May 29th (Day 149) Bible Reading

2 Samuel 14:1-15:22

John 18:1-24
Psalm 119:97-112
Proverbs 16:8-9

2Sa 14:1  Now Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the king's heart was toward Absalom.

2Sa 14:2  And Joab sent to Tekoah, and fetched thence a wise woman, and said unto her, I pray thee, feign thyself to be a mourner, and put on now mourning apparel, and anoint not thyself with oil, but be as a woman that had a long time mourned for the dead:

2Sa 14:3  And come to the king, and speak on this manner unto him. So Joab put the words in her mouth.

2Sa 14:4  And when the woman of Tekoah spake to the king, she fell on her face to the ground, and did obeisance, and said, Help, O king.

2Sa 14:5  And the king said unto her, What aileth thee? And she answered, I am indeed a widow woman, and mine husband is dead.

2Sa 14:6  And thy handmaid had two sons, and they two strove together in the field, and there was none to part them, but the one smote the other, and slew him.

2Sa 14:7  And, behold, the whole family is risen against thine handmaid, and they said, Deliver him that smote his brother, that we may kill him, for the life of his brother whom he slew; and we will destroy the heir also: and so they shall quench my coal which is left, and shall not leave to my husband neither name nor remainder upon the earth.

2Sa 14:8  And the king said unto the woman, Go to thine house, and I will give charge concerning thee.

2Sa 14:9  And the woman of Tekoah said unto the king, My lord, O king, the iniquity be on me, and on my father's house: and the king and his throne be guiltless.

2Sa 14:10  And the king said, Whosoever saith ought unto thee, bring him to me, and he shall not touch thee any more.

2Sa 14:11  Then said she, I pray thee, let the king remember the LORD thy God, that thou wouldest not suffer the revengers of blood to destroy any more, lest they destroy my son. And he said, As the LORD liveth, there shall not one hair of thy son fall to the earth.

2Sa 14:12  Then the woman said, Let thine handmaid, I pray thee, speak one word unto my lord the king. And he said, Say on.

2Sa 14:13  And the woman said, Wherefore then hast thou thought such a thing against the people of God? for the king doth speak this thing as one which is faulty, in that the king doth not fetch home again his banished.

2Sa 14:14  For we must needs die, and are as water spilt on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again; neither doth God respect any person: yet doth he devise means, that his banished be not expelled from him.

2Sa 14:15  Now therefore that I am come to speak of this thing unto my lord the king, it is because the people have made me afraid: and thy handmaid said, I will now speak unto the king; it may be that the king will perform the request of his handmaid.

2Sa 14:16  For the king will hear, to deliver his handmaid out of the hand of the man that would destroy me and my son together out of the inheritance of God.

2Sa 14:17  Then thine handmaid said, The word of my lord the king shall now be comfortable: for as an angel of God, so is my lord the king to discern good and bad: therefore the LORD thy God will be with thee.

2Sa 14:18  Then the king answered and said unto the woman, Hide not from me, I pray thee, the thing that I shall ask thee. And the woman said, Let my lord the king now speak.

2Sa 14:19  And the king said, Is not the hand of Joab with thee in all this? And the woman answered and said, As thy soul liveth, my lord the king, none can turn to the right hand or to the left from ought that my lord the king hath spoken: for thy servant Joab, he bade me, and he put all these words in the mouth of thine handmaid:

2Sa 14:20  To fetch about this form of speech hath thy servant Joab done this thing: and my lord is wise, according to the wisdom of an angel of God, to know all things that are in the earth.

2Sa 14:21  And the king said unto Joab, Behold now, I have done this thing: go therefore, bring the young man Absalom again.

2Sa 14:22  And Joab fell to the ground on his face, and bowed himself, and thanked the king: and Joab said, To day thy servant knoweth that I have found grace in thy sight, my lord, O king, in that the king hath fulfilled the request of his servant.

2Sa 14:23  So Joab arose and went to Geshur, and brought Absalom to Jerusalem.

2Sa 14:24  And the king said, Let him turn to his own house, and let him not see my face. So Absalom returned to his own house, and saw not the king's face.

2Sa 14:25  But in all Israel there was none to be so much praised as Absalom for his beauty: from the sole of his foot even to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him.

2Sa 14:26  And when he polled his head, (for it was at every year's end that he polled it: because the hair was heavy on him, therefore he polled it:) he weighed the hair of his head at two hundred shekels after the king's weight.

2Sa 14:27  And unto Absalom there were born three sons, and one daughter, whose name was Tamar: she was a woman of a fair countenance.

2Sa 14:28  So Absalom dwelt two full years in Jerusalem, and saw not the king's face.

2Sa 14:29  Therefore Absalom sent for Joab, to have sent him to the king; but he would not come to him: and when he sent again the second time, he would not come.

2Sa 14:30  Therefore he said unto his servants, See, Joab's field is near mine, and he hath barley there; go and set it on fire. And Absalom's servants set the field on fire.

2Sa 14:31  Then Joab arose, and came to Absalom unto his house, and said unto him, Wherefore have thy servants set my field on fire?

2Sa 14:32  And Absalom answered Joab, Behold, I sent unto thee, saying, Come hither, that I may send thee to the king, to say, Wherefore am I come from Geshur? it had been good for me to have been there still: now therefore let me see the king's face; and if there be any iniquity in me, let him kill me.

2Sa 14:33  So Joab came to the king, and told him: and when he had called for Absalom, he came to the king, and bowed himself on his face to the ground before the king: and the king kissed Absalom.

2Sa 15:1  And it came to pass after this, that Absalom prepared him chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him.

2Sa 15:2  And Absalom rose up early, and stood beside the way of the gate: and it was so, that when any man that had a controversy came to the king for judgment, then Absalom called unto him, and said, Of what city art thou? And he said, Thy servant is of one of the tribes of Israel.

2Sa 15:3  And Absalom said unto him, See, thy matters are good and right; but there is no man deputed of the king to hear thee.

2Sa 15:4  Absalom said moreover, Oh that I were made judge in the land, that every man which hath any suit or cause might come unto me, and I would do him justice!

2Sa 15:5  And it was so, that when any man came nigh to him to do him obeisance, he put forth his hand, and took him, and kissed him.

2Sa 15:6  And on this manner did Absalom to all Israel that came to the king for judgment: so Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.

2Sa 15:7  And it came to pass after forty years, that Absalom said unto the king, I pray thee, let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed unto the LORD, in Hebron.

2Sa 15:8  For thy servant vowed a vow while I abode at Geshur in Syria, saying, If the LORD shall bring me again indeed to Jerusalem, then I will serve the LORD.

2Sa 15:9  And the king said unto him, Go in peace. So he arose, and went to Hebron.

2Sa 15:10  But Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, As soon as ye hear the sound of the trumpet, then ye shall say, Absalom reigneth in Hebron.

2Sa 15:11  And with Absalom went two hundred men out of Jerusalem, that were called; and they went in their simplicity, and they knew not any thing.

2Sa 15:12  And Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's counsellor, from his city, even from Giloh, while he offered sacrifices. And the conspiracy was strong; for the people increased continually with Absalom.

2Sa 15:13  And there came a messenger to David, saying, The hearts of the men of Israel are after Absalom.

2Sa 15:14  And David said unto all his servants that were with him at Jerusalem, Arise, and let us flee; for we shall not else escape from Absalom: make speed to depart, lest he overtake us suddenly, and bring evil upon us, and smite the city with the edge of the sword.

2Sa 15:15  And the king's servants said unto the king, Behold, thy servants are ready to do whatsoever my lord the king shall appoint.

2Sa 15:16  And the king went forth, and all his household after him. And the king left ten women, which were concubines, to keep the house.

2Sa 15:17  And the king went forth, and all the people after him, and tarried in a place that was far off.

2Sa 15:18  And all his servants passed on beside him; and all the Cherethites, and all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites, six hundred men which came after him from Gath, passed on before the king.

2Sa 15:19  Then said the king to Ittai the Gittite, Wherefore goest thou also with us? return to thy place, and abide with the king: for thou art a stranger, and also an exile.

2Sa 15:20  Whereas thou camest but yesterday, should I this day make thee go up and down with us? seeing I go whither I may, return thou, and take back thy brethren: mercy and truth be with thee.

2Sa 15:21  And Ittai answered the king, and said, As the LORD liveth, and as my lord the king liveth, surely in what place my lord the king shall be, whether in death or life, even there also will thy servant be.

2Sa 15:22  And David said to Ittai, Go and pass over. And Ittai the Gittite passed over, and all his men, and all the little ones that were with him.

Joh 18:1  When Jesus had spoken these words, he went forth with his disciples over the brook Cedron, where was a garden, into the which he entered, and his disciples.

Joh 18:2  And Judas also, which betrayed him, knew the place: for Jesus ofttimes resorted thither with his disciples.

Joh 18:3  Judas then, having received a band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons.

Joh 18:4  Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come upon him, went forth, and said unto them, Whom seek ye?

Joh 18:5  They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am he. And Judas also, which betrayed him, stood with them.

Joh 18:6  As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground.

Joh 18:7  Then asked he them again, Whom seek ye? And they said, Jesus of Nazareth.

Joh 18:8  Jesus answered, I have told you that I am he: if therefore ye seek me, let these go their way:

Joh 18:9  That the saying might be fulfilled, which he spake, Of them which thou gavest me have I lost none.

Joh 18:10  Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high priest's servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus.

Joh 18:11  Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?

Joh 18:12  Then the band and the captain and officers of the Jews took Jesus, and bound him,

Joh 18:13  And led him away to Annas first; for he was father in law to Caiaphas, which was the high priest that same year.

Joh 18:14  Now Caiaphas was he, which gave counsel to the Jews, that it was expedient that one man should die for the people.

Joh 18:15  And Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple: that disciple was known unto the high priest, and went in with Jesus into the palace of the high priest.

Joh 18:16  But Peter stood at the door without. Then went out that other disciple, which was known unto the high priest, and spake unto her that kept the door, and brought in Peter.

Joh 18:17  Then saith the damsel that kept the door unto Peter, Art not thou also one of this man's disciples? He saith, I am not.

Joh 18:18  And the servants and officers stood there, who had made a fire of coals; for it was cold: and they warmed themselves: and Peter stood with them, and warmed himself.

Joh 18:19  The high priest then asked Jesus of his disciples, and of his doctrine.

Joh 18:20  Jesus answered him, I spake openly to the world; I ever taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort; and in secret have I said nothing.

Joh 18:21  Why askest thou me? ask them which heard me, what I have said unto them: behold, they know what I said.

Joh 18:22  And when he had thus spoken, one of the officers which stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, Answerest thou the high priest so?

Joh 18:23  Jesus answered him, If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil: but if well, why smitest thou me?

Joh 18:24  Now Annas had sent him bound unto Caiaphas the high priest.

Psa 119:97  MEM. O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day.

Psa 119:98  Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies: for they are ever with me.

Psa 119:99  I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation.

Psa 119:100  I understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts.

Psa 119:101  I have refrained my feet from every evil way, that I might keep thy word.

Psa 119:102  I have not departed from thy judgments: for thou hast taught me.

Psa 119:103  How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!

Psa 119:104  Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way.

Psa 119:105  NUN. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

Psa 119:106  I have sworn, and I will perform it, that I will keep thy righteous judgments.

Psa 119:107  I am afflicted very much: quicken me, O LORD, according unto thy word.

Psa 119:108  Accept, I beseech thee, the freewill offerings of my mouth, O LORD, and teach me thy judgments.

Psa 119:109  My soul is continually in my hand: yet do I not forget thy law.

Psa 119:110  The wicked have laid a snare for me: yet I erred not from thy precepts.

Psa 119:111  Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever: for they are the rejoicing of my heart.

Psa 119:112  I have inclined mine heart to perform thy statutes alway, even unto the end.

Pro 16:8  Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues without right.

Pro 16:9  A man's heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps.