The Daily Audio Bible
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11 Then all Israel gathered themselves to David, to Hebron, saying, “Behold, we are your bones and your flesh.
2 “And in time past, even when Saul was king, you led Israel out and in. And the LORD your God said to you, ‘You shall feed My people Israel. And you shall be captain over My people Israel.’”
3 So, all the elders of Israel came to the king, to Hebron. And David made a covenant with them in Hebron, before the LORD. And they anointed David king over Israel, according to the Word of the LORD, by the hand of Samuel.
4 And David and all Israel went to Jerusalem (which is Jebus), where the Jebusites were the inhabitants of the land.
5 And the inhabitants of Jebus said to David, “You shall not come in here.” Nevertheless, David took the tower of Zion, which is the City of David.
6 And David said, “Whoever strikes the Jebusites first shall be the chief and captain.” So Joab, the son of Zeruiah, went up first and was captain.
7 And David dwelt in the tower. Therefore, they called it the City of David.
8 And he built the city on every side, from Millo all around. And Joab repaired the rest of the city.
9 And David prospered and grew; for the LORD of Hosts was with him.
10 Also, these are the chiefs of the valiant men who were with David and joined their force with him in his kingdom with all Israel, to make him king over Israel, according to the Word of the LORD.
11 And this is the number of the valiant men whom David had: Jashobeam the son of Hachmoni, the chief among thirty. He lifted up his spear against three hundred, whom he killed at one time.
12 And after him was Eleazar, the son of [c]Dodo the Ahohite, who was one of the three valiant men.
13 He was with David at Pasdammim. And the Philistines were gathered together to battle there. And there was a parcel of ground full of barley. And the people fled before the Philistines.
14 And they stood in the midst of the field and saved it and killed the Philistines. So, the LORD gave a great victory.
15 And three of the thirty captains went to a rock, to David, into the cave of Adullam. And the army of the Philistines camped in the Valley of Rephaim.
16 And when David was in the stronghold, the Philistines garrison was at Bethlehem.
17 And David longed, and said, “Oh, that one would give me drink from the water of the well of Bethlehem that is at the gate.”
18 Then these three broke through the army of the Philistines and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate and took it and brought it to David. But David would not drink it, but poured it out as an oblation to the LORD,
19 and said, “Do not let my God allow me to do this. Should I drink the blood of these men’s lives? For they have jeopardized their lives to bring it.” Therefore, he would not drink it. These things these three mighty men did.
20 And Abishai, the brother of Joab, was chief of the three. And he lifted up his spear against three hundred and killed them and had the name among the three.
21 Among the three he was more honorable than the other two; and he was their captain. But he did not seek a place among the three.
22 Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada (the son of a valiant man), who had done many acts, and was of Kabzeel, killed two strong men of Moab. He also went down and killed a lion in the midst of a pit, in time of snow.
23 And he killed an Egyptian, a man of great stature (five cubits tall). And a spear like a weaver’s beam was in the Egyptian’s hand. And he went down to him with a staff, and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand, and killed him with his own spear.
24 These things Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, did. And he had the name among the three worthies.
25 Behold, he was honorable among thirty. But he did not seek a place among the three. And David made him one of his counselors.
26 These were also valiant men of war: Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem,
27 Shammoth the Harorite, Helez the Pelonite,
28 Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, Abiezer the Anathothite,
29 Sibbechai the Hushathite, Ilai the Ahohite,
30 Maharai the Netophathite, Heled the son of Baanah the Netophathite,
31 Ithai the son of Ribai of Gibeah (of the children of Benjamin), Benaiah the Pirathonite,
32 Hurai of the rivers of Gaash, Abiel the Arbathite,
33 Azmaveth the Baharumite, Eliahba the Shaalbonite,
34 the sons of Hashem the Gizonite, Jonathan the son of Shageh the Harite,
35 Ahiam the son of Sacar the Hararite, Eliphal the son of Ur,
36 Hepher the Mecherathite, Ahijah the Pelonite,
37 Hezro the Carmelite, Naarai the son of Ezbai,
38 Joel the brother of Nathan, Mibhar the son of Hagri,
39 Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Berothite, the armor bearer of Joab, the son of Zeruiah,
40 Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,
41 Uriah the Hittite, Zabad the son of Ahlai,
42 Adina (the son of Shiza the Reubenite), a captain of the Reubenites, and thirty with him.
43 Hanan the son of Maachah, and Joshaphat the Mithnite,
44 Uzzia the Ashterathite, Shama and Jeiel the sons of Hotham the Aroerite,
45 Jediael the son of Shimri, and Joha his brother the Tizite,
46 Eliel the Mahavite, and Jeribai and Joshaviah the sons of Elnaam, and Ithmah the Moabite,
47 Eliel and Obed, and Jaasiel the Mezobaite.
12 Also, these are those who came to David, to Ziklag, while he was still under restraint because of Saul, the son of Kish. And they were among the valiant and helpers of the battle.
2 They were weaponed with bows and could use the right and the left hand with stones and with arrows and with bows and were Saul’s brethren, of Benjamin.
3 The chiefs were Ahiezer and Joash, the sons of Shemaah, a Gibeathite, and Jeziel and Pelet, the sons of Azmaveth, Berachah and Jehu the Anathothite,
4 and Ishmaiah the Gibeonite, a valiant man among thirty (and above the thirty), and Jeremiah and Jahaziel and Johanan and Jozabad the Gederathite,
5 Eluzai and Jerimoth and Bealiah and Shemariah and Shephatiah the Haruphite,
6 Elkanah and Jisshiah and Azarel and Joezer, Jashobeam of Korah
7 and Joelah and Zebadiah, the sons of Jeroham of Gedor.
8 And some of the Gadites separated themselves to David, into the stronghold of the wilderness, valiant men of war, men of arms for battle who could handle spear and shield. And their faces were like the faces of lions, and similar in swiftness to the deer in the mountains:
9 Ezer the chief, Obadiah the second, Eliab the third,
10 Mishmannah the fourth, Jeremiah the fifth,
11 Attai the sixth, Eliel the seventh,
12 Johanan the eighth, Elzabad the ninth,
13 Jeremiah the tenth, Machbanai the eleventh.
14 These were the sons of Gad, captains of the army. One of the least of them could resist a hundred, and the greatest a thousand.
15 These are those who went over Jordan in the first month, when it had overflowed all its banks, and put to flight all those of the valley toward the east and the west.
16 And some of the children of Benjamin and Judah came to the stronghold, to David.
17 And David went out to meet them and answered and said to them, “If you have come peaceably to me, to help me, my heart shall be knit with yours. But if you have come to betray me to my adversaries, there being no wickedness in my hands, the God of our fathers will behold it and rebuke it.”
18 And the Spirit came upon Amasai, who was the chief of thirty. And he said, “We are yours, David, and with you, O son of Jesse! Peace! Peace to you and peace to your helpers. For your God helps you.” Then David received them and made them captains of the garrison.
28 And when they had escaped, they learned that the isle was called Malta.
2 And the people of the country showed us no little kindness. For they kindled a fire and welcomed all of us, because of the present rain, and because of the cold.
3 And when Paul had gathered a number of sticks, and laid them on the fire, a viper came out of the heat and fastened on his hand.
4 Now when the locals saw the wild beast hanging on his hand, they said among themselves, “This man is surely a murderer. For though he has escaped the sea, vengeance has still not allowed to live.”
5 But he shook off the beast (into the fire) and felt no harm.
6 Even so, they waited for him to become swollen, or to suddenly fall down dead. But after they had looked for a long while and seen no harm come to him, they changed their minds and said that he was a god.
7 In the same region, the chief man of the isle (whose name was Publius) had an estate. He kindly received and lodged us for three days.
8 And so it was that the father of Publius lay sick from a fever and dysentery. Paul entered in to him. And when he prayed, he laid hands on him, and healed him.
9 Then, when this was done, others on the isle who had diseases also came to him and were healed.
10 They also honored us greatly. And when we departed, they gave us necessary supplies.
11 Now after three months, we departed in a ship of Alexandria, (which had wintered on the isle) whose figurehead was Castor and Pollux.
12 And when we arrived at Syracuse, we stayed three days.
13 And we cast off from there and came to Rhegium. And after one day, a south wind blew. And the next day we came to Puteoli,
14 where we found brothers and were invited to stay with them for seven days. And so, we went toward Rome.
15 And from there (when the brothers heard about us) they came to meet us at the Market of Appius and the three taverns. When Paul saw them, he thanked God, and took courage.
16 So when we came to Rome, the Centurion delivered the prisoners to the general captain. But Paul was allowed to dwell by himself with a soldier who guarded him.
17 And three days later, Paul called the chief of the Jews together. And when they had come, he said to them, “Men! Brothers! Though I have committed nothing against the people or Laws of the Fathers, I was delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans.
18 “After they examined me, they wanted to let me go because there was no reason to put me to death.
19 “But when the Jews objected, I was compelled to appeal to Caesar (not because I had anything of which to accuse my people).
20 “For this reason, therefore, I have called for you (to see you and to speak with you): for the hope of Israel’s sake, I am bound with this chain.”
21 Then they said to him, “We neither received letters out of Judea concerning you, nor have any of the brothers who came showed or spoken any evil of you.
22 “But we will hear what you think. For as concerning this sect, we know that it is contradicted everywhere.”
23 And when they had arranged a day, many came to him at his lodging. And he explained to them, testifying of the Kingdom of God and persuading them of those things that concern Jesus (both out of the Law of Moses and out of the Prophets) from morning to night.
24 And some were persuaded by the things which were spoken. And some did not believe.
25 Therefore, not being in agreement among themselves, they left after Paul had spoken one word: “The Holy Ghost spoke well to our Fathers by Isaiah the Prophet,
26 “saying, ‘Go to this people, and say, “By hearing you shall hear, and shall not understand, and seeing you shall see, and not perceive.
27 “For the heart of this people has grown fat. And their ears are dull of hearing. And their eyes they have closed, or else they would see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and would return so that I might heal them.”’
28 “Therefore, be it known to you that this salvation by God is sent to the Gentiles. And they shall hear it.”
29 And when he had said these things, the Jews departed, and had great disputes among themselves.
30 And Paul remained a full two years in a house he rented for himself. And he welcomed all who came in to him,
31 boldly preaching the Kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, without hindrance.
9 I will praise the LORD with my whole heart. I will speak of all Your marvelous works.
2 I will be glad and rejoice in You. I will sing praise to Your Name, O Most High,
3 because my enemies are turned back. They shall fall and perish at Your presence.
4 For You have maintained my right and my cause. You are set on the Throne, and judge righteously.
5 You have rebuked the heathen. You have destroyed the wicked. You have put out their name forever and ever.
6 O enemy, destructions are come to a perpetual end. And you have destroyed the cities. Their memorial has perished with them.
7 But the LORD shall sit forever. He has prepared His throne for judgment.
8 For He shall judge the world in righteousness; shall judge the people with equity.
9 The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in time and in affliction.
10 And those who know Your Name will trust in You. For You, LORD, have not failed those who seek You.
11 Sing praises to the LORD, Who dwells in Zion. Show the people His works.
12 For when He enquires after blood, He remembers it; not forgetting the complaint of the poor.
19 Better is the poor who walks in his uprightness, than he who perverts his lips and is a fool.
2 For without knowledge the mind is not good. And he who hastes with his feet, sins.
3 The foolishness of a man perverts his way. And his heart frets against the LORD.
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