The Daily Audio Bible
Today's audio is from the NRSVUE. Switch to the NRSVUE to read along with the audio.
37 Then David left Asaph and ·the other Levites [his relatives/kinsmen/L brothers] there ·in front of [before] the Ark of the ·Agreement [Testimony; Treaty; Covenant] ·with [of] the Lord. They were to ·serve [minister] there ·every day [as each day’s work required]. 38 David also left Obed-Edom and sixty-eight ·other Levites [relatives; kinsmen; L brothers] to serve with them. Hosah and Obed-Edom son of Jeduthun were ·guards [gatekeepers].
39 David left Zadok the priest and ·the other priests who served with him in front of [his relatives/kinsmen/L brothers before] the ·Tent [Tabernacle] of the Lord at the ·place of worship [L high place] in Gibeon. 40 Every morning and evening they offered burnt offerings [Lev. 1:1–17] to the Lord on the altar of burnt offerings, ·following [according to] ·the rules written in the Teachings [L everything written in the Law] of the Lord, which he had ·given [commanded] Israel. 41 With them were Heman and Jeduthun and the rest chosen by name to ·sing praises [give thanks] to the Lord because his ·love [steadfast love; lovingkindness] ·continues [endures] forever. 42 Heman and Jeduthun ·also had the job of playing the [or had with them] trumpets and cymbals and other musical instruments ·when songs were sung to God [for sacred songs]. Jeduthun’s sons guarded the gates.
43 Then all the people left for their homes, and David also went home to bless ·the people in his home [his household].
God’s Promise to David(A)
17 When David ·moved [had settled] into his ·palace [L house], he said to Nathan the prophet, “·Look [T Behold], I am living in a ·palace [L house] made of cedar, but the Ark of the ·Agreement [Testimony; Treaty; Covenant] with the Lord ·sits in [is under] a tent.”
2 Nathan said to David, “Do ·what you want to do [whatever you have in mind], because God is with you.”
3 But that night God spoke his word to Nathan, saying, 4 “Go and tell David my servant, ‘·This is what the Lord says [T Thus says the Lord]: You are not the person to build a house for me to live in. 5 From the time I brought Israel ·out of [L up from] Egypt until now I have not lived in a house. I have moved from one tent site to another and ·from one place to another [or lived in a Tabernacle]. 6 As I have ·moved [walked] with the Israelites to different places, ·I have never [L have I ever…?] said to the ·leaders [L judges of Israel], whom I commanded to ·take care of [shepherd] my people, “Why haven’t you built me a house of cedar?” ’
7 “Now, tell my servant David: ‘This is what the Lord ·All-Powerful [of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] says: I took you from the pasture and from ·tending [following] the sheep and made you ·king [ruler; leader] of my people Israel. 8 I have been with you everywhere you have gone. I have ·defeated [destroyed; L cut off] your enemies for you. I will make you ·as famous as any of [L a name like the name of] the great people on the earth. 9 I will ·choose [provide; appoint] a place for my people Israel, and I will plant them so they can live in their own homes. They will not be ·bothered [disturbed; moved] anymore. ·Wicked [Evil] people will no longer ·hurt [oppress] them as they have in the past 10 ·when I chose [beginning when I appointed] judges for my people Israel. I will ·defeat [subdue] all your enemies.
“‘I tell you that the Lord will ·make your descendants kings of Israel after [L build a house for] you. 11 When ·you die [your days are over/T fulfilled] and join your ·ancestors [fathers], I will ·make [L raise up] one of your descendants—one of your sons [C Solomon]—the new king, and I will ·set up [establish; secure] his kingdom. 12 He will build a house [C the Temple] for me, and I will ·let his kingdom rule always [establish/secure his throne forever]. 13 I will be his father, and he will be my son [2 Sam. 7:14; Ps. 2:7]. I took away my ·love [steadfast love; lovingkindness] from Saul, who ruled before you, but I will never ·stop loving your son [take it away from him]. 14 I will ·put him in charge of [confirm him in] my house and kingdom forever. His ·family [L throne] will ·rule [be established/secure] forever.’”
15 Nathan told David ·everything God had said in this vision [all the words revealed to him].
David Prays to God
16 Then King David went in and sat ·in front of [before] the Lord. David said, “Lord God, who am I? What is my ·family [L house] that you have brought me ·to this point [this far]? 17 But that was ·not enough for you [L a small thing in your eyes], God. You have ·also made promises about my future family [spoken about your servant’s house in the distant future]. Lord God, you have treated me like a ·very important [great; exalted] person.
18 “What more can ·I [L David] say to you for honoring me, your servant? You know me so well. 19 Lord, you have done this wonderful thing for ·my [L your servant’s] sake ·and because you wanted to [according to your will/heart]. You have done all these great things and made them known.
20 “There is ·no one [T none] like you, Lord. There is no God except you. ·We have heard all this ourselves […as all that we’ve heard with our own ears confirms]! 21 ·There is no nation [L And is there another nation…?] like your people Israel. ·They are the only people on earth that [L What other nation on earth did…?] God chose to be his own. You made ·your name well known [a name for yourself] by the great and ·wonderful [awesome; terrible] things you did for them. You went ahead of them and ·forced other [drove out] nations. You ·freed [redeemed] your people from slavery in Egypt. 22 You made the people of Israel your very own people forever, and, Lord, you ·are [became; have become] their God.
23 “Lord, ·keep the promise [L let the word be established/secure] forever that you ·made [spoke] about my ·family [L house] and me, your servant. Do what you have ·said [spoken]. 24 ·Then you will be honored always [May your name be established and honored/exalted/magnified forever], and people will say, ‘The Lord ·All-Powerful [of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts], the God over Israel, is Israel’s God!’ And the ·family [L house] of your servant David will ·continue [be established/secure] before you.
25 “My God, you have told me that you ·would make my family great [L build for your servant a house]. So I, your servant, ·am brave enough [have found courage] to pray to you. 26 Lord, you are God, and you have promised these good things to me, your servant. 27 ·You have chosen [It has pleased you] to bless my ·family [L house]. Let it continue before you always. Lord, you have blessed ·my family [L it], ·so it will [let it] ·always [forever] be blessed.”
David Defeats Nations(B)
18 Later, David defeated the Philistines, ·conquered [subdued] them, and took the city of Gath and the surrounding towns from the Philistines.
2 He also defeated the people of Moab. So the people of Moab became ·servants [subjects] of David and ·gave him the payment he demanded [paid tribute money].
3 David also defeated Hadadezer king of Zobah all the way to the town of Hamath as he ·tried to spread his kingdom to [extended his authority/rule to; or set up his boundary marker at; L extended his hand; C the Hebrew word can mean control or, less often, monument] the Euphrates River. 4 David captured one thousand of his chariots, seven thousand ·charioteers [horsemen], and twenty thousand foot soldiers. He ·crippled [hamstrung] all but a hundred of the chariot horses.
5 Arameans from Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, but David killed twenty-two thousand of them. 6 Then David put ·groups of soldiers [garrisons] in Damascus in Aram. The Arameans became David’s ·servants [subjects] and ·gave him the payments he demanded [brought him tribute]. So the Lord gave David victory everywhere he went.
7 David took the shields of gold that had belonged to Hadadezer’s ·officers [guards; servants] and brought them to Jerusalem. 8 David also took many things made of bronze from Tebah and Cun, which had been cities under Hadadezer’s control. Later, Solomon used this bronze to make things for the ·Temple [L house]: the large bronze bowl, which was called the Sea [1 Kin. 7:23–26], the pillars [1 Kin. 7:15–22], and other bronze utensils.
9 ·Toi [Tou] king of Hamath heard that David had ·defeated all the [destroyed the entire] army of Hadadezer king of Zobah. 10 So Toi sent his son ·Hadoram [Joram, 2 Sam. 8:10] to greet and congratulate King David for defeating Hadadezer. (Hadadezer had been at war with Toi.) Hadoram brought items made of gold, silver, and bronze. 11 King David ·gave [dedicated] them to the Lord, along with the silver and gold he had taken from these nations: ·Edom [Aram, 2 Sam. 8:12, 14], Moab, the Ammonites, the Philistines, and Amalek.
12 Abishai son of Zeruiah killed eighteen thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt [C this victory is attributed to David in 2 Sam. 8:13]. 13 David put ·groups of soldiers [garrsions] in Edom, and all the Edomites became his ·servants [subjects]. The Lord gave David victory everywhere he went.
David’s Important Officers
14 David ·was king [reigned] over all of Israel, and he did what was ·fair [just] and ·right [righteous] for all his people. 15 Joab son of Zeruiah was commander over the army. Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the ·recorder [secretary; royal historian]. 16 Zadok son of Ahitub and Abiathar son of Ahimelech were priests. ·Shavsha [or Seriah; 2 Sam. 8:17] was the royal ·secretary [scribe]. 17 Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Kerethites and Pelethites [C foreign mercenaries who served as the king’s bodyguards]. And David’s sons were ·important officers who served [chief officials/assistants] at his side.
You People Also Are Sinful
2 [L Therefore] If you think you can judge others, [L O man,] you are ·wrong [L without excuse]. [L For] When you judge them, you are really judging yourself guilty, because you [L who are judging] do the same things they do. 2 God judges those who do ·wrong [L such] things, and we know that his judging is ·right [just; justified; L based on truth]. 3 You judge those who do ·wrong [L such things], but you do ·wrong [L the same things] yourselves. Do you think [L O man,] you will be able to escape the judgment of God? 4 You [L Do you…?] ·think nothing of [despise; have contempt for; disregard] his kindness, ·tolerance [forbearance] and patience. Perhaps you do not understand that God is kind to you so you will ·change your hearts and lives [repent]. 5 But because you are stubborn and ·refuse to change [L have an unrepentant heart], you are ·making your own punishment even greater [L storing up wrath for yourself] on the day ·he shows his anger [of (God’s) wrath]. ·On that day everyone will see [L …and the day of the revelation of] God’s ·right [righteous; just] judgments. 6 God will ·reward or punish [give back to; repay] every person for what that person has done. 7 Some people, by ·always continuing [persevering] to do good, ·live for [seek after; aim for] ·God’s glory [L glory], for honor, and for ·life that has no end [immortality]. God will give them ·life forever [eternal life]. 8 But other people are ·selfish [self-seeking], ·refusing to follow [disobeying; or disbelieving] truth and instead ·following [obeying; or believing] evil. God will give them his ·punishment [wrath] and anger. 9 ·He will give [or There will be] ·trouble [affliction; tribulation] and ·suffering [distress] to everyone who does evil—to the Jews first and also to ·those who are not Jews [L the Greek; C here meaning all Gentiles; see 1:13, 14, 16]. 10 But ·he will give [or there will be] glory, honor, and peace to everyone who does good—to the Jews first and also to ·those who are not Jews [L the Greek; v. 9]. 11 For ·God judges all people in the same way [L there is no partiality with God].
12 ·People [or For all those] who do not have the law [C Gentiles without the written law of Moses] and who are sinners will ·be lost [perish], although they do not have the law. And, in the same way, those who have the law [C Jews who have the law of Moses] and are sinners will be judged by the law. 13 Hearing the law does not make people ·right with [righteous/justified before] God. It is those who obey the law who will be ·right with [justified/declared righteous before] him. 14 (·Those who are not Jews [Gentiles] do not have the law, but when they ·freely [by nature; instinctively] do what the law commands, they ·are the law for themselves [or reveal their awareness of God’s law]. This is true even though they do not have the law [C the written law of Moses]. 15 They show that ·in their hearts they know what is right and wrong, just as the law commands [L the requirements of the law are written on their hearts]. And they show this by their consciences [L bearing witness]. Sometimes their thoughts ·tell them they did wrong [L accuse them], and sometimes their thoughts ·tell them they did right [defend them].) 16 ·All these things [or This] will happen on the day when, according to ·my Gospel [the Good News I preach], God, through Christ Jesus, will judge people’s secret thoughts.
The Jews and the Law
17 What about you? You call yourself a Jew. You ·trust in [rely on] the ·law of Moses [L law] and ·brag that you are close to God [L boast in God]. 18 You know ·what he wants you to do [his will] and ·what is important [can discern/test what is best/superior], because you have ·learned [been instructed in] the law. 19 You ·think [are convinced/confident that] you are a guide for the blind and a light for those who are in darkness. 20 You think you ·can show foolish people what is right [L are an instructor to the foolish] and ·teach [L a teacher for] ·those who know nothing [the immature/ignorant; or children/infants]. You have the law; so you think you ·know everything and have all truth [L have the embodiment/formulation of knowledge and truth]. 21 You teach others, so why don’t you teach yourself? You ·tell [preach to] others not to steal, but do you steal? 22 You say that others must not commit adultery, but do you commit adultery? You ·hate [abhor; detest] idols, but do you steal from temples [C perhaps (1) profiting by selling stolen idols to Gentiles; or (2) withholding what is due to God and so “robbing” his temple]? 23 You ·brag [boast] about ·having God’s law [L the law], but do you ·bring shame to [dishonor] God by breaking his law? 24 It is just as the Scriptures say: “God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you [Is. 52:5; Ezek. 36:20].”
16 The Lord is King forever and ever.
·Destroy from your land those nations [L The nations will perish from his land].
17 Lord, you have heard ·what the poor people want [the desires of the poor].
·Do what they ask [L You will strengthen their heart], and ·listen to them [L you will cause your ear to pay attention].
18 ·Protect [L Bring justice to] the orphans and ·put an end to suffering [L the oppressed]
so ·they will no longer be afraid of evil people [L those from the earth may terrify no more].
8 Those who ·get wisdom [L acquire heart] ·do themselves a favor [L love themselves],
and those who ·love learning [guard understanding] will succeed.
9 A witness who lies will not go ·free [unpunished],
liars will ·die [perish].
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.