israel. They mobilized all their forces to capture him. But David found out and went into his fortress. ¹⁸ So the Philistines camped in Rephaim Valley. ¹⁹ David asked Jehovah: »Shall I attack the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?« Jehovah answered David: »Attack! I will certainly deliver the Philistines to you.«

²² The Philistines again attacked and overran the valley of Rephaim. ²³ Once again David consulted Jehovah. Jehovah answered David: »Do not attack them from here. Go around and get ready to attack them from the other side, near the balsam trees.

²⁵ David did what Jehovah commanded. He drove the Philistines back from Geba all the way to Gezer.

⁴⁴ Saul said: »May God strike me dead if you are not put to death!«

⁸ He captured King Agag of Amalek alive and with the sword he killed all the people. ⁹ Saul and his men spared Agag’s life and did not kill the best sheep and cattle, the best calves and lambs, or anything else that was good. They destroyed only what was useless or worthless.

²⁵ They said to each other: »Look how he keeps coming out to insult us. The king offers a big reward to the man who kills Goliath. That man will even get to marry the king’s daughter. No one in his family will ever have to pay taxes again.« ²⁶ David asked some soldiers standing nearby: »What will a man get for killing this Philistine and stopping him from insulting our people? Who does that worthless Philistine think he is? He makes fun of the army of the living God!«

³⁶ »I have killed lions and bears. I will do the same to this heathen Philistine. He has defied the army of the living God.

⁴⁴ »Come here,« the Philistine told David, »and I will give your body to the birds.« ⁴⁵ David answered: »You come out to fight me with a sword and a spear and a dagger. But I come out to fight you in the name of Jehovah of Hosts. He is the Almighty God of Israel’s army. You have insulted him! ⁴⁶ »Today Jehovah will help me defeat you. I will knock you down and cut off your head! I will feed the bodies of the other Philistine soldiers to the birds and wild animals. Then the whole world will know that Israel has a real God. ⁴⁷ »Everybody here will see that Jehovah does not need swords or spears to save his people. Jehovah always wins his battles. He will help us defeat you!« ⁴⁸ Goliath started forward and David ran toward him. ⁴⁹ He put a rock in his sling and swung the sling around by its straps. When he let go of one strap, the rock flew out and hit Goliath on the forehead. It cracked his skull. He fell facedown on the ground. ⁵⁰ So David overcame the Philistine with his leather band and a stone. The Philistine was wounded and laying on the ground. But David had no sword in his hand. ⁵¹ He ran to him and stood over him. David took Goliath’s sword out of its sheath and cut off his head to kill him. When the Philistines saw that their hero was dead they ran away.

³ Jonathan made a covenant with David. He loved him as himself.

¹⁹ The time came for Merab to be given to David. Instead, she was given to a man named Adriel from Meholah.

⁴² Jonathan said to David: »God be with you. Jehovah will make sure that you and I, and your descendants and mine, will keep the sacred promise we have made to each other for as long as we live.« Then David left and Jonathan went back to town.

¹⁷ The king said to the guards who were attending him: »Turn around and kill the priests of Jehovah! They are also with David. They knew that he was fleeing and did not reveal it to me. But the servants of the king were not willing to lift a hand to attack the priests of Jehovah.« ¹⁸ The king said to Doeg: »You turn around and attack the priests.« Doeg the Edomite turned around and attacked the priests. That day he killed eighty-five men who wore the linen ephod. ¹⁹ He also killed the people of Nob, the city of the priests. Using his sword, he killed men and women, children and infants, cows, donkeys, and sheep.

² He asked Jehovah: »Shall I go and attack the Philistines?« Jehovah answered: »Yes, Attack them and save Keilah.«

⁴ David consulted Jehovah once again, and Jehovah said to him: »Go attack Keilah! I will give you victory over the Philistines.«

¹¹ »Will the citizens of Keilah hand me over to him? Will Saul come here as I have heard? Jehovah God of Israel, please tell me.« Jehovah answered: »He will come.«

¹⁸ They both promised Jehovah that they would always be loyal to each other. Then Jonathan went home while David stayed at Horesh.

²¹ »Let no rain or dew fall on the mountains of Gilboa. Let its fields be barren! For the shields of the mighty lie there in disgrace. The shield of Saul is no longer polished with oil.

⁴ Then the men of Judah came to Hebron. They anointed David as king of Judah. David heard that the people of Jabesh-gilead (Jabesh in Gilead) buried Saul. ⁵ He sent some men there with the message: »Jehovah blesses you for showing your loyalty to your king by burying him. ⁶ »May Jehovah always show you kindness. I also will be good to you because you did this. ⁷ »Be strong and courageous. Your master Saul is dead. Therefore the tribe of Judah has anointed me to be their king.«

⁷ Saul had a concubine named Rizpah. She was Aiah’s daughter. Ishbosheth asked Abner: »Why did you have sex with my father’s concubine?«

¹⁷ The men carrying the Ark set it in its place inside the tent David put up for it. David sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings in Jehovah’s presence.

²¹ David answered: »I danced to honor Jehovah. He chose me to be king instead of your father and his family. He made me the leader of his people Israel. I will continue to dance and honor Jehovah.

⁷ David replied: »Do not be afraid. I will be kind to you for the sake of your father Jonathan. I will give you back all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul. You will always be welcome at my table.«

¹⁰ »You, your sons, and your servants will farm the land for your master Saul’s family and bring in the harvest. This will provide food for them. Mephibosheth will always be a guest at my table.« Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.

⁴ The king told Ziba: »In that case everything that belonged to Mephibosheth now belongs to you. I sincerely thank you,« said Ziba, »I hope to remain in your good graces, Your Majesty.«

²⁵ They returned to Jerusalem. Mephibosheth came to see David. David asked him: »Why did you not go with me?«

⁶ David said to Abishai: »Sheba will hurt us more than Absalom ever did. Take my best soldiers and go after him. We do not want him to take over any walled cities and get away from us.« ⁷ Joab’s men, the Cherethites, Pelethites, and all the soldiers went with Abishai. They left Jerusalem to pursue Sheba son of Bichri. ⁸ Amasa met them at the large rock in Gibeon. Joab wore a military uniform. He strapped a sword in a scabbard at his hip. He stepped forward and the sword dropped into his hand. ⁹ »How are you, my brother?« Joab asked Amasa. He took hold of Amasa’s beard with his right hand to kiss him. ¹⁰ Amasa was not on guard against the sword in Joab’s left hand. Joab stabbed him in the stomach. Then he stabbed him in his intestines and they poured out on the ground. He died without being stabbed again. Then Joab and his brother Abishai pursued Sheba son of Bichri.

¹⁹ »We are peaceful and faithful Israelites. You seek to destroy a city and a mother in Israel? Why should you swallow up what belongs to Jehovah?’«

⁷ »All my relatives have turned against me and are demanding that I hand my son over to them. They want to kill him for murdering his brother. If they do this, I will be left without a son. They will destroy my last hope. They will leave my husband without a son to keep his name alive.«

²³ Ahithophel saw that his advice had not been followed. He saddled his donkey and went back to his hometown. He arranged his affairs in order and he hanged himself. He was buried in the family grave.

³ »You must not go with us,« they answered. »It will not make any difference to the enemy if the rest of us turn and run. It will not matter even if half of us are killed. But you are worth ten thousand of us. It will be better if you stay here in the city and send us help.«

¹⁰ A man who saw this told Joab: »I saw Absalom hanging in a tree.«

¹ There was a famine for three successive years during David’s reign. David asked Jehovah for advice about it. Jehovah answered: »It is because of Saul and his family. They are guilty of murder because they killed the people of Gibeon.«

⁶ »Hand over seven of his male descendants. We will hang them before Jehovah at Gibeah, the hometown of Saul, Jehovah’s chosen king.« The king responded: »I will hand them over to you.«

⁸ Saul and Rizpah the daughter of Aiah had two sons named Armoni and Mephibosheth. Saul’s daughter Merab had five sons whose father was Adriel the son of Barzillai from Meholah. David took Rizpah’s two sons and Merab’s five sons. ⁹ He turned them over to the Gibeonites. They hanged all seven of them on the mountain near the place where Jehovah was worshiped. This happened right at the beginning of the barley harvest.

¹⁶ A descendant of Haraphah named Benob had a copper spear weighing seven and one half pounds. He wore it on a new belt. He captured David and intended to kill him.

¹⁸ After this there was a battle with the Philistines at Gob. Sibbecai from Hushah killed a giant named Saph a descendant of Rapha.

²⁰ There was another war, this time in Gath. One of the enemy soldiers was a descendant of the Rephaim. He was as big as a giant and had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot.

²² These four were descendants of Haraphah from Gath. David and his men killed them.

¹⁹ »When I was in trouble they attacked me. You O Sovereign Jehovah protected me.

²⁹ »Jehovah our God, you are my lamp. You turn darkness into light.

²⁵ David built an altar for Jehovah there and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. So Jehovah heard the prayers for the country. The plague on Israel stopped.

³⁶ »‘I will let Solomon's son keep one tribe. That way I will always have a descendant of my servant David ruling in Jerusalem, the city I have chosen as the place where I am worshiped.

⁴ For David's sake Jehovah his God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem by raising Abijam a son to rule after him to keep Jerusalem secure.

⁴⁰ Elijah said to them: »Take the prophets of Baal. Do not let one of them get away.« So they took them, and Elijah made them go down to the stream Kishon, and executed them there. ⁴¹ Then Elijah said to Ahab: »Get up and take food and drink, for there is a sound of much rain.«

⁴¹ Then Elijah said to Ahab: »Get up and take food and drink, for there is a sound of much rain.« ⁴² So Ahab went up to have food and drink. Elijah went up to the top of Carmel. He bowed down to the earth and put his face between his knees. ⁴³ He told his servant to look in the direction of the sea. After he looked the servant said: »There is nothing.« Elijah said: »Go again seven times.« So he went seven times. ⁴⁴ The seventh time he said: »I see a cloud coming up out of the sea, as small as a man's hand.« Then Elijah said: »Go up and say to Ahab, Get your carriage ready and go down or the rain will keep you back.« ⁴⁵ After a very little time, the heaven became black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. Ahab went in his carriage to Jezreel.

¹ Elijah the Tishbite, of Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab: »By the living Jehovah, the God of Israel, whose servant I am, there will be no dew or rain in these years, but only at my word.«

² So Elijah went to let Ahab see him. There was no food to be had in Samaria.

²⁷ Elijah finished speaking. Ahab tore his clothes and took them off. He dressed in sackcloth. He refused food (fasted) and slept in the sackcloth. He was gloomy and depressed.

²⁵ The siege caused a great food shortage in the city. It was so severe that a donkey's head cost eighty pieces of silver, and half a pound of dove's dung cost five pieces of silver.

¹ Elisha told the woman who lived in Shunem, whose son he brought back to life: »Jehovah is sending a famine on the land. It will last for seven years. Leave with your family and go live somewhere else.«

¹⁶ He said: »Come with me and see how I am on fire with zeal for Jehovah’s cause.« So he made him go with him in his chariot.

³¹ But Jehu did not take care to keep the law of Jehovah with all his heart. He did not keep himself from the sin that Jeroboam did and made Israel do.

¹³ »‘Where is the king of Hamath? Where is the king of Arpad? And where is the king of the cities of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah?’«

³ This happened to Judah because Jehovah commanded it to happen. He wanted to remove the people of Judah from his sight because of Manasseh's sins and everything he had done, ⁴ and especially because of all the innocent people he killed. Jehovah would not forgive Manasseh for that.

¹³ Jesse was the father of Eliab his firstborn; the second son was Abinadab, the third Shimea,

¹ Now the Philistines fought against Israel. The Israelites fled from them, and many fell slain on Mount Gilboa.

⁸ The next day, when the Philistines came to strip the dead they found Saul and his sons fallen on Mount Gilboa.

²⁶ Also the mighty warriors were Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem,

²⁹ Sibbechai the Hushathite, Ilai the Ahohite,

⁴ War broke out with the Philistines at Gezer. Sibbecai from Hushah killed Sippai, a descendant of Haraphah, and the Philistines were defeated.

⁴ War broke out with the Philistines at Gezer. Sibbecai from Hushah killed Sippai, a descendant of Haraphah, and the Philistines were defeated. ⁵ When more fighting broke out with the Philistines, Elhanan, son of Jair, killed Lahmi, the brother of Goliath from Gath. The shaft of Lahmi’s spear was like a beam used by weavers.

⁵ When more fighting broke out with the Philistines, Elhanan, son of Jair, killed Lahmi, the brother of Goliath from Gath. The shaft of Lahmi’s spear was like a beam used by weavers. ⁶ In another battle at Gath, there was a tall man who had twenty-four fingers and toes: six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot. He also was a descendant of Haraphah.

⁶ In another battle at Gath, there was a tall man who had twenty-four fingers and toes: six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot. He also was a descendant of Haraphah. ⁷ When he challenged Israel, Jonathan, son of David’s brother Shimea, killed him. ⁸ These men were the descendants of Haraphah from Gath. David and his men killed them.

⁸ These men were the descendants of Haraphah from Gath. David and his men killed them.

¹¹ Sibbecai, a descendant of Zerah from Hushah, was in charge of the eighth unit during the eighth month. In his unit there were twenty-four thousand.

³² David’s uncle Jonathan, an educated man who possessed insight, was David’s adviser. Jonathan and Jehiel, son of Hachmoni, were in charge of the king’s sons.

¹¹ »I further give orders that if anyone makes any change in this word; one of the supports is to be pulled out of his house. He is to be lifted up and fixed to it and his house is to be destroyed.

¹⁰ The ten sons of Haman the son of Hammedatha, the hater of the Jews; but they put not a hand on any of their goods.

¹³ Then Esther said: »If it is the king's pleasure, let authority be given to the Jews in Shushan to do tomorrow as has been done today, and let orders be given for the hanging of Haman's ten sons.« ¹⁴ The king said that this was to be done, and the order was given out in Shushan. The hanging of Haman's ten sons was carried out.

²⁴ Because Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the hater of all the Jews, conspired for their destruction, attempting to get a decision by Pur that is, chance with a view to putting an end to them and cutting them off. ²⁵ But when the business was put before the king, he gave orders by letters that the evil design that he had made against the Jews was to be turned against him. That he and his sons were to be put to death by hanging.

⁸ »As for me, I would seek God's help and present my case to him. ⁹ »He does great things that we cannot understand and miracles that we cannot count. ¹⁰ »He gives rain to the earth and sends water to the fields.

² »I will say to God: ‘Do not condemn me, but tell me what charges you have against me.

¹ ([Sons of Korah]) God is our refuge and strength, a ready help in times of trouble.

⁶ They trust their riches and brag about their abundant wealth. ⁷ No one can ever redeem (buy back) his brother or pay God a ransom for his life. ⁸ The price to be paid for him is so costly it can never be paid

⁹ Do not reject me when I am old or abandon me when I lose my strength.

¹⁸ And even when I am old and gray, O God, do not forsake me, until I declare your strength to this generation, your power to all who are to come.

²⁶ My flesh and my heart fail: God is the strength of my heart, and my portion forever.

¹⁵ »Call on me in times of trouble. I will rescue you, and you will honor me.«

¹² Through God we shall do valiantly, for he will tread down our adversaries.

¹⁵ When you call to me, I will answer you. I will be with you when you are in trouble. I will deliver you and honor you.

¹³ Through God we shall have great strength: for he shall tread down our enemies.

¹⁵ Listen to the glad shouts of victory in the tents of God's people: Jehovah’s mighty power has done it!

¹⁷ There I will make the horn of David grow (give mighty power to David). I will prepare a lamp (light) for my anointed one.

¹⁰ You give salvation to kings. You rescue David your servant from the evil sword.

¹¹ I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift. The battle is not to the strong. Bread does not go to the wise, or riches to men of understanding. Men of skill do not always receive favor, but time and unexpected circumstance happens to them all.

³ In the day when the keepers of the house will tremble, and the strong men will bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows are darkened,

²⁸ »Do you not know? Have you not heard? JEHOVAH IS THE EVERLASTING GOD, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and no one can measure (find out) his understanding. ²⁹ »He gives strength to those who grow tired and increases the strength of those who are weak. ³⁰ Even young people grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall.

²⁴ »They do not say in their hearts, to themselves: ‘We should respect Jehovah our God. He sends rain at the right time, the autumn rain and the spring rain. He makes sure that we have harvest seasons.’« ²⁵ »Your wickedness has turned these things away. Your sins have kept good things away from you.

²³ This is what Jehovah says: »Do not let wise people brag about their wisdom. Do not let strong people brag about their strength. Do not let rich people brag about their riches.«

²³ This is what Jehovah says: »Do not let wise people brag about their wisdom. Do not let strong people brag about their strength. Do not let rich people brag about their riches.« ²⁴ »If they want to brag, instead let them advocate (glory) (celebrate) that they understand and know me. They should advocate that I, Jehovah, act out of love, righteousness, and justice on the earth. This kind of celebration pleases me,« declares Jehovah.

¹ Jehovah spoke his word about the drought to Jeremiah:

¹ Jehovah spoke his word about the drought to Jeremiah: ² Judah mourns and its gates collapse. The people of Judah are filled with bereavement as they sit on the ground. Their cry goes up from Jerusalem.

² Judah mourns and its gates collapse. The people of Judah are filled with bereavement as they sit on the ground. Their cry goes up from Jerusalem. ³ Important people send their assistants out for water. They do not find any water at the cisterns. They return with their containers empty. They cover their heads, because they are ashamed and dishonored.

³ Important people send their assistants out for water. They do not find any water at the cisterns. They return with their containers empty. They cover their heads, because they are ashamed and dishonored. ⁴ There is no rain in the land and the ground is cracked. The farmers are disappointed. They cover their heads.

⁴ There is no rain in the land and the ground is cracked. The farmers are disappointed. They cover their heads. ⁵ Even deer in the fields give birth and abandon their young because there is no grass.

⁵ Even deer in the fields give birth and abandon their young because there is no grass. ⁶ Wild donkeys stand on the bare hills. They sniff the wind like jackals. Their eyesight fails because they have no green plants.

⁶ Wild donkeys stand on the bare hills. They sniff the wind like jackals. Their eyesight fails because they have no green plants. ⁷ Do something, Jehovah, for the sake of your name, even though our iniquities testify against us. We have been unfaithful (like apostates) and have sinned against you.

⁷ Do something, Jehovah, for the sake of your name, even though our iniquities testify against us. We have been unfaithful (like apostates) and have sinned against you. ⁸ You are Israel's hope, its savior in times of trouble. Why are you like a stranger in the land, like a traveler who stays only one night? ⁹ Why are you like someone taken by surprise, like a mighty man who cannot help? You, O Jehovah, are among us. We are called by your name. Do not leave us! ¹⁰ This is what Jehovah says about these people: »They love to wander. They do not keep their feet where they belong. Therefore Jehovah is not happy with them. He will remember their crimes and punish their sins.« ¹¹ Jehovah said to me: »Do not pray for the good of these people. ¹² »Even if they go without food, I will not listen to their cries for help. Even if they sacrifice burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not be pleased with them. But I will destroy these people with wars, famines, and plagues.« ¹³ I said: »Alas, O Lord Jehovah, prophets are telling them: ‘You will not see wars or famines, for I will give you lasting peace in this place.« ¹⁴ Jehovah then told me: »These are the lies that the prophets are telling in my name: They claim that I sent them. They claim that I commanded them. They claim that I spoke to them. They even dreamed up visions to tell you. Their predictions are worthless! They are the products of their own imagination. ¹⁵ »I did not send these prophets. Yet, they prophesy in my name that there will be no wars or famines in this land. So this is what I, Jehovah, say about them: ‘Wars and famines will bring an end to these prophets. ¹⁶ »‘The people to whom they prophesy will be thrown out into the streets of Jerusalem. They will be victims of famines and wars. No one will bury them, their wives, their sons, or their daughters. I will pour on them the destruction that they deserve.’ ¹⁷ »Say this to them: ‘My eyes flow with tears day and night without stopping because my dear people will suffer massive destruction. It will be a very serious blow. ¹⁸ »‘If I go to the field, I see those killed because of war. If I go to the city, I see those sick because of famine. Prophets and priests wander through a land they have not heard of.’«

²² The valueless gods of the nations cannot make it rain. The skies cannot give showers by themselves. But you can, O Jehovah our God. We hope in you because you do all these things.

⁴ »‘Gog and his army and his allies will fall dead on the mountains of Israel. I will let their bodies be food for all the birds and wild animals.«’

³ »Let us get to know Jehovah! Let us press on (run after) (follow) to get to know him. As surely as the sun rises he will appear. He will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth.«

¹⁸ Jehovah was zealous for his land, and had pity on his people. ¹⁹ Jehovah answered his people: »Behold, I will send you grain, new wine and oil. You will be satisfied with it. I will no more make you a reproach among the nations.«

²³ »Be glad you children of Zion, and rejoice in Jehovah your God! For he gives you the early rain in just measure, and he causes it to rain, the early rain and the latter rain, in the first month.

¹ This is what the Lord Jehovah showed me: Behold, he formed locusts in the beginning of the sprouting of the second crop. It was the later growth (second crop) after the king’s mowing. ² It happened when they quit eating the grass of the land. I said, »O Lord Jehovah, forgive, I entreat you: how shall Jacob stand? Since he is so small.« ³ Jehovah changed his mind about this. »It will not be,« said Jehovah. ⁴ The Lord Jehovah showed me and, behold, the Lord Jehovah called for judgement (contention) by fire and it devoured the great deep. It would have eaten up the land. ⁵ Then I said, »O Lord Jehovah, cease, I plead with you: how can Jacob stand? After all he is small.« ⁶ Jehovah changed his mind concerning this: »This also will not be,« said the Lord Jehovah.

²⁶ »And after the sixty-two weeks the anointed one will be cut off (destroyed) (killed) and shall have nothing. The people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end of it shall be by the flood of war and desolations.

¹⁸ »How the beasts groan! The herds of cattle wander about because they have no pasture. The flocks of sheep suffer.

¹⁵ So they picked up Jonah, and threw him into the sea. Immediately the sea ceased from its raging.

⁶ With what shall I come before Jehovah? Shall I bow down before the high God? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with year old calves? ⁷ Will Jehovah be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I give my first-born for my transgression, the fruit of my body for my sin? ⁸ Then he cried out to me: »Behold! Those who go toward the North Country have quieted my spirit [of anger] in the North Country.«

¹ »In the spring ask Jehovah for rain. It is Jehovah who makes storm clouds and lightning. He will give showers of rain for the vegetation in the field.

² »As you judge, so you will be judged. As you measure, it will be measured to you.

⁵ He left the silver in the Temple. Then he went away and hanged himself.

⁵⁴ When his disciples James and John saw this they said: »Lord, do you want us to request fire from heaven to consume them?« ⁵⁵ He turned and rebuked them.

⁸ Not being the light he came to give a witness of it. ⁹ The true light, which gives light to every man, came into the world. (Isaiah 49:6)

³⁵ »He was the lamp that burns and shines. You were willing to rejoice for a season in his light.

² »They will throw you out of the synagogues. Yes, the hour comes that whoever kills you will think that he offered service to God.

²¹ »Afterward they desired a king. God gave Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, to them for forty years.

³¹ What shall we then say about these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

³⁷ In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

² I testify that they have zeal for God, but not according to [precise and correct] knowledge.

¹⁷ They zealously (eagerly) seek you in no good way. They desire to shut you out, that you may seek them.

²² Almost all things are by the Law purified with blood. There is no forgiveness unless blood is poured out.

⁴ It is not possible for the blood of bulls and of goats to take away sins. ⁵ When Christ came into the world he said: »‘Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but you have prepared a body for me. ⁶ »‘You have no pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin.’ ⁷ »Then I said: ‘I have come in the scroll of the book. It is written about me, to do your will, O God.’« ⁸ Then he said: »You did not want nor did you approve of sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin;« which are offered by the Law. ⁹ He also said: »I come to do your will, O God.« He takes away the first in order to establish the second. ¹⁰ We are sanctified by his »will« through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. ¹¹ Every priest stands daily, serving and offering time after time the same sacrifices. Yet they can never take away sins. ¹² But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God,

¹⁸ Know that you were redeemed from your futile way of life inherited from your fathers. [The redemption] was not with corruptible things like silver or gold, ¹⁹ but with precious blood, as of a lamb without spot, even the blood of Christ.

²⁴ All people are like grass. All their glory is like the blossom of a flower. The grass withers and the flower drops off. ²⁵ But the word of our God abides forever. This is the word of good tidings that was preached to you.