Without a rival here, I am Thine alone My constant flame
May Thy pure love dwell in my soul
And possess me whole
My Joy, Treasure and Crown
Remove all coldness from my heart
That my every act, word, thought, be love
O Love, how gracious is Thy way
Fear vanished in Thy presence
Care, anguish, and sorrow disappeared before Thy healing grace
O Lord Jesus, there’s nothing I see, desire or seek but Thee
Titus 3: 4-5 But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit,
Psalms 9: 1 I will praise you, O Lord , with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonders.
1 John 4: 4 You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.
Psalms 16: 11 You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
Psalms 52: 8 But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God’s unfailing love for ever and ever.
John 15: 10-12 If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.
Luke 21: 34-36 Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you unexpectedly like a trap. For it will come upon all those who live on the face of the whole earth. Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.”
1 John 4: 7-8 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
Galatians 6: 9-10 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.
Psalms 73: 25-28 Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Those who are far from you will perish; you destroy all who are unfaithful to you. But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds.
Since I yielded control of my body and soul to my wonderful Lord
I have found a deep peace and Joy
I desire that my life shall be directed by Thee
That what I do is according to Thy will
All my talents, I surrender it all at Thy feet
Thy approval shall be my reward
Thou are fairer, my wonderful Lord
Thy omnipotent, life-giving Word art worthy of all praise
My wonderful Lord, my wonderful Lord
By angels and seraphs in heaven adored
I bow at Thy shrine, my Savior divine
My wonderful, wonderful Lord
1 Corinthians 9: 27
But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.
Romans 15: 13
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Ephesians 1: 11
In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will,
Romans 8: 28
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
Romans 12: 1
Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God–this is your spiritual act of worship.
Matthew 16: 27
For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done.
Psalms 119: 105
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path. Psalms 119: 105
Psalms 150: 1-2
Praise the Lord . Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens. Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness.
Psalms 45: 2
You are the most excellent of men and your lips have been anointed with grace, since God has blessed you forever.
Psalms 145: 3-5
Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom. One generation will commend your works to another; they will tell of your mighty acts. They will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty, and I will meditate on your wonderful works.
Psalms 148: 1-2
Praise the Lord . Praise the Lord from the heavens, praise him in the heights above. Praise him, all his angels, praise him, all his heavenly hosts.
Psalms 100: 2-4
Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his ; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.
He wants us to live in a sincere love relationship with Him
And our God is a faithful God
Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; He is the faithful God, keeping His covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commands (Deuteronomy 7: 9)
☘️ We need to spend time alone with Him, enjoy fellowship with Him, communicate with Him and follow Him daily
He is our God whom we trust
He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust
(Psalms 91: 1-2)
☘️ We enjoy all the blessings found in Him, because they are from Him
He fulfills the desires of those who fear Him
The Lord is righteous in all His ways and loving toward all He has made The Lord is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth. He fulfills the desires of those who fear Him; He hears their cry and saves them
(Psalms 145: 17-19)
☘️ God is faithful to His promises
He promised the crown of life to those who love him
Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him
(James 1: 12)
☘️ God is faithful to His people
He is a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness
But you, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness Turn to me and have mercy on me; grant your strength to your servant and save the son of your maidservant (Psalms 86: 15-16)
☘️ He is the Almighty God. No one is like Him and His faithfulness surrounds Him
O Lord God Almighty, who is like You? You are mighty, O Lord , and Your faithfulness surrounds You. You rule over the surging sea; when its waves mount up, You still them
(Psalms 89: 8-9)
☘️ His promise is faithful to the hope we profess
Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful
(Hebrews 10: 23)
☘️ He guides the humble and teaches them His way
The Lord is loving and faithful
He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them His way. All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful for those who keep the demands of his covenant
(Psalms 25: 9-10)
☘️ God wants us to be faithful to Him as well
If we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us; if we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself
(2 Timothy 2: 12-13)
☘️ Making known the faithfulness of the Lord
I will sing of the Lord ‘s great love forever; with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations
(Psalms 89: 1)
I will bow down toward Your holy temple and will praise Your name for Your love and Your faithfulness, for You have exalted above all things Your name and Your word
(Psalms 138: 2)
☘️ He make atonement for the sins of the people
The Lord is merciful and faithful
For this reason He had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that He might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because He himself suffered when He was tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted
(Hebrews 2: 17-18)
☘️ God was reassuring His people that their faith in Him would be rewarded
God is faithful to His plans and purposes
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord , “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future
🍁 A man’s wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offence
(Proverbs 19: 11)
☘️ When someone looses their patience, it generally means they become frustrated, irritable, or unable to remain calm and composed in a given situation
Sensible people control their temper. They earn respect by overlooking wrongs
We overlook offenses by looking up to God. We don’t focus on the offense itself
🙏 A patient man has great understanding, but a quick-tempered man displays folly
(Proverbs 14: 29)
☘️ The fruit of the Spirit is patience
🙏 Run the race that is set before you with endurance
(Hebrews 12: 1)
☘️ Perseverance is a great temperament. Anyone who looses patience may looses his soul
🙏 You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised
(Hebrews 10: 36)
☘️ The most indispensable thing is patience. And patience can only be learned through tribulation, trial, and pain
🙏 Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance
(Romans 5: 3)
☘️ Before the Lord returns, it is the most difficult time to endure, and it is also the time when patience is most needed. Patience is needed in suffering, and patience is needed in waiting. Faith, love, and hope all also need patience to be perfected
🙏 You also must be patient and strengthen your hearts, because the coming of the Lord is at hand
(James 5:8)
☘️ But often the only way you can truly dismiss, release, and let go of an offense is to get into the presence of the Lord and let Him help you
🙏 But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently
(Romans 8: 25)
☘️ Give yourself patience
It takes time to learn and grow
Be kind to yourselves, empathetic and resilience. This is what you need to grow
Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains
🙏 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance
(2 Peter 3: 9)
🙏 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience (Colossians 3: 12)
___________________________________
ECCLESIASTES 8: 1-17
Who is like the wise?
And who knows the interpretation of a thing?
A man’s wisdom makes his face shine, and the hardness of his face is changed
🍁 Obey Authorities for God’s Sake
I say: Keep the king’s command, because of God’s oath to him
Be not hasty to go from his presence
Do not take your stand in an evil cause, for he does whatever he pleases
For the word of the king is supreme, and who may say to him, “What are you doing?
Whoever keeps a command will know no evil thing, and the wise heart will know the proper time and the just way
For there is a time and a way for everything, although man’s trouble lies heavy on him
For he does not know what is to be, for who can tell him how it will be?
No man has power to retain the spirit, or power over the day of death. There is no discharge from war, nor will wickedness deliver those who are given to it
All this I observed while applying my heart to all that is done under the sun, when man had power over man to his hurt
🍁 Death Comes to All
Then I saw the wicked buried They used to go in and out of the holy place and were praised in the city where they had done such things This also is vanity
Because the sentence against an evil deed is not executed speedily, the heart of the children of man is fully set to do evil
Though a sinner does evil a hundred times and prolongs his life, yet I know that it will be well with those who fear God, because they fear before him
But it will not be well with the wicked, neither will he prolong his days like a shadow, because he does not fear before God
There is a vanity that takes place on earth, that there are righteous people to whom it happens according to the deeds of the wicked, and there are wicked people to whom it happens according to the deeds of the righteous. I said that this also is vanity
And I commend joy, for man has nothing better under the sun but to eat and drink and be joyful, for this will go with him in his toil through the days of his life that God has given him under the sun
When I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done on earth, how neither day nor night do one’s eyes see sleep, then I saw all the work of God, that man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun However much man may toil in seeking, he will not find it out. Even though a wise man claims to know, he cannot find it out
▪️ The Lord said to Abram to leave his country to the land that He will show him. Abram came from a family of idol worship and he did not know God. But God chose him. God will make his name great and he will be a blessing. And God will make him a great nation
▪️ Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. He had no child with Sarai
🍁 Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you
And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing
I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed
So Abram went, as the Lord had told him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran
(Genesis 12: 1-4)
▪️ God promised Abram a son. And he believed the Lord
🍁 And Abram said, “Behold, you have given me no offspring, and a member of my household will be my heir
And behold, the word of the Lord came to him: “This man shall not be your heir; your very own son shall be your heir
And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness
(Genesis 15: 3-4, 6)
▪️ Many years passed and Sarai was old. She was still without a child. So she gave her Egyptian servant, Hagar to Abram as wife and she conceived
▪️ This was a very wrong decision they made as it was not according to the will of God. This was the plan between Abram and Sarai. God was not please with Abram and He did not speak to Abram for the next 13 years
▪️ Now disharmony arise in the house of Abram
Hagar looked with contempt on her mistress
This upset Sarai and she brought up her grievous state to Abram; It displeased Abram but allowed Sarai to do as she wished
Obviously, Sarai dealt with her harshly and Hagar fled from her while she was conceived with child
Later the angel of the Lord told her to return to her mistress Sarai and be submissive to her
🍁 Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. She had a female Egyptian servant whose name was Hagar
So, after Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan, Sarai, Abram’s wife, took Hagar the Egyptian, her servant, and gave her to Abram her husband as a wife
And he went into Hagar, she conceived. And when she saw that she had conceived, she looked with contempt on her mistress
And Sarai said to Abram, “May the wrong done to me be on you! I gave my servant to your embrace, and when she saw that she had conceived, she looked at me with contempt. May the Lord judge between you and me. But Abram said to Sarai, “Behold, your servant is in your power; do to her as you please.” Then Sarai dealt harshly with her, and she fled from her
(Genesis 16: 1, 3-6)
▪️ The Lord appeared again to Abram when he was 99 years of age and changed his name to Abraham. God made a Covenant with him that all male shall be circumcised
▪️ The Lord change Sarai name to Sarah
▪️ God will give her a son next year and his name shall be called Isaac. The Lord will establish His covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his offspring after him
▪️ Abraham laughed and said to himself, “Shall a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?
▪️ As for Ishmael, the Lord will bless him. He shall father twelve princes, and I will make him into a great nation
🍁 When Abram was ninety-nine years old the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless
No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham, for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations
This is my covenant, which you shall keep, between me and you and your offspring after you: Every male among you shall be circumcised
And God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name
I will bless her, and moreover, I will give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she shall become nations; kings of peoples shall come from her
Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed and said to himself, “Shall a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?
And Abraham said to God, “Oh that Ishmael might live before you!
God said, “No, but Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his offspring after him
As for Ishmael, I have heard you; behold, I have blessed him and will make him fruitful and multiply him greatly. He shall father twelve princes, and I will make him into a great nation
But I will establish my covenant with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear to you at this time next year
(Genesis 17: 1, 5, 10, 15-21)
▪️ Sarah gave birth to a son; and she saw Ishmael was laughing at her baby son
▪️ She brought her anger to Abraham and wanted to cast out Hagar and her son. Abraham was not happy on account of his son Ishmael
▪️ So God appeared and said to Abraham: Whatever Sarah says to you, do as she tells you; and because Ishmael is also your son, the Lord will make him a great nation
▪️ The following morning, Abraham sent them away with provisions
🍁 And Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age at the time of which God had spoken to him
But Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, laughing
So she said to Abraham, “Cast out this slave woman with her son, for the son of this slave woman shall not be heir with my son Isaac
And the thing was very displeasing to Abraham on account of his son
But God said to Abraham, “Be not displeased because of the boy and because of your slave woman Whatever Sarah says to you, do as she tells you, for through Isaac shall your offspring be named
And I will make a nation of the son of the slave woman also, because he is your offspring
So Abraham rose early in the morning and took bread and a skin of water and gave it to Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, along with the child, and sent her away. And she departed and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba
(Genesis 21: 2, 9-14)
▪️ Ishmael married an Egyptian wife
So Ishmael became the forefather of the Arab tribe
🍁 He lived in the wilderness of Paran, and his mother took a wife for him from the land of Egypt
(Genesis 21: 21)
▪️ Ishmael has 12 princes. God said this even before Ishmael was born
▪️ They settled in present day called Saudi Arabia; and Ishmael was the forefather of the Arabic tribes
▪️ They settled in different land and later the Islamic faith originated from the Arab tribes
🍁 These are the sons of Ishmael and these are their names, by their villages and by their encampments, twelve princes according to their tribes
They settled from Havilah to Shur, which is opposite Egypt in the direction of Assyria. He settled over against all his kinsmen
(Genesis 25: 16, 18)
▪️ Even in Rebecca’s womb Esau and Jacob were having a conflict
The Lord told Rebecca that 2 nations in your womb will be divided
🍁 The children struggled together within her, and she said, “If it is thus, why is this happening to me?” So she went to inquire of the Lord
And the Lord said to her, Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you shall be divided; the one shall be stronger than the other, the older shall serve the younger
When her days to give birth were completed, behold, there were twins in her womb
The first came out red, all his body like a hairy cloak, so they called his name Esau
Afterward his brother came out with his hand holding Esau’s heel, so his name was called Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them
(Genesis 25: 22-26)
▪️ Esau went to Ishmael and married his daughter; so Esau was close to the Ishmaelites
Later his grandson Amalek was at odd with Israel; He has great hatred for Israel
🍁 Esau went to Ishmael and took as his wife, besides the wives he had, Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael, Abraham’s son, the sister of Nebaioth
(Genesis 28: 9)
▪️ Esau grandson was Amalek
The Amalekites are seen to be the descendants of Amalek, the grandson of Esau
Esau had his birthright stolen from him by his younger brother Jacob, who later became Israel
Amalek, who grew up in Esau’s household, was very aware of the resentment his family felt against the children of Israel
🍁 Esau’s son Eliphaz also had a concubine named Timna, who bore him Amalek. These were grandsons of Esau’s wife Adah
(Genesis 37: 12)
▪️ After Israel crossed the Red Sea from Egypt, Amalek attacked them
🍁 Remember what Amalek did to you on the way as you came out of Egypt, how he attacked you on the way when you were faint and weary, and cut off your tail, those who were lagging behind you, and he did not fear God
(Deuteronomy 25: 17)
▪️ During the rule of the Persian Empire over Israel, Haman was the chief minister to the king
He was also the descendant of Agag, the king of the Amalekites
He wanted to destroyed all the Jews in the kingdom
See! The Amalekites are the descendants of Esau. Later God wipe them out of existence
🍁 But he disdained to lay hands on Mordecai alone. So, as they had made known to him the people of Mordecai, Haman sought to destroy all the Jews, the people of Mordecai, throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus
(Esther 3: 6)
▪️ We have had war after war and are still on going. Famine and Earthquakes are happening around the world
▪️ Since the re-establishment of Israel many wars were fought between Israel and the Arab countries
▪️ Israel ~ Arab war (1948 – 49)
Suez war (1956)
Six days war (1969 – 70)
War of Attrition (1973)
Kipper war (1982)
Gulf war (1991)
Israel – Hamas ( 2023)
🍁 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet
For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places
(Matthew 24: 6-7)
▪️ The present day conflict between Israel and the Arabic countries started long time ago since Abraham and Sarah made the wrong decision to have a son from the Egyptian maid, Hagar
▪️ Jesus is Jewish; Yet they crucified Him on the cross; and don’t believe that He is their Messiah; and they are still waiting for their Messiah to save them; Their Messiah has already come
▪️ The Jews will suffer through war and tribulations; Sufferings will wake them up; Only the remnants left are saved
🍁 Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: “Though the number of the Israelites be like the sand by the sea, only the remnant will be saved. For the Lord will carry out his sentence on earth with speed and finality.” It is just as Isaiah said previously: “Unless the Lord Almighty had left us descendants, we would have become like Sodom, we would have been like Gomorrah (Romans 9: 27-29)
▪️ We should not be overly concerned about all that is happening in the world
▪️ But take to heart that this is a wake up call that the Coming of our Lord Jesus is very near
Save yourselves while the door is still opened
▪️ Only God knows the number of gentiles are yet to be fulfilled
▪️ This is the mystery
The grace will be given to the gentile first until the number is fulfilled; Then the door of salvation for the gentiles will be closed; It is just like God shutting the door of the Ark. No one can go in after that
🍁 For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in
[1] Now these are the last words of David: The oracle of David, the son of Jesse, the oracle of the man who was raised on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, the sweet psalmist of Israel: [2] “The Spirit of the Lord speaks by me; his word is on my tongue. [3] The God of Israel has spoken; the Rock of Israel has said to me: When one rules justly over men, ruling in the fear of God, [4] he dawns on them like the morning light, like the sun shining forth on a cloudless morning, like rain that makes grass to sprout from the earth. [5] “For does not my house stand so with God? For he has made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things and secure. For will he not cause to prosper all my help and my desire? [6] But worthless men are all like thorns that are thrown away, for they cannot be taken with the hand; [7] but the man who touches them arms himself with iron and the shaft of a spear, and they are utterly consumed with fire.” [8] These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: Josheb-basshebeth a Tahchemonite; he was chief of the three. He wielded his spear against eight hundred whom he killed at one time. [9] And next to him among the three mighty men was Eleazar the son of Dodo, son of Ahohi. He was with David when they defied the Philistines who were gathered there for battle, and the men of Israel withdrew. [10] He rose and struck down the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clung to the sword. And the Lord brought about a great victory that day, and the men returned after him only to strip the slain. [11] And next to him was Shammah, the son of Agee the Hararite. The Philistines gathered together at Lehi, where there was a plot of ground full of lentils, and the men fled from the Philistines. [12] But he took his stand in the midst of the plot and defended it and struck down the Philistines, and the Lord worked a great victory. [13] And three of the thirty chief men went down and came about harvest time to David at the cave of Adullam, when a band of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim. [14] David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then at Bethlehem. [15] And David said longingly, “Oh, that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem that is by the gate!” [16] Then the three mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate and carried and brought it to David. But he would not drink of it. He poured it out to the Lord [17] and said, “Far be it from me, O Lord, that I should do this. Shall I drink the blood of the men who went at the risk of their lives?” Therefore he would not drink it. These things the three mighty men did. [18] Now Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of the thirty. And he wielded his spear against three hundred men and killed them and won a name beside the three. [19] He was the most renowned of the thirty and became their commander, but he did not attain to the three. [20] And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was a valiant man of Kabzeel, a doer of great deeds. He struck down two ariels of Moab. He also went down and struck down a lion in a pit on a day when snow had fallen. [21] And he struck down an Egyptian, a handsome man. The Egyptian had a spear in his hand, but Benaiah went down to him with a staff and snatched the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with his own spear. [22] These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and won a name beside the three mighty men. [23] He was renowned among the thirty, but he did not attain to the three. And David set him over his bodyguard. [24] Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem, [25] Shammah of Harod, Elika of Harod, [26] Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh of Tekoa, [27] Abiezer of Anathoth, Mebunnai the Hushathite, [28] Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai of Netophah, [29] Heleb the son of Baanah of Netophah, Ittai the son of Ribai of Gibeah of the people of Benjamin, [30] Benaiah of Pirathon, Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash, [31] Abi-albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth of Bahurim, [32] Eliahba the Shaalbonite, the sons of Jashen, Jonathan, [33] Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Hararite, [34] Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai of Maacah, Eliam the son of Ahithophel of Gilo, [35] Hezroof Carmel, Paarai the Arbite, [36] Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite, [37] Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai of Beeroth, the armor-bearer of Joab the son of Zeruiah, [38] Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, [39] Uriah the Hittite: thirty-seven in all.
2 SAMUEL 23: 1-39
🍁 2 Samuel 23: 1-7 David’s Last Words
Now these are the last words of David: The oracle of David, the son of Jesse, the oracle of the man who was raised on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, the sweet psalmist of Israel:
The Spirit of the Lord speaks by me; his word is on my tongue The God of Israel has spoken; the Rock of Israel has said to me: When one rules justly over men, ruling in the fear of God, he dawns on them like the morning light, like the sun shining forth on a cloudless morning, like rain that makes grass to sprout from the earth
For does not my house stand so with God? For he has made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things and secure For will he not cause to prosper all my help and my desire? But worthless men are all like thorns that are thrown away, for they cannot be taken with the hand; but the man who touches them arms himself with iron and the shaft of a spear, and they are utterly consumed with fire
🍁 2 Samuel 23: 8-39 David’s Mighty Men
These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: Josheb-basshebeth a Tahchemonite; he was chief of the three He wielded his spear against eight hundred whom he killed at one time
And next to him among the three mighty men was Eleazar the son of Dodo, son of Ahohi He was with David when they defied the Philistines who were gathered there for battle, and the men of Israel withdrew He rose and struck down the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clung to the sword And the Lord brought about a great victory that day, and the men returned after him only to strip the slain
And next to him was Shammah, the son of Agee the Hararite The Philistines gathered together at Lehi, where there was a plot of ground full of lentils, and the men fled from the Philistines But he took his stand in the midst of the plot and defended it and struck down the Philistines, and the Lord worked a great victory
And three of the thirty chief men went down and came about harvest time to David at the cave of Adullam, when a band of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim
David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then at Bethlehem
And David said longingly, “Oh, that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem that is by the gate! Then the three mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate and carried and brought it to David But he would not drink of it He poured it out to the Lord and said, “Far be it from me, O Lord, that I should do this Shall I drink the blood of the men who went at the risk of their lives? Therefore he would not drink it These things the three mighty men did
Now Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of the thirty And he wielded his spear against three hundred men and killed them and won a name beside the three He was the most renowned of the thirty and became their commander, but he did not attain to the three
And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was a valiant man of Kabzeel, a doer of great deeds He struck down two ariels of Moab He also went down and struck down a lion in a pit on a day when snow had fallen And he struck down an Egyptian, a handsome man The Egyptian had a spear in his hand, but Benaiah went down to him with a staff and snatched the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with his own spear These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and won a name beside the three mighty men He was renowned among the thirty, but he did not attain to the three And David set him over his bodyguard
Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem Shammah of Harod, Elika of Harod Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh of Tekoa Abiezer of Anathoth, Mebunnai the Hushathite Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai of Netophah Heleb the son of Baanah of Netophah, Ittai the son of Ribai of Gibeah of the people of Benjamin Benaiah of Pirathon, Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash Abi-albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth of Bahurim Eliahba the Shaalbonite, the sons of Jashen, Jonathan Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Hararite Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai of Maacah, Eliam the son of Ahithophel of Gilo Hezroof Carmel, Paarai the Arbite Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai of Beeroth, the armor-bearer of Joab the son of Zeruiah Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite Uriah the Hittite: thirty-seven in all
[1] Again the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he incited David against them, saying, “Go, number Israel and Judah.” [2] So the king said to Joab, the commander of the army, who was with him, “Go through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, and number the people, that I may know the number of the people.” [3] But Joab said to the king, “May the Lord your God add to the people a hundred times as many as they are, while the eyes of my lord the king still see it, but why does my lord the king delight in this thing?” [4] But the king’s word prevailed against Joab and the commanders of the army. So Joab and the commanders of the army went out from the presence of the king to number the people of Israel. [5] They crossed the Jordan and began from Aroer, and from the city that is in the middle of the valley, toward Gad and on to Jazer. [6] Then they came to Gilead, and to Kadesh in the land of the Hittites; and they came to Dan, and from Dan they went around to Sidon, [7] and came to the fortress of Tyre and to all the cities of the Hivites and Canaanites; and they went out to the Negeb of Judah at Beersheba. [8] So when they had gone through all the land, they came to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days. [9] And Joab gave the sum of the numbering of the people to the king: in Israel there were 800,000 valiant men who drew the sword, and the men of Judah were 500,000. [10] But David’s heart struck him after he had numbered the people. And David said to the Lord, “I have sinned greatly in what I have done. But now, O Lord, please take away the iniquity of your servant, for I have done very foolishly.” [11] And when David arose in the morning, the word of the Lord came to the prophet Gad, David’s seer, saying, [12] “Go and say to David, ‘Thus says the Lord, Three things I offer you. Choose one of them, that I may do it to you.’” [13] So Gad came to David and told him, and said to him, “Shall three years of famine come to you in your land? Or will you flee three months before your foes while they pursue you? Or shall there be three days’ pestilence in your land? Now consider, and decide what answer I shall return to him who sent me.” [14] Then David said to Gad, “I am in great distress. Let us fall into the hand of the Lord, for his mercy is great; but let me not fall into the hand of man.” [15] So the Lord sent a pestilence on Israel from the morning until the appointed time. And there died of the people from Dan to Beersheba 70,000 men. [16] And when the angel stretched out his hand toward Jerusalem to destroy it, the Lord relented from the calamity and said to the angel who was working destruction among the people, “It is enough; now stay your hand.” And the angel of the Lord was by the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite. [17] Then David spoke to the Lord when he saw the angel who was striking the people, and said, “Behold, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly. But these sheep, what have they done? Please let your hand be against me and against my father’s house.” [18] And Gad came that day to David and said to him, “Go up, raise an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.” [19] So David went up at Gad’s word, as the Lord commanded. [20] And when Araunah looked down, he saw the king and his servants coming on toward him. And Araunah went out and paid homage to the king with his face to the ground. [21] And Araunah said, “Why has my lord the king come to his servant?” David said, “To buy the threshing floor from you, in order to build an altar to the Lord, that the plague may be averted from the people.” [22] Then Araunah said to David, “Let my lord the king take and offer up what seems good to him. Here are the oxen for the burnt offering and the threshing sledges and the yokes of the oxen for the wood. [23] All this, O king, Araunah gives to the king.” And Araunah said to the king, “May the Lord your God accept you.” [24] But the king said to Araunah, “No, but I will buy it from you for a price. I will not offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God that cost me nothing.” So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver. [25] And David built there an altar to the Lord and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. So the Lord responded to the plea for the land, and the plague was averted from Israel.
2 SAMUEL 24: 1-25
🍁 2 Samuel 24: 1-9 David’s Census of Israel and Judah
Again, the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he incited David against them, saying, “Go, number Israel and Judah
So the king said to Joab, the commander of the army, who was with him, “Go through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, and number the people, that I may know the number of the people
But Joab said to the king, “May the Lord your God add to the people a hundred times as many as they are, while the eyes of my lord the king still see it, but why does my lord the king delight in this thing? But the king’s word prevailed against Joab and the commanders of the army So Joab and the commanders of the army went out from the presence of the king to number the people of Israel
They crossed the Jordan and began from Aroer, and from the city that is in the middle of the valley, toward Gad and on to Jazer Then they came to Gilead, and to Kadesh in the land of the Hittites; and they came to Dan, and from Dan they went around to Sidon, and came to the fortress of Tyre and to all the cities of the Hivites and Canaanites; and they went out to the Negeb of Judah at Beersheba
So when they had gone through all the land, they came to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days And Joab gave the sum of the numbering of the people to the king: in Israel there were 800,000 valiant men who drew the sword, and the men of Judah were 500,000
🍁 2 Samuel 24: 10-25 The Judgment on David’s Sin
But David’s heart struck him after he had numbered the people And David said to the Lord, “I have sinned greatly in what I have done But now, O Lord, please take away the iniquity of your servant, for I have done very foolishly
And when David arose in the morning, the word of the Lord came to the prophet Gad, David’s seer saying, Go and say to David, ‘Thus says the Lord, Three things I offer you Choose one of them, that I may do it to you So Gad came to David and told him, and said to him, “Shall three years of famine come to you in your land?
Or will you flee three months before your foes while they pursue you? Or shall there be three days’ pestilence in your land? Now consider, and decide what answer I shall return to him who sent me
Then David said to Gad, “I am in great distress. Let us fall into the hand of the Lord, for his mercy is great; but let me not fall into the hand of man
So the Lord sent a pestilence on Israel from the morning until the appointed time And there died of the people from Dan to Beersheba 70,000 men
And when the angel stretched out his hand toward Jerusalem to destroy it, the Lord relented from the calamity and said to the angel who was working destruction among the people, “It is enough; now stay your hand And the angel of the Lord was by the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite
Then David spoke to the Lord when he saw the angel who was striking the people, and said, “Behold, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly But these sheep, what have they done? Please let your hand be against me and against my father’s house
🍁 2 Samuel 24: 18-25 The Altar on the Threshing Floor
And Gad came that day to David and said to him, “Go up, raise an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite So David went up at Gad’s word, as the Lord commanded And when Araunah looked down, he saw the king and his servants coming on toward him And Araunah went out and paid homage to the king with his face to the ground
And Araunah said, “Why has my lord the king come to his servant? David said, “To buy the threshing floor from you, in order to build an altar to the Lord, that the plague may be averted from the people
Then Araunah said to David, “Let my lord the king take and offer up what seems good to him Here are the oxen for the burnt offering and the threshing sledges and the yokes of the oxen for the wood All this, O king, Araunah gives to the king And Araunah said to the king, “May the Lord your God accept you
But the king said to Araunah, “No, but I will buy it from you for a price I will not offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God that cost me nothing
So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver And David built there an altar to the Lord and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings So the Lord responded to the plea for the land, and the plague was averted from Israel
Thank the Lord We have concluded reading 24 chapters of 2 Samuel
Second Samuel continues where 1 Samuel left off. Although David is a significant figure in 1 Samuel, that book focuses on Israel’s last judge, Samuel, and Israel’s first king, Saul.
In 2 Samuel, the attention is on David and his relationships with the Lord and with other people. God establishes a covenant with David, promising that his throne will be established forever (2 Sam 7).
Even when David commits horrendous sins, the covenant stands. Throughout 2 Samuel, as all others fail, the Lord’s faithfulness is profoundly seen, as are the painful effects of sin on sinners, those around them, and those they lead.
Here are the contents we have read in the Book of 2 Samuel
The Report of Saul’s Death The Song of the Bow David Anointed King of Judah Ishbosheth Made King of Israel Israel and Judah at War Sons of David Abner Joins Forces with David Joab Murders Abner David’s Mourning for Abner Ishbosheth Is Murdered David Reigns over All Israel The Conquest of Jerusalem The Philistines Defeated The Ark Brought to Jerusalem God’s Covenant with David David’s Thanksgiving to God David’s Further Conquests David’s Administration David’s Kindness to Mephibosheth The Ammonites and Syrians Defeated David, Bathsheba, and Uriah Nathan’s Parable and David’s Confession The Death of David’s Son Solomon Is Born Rabbah Is Captured Amnon and Tamar Absalom Murders Amnon Absalom Flees to Geshur Absalom Returns to Jerusalem Absalom’s Treason David Escapes from Jerusalem Mephibosheth’s Servant Shimei Curses David The Advice of Ahithophel The Advice of Hushai Hushai Warns David to Escape Absalom’s Defeat and Death David Hears of Absalom’s Death David’s Mourning for Absalom David Returns to Jerusalem David and Mephibosheth Meet David’s Kindness to Barzillai The Quarrel About the King The Rebellion of Sheba David’s Government Officers David Avenges the Gibeonites Philistine Giants Destroyed Praise for God’s Deliverance David’s Last Words David’s Mighty Men David’s Census of Israel and Judah The Judgment on David’s Sin The Altar on the Threshing Floor
Praise the Lord
We shall continue to read 1 chapter a day with the book of 1 King We encourage all members to tread on this journey together and explore further the events that follow and what we can learn from it
May the Lord guide and enlightened us along the way
[1] Now King David was old and advanced in years. And although they covered him with clothes, he could not get warm. [2] Therefore his servants said to him, “Let a young woman be sought for my lord the king, and let her wait on the king and be in his service. Let her lie in your arms, that my lord the king may be warm.” [3] So they sought for a beautiful young woman throughout all the territory of Israel, and found Abishag the Shunammite, and brought her to the king. [4] The young woman was very beautiful, and she was of service to the king and attended to him, but the king knew her not. [5] Now Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, “I will be king.” And he prepared for himself chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him. [6] His father had never at any time displeased him by asking, “Why have you done thus and so?” He was also a very handsome man, and he was born next after Absalom. [7] He conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest. And they followed Adonijah and helped him. [8] But Zadok the priest and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada and Nathan the prophet and Shimei and Rei and David’s mighty men were not with Adonijah. [9] Adonijah sacrificed sheep, oxen, and fattened cattle by the Serpent’s Stone, which is beside En-rogel, and he invited all his brothers, the king’s sons, and all the royal officials of Judah, [10] but he did not invite Nathan the prophet or Benaiah or the mighty men or Solomon his brother. [11] Then Nathan said to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, “Have you not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith has become king and David our lord does not know it? [12] Now therefore come, let me give you advice, that you may save your own life and the life of your son Solomon. [13] Go in at once to King David, and say to him, ‘Did you not, my lord the king, swear to your servant, saying, “Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne”? Why then is Adonijah king?’ [14] Then while you are still speaking with the king, I also will come in after you and confirm your words.” [15] So Bathsheba went to the king in his chamber (now the king was very old, and Abishag the Shunammite was attending to the king). [16] Bathsheba bowed and paid homage to the king, and the king said, “What do you desire?” [17] She said to him, “My lord, you swore to your servant by the Lord your God, saying, ‘Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne.’ [18] And now, behold, Adonijah is king, although you, my lord the king, do not know it. [19] He has sacrificed oxen, fattened cattle, and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the sons of the king, Abiathar the priest, and Joab the commander of the army, but Solomon your servant he has not invited. [20] And now, my lord the king, the eyes of all Israel are on you, to tell them who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him. [21] Otherwise it will come to pass, when my lord the king sleeps with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon will be counted offenders.” [22] While she was still speaking with the king, Nathan the prophet came in. [23] And they told the king, “Here is Nathan the prophet.” And when he came in before the king, he bowed before the king, with his face to the ground. [24] And Nathan said, “My lord the king, have you said, ‘Adonijah shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne’? [25] For he has gone down this day and has sacrificed oxen, fattened cattle, and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the king’s sons, the commanders of the army, and Abiathar the priest. And behold, they are eating and drinking before him, and saying, ‘Long live King Adonijah!’ [26] But me, your servant, and Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and your servant Solomon he has not invited. [27] Has this thing been brought about by my lord the king and you have not told your servants who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?” [28] Then King David answered, “Call Bathsheba to me.” So she came into the king’s presence and stood before the king. [29] And the king swore, saying, “As the Lord lives, who has redeemed my soul out of every adversity, [30] as I swore to you by the Lord, the God of Israel, saying, ‘Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne in my place,’ even so will I do this day.” [31] Then Bathsheba bowed with her face to the ground and paid homage to the king and said, “May my lord King David live forever!” [32] King David said, “Call to me Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada.” So they came before the king. [33] And the king said to them, “Take with you the servants of your lord and have Solomon my son ride on my own mule, and bring him down to Gihon. [34] And let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet there anoint him king over Israel. Then blow the trumpet and say, ‘Long live King Solomon!’ [35] You shall then come up after him, and he shall come and sit on my throne, for he shall be king in my place. And I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and over Judah.” [36] And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king, “Amen! May the Lord, the God of my lord the king, say so. [37] As the Lord has been with my lord the king, even so may he be with Solomon, and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord King David.” [38] So Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites went down and had Solomon ride on King David’s mule and brought him to Gihon. [39] There Zadok the priest took the horn of oil from the tent and anointed Solomon. Then they blew the trumpet, and all the people said, “Long live King Solomon!” [40] And all the people went up after him, playing on pipes, and rejoicing with great joy, so that the earth was split by their noise. [41] Adonijah and all the guests who were with him heard it as they finished feasting. And when Joab heard the sound of the trumpet, he said, “What does this uproar in the city mean?” [42] While he was still speaking, behold, Jonathan the son of Abiathar the priest came. And Adonijah said, “Come in, for you are a worthy man and bring good news.” [43] Jonathan answered Adonijah, “No, for our lord King David has made Solomon king, [44] and the king has sent with him Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites. And they had him ride on the king’s mule. [45] And Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king at Gihon, and they have gone up from there rejoicing, so that the city is in an uproar. This is the noise that you have heard. [46] Solomon sits on the royal throne. [47] Moreover, the king’s servants came to congratulate our lord King David, saying, ‘May your God make the name of Solomon more famous than yours, and make his throne greater than your throne.’ And the king bowed himself on the bed. [48] And the king also said, ‘Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who has granted someone to sit on my throne this day, my own eyes seeing it.’” [49] Then all the guests of Adonijah trembled and rose, and each went his own way. [50] And Adonijah feared Solomon. So he arose and went and took hold of the horns of the altar. [51] Then it was told Solomon, “Behold, Adonijah fears King Solomon, for behold, he has laid hold of the horns of the altar, saying, ‘Let King Solomon swear to me first that he will not put his servant to death with the sword.’” [52] And Solomon said, “If he will show himself a worthy man, not one of his hairs shall fall to the earth, but if wickedness is found in him, he shall die.” [53] So King Solomon sent, and they brought him down from the altar. And he came and paid homage to King Solomon, and Solomon said to him, “Go to your house.”
Introduction The book of 1 Kings provides an account of the death of David and the reign of his son Solomon The decline and division of the Kingdom of Israel after Solomon and many of his successors turned to idol worship
King Ahab and his wife, Jezebel, established the worship of Baal throughout the Northern Kingdom
The Lord preserved Elijah and eventually led him to a widow in Zarephath, who fed him for many days
The prophet Elijah sealed the heavens, causing years of drought
It also recounts the ministry of the prophet Elijah among the northern ten tribes of Israel
1 Kings 1:1-53
[1] Now King David was old and advanced in years. And although they covered him with clothes, he could not get warm. [2] Therefore his servants said to him, “Let a young woman be sought for my lord the king, and let her wait on the king and be in his service. Let her lie in your arms, that my lord the king may be warm.” [3] So they sought for a beautiful young woman throughout all the territory of Israel, and found Abishag the Shunammite, and brought her to the king. [4] The young woman was very beautiful, and she was of service to the king and attended to him, but the king knew her not. [5] Now Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, “I will be king.” And he prepared for himself chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him. [6] His father had never at any time displeased him by asking, “Why have you done thus and so?” He was also a very handsome man, and he was born next after Absalom. [7] He conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest. And they followed Adonijah and helped him. [8] But Zadok the priest and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada and Nathan the prophet and Shimei and Rei and David’s mighty men were not with Adonijah. [9] Adonijah sacrificed sheep, oxen, and fattened cattle by the Serpent’s Stone, which is beside En-rogel, and he invited all his brothers, the king’s sons, and all the royal officials of Judah, [10] but he did not invite Nathan the prophet or Benaiah or the mighty men or Solomon his brother. [11] Then Nathan said to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, “Have you not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith has become king and David our lord does not know it? [12] Now therefore come, let me give you advice, that you may save your own life and the life of your son Solomon. [13] Go in at once to King David, and say to him, ‘Did you not, my lord the king, swear to your servant, saying, “Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne”? Why then is Adonijah king?’ [14] Then while you are still speaking with the king, I also will come in after you and confirm your words.” [15] So Bathsheba went to the king in his chamber (now the king was very old, and Abishag the Shunammite was attending to the king). [16] Bathsheba bowed and paid homage to the king, and the king said, “What do you desire?” [17] She said to him, “My lord, you swore to your servant by the Lord your God, saying, ‘Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne.’ [18] And now, behold, Adonijah is king, although you, my lord the king, do not know it. [19] He has sacrificed oxen, fattened cattle, and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the sons of the king, Abiathar the priest, and Joab the commander of the army, but Solomon your servant he has not invited. [20] And now, my lord the king, the eyes of all Israel are on you, to tell them who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him. [21] Otherwise it will come to pass, when my lord the king sleeps with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon will be counted offenders.” [22] While she was still speaking with the king, Nathan the prophet came in. [23] And they told the king, “Here is Nathan the prophet.” And when he came in before the king, he bowed before the king, with his face to the ground. [24] And Nathan said, “My lord the king, have you said, ‘Adonijah shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne’? [25] For he has gone down this day and has sacrificed oxen, fattened cattle, and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the king’s sons, the commanders of the army, and Abiathar the priest. And behold, they are eating and drinking before him, and saying, ‘Long live King Adonijah!’ [26] But me, your servant, and Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and your servant Solomon he has not invited. [27] Has this thing been brought about by my lord the king and you have not told your servants who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?” [28] Then King David answered, “Call Bathsheba to me.” So she came into the king’s presence and stood before the king. [29] And the king swore, saying, “As the Lord lives, who has redeemed my soul out of every adversity, [30] as I swore to you by the Lord, the God of Israel, saying, ‘Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne in my place,’ even so will I do this day.” [31] Then Bathsheba bowed with her face to the ground and paid homage to the king and said, “May my lord King David live forever!” [32] King David said, “Call to me Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada.” So they came before the king. [33] And the king said to them, “Take with you the servants of your lord and have Solomon my son ride on my own mule, and bring him down to Gihon. [34] And let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet there anoint him king over Israel. Then blow the trumpet and say, ‘Long live King Solomon!’ [35] You shall then come up after him, and he shall come and sit on my throne, for he shall be king in my place. And I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and over Judah.” [36] And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king, “Amen! May the Lord, the God of my lord the king, say so. [37] As the Lord has been with my lord the king, even so may he be with Solomon, and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord King David.” [38] So Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites went down and had Solomon ride on King David’s mule and brought him to Gihon. [39] There Zadok the priest took the horn of oil from the tent and anointed Solomon. Then they blew the trumpet, and all the people said, “Long live King Solomon!” [40] And all the people went up after him, playing on pipes, and rejoicing with great joy, so that the earth was split by their noise. [41] Adonijah and all the guests who were with him heard it as they finished feasting. And when Joab heard the sound of the trumpet, he said, “What does this uproar in the city mean?” [42] While he was still speaking, behold, Jonathan the son of Abiathar the priest came. And Adonijah said, “Come in, for you are a worthy man and bring good news.” [43] Jonathan answered Adonijah, “No, for our lord King David has made Solomon king, [44] and the king has sent with him Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites. And they had him ride on the king’s mule. [45] And Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king at Gihon, and they have gone up from there rejoicing, so that the city is in an uproar. This is the noise that you have heard. [46] Solomon sits on the royal throne. [47] Moreover, the king’s servants came to congratulate our lord King David, saying, ‘May your God make the name of Solomon more famous than yours, and make his throne greater than your throne.’ And the king bowed himself on the bed. [48] And the king also said, ‘Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who has granted someone to sit on my throne this day, my own eyes seeing it.’” [49] Then all the guests of Adonijah trembled and rose, and each went his own way. [50] And Adonijah feared Solomon. So he arose and went and took hold of the horns of the altar. [51] Then it was told Solomon, “Behold, Adonijah fears King Solomon, for behold, he has laid hold of the horns of the altar, saying, ‘Let King Solomon swear to me first that he will not put his servant to death with the sword.’” [52] And Solomon said, “If he will show himself a worthy man, not one of his hairs shall fall to the earth, but if wickedness is found in him, he shall die.” [53] So King Solomon sent, and they brought him down from the altar. And he came and paid homage to King Solomon, and Solomon said to him, “Go to your house.”
1 KINGS 1: 1-53
🍁 1 Kings 1:1-27 Adonijah Presumes to Be King
Now King David was old and advanced in years And although they covered him with clothes, he could not get warm Therefore his servants said to him, “Let a young woman be sought for my lord the king, and let her wait on the king and be in his service
Let her lie in your arms, that my lord the king may be warm So they sought for a beautiful young woman throughout all the territory of Israel, and found Abishag the Shunammite, and brought her to the king
The young woman was very beautiful, and she was of service to the king and attended to him, but the king knew her not
Now Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, “I will be king And he prepared for himself chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him
His father had never at any time displeased him by asking, “Why have you done thus and so? He was also a very handsome man, and he was born next after Absalom
He conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest And they followed Adonijah and helped him But Zadok the priest and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada and Nathan the prophet and Shimei and Rei and David’s mighty men were not with Adonijah
Adonijah sacrificed sheep, oxen, and fattened cattle by the Serpent’s Stone, which is beside En-rogel, and he invited all his brothers, the king’s sons, and all the royal officials of Judah, but he did not invite Nathan the prophet or Benaiah or the mighty men or Solomon his brother
Then Nathan said to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, “Have you not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith has become king and David our lord does not know it?
Now therefore come, let me give you advice, that you may save your own life and the life of your son Solomon Go in at once to King David, and say to him, ‘Did you not, my lord the king, swear to your servant, saying, “Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne? Why then is Adonijah king? Then while you are still speaking with the king, I also will come in after you and confirm your words
So Bathsheba went to the king in his chamber (now the king was very old, and Abishag the Shunammite was attending to the king) Bathsheba bowed and paid homage to the king, and the king said, “What do you desire?
She said to him, “My lord, you swore to your servant by the Lord your God, saying, ‘Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne
And now, behold, Adonijah is king, although you, my lord the king, do not know it
He has sacrificed oxen, fattened cattle, and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the sons of the king, Abiathar the priest, and Joab the commander of the army, but Solomon your servant he has not invited
And now, my lord the king, the eyes of all Israel are on you, to tell them who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him Otherwise it will come to pass, when my lord the king sleeps with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon will be counted offenders
While she was still speaking with the king, Nathan the prophet came in And they told the king, “Here is Nathan the prophet
And when he came in before the king, he bowed before the king, with his face to the ground And Nathan said, “My lord the king, have you said, ‘Adonijah shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne? For he has gone down this day and has sacrificed oxen, fattened cattle, and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the king’s sons, the commanders of the army, and Abiathar the priest
And behold, they are eating and drinking before him, and saying, ‘Long live King Adonijah But me, your servant, and Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and your servant Solomon he has not invited Has this thing been brought about by my lord the king and you have not told your servants who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?
🍁 1 king 1: 28-53 David Proclaims Solomon King
Then King David answered, “Call Bathsheba to me So she came into the king’s presence and stood before the king
And the king swore, saying, “As the Lord lives, who has redeemed my soul out of every adversity, as I swore to you by the Lord, the God of Israel, saying, ‘Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne in my place,’ even so will I do this day
Then Bathsheba bowed with her face to the ground and paid homage to the king and said, “May my lord King David live forever
King David said, “Call to me Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada So they came before the king And the king said to them, “Take with you the servants of your lord and have Solomon my son ride on my own mule, and bring him down to Gihon
And let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet there anoint him king over Israel Then blow the trumpet and say, ‘Long live King Solomon! You shall then come up after him, and he shall come and sit on my throne, for he shall be king in my place And I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and over Judah
And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king, “Amen! May the Lord, the God of my lord the king, say so As the Lord has been with my lord the king, even so may he be with Solomon, and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord King David
So Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites went down and had Solomon ride on King David’s mule and brought him to Gihon There Zadok the priest took the horn of oil from the tent and anointed Solomon
Then they blew the trumpet, and all the people said, “Long live King Solomon! And all the people went up after him, playing on pipes, and rejoicing with great joy, so that the earth was split by their noise
Adonijah and all the guests who were with him heard it as they finished feasting And when Joab heard the sound of the trumpet, he said, “What does this uproar in the city mean? While he was still speaking, behold, Jonathan the son of Abiathar the priest came And Adonijah said, “Come in, for you are a worthy man and bring good news
Jonathan answered Adonijah, “No, for our lord King David has made Solomon king, and the king has sent with him Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites And they had him ride on the king’s mule
And Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king at Gihon, and they have gone up from there rejoicing, so that the city is in an uproar This is the noise that you have heard Solomon sits on the royal throne
Moreover, the king’s servants came to congratulate our lord King David, saying, ‘May your God make the name of Solomon more famous than yours, and make his throne greater than your throne And the king bowed himself on the bed
And the king also said, ‘Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who has granted someone to sit on my throne this day, my own eyes seeing it
Then all the guests of Adonijah trembled and rose, and each went his own way
And Adonijah feared Solomon So he arose and went and took hold of the horns of the altar Then it was told Solomon, “Behold, Adonijah fears King Solomon, for behold, he has laid hold of the horns of the altar, saying, ‘Let King Solomon swear to me first that he will not put his servant to death with the sword
And Solomon said, “If he will show himself a worthy man, not one of his hairs shall fall to the earth, but if wickedness is found in him, he shall die
So King Solomon sent, and they brought him down from the altar And he came and paid homage to King Solomon, and Solomon said to him, “Go to your house
[1] When David’s time to die drew near, he commanded Solomon his son, saying, [2] “I am about to go the way of all the earth. Be strong, and show yourself a man, [3] and keep the charge of the Lord your God, walking in his ways and keeping his statutes, his commandments, his rules, and his testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn, [4] that the Lord may establish his word that he spoke concerning me, saying, ‘If your sons pay close attention to their way, to walk before me in faithfulness with all their heart and with all their soul, you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.’ [5] “Moreover, you also know what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, how he dealt with the two commanders of the armies of Israel, Abner the son of Ner, and Amasa the son of Jether, whom he killed, avenging in time of peace for blood that had been shed in war, and putting the blood of war on the belt around his waist and on the sandals on his feet. [6] Act therefore according to your wisdom, but do not let his gray head go down to Sheol in peace. [7] But deal loyally with the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be among those who eat at your table, for with such loyalty they met me when I fled from Absalom your brother. [8] And there is also with you Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjaminite from Bahurim, who cursed me with a grievous curse on the day when I went to Mahanaim. But when he came down to meet me at the Jordan, I swore to him by the Lord, saying, ‘I will not put you to death with the sword.’ [9] Now therefore do not hold him guiltless, for you are a wise man. You will know what you ought to do to him, and you shall bring his gray head down with blood to Sheol.” [10] Then David slept with his fathers and was buried in the city of David. [11] And the time that David reigned over Israel was forty years. He reigned seven years in Hebron and thirty-three years in Jerusalem. [12] So Solomon sat on the throne of David his father, and his kingdom was firmly established. [13] Then Adonijah the son of Haggith came to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon. And she said, “Do you come peacefully?” He said, “Peacefully.” [14] Then he said, “I have something to say to you.” She said, “Speak.” [15] He said, “You know that the kingdom was mine, and that all Israel fully expected me to reign. However, the kingdom has turned about and become my brother’s, for it was his from the Lord. [16] And now I have one request to make of you; do not refuse me.” She said to him, “Speak.” [17] And he said, “Please ask King Solomonhe will not refuse youto give me Abishag the Shunammite as my wife.” [18] Bathsheba said, “Very well; I will speak for you to the king.” [19] So Bathsheba went to King Solomon to speak to him on behalf of Adonijah. And the king rose to meet her and bowed down to her. Then he sat on his throne and had a seat brought for the king’s mother, and she sat on his right. [20] Then she said, “I have one small request to make of you; do not refuse me.” And the king said to her, “Make your request, my mother, for I will not refuse you.” [21] She said, “Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah your brother as his wife.” [22] King Solomon answered his mother, “And why do you ask Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? Ask for him the kingdom also, for he is my older brother, and on his side are Abiathar the priest and Joab the son of Zeruiah.” [23] Then King Solomon swore by the Lord, saying, “God do so to me and more also if this word does not cost Adonijah his life! [24] Now therefore as the Lord lives, who has established me and placed me on the throne of David my father, and who has made me a house, as he promised, Adonijah shall be put to death today.” [25] So King Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and he struck him down, and he died. [26] And to Abiathar the priest the king said, “Go to Anathoth, to your estate, for you deserve death. But I will not at this time put you to death, because you carried the ark of the Lord God before David my father, and because you shared in all my father’s affliction.” [27] So Solomon expelled Abiathar from being priest to the Lord, thus fulfilling the word of the Lord that he had spoken concerning the house of Eli in Shiloh. [28] When the news came to Joabfor Joab had supported Adonijah although he had not supported AbsalomJoab fled to the tent of the Lord and caught hold of the horns of the altar. [29] And when it was told King Solomon, “Joab has fled to the tent of the Lord, and behold, he is beside the altar,” Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, saying, “Go, strike him down.” [30] So Benaiah came to the tent of the Lord and said to him, “The king commands, ‘Come out.’” But he said, “No, I will die here.” Then Benaiah brought the king word again, saying, “Thus said Joab, and thus he answered me.” [31] The king replied to him, “Do as he has said, strike him down and bury him, and thus take away from me and from my father’s house the guilt for the blood that Joab shed without cause. [32] The Lord will bring back his bloody deeds on his own head, because, without the knowledge of my father David, he attacked and killed with the sword two men more righteous and better than himself, Abner the son of Ner, commander of the army of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, commander of the army of Judah. [33] So shall their blood come back on the head of Joab and on the head of his descendants forever. But for David and for his descendants and for his house and for his throne there shall be peace from the Lord forevermore.” [34] Then Benaiah the son of Jehoiada went up and struck him down and put him to death. And he was buried in his own house in the wilderness. [35] The king put Benaiah the son of Jehoiada over the army in place of Joab, and the king put Zadok the priest in the place of Abiathar. [36] Then the king sent and summoned Shimei and said to him, “Build yourself a house in Jerusalem and dwell there, and do not go out from there to any place whatever. [37] For on the day you go out and cross the brook Kidron, know for certain that you shall die. Your blood shall be on your own head.” [38] And Shimei said to the king, “What you say is good; as my lord the king has said, so will your servant do.” So Shimei lived in Jerusalem many days. [39] But it happened at the end of three years that two of Shimei’s servants ran away to Achish, son of Maacah, king of Gath. And when it was told Shimei, “Behold, your servants are in Gath,” [40] Shimei arose and saddled a donkey and went to Gath to Achish to seek his servants. Shimei went and brought his servants from Gath. [41] And when Solomon was told that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath and returned, [42] the king sent and summoned Shimei and said to him, “Did I not make you swear by the Lord and solemnly warn you, saying, ‘Know for certain that on the day you go out and go to any place whatever, you shall die’? And you said to me, ‘What you say is good; I will obey.’ [43] Why then have you not kept your oath to the Lord and the commandment with which I commanded you?” [44] The king also said to Shimei, “You know in your own heart all the harm that you did to David my father. So the Lord will bring back your harm on your own head. [45] But King Solomon shall be blessed, and the throne of David shall be established before the Lord forever.” [46] Then the king commanded Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and he went out and struck him down, and he died. So the kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon.
1 KINGS 2: 1-46
🍁 1 Kings 2: 1-9 David’s Instructions to Solomon
When David’s time to die drew near, he commanded Solomon his son, saying, I am about to go the way of all the earth Be strong, and show yourself a man, and keep the charge of the Lord your God, walking in his ways and keeping his statutes, his commandments, his rules, and his testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn, that the Lord may establish his word that he spoke concerning me, saying, ‘If your sons pay close attention to their way, to walk before me in faithfulness with all their heart and with all their soul, you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel
Moreover, you also know what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, how he dealt with the two commanders of the armies of Israel, Abner the son of Ner, and Amasa the son of Jether, whom he killed, avenging in time of peace for blood that had been shed in war, and putting the blood of war on the belt around his waist and on the sandals on his feet Act therefore according to your wisdom, but do not let his gray head go down to Sheol in peace
But deal loyally with the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be among those who eat at your table, for with such loyalty they met me when I fled from Absalom your brother
And there is also with you Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjaminite from Bahurim, who cursed me with a grievous curse on the day when I went to Mahanaim But when he came down to meet me at the Jordan, I swore to him by the Lord, saying, ‘I will not put you to death with the sword Now therefore do not hold him guiltless, for you are a wise man You will know what you ought to do to him, and you shall bring his gray head down with blood to Sheol
🍁 1 Kings 2: 10-12 Death of David
Then David slept with his fathers and was buried in the city of David And the time that David reigned over Israel was forty years He reigned seven years in Hebron and thirty-three years in Jerusalem So Solomon sat on the throne of David his father, and his kingdom was firmly established
🍁 1 Kings 2: 13-25 Solomon Executes Adonijah
Then Adonijah the son of Haggith came to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon And she said, “Do you come peacefully? He said, “Peacefully
Then he said, “I have something to say to you She said, “Speak
He said, “You know that the kingdom was mine, and that all Israel fully expected me to reign However, the kingdom has turned about and become my brother’s, for it was his from the Lord And now I have one request to make of you; do not refuse me She said to him, “Speak
And he said, “Please ask King Solomon, he will not refuse you to give me Abishag the Shunammite as my wife
Bathsheba said, “Very well; I will speak for you to the king
So Bathsheba went to King Solomon to speak to him on behalf of Adonijah And the king rose to meet her and bowed down to her Then he sat on his throne and had a seat brought for the king’s mother, and she sat on his right Then she said, “I have one small request to make of you; do not refuse me And the king said to her, “Make your request, my mother, for I will not refuse you
She said, “Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah your brother as his wife
King Solomon answered his mother, “And why do you ask Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? Ask for him the kingdom also, for he is my older brother, and on his side are Abiathar the priest and Joab the son of Zeruiah Then King Solomon swore by the Lord, saying, “God do so to me and more also if this word does not cost Adonijah his life! Now therefore as the Lord lives, who has established me and placed me on the throne of David my father, and who has made me a house, as he promised, Adonijah shall be put to death today So King Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and he struck him down, and he died
🍁 1 Kings 2: 26-35 Abiathar Exiled, Joab Executed
And to Abiathar the priest the king said, “Go to Anathoth, to your estate, for you deserve death But I will not at this time put you to death, because you carried the ark of the Lord God before David my father, and because you shared in all my father’s affliction So Solomon expelled Abiathar from being priest to the Lord, thus fulfilling the word of the Lord that he had spoken concerning the house of Eli in Shiloh
When the news came to Joab, for Joab had supported Adonijah although he had not supported Absalom Joab fled to the tent of the Lord and caught hold of the horns of the altar
And when it was told King Solomon, “Joab has fled to the tent of the Lord, and behold, he is beside the altar,” Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, saying, “Go, strike him down
So Benaiah came to the tent of the Lord and said to him, “The king commands, ‘Come out But he said, “No, I will die here
Then Benaiah brought the king word again, saying, “Thus said Joab, and thus he answered me
The king replied to him, “Do as he has said, strike him down and bury him, and thus take away from me and from my father’s house the guilt for the blood that Joab shed without cause The Lord will bring back his bloody deeds on his own head, because, without the knowledge of my father David, he attacked and killed with the sword two men more righteous and better than himself, Abner the son of Ner, commander of the army of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, commander of the army of Judah So shall their blood come back on the head of Joab and on the head of his descendants forever But for David and for his descendants and for his house and for his throne there shall be peace from the Lord forevermore
Then Benaiah the son of Jehoiada went up and struck him down and put him to death. And he was buried in his own house in the wilderness The king put Benaiah the son of Jehoiada over the army in place of Joab, and the king put Zadok the priest in the place of Abiathar
🍁 1 Kings 2: 36-46 Shimei Executed
Then the king sent and summoned Shimei and said to him, “Build yourself a house in Jerusalem and dwell there, and do not go out from there to any place whatever For on the day you go out and cross the brook Kidron, know for certain that you shall die Your blood shall be on your own head
And Shimei said to the king, “What you say is good; as my lord the king has said, so will your servant do So Shimei lived in Jerusalem many days
But it happened at the end of three years that two of Shimei’s servants ran away to Achish, son of Maacah, king of Gath And when it was told Shimei, “Behold, your servants are in Gath Shimei arose and saddled a donkey and went to Gath to Achish to seek his servants Shimei went and brought his servants from Gath And when Solomon was told that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath and returned, the king sent and summoned Shimei and said to him, “Did I not make you swear by the Lord and solemnly warn you, saying, ‘Know for certain that on the day you go out and go to any place whatever, you shall die’? And you said to me, ‘What you say is good; I will obey Why then have you not kept your oath to the Lord and the commandment with which I commanded you? The king also said to Shimei, “You know in your own heart all the harm that you did to David my father So the Lord will bring back your harm on your own head But King Solomon shall be blessed, and the throne of David shall be established before the Lord forever
Then the king commanded Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and he went out and struck him down, and he died So the kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon
[1] Solomon made a marriage alliance with Pharaoh king of Egypt. He took Pharaoh’s daughter and brought her into the city of David until he had finished building his own house and the house of the Lord and the wall around Jerusalem.
[2] The people were sacrificing at the high places, however, because no house had yet been built for the name of the Lord.
[3] Solomon loved the Lord, walking in the statutes of David his father, only he sacrificed and made offerings at the high places.
[4] And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the great high place. Solomon used to offer a thousand burnt offerings on that altar.
[5] At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night, and God said, “Ask what I shall give you.”
[6] And Solomon said, “You have shown great and steadfast love to your servant David my father, because he walked before you in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart toward you. And you have kept for him this great and steadfast love and have given him a son to sit on his throne this day.
[7] And now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of David my father, although I am but a little child. I do not know how to go out or come in.
[8] And your servant is in the midst of your people whom you have chosen, a great people, too many to be numbered or counted for multitude.
[9] Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people?”
[10] It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this.
[11] And God said to him, “Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches or the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right,
[12] behold, I now do according to your word. Behold, I give you a wise and discerning mind, so that none like you has been before you and none like you shall arise after you.
[13] I give you also what you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that no other king shall compare with you, all your days.
[14] And if you will walk in my ways, keeping my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days.”
[15] And Solomon awoke, and behold, it was a dream. Then he came to Jerusalem and stood before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and offered up burnt offerings and peace offerings, and made a feast for all his servants.
[16] Then two prostitutes came to the king and stood before him.
[17] The one woman said, “Oh, my lord, this woman and I live in the same house, and I gave birth to a child while she was in the house.
[18] Then on the third day after I gave birth, this woman also gave birth. And we were alone. There was no one else with us in the house; only we two were in the house.
[19] And this woman’s son died in the night, because she lay on him.
[20] And she arose at midnight and took my son from beside me, while your servant slept, and laid him at her breast, and laid her dead son at my breast.
[21] When I rose in the morning to nurse my child, behold, he was dead. But when I looked at him closely in the morning, behold, he was not the child that I had borne.”
[22] But the other woman said, “No, the living child is mine, and the dead child is yours.” The first said, “No, the dead child is yours, and the living child is mine.” Thus they spoke before the king.
[23] Then the king said, “The one says, ‘This is my son that is alive, and your son is dead’; and the other says, ‘No; but your son is dead, and my son is the living one.’”
[24] And the king said, “Bring me a sword.” So a sword was brought before the king.
[25] And the king said, “Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one and half to the other.”
[26] Then the woman whose son was alive said to the king, because her heart yearned for her son, “Oh, my lord, give her the living child, and by no means put him to death.” But the other said, “He shall be neither mine nor yours; divide him.”
[27] Then the king answered and said, “Give the living child to the first woman, and by no means put him to death; she is his mother.”
[28] And all Israel heard of the judgment that the king had rendered, and they stood in awe of the king, because they perceived that the wisdom of God was in him to do justice.
1 KINGS 3: 1-28
🍁 1 Kings 3: 1-15 Solomon Requests Wisdom
Solomon made a marriage alliance with Pharaoh king of Egypt. He took Pharaoh’s daughter and brought her into the city of David until he had finished building his own house and the house of the Lord and the wall around Jerusalem The people were sacrificing at the high places, however, because no house had yet been built for the name of the Lord Solomon loved the Lord, walking in the statutes of David his father, only he sacrificed and made offerings at the high places
And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the great high place Solomon used to offer a thousand burnt offerings on that altar At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night, and God said, “Ask what I shall give you
And Solomon said, “You have shown great and steadfast love to your servant David my father, because he walked before you in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart toward you And you have kept for him this great and steadfast love and have given him a son to sit on his throne this day And now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of David my father, although I am but a little child I do not know how to go out or come in And your servant is in the midst of your people whom you have chosen, a great people, too many to be numbered or counted for multitude Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people?
It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this And God said to him, “Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches or the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, behold, I now do according to your word Behold, I give you a wise and discerning mind, so that none like you has been before you and none like you shall arise after you I give you also what you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that no other king shall compare with you, all your days And if you will walk in my ways, keeping my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days
And Solomon awoke, and behold, it was a dream Then he came to Jerusalem and stood before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and offered up burnt offerings and peace offerings, and made a feast for all his servants
🍁 1 Kings 3: 16-28 Solomon’s Wise Judgment
Then two prostitutes came to the king and stood before him The one woman said, “Oh, my lord, this woman and I live in the same house, and I gave birth to a child while she was in the house Then on the third day after I gave birth, this woman also gave birth. And we were alone There was no one else with us in the house; only we two were in the house And this woman’s son died in the night, because she lay on him And she arose at midnight and took my son from beside me, while your servant slept, and laid him at her breast, and laid her dead son at my breast When I rose in the morning to nurse my child, behold, he was dead But when I looked at him closely in the morning, behold, he was not the child that I had borne
But the other woman said, “No, the living child is mine, and the dead child is yours The first said, “No, the dead child is yours, and the living child is mine Thus they spoke before the king
Then the king said, “The one says, ‘This is my son that is alive, and your son is dead’; and the other says, ‘No; but your son is dead, and my son is the living one And the king said, “Bring me a sword.” So a sword was brought before the king And the king said, “Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one and half to the other
Then the woman whose son was alive said to the king, because her heart yearned for her son, “Oh, my lord, give her the living child, and by no means put him to death But the other said, “He shall be neither mine nor yours; divide him
Then the king answered and said, “Give the living child to the first woman, and by no means put him to death; she is his mother
And all Israel heard of the judgment that the king had rendered, and they stood in awe of the king, because they perceived that the wisdom of God was in him to do justice
