I am grateful to God—whom I worship with a clear conscience, as my ancestors did—when I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day. Recalling your tears, I long to see you so that I may be filled with joy. I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that lived first in your…
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The king and his men marched to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, who said to David, ‘You will not come in here, even the blind and the lame will turn you back’—thinking, ‘David cannot come in here.’ Nevertheless, David took the stronghold of Zion, which is now the city of David. And David…
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Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was standing above all the people; and when he opened it, all the people stood up. Then Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and all the people answered, ‘Amen, Amen’, lifting up their hands. Then they bowed their heads and worshipped…
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David intoned this lamentation over Saul and his son Jonathan.Your glory, O Israel, lies slain upon your high places! How the mighty have fallen!Saul and Jonathan, beloved and lovely! In life and in death they were not divided;they were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions. From 2 Samuel 1:1-4,11-12,17,19,23-27, NRSV For many years, King…
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He (Saul) said to David, ‘You are more righteous than I; for you have repaid me good, whereas I have repaid you evil. Today you have explained how you have dealt well with me, in that you did not kill me when the Lord put me into your hands. For who has ever found an enemy, and…
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Jonathan spoke well of David to his father Saul, saying to him, ‘The king should not sin against his servant David, because he has not sinned against you, and because his deeds have been of good service to you; for he took his life in his hand when he attacked the Philistine, and the Lord brought about…
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But David said to the Philistine, ‘You come to me with sword and spear and javelin; but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This very day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off…
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The Lord said, ‘Rise and anoint him; for this is the one.’ Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the presence of his brothers; and the spirit of the Lord came mightily upon David from that day forward. Samuel then set out and went to Ramah. From 1 Samuel 16:1-13, NRSV Having had the unenviable…
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And Samuel said,‘Has the Lord as great delight in burnt-offerings and sacrifices, as in obedience to the voice of the Lord?Surely, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams.For rebellion is no less a sin than divination, and stubbornness is like iniquity and idolatry.Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he…
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You shall no more be termed Forsaken, and your land shall no more be termed Desolate;but you shall be called My Delight Is in Her, and your land Married;for the Lord delights in you, and your land shall be married. From Isaiah 62:1-5, NRSV The people of Israel had wandered far from God and for a time,…
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