131 And David consulted with the captains of thousands and hundreds, with every prince. 2 And David said to all the congregation of Israel, If it seem good to you, and it be of Jehovah our God, let us send abroad to our brethren everywhere, that are left in all the lands of Israel, and with them to the priests and Levites in their cities and suburbs, that they may gather themselves to us; 3 and let us bring again the ark of our God to us; for we inquired not of it in the days of Saul. 4 And all the congregation said that they should do so; for the thing was right in the eyes of all the people.
5 And David assembled all Israel from the Shihor of Egypt unto the entrance of Hamath, to bring the ark of God from Kirjath-jearim. 6 And David went up, and all Israel, to Baalah, to Kirjath-jearim, which belonged to Judah, to bring up from thence the ark of God, of Jehovah, who sitteth between the cherubim, whose name is placed [there]. 7 And they carried the ark of God on a new cart out of the house of Abinadab; and Uzza and Ahio drove the cart. 8 And David and all Israel played before God with all their might, and with singing, and with harps, and with lutes, and with tambours, and with cymbals, and with trumpets.
9 And when they came to the threshing-floor of Chidon, Uzza put forth his hand to hold the ark; for the oxen had stumbled. 10 And the anger of Jehovah was kindled against Uzza, and he smote him, because he had put forth his hand to the ark; and there he died before God. 11 And David was indignant; for Jehovah had made a breach upon Uzza; and he called that place Perez-Uzza to this day. 12 And David was afraid of God that day, saying, How shall I bring the ark of God to me? 13 And David brought not the ark home unto himself into the city of David, but he carried it aside into the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite. 14 And the ark of God remained with the family of Obed-Edom in his house three months. And Jehovah blessed the house of Obed-Edom, and all that he had.
141 And Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and timber of cedars, with masons and carpenters, to build him a house. 2 And David perceived that Jehovah had established him king over Israel, for his kingdom was highly exalted, because of his people Israel.
3 And David took more wives at Jerusalem: and David begot more sons and daughters. 4 And these are the names of the children which he had in Jerusalem: Shammua, and Shobab, Nathan, and Solomon, 5 and Ibhar, and Elishua, and Elpelet, 6 and Nogah, and Nepheg, and Japhia, 7 and Elishama, and Beeliada, and Eliphelet.
8 And the Philistines heard that David was anointed king over all Israel, and all the Philistines went up to seek David; and David heard [of it], and went out against them. 9 And the Philistines came and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim. 10 And David inquired of God saying, Shall I go up against the Philistines, and wilt thou give them into my hand? And Jehovah said to him, Go up; and I will give them into thy hand. 11 And they came up to Baal-perazim, and David smote them there; and David said, God has broken in upon mine enemies by my hand, as the breaking forth of waters. Therefore they called the name of that place Baal-perazim. 12 And they left their gods there; and David commanded, and they were burned with fire. 13 And the Philistines yet again spread themselves in the valley. 14 And David inquired again of God; and God said to him, Go not up after them; turn round them and come upon them opposite the mulberry-trees. 15 And it shall be, when thou hearest the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry-trees, that then thou shalt go out to battle; for God will have gone forth before thee to smite the army of the Philistines. 16 And David did as God commanded him; and they smote the army of the Philistines from Gibeon even to Gezer. 17 And the fame of David went out into all lands; and Jehovah brought the fear of him upon all the nations.
151 And he made him houses in the city of David, and prepared a place for the ark of God, and spread a tent for it. 2 Then David said, None ought to carry the ark of God but the Levites, for them has Jehovah chosen to carry the ark of God, and to serve him for ever. 3 And David assembled all Israel to Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of Jehovah to its place that he had prepared for it. 4 And David gathered the sons of Aaron and the Levites: 5 of the sons of Kohath, Uriel the chief, and his brethren a hundred and twenty; 6 of the sons of Merari, Asaiah the chief, and his brethren two hundred and twenty; 7 of the sons of Gershom, Joel the chief, and his brethren a hundred and thirty; 8 of the sons of Elizaphan, Shemaiah the chief, and his brethren two hundred; 9 of the sons of Hebron, Eliel the chief, and his brethren eighty; 10 of the sons of Uzziel, Amminadab the chief, and his brethren a hundred and twelve. 11 And David called for Zadok and Abiathar the priests, and for the Levites, for Uriel, Asaiah, and Joel, Shemaiah, and Eliel, and Amminadab; 12 and he said to them, Ye are the chief fathers of the Levites; hallow yourselves, ye and your brethren, that ye may bring up the ark of Jehovah the God of Israel to [the place that] I have prepared for it. 13 For because ye did [it] not at the first, Jehovah our God made a breach upon us, for that we sought him not after the due order. 14 So the priests and the Levites hallowed themselves to bring up the ark of Jehovah the God of Israel. 15 And the children of the Levites bore the ark of God upon their shoulders with the staves upon them, as Moses had commanded according to the word of Jehovah. 16 And David spoke to the chief of the Levites to appoint their brethren, the singers, with instruments of music, lutes, and harps, and cymbals, that they should sound aloud, lifting up the voice with joy. 17 And the Levites appointed Heman the son of Joel; and of his brethren, Asaph the son of Berechiah; and of the sons of Merari their brethren, Ethan the son of Kushaiah; 18 and with them their brethren of the second [rank], Zechariah, Ben, and Jaaziel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Unni, Eliab, and Benaiah, and Maaseiah, and Mattithiah, and Elipheleh, and Mikneiah, and Obed-Edom, and Jeiel, the doorkeepers; 19 and the singers, Heman, Asaph, and Ethan, to sound aloud with cymbals of brass; 20 and Zechariah, and Aziel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Unni, and Eliab, and Maaseiah, and Benaiah, with lutes on Alamoth; 21 and Mattithiah, and Elipheleh, and Mikneiah, and Obed-Edom and Jeiel, and Azaziah, with harps on the Sheminith to lead [the singing]. 22 And Chenaniah, chief of the Levites for the music, gave instruction in music, for he was skilful. 23 And Berechiah and Elkanah were doorkeepers for the ark. 24 And Shebaniah, and Jehoshaphat, and Nethaneel, and Amasai, and Zechariah, and Benaiah, and Eliezer, the priests, blew with the trumpets before the ark of God; and Obed-Edom and Jehijah were doorkeepers for the ark.
25 And David, and the elders of Israel, and the captains over thousands, went to bring up the ark of the covenant of Jehovah out of the house of Obed-Edom with joy. 26 And it came to pass, when God helped the Levites that bore the ark of the covenant of Jehovah, that they sacrificed seven bullocks and seven rams. 27 And David was clothed with a robe of byssus, and all the Levites that bore the ark, and the singers, and Chenaniah chief of the music of the singers; and David had upon him a linen ephod. 28 And all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of Jehovah with shouting, and with sound of the trumpet, and with clarions, and with cymbals, playing aloud with lutes and harps. 29 And it came to pass as the ark of the covenant of Jehovah came to the city of David, that Michal the daughter of Saul looked through a window, and saw king David dancing and playing; and she despised him in her heart.
71 And after these things Jesus walked in Galilee, for he would not walk in Judaea, because the Jews sought to kill him. 2 Now the tabernacles, the feast of the Jews, was near. 3 His brethren therefore said to him, Remove hence and go into Judaea, that thy disciples also may see thy works which thou doest; 4 for no one does anything in secret and himself seeks to be [known] in public. If thou doest these things, manifest thyself to the world: 5 for neither did his brethren believe on him. 6 Jesus therefore says to them, My time is not yet come, but your time is always ready. 7 The world cannot hate you, but me it hates, because I bear witness concerning it that its works are evil. 8 Ye, go ye up to this feast. I go not up to this feast, for my time is not yet fulfilled. 9 Having said these things to them he abode in Galilee.
10 But when his brethren had gone up, then he himself also went up to the feast, not openly, but as in secret. 11 The Jews therefore sought him at the feast, and said, Where is he? 12 And there was much murmuring concerning him among the crowds. Some said, He is [a] good [man]; others said, No; but he deceives the crowd. 13 However, no one spoke openly concerning him on account of [their] fear of the Jews.
14 But when it was now the middle of the feast, Jesus went up into the temple and taught. 15 The Jews therefore wondered, saying, How knows this [man] letters, having never learned? 16 Jesus therefore answered them and said, My doctrine is not mine, but [that] of him that has sent me. 17 If any one desire to practise his will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is of God, or [that] I speak from myself. 18 He that speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but he that seeks the glory of him that has sent him, he is true, and unrighteousness is not in him. 19 Has not Moses given you the law, and no one of you practises the law? Why do ye seek to kill me? 20 The crowd answered [and said], Thou hast a demon: who seeks to kill thee? 21 Jesus answered and said to them, I have done one work, and ye all wonder. 22 Therefore Moses gave you circumcision (not that it is of Moses, but of the fathers), and ye circumcise a man on sabbath. 23 If a man receives circumcision on sabbath, that the law of Moses may not be violated, are ye angry with me because I have made a man entirely sound on sabbath? 24 Judge not according to sight, but judge righteous judgment.
25 Some therefore of those of Jerusalem said, Is not this he whom they seek to kill? 26 and behold, he speaks openly, and they say nothing to him. Have the rulers then indeed recognised that this is the Christ? 27 But [as to] this [man] we know whence he is. Now [as to] the Christ, when he comes, no one knows whence he is.
(Read John 7:1-13)
The brethren or kinsmen of Jesus were disgusted, when they found there was no prospect of worldly advantages from him. Ungodly men sometimes undertake to counsel those employed in the work of God; but they only advise what appears likely to promote present advantages. The people differed about his doctrine and miracles, while those who favoured him, dared not openly to avow their sentiments. Those who count the preachers of the gospel to be deceivers, speak out, while many who favour them, fear to get reproach by avowing regard for them.
(Read John 7:14-24)
Every faithful minister may humbly adopt Christ's words. His doctrine is not his own finding out, but is from God's word, through the teaching of his Spirit. And amidst the disputes which disturb the world, if any man, of any nation, seeks to do the will of God, he shall know whether the doctrine is of God, or whether men speak of themselves. Only those who hate the truth shall be given up to errors which will be fatal. Surely it was as agreeable to the design of the sabbath to restore health to the afflicted, as to administer an outward rite. Jesus told them to decide on his conduct according to the spiritual import of the Divine law. We must not judge concerning any by their outward appearance, but by their worth, and by the gifts and graces of God's Spirit in them.
(Read John 7:25-30)
Christ proclaimed aloud, that they were in error in their thoughts about his origin. He was sent of God, who showed himself true to his promises. This declaration, that they knew not God, with his claim to peculiar knowledge, provoked the hearers; and they sought to take him, but God can tie men's hands, though he does not turn their hearts.
