Bible in a Year.

On the 129th day, 2 Samuel 11 presents David's sin with Bathsheba and its consequences for his personal and political life. 1 Chronicles 14-15 depicts David's victory and the spiritual organization of the people. Psalm 32 emphasizes the importance of confession and repentance, reminding us that God forgives and restores those who return to Him.

1. And it came to pass at the return of the year, at the time when kings go forth to war, that David sent Joab and his servants with him, and all Israel, and they spoiled the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabba: but David remained in Jerusalem.

2. In the mean time it happened that David arose from his bed after noon, and walked upon the roof of the king's house: and he saw from the roof of his house a woman washing herself, over against him: and the woman was very beautiful.

3. And the king sent, and inquired who the woman was. And it was told him, that she was Bethsabee the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Urias the Hethite.

4. And David sent messengers, and took her, and she came in to him, and he slept with her: and presently she was purified from her uncleanness:

5. And she returned to her house having conceived. And she sent and told David, and said: I have conceived.

6. And David sent to Joab, saying: Send me Urias the Hethite. And Joab sent Urias to David.

7. And Urias came to David. And David asked how Joab did, and the people, and how the war was carried on.

8. And David said to Urias: Go into thy house, and wash thy feet. And Urias went out from the king's house, and there went out after him a mess of meat from the king.

9. But Urias slept before the gate of the king's house, with the other servants of his lord, and went not down to his own house.

10. And it was told David by some that said: Urias went not to his house. And David said to Urias: Didst thou not come from thy journey? why didst thou not go down to thy house?

11. And Urias said to David: The ark of God and Israel and Juda dwell in tents, and my lord Joab and the servants of my lord abide upon the face of the earth: and shall I go into my house, to eat and to drink, and to sleep with my wife? By thy welfare and by the welfare of thy soul I will not do this thing.

12. Then David said to Urias: Tarry here to day, and to morrow I will send thee away. Urias tarried in Jerusalem that day and the next.

13. And David called him to eat and to drink before him, and he made him drunk: and he went out in the evening, and slept on his couch with the servants of his lord, and went not down into his house.

14. And when the morning was come, David wrote a letter to Joab: and sent it by the hand of Urias,

15. Writing in the letter: Set ye Urias in the front of the battle, where the fight is strongest: and leave ye him, that he may be wounded and die.

16. Wherefore as Joab was besieging the city, he put Urias in the place where he knew the bravest men were.

17. And the men coming out of the city, fought against Joab, and there fell some of the people of the servants of David, and Urias the Hethite was killed also.

18. Then Joab sent, and told David all things concerning the battle.

19. And he charged the messenger, saying: When thou hast told all the words of the battle to the king,

20. If thou see him to be angry, and he shall say: Why did you approach so near to the wall to fight? knew you not that many darts are thrown from above off the wall?

21. Who killed Abimelech the son of Jerobaal? did not a woman cast a piece of a millstone upon him from the wall, and slew him in Thebes? Why did you go near the wall? Thou shalt say: Thy servant Urias the Hethite is also slain.

22. So the messenger departed, and came and told David all that Joab had commanded him.

23. And the messenger said to David: The men prevailed against us, and they came out to us into the field: and we vigorously charged and pursued them even to the gate of the city.

24. And the archers shot their arrows at thy servants from off the wall above: and some of the king's servants are slain, and thy servant Urias the Hethite is also dead.

25. And David said to the messenger: Thus shalt thou say to Joab: Let not this thing discourage thee: for various is the event of war: and sometimes one, sometimes another is consumed by the sword: encourage thy warriors against The city, and exhort them that thou mayest overthrow it.

26. And the wife of Urias heard that Urias her husband was dead, and she mourned for him.

27. And the mourning being over, David sent and brought her into his house, and she became his wife, and she bore him a son: and this thing which David had done, was displeasing to the Lord.

Chapter 14

1. And Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, and masons, and carpenters, to build him a house.

2. And David perceived that the Lord had confirmed him king over Israel, and that his kingdom was exalted over his people Israel.

3. And David took other wives in Jerusalem: and he beget sons, and daughters.

4. Now these are the names of them that were born to him in Jerusalem: Samua, and Sobad, Nathan, and Solomon,

5. Jebahar, and Elisua, and Eliphalet,

6. And Noga, and Napheg, and Japhia,

7. Elisama. and Baaliada, and Eliphalet.

8. And the Philistines hearing that David was anointed king over all Israel, went all up to seek him: and David heard of it, and went out against them.

9. And the Philistines came and spread themselves in the vale of Raphaim.

10. And David consulted the Lord, saying: Shall I go up against the Philistines, and wilt thou deliver them into my hand? And the Lord said to him: Go up, and I will deliver them into thy hand.

11. And when they were come to Baalpharasim, David defeated them there, and he said: God hath divided my enemies by my hand, as waters are divided: and therefore the name of that place was called Baalpharasim.

12. And they left there their gods, and David commanded that they should be burnt.

13. Another time also the Philistines made an irruption, and spread themselves abroad in the valley.

14. And David consulted God again, and God said to him: Go not up after them, turn away from them, and come upon them over against the pear trees.

15. And when thou shalt hear the sound of one going in the tops of the pear trees, then shalt thou go out to battle. For God is gone out before thee to strike the army of the Philistines.

16. And David did as God had commanded him, and defeated the army of the Philistines, slaying them from Gabaon to Gazera.

17. And the name of David became famous in all countries, and the Lord made all nations fear him.

Chapter 15

1. He made also houses for himself in the city of David: and built a place for the ark of God, and pitched a tabernacle for it.

2. Then David said: No one ought to carry the ark of God, but the Levites, whom the Lord hath chosen to carry it, and to minister unto himself for ever.

3. And he gathered all Israel together into Jerusalem, that the ark of God might be brought into its place, which he had prepared for it.

4. And the sons of Aaron also, and the Levites.

5. Of the children of Caath, Uriel was the chief, and his brethren a hundred and twenty.

6. Of the sons of Merari, Asaia the chief, and his brethren two hundred and twenty.

7. Of the sons of Gersom, Joel the chief, and his brethren a hundred and thirty.

8. Of the sons of Elisaphan, Semeias the chief: and his brethren two hundred.

9. Of the sons of Hebron, Eliel the chief: and his brethren eighty.

10. Of the sons of Oziel, Aminadab the chief: and his brethren a hundred and twelve.

11. And David called Sadoc, and Abiathar the priests, and the Levites, Uriel, Asaia, Joel, Semeia, Eliel, and Aminadab:

12. And he said to them: You that are the heads of the Levitical families, be sanctified with your brethren, and brine the ark of the Lord the God of Israel to the place, which is prepared for it:

13. Lest as the Lord at first struck us, because you were not present, the same should now also come to pass, by our doing some thing against the law.

14. So the priests and the Levites were sanctified, to carry the ark of the Lord the God of Israel.

15. And the sons of Levi took the ark of God as Moses had commanded, according to the word of the Lord, upon their shoulders, with the staves.

16. And David spoke to the chiefs of the Levites, to appoint some of their brethren to be singers with musical instruments, to wit, on psalteries, and harps, and cymbals, that the joyful noise might resound on high.

17. And they appointed Levites, Hemam the son of Joel, and of his brethren Asaph the son of Barachias: and of the sons of Merari, their brethren: Ethan the son of Casaia.

18. And with them their brethren: in the second rank, Zacharias, and Ben, and Jaziel, and Semiramoth, and Jahiel, and Ani, and Eliab, and Banaias, and Maasias, and Mathathias, and Eliphalu, and Macenias, and Obededom, and Jehiel, the porters.

19. Now the singers, Heman, Asaph, and Ethan, sounded with cymbals of brass.

20. And Zacharias, and Oziel, and Semiramoth, and Jehiel, and Ani, and Eliab, and Maasias, and Banaias, sung mysteries upon psalteries.

21. And Mathathias, and Eliphalu, and Macenias and Obededom, and Jehiel and Ozaziu, sung a song of victory for the octave upon harps.

22. And Chonenias chief of the Levites, presided over the prophecy, to give out the tunes: for he was very skilful.

23. And Barachias, and Elcana, were doorkeepers of the ark.

24. And Sebenias, and Josaphat, and Nathanael, and Amasai, and Zacharias, and Banaias, and Eliezer the priests, sounded with trumpets, before the ark of God: and Obededom and Jehias were porters of the ark.

25. So David and all the ancients of Israel, and the captains over thousands, went to bring the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of the house of Obededom with joy.

26. And when God had helped the Levites who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord, they offered in sacrifice seven oxen, and seven rams.

27. And David was clothed with a robe of fine linen, and all the Levites that carried the ark, and the singing men, and Chonenias the ruler of the prophecy among the singers: and David also had on him an ephod of linen.

28. And all Israel brought the ark of the covenant of the Lord with joyful shouting, and sounding with the sound of the comet, and with trumpets, and cymbals, and psalteries, and harps.

29. And when the ark of the covenant of the Lord was come to the city of David, Michol the daughter of Saul looking out at a window, saw king David dancing and playing, and she despised him in her heart.

1. To David himself, understanding. Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.

2. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord hath not imputed sin, and in whose spirit there is no guile.

3. Because I was silent my bones grew old; whilst I cried out all the day long.

4. For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: I am turned in my anguish, whilst the thorn is fastened.

5. I have acknowledged my sin to thee, and my injustice I have not concealed. I said I will confess against myself my injustice to the Lord: and thou hast forgiven the wickedness of my sin.

6. For this shall every one that is holy pray to thee in a seasonable time. And yet in a flood of many waters, they shall not come nigh unto him.

7. Thou art my refuge from the trouble which hath encompassed me: my joy, deliver me from them that surround me.

8. I will give thee understanding, and I will instruct thee in this way, in which thou shalt go: I will fix my eyes upon thee.

9. Do not become like the horse and the mule, who have no understanding. With bit and bridle bind fast their jaws, who come not near unto thee.

10. Many are the scourges of the sinner, but mercy shall encompass him that hopeth in the Lord.

11. Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, ye just, and glory, all ye right of heart.