1 Chronicles 10; 1 Chronicles 11; 1 Chronicles 12; John 6:45-71

1 Chronicles 10

1 The Philistines fought a battle against the Israelites on Mount Gilboa. Many Israelites were killed there, and the rest of them, including King Saul and his sons, fled.

2 But the Philistines caught up with them and killed three of Saul's sons, Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchishua.

3 The fighting was heavy around Saul, and he was hit by enemy arrows and badly wounded.

4 He said to the young man carrying his weapons, "Draw your sword and kill me, to keep these godless Philistines from gloating over me." But the young man was too terrified to do it. So Saul took his own sword and threw himself on it.

5 The young man saw that Saul was dead, so he too threw himself on his sword and died.

6 So Saul and his three sons all died together, and none of his descendants ever ruled.

7 When the Israelites who lived in Jezreel Valley heard that the army had fled and that Saul and his sons had died, they abandoned their towns and ran off. Then the Philistines came and occupied them.

8 The day after the battle the Philistines went to plunder the corpses, and they found the bodies of Saul and his sons lying on Mount Gilboa.

9 They cut off Saul's head, stripped off his armor, and sent messengers with them throughout Philistia to tell the good news to their idols and to their people.

10 They put his weapons in one of their temples and hung his head in the temple of their god Dagon.

11 When the people of Jabesh in Gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul,

12 the bravest men went and got the bodies of Saul and his sons and took them to Jabesh. They buried them there under an oak and fasted for seven days.

13 Saul died because he was unfaithful to the Lord. He disobeyed the Lord's commands; he tried to find guidance by consulting the spirits of the dead

14 instead of consulting the Lord. So the Lord killed him and gave control of the kingdom to David son of Jesse.

1 Chronicles 11

1 All the people of Israel went to David at Hebron and said to him, "We are your own flesh and blood.

2 In the past, even when Saul was still our king, you led the people of Israel in battle, and the Lord your God promised you that you would lead his people and be their ruler."

3 So all the leaders of Israel came to King David at Hebron. He made a sacred alliance with them, they anointed him, and he became king of Israel, just as the Lord had promised through Samuel.

4 King David and all the Israelites went and attacked the city of Jerusalem. It was then known as Jebus, and the Jebusites, the original inhabitants of the land, were still living there.

5 The Jebusites told David he would never get inside the city, but David captured their fortress of Zion, and it became known as "David's City."

6 David said, "The first man to kill a Jebusite will be commander of the army!" Joab, whose mother was Zeruiah, led the attack and became commander.

7 Because David went to live in the fortress, it came to be called "David's City."

8 He rebuilt the city, starting at the place where land was filled in on the east side of the hill, and Joab restored the rest of the city.

9 David grew stronger and stronger, because the Lord Almighty was with him.

10 This is the list of David's famous soldiers. Together with the rest of the people of Israel, they helped him become king, as the Lord had promised, and they kept his kingdom strong.

11 First was Jashobeam of the clan of Hachmon, the leader of "The Three." He fought with his spear against three hundred men and killed them all in one battle.

12 Next among the famous "Three" was Eleazar son of Dodo, of the clan of Ahoh.

13 He fought on David's side against the Philistines at the battle of Pas Dammim. He was in a barley field when the Israelites started to run away,

14 so he and his men took a stand in the middle of the field and fought the Philistines. The Lord gave him a great victory.

15 One day three of the thirty leading soldiers went to a rock where David was staying near Adullam Cave, while a band of Philistines was camping in Rephaim Valley.

16 At that time David was on a fortified hill, and a group of Philistines had occupied Bethlehem.

17 David got homesick and said, "How I wish someone would bring me a drink of water from the well by the gate in Bethlehem!"

18 The three famous soldiers forced their way through the Philistine camp, drew some water from the well, and brought it back to David. But he would not drink it; instead he poured it out as an offering to the Lord

19 and said, "I could never drink this! It would be like drinking the blood of these men who risked their lives!" So he refused to drink it. These were the brave deeds of the three famous soldiers.

20 Joab's brother Abishai was the leader of "The Famous Thirty." He fought with his spear against three hundred men and killed them, and became famous among "The Thirty."

21 He was the most famous of "The Thirty" and became their leader, but he was not as famous as "The Three."

22 Benaiah son of Jehoiada from Kabzeel was a famous soldier; he did many brave deeds, including killing two great Moabite warriors. He once went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion.

23 He also killed an Egyptian, a huge man seven and a half feet tall, who was armed with a gigantic spear. Benaiah attacked him with a club, snatched the spear from the Egyptian's hand, and killed him with it.

24 Those were the brave deeds of Benaiah, who was one of "The Thirty."

25 He was outstanding among "The Thirty," but not as famous as "The Three." David put him in charge of his bodyguard.

26 These are the other outstanding soldiers: Asahel, Joab's brother Elhanan son of Dodo from Bethlehem Shammoth from Harod Helez from Pelet Ira son of Ikkesh from Tekoa Abiezer from Anathoth Sibbecai from Hushah Ilai from Ahoh Maharai from Netophah Heled son of Baanah from Netophah Ithai son of Ribai from Gibeah in Benjamin Benaiah from Pirathon Hurai from the valleys near Gaash Abiel from Arbah Azmaveth from Bahurum Eliahba from Shaalbon Hashem from Gizon Jonathan son of Shagee from Harar Ahiam son of Sachar from Harar Eliphal son of Ur Hepher from Mecherah Ahijah from Pelon Hezro from Carmel Naarai son of Ezbai Joel brother of Nathan Mibhar son of Hagri Zelek from Ammon Naharai, Joab's armorbearer, from Beeroth Ira and Gareb from Jattir Uriah the Hittite Zabad son of Ahlai Adina son of Shiza (a leading member of the tribe of Reuben, with his own group of thirty soldiers) Hanan son of Maacah Joshaphat from Mithan Uzzia from Ashterah Shamma and Jeiel, sons of Hotham, from Aroer Jediael and Joha, sons of Shimri, from Tiz Eliel from Mahavah Jeribai and Joshaviah, sons of Elnaam Ithmah from Moab Eliel, Obed, and Jaasiel from Zobah

1 Chronicles 12

1 David was living in Ziklag, where he had gone to escape from King Saul. There he was joined by many experienced, reliable soldiers,

2 members of the tribe of Benjamin, to which Saul belonged. They could shoot arrows and sling stones either right-handed or left-handed.

3 They were under the command of Ahiezer and Joash, sons of Shemaah, from Gibeah. These were the soldiers: Jeziel and Pelet, sons of Azmaveth Beracah and Jehu from Anathoth Ishmaiah from Gibeon, a famous soldier and one of the leaders of "The Thirty" Jeremiah, Jahaziel, Johannan, and Jozabad, from Gederah Eluzai, Jerimoth, Bealiah, Shemariah, and Shephatiah, from Hariph Elkanah, Isshiah, Azarel, Joezer, and Jashobeam, of the clan of Korah Joelah and Zebadiah, sons of Jeroham, from Gedor

8 These are the names of the famous, experienced soldiers from the tribe of Gad who joined David's troops when he was at the desert fort. They were experts with shields and spears, as fierce looking as lions and as quick as mountain deer.

9 They were ranked in the following order: Ezer, Obadiah, Eliab, Mishmannah, Jeremiah, Attai, Eliel, Johanan, Elzabad, Jeremiah, and Machbannai.

14 Some of these men from the tribe of Gad were senior officers in command of a thousand men, and others were junior officers in command of a hundred.

15 In the first month of one year, the time when the Jordan River overflowed its banks, they crossed the river, scattering the people who lived in the valleys both east and west of the river.

16 Once a group of men from the tribes of Benjamin and Judah went out to the fort where David was.

17 David went to meet them and said, "If you are coming as friends to help me, you are welcome here. Join us! But if you intend to betray me to my enemies, even though I have not tried to hurt you, the God of our ancestors will know it and punish you."

18 God's spirit took control of one of them, Amasai, who later became the commander of "The Thirty," and he called out, "David son of Jesse, we are yours! Success to you and those who help you! God is on your side." David welcomed them and made them officers in his army.

19 Some soldiers from the tribe of Manasseh went over to David's side when he was marching out with the Philistines to fight King Saul. Actually he did not help the Philistines, for their kings were afraid that he would betray them to his former master Saul, so they sent him back to Ziklag.

20 These are the soldiers from Manasseh who went over to David's side when he was returning: Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu, and Zillethai. In Manasseh they had all commanded units of a thousand men.

21 They served David as officers over his troops, because they were all outstanding soldiers. Later they were officers in the Israelite army.

22 Almost every day new men joined David's forces, so that his army was soon enormous.

23 When David was at Hebron, many trained soldiers joined his army to help make him king in place of Saul, as the Lord had promised. Their numbers were as follows: Judah: 6,800 well-equipped men, armed with shields and spears; Simeon: 7,100 well-trained men; Levi: 4,600 men; Followers of Jehoiada, descendant of Aaron: 3,700 men; Relatives of Zadok, an able young fighter: 22 leading men; Benjamin (Saul's own tribe): 3,000 men (most of the people of Benjamin had remained loyal to Saul); Ephraim: 20,800 men famous in their own clans; West Manasseh: 18,000 men chosen to go and make David king; Issachar: 200 leaders, together with the men under their command (these leaders knew what Israel should do and the best time to do it); Zebulun: 50,000 loyal and reliable men ready to fight, trained to use all kinds of weapons; Naphtali: 1,000 leaders, together with 37,000 men armed with shields and spears; Dan: 28,600 trained men; Asher: 40,000 men ready for battle; Tribes east of the Jordan - Reuben, Gad, and East Manasseh: 120,000 men trained to use all kinds of weapons.

38 All these soldiers, ready for battle, went to Hebron, determined to make David king over all Israel. All the rest of the people of Israel were united in the same purpose.

39 They spent three days there with David, feasting on the food and drink which their relatives had prepared for them.

40 From as far away as the northern tribes of Issachar, Zebulun, and Naphtali, people came bringing donkeys, camels, mules, and oxen loaded with food - flour, figs, raisins, wine, and olive oil. They also brought cattle and sheep to kill and eat. All this was an expression of the joy that was felt throughout the whole country.

John 6:45-71

45 The prophets wrote, "Everyone will be taught by God.' Anyone who hears the Father and learns from him comes to me.

46 This does not mean that anyone has seen the Father; he who is from God is the only one who has seen the Father.

47 I am telling you the truth: he who believes has eternal life.

48 I am the bread of life.

49 Your ancestors ate manna in the desert, but they died.

50 But the bread that comes down from heaven is of such a kind that whoever eats it will not die.

51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If you eat this bread, you will live forever. The bread that I will give you is my flesh, which I give so that the world may live."

52 This started an angry argument among them. "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?" they asked.

53 Jesus said to them, "I am telling you the truth: if you do not eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you will not have life in yourselves.

54 Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them to life on the last day.

55 For my flesh is the real food; my blood is the real drink.

56 Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood live in me, and I live in them.

57 The living Father sent me, and because of him I live also. In the same way whoever eats me will live because of me.

58 This, then, is the bread that came down from heaven; it is not like the bread that your ancestors ate, but then later died. Those who eat this bread will live forever."

59 Jesus said this as he taught in the synagogue in Capernaum.

60 Many of his followers heard this and said, "This teaching is too hard. Who can listen to it?"

61 Without being told, Jesus knew that they were grumbling about this, so he said to them, "Does this make you want to give up?

62 Suppose, then, that you should see the Son of Man go back up to the place where he was before?

63 What gives life is God's Spirit; human power is of no use at all. The words I have spoken to you bring God's life-giving Spirit.

64 Yet some of you do not believe." (Jesus knew from the very beginning who were the ones that would not believe and which one would betray him.)

65 And he added, "This is the very reason I told you that no people can come to me unless the Father makes it possible for them to do so."

66 Because of this, many of Jesus' followers turned back and would not go with him any more.

67 So he asked the twelve disciples, "And you - would you also like to leave?"

68 Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life.

69 And now we believe and know that you are the Holy One who has come from God."

70 Jesus replied, "I chose the twelve of you, didn't I? Yet one of you is a devil!"

71 He was talking about Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. For Judas, even though he was one of the twelve disciples, was going to betray him.