2 Samuel 15:1-16; 16:15-22

2 Samuel 15:1-16; 16:15-22 | June 1, 2025

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2 Samuel 15:1-16 ESV

(1) After this Absalom got himself a chariot and horses, and fifty men to run before him. (2) And Absalom used to rise early and stand beside the way of the gate. And when any man had a dispute to come before the king for judgment, Absalom would call to him and say, "From what city are you?" And when he said, "Your servant is of such and such a tribe in Israel," (3) Absalom would say to him, "See, your claims are good and right, but there is no man designated by the king to hear you." (4) Then Absalom would say, "Oh that I were judge in the land! Then every man with a dispute or cause might come to me, and I would give him justice." (5) And whenever a man came near to pay homage to him, he would put out his hand and take hold of him and kiss him. (6) Thus Absalom did to all of Israel who came to the king for judgment. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel. (7) And at the end of four years Absalom said to the king, "Please let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed to the LORD, in Hebron. (8) For your servant vowed a vow while I lived at Geshur in Aram, saying, 'If the LORD will indeed bring me back to Jerusalem, then I will offer worship to the LORD.'" (9) The king said to him, "Go in peace." So he arose and went to Hebron. (10) But Absalom sent secret messengers throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, "As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then say, 'Absalom is king at Hebron!'" (11) With Absalom went two hundred men from Jerusalem who were invited guests, and they went in their innocence and knew nothing. (12) And while Absalom was offering the sacrifices, he sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's counselor, from his city Giloh. And the conspiracy grew strong, and the people with Absalom kept increasing. (13) And a messenger came to David, saying, "The hearts of the men of Israel have gone after Absalom." (14) Then David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, "Arise, and let us flee, or else there will be no escape for us from Absalom. Go quickly, lest he overtake us quickly and bring down ruin on us and strike the city with the edge of the sword." (15) And the king's servants said to the king, "Behold, your servants are ready to do whatever my lord the king decides." (16) So the king went out, and all his household after him. And the king left ten concubines to keep the house.

2 Samuel 16:15-22

(15) Now Absalom and all the people, the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him. (16) And when Hushai the Archite, David's friend, came to Absalom, Hushai said to Absalom, "Long live the king! Long live the king!" (17) And Absalom said to Hushai, "Is this your loyalty to your friend? Why did you not go with your friend?" (18) And Hushai said to Absalom, "No, for whom the LORD and this people and all the men of Israel have chosen, his I will be, and with him I will remain. (19) And again, whom should I serve? Should it not be his son? As I have served your father, so I will serve you." (20) Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, "Give your counsel. What shall we do?" (21) Ahithophel said to Absalom, "Go in to your father's concubines, whom he has left to keep the house, and all Israel will hear that you have made yourself a stench to your father, and the hands of all who are with you will be strengthened." (22) So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof. And Absalom went in to his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel.

1 Chronicles 13:5–14

1 Chronicles 13:5–14 | May 4, 2025

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1 Chronicles 13:5-14 ESV

(5) So David assembled all Israel from the Nile of Egypt to Lebo-hamath, to bring the ark of God from Kiriath-jearim. (6) And David and all Israel went up to Baalah, that is, to Kiriath-jearim that belongs to Judah, to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the name of the LORD who sits enthroned above the cherubim. (7) And they carried the ark of God on a new cart, from the house of Abinadab, and Uzzah and Ahio were driving the cart. (8) And David and all Israel were celebrating before God with all their might, with song and lyres and harps and tambourines and cymbals and trumpets. (9) And when they came to the threshing floor of Chidon, Uzzah put out his hand to take hold of the ark, for the oxen stumbled. (10) And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzzah, and he struck him down because he put out his hand to the ark, and he died there before God. (11) And David was angry because the LORD had broken out against Uzzah. And that place is called Perez-uzza to this day. (12) And David was afraid of God that day, and he said, "How can I bring the ark of God home to me?" (13) So David did not take the ark home into the city of David, but took it aside to the house of Obed-edom the Gittite. (14) And the ark of God remained with the household of Obed-edom in his house three months. And the LORD blessed the household of Obed-edom and all that he had.

1 Samuel 3

1 Samuel 3 | The Word of the Lord | April 6, 2025

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1 Samuel 3:1-21 ESV

1) Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the LORD in the presence of Eli. And the word of the LORD was rare in those days; there was no frequent vision. (2) At that time Eli, whose eyesight had begun to grow dim so that he could not see, was lying down in his own place. (3) The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was. (4) Then the LORD called Samuel, and he said, "Here I am!" (5) and ran to Eli and said, "Here I am, for you called me." But he said, "I did not call; lie down again." So he went and lay down. (6) And the LORD called again, "Samuel!" and Samuel arose and went to Eli and said, "Here I am, for you called me." But he said, "I did not call, my son; lie down again." (7) Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, and the word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him. (8) And the LORD called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli and said, "Here I am, for you called me." Then Eli perceived that the LORD was calling the boy. (9) Therefore Eli said to Samuel, "Go, lie down, and if he calls you, you shall say, 'Speak, LORD, for your servant hears.'"

So Samuel went and lay down in his place. (10) And the LORD came and stood, calling as at other times, "Samuel! Samuel!" And Samuel said, "Speak, for your servant hears." (11) Then the LORD said to Samuel, "Behold, I am about to do a thing in Israel at which the two ears of everyone who hears it will tingle. (12) On that day I will fulfill against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end. (13) And I declare to him that I am about to punish his house forever, for the iniquity that he knew, because his sons were blaspheming God, and he did not restrain them. (14) Therefore I swear to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be atoned for by sacrifice or offering forever." (15) Samuel lay until morning; then he opened the doors of the house of the LORD. And Samuel was afraid to tell the vision to Eli. (16) But Eli called Samuel and said, "Samuel, my son." And he said, "Here I am." (17) And Eli said, "What was it that he told you? Do not hide it from me. May God do so to you and more also if you hide anything from me of all that he told you." (18) So Samuel told him everything and hid nothing from him. And he said, "It is the LORD. Let him do what seems good to him." (19) And Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground. (20) And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established as a prophet of the LORD. (21) And the LORD appeared again at Shiloh, for the LORD revealed himself to Samuel at Shiloh by the word of the LORD.

Philippians 1:3-11

Philippians 1:3-11 | The Church and Paul’s Prayer | March 2, 2025

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Philippians 1:3-11 ESV

(3) I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, (4) always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, (5) because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. (6) And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. (7) It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. (8) For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.

(9) And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, (10) so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, (11) filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

Psalm 119:9-24

Psalm 119:9-24 | Delight | December 8, 2024

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Psalm 119:9-24 ESV

(9) [Beth] How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word. (10) With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments! (11) I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. (12) Blessed are you, O LORD; teach me your statutes! (13) With my lips I declare all the rules of your mouth. (14) In the way of your testimonies I delight as much as in all riches. (15) I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways. (16) I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word. (17) [Gimel] Deal bountifully with your servant, that I may live and keep your word. (18) Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law. (19) I am a sojourner on the earth; hide not your commandments from me! (20) My soul is consumed with longing for your rules at all times. (21) You rebuke the insolent, accursed ones, who wander from your commandments. (22) Take away from me scorn and contempt, for I have kept your testimonies. (23) Even though princes sit plotting against me, your servant will meditate on your statutes. (24) Your testimonies are my delight; they are my counselors.