Bible in a Year.

On day 135, we observe wisdom and devotion in action. 2 Samuel 17 reveals Ahithophel's strategic advice during Absalom's rebellion. In 1 Chronicles 22, David organizes the preparations for the construction of the temple, demonstrating planning and faithfulness to God. Psalm 36 celebrates God's goodness and faithfulness, offering security and spiritual guidance to the faithful.

1. And Achitophel said to Absalom: I will choose me twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue after David this night.

2. And coming upon him (for he is now weary, and weak handed) I will defeat him: and when all the people is put to flight that is with him, I will kill the king who will be left alone.

3. And I will bring back all the people, as if they were but one man: for thou seekest but one man: and all the people shall be in peace.

4. And his saying pleased Absalom, and all the ancients of Israel.

5. But Absalom said: Call Chusai the Arachite, and let us hear what he also saith.

6. And when Chusai was come to Absalom, Absalom said to him: Achitophel hath spoken after this manner: shall we do it or not? what counsel dost thou give?

7. And Chusai said to Absalom: The counsel that Achitophel hath given this time is not good.

8. And again Chusai said: Thou knowest thy father, and the men that are with him, that they are very valiant, and bitter in their mind, as a bear raging in the wood when her whelps are taken away: and thy father is a warrior, and will not lodge with the people.

9. Perhaps he now lieth hid in pits, or in some other place where he list: and when any one shall fall at the first, every one that heareth it shall say: There is a slaughter among the people that followed Absalom.

10. And the most valiant man whose heart is as the heart of a lion, shall melt for fear: for all the people of Israel know thy father to be a valiant man, and that all who are with him are valiant.

11. But this seemeth to me to be good counsel: Let all Israel be gathered to thee, from Dan to Bersabee, as the sand of the sea which cannot be numbered: and thou shalt be in the midst of them.

12. And we shall come upon him in what place soever he shall be found: and we shall cover him, as the dew falleth upon the ground, and we shall not leave of the men that are with him, not so much as one.

13. And if he shall enter into any city, all Israel shall cast ropes round about that city, and we will draw it into the river, so that there shall not be found so much as one small stone thereof.

14. And Absalom, and all the men of Israel said: The counsel of Chusai the Arachite is better than the counsel of Achitophel: and by the will of the Lord the profitable counsel of Achitophel was defeated, that the Lord might bring evil upon Absalom.

15. And Chusai said to Sadoc and Abiathar the priests: Thus and thus did Achitophel counsel Absalom, and the ancients of Israel: and thus and thus did I counsel them.

16. Now therefore send quickly, and tell David, saying: Tarry not this night in the plains of the wilderness, but without delay pass over: lest the king be swallowed up, and all the people that is with him.

17. And Jonathan and Achimaas stayed by the fountain Rogel: and there went a maid and told them: and they went forward, to carry the message to king David, for they might not be seen, nor enter into the city.

18. But a certain boy saw them, and told Absalom: but they making haste went into the house of a certain man in Bahurim, who had a well in his court, and they went down into it.

19. And a woman took, and spread a covering over the mouth of the well, as it were to dry sodden barley: and so the thing was not known.

20. And when Absalom's servants were come into the house, they said to the woman: Where is Achimaas and Jonathan? and the woman answered them: They passed on in haste, after they had tasted a little water. But they that sought them, when they found them not, returned into Jerusalem.

21. And when they were gone, they came up out of the well, and going on told king David, and said: Arise, and pass quickly over the river: for this manner of counsel has Achitophel given against you.

22. So David arose, and all the people that were with him, and they passed over the Jordan, until it grew light, and not one of them was left that was not gone over the river.

23. But Achitophel seeing that his counsel was not followed, saddled his ass, and arose and went home to his house and to his city, and putting his house in order, hanged himself, and was buried in the sepulchre of his father.

24. But David came to the camp, and Absalom passed over the Jordan, be and all the men of Israel with him.

25. Now Absalom appointed Amasa in Joab's stead over the army: and Amasa was the son of a man who was called Jethra of Jezrael, who went in to Abigail the daughter of Naas, the sister of Sarvia who was the mother of Joab.

26. And Israel camped with Absalom in the land of Galaad.

27. And when David was come to the camp, Sobi the son of Naas of Rabbath of the children of Ammon, and Machir the son of Ammihel of Lodabar, and Berzellai the Galaadite of Rogelim,

28. Brought him beds, and tapestry, and earthen vessels, and wheat, and barley, and meal, and parched corn, and beans, and lentils, and fried pulse,

29. And honey, and butter, and sheep, and fat calves, and they gave to David and the people that were with him, to eat: for they suspected that the people were faint with hunger and thirst in the wilderness.

1. Then David said: This is the house of God, and this is the altar for the holocaust of Israel.

2. And he commanded to gather together all the proselytes of the land of Israel, and out of them he appointed stonecutters to hew stones and polish them, to build the house of God.

3. And David prepared in abundance iron for the nails of the gates, and for the closures and joinings: and of brass an immense weight.

4. And the cedar trees were without number, which the Sidonians, and Tyrians brought to David.

5. And David said: Solomon my son is very young and tender, and the house which I would have to be built to the Lord, must be such as to be renowned in all countries: therefore I will prepare him necessaries. And therefore before his death he prepared all the charges.

6. And he called for Solomon his son: and commanded him to build a house to the Lord the God of Israel.

7. And David said to Solomon: My son, it was my desire to have built a house to the name of the Lord my God.

8. But the word of the Lord came to me, saying: Thou hast shed much blood, and fought many battles, so thou canst not build a house to my name, after shedding so much blood before me:

9. The son, that shall be born to thee, shall be a most quiet man: for I will make him rest from all his enemies round about: and therefore he shall be called Peaceable: and I will give peace and quietness to Israel all his days.

10. He shall build a house to my name, and he shall be a son to me, and I will be a father to him: and I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel for ever.

11. Now then, my son, the Lord be with thee, and do thou prosper, and build the house to the Lord thy God, as he hath spoken of thee.

12. The Lord also give thee wisdom and understanding, that thou mayest be able to rule Israel, and to keep the law of the Lord thy God.

13. For then thou shalt be able to prosper, if thou keep the commandments, and judgments, which the Lord commanded Moses to teach Israel: take courage and act manfully, fear not, nor be dismayed.

14. Behold I in my poverty have prepared the charges of the house of the Lord, of gold a hundred thousand talents, and of silver a million of talents: but of brass, and of iron there is no weight, for the abundance surpasseth all account: timber also and stones I have prepared for all the charges.

15. Thou hast also workmen in abundance, hewers of stones, and masons, and carpenters, and of all trades the most skilful in their work,

16. In gold, and in silver, and in brass, and in iron, whereof there is no number. Arise then, and be doing, and the Lord will be with thee.

17. David also charged all the princes of Israel, to help Solomon his son,

18. Saying: You see, that the Lord your God is with you, and hath given you rest round about, and hath delivered all your enemies into your hands, and the land is subdued before the Lord, and be- fore his people.

19. Give therefore your hearts and your souls, to seek the Lord your God: and arise, and build a sanctuary to the Lord God, that the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and the vessels consecrated to the Lord, may be brought into the house, which is built to the name of the Lord.

1. Unto the end, for the servant of God, David himself.

2. The unjust hath said within himself, that he would sin : there is no fear of God before his eyes.

3. For in his sight he hath done deceitfully, that his iniquity may be found unto hatred.

4. The words of his mouth are iniquity and guile : he would not understand that he might do well.

5. He hath devised iniquity on his bed, he hath set himself on every way that is not good : but evil he hath not hated.

6. O Lord, thy mercy is in heaven, and thy truth reacheth, even to the clouds.

7. Thy justice is as the mountains of God, thy judgments are a great deep. Men and beasts thou wilt preserve, O Lord :

8. O how hast thou multiplied thy mercy, O God! But the children of men shall put their trust under the covert of thy wings.

9. They shall be inebriated with the plenty of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the torrent of thy pleasure.

10. For with thee is the fountain of life; and in thy light we shall see light.

11. Extend thy mercy to them that know thee, and thy justice to them that are right in heart.

12. Let not the foot of pride come to me, and let not the hand of the sinner move me.

13. There the workers of iniquity are fallen, they are cast out, and could not stand.