Today’s
Reading : 2Samuel 15 – 16 and Romans 14 (KJV)
2Samuel 15
2Sa
15:1 And it came to pass after this, that Absalom
prepared him chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him.
2Sa 15:2 And Absalom rose up early, and stood beside
the way of the gate: and it was so, that
when any man that had a controversy came to the king for judgment, then Absalom
called unto him, and said, Of what city art
thou? And he said, Thy servant is of one
of the tribes of Israel.
2Sa 15:3 And Absalom said unto him, See, thy matters are good and right; but there is
no man deputed of the king to hear thee.
2Sa 15:4 Absalom said moreover, Oh that I were made
judge in the land, that every man which hath any suit or cause might come unto
me, and I would do him justice!
2Sa 15:5 And it was so,
that when any man came nigh to him to do him obeisance, he put forth his hand,
and took him, and kissed him.
2Sa 15:6 And on this manner did Absalom to all Israel
that came to the king for judgment: so Absalom stole the hearts of the men of
Israel.
2Sa 15:7 And it came to pass after forty years, that
Absalom said unto the king, I pray thee, let me go and pay my vow, which I have
vowed unto the LORD, in Hebron.
2Sa 15:8 For thy servant vowed a vow while I abode at Geshur in Syria, saying, If the LORD shall bring me again
indeed to Jerusalem, then I will serve the LORD.
2Sa 15:9 And the king said unto him, Go in peace. So
he arose, and went to Hebron.
2Sa 15:10 But Absalom sent spies throughout all the
tribes of Israel, saying, As soon as ye hear the sound of the trumpet, then ye
shall say, Absalom reigneth in Hebron.
2Sa 15:11 And with Absalom went two hundred men out of
Jerusalem, that were called; and they went in their simplicity,
and they knew not any thing.
2Sa 15:12 And Absalom sent for Ahithophel
the Gilonite, David's counsellor, from his city, even from Giloh, while
he offered sacrifices. And the conspiracy was strong; for the people increased
continually with Absalom.
2Sa 15:13 And there came a messenger to David, saying,
The hearts of the men of Israel are after Absalom.
2Sa 15:14 And David said unto all his servants that were with him at Jerusalem, Arise, and let us
flee; for we shall not else escape from
Absalom: make speed to depart, lest he overtake us suddenly, and bring evil
upon us, and smite the city with the edge of the sword.
2Sa 15:15 And the king's servants said unto the king,
Behold, thy servants are ready to do whatsoever my lord the king shall appoint.
2Sa 15:16 And the king went forth, and all his
household after him. And the king left ten women, which
were concubines, to keep the house.
2Sa 15:17 And the king went forth, and all the people
after him, and tarried in a place that was far off.
2Sa 15:18 And all his servants passed on beside him;
and all the Cherethites, and all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites,
six hundred men which came after him from Gath, passed on before the king.
2Sa 15:19 Then said the king to Ittai
the Gittite, Wherefore goest
thou also with us? return to thy place, and abide with the king: for thou art a stranger, and also an exile.
2Sa 15:20 Whereas thou camest
but yesterday, should I this day make
thee go up and down with us? seeing I go whither I may, return thou, and take
back thy brethren: mercy and truth be
with thee.
2Sa 15:21 And Ittai answered
the king, and said, As the LORD liveth, and as my
lord the king liveth, surely in what place my lord
the king shall be, whether in death or life, even there also will thy servant
be.
2Sa 15:22 And David said to Ittai,
Go and pass over. And Ittai the Gittite
passed over, and all his men, and all the little ones that were with him.
2Sa 15:23 And all the country wept with a loud voice,
and all the people passed over: the king also himself passed over the brook Kidron, and all the people passed over, toward the way of
the wilderness.
2Sa 15:24 And lo Zadok also,
and all the Levites were with him,
bearing the ark of the covenant of God: and they set down the ark of God; and Abiathar went up, until all the people had done passing out
of the city.
2Sa 15:25 And the king said unto Zadok,
Carry back the ark of God into the city: if I shall find favour in the eyes of
the LORD, he will bring me again, and show me both
it, and his habitation:
2Sa 15:26 But if he thus say, I have no delight in
thee; behold, here am I, let him do to me as seemeth
good unto him.
2Sa 15:27 The king said also unto Zadok
the priest, Art not thou a seer? return into the city in peace,
and your two sons with you, Ahimaaz thy son, and Jonathan
the son of Abiathar.
2Sa 15:28 See, I will tarry in the plain of the
wilderness, until there come word from you to certify me.
2Sa 15:29 Zadok therefore and
Abiathar carried the ark of God again to Jerusalem:
and they tarried there.
2Sa 15:30 And David went up by the ascent of mount Olivet, and wept as he went up, and had his
head covered, and he went barefoot: and all the people that was with him covered every man his head, and they
went up, weeping as they went up.
2Sa 15:31 And one
told David, saying, Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom. And David
said, O LORD, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel
into foolishness.
2Sa 15:32 And it came to pass, that when David was come to the top of the mount, where he worshiped God, behold, Hushai the Archite came to meet
him with his coat rent, and earth upon his head:
2Sa 15:33 Unto whom David said, If thou passest on with me, then thou shalt
be a burden unto me:
2Sa 15:34 But if thou return to the city, and say unto
Absalom, I will be thy servant, O king; as
I have been
thy father's servant hitherto, so will I
now also be thy servant: then mayest thou for me defeat the counsel of Ahithophel.
2Sa 15:35 And hast
thou not there with thee Zadok and Abiathar the priests?
therefore it shall be, that what thing soever thou shalt hear out of the
king's house, thou shalt tell it to Zadok and Abiathar the priests.
2Sa 15:36 Behold, they
have there with them their two sons, Ahimaaz Zadok's son, and Jonathan Abiathar's
son; and by them ye shall send unto me
every thing that ye can hear.
2Sa 15:37 So Hushai David's
friend came into the city, and Absalom came into Jerusalem.
2Samuel 16
2Sa
16:1 And when David was a little past the top of the hill, behold, Ziba the
servant of Mephibosheth met him, with a couple of
asses saddled, and upon them two hundred loaves
of bread, and a hundred bunches of raisins, and a hundred of summer fruits, and
a bottle of wine.
2Sa 16:2 And the king said unto Ziba,
What meanest thou by these? And Ziba said, The asses be for the king's household to ride on; and the
bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat; and the wine, that such as be
faint in the wilderness may drink.
2Sa 16:3 And the king said, And where is thy master's son? And Ziba
said unto the king, Behold, he abideth at Jerusalem:
for he said, Today shall the house of Israel restore me the kingdom of my
father.
2Sa 16:4 Then said the king to Ziba,
Behold, thine are
all that pertained unto Mephibosheth. And Ziba said, I
humbly beseech thee that I may find
grace in thy sight, my lord, O king.
2Sa 16:5 And when king David came to Bahurim, behold, thence came out a man of the family of the
house of Saul, whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera: he came forth, and cursed still as
he came.
2Sa 16:6 And he cast stones at David, and at all the
servants of king David: and all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left.
2Sa 16:7 And thus said Shimei
when he cursed, Come out, come out, thou bloody man, and thou man of Belial:
2Sa 16:8 The LORD hath returned upon thee all the
blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned; and the LORD hath
delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son: and, behold, thou art taken
in thy mischief, because thou art a
bloody man.
2Sa 16:9 Then said Abishai
the son of Zeruiah unto the king, Why should this
dead dog curse my lord the king? let me go over, I pray thee, and take off his
head.
2Sa 16:10 And the king said, What have I to do with
you, ye sons of Zeruiah? so let him curse, because
the LORD hath said unto him, Curse David. Who shall then say, Wherefore hast
thou done so?
2Sa 16:11 And David said to Abishai,
and to all his servants, Behold, my son, which came forth of my bowels, seeketh my life: how much more now may this Benjamite do it? let him alone, and let him curse; for the
LORD hath bidden him.
2Sa 16:12 It may be that the LORD will look on mine
affliction, and that the LORD will requite me good for his cursing this day.
2Sa 16:13 And as David and his men went by the way, Shimei went along on the hill's side over against him, and
cursed as he went, and threw stones at him, and cast dust.
2Sa 16:14 And the king, and all the people that were with him, came weary, and refreshed
themselves there.
2Sa 16:15 And Absalom, and all the people the men of
Israel, came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him.
2Sa 16:16 And it came to pass, when Hushai
the Archite, David's friend, was come unto Absalom,
that Hushai said unto Absalom, God save the king, God
save the king.
2Sa 16:17 And Absalom said to Hushai,
Is this thy kindness to thy friend? why wentest thou not with thy friend?
2Sa 16:18 And Hushai said
unto Absalom, Nay; but whom the LORD, and this people, and all the men of
Israel, choose, his will I be, and with him will I abide.
2Sa 16:19 And again, whom should I serve? should I
not serve in the presence of his son? as
I have served in thy father's presence, so will I be in thy presence.
2Sa 16:20 Then said Absalom to Ahithophel,
Give counsel among you what we shall do.
2Sa 16:21 And Ahithophel said
unto Absalom, Go in unto thy father's concubines, which he hath left to keep
the house; and all Israel shall hear that thou art abhorred of thy father: then
shall the hands of all that are with
thee be strong.
2Sa 16:22 So they spread Absalom a tent upon the top of
the house; and Absalom went in unto his father's concubines in the sight of all
Israel.
2Sa 16:23 And the counsel of Ahithophel,
which he counselled in those days, was
as if a man had inquired at the oracle of God: so was
all the counsel of Ahithophel both with David and
with Absalom.
Romans 14
Rom
14:1 Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations.
Rom 14:2 For one believeth that he may eat all things:
another, who is weak, eateth herbs.
Rom 14:3 Let not him that eateth
despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth:
for God hath received him.
Rom 14:4 Who art thou that judgest
another man's servant? to his own master he standeth
or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden
up: for God is able to make him stand.
Rom 14:5 One man esteemeth
one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his
own mind.
Rom 14:6 He that regardeth
the day, regardeth it
unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to
the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for
he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth
not to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.
Rom 14:7 For none of us liveth
to himself, and no man dieth to himself.
Rom 14:8 For whether we live, we live unto the Lord;
and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we
are the Lord's.
Rom 14:9 For to this end Christ both died, and rose,
and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.
Rom 14:10 But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why
dost thou set at naught thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment
seat of Christ.
Rom 14:11 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every
knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.
Rom 14:12 So then every one of us shall give account of
himself to God.
Rom 14:13 Let us not therefore judge one another any
more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock
or an occasion to fall in his brother's
way.
Rom 14:14 I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus,
that there is
nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth
any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean.
Rom 14:15 But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest
thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died.
Rom 14:16 Let not then your good be evil spoken of:
Rom 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink;
but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
Rom 14:18 For he that in these things serveth Christ is
acceptable to God, and approved of men.
Rom 14:19 Let us therefore follow after the things
which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.
Rom 14:20 For meat destroy not the work of God. All
things indeed are pure; but it is evil
for that man who eateth with offence.
Rom 14:21 It is
good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any
thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.
Rom 14:22 Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth
not himself in that thing which he alloweth.
Rom 14:23 And he that doubteth
is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith:
for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.