Study Desk

Then Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth, and spread it on a rock for herself, from the beginning of harvest until rain fell on them from the heavens; she did not allow the birds of the air to come on the bodies by day, or the wild animals by night.

They buried the bones of Saul and of his son Jonathan in the land of Benjamin in Zela, in the tomb of his father Kish; they did all that the king commanded. After that, God heeded supplications for the land.

For the waves of death encompassed me, the torrents of perdition assailed me;

He delivered me from my strong enemy, from those who hated me; for they were too mighty for me.

For I have kept the ways of the Lord , and have not wickedly departed from my God.

For all his ordinances were before me, and from his statutes I did not turn aside.

This God—his way is perfect; the promise of the Lord proves true; he is a shield for all who take refuge in him.

For who is God, but the Lord ? And who is a rock, except our God?

He trains my hands for war, so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

For you girded me with strength for the battle; you made my assailants sink under me.

For this I will extol you, O Lord , among the nations, and sing praises to your name.

He is a tower of salvation for his king, and shows steadfast love to his anointed, to David and his descendants forever.

Is not my house like this with God? For he has made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things and secure. Will he not cause to prosper all my help and my desire?

But the godless are all like thorns that are thrown away; for they cannot be picked up with the hand;

Next to him among the three warriors was Eleazar son of Dodo son of Ahohi. He was with David when they defied the Philistines who were gathered there for battle. The Israelites withdrew,

for he said, "The Lord forbid that I should do this. Can I drink the blood of the men who went at the risk of their lives?" Therefore he would not drink it. The three warriors did these things.

But afterward, David was stricken to the heart because he had numbered the people. David said to the Lord , "I have sinned greatly in what I have done. But now, O Lord , I pray you, take away the guilt of your servant; for I have done very foolishly."

Then David said to Gad, "I am in great distress; let us fall into the hand of the Lord , for his mercy is great; but let me not fall into human hands."

Then Araunah said to David, "Let my lord the king take and offer up what seems good to him; here are the oxen for the burnt offering, and the threshing sledges and the yokes of the oxen for the wood.

But the king said to Araunah, "No, but I will buy them from you for a price; I will not offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God that cost me nothing." So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.