Read The One Year Bible TLB Online
Authors: Tyndale
The One Year Bible TLB (121 page)
God will help the king to judge the people fairly; there need be no mistakes.
11
The Lord demands fairness in every business deal.
*
He established this principle.
May 31“Now,” Ahithophel said, “give me twelve thousand men to start out after David tonight.
2-3
I will come upon him while he is weary and discouraged, and he and his troops will be thrown into a panic and everyone will run away; and I will kill only the king and let all those who are with him live, and restore them to you.”
4
Absalom and all the elders of Israel approved of the plan,
5
but Absalom said, “Ask Hushai the Archite what he thinks about this.”
6
When Hushai arrived, Absalom told him what Ahithophel had said.
“What is your opinion?” Absalom asked him. “Should we follow Ahithophel’s advice? If not, speak up.”
7
“Well,” Hushai replied, “this time I think Ahithophel has made a mistake.
8
You know your father and his men; they are mighty warriors and are probably as upset as a mother bear who has been robbed of her cubs. And your father is an old soldier and isn’t going to be spending the night among the troops;
9
he has probably already hidden in some pit or cave. And when he comes out and attacks and a few of your men fall, there will be panic among your troops and everyone will start shouting that your men are being slaughtered.
10
Then even the bravest of them, though they have hearts of lions, will be paralyzed with fear; for all Israel knows what a mighty man your father is and how courageous his soldiers are.
11
“What I suggest is that you mobilize the entire army of Israel, bringing them from as far away as Dan and Beersheba, so that you will have a huge force. And I think that you should personally lead the troops.
12
Then when we find him we can destroy his entire army so that not one of them is left alive.
13
And if David has escaped into some city, you will have the entire army of Israel there at your command, and we can take ropes and drag the walls of the city into the nearest valley until every stone is torn down.”
14
Then Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “Hushai’s advice is better than Ahithophel’s.” For the Lord had arranged to defeat the counsel of Ahithophel, which really was the better plan, so that he could bring disaster upon Absalom!
15
Then Hushai reported to Zadok and Abiathar, the priests, what Ahithophel had said and what he himself had suggested instead.
16
“Quick!” he told them. “Find David and urge him not to stay at the ford of the Jordan River tonight. He must go across at once into the wilderness beyond; otherwise he will die, and his entire army with him.”
17
Jonathan and Ahimaaz had been staying at En-rogel so as not to be seen entering and leaving the city. Arrangements had been made for a servant girl to carry to them the messages they were to take to King David.
18
But a boy saw them leaving En-rogel to go to David, and he told Absalom about it. Meanwhile, they escaped to Bahurim where a man hid them inside a well in his backyard.
19
The man’s wife put a cloth over the top of the well with grain on it to dry in the sun; so no one suspected they were there.
20
When Absalom’s men arrived and asked her if she had seen Ahimaaz and Jonathan, she said they had crossed the brook and were gone. They looked for them without success and returned to Jerusalem.
21
Then the two men crawled out of the well and hurried on to King David. “Quick!” they told him, “cross the Jordan tonight!” And they told him how Ahithophel had advised that he be captured and killed.
22
So David and all the people with him went across during the night and were all on the other bank before dawn.
23
Meanwhile, Ahithophel—publicly disgraced when Absalom refused his advice—saddled his donkey, went to his hometown, set his affairs in order, and hanged himself; so he died and was buried beside his father.
24
David soon arrived at Mahanaim. Meanwhile, Absalom had mobilized the entire army of Israel and was leading the men across the Jordan River.
25
Absalom had appointed Amasa as general of the army, replacing Joab. (Amasa was Joab’s second cousin; his father was Ithra, an Ishmaelite, and his mother was Abigail, the daughter of Nahash, who was the sister of Joab’s mother, Zeruiah.)
26
Absalom and the Israeli army now camped in the land of Gilead.
27
When David arrived at Mahanaim, he was warmly greeted by Shobi (son of Nahash of Rabbah, an Ammonite) and Machir (son of Ammiel of Lodebar) and Barzillai (a Gileadite of Rogelim).
28-29
They brought him and those who were with him mats to sleep on, cooking pots, serving bowls, wheat and barley flour, parched grain, beans, lentils, honey, butter, and cheese. For they said, “You must be very tired and hungry and thirsty after your long march through the wilderness.”
When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they put his garments into four piles, one for each of them. But they said, “Let’s not tear up his robe,” for it was seamless. “Let’s throw dice to see who gets it.” This fulfilled the Scripture that says,
“They divided my clothes among them and cast lots for my robe.”
*
25
So that is what they did.
Standing near the cross were Jesus’ mother, Mary, his aunt, the wife of Cleopas, and Mary Magdalene.
26
When Jesus saw his mother standing there beside me, his close friend,
*
he said to her,
“He is your son.”
27
And to me
*
he said,
“She is your mother!”
And from then on I took her into my home.
28
Jesus knew that everything was now finished, and to fulfill the Scriptures said,
“I’m thirsty.”
29
A jar of sour wine was sitting there, so a sponge was soaked in it and put on a hyssop branch and held up to his lips.
30
When Jesus had tasted
*
it, he said,
“It is finished,”
and bowed his head and dismissed his spirit.
31
The Jewish leaders didn’t want the victims hanging there the next day, which was the Sabbath (and a very special Sabbath at that, for it was the Passover), so they asked Pilate to order the legs of the men broken to hasten death; then their bodies could be taken down.
32
So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the two men crucified with Jesus;
33
but when they came to him, they saw that he was dead already, so they didn’t break his.
34
However, one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and blood and water flowed out.
35
I saw all this myself and have given an accurate report so that you also can believe.
*
36-37
The soldiers did this in fulfillment of the Scripture that says, “Not one of his bones shall be broken,” and, “They shall look on him whom they pierced.”
38
Afterwards Joseph of Arimathea, who had been a secret disciple of Jesus for fear of the Jewish leaders, boldly asked Pilate for permission to take Jesus’ body down; and Pilate told him to go ahead. So he came and took it away.
39
Nicodemus, the man who had come to Jesus at night,
*
came too, bringing a hundred pounds of embalming ointment made from myrrh and aloes.
40
Together they wrapped Jesus’ body in a long linen cloth saturated with the spices, as is the Jewish custom of burial.
41
The place of crucifixion was near a grove of trees,
*
where there was a new tomb, never used before.
42
And so, because of the need for haste before the Sabbath, and because the tomb was close at hand, they laid him there.
Your laws are wonderful; no wonder I obey them.
130
As your plan unfolds, even the simple can understand it.
131
No wonder I wait expectantly for each of your commands.
132
Come and have mercy on me as is your way with those who love you.
133
Guide me with your laws so that I will not be overcome by evil.
134
Rescue me from the oppression of evil men; then I can obey you.
135
Look down in love upon me and teach me all your laws.
136
I weep because your laws are disobeyed.
137
O Lord, you are just and your punishments are fair.
138
Your demands are just and right.
139
I am indignant and angry because of the way my enemies have disregarded your laws.
140
I have thoroughly tested your promises, and that is why I love them so much.
141
I am worthless and despised, but I don’t despise your laws.
142
Your justice is eternal for your laws are perfectly fair.
143
In my distress and anguish your commandments comfort me.
144
Your laws are always fair; help me to understand them, and I shall live.
145
I am praying with great earnestness; answer me, O Lord, and I will obey your laws.
146
“Save me,” I cry, “for I am obeying.”
147
Early in the morning before the sun is up, I am praying and pointing out how much I trust in you.
148
I stay awake through the night to think about your promises.
149
Because you are so loving and kind, listen to me and make me well again.
150
Here come these lawless men to attack me,
151
but you are near, O Lord; all your commandments are based on truth.
152
I have known from earliest days that your will never changes.
It is a horrible thing for a king to do evil. His right to rule depends upon his fairness.
*
13
The king rejoices when his people are truthful and fair.
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June 1David now appointed regimental colonels and company commanders over his troops.
2
A third were placed under Joab’s brother, Abishai (the son of Zeruiah); and a third under Ittai, the Gittite. The king planned to lead the army himself, but his men objected strongly.
3
“You mustn’t do it,” they said, “for if we have to turn and run, and half of us die, it will make no difference to them—they will be looking only for you. You are worth ten thousand of us, and it is better that you stay here in the city and send us help if we need it.”
4
“Well, whatever you think best,” the king finally replied. So he stood at the gate of the city as all the troops passed by.
5
And the king commanded Joab, Abishai, and Ittai, “For my sake, deal gently with young Absalom.” And all the troops heard the king give them this charge.
6
So the battle began in the forest of Ephraim,
7
and the Israeli troops were beaten back by David’s men. There was a great slaughter and twenty thousand men laid down their lives that day.
8
The battle raged all across the countryside, and more men disappeared in the forest than were killed.
9
During the battle Absalom came upon some of David’s men and as he fled
*
on his mule, it went beneath the thick boughs of a great oak tree, and his hair caught in the branches. His mule went on, leaving him dangling in the air.
10
One of David’s men saw him and told Joab.
11
“What? You saw him there and didn’t kill him?” Joab demanded. “I would have rewarded you handsomely and made you a commissioned officer.”
*
12
“For a million dollars I wouldn’t do it,” the man replied. “We all heard the king say to you and Abishai and Ittai, ‘For my sake, please don’t harm young Absalom.’
13
And if I had betrayed the king by killing his son (and the king would certainly find out who did it), you yourself would be the first to accuse me.”
14
“Enough of this nonsense,” Joab said. Then he took three daggers and plunged them into the heart of Absalom as he dangled alive from the oak.
15
Ten of Joab’s young armor bearers then surrounded Absalom and finished him off.
16
Then Joab blew the trumpet, and his men returned from chasing the army of Israel.
17
They threw Absalom’s body into a deep pit in the forest and piled a great heap of stones over it. And the army of Israel fled to their homes.
18
(Absalom had built a monument to himself in the King’s Valley, for he said, “I have no sons to carry on my name.” He called it “Absalom’s Monument,” as it is still known today.)
19
Then Zadok’s son Ahimaaz said, “Let me run to King David with the good news that the Lord has saved him from his enemy Absalom.”
20
“No,” Joab told him, “it wouldn’t be good news to the king that his son is dead. You can be my messenger some other time.”
21
Then Joab said to a man from Cush, “Go tell the king what you have seen.” The man bowed and ran off.
22
But Ahimaaz pleaded with Joab, “Please let me go too.”
“No, we don’t need you now, my boy,” Joab replied. “There is no further news to send.”
23
“Yes, but let me go anyway,” he begged.
And Joab finally said, “All right, go ahead.” Then Ahimaaz took a shortcut across the plain and got there ahead of the man from Cush.
24
David was sitting at the gate of the city. When the watchman climbed the stairs to his post at the top of the wall, he saw a lone man running toward them.
25
He shouted the news down to David, and the king replied, “If he is alone, he has news.”
As the messenger came closer,
26
the watchman saw another man running toward them. He shouted down, “Here comes another one.”
And the king replied, “He will have more news.”
27
“The first man looks like Ahimaaz, the son of Zadok,” the watchman said.
“He is a good man and comes with good news,” the king replied.
28
Then Ahimaaz cried out to the king, “All is well!” He bowed low with his face to the ground and said, “Blessed be the Lord your God who has destroyed the rebels who dared to stand against you.”
29
“What of young Absalom?” the king demanded. “Is he all right?”
“When Joab told me to come, there was a lot of shouting; but I didn’t know what was happening,”
*
Ahimaaz answered.
30
“Wait here,” the king told him. So Ahimaaz stepped aside.
31
Then the man from Cush arrived and said, “I have good news for my lord the king. Today Jehovah has rescued you from all those who rebelled against you.”
32
“What about young Absalom? Is he all right?” the king demanded.
And the man replied, “May all of your enemies be as that young man is!”
33
Then the king broke into tears, and went up to his room over the gate, crying as he went. “O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom. If only I could have died for you! O Absalom, my son, my son.”
19:
1
Word soon reached Joab that the king was weeping and mourning for Absalom.
2
As the people heard of the king’s deep grief for his son, the joy of that day’s wonderful victory was turned into deep sadness.
3
The entire army crept back into the city as though they were ashamed and had been beaten in battle.
4
The king covered his face with his hands and kept on weeping, “O my son Absalom! O Absalom my son, my son!”
5
Then Joab went to the king’s room and said to him, “We saved your life today and the lives of your sons, your daughters, your wives, and concubines; and yet you act like this, making us feel ashamed, as though we had done something wrong.
6
You seem to love those who hate you, and hate those who love you. Apparently we don’t mean anything to you; if Absalom had lived and all of us had died, you would be happy.
7
Now go out there and congratulate the troops, for I swear by Jehovah that if you don’t, not a single one of them will remain here during the night; then you will be worse off than you have ever been in your entire life.”
8-10
So the king went out and sat at the city gates, and as the news spread throughout the city that he was there, everyone went to him.
Meanwhile, there was much discussion and argument going on all across the nation: “Why aren’t we talking about bringing the king back?” was the great topic everywhere. “For he saved us from our enemies, the Philistines; and Absalom, whom we made our king instead, chased him out of the country, but now Absalom is dead. Let’s ask David to return and be our king again.”
Early Sunday morning,
*
while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and found that the stone was rolled aside from the entrance.
2
She ran and found Simon Peter and me
*
and said, “They have taken the Lord’s body out of the tomb, and I don’t know where they have put him!”
3-4
We
*
ran to the tomb to see; I outran Peter and got there first,
5
and stooped and looked in and saw the linen cloth lying there, but I didn’t go in.
6
Then Simon Peter arrived and went on inside. He also noticed the cloth lying there,
7
while the swath that had covered Jesus’ head was rolled up in a bundle and was lying at the side.
8
Then I went in too, and saw, and believed that he had risen
*
—
9
for until then we hadn’t realized that the Scriptures said he would come to life again!
10
We
*
went on home,
11
and by that time Mary had returned to the tomb and was standing outside crying. And as she wept, she stooped and looked in
12
and saw two white-robed angels sitting at the head and foot of the place where the body of Jesus had been lying.
13
“Why are you crying?” the angels asked her.
“Because they have taken away my Lord,” she replied, “and I don’t know where they have put him.”
14
She glanced over her shoulder and saw someone standing behind her. It was Jesus, but she didn’t recognize him!
15
“Why are you crying?”
he asked her.
“Whom are you looking for?”
She thought he was the gardener. “Sir,” she said, “if you have taken him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will go and get him.”
16
“Mary!”
Jesus said. She turned toward him.
“Master!” she exclaimed.
17
“Don’t touch me,”
he cautioned,
“for I haven’t yet ascended to the Father. But go find my brothers and tell them that I ascend to my Father and your Father, my God and your God.”
18
Mary Magdalene found the disciples and told them, “I have seen the Lord!” Then she gave them his message.
19
That evening the disciples were meeting behind locked doors, in fear of the Jewish leaders, when suddenly Jesus was standing there among them! After greeting them,
20
he showed them his hands and side. And how wonderful was their joy as they saw their Lord!
21
He spoke to them again and said,
“As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.”
22
Then he breathed on them and told them,
“Receive the Holy Spirit.
23
If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven. If you refuse to forgive them, they are unforgiven.”
24
One of the disciples, Thomas, “The Twin,” was not there at the time with the others.
25
When they kept telling him, “We have seen the Lord,” he replied, “I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands—and put my fingers into them—and place my hand into his side.”
26
Eight days later the disciples were together again, and this time Thomas was with them. The doors were locked; but suddenly, as before, Jesus was standing among them and greeting them.
27
Then he said to Thomas,
“Put your finger into my hands. Put your hand into my side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!”
28
“My Lord and my God!” Thomas said.
29
Then Jesus told him,
“You believe because you have seen me. But blessed are those who haven’t seen me and believe anyway.”
30-31
Jesus’ disciples saw him do many other miracles besides the ones told about in this book, but these are recorded so that you will believe that he is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that believing in him you will have life.
Look down upon my sorrows and rescue me, for I am obeying your commands.
154
Yes, rescue me and give me back my life again just as you have promised.
155
The wicked are far from salvation, for they do not care for your laws.
156
Lord, how great is your mercy; oh, give me back my life again.
157
My enemies are so many. They try to make me disobey, but I have not swerved from your will.
158
I loathed these traitors because they care nothing for your laws.
159
Lord, see how much I really love your demands. Now give me back my life and health because you are so kind.
160
There is utter truth in all your laws; your decrees are eternal.
161
Great men have persecuted me, though they have no reason to, but I stand in awe of only your words.
162
I rejoice in your laws like one who finds a great treasure.
163
How I hate all falsehood, but how I love your laws.
164
I will praise you seven times a day because of your wonderful laws.
165
Those who love your laws have great peace of heart and mind and do not stumble.
166
I long for your salvation, Lord, and so I have obeyed your laws.
167
I have looked for your commandments, and I love them very much;
168
yes, I have searched for them. You know this because everything I do is known to you.
169
O Lord, listen to my prayers; give me the common sense you promised.
170
Hear my prayers; rescue me as you said you would.
171
I praise you for letting me learn your laws.
172
I will sing about their wonder, for each of them is just.
173
Stand ready to help me because I have chosen to follow your will.
174
O Lord, I have longed for your salvation, and your law is my delight.
175
If you will let me live, I will praise you; let your laws assist me.
176
I have wandered away like a lost sheep; come and find me, for I have not turned away from your commandments.