Mark 7:1-13; 2 Samuel 17; Daniel 11:1-19

Mark 7:1-13

1 The Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Him.

2 They observed that some of His disciples were eating their bread with unclean-that is, unwashed-hands.

3 (For the Pharisees, in fact all the Jews, will not eat unless they wash their hands ritually, keeping the tradition of the elders.

4 When they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they have washed. And there are many other customs they have received and keep, like the washing of cups, jugs, copper utensils, and dining couches.)

5 Then the Pharisees and the scribes asked Him, "Why don't Your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders, instead of eating bread with ritually unclean hands?"

6 He answered them, "Isaiah prophesied correctly about you hypocrites, as it is written: These people honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me.

7 They worship Me in vain, teaching as doctrines the commands of men.

8 Disregarding the command of God, you keep the tradition of men."

9 He also said to them, "You completely invalidate God's command in order to maintain your tradition!

10 For Moses said: Honor your father and your mother; and, Whoever speaks evil of father or mother must be put to death.

11 But you say, 'If a man tells his father or mother: Whatever benefit you might have received from me is Corban ' " (that is, a gift [committed to the temple]),

12 "you no longer let him do anything for his father or mother.

13 You revoke God's word by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many other similar things."

2 Samuel 17

1 Ahithophel said to Absalom, "Let me choose 12,000 men, and I will set out in pursuit of David tonight.

2 I will attack him while he is weak and weary, throw him into a panic, and all the people with him will scatter. I will strike down only the king

3 and bring all the people back to you. When everyone returns [except] the man you're seeking, all the people will be at peace."

4 This proposal seemed good to Absalom and all the elders of Israel.

5 Then Absalom said, "Summon Hushai the Archite also. Let's hear what he has to say as well."

6 So Hushai came to Absalom, and Absalom told him: "Ahithophel offered this proposal. Should we carry out his proposal? If not, what do you say?"

7 Hushai replied to Absalom, "The advice Ahithophel has given this time is not good."

8 Hushai continued, "You know your father and his men. They are warriors and are desperate like a wild bear robbed of her cubs. Your father is an experienced soldier who won't spend the night with the people.

9 He's probably already hiding in one of the caves or some other place. If some of our troops fall first, someone is sure to hear and say, 'There's been a slaughter among the people who follow Absalom.'

10 Then, even a brave man with the heart of a lion will melt because all Israel knows that your father and the valiant men with him are warriors.

11 Instead, I advise that all Israel from Dan to Beer-sheba-as numerous as the sand by the sea-be gathered to you and that you personally go into battle.

12 Then we will attack David wherever we find him, and we will descend on him like dew on the ground. Not even one will be left of all the men with him.

13 If he retreats to some city, all Israel will bring ropes to that city, and we will drag its [stones] into the valley until not even a pebble can be found there."

14 Since the Lord had decreed that Ahithophel's good advice be undermined in order to bring about Absalom's ruin, Absalom and all the men of Israel said, "The advice of Hushai the Archite is better than Ahithophel's advice."

15 Hushai then told the priests Zadok and Abiathar, "This is what Ahithophel advised Absalom and the elders of Israel, and this is what I advised.

16 Now send someone quickly and tell David, 'Don't spend the night at the wilderness ford [of the Jordan], but be sure to cross over, or the king and all the people with him will be destroyed.' "

17 Jonathan and Ahimaaz were staying at En-rogel, where a servant girl would come and pass along information to them. They in turn would go and inform King David, because they dared not be seen entering the city.

18 However, a young man did see them and informed Absalom. So the two left quickly and came to the house of a man in Bahurim. He had a well in his courtyard, and they climbed down into it.

19 Then his wife took the cover, placed it over the mouth of the well, and scattered grain on it so nobody would know anything.

20 Absalom's servants came to the woman at the house and asked, "Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?" "They passed by toward the water," the woman replied to them. The men searched but did not find [them], so they returned to Jerusalem.

21 After they had gone, Ahimaaz and Jonathan climbed out of the well and went and informed King David. They told him, "Get up and immediately ford the river, for Ahithophel has given this advice against you."

22 So David and all the people with him got up and crossed the Jordan. By daybreak, there was no one who had not crossed the Jordan.

23 When Ahithophel realized that his advice had not been followed, he saddled his donkey and set out for his house in his hometown. He set his affairs in order and hanged himself. So he died and was buried in his father's tomb.

24 David had arrived at Mahanaim by the time Absalom crossed the Jordan with all the men of Israel.

25 Now Absalom had appointed Amasa over the army in Joab's place. Amasa was the son of a man named Ithra the Israelite;Ithra had married Abigail daughter of Nahash. Abigail was a sister to Zeruiah, Joab's mother.

26 And Israel and Absalom camped in the land of Gilead.

27 When David came to Mahanaim, Shobi son of Nahash from Rabbah of the Ammonites, Machir son of Ammiel from Lo-debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite from Rogelim

28 brought beds, basins, and pottery items. [They also brought] wheat, barley, flour, roasted grain, beans, lentils,

29 honey, curds, sheep, and cheese from the herd for David and the people with him to eat. They had reasoned, "The people must be hungry, exhausted, and thirsty in the desert."

Daniel 11:1-19

1 In the first year of Darius the Mede, I stood up to strengthen and protect him.

2 Now I will tell you the truth. "Three more kings will arise in Persia, and the fourth will be far richer than the others. By the power he gains through his riches, he will stir up everyone against the kingdom of Greece.

3 Then a warrior king will arise; he will rule a vast realm and do whatever he wants.

4 But as soon as he is established, his kingdom will be broken up and divided to the four winds of heaven, but not to his descendants; it will not be the same kingdom that he ruled, because his kingdom will be uprooted and will go to others besides them.

5 "The king of the South will grow powerful, but one of his commanders will grow more powerful and will rule a kingdom greater than his.

6 After some years they will form an alliance, and the daughter of the king of the South will go to the king of the North to seal the agreement. She will not retain power, and his strength will not endure. She will be given up, together with her entourage, her father, and the one who supported her during those times.

7 In the place of the king of the South, one from her family will rise up, come against the army, and enter the fortress of the king of the North. He will take action against them and triumph.

8 He will take even their gods captive to Egypt, with their metal images and their precious articles of silver and gold. For some years he will stay away from the king of the North,

9 who will enter the kingdom of the king of the South and then return to his own land.

10 "His sons will mobilize for war and assemble a large number of armed forces. They will advance, sweeping through like a flood,and will again wage war as far as his fortress.

11 Infuriated, the king of the South will march out to fight with the king of the North, who will raise a great multitude, but the multitude will be handed over to his enemy.

12 When the multitude is carried off, he will become arrogant and cause tens of thousands to fall, but he will not triumph.

13 The king of the North will again raise a multitude larger than the first. After some years he will advance with a great army and many supplies.

14 "In those times many will rise up against the king of the South. Violent ones among your own people will assert themselves to fulfill a vision, but they will fail.

15 Then the king of the North will come, build up an assault ramp, and capture a well-fortified city. The forces of the South will not stand; even their select troops will not be able to resist.

16 The king of the North who comes against him will do whatever he wants, and no one can oppose him. He will establish himself in the beautiful landwith total destruction in his hand.

17 He will resolve to come with the force of his whole kingdom and will reach an agreement with him. He will give him a daughter in marriage to destroy it, but she will not stand with him or support him.

18 Then he will turn his attention to the coasts and islands and capture many. But a commander will put an end to his taunting; instead, he will turn his taunts against him.

19 He will turn his attention back to the fortresses of his own land, but he will stumble, fall, and be no more.