1 Chronicles 9:1-11:9
1 And the census was of all Israel, those who had been inscribed in the Book of the Kings of Israel and Judah, along with those banished to Babylon in their lawlessness; 2 and those who dwelled formerly with their possessions in the cities of Israel, and the priests, the Levites, and those to whom permission had been given.
3 Then some of the children of Judah dwelt in Jerusalem, along with some of the children of Benjamin, and the children of Ephraim and Manasseh: 4 Uthai the son of Ammihud, the son of Omri, the son of Imri, the son of Bani, of the descendants of Perez, the son of Judah. 5 Of the Shilonites: Asaiah the firstborn and his sons. 6 Of the sons of Zerah: Jeuel, and their brethren, six hundred ninety. 7 Of the sons of Benjamin: Sallu the son of Meshullam, the son of Hodaviah, the son of Hassenuah; 8 Ibneiah the son of Jeroham; Elah the son of Uzzi, the son of Michri; Meshullam the son of Shephatiah, the son of Reuel, the son of Ibnijah; 9 and their brethren, according to their generations, nine hundred fifty-six. All these men were heads of the families, according to the houses of their fathers.
The Priests in Jerusalem
10 Of the priests, there were Jedaiah, Jehoiarib, and Jachin; 11 Azariah the son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, the officer over the house of God; 12 Adaiah the son of Jeroham, the son of Pashur, the son of Malchijah; Maasai the son of Adiel, the son of Jahzerah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Meshillemith, the son of Immer; 13 and their brethren, heads of the houses of their fathers, one thousand seven hundred sixty. They were very able men for the work of the service of the house of God.
The Levites in Jerusalem
14 Of the Levites: Shemaiah the son of Hasshub, the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, of the sons of Merari; 15 Bakbakkar, Heresh, Galal, and Mattaniah the son of Micah, the son of Zichri, the son of Asaph; 16 Obadiah the son of Shemaiah, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun; and Berechiah the son of Asa, the son of Elkanah, who lived in the villages of the Netophathites.
Gatekeepers of the Levites
17 The gatekeepers were Shallum, Akkub, Talmon, Ahiman, and their brethren. Shallum was the chief. 18 Until then they had been gatekeepers for the camps of the children of Levi at the King’s Gate on the east. 19 Shallum the son of Kore, the son of Ebiasaph, the son of Korah, and his brethren from his father’s house, the Korahites, were in charge of the work of the service, gatekeepers of the tabernacle. Their fathers had been keepers of the entrance to the camp of the Lord. 20 And Phinehas the son of Eleazar had been the officer over them in time past, and these were with him. 21 Zechariah the son of Meshelemiah was keeper of the door of the tabernacle of the testimony. 22 All those chosen as gatekeepers were two hundred twelve, and in their villages they were recorded by their genealogy. David and Samuel, the seer, appointed them for their faithfulness.
23 So they and their sons were to guard the gates of the house of the Lord, the house of the tabernacle. 24 The gatekeepers were assigned to the four directions: the east, west, north, and south. 25 And their brethren in their villages had to come with them from time to time for seven days. 26 For in this trusted office were four chief gatekeepers; they were Levites. They had charge over the chambers and treasuries of the house of God. 27 And they remained round about the house of God, for they had charge over the keys to unlock the doors of the temple every morning.
Other Work of the Levites
28 Now some of them were in charge of the serving vessels, for they brought them in and took them out by count. 29 Some of them were appointed over the furnishings and over all the implements of the sanctuary, and over the fine flour and the wine and the oil and the incense and the spices. 30 And some of the sons of the priests made the ointment of the spices. 31 Mattithiah of the Levites, the firstborn of Shallum the Korahite, was entrusted over the items of the sacrificial offering from the chief priest’s frying pan. 32 And Banaias the Kohathite out of their brethren was in charge of preparing the showbread for every Sabbath. 33 These are the singers, heads of the houses of the fathers of the Levites, who were assigned daily, freed from other duties, for they were employed in that work day and night. 34 These heads of the houses of the fathers of the Levites were heads throughout their generations. They dwelt in Jerusalem.
Family Line of King Saul
35 Jeiel the father of Gibeon, whose wife’s name was Maacah, dwelt at Gibeon. 36 His firstborn son was Abdon, then Zur, Kish, Baal, Ner, Nadab, 37 Gedor, Ahio, Zechariah, and Mikloth. 38 And Mikloth begot Shimeam. They also dwelt alongside their relatives in Jerusalem, with their brethren.
39 Ner begot Kish, Kish begot Saul, and Saul begot Jonathan, Malchishua, Abinadab, and Esh-Baal. 40 The son of Jonathan was Merib-Baal, and Merib-Baal begot Micah. 41 The sons of Micah were Pithon, Melech, Tahrea, and Ahaz. 42 And Ahaz begot Jarah; Jarah begot Alemeth, Azmaveth, and Zimri; and Zimri begot Moza; 43 Moza begot Binea, Rephaiah his son, Eleasah his son, and Azel his son. 44 And Azel had six sons, whose names were Azrikam, Bocheru, Ishmael, Sheariah, Obadiah, and Hanan; these were the sons of Azel.
The Death of Saul and His Sons
1 Now the Philistines fought against Israel; and the men of Israel fled from the Philistines and fell slain on Mount Gilboa. 2 Then the Philistines followed hard after Saul and his sons. And the Philistines killed the sons of Saul—Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchishua. 3 The battle became fierce against Saul, and he was wounded by the archers who struck him. 4 Then Saul said to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword and pierce me through with it, lest these uncircumcised men come and dishonor me.” But his armor-bearer would not, for he was greatly afraid. Therefore Saul took a sword and fell on it. 5 And when his armor-bearer saw Saul was dead, he also fell on his sword and died. 6 So Saul and his three sons died, and all his house died together. 7 And when all the men of Israel who were in the valley saw that they had fled, that Saul and his sons were dead, and that they left their cities fleeing, then the Philistines came and dwelt in them.
8 So it happened the next day, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, they found Saul and his sons dead on Mount Gilboa. 9 They stripped him and took his head and his armor, and sent word throughout the land of the Philistines to proclaim the news in the temple of their idols and among the people. 10 Then they put his armor in the temple of their gods and fastened his head to the temple of Dagon. 11 And when all of Jabesh Gilead heard what the Philistines did to Saul, 12 all the valiant men arose from Gilead and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons back with them to Jabesh. They buried their bones under the oak tree at Jabesh and fasted seven days.
13 So Saul died for his lawlessness which he committed against the Lord, according to the Word of the Lord, because he did not keep it, and because Saul sought counsel of a wizard and Samuel the prophet answered him; so He slew him and turned the kingdom over to David the son of Jesse.
David Is King of All Israel
1 Then all Israel came to David at Hebron, saying, “Indeed, we are your bone and your flesh. 2 Also, in time past, even when Saul was king, it was you who led Israel in and out. And the Lord your God said to you, ‘You shall feed My people Israel, and be a ruler over Israel.’ ” 3 Therefore all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and David made a covenant with them at Hebron before the Lord. And they anointed David king over Israel, according to the word of the Lord by Samuel.
4 And the king and all Israel went to Jerusalem—this is Jebu—and there the Jebusites were inhabiting the land. 5 And the people inhabiting Jebu said to David, “You shall not enter here!” But he seized the stronghold of Mount Zion, which is the City of David. 6 And David said, “Whoever first strikes the Jebusites shall be chief and captain.” And Joab, the son of Zeruiah, went up first and became chief. 7 Then David dwelt in the stronghold; thereafter he called it the City of David. 8 And he waged war and took the city; around it he fortified the city. 9 So David grew ever stronger, and the Lord Almighty was with him.
Psalms 115
1 Alleluia.
I believed; therefore, I spoke;
I was greatly humbled.
2 I said in my ecstasy,
“Every man is a liar.”
3 What shall I give back to the Lord
For all He rendered to me?
4 I will take up the cup of salvation,
And call upon the name of the Lord.
5 Precious in the sight of the Lord
Is the death of His holy ones.
6 O Lord, I am Your servant;
I am Your servant and the son of Your handmaid.
You broke apart my bonds;
7 I will offer a sacrifice of praise;
8 I shall pay my vows to the Lord
In the presence of all His people,
9 In the courts of the Lord’s house,
In your midst, O Jerusalem.
Psalm 116
1 Alleluia.
Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles;
Praise Him, all you peoples,
2 For His mercy rules over us;
And the truth of the Lord endures forever.
Proverbs 25:1–5
1 These are the miscellaneous instructions of Solomon which the friends of Hezekiah, the King of Judah, wrote out.
2 The Glory of God hides a word,
And the glory of the king honors deeds.
3 Heaven is high, and earth is deep,
But the heart of the king is incapable of disproof.
4 Beat drossy silver,
And it will be made entirely clean.
5 Slay the ungodly from before the king,
And his throne shall be established in righteousness.
John 7:1–36
1 After these things Jesus walked in Galilee; for He did not want to walk in Judea, because the Jews sought to kill Him.
2 Now the Jews’ Feast of Tabernacles was at hand.
3 His brothers therefore said to Him, “Depart from here and go into Judea, that Your disciples also may see the works that You are doing.
4 “For no one does anything in secret while he himself seeks to be known openly. If You do these things, show Yourself to the world.”
5 For even His brothers did not believe in Him.
6 Then Jesus said to them, “My time has not yet come, but your time is always ready.
7 “The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify of it that its works are evil.
8 “You go up to this feast. I am not yet going up to this feast, for My time has not yet fully come.”
9 When He had said these things to them, He remained in Galilee.
The Heavenly Scholar
10 But when His brothers had gone up, then He also went up to the feast, not openly, but as it were in secret.
11 Then the Jews sought Him at the feast, and said, “Where is He?”
12 And there was much complaining among the people concerning Him. Some said, “He is good”; others said, “No, on the contrary, He deceives the people.”
13 However, no one spoke openly of Him for fear of the Jews.
14 Now about the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and taught.
15 And the Jews marveled, saying, “How does this Man know letters, having never studied?”
16 Jesus answered them and said, “My doctrine is not Mine, but His who sent Me.
17 “If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority.
18 “He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is true, and no unrighteousness is in Him.
19 “Did not Moses give you the law, yet none of you keeps the law? Why do you seek to kill Me?”
20 The people answered and said, “You have a demon. Who is seeking to kill You?”
21 Jesus answered and said to them, “I did one work, and you all marvel.
22 “Moses therefore gave you circumcision (not that it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and you circumcise a man on the Sabbath.
23 “If a man receives circumcision on the Sabbath, so that the law of Moses should not be broken, are you angry with Me because I made a man completely well on the Sabbath?
24 “Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.”
Could This Be the Christ?
25 Now some of them from Jerusalem said, “Is this not He whom they seek to kill?
26 “But look! He speaks boldly, and they say nothing to Him. Do the rulers know indeed that this is truly the Christ?
27 “However, we know where this Man is from; but when the Christ comes, no one knows where He is from.”
28 Then Jesus cried out, as He taught in the temple, saying, “You both know Me, and you know where I am from; and I have not come of Myself, but He who sent Me is true, whom you do not know.
29 “But I know Him, for I am from Him, and He sent Me.”
30 Therefore they sought to take Him; but no one laid a hand on Him, because His hour had not yet come.
31 And many of the people believed in Him, and said, “When the Christ comes, will He do more signs than these which this Man has done?”
Jesus and the Religious Leaders
32 The Pharisees heard the crowd murmuring these things concerning Him, and the Pharisees and the chief priests sent officers to take Him.
33 Then Jesus said to them, “I shall be with you a little while longer, and then I go to Him who sent Me.
34 “You will seek Me and not find Me, and where I am you cannot come.”
35 Then the Jews said among themselves, “Where does He intend to go that we shall not find Him? Does He intend to go to the Dispersion among the Greeks and teach the Greeks?
36 “What is this thing that He said, ‘You will seek Me and not find Me, and where I am you cannot come’?”