CIL Daily Bible Readings

CIL Daily Bible Readings

By Christadelphian Isolation LeagueReligion & SpiritualityChristianity
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CIL Daily Bible Readings episodes

  • 2nd Samuel 22
    And David spake unto the LORD the words of this song in the day that the LORD had delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul:
    And he said, The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer;
    The God of my rock; in him will I trust: he is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my saviour; thou savest me from violence.
    I will call on the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.
    When the waves of death compassed me, the floods of ungodly men made me afraid;
    The sorrows of hell compassed me about; the snares of death prevented me;
    In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried to my God: and he did hear my voice out of his temple, and my cry did enter into his ears.
    Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations of heaven moved and shook, because he was wroth.
    There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it.
    He bowed the heavens also, and came down; and darkness was under his feet.
    And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: and he was seen upon the wings of the wind.
    And he made darkness pavilions round about him, dark waters, and thick clouds of the skies.
    Through the brightness before him were coals of fire kindled.
    The LORD thundered from heaven, and the most High uttered his voice.
    And he sent out arrows, and scattered them; lightning, and discomfited them.
    And the channels of the sea appeared, the foundations of the world were discovered, at the rebuking of the LORD, at the blast of the breath of his nostrils.
    He sent from above, he took me; he drew me out of many waters;
    He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them that hated me: for they were too strong for me.
    They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the LORD was my stay.
    He brought me forth also into a large place: he delivered me, because he delighted in me.
    The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness: according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.
    For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God.
    For all his judgments were before me: and as for his statutes, I did not depart from them.
    I was also upright before him, and have kept myself from mine iniquity.
    Therefore the LORD hath recompensed me according to my righteousness; according to my cleanness in his eye sight.
    With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful, and with the upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright.
    With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself unsavoury.
    And the afflicted people thou wilt save: but thine eyes are upon the haughty, that thou mayest bring them down.
    For thou art my lamp, O LORD: and the LORD will lighten my darkness.
    For by thee I have run through a troop: by my God have I leaped over a wall.
    As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all them that trust in him.
    For who is God, save the LORD? and who is a rock, save our God?
    God is my strength and power: and he maketh my way perfect.
    He maketh my feet like hinds' feet: and setteth me upon my high places.
    He teacheth my hands to war; so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms.
    Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy gentleness hath made me great.
    Thou hast enlarged my steps under me; so that my feet did not slip.
    I have pursued mine enemies, and destroyed them; and turned not again until I had consumed them.
    And I have consumed them, and wounded them, that they could not arise: yea, they are fallen under my feet.
    For thou hast girded me with strength to battle: them that rose up against me hast thou subdued under me.
    Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies, that I might destroy them that hate me.
    They looked, but there was none to save; even unto the LORD, but he answered them not.
    Then did I beat them as small as the dust of the earth, I did stam
    6 min
  • 2nd Samuel 20,21
    And there happened to be there a man of Belial, whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjamite: and he blew a trumpet, and said, We have no part in David, neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to his tents, O Israel.
    So every man of Israel went up from after David, and followed Sheba the son of Bichri: but the men of Judah clave unto their king, from Jordan even to Jerusalem.
    And David came to his house at Jerusalem; and the king took the ten women his concubines, whom he had left to keep the house, and put them in ward, and fed them, but went not in unto them. So they were shut up unto the day of their death, living in widowhood.
    Then said the king to Amasa, Assemble me the men of Judah within three days, and be thou here present.
    So Amasa went to assemble the men of Judah: but he tarried longer than the set time which he had appointed him.
    And David said to Abishai, Now shall Sheba the son of Bichri do us more harm than did Absalom: take thou thy lord's servants, and pursue after him, lest he get him fenced cities, and escape us.
    And there went out after him Joab's men, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, and all the mighty men: and they went out of Jerusalem, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri.
    When they were at the great stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa went before them. And Joab's garment that he had put on was girded unto him, and upon it a girdle with a sword fastened upon his loins in the sheath thereof; and as he went forth it fell out.
    And Joab said to Amasa, Art thou in health, my brother? And Joab took Amasa by the beard with the right hand to kiss him.
    But Amasa took no heed to the sword that was in Joab's hand: so he smote him therewith in the fifth rib, and shed out his bowels to the ground, and struck him not again; and he died. So Joab and Abishai his brother pursued after Sheba the son of Bichri.
    And one of Joab's men stood by him, and said, He that favoureth Joab, and he that is for David, let him go after Joab.
    And Amasa wallowed in blood in the midst of the highway. And when the man saw that all the people stood still, he removed Amasa out of the highway into the field, and cast a cloth upon him, when he saw that every one that came by him stood still.
    When he was removed out of the highway, all the people went on after Joab, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri.
    And he went through all the tribes of Israel unto Abel, and to Bethmaachah, and all the Berites: and they were gathered together, and went also after him.
    And they came and besieged him in Abel of Bethmaachah, and they cast up a bank against the city, and it stood in the trench: and all the people that were with Joab battered the wall, to throw it down.
    Then cried a wise woman out of the city, Hear, hear; say, I pray you, unto Joab, Come near hither, that I may speak with thee.
    And when he was come near unto her, the woman said, Art thou Joab? And he answered, I am he. Then she said unto him, Hear the words of thine handmaid. And he answered, I do hear.
    Then she spake, saying, They were wont to speak in old time, saying, They shall surely ask counsel at Abel: and so they ended the matter.
    I am one of them that are peaceable and faithful in Israel: thou seekest to destroy a city and a mother in Israel: why wilt thou swallow up the inheritance of the LORD?
    And Joab answered and said, Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy.
    The matter is not so: but a man of mount Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri by name, hath lifted up his hand against the king, even against David: deliver him only, and I will depart from the city. And the woman said unto Joab, Behold, his head shall be thrown to thee over the wall.
    Then the woman went unto all the people in her wisdom. And they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri, and cast it out to Joab. And he blew a trumpet, and they retired from the city, every man to his tent. And Joab returned to Jerusalem unto the king.
    Now Joab
    10 min
  • Romans 12
    I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
    And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
    For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
    For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:
    So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.
    Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;
    Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching;
    Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.
    Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.
    Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;
    Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;
    Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;
    Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.
    Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.
    Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.
    Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.
    Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.
    If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.
    Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.
    Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.
    Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.
    3 min
  • Jeremiah 24
    The LORD shewed me, and, behold, two baskets of figs were set before the temple of the LORD, after that Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon had carried away captive Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah, and the princes of Judah, with the carpenters and smiths, from Jerusalem, and had brought them to Babylon.
    One basket had very good figs, even like the figs that are first ripe: and the other basket had very naughty figs, which could not be eaten, they were so bad.
    Then said the LORD unto me, What seest thou, Jeremiah? And I said, Figs; the good figs, very good; and the evil, very evil, that cannot be eaten, they are so evil.
    Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
    Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel; Like these good figs, so will I acknowledge them that are carried away captive of Judah, whom I have sent out of this place into the land of the Chaldeans for their good.
    For I will set mine eyes upon them for good, and I will bring them again to this land: and I will build them, and not pull them down; and I will plant them, and not pluck them up.
    And I will give them an heart to know me, that I am the LORD: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God: for they shall return unto me with their whole heart.
    And as the evil figs, which cannot be eaten, they are so evil; surely thus saith the LORD, So will I give Zedekiah the king of Judah, and his princes, and the residue of Jerusalem, that remain in this land, and them that dwell in the land of Egypt:
    And I will deliver them to be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth for their hurt, to be a reproach and a proverb, a taunt and a curse, in all places whither I shall drive them.
    And I will send the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, among them, till they be consumed from off the land that I gave unto them and to their fathers.
    3 min
  • 2nd Samuel 19
    And it was told Joab, Behold, the king weepeth and mourneth for Absalom.
    And the victory that day was turned into mourning unto all the people: for the people heard say that day how the king was grieved for his son.
    And the people gat them by stealth that day into the city, as people being ashamed steal away when they flee in battle.
    But the king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!
    And Joab came into the house to the king, and said, Thou hast shamed this day the faces of all thy servants, which this day have saved thy life, and the lives of thy sons and of thy daughters, and the lives of thy wives, and the lives of thy concubines;
    In that thou lovest thine enemies, and hatest thy friends. For thou hast declared this day, that thou regardest neither princes nor servants: for this day I perceive, that if Absalom had lived, and all we had died this day, then it had pleased thee well.
    Now therefore arise, go forth, and speak comfortably unto thy servants: for I swear by the LORD, if thou go not forth, there will not tarry one with thee this night: and that will be worse unto thee than all the evil that befell thee from thy youth until now.
    Then the king arose, and sat in the gate. And they told unto all the people, saying, Behold, the king doth sit in the gate. And all the people came before the king: for Israel had fled every man to his tent.
    And all the people were at strife throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, The king saved us out of the hand of our enemies, and he delivered us out of the hand of the Philistines; and now he is fled out of the land for Absalom.
    And Absalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle. Now therefore why speak ye not a word of bringing the king back?
    And king David sent to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, saying, Speak unto the elders of Judah, saying, Why are ye the last to bring the king back to his house? seeing the speech of all Israel is come to the king, even to his house.
    Ye are my brethren, ye are my bones and my flesh: wherefore then are ye the last to bring back the king?
    And say ye to Amasa, Art thou not of my bone, and of my flesh? God do so to me, and more also, if thou be not captain of the host before me continually in the room of Joab.
    And he bowed the heart of all the men of Judah, even as the heart of one man; so that they sent this word unto the king, Return thou, and all thy servants.
    So the king returned, and came to Jordan. And Judah came to Gilgal, to go to meet the king, to conduct the king over Jordan.
    And Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite, which was of Bahurim, hasted and came down with the men of Judah to meet king David.
    And there were a thousand men of Benjamin with him, and Ziba the servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him; and they went over Jordan before the king.
    And there went over a ferry boat to carry over the king's household, and to do what he thought good. And Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king, as he was come over Jordan;
    And said unto the king, Let not my lord impute iniquity unto me, neither do thou remember that which thy servant did perversely the day that my lord the king went out of Jerusalem, that the king should take it to his heart.
    For thy servant doth know that I have sinned: therefore, behold, I am come the first this day of all the house of Joseph to go down to meet my lord the king.
    But Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered and said, Shall not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the LORD's anointed?
    And David said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah, that ye should this day be adversaries unto me? shall there any man be put to death this day in Israel? for do not I know that I am this day king over Israel?
    Therefore the king said unto Shimei, Thou shalt not die. And the king sware unto him.
    And Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king, and had neit
    8 min
  • Romans 10,11
    Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.
    For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.
    For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.
    For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.
    For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them.
    But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:)
    Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.)
    But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;
    That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
    For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
    For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
    For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.
    For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
    How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
    And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
    But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?
    So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
    But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.
    But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you.
    But Esaias is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me.
    But to Israel he saith, All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people.
    I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.
    God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel saying,
    Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life.
    But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal.
    Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.
    And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then it is no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.
    What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded.
    (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day.
    And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock, and a recompence unto them:
    Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway.
    I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.
    Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them t
    9 min
  • Jeremiah 23
    Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the LORD.
    Therefore thus saith the LORD God of Israel against the pastors that feed my people; Ye have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them: behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the LORD.
    And I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase.
    And I will set up shepherds over them which shall feed them: and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall they be lacking, saith the LORD.
    Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.
    In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.
    Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that they shall no more say, The LORD liveth, which brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt;
    But, The LORD liveth, which brought up and which led the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country, and from all countries whither I had driven them; and they shall dwell in their own land.
    Mine heart within me is broken because of the prophets; all my bones shake; I am like a drunken man, and like a man whom wine hath overcome, because of the LORD, and because of the words of his holiness.
    For the land is full of adulterers; for because of swearing the land mourneth; the pleasant places of the wilderness are dried up, and their course is evil, and their force is not right.
    For both prophet and priest are profane; yea, in my house have I found their wickedness, saith the LORD.
    Wherefore their way shall be unto them as slippery ways in the darkness: they shall be driven on, and fall therein: for I will bring evil upon them, even the year of their visitation, saith the LORD.
    And I have seen folly in the prophets of Samaria; they prophesied in Baal, and caused my people Israel to err.
    I have seen also in the prophets of Jerusalem an horrible thing: they commit adultery, and walk in lies: they strengthen also the hands of evildoers, that none doth return from his wickedness; they are all of them unto me as Sodom, and the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrah.
    Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts concerning the prophets; Behold, I will feed them with wormwood, and make them drink the water of gall: for from the prophets of Jerusalem is profaneness gone forth into all the land.
    Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they make you vain: they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the LORD.
    They say still unto them that despise me, The LORD hath said, Ye shall have peace; and they say unto every one that walketh after the imagination of his own heart, No evil shall come upon you.
    For who hath stood in the counsel of the LORD, and hath perceived and heard his word? who hath marked his word, and heard it?
    Behold, a whirlwind of the LORD is gone forth in fury, even a grievous whirlwind: it shall fall grievously upon the head of the wicked.
    The anger of the LORD shall not return, until he have executed, and till he have performed the thoughts of his heart: in the latter days ye shall consider it perfectly.
    I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran: I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied.
    But if they had stood in my counsel, and had caused my people to hear my words, then they should have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings.
    Am I a God at hand, saith the LORD, and not a God afar off?
    Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the LORD. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the LORD.
    I have heard what the prophets said, that prophesy lies in my name,
    8 min
  • Romans 9
    I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost,
    That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart.
    For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:
    Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises;
    Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.
    Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:
    Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.
    That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.
    For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sarah shall have a son.
    And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac;
    (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;)
    It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.
    As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.
    What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.
    For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.
    So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.
    For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.
    Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.
    Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will?
    Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?
    Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?
    What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:
    And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,
    Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?
    As he saith also in Osee, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved.
    And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God.
    Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved:
    For he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth.
    And as Esaias said before, Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been as Sodoma, and been made like unto Gomorrha.
    What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith.
    But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness.
    Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone;
    As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
    5 min
  • 2nd Samuel 18
    And David numbered the people that were with him, and set captains of thousands, and captains of hundreds over them.
    And David sent forth a third part of the people under the hand of Joab, and a third part under the hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab's brother, and a third part under the hand of Ittai the Gittite. And the king said unto the people, I will surely go forth with you myself also.
    But the people answered, Thou shalt not go forth: for if we flee away, they will not care for us; neither if half of us die, will they care for us: but now thou art worth ten thousand of us: therefore now it is better that thou succour us out of the city.
    And the king said unto them, What seemeth you best I will do. And the king stood by the gate side, and all the people came out by hundreds and by thousands.
    And the king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Deal gently for my sake with the young man, even with Absalom. And all the people heard when the king gave all the captains charge concerning Absalom.
    So the people went out into the field against Israel: and the battle was in the wood of Ephraim;
    Where the people of Israel were slain before the servants of David, and there was there a great slaughter that day of twenty thousand men.
    For the battle was there scattered over the face of all the country: and the wood devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.
    And Absalom met the servants of David. And Absalom rode upon a mule, and the mule went under the thick boughs of a great oak, and his head caught hold of the oak, and he was taken up between the heaven and the earth; and the mule that was under him went away.
    And a certain man saw it, and told Joab, and said, Behold, I saw Absalom hanged in an oak.
    And Joab said unto the man that told him, And, behold, thou sawest him, and why didst thou not smite him there to the ground? and I would have given thee ten shekels of silver, and a girdle.
    And the man said unto Joab, Though I should receive a thousand shekels of silver in mine hand, yet would I not put forth mine hand against the king's son: for in our hearing the king charged thee and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Beware that none touch the young man Absalom.
    Otherwise I should have wrought falsehood against mine own life: for there is no matter hid from the king, and thou thyself wouldest have set thyself against me.
    Then said Joab, I may not tarry thus with thee. And he took three darts in his hand, and thrust them through the heart of Absalom, while he was yet alive in the midst of the oak.
    And ten young men that bare Joab's armour compassed about and smote Absalom, and slew him.
    And Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel: for Joab held back the people.
    And they took Absalom, and cast him into a great pit in the wood, and laid a very great heap of stones upon him: and all Israel fled every one to his tent.
    Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and reared up for himself a pillar, which is in the king's dale: for he said, I have no son to keep my name in remembrance: and he called the pillar after his own name: and it is called unto this day, Absalom's place.
    Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok, Let me now run, and bear the king tidings, how that the LORD hath avenged him of his enemies.
    And Joab said unto him, Thou shalt not bear tidings this day, but thou shalt bear tidings another day: but this day thou shalt bear no tidings, because the king's son is dead.
    Then said Joab to Cushi, Go tell the king what thou hast seen. And Cushi bowed himself unto Joab, and ran.
    Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok yet again to Joab, But howsoever, let me, I pray thee, also run after Cushi. And Joab said, Wherefore wilt thou run, my son, seeing that thou hast no tidings ready?
    But howsoever, said he, let me run. And he said unto him, Run. Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the plain, and overran Cushi.
    And David sat between the two gates: and the watchman went up to the ro
    7 min
  • Jeremiah 22
    Thus saith the LORD; Go down to the house of the king of Judah, and speak there this word,
    And say, Hear the word of the LORD, O king of Judah, that sittest upon the throne of David, thou, and thy servants, and thy people that enter in by these gates:
    Thus saith the LORD; Execute ye judgment and righteousness, and deliver the spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor: and do no wrong, do no violence to the stranger, the fatherless, nor the widow, neither shed innocent blood in this place.
    For if ye do this thing indeed, then shall there enter in by the gates of this house kings sitting upon the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, he, and his servants, and his people.
    But if ye will not hear these words, I swear by myself, saith the LORD, that this house shall become a desolation.
    For thus saith the LORD unto the king's house of Judah; Thou art Gilead unto me, and the head of Lebanon: yet surely I will make thee a wilderness, and cities which are not inhabited.
    And I will prepare destroyers against thee, every one with his weapons: and they shall cut down thy choice cedars, and cast them into the fire.
    And many nations shall pass by this city, and they shall say every man to his neighbour, Wherefore hath the LORD done thus unto this great city?
    Then they shall answer, Because they have forsaken the covenant of the LORD their God, and worshipped other gods, and served them.
    Weep ye not for the dead, neither bemoan him: but weep sore for him that goeth away: for he shall return no more, nor see his native country.
    For thus saith the LORD touching Shallum the son of Josiah king of Judah, which reigned instead of Josiah his father, which went forth out of this place; He shall not return thither any more:
    But he shall die in the place whither they have led him captive, and shall see this land no more.
    Woe unto him that buildeth his house by unrighteousness, and his chambers by wrong; that useth his neighbour's service without wages, and giveth him not for his work;
    That saith, I will build me a wide house and large chambers, and cutteth him out windows; and it is cieled with cedar, and painted with vermilion.
    Shalt thou reign, because thou closest thyself in cedar? did not thy father eat and drink, and do judgment and justice, and then it was well with him?
    He judged the cause of the poor and needy; then it was well with him: was not this to know me? saith the LORD.
    But thine eyes and thine heart are not but for thy covetousness, and for to shed innocent blood, and for oppression, and for violence, to do it.
    Therefore thus saith the LORD concerning Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah; They shall not lament for him, saying, Ah my brother! or, Ah sister! they shall not lament for him, saying, Ah lord! or, Ah his glory!
    He shall be buried with the burial of an ass, drawn and cast forth beyond the gates of Jerusalem.
    Go up to Lebanon, and cry; and lift up thy voice in Bashan, and cry from the passages: for all thy lovers are destroyed.
    I spake unto thee in thy prosperity; but thou saidst, I will not hear. This hath been thy manner from thy youth, that thou obeyedst not my voice.
    The wind shall eat up all thy pastors, and thy lovers shall go into captivity: surely then shalt thou be ashamed and confounded for all thy wickedness.
    O inhabitant of Lebanon, that makest thy nest in the cedars, how gracious shalt thou be when pangs come upon thee, the pain as of a woman in travail!
    As I live, saith the LORD, though Coniah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah were the signet upon my right hand, yet would I pluck thee thence;
    And I will give thee into the hand of them that seek thy life, and into the hand of them whose face thou fearest, even into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and into the hand of the Chaldeans.
    And I will cast thee out, and thy mother that bare thee, into another country, where ye were not born; and there shall ye die.
    But to the land whereunto they desire to return, t
    7 min

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The Bible Companion is a simple method by which you can be sure that by the end of a year, you have read the whole of the Bible, Old Testament once and New Testament twice. The plan starts on January…