Day 358 of 939
2SA 3:1-20
2SA 3:1-20 · ACT 7:1-12
Not written yet
The reading for this day is below. The commentary has not been written and reviewed yet — it is added a book at a time, and every day is read by a person before it appears here.
2SA 3:1-20
1Now the war between the house of Saul and the house of David was protracted. And David grew stronger and stronger, while the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker. 2And sons were born to David in Hebron: His firstborn was Amnon, by Ahinoam of Jezreel; 3his second was Chileab, by Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel; his third was Absalom, the son of Maacah daughter of King Talmai of Geshur; 4his fourth was Adonijah, the son of Haggith; his fifth was Shephatiah, the son of Abital; 5and his sixth was Ithream, by David’s wife Eglah. These sons were born to David in Hebron. 6During the war between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner had continued to strengthen his position in the house of Saul. 7Now Saul had a concubine named Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah. So Ish-bosheth questioned Abner, “Why did you sleep with my father’s concubine?” 8Abner was furious over Ish-bosheth’s accusation. “Am I the head of a dog that belongs to Judah?” he asked. “All this time I have been loyal to the house of your father Saul, to his brothers, and to his friends. I have not delivered you into the hand of David, but now you accuse me of wrongdoing with this woman! 9May God punish Abner, and ever so severely, if I do not do for David what the LORD has sworn to him: 10to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul and to establish the throne of David over Israel and Judah, from Dan to Beersheba.” 11And for fear of Abner, Ish-bosheth did not dare to say another word to him. 12Then Abner sent messengers on his behalf to say to David, “To whom does the land belong? Make your covenant with me, and surely my hand will be with you to bring all Israel over to you.” 13“Good,” replied David, “I will make a covenant with you. But there is one thing I require of you: Do not appear before me unless you bring Saul’s daughter Michal when you come to see me.” 14Then David sent messengers to say to Ish-bosheth son of Saul, “Give me back my wife, Michal, whom I betrothed to myself for a hundred Philistine foreskins.” 15So Ish-bosheth sent and took Michal from her husband Paltiel son of Laish. 16Her husband followed her, weeping all the way to Bahurim. Then Abner said to him, “Go back.” So he returned home. 17Now Abner conferred with the elders of Israel and said, “In the past you sought David as your king. 18Now take action, because the LORD has said to David, ‘Through My servant David I will save My people Israel from the hands of the Philistines and of all their enemies.’” 19Abner also spoke to the Benjamites. Then he went to Hebron to tell David all that seemed good to Israel and to the whole house of Benjamin. 20When Abner and twenty of his men came to David at Hebron, David held a feast for them.
Secondary reading — ACT 7:1-12
1Then the high priest asked Stephen, “Are these charges true?” 2And Stephen declared: “Brothers and fathers, listen to me! The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham while he was still in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran, 3and told him, ‘Leave your country and your kindred and go to the land I will show you.’ 4So Abraham left the land of the Chaldeans and settled in Haran. After his father died, God brought him out of that place and into this land where you are now living. 5He gave him no inheritance here, not even a foot of ground. But God promised to give possession of the land to Abraham and his descendants, even though he did not yet have a child. 6God told him that his descendants would be foreigners in a strange land, and that they would be enslaved and mistreated four hundred years. 7‘But I will punish the nation that enslaves them,’ God said, ‘and afterward they will come forth and worship Me in this place.’ 8Then God gave Abraham the covenant of circumcision, and Abraham became the father of Isaac and circumcised him on the eighth day. And Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob of the twelve patriarchs. 9Because the patriarchs were jealous of Joseph, they sold him as a slave into Egypt. But God was with him 10and rescued him from all his troubles. He granted Joseph favor and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king of Egypt, who appointed him ruler over Egypt and all his household. 11Then famine and great suffering swept across Egypt and Canaan, and our fathers could not find food. 12When Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent our fathers on their first visit.