Bible in a Year.

On day 136, we follow conflicts and spiritual structure. 2 Samuel 18 recounts the final battle against Absalom and the consequences of the rebellion. 1 Chronicles 23 describes the organization of the Levites and the temple service, strengthening the spiritual order. Psalm 37 encourages us to trust in God, remaining upright and patient in the face of injustice and adversity.

1. And David having reviewed his people, appointed over them captains of thousands and of hundreds,

2. And sent forth a third part of the people under the hand of Joab, and a third part under the hand of Abisai the son of Sarvia Joab's brother, and a third part under the hand of Ethai, who was of Geth: and the king said to the people: I also will go forth with you.

3. And the people answered: Thou shalt not go forth: for if we flee away, they will not much mind us: or if half of us should fall, they will not greatly care: for thou alone art accounted for ten thousand: it is better therefore that thou shouldst be in the city to succour us.

4. And the king said to them: What seemeth good to you, that will I do. And the king stood by the gate: and all the people went forth by their troops, by hundreds and by thousands.

5. And the king commanded Joab, and Abisai, and Ethai, saying: Save me the boy Absalom. And all the people heard the king giving charge to all the princes concerning Absalom.

6. So the people went out into the field against Israel and the battle was fought in the forest of Ephraim.

7. And the people of Israel were defeated there by David's army, and a great slaughter was made that day of twenty thousand men.

8. And the battle there was scattered over the face of all the country, and there were many more of the people whom the forest consumed, than whom the sword devoured that day.

9. And it happened that Absalom met he servants of David, riding on a mule: and as the mule went under a thick and large oak, his head stuck in the oak: and while he hung between the heaven and he earth, the mule on which he rode passed on.

10. And one saw this and told Joab, saying: I saw Absalom hanging upon an oak.

11. And Joab said to the man that told him: If thou sawest him, why didst thou not stab him to the ground, and I would have given thee ten sicles of silver, and belt?

12. And he said to Joab: If thou wouldst have paid down in my hands a thousand pieces of silver, I would not lay my hands upon the king's son: for in our hearing he king charged thee, and Abisai, and Ethai, saying: Save me the boy Absalom.

13. Yea and if I should have acted boldly against my own life, this could not have been hid from the king, and wouldst thou have stood by me?

14. And Joab said: Not as thou wilt, but will set upon him in thy sight. So he took three lances in his hand, and thrust them into the heart of Absalom: and whilst he yet panted for life, sticking on the oak,

15. Ten young men, armourbearers of Joab, ran up, and striking him slew him.

16. And Joab sounded the trumpet, and kept back the people from pursuing after Israel in their flight, being willing to spare he multitude.

17. And they took Absalom, and cast him into a great pit in the forest, and they laid an exceeding great heap of stories upon him: but all Israel fled to their own dwellings.

18. Now Absalom had reared up for himself, in his lifetime, a pillar, which is in the king's valley: for he said: I have no son, and this shall be the monument of my name. And he called the pillar by is own name, and it is called the hand of Absalom, to this day.

19. And Achimaas the son of Sadoc said: I will run and tell the king, that the Lord hath done judgment for him from the hand of his enemies.

20. And Joab said to him: Thou shalt not be the messenger this day, but shalt bear tidings another day: this day I will not have thee bear tidings, because the king's son is dead.

21. And Joab said to Chusai: Go, and tell the king what thou hast seen. Chusai bowed down to Joab, and ran.

22. Then Achimaas the son of Sadoc said to Joab again: Why might not I also run after Chusai? And Joab said to him: Why wilt thou run, my son? thou wilt not be the bearer of good tidings.

23. He answered: But what if I run? And he said to him: Run. Then Achimaas running by a nearer way passed Chusai.

24. And David sat between the two gates: and the watchman that was on the top of the gate upon the wall, lifting up his eyes, saw a man running alone.

25. And crying out he told the king: and the king said: If he be alone, there are good tidings in his mouth. And as he was coming apace, and drawing nearer,

26. The watchman saw another man running, and crying aloud from above, he said: I see another man running alone. And the king said: He also is a good messenger.

27. And the watchman said: The running of the foremost seemeth to me like the running of Achimaas the son of Sadoc. And the king said: He is a good man: and cometh with good news.

28. And Achimaas crying out, said to the king: God save thee, O king. And falling down before the king with his face to the ground, he said: Blessed be the Lord thy God, who hath shut up the men that have lifted up their hands against the lord my king.

29. And the king said: Is the young man Absalom safe? And Achimaas said: I saw a great tumult, O king, when thy servant Joab sent me thy servant: I know nothing else.

30. And the king said to him: Pass, and stand here.

31. And when he bad passed, and stood still, Chusai appeared: and coming up he said: I bring good tidings, my lord, the king, for the Lord hath judged for thee this day from the hand of all that have risen up against thee.

32. And the king said to Chusai: Is the young man Absalom safe? And Chusai answering him, said: Let the enemies of my lord, the king, and all that rise against him unto evil, be as the young man is.

33. The king therefore being much moved, went up to the high chamber over the gate, and wept. And as he went he spoke in this manner: My son Absalom, Absalom my son: would to God that I might die for thee, Absalom my son, my son Absalom.

1. And David being old and full of days, made Solomon his son king over Israel.

2. And he gathered together all the princes of Israel, and the priests and Levites.

3. And the Levites were numbered from the age of thirty years, and upwards: and there were found of them thirty-eight thousand men.

4. Of these twenty-four thousand were chosen, and distributed unto the ministry of the house of the Lord: and six thousand were the overseers and judges.

5. Moreover four thousand were porters: and as many singers singing to the Lord with the instruments, which he had made to sing with.

6. And David distributed them into courses by the families of the sons of Levi, to wit, of Gerson, and of Caath, and of Merari.

7. The sons of Gerson were Leedan and Semei.

8. The sons of Leedan: the chief Jahiel, and Zethan, and Joel, three.

9. The sons of Semei: Salomith, and Hosiel, and Aran, three: these were the heads of the families of Leedan.

10. And the sons of Semei were Leheth, and Ziza, and Jaus, and Baria: these were the sons of Semei, four.

11. And Leheth was the first, Ziza the second: but Jaus and Baria had not many children, and therefore they were counted in one family, and in one house.

12. The sons of Caath were Amram, and Isaar, Hebron, and Oziel, four.

13. The sons of Amram, Aaron, and Moses. And Aaron was separated to minister in the holy of holies, he and his sons for ever, and to burn incense before the Lord, according to his ceremonies, and to bless his name for ever.

14. The sons also of Moses, the man of God, were numbered in the tribe of Levi.

15. The sons of Moses were Gersom and Eliezer:

16. The sons of Gersom: Subuel the first.

17. And the sons of Eliezer were: Rohobia the first: and Eliezer had no more sons. But the sons of Rohobia were multiplied exceedingly.

18. The sons of Isaar: Salomith the first.

19. The sons of Hebron: Jeriau the first, Amarias the second, Jahaziel the third, Jecmaam the fourth.

20. The sons of Oziel: Micha the first, Jesia the second.

21. The sons of Merari: Moholi, and Musi. The sons of Moholi: Eleazar and Cia.

22. And Eleazar died, and had no sons but daughters: and the sons of Cis their brethren took them.

23. The sons of Musi: Moholi, and Eder, and Jerimoth, three.

24. These are the sons of Levi in their kindreds and families, princes by their courses, and the number of every head that did the works of the ministry of the house of the Lord from twenty years old and upward.

25. For David said: The Lord the God of Israel hath given rest to his people, and a habitation in Jerusalem for ever.

26. And it shall not be the office of the Levites to carry any more the tabernacle, and all the vessels for the service thereof.

27. So according to the last precepts of David, the sons of Levi are to be numbered from twenty years old and upward.

28. And they are to be under the hand of the sons of Aaron for the service of the house of the Lord, in the porches, and in the chambers, and in the place of purification, and in the sanctuary, and in all the works of the ministry of the temple of the Lord.

29. And the priests have the charge of the leaves of proposition, and of the sacrifice of fine flour, and of the unleavened cakes, and of the fryingpan, and of the roasting, and of every weight and measure.

30. And the Levites are to stand in the morning to give thanks, and to sing praises to the Lord: and in like manner in the evening,

31. As well in the oblation of the holocausts of the Lord, as in the sabbaths and in the new moons, and the rest of the solemnities, according to the number and ceremonies prescribed for every thing, continually before the Lord.

32. And let them keep the observances of the tabernacle of the covenant, and the ceremonies of the sanctuary, and the charge of the sons of Aaron their brethren, that they may minister in the house of the Lord.

1. A psalm for David himself. Be not emulous of evildoers; nor envy them that work iniquity.

2. For they shall shortly wither away as grass, and as the green herbs shall quickly fall.

3. Trust in the Lord, and do good, and dwell in the land, and thou shalt be fed with its riches.

4. Delight in the Lord, and he will give thee the requests of thy heart.

5. Commit thy way to the Lord, and trust in him, and he will do it.

6. And he will bring forth thy justice as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.

7. Be subject to the Lord and pray to him Envy not the man who prospereth in his way; the man who doth unjust things.

8. Cease from anger, and leave rage; have no emulation to do evil.

9. For the evildoers shall be cut off : but they that wait upon the Lord shall inherit the land.

10. For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be : and thou shalt seek his place, and shalt not find it.

11. But the meek shall inherit the land, and shall delight in abundance of peace.

12. The sinner shall watch the just man : and shall gnash upon him with his teeth.

13. But the Lord shall laugh at him : for he foreseeth that his day shall come.

14. The wicked have drawn out the sword : they have bent their bow. To cast down the poor and needy, to kill the upright of heart.

15. Let their sword enter into their own hearts, and let their bow be broken.

16. Better is a little to the just, than the great riches of the wicked.

17. For the arms of the wicked shall be broken in pieces; but the Lord strengtheneth the just.

18. The Lord knoweth the days of undefiled; and their inheritance shall be for ever.

19. They shall not be confounded in the evil time; and in the days of famine they shall be filled :

20. because the wicked shall perish. And the enemies of the Lord, presently after they shall be honoured and exalted, shall come to nothing and vanish like smoke.

21. The sinner shall borrow, and not pay again; but the just sheweth mercy and shall give.

22. For such as bless him shall inherit the land : but such as curse him shall perish.

23. With the Lord shall the steps of a man be directed, and he shall like well his way.

24. When he shall fall he shall not be bruised, for the Lord putteth his hand under him.

25. I have been young, and now am old; and I have not seen the just forsaken, nor his seed seeking bread.

26. He sheweth mercy, and lendeth all the day long; and his seed shall be in blessing.

27. Decline from evil and do good, and dwell for ever and ever.

28. For the Lord loveth judgment, and will not forsake his saints : they shall be preserved for ever. The unjust shall be punished, and the seed of the wicked shall perish.

29. But the just shall inherit the land, and shall dwell therein for evermore.

30. The mouth of the just shall meditate wisdom : and his tongue shall speak judgment.

31. The law of his God is in his heart, and his steps shall not be supplanted.

32. The wicked watcheth the just man, and seeketh to put him to death,

33. But the Lord will not leave in his hands; nor condemn him when he shall be judged.

34. Expect the Lord and keep his way : and he will exalt thee to inherit the land : when the sinners shall perish thou shalt see.

35. I have seen the wicked highly exalted, and lifted up like the cedars of Libanus.

36. And I passed by, and lo, he was not : and I sought him and his place was not found.

37. Keep innocence, and behold justice : for there are remnants for the peaceable man.

38. But the unjust shall be destroyed together : the remnants of the wicked shall perish.

39. But the salvation of the just is from the Lord, and he is their protector in the time of trouble.

40. And the Lord will help them and deliver them : and he will rescue them from the wicked, and save them, because they have hoped in him.