The Daily Audio Bible
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8 When Samuel had now become old, he made his sons judges over Israel,
2 judges in Beersheba. The name of his eldest son was Joel and the name of the second was Abijah.
3 And his sons did not walk in his ways, but turned aside after unjust gain, and took bribes, and perverted their judgment.
4 Therefore, all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together and came to Samuel, to Ramah,
5 and said to him, “Behold, you are old. And your sons do not walk in your ways. Make us now a king to judge us, like all the nations.”
6 But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” And Samuel prayed to the LORD.
7 And the LORD said to Samuel, “Hear the voice of the people in all that they shall say to you. For they have not cast you away, but have cast Me away, so that I would not reign over them.
8 “As they have always done, since I brought them out of Egypt up until this day (forsaking Me and serving other gods), even so they do to you.
9 “Now, therefore, listen to their voice. However, still testify to them and show them the behavior of the king who shall reign over them.”
10 So, Samuel told all the Words of the LORD to the people who asked for a king from Him.
11 And he said, “This shall be the behavior of the king who shall reign over you: He will take your sons and appoint them to his chariots and to be his horsemen. And some shall run before his chariot.
12 “Also, he will make them his captains over thousands, and captains over fifties, and to plow his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make instruments of war, and the things that serve for his chariots.
13 “He will also take your daughters and make them apothecaries and cooks and bakers.
14 “And he will take your fields and your vineyards and your best olive trees and give them to his servants.
15 “And he will take a tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give it to his eunuchs and to his servants.
16 “And he will take your menservants and your maidservants and the chief of your young men and your donkeys and put them to work for him.
17 “He will take a tenth of your sheep. And you shall be his servants.
18 “And you shall cry out on that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves. And the LORD will not hear you on that day.”
19 But the people would not hear the voice of Samuel, but said, “No, but there shall be a king over us!
20 “And we, also, will be like all other nations; and our king shall judge us and go out before us and fight our battles!”
21 Therefore, when Samuel heard all the words of the people, he repeated them in the Ears of the LORD.
22 And the LORD said to Samuel, “Listen to their voice; and make them a king.” And Samuel said to the men of Israel, “Every man go to his city!”
9 There was now a man of Benjamin, mighty in power, named Kish, the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Bechorath, the son of Aphiah, the son of a man of Benjamin.
2 And he had a son called Saul, a fine young man and handsome, so that among the children of Israel there was none better than he. From the shoulders upward, he was higher than any of the people.
3 Now, the donkeys of Kish, Saul’s father, were lost. Therefore, Kish said to Saul, his son, “Take now one of the servants with you and arise, go and seek the donkeys.
4 So, he passed through Mount Ephraim, and went through the land of Shalisha, but they did not find them. Then they went through the land of Shaalim; and they were not there. He also went through the land of Benjamin, but they did not find them.
5 When they came to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant who was with him, “Come and let us return, lest my father leaves the donkeys and becomes worried about us.”
6 And he said to him, “Behold, now, in this city is a man of God. And he is an honorable man. All that he says comes to pass. Let us now go there, if so be that he can show us what way we may go.”
7 Then Saul said to his servant, “Well then, let us go! But what shall we bring to the man? For the bread in our vessels is gone, and there is no present to bring to the man of God. What do we have?”
8 And the servant answered Saul again, and said, “Behold, I have found a fourth of a shekel of silver lying around. I will give that to the man of God, to tell us our way.”
9 (In the old time in Israel, when a man went to seek an answer from God, he said, “Come and let us go to the Seer.” For he who is now called a Prophet was in the old time called a Seer.)
10 Then Saul said to his servant, “Well said! Come, let us go.” So they went into the city where the man of God was.
11 And as they were going up the highway to the city, they found maids who came out to draw water, and said to them, “Is there a Seer here?”
12 And they answered them, and said, “Yea, lo, he is before you. Hurry now, for he came this day to the city. For there is an Offering of the people this day in the high place.
13 “When you shall come into the city, you shall find him immediately, before he comes up to the high place to eat. For the people will not eat until he comes, because he will bless the Sacrifice. And then those who are invited to the feast may eat. Now, therefore, go up. For you shall find him now.”
14 Then they went up into the city. And when they had come into the midst of the city, Samuel came out opposite them, to go up to the high place.
15 But the LORD had revealed to Samuel secretly (a day before Saul came) saying,
16 “Tomorrow, about this time, I will send you a man out of the land of Benjamin. You shall anoint him to be Governor over My people, Israel, so that he may save My people out of the hands of the Philistines. For I have looked upon My people and their cry has come to Me.”
17 Therefore, when Samuel saw Saul, the LORD answered him, “See, this is the man of whom I spoke to you. He shall rule My people.”
18 Then Saul went to Samuel in the midst of the gate, and said, “Tell me, please, where the Seer’s house is.”
19 And Samuel answered Saul, and said, “I am the Seer. Go up before me to the high place; for you shall eat with me today and tomorrow I will let you go and will tell you all that is in your heart.
20 “And as for your donkeys that were lost three days ago, do not worry about them, for they have been found. And on whom is set all the desire of Israel? Is it not upon you, and on all your father’s House?”
21 But Saul answered, and said, “Am I not the son of Benjamin, of the smallest tribe of Israel, and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? Why, then, do you speak so to me?”
22 And Samuel took Saul and his servant and brought them into the chamber, and made them sit in the chief place among those who were invited (which was about thirty people).
23 And Samuel said to the cook, “Bring forth the portion which I gave you, of which I said to you, “Keep it with you.”
24 And the cook took up the shoulder, and that which was upon it, and set it before Saul. And Samuel said, “Behold that which remains, set apart for you! Eat! For up to now it has been kept for you, since I said, “I have called the people!” So, Saul ate with Samuel that day.
25 And when they had come down from the high place into the city, he spoke with Saul upon the top of the house.
26 And when they arose early, about the dawn of the day, Samuel called Saul to the top of the house, saying, “Up, so that I may send you away!” And Saul arose. And they went out, both he and Samuel.
27 And when they had come down to the end of the city, Samuel said to Saul, “Bid the servant go before us,” (and he went) “But you stand still now, so that I may show you the Word of God.”
22 The following day, the people who stood on the other side of the sea, saw that there was no other ship there except the one His disciples had entered. And they saw that Jesus had not gone into the ship with His disciples, but that His disciples had gone alone,
23 and that other ships had come from Tiberias near the place where they ate the bread after the Lord had given thanks.
24 Now when the people saw that Jesus was not there, nor His disciples, they also took ships and came to Capernaum, seeking Jesus.
25 And when they had found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, “Rabbi, when did You come here?”
26 Jesus answered them, and said, “Truly, truly I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the miracles, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled.
27 “Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food that endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man shall give to you. For God the Father has sealed Him.”
28 Then they said to Him, “What shall we do so that we might work the works of God?”
29 Jesus answered, and said to them, “This is the work of God: that you believe in Him Whom He has sent.”
30 Therefore they said to Him, “What sign do you show us, then, so that we may see it and believe You? What work do You do?
31 “Our fathers ate Manna in the desert. As it is written, ‘He gave them bread from Heaven to eat.’”
32 Then Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from Heaven. But My Father gives you the true bread from Heaven.
33 “For the bread of God is He who comes down from Heaven and gives life to the world.”
34 Then they said to Him, “Lord, give us this bread at all times.”
35 And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. The one who comes to Me shall not hunger, and the one who believes in Me shall never thirst.
36 “But I said to you that you have also seen Me, and do not believe.
37 “All that the Father gives Me, shall come to Me. And the one who comes to Me, I shall not cast away.
38 “For I came down from Heaven, not to do My own will, but His will Who has sent Me.
39 “And this is the Father’s will (Who has sent Me): that of all which He has given Me, I should lose nothing; but should raise it up again at the last day.
40 “And this is the will of Him Who sent Me: that everyone who sees the Son, and believes in Him, should have everlasting life. And I will raise him up at the last day.”
41 The Jews then grumbled at Him because He said, ‘I am the bread which has come down from Heaven.’
42 And they said, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, Whose father and mother we know? How is it then that He says, “I came down from Heaven?”
32 They also angered Him at the waters of Meribah, so that Moses was punished for their sakes
33 (because they troubled his spirit, so that he spoke unadvisedly with his lips).
34 Nor did they destroy the people, as the LORD had commanded them,
35 but mingled among the heathen and learned their works
36 and served their idols, which was their ruin.
37 Indeed, they offered their sons and their daughters to demons,
38 and shed innocent blood—the blood of their sons and of their daughters whom they offered to the idols of Canaan—and the land was defiled with blood.
39 Thus, they were stained with their own works and went a-whoring with their own inventions.
40 Therefore, the wrath of the LORD was kindled against His people; and He abhorred His own inheritance.
41 And He gave them into the hand of the heathen; and those who hated them were lords over them.
42 Also, their enemies oppressed them; and they were humbled under their hand.
43 Many a time did He deliver them, but they provoked Him by their counsel. Therefore, they were brought down by their iniquity.
44 Yet, He saw when they were in affliction and He heard their cry.
45 And He remembered His Covenant toward them and repented, according to the multitude of His mercies,
46 and gave them favor in the sight of all those who had carried them away captive.
47 Save us, O LORD our God, and gather us from among the heathen, so that we may praise Your Holy Name and glory in Your praise.
48 Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, forever and ever; and let all the people say, “So be it! Praise the LORD!”
34 Justice exalts a nation. But sin is a shame to the people.
35 The pleasure of a king is in a wise servant. But his wrath shall be toward the lewd.
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