Ish-bosheth Murdered

1 When Ish-bosheth, Saul’s son, heard that Abner had died at Hebron, ^fhis courage failed, and all Israel was dismayed. 2 Now Saul’s son had two men who were captains of raiding bands; the name of the one was Baanah, and the name of the other Rechab, sons of Rimmon a man of Benjamin from Beeroth (^gfor Beeroth also is counted part of Benjamin; 3 ^hthe Beerothites fled ⁱto Gittaim and have been sojourners there to this day).

4 ^jJonathan, the son of Saul, had a son who was crippled in his feet. He was five years old when the news about Saul and Jonathan ^kcame from Jezreel, and his nurse took him up and fled, and as she fled in her haste, he fell and became lame. And his name was Mephibosheth.

5 Now the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, set out, and about the heat of the day they came to the house of Ish-bosheth as he was taking his noonday rest. 6 And they came into the midst of the house as if to get wheat, and they stabbed him ^lin the stomach. Then Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped.¹ 7 When they came into the house, as he lay on his bed in his bedroom, they struck him and put him to death and beheaded him. They took his head and went by the way of ^mthe Arabah all night, 8 and brought the head of Ish-bosheth to David at Hebron. And they said to the king, “Here is the head of Ish-bosheth, the son of Saul, your enemy, ⁿwho sought your life. The Lord has avenged my lord the king this day on Saul and on his offspring.” 9 But David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, ^o“As the Lord lives, ^pwho has redeemed my life out of every adversity, 10 ^qwhen one told me, ‘Behold, Saul is dead,’ and thought he was bringing good news, ^rI seized him and killed him at Ziklag, which was the reward I gave him for his news. 11 How much more, when wicked men have killed a righteous man in his own house on his bed, shall I not now ^srequire his blood at your hand and destroy you from the earth?” 12 And David commanded his young men, and they killed them and cut off their hands and feet and hanged them beside the pool at Hebron. But they took the head of Ish-bosheth and buried it ^tin the tomb of Abner at Hebron.

David Anointed King of Israel

1 Then all the tribes of Israel ^ucame to David at Hebron and said, “Behold, ^vwe are your bone and flesh. 2 In times past, when Saul was king over us, ^wit was you who led out and brought in Israel. And the Lord said to you, ^x‘You shall be shepherd of my people Israel, and you shall be prince² over Israel.’” 3 So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, ^yand King David made a covenant with them at Hebron ^zbefore the Lord, and they anointed David king over Israel. 4 David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and ^ahe reigned forty years. 5 ^aAt Hebron he reigned over Judah ^bseven years and six months, and at Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah thirty-three years.³

6 ^cAnd the king and his men went to Jerusalem ^dagainst the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, who said to David, “You will not come in here, but the blind and the lame will ward you off”—thinking, “David cannot come in here.” 7 Nevertheless, David took the stronghold of Zion, ^ethat is, the city of David. 8 And David said on that day, “Whoever would strike the Jebusites, let him get up the water shaft to attack ‘the lame and the blind,’ who are hated by David’s soul.” Therefore it is said, “The blind and the lame shall not come into the house.” 9 And David lived in the stronghold and called it ^ethe city of David. And David built the city all around from the ^fMillo inward. 10 And David became greater and greater, for the Lord, the God of hosts, was with him.

11 ^gAnd ^hHiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, also carpenters and masons who built David a house. 12 And David knew that the Lord had established him king over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel.

13 And David took more ⁱconcubines and wives from Jerusalem, after he came from Hebron, and more sons and daughters were born to David. 14 ^jAnd these are the names of those who were born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, 15 Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia, 16 Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet.

David Defeats the Philistines

17 When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over Israel, all the Philistines went up to search for David. But David heard of it and went down ^kto the stronghold. 18 Now the Philistines had come and spread out in ^lthe Valley of Rephaim. 19 And David ^minquired of the Lord, “Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will you give them into my hand?” And the Lord said to David, “Go up, for I will certainly give the Philistines into your hand.” 20 And David came to Baal-perazim, and David defeated them there. And he said, “The Lord has broken through my enemies before me like a breaking flood.” ⁿTherefore the name of that place is called Baal-perazim.⁴ 21 And the Philistines left their idols there, and David and his men carried them away.

22 And the Philistines came up yet again ^oand spread out in the Valley of Rephaim. 23 ^pAnd when David inquired of the Lord, he said, “You shall not go up; go around to their rear, and come against them opposite the balsam trees. 24 And ^qwhen you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, then rouse yourself, ^rfor then the Lord has gone out before you to strike down the army of the Philistines.” 25 And David did as the Lord commanded him, and struck down the Philistines from Geba ^sto Gezer.

The Ark Brought to Jerusalem

1 ^tDavid again gathered all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand. 2 And David arose and went with all the people who were with him from ^uBaale-judah ^vto bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the name of the Lord of hosts ^wwho sits enthroned on the cherubim. 3 And they carried the ark of God ^xon a new cart and brought it ^yout of the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. And Uzzah and Ahio,⁵ the sons of Abinadab, were driving the new cart, 4 with the ark of God,⁶ and Ahio went before the ark.

Uzzah and the Ark

5 And David and all the house of Israel were celebrating before the Lord, with ^zsongs⁷ and lyres and harps and tambourines and castanets and cymbals. 6 And when they came to the threshing floor of ^aNacon, Uzzah ^bput out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled. 7 And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah, and ^cGod struck him down there because of his error, and he died there beside the ark of God. 8 And David was angry because the Lord had broken out against Uzzah. And that place is called Perez-uzzah⁸ to this day. 9 And David was afraid of the Lord that day, and he said, “How can the ark of the Lord come to me?” 10 So David was not willing to take the ark of the Lord into the city of David. But David took it aside ^dto the house of Obed-edom the Gittite. 11 And the ark of the Lord remained in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite three months, ^eand the Lord blessed Obed-edom and all his household.

12 And it was told King David, “The Lord has blessed the household of Obed-edom and all that belongs to him, because of the ark of God.” ^fSo David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom ^gto the city of David with rejoicing. 13 And when ^hthose who bore the ark of the Lord had gone six steps, ⁱhe sacrificed an ox and a fattened animal. 14 And David ^jdanced before the Lord with all his might. And David was ^kwearing a linen ephod. 15 So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting and with the sound of the horn.

David and Michal

16 As the ark of the Lord came into the city of David, Michal the daughter of Saul looked out of the window and saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, and she despised him in her heart. 17 And they brought in the ark of the Lord and set it ^lin its place, inside the tent that David had pitched for it. ^mAnd David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord. 18 And when David had finished offering the burnt offerings and the peace offerings, ⁿhe blessed the people in the name of the Lord of hosts 19 and distributed among all the people, the whole multitude of Israel, both men and women, a cake of bread, a portion of meat,⁹ and a cake of raisins to each one. ^oThen all the people departed, each to his house.

20 And David returned to bless his household. But Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David and said, “How the king of Israel honored himself today, ^puncovering himself today before the eyes of his servants’ female servants, as one of the ^qvulgar fellows shamelessly uncovers himself!” 21 And David said to Michal, “It was before the Lord, ^rwho chose me above your father and above all his house, to appoint me as prince¹⁰ over Israel, the people of the Lord—and I will celebrate before the Lord. 22 I will make myself yet more contemptible than this, and I will be abased in your¹¹ eyes. But by the female servants of whom you have spoken, by them I shall be held in honor.” 23 And Michal the daughter of Saul had no child to the day of her death.

The Lord’s Covenant with David

1 ^sNow when the king lived in his house and the Lord ^thad given him rest from all his surrounding enemies, 2 the king said to ^uNathan the prophet, “See now, I dwell ^vin a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells ^win a tent.” 3 And Nathan said to the king, ^x“Go, do all that is in your heart, for the Lord is with you.”

4 But that same night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, 5 “Go and tell my servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord: ^yWould you build me a house to dwell in? 6 I have not lived in a house ^zsince the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving about ^ain a tent for my dwelling. 7 In all places where ^bI have moved with all the people of Israel, did I speak a word with ^cany of the judges¹² of Israel, whom I commanded ^dto shepherd my people Israel, saying, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?”’ 8 Now, therefore, thus you shall say to my servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, ^eI took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, that you should be prince¹³ over my people Israel. 9 ^fAnd I have been with you wherever you went and have cut off all your enemies from before you. And I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. 10 And I will appoint a place for my people Israel ^gand will plant them, so that they may dwell in their own place ^hand be disturbed no more. ⁱAnd violent men shall afflict them no more, as formerly, 11 ^jfrom the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel. And ^kI will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover, the Lord declares to you that ^lthe Lord will make you a house. 12 ^mWhen your days are fulfilled and ⁿyou lie down with your fathers, ^oI will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body,¹⁴ and I will establish his kingdom. 13 ^pHe shall build a house for my name, and ^qI will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 ^rI will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, ^sI will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men, 15 ^sbut my steadfast love will not depart from him, ^tas I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you. 16 ^uAnd your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me.^{15 u}Your throne shall be established forever.’” 17 In accordance with all these words, and in accordance with all this vision, Nathan spoke to David.

David’s Prayer of Gratitude

18 Then King David went in and sat before the Lord and said, ^v“Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far? 19 And yet this was a small thing in your eyes, O Lord God. ^wYou have spoken also of your servant’s house for a great while to come, and this is instruction for mankind, O Lord God! 20 And what more can David say to you? ^xFor you know your servant, O Lord God! 21 Because of your promise, and according to your own heart, you have brought about all this greatness, to make your servant know it. 22 ^yTherefore you are great, O Lord God. ^zFor there is none like you, and there is no God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears. 23 ^aAnd who is like your people Israel, the one nation on earth whom God went to redeem to be his people, making himself a name ^band doing for them¹⁶ great and awesome things by driving out before your people,¹⁷ whom ^cyou redeemed for yourself from Egypt, a nation and its gods? 24 ^dAnd you established for yourself your people Israel to be your people forever. And you, O Lord, became their God. 25 And now, O Lord God, confirm forever the word that you have spoken concerning your servant and concerning his house, and do as you have spoken. 26 And your name will be magnified forever, saying, ‘The Lord of hosts is God over Israel,’ and the house of your servant David will be established before you. 27 For you, O Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, have made this revelation to your servant, saying, ‘I will build you a house.’ Therefore your servant has found courage to pray this prayer to you. 28 And now, O Lord God, you are God, and ^eyour words are true, and you have promised this good thing to your servant. 29 Now therefore may it please you to bless the house of your servant, so that it may continue forever before you. For you, O Lord God, have spoken, ^fand with your blessing shall the house of your servant be blessed forever.”

1 but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2 ^bEarly in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him, and ^che sat down and taught them. 3 The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst 4 they said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. 5 Now ^din the Law, Moses commanded us ^eto stone such women. So what do you say?” 6 This they said ^fto test him, ^gthat they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. 7 And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, ^h“Let him who is without sin among you ⁱbe the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground. 9 But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. 10 Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” 11 She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, ^j“Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on ^ksin no more.”]]

I Am the Light of the World

12 ^lAgain Jesus spoke to them, saying, ^m“I am the light of the world. Whoever ⁿfollows me will not ^owalk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” 13 So the Pharisees said to him, ^p“You are bearing witness about yourself; your testimony is not true.” 14 Jesus answered, “Even if I do bear witness about myself, ^qmy testimony is true, for I know ^rwhere I came from and ^swhere I am going, but ^tyou do not know where I come from or where I am going. 15 ^uYou judge according to the flesh; ^vI judge no one. 16 Yet even if I do judge, ^wmy judgment is true, for ^xit is not I alone who judge, but I and the Father¹ who sent me. 17 ^yIn your Law it is written that the testimony of two people is true. 18 I am the one who bears witness about myself, and ^zthe Father who sent me bears witness about me.” 19 They said to him therefore, “Where is your Father?” Jesus answered, ^a“You know neither me nor my Father. ^bIf you knew me, you would know my Father also.” 20 These words he spoke in ^cthe treasury, as he taught in the temple; but ^dno one arrested him, because ^ehis hour had not yet come.

21 So he said to them again, ^f“I am going away, and ^gyou will seek me, and ^hyou will die in your sin. Where I am going, you cannot come.” 22 So the Jews said, ⁱ“Will he kill himself, since he says, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come’?” 23 He said to them, ^j“You are from below; I am from above. ^kYou are of this world; ^lI am not of this world. 24 I told you that you ^mwould die in your sins, for ⁿunless you believe that ^oI am he you will die in your sins.” 25 So they said to him, ^p“Who are you?” Jesus said to them, “Just what I have been telling you from the beginning. 26 I have much to say about you and much to judge, but ^qhe who sent me is true, and I declare ^rto the world ^swhat I have heard from him.” 27 They did not understand that ^the had been speaking to them about the Father. 28 So Jesus said to them, “When you have ^ulifted up the Son of Man, ^vthen you will know that ^wI am he, and that ^xI do nothing on my own authority, but ^yspeak just as the Father taught me. 29 And ^zhe who sent me is with me. ^zHe has not left me alone, for ^aI always do the things that are pleasing to him.” 30 As he was saying these things, ^bmany believed in him.

The Truth Will Set You Free

31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, ^c“If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will ^dknow the truth, and the truth ^ewill set you free.” 33 They answered him, ^f“We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?”

34 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, ^geveryone who practices sin is a slave² to sin. 35 ^hThe slave does not remain in the house forever; ⁱthe son remains forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. 37 I know that you are offspring of Abraham; yet ^jyou seek to kill me because my word finds no place in you. 38 ^kI speak of what I have seen with my Father, and you do what you have heard ^lfrom your father.”

You Are of Your Father the Devil

39 They answered him, ^m“Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, ⁿ“If you were Abraham’s children, you would be doing the works Abraham did, 40 but now ^oyou seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth ^pthat I heard from God. This is not what Abraham did. 41 You are doing the works your father did.” They said to him, ^q“We were not born of sexual immorality. We have ^rone Father—even God.” 42 Jesus said to them, ^s“If God were your Father, you would love me, for ^tI came from God and ^uI am here. ^vI came not of my own accord, but ^whe sent me. 43 ^xWhy do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot ^ybear to hear my word. 44 ^zYou are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. ^aHe was a murderer from the beginning, and ^bdoes not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. ^cWhen he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45 But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me. 46 Which one of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me? 47 ^dWhoever is of God hears the words of God. ^eThe reason why you do not hear them is that ^fyou are not of God.”