The One Year Bible TLB (149 page)
Read The One Year Bible TLB Online
Authors: Tyndale
The man who finds a wife finds a good thing; she is a blessing to him from the Lord.
July 10The family tree of every person in Israel was carefully recorded in
The Annals of the Kings of Israel.
Judah was exiled to Babylon because the people worshiped idols.
2
The first to return and live again in their former cities were families from the tribes of Israel and also the priests, the Levites, and the Temple assistants.
3
Then some families from the tribes of Judah, Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh arrived in Jerusalem:
4
One family was that of Uthai (the son of Ammihud, son of Omri, son of Imri, son of Bani) of the clan of Perez (son of Judah).
5
The Shilonites were another family to return, including Asaiah (Shilon’s oldest son) and his sons;
6
there were also the sons of Zerah, including Jeuel and his relatives: 690 in all.
7-8
Among the members of the tribe of Benjamin who returned were these:
Sallu (the son of Meshullam, the son of Hodaviah, the son of Hassenuah);
Ibneiah (the son of Jeroham);
Elah (the son of Uzzi, the son of Michri);
Meshullam (the son of Shephatiah, the son of Reuel, the son of Ibnijah).
9
These men were all chiefs of subclans. A total of 956 Benjaminites returned.
10-11
The priests who returned were:
Jedaiah, Jehoiarib, Jachin,
Azariah (the son of Hilkiah, son of Meshullam, son of Zadok, son of Meraioth, son of Ahitub). He was the chief custodian of the Temple.
12
Another of the returning priests was Adaiah (son of Jeroham, son of Pashhur, son of Malchijah).
Another priest was Maasai (son of Adiel, son of Jahzerah, son of Meshullam, son of Meshillemith, son of Immer).
13
In all, 1,760 priests returned.
14
Among the Levites who returned was Shemaiah (son of Hasshub, son of Azrikam, son of Hashabiah, who was a descendant of Merari).
15-16
Other Levites who returned included:
Bakbakkar, Heresh, Galal,
Mattaniah (the son of Mica, who was the son of Zichri, who was the son of Asaph),
Obadiah (the son of Shemaiah, son of Galal, son of Jeduthun),
Berechiah (the son of Asa, son of Elkanah, who lived in the area of the Netophathites).
17-18
The gatekeepers were Shallum (the chief gatekeeper), Akkub, Talmon, and Ahiman—all Levites. They are still responsible for the eastern royal gate.
19
Shallum’s ancestry went back through Kore and Ebiasaph to Korah. He and his close relatives the Korahites were in charge of the sacrifices and the protection of the sanctuary, just as their ancestors had supervised and guarded the Tabernacle.
20
Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, was the first director of this division in ancient times. And the Lord was with him.
21
At that time Zechariah, the son of Meshelemiah, had been responsible for the protection of the entrance to the Tabernacle.
22
There were 212 doorkeepers in those days. They were chosen from their villages on the basis of their genealogies, and they were appointed by David and Samuel because of their reliability.
23
They and their descendants were in charge of the Lord’s Tabernacle.
24
They were assigned to each of the four sides: east, west, north, and south.
25
And their relatives in the villages were assigned to help them from time to time, for seven days at a time.
26
The four head gatekeepers, all Levites, were in an office of great trust, for they were responsible for the rooms and treasuries in the Tabernacle of God.
27
Because of their important positions, they lived near the Tabernacle, and they opened the gates each morning.
28
Some of them were assigned to care for the various vessels used in the sacrifices and worship; they checked them in and out to avoid loss.
29
Others were responsible for the furniture, the items in the sanctuary, and the supplies such as fine flour, wine, incense, and spices.
30
Other priests prepared the spices and incense.
31
And Mattithiah (a Levite and the oldest son of Shallum the Korahite) was entrusted with making the flat cakes for grain offerings.
32
Some members of the Kohath clan were in charge of the preparation of the special bread
*
each Sabbath.
33-34
The cantors were all prominent Levites. They lived in Jerusalem at the Temple and were on duty at all hours. They were free from other responsibilities and were selected by their genealogies.
35-37
Jeiel (whose wife was Maacah) lived in Gibeon. He had many
*
sons, including: Gibeon, Abdon (the oldest), Zur, Kish, Baal,
Ner,
Nadab, Gedor, Ahio, Zechariah, Mikloth.
38
Mikloth lived with his son Shimeam in Jerusalem near his relatives.
39
Ner
was the father of Kish, Kish was the father of Saul, Saul was the father of
Jonathan,
Malchi-shua, Abinadab, and Eshbaal.
40
Jonathan
was the father of Mephibosheth;
*
Mephibosheth was the father of Micah;
41
Micah was the father of Pithon, Melech, Tahrea, and Ahaz;
42
Ahaz was the father of Jarah;
Jarah was the father of Alemeth, Azmaveth, and Zimri;
Zimri was the father of Moza.
43
Moza was the father of Binea, Rephaiah, Eleasah, and Azel.
44
Azel had six sons: Azrikam, Bocheru, Ishmael, Sheariah, Obadiah, Hanan.
10:
1
The Philistines attacked and defeated the Israeli troops, who turned and fled and were slaughtered on the slopes of Mount Gilboa.
*
2
They caught up with Saul and his three sons, Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchi-shua, and killed them all.
3
Saul had been hard pressed with heavy fighting all around him, when the Philistine archers shot and wounded him.
4
He cried out to his bodyguard, “Quick, kill me with your sword before these uncircumcised heathen capture and torture me.”
But the man was afraid to do it, so Saul took his own sword and fell against its point; and it pierced his body.
5
Then his bodyguard, seeing that Saul was dead, killed himself in the same way.
6
So Saul and his three sons died together; the entire family was wiped out in one day.
7
When the Israelis in the valley below the mountain heard that their troops had been routed and that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned their cities and fled. And the Philistines came and lived in them.
8
When the Philistines went back the next day to strip the bodies of the men killed in action and to gather the booty from the battlefield, they found the bodies of Saul and his sons.
9
So they stripped off Saul’s armor and cut off his head; then they displayed them throughout the nation and celebrated the wonderful news before their idols.
10
They fastened his armor to the walls of the Temple of the Gods and nailed his head to the wall of Dagon’s temple.
11
But when the people of Jabesh-gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul,
12
their heroic warriors went out to the battlefield
*
and brought back his body and the bodies of his three sons. Then they buried them beneath the oak tree at Jabesh and mourned and fasted for seven days.
13
Saul died for his disobedience to the Lord and because he had consulted a medium,
*
14
and did not ask the Lord for guidance. So the Lord killed him and gave the kingdom to David, the son of Jesse.
No one had eaten for a long time, but finally Paul called the crew together and said, “Men, you should have listened to me in the first place and not left Fair Havens—you would have avoided all this injury and loss!
22
But cheer up! Not one of us will lose our lives, even though the ship will go down.
23
“For last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me
24
and said, ‘Don’t be afraid, Paul—for you will surely stand trial before Caesar! What’s more, God has granted your request and will save the lives of all those sailing with you.’
25
So take courage! For I believe God! It will be just as he said!
26
But we will be shipwrecked on an island.”
27
About midnight on the fourteenth night of the storm, as we were being driven to and fro on the Adriatic Sea, the sailors suspected land was near.
28
They sounded and found 120 feet of water below them. A little later they sounded again and found only 90 feet.
29
At this rate they knew they would soon be driven ashore; and fearing rocks along the coast, they threw out four anchors from the stern and prayed for daylight.
30
Some of the sailors planned to abandon the ship and lowered the emergency boat as though they were going to put out anchors from the prow.
31
But Paul said to the soldiers and commanding officer, “You will all die unless everyone stays aboard.”
32
So the soldiers cut the ropes and let the boat fall off.
33
As the darkness gave way to the early morning light, Paul begged everyone to eat. “You haven’t touched food for two weeks,” he said.
34
“Please eat something now for your own good! For not a hair of your heads shall perish!”
35
Then he took some hardtack and gave thanks to God before them all, and broke off a piece and ate it.
36
Suddenly everyone felt better and began eating,
37
all 276 of us—for that is the number we had aboard.
38
After eating, the crew lightened the ship further by throwing all the wheat overboard.
39
When it was day, they didn’t recognize the coastline, but noticed a bay with a beach and wondered whether they could get between the rocks and be driven up onto the beach.
40
They finally decided to try. Cutting off the anchors and leaving them in the sea, they lowered the rudders, raised the foresail, and headed ashore.
41
But the ship hit a sandbar
*
and ran aground. The bow of the ship stuck fast, while the stern was exposed to the violence of the waves and began to break apart.
42
The soldiers advised their commanding officer to let them kill the prisoners lest any of them swim ashore and escape.
43
But Julius
*
wanted to spare Paul, so he told them no. Then he ordered all who could swim to jump overboard and make for land,
44
and the rest to try for it on planks and debris from the broken ship. So everyone escaped safely ashore!
O Lord our God, the majesty and glory of your name fills all the earth and overflows the heavens.
2
You have taught the little children to praise you perfectly. May their example shame and silence your enemies!
3
When I look up into the night skies and see the work of your fingers—the moon and the stars you have made—
4
I cannot understand how you can bother with mere puny man, to pay any attention to him!
5
And yet you have made him only a little lower than the angels
*
and placed a crown of glory and honor upon his head.
6
You have put him in charge of everything you made; everything is put under his authority:
7
all sheep and oxen, and wild animals too,
8
the birds and fish, and all the life in the sea.
9
O Jehovah, our Lord, the majesty and glory of your name fills the earth.
The poor man pleads, and the rich man answers with insults.
24
There are “friends” who pretend to be friends, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
July 11Then the leaders of Israel went to David at Hebron and told him, “We are your relatives,
*
2
and even when Saul was king, you were the one who led our armies to battle and brought them safely back again. And the Lord your God has told you, ‘You shall be the shepherd of my people Israel. You shall be their king.’”
3
So David made a contract with them before the Lord, and they anointed him as king of Israel, just as the Lord had told Samuel.
4
Then David and the leaders went to Jerusalem (or Jebus, as it used to be called) where the Jebusites—the original inhabitants of the land—lived.
5-6
But the people of Jebus refused to let them enter the city. So David captured the fortress of Zion, later called the City of David, and said to his men, “The first man to kill a Jebusite shall be made commander-in-chief!” Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was the first, so he became the general of David’s army.
7
David lived in the fortress and that is why that area of Jerusalem is called the City of David.
8
He extended the city out around the fortress while Joab rebuilt the rest of Jerusalem.
9
And David became more and more famous and powerful, for the Lord of the heavens was with him.
10
These are the names of some of the bravest of David’s warriors (who also encouraged the leaders of Israel to make David their king, as the Lord had said would happen):
11
Jashobeam (the son of a man from Hachmon) was the leader of The Top Three—the three greatest heroes among David’s men. He once killed 300 men with his spear.
12
The second of The Top Three was Eleazar, the son of Dodo, a member of the subclan of Ahoh.
13
He was with David in the battle against the Philistines at Pasdammim. The Israeli army was in a barley field and had begun to run away,
14
but he held his ground in the middle of the field, and recovered it and slaughtered the Philistines; and the Lord saved them with a great victory.
15
Another time, three of The Thirty
*
went to David while he was hiding in the cave of Adullam. The Philistines were camped in the valley of Rephaim,
16
and David was in the stronghold at the time; an outpost of the Philistines had occupied Bethlehem.
17
David wanted a drink from the Bethlehem well beside the gate, and when he mentioned this to his men,
18-19
these three broke through to the Philistine camp, drew some water from the well, and brought it back to David. But he refused to drink it! Instead he poured it out as an offering to the Lord and said, “God forbid that I should drink it! It is the very blood of these men who risked their lives to get it.”
20
Abishai, Joab’s brother, was commander of The Thirty. He had gained his place among The Thirty by killing 300 men at one time with his spear.
21
He was the chief and the most famous of The Thirty, but he was not as great as The Three.
22
Benaiah, whose father was a mighty warrior from Kabzeel, killed the two famous giants
*
from Moab. He also killed a lion in a slippery pit when there was snow on the ground.
23
Once he killed an Egyptian who was seven and a half feet tall, whose spear was as thick as a weaver’s beam. But Benaiah went up to him with only a club in his hand, and pulled the spear away from him and used it to kill him.
24-25
He was nearly as great as The Three, and he was very famous among The Thirty. David made him captain of his bodyguard.
26-47
Other famous warriors among David’s men were:
Asahel (Joab’s brother);
Elhanan, the son of Dodo from Bethlehem;
Shammoth from Harod;
Helez from Pelon;
Ira (son of Ikkesh) from Tekoa;
Abiezer from Anathoth;
Sibbecai from Hushath;
Ilai from Ahoh;
Maharai from Netophah;
Heled (son of Baanah) from Netophah;
Ithai (son of Ribai) a Benjaminite from Gibeah;
Benaiah from Pirathon;
Hurai from near the brooks of Gaash;
Abiel from Arbath;
Azmaveth from Baharum;
Eliahba from Shaalbon;
The sons
*
of Hashem from Gizon;
Jonathan (son of Shagee) from Harar;
Ahiam (son of Sacher) from Harar;
Eliphal (son of Ur);
Hepher from Mecherath;
Ahijah from Pelon;
Hezro from Carmel;
Naarai (son of Ezbai);
Joel (brother of Nathan);
Mibhar (son of Hagri);
Zelek from Ammon;
Naharai from Beeroth—he was General Joab’s armor bearer;
Ira from Ithra;
Gareb from Ithra;
Uriah the Hittite;
Zabad (son of Ahlai);
Adina (son of Shiza) from the tribe of Reuben—he was among the thirty-one leaders of the tribe of Reuben;
Hanan (son of Maacah);
Joshaphat from Mithna;
Uzzia from Ashterath;
Shama and Jeiel (sons of Hotham) from Aroer;
Jediael (son of Shimri);
Joha (his brother) from Tiza;
Eliel from Mahavi;
Jeribai and Joshaviah (sons of Elnaam);
Ithmah from Moab;
Eliel; Obed; Jaasiel from Mezoba.
12:
1
These are the names of the famous warriors who joined David at Ziklag while he was hiding from King Saul.
*
2
All of them were expert archers and slingers, and they could use their left hands as readily as their right! Like King Saul, they were all of the tribe of Benjamin.
3-7
Their chief was Ahiezer, son of Shemaah from Gibeah. The others were:
His brother Joash; Jeziel and Pelet, sons of Azmaveth; Beracah; Jehu from Anathoth; Ishmaiah from Gibeon (a brave warrior rated as high or higher than The Thirty); Jeremiah; Jahaziel; Johanan; Jozabad from Gederah; Eluzai; Jerimoth; Bealiah; Shemariah; Shephatiah from Haruph; Elkanah, Isshiah, Azarel, Joezer, Jashobeam—all Korahites; Joelah and Zebadiah (sons of Jeroham from Gedor).
8-13
Great and brave warriors from the tribe of Gad also went to David in the wilderness. They were experts with both shield and spear and were “lion-faced men, swift as deer upon the mountains.”
Ezer was the chief;
Obadiah was second in command;
Eliab was third in command;
Mishmannah was fourth in command;
Jeremiah was fifth in command;
Attai was sixth in command;
Eliel was seventh in command;
Johanan was eighth in command;
Elzabad was ninth in command;
Jeremiah was tenth in command;
Machbannai was eleventh in command.
14
These men were army officers; the weakest was worth a hundred normal troops, and the greatest was worth a thousand!
15
They crossed the Jordan River during its seasonal flooding and conquered the lowlands on both the east and west banks.
16
Others came to David from Benjamin and Judah.
17
David went out to meet them and said, “If you have come to help me, we are friends; but if you have come to betray me to my enemies when I am innocent, then may the God of our fathers see and judge you.”
18
Then the Holy Spirit came upon them, and Amasai, a leader of The Thirty, replied,
“We are yours, David;
We are on your side, son of Jesse.
Peace, peace be unto you,
And peace to all who aid you;
For your God is with you.”
So David let them join him, and he made them captains of his army.
We soon learned that we were on the island of Malta. The people of the island were very kind to us, building a bonfire on the beach to welcome and warm us in the rain and cold.
3
As Paul gathered an armful of sticks to lay on the fire, a poisonous snake, driven out by the heat, fastened itself onto his hand!
4
The people of the island saw it hanging there and said to each other, “A murderer, no doubt! Though he escaped the sea, justice will not permit him to live!”
5
But Paul shook off the snake into the fire and was unharmed.
6
The people waited for him to begin swelling or suddenly fall dead; but when they had waited a long time and no harm came to him, they changed their minds and decided he was a god.
7
Near the shore where we landed was an estate belonging to Publius, the governor of the island. He welcomed us courteously and fed us for three days.
8
As it happened, Publius’s father was ill with fever and dysentery. Paul went in and prayed for him, and laying his hands on him, healed him!
9
Then all the other sick people in the island came and were cured.
10
As a result we were showered with gifts,
*
and when the time came to sail, people put on board all sorts of things we would need for the trip.
11
It was three months after the shipwreck before we set sail again, and this time it was in
The Twin Brothers
of Alexandria, a ship that had wintered at the island.
12
Our first stop was Syracuse, where we stayed three days.
13
From there we circled around to Rhegium; a day later a south wind began blowing, so the following day we arrived at Puteoli,
14
where we found some believers! They begged us to stay with them seven days. Then we went on to Rome.
15
The brothers in Rome had heard we were coming and came to meet us at the Forum
*
on the Appian Way. Others joined us at The Three Taverns. When Paul saw them, he thanked God and took courage.
16
When we arrived in Rome, Paul was permitted to live wherever he wanted to, though guarded by a soldier.
17
Three days after his arrival, he called together the local Jewish leaders and spoke to them as follows:
“Brothers, I was arrested by the Jews in Jerusalem and handed over to the Roman government for prosecution, even though I had harmed no one nor violated the customs of our ancestors.
18
The Romans gave me a trial and wanted to release me, for they found no cause for the death sentence demanded by the Jewish leaders.
19
But when the Jews protested the decision, I felt it necessary, with no malice against them, to appeal to Caesar.
20
I asked you to come here today so we could get acquainted and I could tell you that it is because I believe the Messiah
*
has come that I am bound with this chain.”
21
They replied, “We have heard nothing against you! We have had no letters from Judea or reports from those arriving from Jerusalem.
*
22
But we want to hear what you believe, for the only thing we know about these Christians is that they are denounced everywhere!”
23
So a time was set, and on that day large numbers came to his house. He told them about the Kingdom of God and taught them about Jesus from the Scriptures—from the five books of Moses and the books of prophecy. He began lecturing in the morning and went on into the evening!
24
Some believed and some didn’t.
25
But after they had argued back and forth among themselves, they left with this final word from Paul ringing in their ears: “The Holy Spirit was right when he said through Isaiah the prophet,
26
‘Say to the Jews, “You will hear and see but not understand,
27
for your hearts are too fat and your ears don’t listen and you have closed your eyes against understanding, for you don’t want to see and hear and understand and turn to me to heal you.”’
*
28-29
*
So I want you to realize that this salvation from God is available to the Gentiles too, and they will accept it.”
30
Paul lived for the next two years in his rented house
*
and welcomed all who visited him,
31
telling them with all boldness about the Kingdom of God and about the Lord Jesus Christ; and no one tried to stop him.
O Lord, I will praise you with all my heart and tell everyone about the marvelous things you do.
2
I will be glad, yes, filled with joy because of you. I will sing your praises, O Lord God above all gods.
*
3
My enemies will fall back and perish in your presence;
4
you have vindicated me; you have endorsed my work, declaring from your throne that it is good.
*
5
You have rebuked the nations and destroyed the wicked, blotting out their names forever and ever.
6
O enemies of mine, you are doomed forever. The Lord will destroy your cities; even the memory of them will disappear.
7-8
But the Lord lives on forever; he sits upon his throne to judge justly the nations of the world.
9
All who are oppressed may come to him. He is a refuge for them in their times of trouble.
10
All those who know your mercy, Lord, will count on you for help. For you have never yet forsaken those who trust in you.
11
Oh, sing out your praises to the God who lives in Jerusalem.
*
Tell the world about his unforgettable deeds.
12
He who avenges murder has an open ear to those who cry to him for justice. He does not ignore the prayers of men in trouble when they call to him for help.