2 Samuel 21; 2 Samuel 22; Luke 18:24-43

1 During the time David was king, there was a shortage of food that lasted for three years. So David prayed to the Lord. The Lord answered, "Saul and his family of murderers are the reason for this shortage, because he killed the Gibeonites."

2 (Now the Gibeonites were not Israelites; they were a group of Amorites who were left alive. The Israelites had promised not to hurt the Gibeonites, but Saul had tried to kill them, because he was eager to help the people of Israel and Judah.) King David called the Gibeonites together and spoke to them.

3 He asked, "What can I do for you? How can I make up for the harm done so you can bless the Lord's people?"

4 The Gibeonites said to David, "We cannot demand silver or gold from Saul or his family. And we don't have the right to kill anyone in Israel." Then David asked, "What do you want me to do for you?"

5 The Gibeonites said, "Saul made plans against us and tried to destroy all our people who are left in the land of Israel.

6 So bring seven of his sons to us. Then we will kill them and hang them on stakes in the presence of the Lord at Gibeah, the hometown of Saul, the Lord's chosen king." The king said, "I will give them to you."

7 But the king protected Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, because of the promise he had made to Jonathan in the Lord's name.

8 The king did take Armoni and Mephibosheth, sons of Rizpah and Saul. (Rizpah was the daughter of Aiah.) And the king took the five sons of Saul's daughter Merab. (Adriel son of Barzillai the Meholathite was the father of Merab's five sons.)

9 David gave these seven sons to the Gibeonites. Then the Gibeonites killed them and hung them on stakes on a hill in the presence of the Lord. All seven sons died together. They were put to death during the first days of the harvest season at the beginning of barley harvest.

10 Aiah's daughter Rizpah took the rough cloth that was worn to show sadness and put it on a rock for herself. She stayed there from the beginning of the harvest until the rain fell on her sons' bodies. During the day she did not let the birds of the sky touch her sons' bodies, and during the night she did not let the wild animals touch them.

11 People told David what Aiah's daughter Rizpah, Saul's slave woman, was doing.

12 Then David took the bones of Saul and Jonathan from the men of Jabesh Gilead. (The Philistines had hung the bodies of Saul and Jonathan in the public square of Beth Shan after they had killed Saul at Gilboa. Later the men of Jabesh Gilead had secretly taken them from there.)

13 David brought the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan from Gilead. Then the people gathered the bodies of Saul's seven sons who were hanged on stakes.

14 The people buried the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan at Zela in Benjamin in the tomb of Saul's father Kish. The people did everything the king commanded. Then God answered the prayers for the land.

15 Again there was war between the Philistines and Israel. David and his men went out to fight the Philistines, but David became tired.

16 Ishbi-Benob, one of the sons of Rapha, had a bronze spearhead weighing about seven and one-half pounds and a new sword. He planned to kill David,

17 but Abishai son of Zeruiah killed the Philistine and saved David's life. Then David's men made a promise to him, saying, "Never again will you go out with us to battle. If you were killed, Israel would lose its greatest leader."

18 Later, at Gob, there was another battle with the Philistines. Sibbecai the Hushathite killed Saph, another one of the sons of Rapha.

19 Later, there was another battle at Gob with the Philistines. Elhanan son of Jaare-Oregim from Bethlehem killed Goliathn from Gath. His spear was as large as a weaver's rod.

20 At Gath another battle took place. A huge man was there; he had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot -- twenty-four fingers and toes in all. This man also was one of the sons of Rapha.

21 When he challenged Israel, Jonathan son of Shimeah, David's brother, killed him.

22 These four sons of Rapha from Gath were killed by David and his men.

1 David sang this song to the Lord when the Lord saved him from Saul and all his other enemies.

2 He said: "The Lord is my rock, my protection, my Savior.

3 My God is my rock. I can run to him for safety. He is my shield and my saving strength, my defender and my place of safety. The Lord saves me from those who want to harm me.

4 I will call to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and I will be saved from my enemies.

5 "The waves of death came around me; the deadly rivers overwhelmed me.

6 The ropes of death wrapped around me. The traps of death were before me.

7 In my trouble I called to the Lord; I cried out to my God. From his temple he heard my voice; my call for help reached his ears.

8 "The earth trembled and shook. The foundations of heaven began to shake. They trembled because the Lord was angry.

9 Smoke came out of his nose, and burning fire came out of his mouth. Burning coals went before him.

10 He tore open the sky and came down with dark clouds under his feet.

11 He rode a creature with wings and flew. He raced on the wings of the wind.

12 He made darkness his shelter, surrounded by fog and clouds.

13 Out of the brightness of his presence came flashes of lightning.

14 The Lord thundered from heaven; the Most High raised his voice.

15 He shot his arrows and scattered his enemies. His bolts of lightning confused them with fear.

16 The Lord spoke strongly. The wind blew from his nose. Then the valleys of the sea appeared, and the foundations of the earth were seen.

17 "The Lord reached down from above and took me; he pulled me from the deep water.

18 He saved me from my powerful enemies, from those who hated me, because they were too strong for me.

19 They attacked me at my time of trouble, but the Lord supported me.

20 He took me to a safe place. Because he delights in me, he saved me.

21 "The Lord spared me because I did what was right. Because I have not done evil, he has rewarded me.

22 I have followed the ways of the Lord; I have not done evil by turning from my God.

23 I remember all his laws and have not broken his rules.

24 I am innocent before him; I have kept myself from doing evil.

25 The Lord rewarded me because I did what was right, because I did what the Lord said was right.

26 "Lord, you are loyal to those who are loyal, and you are good to those who are good.

27 You are pure to those who are pure, but you are against those who are evil.

28 You save the humble, but you bring down those who are proud.

29 Lord, you give light to my lamp. The Lord brightens the darkness around me.

30 With your help I can attack an army. With God's help I can jump over a wall.

31 "The ways of God are without fault; the Lord's words are pure. He is a shield to those who trust him.

32 Who is God? Only the Lord. Who is the Rock? Only our God.

33 God is my protection. He makes my way free from fault.

34 He makes me like a deer that does not stumble; he helps me stand on the steep mountains.

35 He trains my hands for battle so my arms can bend a bronze bow.

36 You protect me with your saving shield. You have stooped to make me great.

37 You give me a better way to live, so I live as you want me to.

38 I chased my enemies and destroyed them. I did not quit till they were destroyed.

39 I destroyed and crushed them so they couldn't rise up again. They fell beneath my feet.

40 You gave me strength in battle. You made my enemies bow before me.

41 You made my enemies turn back, and I destroyed those who hated me.

42 They called for help, but no one came to save them. They called to the Lord, but he did not answer them.

43 I beat my enemies into pieces, like dust on the ground. I poured them out and walked on them like mud in the streets.

44 "You saved me when my people attacked me. You kept me as the leader of nations. People I never knew serve me.

45 Foreigners obey me. As soon as they hear me, they obey me.

46 They all become afraid and tremble in their hiding places.

47 "The Lord lives! Praise God, the Rock, who saves me!

48 God gives me victory over my enemies and brings people under my rule.

49 He frees me from my enemies. "You set me over those who hate me. You saved me from cruel men.

50 So I will praise you, Lord, among the nations. I will sing praises to your name.

51 The Lord gives great victories to his king. He is loyal to his appointed king, to David and his descendants forever."

24 Jesus looked at him and said, "It is very hard for rich people to enter the kingdom of God.

25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God."

26 When the people heard this, they asked, "Then who can be saved?"

27 Jesus answered, "God can do things that are not possible for people to do."

28 Peter said, "Look, we have left everything and followed you."

29 Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, all those who have left houses, wives, brothers, parents, or children for the kingdom of God

30 will get much more in this life. And in the age that is coming, they will have life forever."

31 Then Jesus took the twelve apostles aside and said to them, "We are going to Jerusalem. Everything the prophets wrote about the Son of Man will happen.

32 He will be turned over to those who are not Jews. They will laugh at him, insult him, spit on him,

33 beat him with whips, and kill him. But on the third day, he will rise to life again."

34 The apostles did not understand this; the meaning was hidden from them, and they did not realize what was said.

35 As Jesus came near the city of Jericho, a blind man was sitting beside the road, begging.

36 When he heard the people coming down the road, he asked, "What is happening?"

37 They told him, "Jesus, from Nazareth, is going by."

38 The blind man cried out, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"

39 The people leading the group warned the blind man to be quiet. But the blind man shouted even more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"

40 Jesus stopped and ordered the blind man to be brought to him. When he came near, Jesus asked him,

41 "What do you want me to do for you?" He said, "Lord, I want to see."

42 Jesus said to him, "Then see. You are healed because you believed."

43 At once the man was able to see, and he followed Jesus, thanking God. All the people who saw this praised God.