May 13th - Day 133

1 Samuel 14:1-52

1 Samuel 14

1 One day Jonathan son of Saul said to the young man bearing his armor, "Come, let's go over to the Philistine outpost on the other side." But he did not tell his father.

2 Saul was staying on the outskirts of Gibeah under a pomegranate tree in Migron. With him were about six hundred men, 3 among whom was Ahijah, who was wearing an ephod. He was a son of Ichabod's brother Ahitub son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the LORD's priest in Shiloh. No one was aware that Jonathan had left.

4 On each side of the pass that Jonathan intended to cross to reach the Philistine outpost was a cliff; one was called Bozez, and the other Seneh. 5 One cliff stood to the north toward Micmash, the other to the south toward Geba.

6 Jonathan said to his young armor-bearer, "Come, let's go over to the outpost of those uncircumcised fellows. Perhaps the LORD will act in our behalf. Nothing can hinder the LORD from saving, whether by many or by few."

7 "Do all that you have in mind," his armor-bearer said. "Go ahead; I am with you heart and soul."

8 Jonathan said, "Come, then; we will cross over toward the men and let them see us. 9 If they say to us, 'Wait there until we come to you,' we will stay where we are and not go up to them. 10 But if they say, 'Come up to us,' we will climb up, because that will be our sign that the LORD has given them into our hands."

11 So both of them showed themselves to the Philistine outpost. "Look!" said the Philistines. "The Hebrews are crawling out of the holes they were hiding in." 12 The men of the outpost shouted to Jonathan and his armor-bearer, "Come up to us and we'll teach you a lesson."

So Jonathan said to his armor-bearer, "Climb up after me; the LORD has given them into the hand of Israel."

13 Jonathan climbed up, using his hands and feet, with his armor-bearer right behind him. The Philistines fell before Jonathan, and his armor-bearer followed and killed behind him. 14 In that first attack Jonathan and his armor-bearer killed some twenty men in an area of about half an acre. [a]

Israel Routs the Philistines

15 Then panic struck the whole army—those in the camp and field, and those in the outposts and raiding parties—and the ground shook. It was a panic sent by God. [b]

16 Saul's lookouts at Gibeah in Benjamin saw the army melting away in all directions. 17 Then Saul said to the men who were with him, "Muster the forces and see who has left us." When they did, it was Jonathan and his armor-bearer who were not there.

18 Saul said to Ahijah, "Bring the ark of God." (At that time it was with the Israelites.) [c] 19 While Saul was talking to the priest, the tumult in the Philistine camp increased more and more. So Saul said to the priest, "Withdraw your hand."

20 Then Saul and all his men assembled and went to the battle. They found the Philistines in total confusion, striking each other with their swords. 21 Those Hebrews who had previously been with the Philistines and had gone up with them to their camp went over to the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan. 22 When all the Israelites who had hidden in the hill country of Ephraim heard that the Philistines were on the run, they joined the battle in hot pursuit. 23 So the LORD rescued Israel that day, and the battle moved on beyond Beth Aven.

Jonathan Eats Honey

24 Now the men of Israel were in distress that day, because Saul had bound the people under an oath, saying, "Cursed be any man who eats food before evening comes, before I have avenged myself on my enemies!" So none of the troops tasted food.

25 The entire army [d] entered the woods, and there was honey on the ground. 26 When they went into the woods, they saw the honey oozing out, yet no one put his hand to his mouth, because they feared the oath. 27 But Jonathan had not heard that his father had bound the people with the oath, so he reached out the end of the staff that was in his hand and dipped it into the honeycomb. He raised his hand to his mouth, and his eyes brightened. [e] 28 Then one of the soldiers told him, "Your father bound the army under a strict oath, saying, 'Cursed be any man who eats food today!' That is why the men are faint."

29 Jonathan said, "My father has made trouble for the country. See how my eyes brightened [f] when I tasted a little of this honey. 30 How much better it would have been if the men had eaten today some of the plunder they took from their enemies. Would not the slaughter of the Philistines have been even greater?"

31 That day, after the Israelites had struck down the Philistines from Micmash to Aijalon, they were exhausted. 32 They pounced on the plunder and, taking sheep, cattle and calves, they butchered them on the ground and ate them, together with the blood. 33 Then someone said to Saul, "Look, the men are sinning against the LORD by eating meat that has blood in it."

"You have broken faith," he said. "Roll a large stone over here at once." 34 Then he said, "Go out among the men and tell them, 'Each of you bring me your cattle and sheep, and slaughter them here and eat them. Do not sin against the LORD by eating meat with blood still in it.' "

So everyone brought his ox that night and slaughtered it there. 35 Then Saul built an altar to the LORD; it was the first time he had done this.

36 Saul said, "Let us go down after the Philistines by night and plunder them till dawn, and let us not leave one of them alive."

"Do whatever seems best to you," they replied.

But the priest said, "Let us inquire of God here."

37 So Saul asked God, "Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will you give them into Israel's hand?" But God did not answer him that day.

38 Saul therefore said, "Come here, all you who are leaders of the army, and let us find out what sin has been committed today. 39 As surely as the LORD who rescues Israel lives, even if it lies with my son Jonathan, he must die." But not one of the men said a word.

40 Saul then said to all the Israelites, "You stand over there; I and Jonathan my son will stand over here."

"Do what seems best to you," the men replied.

41 Then Saul prayed to the LORD, the God of Israel, "Give me the right answer." [g] And Jonathan and Saul were taken by lot, and the men were cleared. 42 Saul said, "Cast the lot between me and Jonathan my son." And Jonathan was taken.

43 Then Saul said to Jonathan, "Tell me what you have done."

So Jonathan told him, "I merely tasted a little honey with the end of my staff. And now must I die?"

44 Saul said, "May God deal with me, be it ever so severely, if you do not die, Jonathan."

45 But the men said to Saul, "Should Jonathan die—he who has brought about this great deliverance in Israel? Never! As surely as the LORD lives, not a hair of his head will fall to the ground, for he did this today with God's help." So the men rescued Jonathan, and he was not put to death.

46 Then Saul stopped pursuing the Philistines, and they withdrew to their own land.

47 After Saul had assumed rule over Israel, he fought against their enemies on every side: Moab, the Ammonites, Edom, the kings [h] of Zobah, and the Philistines. Wherever he turned, he inflicted punishment on them. [i] 48 He fought valiantly and defeated the Amalekites, delivering Israel from the hands of those who had plundered them.

Saul's Family

49 Saul's sons were Jonathan, Ishvi and Malki-Shua. The name of his older daughter was Merab, and that of the younger was Michal. 50 His wife's name was Ahinoam daughter of Ahimaaz. The name of the commander of Saul's army was Abner son of Ner, and Ner was Saul's uncle. 51 Saul's father Kish and Abner's father Ner were sons of Abiel.

52 All the days of Saul there was bitter war with the Philistines, and whenever Saul saw a mighty or brave man, he took him into his service.

Footnotes:

1. 1 Samuel 14:14 Hebrew half a yoke ; a "yoke" was the land plowed by a yoke of oxen in one day.
   
2. 1 Samuel 14:15 Or a terrible panic
   
3. 1 Samuel 14:18 Hebrew; Septuagint "Bring the ephod." ( At that time he wore the ephod before the Israelites. )
   
4. 1 Samuel 14:25 Or Now all the people of the land
   
5. 1 Samuel 14:27 Or his strength was renewed
   
6. 1 Samuel 14:29 Or my strength was renewed
   
7. 1 Samuel 14:41 Hebrew; Septuagint "Why have you not answered your servant today? If the fault is in me or my son Jonathan, respond with Urim, but if the men of Israel are at fault, respond with Thummim."
   
8. 1 Samuel 14:47 Masoretic Text; Dead Sea Scrolls and Septuagint king
   
9. 1 Samuel 14:47 Hebrew; Septuagint he was victorious

John 7:31-53



31Still, many in the crowd put their faith in him. They said, "When the Christ comes, will he do more miraculous signs than this man?"

32The Pharisees heard the crowd whispering such things about him. Then the chief priests and the Pharisees sent temple guards to arrest him.

33Jesus said, "I am with you for only a short time, and then I go to the one who sent me. 34You will look for me, but you will not find me; and where I am, you cannot come."

35The Jews said to one another, "Where does this man intend to go that we cannot find him? Will he go where our people live scattered among the Greeks, and teach the Greeks? 36What did he mean when he said, 'You will look for me, but you will not find me,' and 'Where I am, you cannot come'?"

37On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. 38Whoever believes in me, as[a] the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him." 39By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.

40On hearing his words, some of the people said, "Surely this man is the Prophet."

41Others said, "He is the Christ."

Still others asked, "How can the Christ come from Galilee? 42Does not the Scripture say that the Christ will come from David's family[b] and from Bethlehem, the town where David lived?" 43Thus the people were divided because of Jesus. 44Some wanted to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him.

Unbelief of the Jewish Leaders

45Finally the temple guards went back to the chief priests and Pharisees, who asked them, "Why didn't you bring him in?"

46"No one ever spoke the way this man does," the guards declared.

47"You mean he has deceived you also?" the Pharisees retorted. 48"Has any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed in him? 49No! But this mob that knows nothing of the law—there is a curse on them."

50Nicodemus, who had gone to Jesus earlier and who was one of their own number, asked, 51"Does our law condemn anyone without first hearing him to find out what he is doing?"

52They replied, "Are you from Galilee, too? Look into it, and you will find that a prophet[c] does not come out of Galilee."

((The earliest and most reliable manuscripts and other ancient witnesses do not have John 7:53-8:11.))

53Then each went to his own home.

Footnotes:

1. John 7:38 Or / If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me. / And let him drink, 38 who believes in me. / As
   
2. John 7:42 Greek seed
   
3. John 7:52 Two early manuscripts the Prophet

Psalm 109:1-31



Psalm 109

For the director of music. Of David. A psalm.

1 O God, whom I praise,

do not remain silent,

2 for wicked and deceitful men

have opened their mouths against me;

they have spoken against me with lying tongues.

3 With words of hatred they surround me;

they attack me without cause.

4 In return for my friendship they accuse me,

but I am a man of prayer.

5 They repay me evil for good,

and hatred for my friendship.

6 Appoint [a] an evil man [b] to oppose him;

let an accuser [c] stand at his right hand.

7 When he is tried, let him be found guilty,

and may his prayers condemn him.

8 May his days be few;

may another take his place of leadership.

9 May his children be fatherless

and his wife a widow.

10 May his children be wandering beggars;

may they be driven [d] from their ruined homes.

11 May a creditor seize all he has;

may strangers plunder the fruits of his labor.

12 May no one extend kindness to him

or take pity on his fatherless children.

13 May his descendants be cut off,

their names blotted out from the next generation.

14 May the iniquity of his fathers be remembered before the LORD;

may the sin of his mother never be blotted out.

15 May their sins always remain before the LORD,

that he may cut off the memory of them from the earth.

16 For he never thought of doing a kindness,

but hounded to death the poor

and the needy and the brokenhearted.

17 He loved to pronounce a curse—

may it [e] come on him;

he found no pleasure in blessing—

may it be [f] far from him.

18 He wore cursing as his garment;

it entered into his body like water,

into his bones like oil.

19 May it be like a cloak wrapped about him,

like a belt tied forever around him.

20 May this be the LORD's payment to my accusers,

to those who speak evil of me.

21 But you, O Sovereign LORD,

deal well with me for your name's sake;

out of the goodness of your love, deliver me.

22 For I am poor and needy,

and my heart is wounded within me.

23 I fade away like an evening shadow;

I am shaken off like a locust.

24 My knees give way from fasting;

my body is thin and gaunt.

25 I am an object of scorn to my accusers;

when they see me, they shake their heads.

26 Help me, O LORD my God;

save me in accordance with your love.

27 Let them know that it is your hand,

that you, O LORD, have done it.

28 They may curse, but you will bless;

when they attack they will be put to shame,

but your servant will rejoice.

29 My accusers will be clothed with disgrace

and wrapped in shame as in a cloak.

30 With my mouth I will greatly extol the LORD;

in the great throng I will praise him.

31 For he stands at the right hand of the needy one,

to save his life from those who condemn him.

Footnotes:

1. Psalm 109:6 Or They say: "Appoint (with quotation marks at the end of verse 19)
   
2. Psalm 109:6 Or the Evil One
   
3. Psalm 109:6 Or let Satan
   
4. Psalm 109:10 Septuagint; Hebrew sought
   
5. Psalm 109:17 Or curse, / and it has
   
6. Psalm 109:17 Or blessing, / and it is

Proverbs 15:5-7



5 A fool spurns his father's discipline,

but whoever heeds correction shows prudence.

6 The house of the righteous contains great treasure,

but the income of the wicked brings them trouble.

7 The lips of the wise spread knowledge;

not so the hearts of fools.