Some of 2 Sam 15 &16

Someone came telling David, ‘The Yisra’elites’ mind has gone after Abshalom.’

David said to all his servants who were with him in Yerushalaim, ‘Get up, let’s take flight, because there’ll be no escape group for us from before Abshalom. Hurry, go, so he doesn’t hurry and catch up with us and hurl something bad upon us and strike the town down with the mouth of the sword.’

….while David was going up the Olives Ascent, wailing as he was going up, with his head covered; he was walking barefoot, while the entire company that was with him covered each one his head. They went up wailing as they were going up.

King David came as far as Bahurim and there, someone from the kin-group of Sha’ul’s household was going out from there. His name was Shim’i ben Gera. As he went out he was slighting and pelting David and all King David’s servants with stones, with the entire company and all the strong men at his right and at his left.

Shim’i said this as he slighted him: ‘Get out, get out, you man of bloodshed, you scoundrel! Yahweh is giving back to you all the bloodshed in the household of Sha’ul, in whose place you became king. Yahweh has given the kingship into the hand of Abshalom your son, and here you are, in a bad situation, because you’re a man of bloodshed.’

Abishay ben Tseruyah said to the king, ‘Why should this dead dog slight my lord the king? I shall pass on, please, and remove his head!’ But the king said, ‘What do you and I have in common, you sons of Tseruyah? He can slight in this way because Yahweh has said to him, “Slight David.” Who is to say, “Why have you done that?”?’

David said to Abishay and to all his servants, ‘Here, my son who came out from inside me, is seeking my life. How much more now a Binyaminite? Let him be. He can slight, because Yahweh has said it to him. Maybe Yahweh will look at the waywardness done to me and Yahweh will give back good to me in place of his slighting this day.’ David and his men went on their way, while Shim’i was going along the side of the mountain alongside him, slighting and pelting him with stones alongside him and throwing earth as he went.

Goldingay, John; The Bible for Everyone . SPCK. Kindle Edition.

Teach us, good Lord,
to serve thee as thou deservest;
to give and not to count the cost;
to fight and not to heed the wounds;
to toil and not to seek for rest;
to labour and not to ask for any reward,
save that of knowing that we do thy will,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen

St Ignatius

But the thing that David did was bad in Yahweh’s eyes.

So Yahweh sent Natan to David. He came to him and said to him, ‘There were two men in a town, one wealthy, one destitute. The wealthy man had a very large flock and herd. The destitute man didn’t have anything except one small ewe that he had acquired. He had let it live and it had grown up with him and with his children, all together. It used to eat from his bit, drink from his cup and sleep in his arms. It was like a daughter to him. A traveller came to the wealthy man, but he spared taking something from his flock or from his herd to prepare for the man on a journey who had come to him. He took the destitute man’s ewe and prepared it for the man who had come to him.’

David’s anger raged right up at the man. He said to Natan, ‘As Yahweh lives, the man who did this deserves death. He should make good fourfold for the ewe on account of the fact that he did this thing, and since he didn’t spare.’

Natan said to David, ‘You’re the man. Yahweh the God of Yisra’el has said this: “I myself anointed you as king over Yisra’el. I myself rescued you from Sha’ul’s hand. I gave you your lord’s household and your lord’s wives into your arms. I gave you the household of Yisra’el and Yehudah. If that’s little, I would have added to you as much again as these. Why did you despise Yahweh’s word by doing what is bad in my eyes? Uriyyah the Hittite you struck down with the sword and his wife you took as your wife. Him you killed, with the sword of the Ammonites. So now the sword won’t depart from your household, permanently, because of the fact that you despised me and took Uriyyah the Hittite’s wife to be a wife for you.”

Yahweh has said this: “Here, I’m going to make something bad arise for you from your household. I shall take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbour. He’ll sleep with your wives before the eyes of this sun. Because you yourself acted in secret, but I myself will do this thing before all Yisra’el and before the sun.”’

David said to Natan, ‘I’ve acted wrongly against Yahweh.’

Natan said to David, ‘Yes. Because Yahweh has made your wrongdoing pass on, you will not die. Nevertheless, because you’ve totally disdained (the enemies of) Yahweh by this act, yes, the child born to you will definitely die.’ And Natan went home. Yahweh struck the child to whom Uriyyah’s wife gave birth for David, and it became ill. David sought God for the boy. David made a fast and came and stayed the night and lay on the ground. The elders in his household got up over him to make him get up from the ground but he wasn’t willing, and he didn’t eat a meal with them.

Goldingay, John; The Bible for Everyone . SPCK. Kindle Edition.

Grant, Lord,
that we may hold to you without parting,
worship you without wearying,
serve you without failing;
faithfully seek you,
happily find you,
and forever possess you,
the only God,blessed now and for ever.
Amen

St Anselm

At the turn of the year, at the time when the kings go out, David sent Yo’ab and his servants with him, and all Yisra’el, and they devastated the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah, while David was staying in Yerushalaim.

During evening time David got up from his bed and walked about on the roof of the king’s house, and from on the roof saw a woman bathing. The woman was very good-looking. David sent and enquired about the woman. They said, ‘She’s Bat-sheba bat Eli’am, the wife of Uriyyah the Hittite, isn’t she?’

David sent envoys, got her, and she came to him. He slept with her, while she was making herself sacred from her taboo, and she went back to her house. The woman got pregnant, and she sent and told David, ‘I’m pregnant.’

David sent to Yo’ab, ‘Send Uriyyah the Hittite to me.’ Yo’ab sent Uriyyah to David. So Uriyyah came to him, and David asked him about how well things were with Yo’ab and how well things were with the company and how well things were with the battle.

Then David said to Uriyyah, ‘Go down to your house and bathe your feet.’ Uriyyah went out from the king’s house, and a present from the king followed him. But Uriyyah slept at the entrance of the king’s house with all his lord’s servants. He didn’t go down to his house. They told David, ‘Uriyyah didn’t go down to his house.’

David said to Uriyyah, ‘Didn’t you come from a journey? Why didn’t you go down to your house?’ Uriyyah said to David, ‘The chest and Yisra’el and Yehudah are staying at Sukkot, and my lord Yo’ab and my lord’s servants are camped on the face of the fields, and should I myself come to my house to eat and drink and sleep with my wife? By your life, by your very life, if I were to do this thing . . .’ David said to Uriyyah, ‘Stay here today, too, and tomorrow I’ll send you off.’ So Uriyyah stayed in Yerushalaim that day.

Next day David called for him, he ate before him and drank, and he got him drunk. But in the evening he went out to lie in his bed with his lord’s servants. He didn’t go down to his house. So in the morning David wrote a letter to Yo’ab and sent it by the hand of Uriyyah. He wrote in the letter, ‘Place Uriyyah near the front of the fiercest battle, and pull back from after him so he may be struck down and die.’

So when Yo’ab was keeping watch on the town, he put Uriyyah in the place where he knew that there were forceful men. The men of the town came out and battled against Yo’ab, and of the company some of David’s servants fell. Uriyyah the Hittite also died.

Yo’ab sent and told David all the things about the battle. He ordered the envoy: ‘When you finish speaking all the things about the battle to the king, if the king’s temper rises and he says to you, “Why did you go up to the town to battle? Didn’t you know that they would shoot from on the wall? Who struck down Abimelek ben Y erubbeshet? Wasn’t it a woman who threw down an upper millstone on him from on the wall and he died at Tebets? Why did you go up to the wall?” then you are to say, “Your servant Uriyyah the Hittite also died.”’

The envoy went, and came and told David all that Yo’ab had sent him with. The envoy said to David, ‘The men prevailed against us and came out against us into the fields. Then we were against them as far as the entrance of the gateway. But the archers shot at your servants from on the wall and some of the king’s servants died; and your servant Uriyyah the Hittite also died.’ David said to the envoy, ‘Say this to Yo’ab: “This thing is not to be bad in your eyes, because the sword devours one way and another way. Make your battle stronger against the town and tear it down.” Strengthen him.’

But the thing David had done was bad in Yahweh’s eyes.

Goldingay, John The Bible for Everyone . SPCK. Kindle Edition.

Thank you, dear Jesus,
for all you have given me,
for all you have taken away from me,
for all you have left me.

Thomas More (c.1478-1535)

When the king had gone to live in his house, when Yahweh had given him a settled position in relation to all his enemies around, the king said to Natan the prophet, ‘Please look: I’m living in a cedar house, but God’s chest is living inside a tent.’ Natan said to the king, ‘Go do everything that’s in your mind, because Yahweh is with you.’ But that night Yahweh’s word came to Natan: ‘Go and say to my servant, to David, “Yahweh has said this: ‘Are you to build me a house to live in? Because I haven’t lived in a house from the day that I took the Yisra’elites up from Misrayim [Egypt] till this day. I’ve been going about in a tent as a dwelling. Everywhere I went about among all the Yisra’elites, did I speak a word with one of the Yisra’elite clan leaders whom I ordered to shepherd my people Yisra’el, saying “Why have you not built me a cedar house?”’” So now you’re to say this to my servant, to David, “Yahweh of Armies has said this: ‘I myself took you from the pasture, from following the flock, to be ruler over my people, over Yisra’el, and I’ve been with you everywhere you’ve gone. I’ve cut off all your enemies from before you and I shall make a big name for you, like the name of the big people who are on the earth. I shall make a place for my people, for Yisra’el, and plant them. They will dwell in their place and not tremble again. Evil people won’t humble them again as they did previously, from the day that I ordered leaders over my people Yisra’el. I shall give you a settled position in relation to all your enemies.

Yahweh tells you that Yahweh will make a house(hold) for you. When your days are full and you lie down with your ancestors, I shall set up your offspring after you, who will come out from inside you, and I shall establish his kingship. He is the one who will build a house for my name. I shall establish his royal throne permanently. I myself will become a father to him and he will become a son to me. When he goes wrong, I shall reprove him with a club in the hand of human beings, with the blows of human hands, but my commitment will not depart from him as I removed it from Sha’ul, whom I removed from before you. Your household and your kingship will be trustworthy permanently before you. Your throne will be established permanently.’”’ In accordance with all these words and in accordance with this entire vision, so Natan spoke to David.

Goldingay, John; The Bible for Everyone . SPCK. Kindle Edition.

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is discord, union;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
Where there is sadness, joy,
For your mercy and for your truth’s sake. Amen

The set reading for Thursday is this one:

King David came and sat before Yahweh, and said, ‘Who am I, Lord Yahweh, and who are my household, that you have brought me as far as this? Moreover, this has been small in your eyes, Lord Yahweh. You’ve spoken further about your servant’s household for the distant future. This is instruction about a human being, Lord Yahweh: what more can David speak to you? You yourself have acknowledged your servant, Lord Yahweh. On account of your word and in accordance with your mind you’re doing this entire big thing, making it known to your servant.

Thus you are great, Lord Yahweh, because there is no one like you, no God except you, in all that we have heard with our ears. And who is like your people, like Yisra’el, a nation on the earth that God went to redeem for himself as a people, to make for himself a name, and to do big and awe-inspiring things (for you all) for your country before your people whom you redeemed for yourself from Misrayim (nations and their gods). You established your people Yisra’el for yourself as a people permanently, and you Yahweh became God for them. Now, Yahweh God, the word that you have spoken about your servant and about his household – establish it permanently and do as you have spoken. May your name be great permanently: “Yahweh of Armies is God over Yisra’el”. May your servant David’s household be established before you. Because you, Yahweh of Armies, God of Yisra’el, have opened your servant’s ear, saying “I will build a household for you.” That’s why your servant has found his courage to make this plea to you. Now, Lord Yahweh, you are God, and your words are truthful. You have spoken this good thing to your servant. Now resolve to bless your servant’s household so it will be before you permanently, because you, Lord Yahweh, have spoken. May your servant’s household be blessed permanently through your blessing.’

Yahweh’s chest stayed at the house of Obed Edom the Gittite for three months. Yahweh blessed Obed Edom and his entire household, and it was told King David, ‘Yahweh has blessed the household of Obed Edom and all that belongs to him on account of God’s chest’, so David went and brought up God’s chest from Obed Edom’s house to David’s Town with rejoicing.

When the people carrying Yahweh’s chest had taken six steps he sacrificed a bull and a fatling, with David whirling before Yahweh with all his vigour, and David wrapped round in a linen chasuble, and David and all the household of Yisra’el bringing up Yahweh’s chest with a shout and with the sound of a horn.

Yahweh’s chest was coming into David’s Town as Mikal, Sha’ul’s daughter, was looking out through the window. She saw King David jumping and whirling before Yahweh, and she despised him inside.

They brought in Yahweh’s chest and put it in its place inside the tent that David had spread for it. David offered up burnt offerings and well-being sacrifices before Yahweh. David finished offering up the burnt offering and the well-being sacrifices, blessed the people in the name of Yahweh of Armies, and shared out to the entire people, to the entire Yisra’elite horde, both men and women, to each individual, a round of bread, a date block and a raisin block.

Goldingay, John. The Bible for Everyone . SPCK. Kindle Edition.

O Lord Jesus Christ,
stay beside me to defend me,
within me to guide me,
before me to lead me,
and above me to bless me,
that with you and in you,
I may live, and move and have my being,
for ever and ever.
Amen.

(unknown)

Then all the Yisra’elite clans came to David at Hebron and said, ‘Here, we are your flesh and blood. Further, in previous days, when Sha’ul was king over us, you were the one who took Yisra’el out and brought Yisra’el in. Yahweh said to you, “You’re the one who will shepherd my people Yisra’el. You’re the one who will be ruler over Yisra’el.”’ So all Yisra’el’s elders came to the king at Hebron, King David solemnized a pact to them at Hebron before Yahweh, and they anointed David as king over Yisra’el. David was a man of thirty years when he began to reign and he reigned for forty years: in Hebron he reigned over Yehudah for seven years and six months, and in Yerushalaim he reigned for thirty-three years over all Yisra’el and Yehudah.

The king and his men went to Yerushalaim against the Yebusites, the inhabitants of the region. They said to David, ‘You won’t come in here. Actually, the blind and the lame could have removed you’ (saying, ‘David won’t come in here’). But David captured the Zion stronghold (i.e. David’s Town). David said on that day, ‘Anyone striking down the Yebusites (the blind and the lame, treated with hostility by David himself – that’s why they say, “A blind or lame person will not come into the house”) should take possession of the conduit.’ David lived in the stronghold and named it ‘David’s Town’. David built it up all round from the Fill to the house. David went on getting bigger and bigger, as Yahweh the God of Armies was with him. Hiram king of Tsor [Tyre] sent envoys to David with cedar wood, crafsmen in wood and craftsmen in stone for walls, and they built a house for David.

God, give me grace to accept with serenity
the things that cannot be changed,
Courage to change the things
which should be changed,
and the Wisdom to distinguish
the one from the other.

Living one day at a time,
Enjoying one moment at a time,
Accepting hardship as a pathway to peace,
Taking, as Jesus did,
This sinful world as it is,
Not as I would have it,
Trusting that You will make all things right,
If I surrender to Your will,
So that I may be reasonably happy in this life,
And supremely happy with You forever in the next.

Amen.

Goldingay, John; The Bible for Everyone . SPCK. Kindle Edition.

When Sha’ul came back from following the Pelishtites, they told him, ‘There, David’s in the Gedi Spring Wilderness.’ Sha’ul got 3,000 picked men from all Yisra’el and went to look for David and his men in the direction of Ibex Rocks. He came to sheepfolds by the road and a cave there, and Sha’ul came in to relieve himself, while David and his men were sitting in the innermost parts of the cave.

David’s men said to him, ‘Here, it’s the day that Yahweh said to you, “Here, I’m giving your enemy into your hand and you can do to him as seems good in your eyes.”’ David got up and cut off the corner of Sha’ul’s coat quietly, but afterwards, David’s heart struck him because he’d cut the corner off that belonged to Sha’ul. He said to his men. ‘Far be it from me by Yahweh, if I should do this thing to my lord, to Yahweh’s anointed, in putting out my hand against him, when he’s Yahweh’s anointed!’ David tore his men apart with the words and didn’t let them rise up against Sha’ul.

When Sha’ul set off from the cave and went on his way, David set off afterwards and went out of the cave. He called after Sha’ul, ‘My lord king!’ Sha’ul looked behind him and David bent his head, face to the ground, and bowed low. David said to Sha’ul, ‘Why do you listen to people’s words, saying “There, David is seeking something bad for you”? Here, this day your eyes have seen the fact that Yahweh gave you into my hand today in the cave, and they said to kill you, but I had pity on you. I said I wouldn’t put out my hand against my lord, because he is Yahweh’s anointed.

My father, look and look some more at the corner of your coat in my hand, because when I cut off the corner of your coat, I didn’t kill you. Acknowledge and see that there’s nothing bad and no rebellion in my hand. I haven’t wronged you, but you’re hunting down my life so as to take it. May Yahweh decide between me and you! May Yahweh take redress from you, whereas my hand will not be against you. As the old aphorism says, “It’s from faithless people that faithlessness comes.” Given that my hand will not be against you, after whom has the king of Yisra’el gone out? After whom are you pursuing? After a dead dog? After a single flea? May Yahweh be judge and may he decide between me and you. May he look and settle my argument and decide for me from your hand.’

When David finished speaking these words to Sha’ul, Sha’ul said, ‘Is this your voice, my son David?’ Sha’ul lifted up his voice and wailed. He said to David, ‘You’re more faithful than me, because you’ve dealt me good things but I’ve dealt you bad things. Today you yourself have told of the good that you did to me, the fact that Yahweh delivered me into your hand and you didn’t kill me. When someone finds his enemy and sends him off on his way with good . . . Yahweh himself will make good to you with good in return this day for what you’ve done for me. And now, here, I acknowledge that you will definitely reign as king and Yisra’el’s kingdom will rise up in your hand. So now, swear to me by Yahweh, if you cut off my offspring after me, if you annihilate my name from my father’s household . . .’

David swore to Sha’ul, and Sha’ul went home, while David and his men went up to the stronghold.

Goldingay, John The Bible for Everyone . SPCK. Kindle Edition.

Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that thou art –
Thou my best thought, by day or by night;
Waking or sleeping, thy presence my light.

David said to Sha’ul, ‘No one’s heart should fail him. Your servant himself will go and battle with this Pelishtite.’ Sha’ul said to David, ‘You can’t succeed in going to this Pelishtite to battle with him, because you’re a boy and he’s been a strong man from his boyhood.’

And David said, ‘Yahweh who rescued me from the hand of the lion and from the hand of the bear: he will rescue me from the hand of this Pelishtite.’ Sha’ul said to David, ‘Go, and Yahweh be with you.’

So David took his stick in his hand, chose five smooth stones for himself from the wadi, put them in the shepherds’ bag which he had, in the pouch, with his sling in his hand, and went up to the Pelishtite.

The Pelishtite kept walking and drawing near to David, with the shield-bearer before him. The Pelishtite looked out and saw David, and despised him because he was a boy, tanned and lovely in appearance. The Pelishtite said to David, ‘Am I a dog that you’re coming against me with sticks?’ And the Pelishtite slighted David by his gods. The Pelishtite said to David, ‘Come to me, and I’ll give your flesh to the birds of the heavens and to the animals of the wild.’

David said to the Pelishtite, ‘You’re coming against me with sword, with lance and with javelin, but I’m coming against you in the name of Yahweh of Armies the God of Yisra’el’s lines, whom you’ve reviled. This day Yahweh will deliver you into my hand and I shall strike you down and remove your head from you. I shall give the carcases of the Pelishtites’ camp this day to the birds of the heavens and to the creatures of the earth. All the earth will acknowledge that Yisra’el has a God, and this entire congregation will acknowledge that it is not by sword or by lance that Yahweh delivers, because the battle belongs to Yahweh and he will give you people into our hand.’

When the Pelishtite got up and walked and drew near to meet David, David hurried and ran to the line to meet the Pelishtite. David put his hand into the bag, got a stone from there, slung it and struck the Pelishtite on his forehead. The stone sank into his forehead. He fell on his face to the ground. So David was stronger than the Pelishtite with sling and with stone. He struck the Pelishtite down and put him to death. There was no sword in David’s hand, so David ran, stood over the Pelishtite, got his sword, pulled it from its sheath and put him to death. He cut off his head with it. The Pelishtites saw that their strong man was dead, and they fled.

Goldingay, John;The Bible for Everyone . SPCK. Kindle Edition.

Lord, you have given me so much,
I ask for one more thing –
a grateful heart.

George Herbert

But Yahweh said to Shemu’el, ‘How long are you going to take up grieving for Sha’ul, when I myself have rejected him from being king over Yisra’el? Fill your horn with oil and go: I shall send you to Yishay [Jesse] the Bet-lehemite because I’ve seen a king for myself among his sons.’ Shemu’el said, ‘How can I go? Sha’ul will hear and kill me.’ Yahweh said, ‘You’re to take a heifer in your possession and say “It’s to sacrifice for Yahweh that I’ve come”, and invite Yishay to the sacrifice. I myself will let you know what you’re to do and you’re to anoint for me the one that I say to you.’

Shemu’el did what Yahweh spoke. He came to Bet Lehem, and the town’s elders trembled to meet him and said, ‘Does your coming mean things are well?’ He said, ‘Things are well. It’s to sacrifice for Yahweh that I’ve come. Make yourselves sacred and come with me to the sacrifice.’ He made Yishay and his sons sacred and invited them to the sacrifice.

When they came, he saw Eli’ab and said, ‘Surely his anointed is in front of Yahweh!’ But Yahweh said to Shemu’el, ‘Don’t look at his appearance or at the loftiness to which he stands, because I’ve rejected him, because it’s not what a human being sees, because a human being sees what appears to the eyes, but Yahweh sees into the mind.’

Yishay called Abinadab and had him pass before Shemu’el, but he said, ‘Yahweh has not chosen this one either.’ Yishay had Shammah pass, but he said, ‘Yahweh has not chosen this one either.’ Yishay had his seven sons pass before Shemu’el, but Shemu’el said to Yishay, ‘Yahweh has not chosen these.’

Shemu’el said to Yishay, ‘Have the boys come to an end?’ He said, ‘The little one still remains, but there, he’s tending the flock.’ Shemu’el said to Yishay, ‘Send and get him, because we won’t sit down till he comes here.’

So he sent and brought him. He was tanned, with lovely eyes, good-looking. Yahweh said, ‘Get up, anoint him, because this is the one.’ Shemu’el got the horn of oil and anointed him among his brothers. Yahweh’s spirit thrust itself on to David from that day onwards. And Shemu’el set off and went to The Height.

Goldingay, John. The Bible for Everyone . SPCK. Kindle Edition.

Be thou a bright flame before me,
Be thou a guiding star above me
Be thou a smooth path below me
Be thou a kindly shepherd behind me
Today – tonight -forever
Amen.

St Columba

Shemu’el said to Sha’ul,
‘Slow down, and I shall tell you what Yahweh spoke to me last night.’

He said to him, ‘Speak.’

Shemu’el said, ‘Though you were small in your eyes, you’re the head of Yisra’el’s clans. Yahweh anointed you as king over Yisra’el and Yahweh sent you on a journey. He said to you, “Go and devote the wrongdoers, Amaleq. Do battle against them until you’ve finished them off.” Why didn’t you listen to Yahweh’s voice but pounce on the spoil and do what was bad in Yahweh’s eyes?’ Listening is better than sacrificing

Sha’ul said to Shemu’el, ‘I listened to Yahweh’s voice! I went on the journey that Yahweh sent me on. I brought Agag king of Amaleq, but Amaleq I devoted. The company took flock and herd from the spoil, the first of what was to be devoted, to sacrifice for Yahweh your God at Gilgal.’

Shemu’el said,

Are burnt offerings and sacrifices
as pleasing to Yahweh as listening to Yahweh’s voice?
Here, listening is better than sacrificing,
heeding than the fat of rams.
Because rebellion [is as bad as] the wrongdoing that comes from divination,
arrogance [is as bad as] the trouble that comes from effigies.
Since you rejected Yahweh’s word,
he has rejected you from being king.

Goldingay, John;The Bible for Everyone . SPCK. Kindle Edition.

Teach us, good Lord,
to serve thee as thou deservest;
to give and not to count the cost;
to fight and not to heed the wounds;
to toil and not to seek for rest;
to labour and not to ask for any reward,
save that of knowing that we do thy will,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen

St Ignatius