28th September

¹ Then all Israel gathered themselves to David unto Hebron, saying, Behold, we are thy bone and thy flesh.² And moreover in time past, even when Saul was king, thou wast he that leddest out and broughtest in Israel: and the LORD thy God said unto thee, Thou shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be ruler over my people Israel.³ Therefore came all the elders of Israel to the king to Hebron; and David made a covenant with them in Hebron before the LORD; and they anointed David king over Israel, according to the word of the LORD by Samuel.⁴ And David and all Israel went to Jerusalem, which is Jebus; where the Jebusites were, the inhabitants of the land.⁵ And the inhabitants of Jebus said to David, Thou shalt not come hither. Nevertheless David took the castle of Zion, which is the city of David.⁶ And David said, Whosoever smiteth the Jebusites first shall be chief and captain. So Joab the son of Zeruiah went first up, and was chief.⁷ And David dwelt in the castle; therefore they called it the city of David.⁸ And he built the city round about, even from Millo round about: and Joab repaired the rest of the city.⁹ So David waxed greater and greater: for the LORD of hosts was with him.¹⁰ These also are the chief of the mighty men whom David had, who strengthened themselves with him in his kingdom, and with all Israel, to make him king, according to the word of the LORD concerning Israel.¹¹ And this is the number of the mighty men whom David had; Jashobeam, an Hachmonite, the chief of the captains: he lifted up his spear against three hundred slain by him at one time.¹² And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo, the Ahohite, who was one of the three mighties.¹³ He was with David at Pasdammim, and there the Philistines were gathered together to battle, where was a parcel of ground full of barley; and the people fled from before the Philistines.¹⁴ And they set themselves in the midst of that parcel, and delivered it, and slew the Philistines; and the LORD saved them by a great deliverance.¹⁵ Now three of the thirty captains went down to the rock to David, into the cave of Adullam; and the host of the Philistines encamped in the valley of Rephaim.¹⁶ And David was then in the hold, and the Philistines' garrison was then at Bethlehem.¹⁷ And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, that is at the gate!¹⁸ And the three brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: but David would not drink of it, but poured it out to the LORD.¹⁹ And said, My God forbid it me, that I should do this thing: shall I drink the blood of these men that have put their lives in jeopardy? for with the jeopardy of their lives they brought it. Therefore he would not drink it. These things did these three mightiest.²⁰ And Abishai the brother of Joab, he was chief of the three: for lifting up his spear against three hundred, he slew them, and had a name among the three.²¹ Of the three, he was more honourable than the two; for he was their captain: howbeit he attained not to the first three.²² Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man of Kabzeel, who had done many acts; he slew two lionlike men of Moab: also he went down and slew a lion in a pit in a snowy day.²³ And he slew an Egyptian, a man of great stature, five cubits high; and in the Egyptian's hand was a spear like a weaver's beam; and he went down to him with a staff, and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian's hand, and slew him with his own spear.²⁴ These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and had the name among the three mighties.²⁵ Behold, he was honourable among the thirty, but attained not to the first three: and David set him over his guard.²⁶ Also the valiant men of the armies were, Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem,²⁷ Shammoth the Harorite, Helez the Pelonite,²⁸ Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, Abiezer the Antothite,²⁹ Sibbecai the Hushathite, Ilai the Ahohite,³⁰ Maharai the Netophathite, Heled the son of Baanah the Netophathite,³¹ Ithai the son of Ribai of Gibeah, that pertained to the children of Benjamin, Benaiah the Pirathonite,³² Hurai of the brooks of Gaash, Abiel the Arbathite,³³ Azmaveth the Baharumite, Eliahba the Shaalbonite,³⁴ The sons of Hashem the Gizonite, Jonathan the son of Shage the Hararite,³⁵ Ahiam the son of Sacar the Hararite, Eliphal the son of Ur,³⁶ Hepher the Mecherathite, Ahijah the Pelonite,³⁷ Hezro the Carmelite, Naarai the son of Ezbai,³⁸ Joel the brother of Nathan, Mibhar the son of Haggeri,³⁹ Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Berothite, the armourbearer of Joab the son of Zeruiah,⁴⁰ Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,⁴¹ Uriah the Hittite, Zabad the son of Ahlai,⁴² Adina the son of Shiza the Reubenite, a captain of the Reubenites, and thirty with him,⁴³ Hanan the son of Maachah, and Joshaphat the Mithnite,⁴⁴ Uzzia the Ashterathite, Shama and Jehiel the sons of Hothan the Aroerite,⁴⁵ Jediael the son of Shimri, and Joha his brother, the Tizite,⁴⁶ Eliel the Mahavite, and Jeribai, and Joshaviah, the sons of Elnaam, and Ithmah the Moabite,⁴⁷ Eliel, and Obed, and Jasiel the Mesobaite.

¹ Again in the ninth year, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,² Son of man, write thee the name of the day, even of this same day: the king of Babylon set himself against Jerusalem this same day.³ And utter a parable unto the rebellious house, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Set on a pot, set it on, and also pour water into it:⁴ Gather the pieces thereof into it, even every good piece, the thigh, and the shoulder; fill it with the choice bones.⁵ Take the choice of the flock, and burn also the bones under it, and make it boil well, and let them seethe the bones of it therein.⁶ Wherefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe to the bloody city, to the pot whose scum is therein, and whose scum is not gone out of it! bring it out piece by piece; let no lot fall upon it.⁷ For her blood is in the midst of her; she set it upon the top of a rock; she poured it not upon the ground, to cover it with dust;⁸ That it might cause fury to come up to take vengeance; I have set her blood upon the top of a rock, that it should not be covered.⁹ Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe to the bloody city! I will even make the pile for fire great.¹⁰ Heap on wood, kindle the fire, consume the flesh, and spice it well, and let the bones be burned.¹¹ Then set it empty upon the coals thereof, that the brass of it may be hot, and may burn, and that the filthiness of it may be molten in it, that the scum of it may be consumed.¹² She hath wearied herself with lies, and her great scum went not forth out of her: her scum shall be in the fire.¹³ In thy filthiness is lewdness: because I have purged thee, and thou wast not purged, thou shalt not be purged from thy filthiness any more, till I have caused my fury to rest upon thee.¹⁴ I the LORD have spoken it: it shall come to pass, and I will do it; I will not go back, neither will I spare, neither will I repent; according to thy ways, and according to thy doings, shall they judge thee, saith the Lord GOD.¹⁵ Also the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,¹⁶ Son of man, behold, I take away from thee the desire of thine eyes with a stroke: yet neither shalt thou mourn nor weep, neither shall thy tears run down.¹⁷ Forbear to cry, make no mourning for the dead, bind the tire of thine head upon thee, and put on thy shoes upon thy feet, and cover not thy lips, and eat not the bread of men.¹⁸ So I spake unto the people in the morning: and at even my wife died; and I did in the morning as I was commanded.¹⁹ And the people said unto me, Wilt thou not tell us what these things are to us, that thou doest so?²⁰ Then I answered them, The word of the LORD came unto me, saying,²¹ Speak unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will profane my sanctuary, the excellency of your strength, the desire of your eyes, and that which your soul pitieth; and your sons and your daughters whom ye have left shall fall by the sword.²² And ye shall do as I have done: ye shall not cover your lips, nor eat the bread of men.²³ And your tires shall be upon your heads, and your shoes upon your feet: ye shall not mourn nor weep; but ye shall pine away for your iniquities, and mourn one toward another.²⁴ Thus Ezekiel is unto you a sign: according to all that he hath done shall ye do: and when this cometh, ye shall know that I am the Lord GOD.²⁵ Also, thou son of man, shall it not be in the day when I take from them their strength, the joy of their glory, the desire of their eyes, and that whereupon they set their minds, their sons and their daughters,²⁶ That he that escapeth in that day shall come unto thee, to cause thee to hear it with thine ears?²⁷ In that day shall thy mouth be opened to him which is escaped, and thou shalt speak, and be no more dumb: and thou shalt be a sign unto them; and they shall know that I am the LORD.

¹ And he looked up, and saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury.² And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites.³ And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all:⁴ For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had.⁵ And as some spake of the temple, how it was adorned with goodly stones and gifts, he said,⁶ As for these things which ye behold, the days will come, in the which there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.⁷ And they asked him, saying, Master, but when shall these things be? and what sign will there be when these things shall come to pass?⁸ And he said, Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them.⁹ But when ye shall hear of wars and commotions, be not terrified: for these things must first come to pass; but the end is not by and by.¹⁰ Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:¹¹ And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven.¹² But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name's sake.¹³ And it shall turn to you for a testimony.¹⁴ Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer:¹⁵ For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.¹⁶ And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death.¹⁷ And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake.¹⁸ But there shall not an hair of your head perish.¹⁹ In your patience possess ye your souls.²⁰ And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh.²¹ Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto.²² For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.²³ But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people.²⁴ And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.²⁵ And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;²⁶ Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.²⁷ And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.²⁸ And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.²⁹ And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees;³⁰ When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand.³¹ So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.³² Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled.³³ Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.³⁴ And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.³⁵ For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.³⁶ Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.³⁷ And in the day time he was teaching in the temple; and at night he went out, and abode in the mount that is called the mount of Olives.³⁸ And all the people came early in the morning to him in the temple, for to hear him.