Daily Bible Reading: 2 Samual 21

There was famine for about three consecutive years, and David asked God about it. God told him, "Because Saul killed a lot of Gibeonites." So David went to the Gibeonites and said, "I know Saul did you wrong. I would like to make up for it. How can I make things right with you now?"
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They told David, "We don't want anything of Saul's, and we don't want you to punish anyone for it."

David said, "Just tell me what you do want, and I'll do it."

They said, "Let us have seven of Saul's bloodline, and let us hang them in Gibeah."

So David did, but he didn't send Mephibosheth because Mephibosheth was Jonathon's son, and he had swore an oath to Jonathon. Instead, he took two of Rizpah's sons, (Saul's concubine) and five of Michal's sons (Saul's grandchildren by his daughter). Rizpah mourned by taking a sackcloth and spreading it out on a rock and not letting any animals or birds on it until it rained. Then David took the bones of Saul, Jonathon, and the seven that were hanged and buried them in Saul's father's tomb, in the land of Benjamin.

Then God relieved them from the famine.

The Philistines and Israel went to war again, and during the battle, David became faint, or tired and stressed. Ishbebenob thought he had killed David, but Abishae saved David and killed Ishbebenob. Then all the warriors under David put their foot down and demanded that David never go out to battle with them again, because if he got killed it would kill the spirit of Israel and not be good for morale.

Then there was battle with the Philistines in Gob and a Hushathite killed Saph, one of the giant's sons. Then in another battle in Gob, a Bethlehemite slew Goliath's brother.

Then there was another battle with the Philistines in Gath, and one of Goliath's sons who had six fingers and six toes on each hand and foot was killed by David's nephew, Jonathon.

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Today I learned that sometimes God requires us to make up for what other people do wrong in order to build good relationships and show sincerity of heart.

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Daily Bible Reading: 2 Samual 1

David went back to Ziklag after defeating the Amelekites. He was there for two days when an Amelekite showed up dressed in distress. He asked what was going on and the Amelekite told him that he was a servant of the Philistines and that the Philistines came up on Saul's camp and that everyone was dead. He told David that Saul had fallen on his own sword, but wasn't yet dead, and begged the Amelekite to kill him, so he did.

David became angry and said, "How dare you kill the anointed of the Lord! You don't ever raise your hand to harm the anointed for any reason!" and he killed the Amelekite. Then he mourned because his best friend, Jonathon, who was Saul's son, was also dead. He mourned for the whole family.

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The lesson I got out of this is that when God puts someone in position of authority, no matter how much you dislike the person or what they have done to hurt you, you wait it out. It is not your place to end their life in order to make things better.

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Daily Bible Reading: 1 Samual 30

David left Achish on the battlefield and returned to Ziklag, where he had been staying with his two wives. Ziklag was listed as one of the 29 towns in Negev and was assigned to the tribe of Simeon (Josh 15:31; 19:5). It was apparently controlled by the Philistines during King Saul's rule, and was given by King Achish of Gath to David when he was running from Saul. David used it for a home base for raids against various groups who threatened the southern borders of Judah (1 Sam 27).

When he got there, he found that the city had been destroyed by the Amelekites, and all the people had been taken captive, including his two wives.

The people that were with David were upset that they had left their families there and followed David, and threatened to stone David, which made David even more upset. But David comforted himself by seeking out God's purpose in this. So David used the Ephod to communicate with God as to whether or not he should go after the Amelekites.

When they got to the brook "Besor, 200 of Davids men were too tired to go any further, so they decided to stay there while he and the other 400 continued their pursuit.

A servant of the Amelekites fell sick and the Amelekites left him behind. David's men found him in a field and brought him to David, who nursed him back to health. He asked the servant to take him to where the Amelekites were going, and the servant agreed, providing David would not kill him.

David killed all but 400 of them, who fled on horseback away from David, in about a day and a half of fighting. Then he returned to Besor with their spoils, where the 200 men greeted them.

Some of the men that travelled with David thought the 200 men that didn't go shouldn't get any of the spoils for pay. David said, "No. They stayed and watched over our stuff while we went to battle. They kept watch at home, therefore they deserve their portion." So, it became a law from that day forward that when there were spoils, everyone would get a piece of the pie.

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The lesson I got out of all this was that when you are being persecuted for things that are beyond your control, you should seek out God's purpose, enlist the persecuters to help you, and fix the problems together, giving credit to everyone involved when you are victorious.

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