Bible in a Year.

On Day 121 of the plan, we follow the beginning of David's reign in 2 Samuel 2, highlighting the challenges and political alliances. First Chronicles 2 presents the genealogy of Israel, tracing the king's lineage. Psalm 24 invites us to praise God's sovereignty and holiness, reflecting on who can enter His presence.

1. And after these things David consulted the Lord, saying: Shall I go up into one of the cities of Juda? And the Lord said to him: Go up. And David said: Whither shall I go up? And he answered him: Into Hebron.

2. So David went up, and his two wives, Achinoam the Jezrahelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal of Carmel:

3. And the men also that were with him, David brought up every man with his household: and they abode in the towns of Hebron.

4. And the men of Juda came, and anointed David there, to be king over the house of Juda. And it was told David, that the men of Jabes Galaad had buried Saul.

5. David therefore sent messengers to the men of Jabes Galaad, and said to them: Blessed be you to the Lord, who have shewn this mercy to your master Saul, and have buried him.

6. And now the Lord surely will render you mercy and truth, and I also will, requite you for this good turn, because you have done this thing.

7. Let your hands be strengthened, and be ye men of valour: for although your master Saul be dead, yet the house of Juda hath anointed me to be their king.

8. But Abner the son of Ner, general of Saul's army, took Isboseth the son of Saul, and led him about through the camp?

9. And made him king over Galaad, and, over Gessuri, and over Jezrahel, and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over all Israel.

10. Isboseth the son of Saul was forty years old when he began to reign over, Israel, and he reigned two years: and only the house of Juda followed David.

11. And the number of the days that David abode, reigning in Hebron over the house of Juda, was seven years and six months.

12. And Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Isboseth the son of Saul, went out from the camp to Gabaon

13. And Joab the son of Sarvia, and the servants of David went out, and met them by the pool of Gabaon. And when they were come together, they sat down over against one another: the one on the one side of the pool, and the other on the other side.

14. And Abner said to Joab: Let the young men rise, and play before us. And Joab answered: Let them rise.

15. Then there arose and went over twelve in number of Benjamin, of the part of Isboseth the son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of David.

16. And every one catching his fellow, by the head, thrust his sword into the side of his adversary, and they fell down together: and the name of the place was called: The field of the valiant, in Gabaon.

17. And there was a very fierce battle that day: and Abner was put to flight, with the men of Israel, by the servants of David.

18. And there were the three sons of Sarvia there, Joab, and Abisai, and Asael: now Asael was a most swift runner, like one of the roes that abide in the woods.

19. And Asael pursued after Abner, and turned not to the right hand nor to the left from following Abner.

20. And Abner looked behind him, and said: Art thou Asael? And he answered: I am.

21. And Abner said to him: Go to the right hand or to the left, and lay hold on one of the young men and take thee his spoils. But Asael would not leave off following him close.

22. And again Abner said to Asael: Go off, and do not follow me, lest I be obliged to stab thee to the ground, and I shall not be able to hold up my face to Joab thy brother.

23. But he refused to hearken to him, and would not turn aside: wherefore Abner struck him with his spear with a back stroke in the groin, and thrust him through, and he died upon the spot: and all that came to the place where Asael fell down and died stood still.

24. Now while Joab and Abisai pursued after Abner, the sun went down: and they came as far as the hill of the aqueduct, that lieth over against the valley by the way of the wilderness in Gabaon.

25. And the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together to Abner: and being joined in one body, they stood on the top of a hill.

26. And Abner cried out to Joab, and said: Shall thy sword rage unto utter destruction? knowest thou not that it is dangerous to drive people to despair? how long dost thou defer to bid the people cease from pursuing after their brethren?

27. And Joab said: As the Lord liveth, if thou hadst spoke sooner, even in the morning the people should have retired from pursuing after their brethren.

28. Then Joab sounded the trumpet, and all the army stood still, and did not pursue after Israel any farther, nor fight any more.

29. And Abner and his men walked all that night through the plains: and they passed the Jordan, and having gone through all Beth-horon, came to the camp.

30. And Joab returning, after he had left Abner, assembled all the people: and there were wanting of David's servants nineteen men, beside Asael.

31. But the servants of David had killed of Benjamin, and of the men that were with Abner, three hundred and sixty, who all died.

32. And they took Asael, and buried him in the sepulchre of his father in Bethlehem, and Joab, and the men that were with him, marched all the night, and they came to Hebron at break of day.

1. And these are the sons of Israel: Ruben, Simeon, Levi, Juda, Issachar, and Zabulon,

2. Dan, Joseph, Benjamin, Nephtali, Gad, and Aser.

3. The sons of Juda: Her, Onan and Sela. These three were born to him of the Chanaanitess the daughter of Sue. And Her the firstborn of Juda, was wicked in the sight of the Lord, and he slew him.

4. And Thamar his daughter in law bore him Phares and Zara. So all the sons of Juda were five.

5. And the sons of Phares, were Hesron and Hamul.

6. And the sons also of Zare: Zamri, and Ethan, and Eman, and Chalchal, and Dara, five in all.

7. And the sons of a Charmi: Achar, who troubled Israel, and sinned by the theft of the anathema.

8. The sons of Ethan: Azarias,

9. And the sons of Hesron that were born to him: Jerameel, and Ram, and Calubi.

10. And Ram beget Aminadab, and Aminadab beget Nahasson, prince of the children of Juda.

11. And Nahasson beget Salma, the father of Boot.

12. And Boot beget Obed, and Obed beget Isai.

13. And Isai beget Eliab his firstborn, the second Abinadab, the third Simmaa,

14. The fourth, Nathanael, the fifth Raddai,

15. The sixth Asom, the seventh David.

16. And their sisters were Sarvia, and Abigail. The sons of Sarvia: Abisai, Joab, and Asael, three.

17. And Abigail bore Amasa, whose father was Jether the Ismahelite.

18. And Caleb the son of Hesron took a wife named Azuba, of whom he had Jerioth: and her sons were Jaser, and Sobab, and Ardon.

19. And when Azuba was dead, Caleb took to wife Ephrata: who bore him Hur.

20. And Hur beget Uri: and Uri beget Bezeleel.

21. And afterwards Hesron went in to the daughter of Machir the father of Galaad, and took her to wife when he was threescore years old: and she bore him Segub.

22. And Segub beget Jair, and he had three and twenty cities in the land of Galaad.

23. And he took Gessur, and Aram the towns of Jair, and Canath, and the villages thereof, threescore cities. All these, the sons of Machir father of Galaad.

24. And when Hesron was dead, Caleb went in to Ephrata. Hesron also had to wife Abia who bore him Ashur the father of Thecua.

25. And the sons of Jerameel the firstborn of Hesron, were Ram his firstborn, and Buna, and Aram, and Asom, and Achia.

26. And Jerameel married another wife, named Atara, who was the mother of Onam.

27. And the sons of Ram the firstborn of Jerameel, were Moos, Jamin, and Achar.

28. And Onam had sons Semei, and Jada. And the sons of Semei: Nadab, and Abisur.

29. And the name of Abisur's wife was Abihail, who bore him Ahobban, and Molid.

30. And the sons of Nadab were Saled, and Apphaim. And Saled died without children.

31. But the son of Apphaim was Jesi: and Jesi beget Sesan. And Sesan beget Oholai.

32. And the sons of Jada the brother of Semei : Jether and Jonathan. And Jether also died without children.

33. But Jonathan beget Phaleth, and Ziza, These were the sons of Jerameel.

34. And Sesan had no sons, but daughters and a servant an Egyptian, named Jeraa.

35. And he gave him his daughter to wife: and she bore him Ethei.

36. And Ethei begot Nathan, and Nathan beget Zabad.

37. And Zabad beget Ophlal, and Ophlal beget Obed.

38. Obed beget Jehu, Jehu beget Azarias.

39. Azarias beget Helles, and Helles begot Elasa.

40. Elasa beget Sisamoi, Sisamoi beget Sellum,

41. Sellum beget Icamia, and Icamia begot Elisama.

42. Now the sons of Caleb the brother of Jerameel were Mesa his firstborn, who was the father of Siph: and the sons of Maresa father of Hebron.

43. And the sons of Hebron, Core, and Thaphua, and Recem, and Samma.

44. And Samma beget Raham, the father of Jercaam, and Recem beget Sammai.

45. The son of Sammai, Maon: and Maon the father of Bethsur.

46. And Epha the concubine of Caleb bore Haran, and Mesa, and Gezez. And Haran beget Gezez.

47. And the sons of Jahaddai, Rogom, and Joathan, and Gesan, and Phalet, and Epha, and Saaph.

48. And Maacha the concubine of Caleb bore Saber, and Tharana.

49. And Saaph the father of Madmena beget Sue the father of Machbena, and the father of Gabaa. And the daughter of Caleb was Achsa.

50. These were the sons of Caleb, the son of Hur the firstborn of Ephrata, Sobal the father of Cariathiarim.

51. Salma the father of Bethlehem, Hariph the father of Bethgader.

52. And Sobal the father of Cariathiarim had sons: he that saw half of the places of rest.

53. And of the kindred of Cariathiarim, the Jethrites, and Aphuthites, and Semathites, and Maserites. Of them came the Saraites, and Esthaolites.

54. The sons of Salma, Bethlehem, and Netophathi, the crowns of the house of Joab, and half of the place of rest of Sarai.

55. And the families of the scribes that dwell in Jabes, singing and making melody, and abiding in tents. These are the Cinites, who came of Calor (Chamath) father of the house of Rechab,

1. On the first day of the week, a psalm for David. The earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof: the world, and all they that dwell therein.

2. For he hath founded it upon the seas; and hath prepared it upon the rivers.

3. Who shall ascend into the mountain of the Lord: or who shall stand in his holy place?

4. The innocent in hands, and clean of heart, who hath not taken his soul in vain, nor sworn deceitfully to his neighbour.

5. He shall receive a blessing from the Lord, and mercy from God his Saviour.

6. This is the generation of them that seek him, of them that seek the face of the God of Jacob.

7. Lift up your gates, O ye princes, and be ye lifted up, O eternal gates: and the King of Glory shall enter in.

8. Who is this King of Glory? the Lord who is strong and mighty: the Lord mighty in battle.

9. Lift up your gates, O ye princes, and be ye lifted up, O eternal gates: and the King of Glory shall enter in.

10. Who is this King of Glory? the Lord of hosts, he is the King of Glory.