171 And the Philistines gather their camps to battle, and are gathered to Shochoh, which 'is' to Judah, and encamp between Shochoh and Azekah, in Ephes-Dammim; 2 and Saul and the men of Israel have been gathered, and encamp by the valley of Elah, and set the battle in array to meet the Philistines. 3 And the Philistines are standing on the mountain on this side, and the Israelites are standing on the mountain on that side, and the valley 'is' between them. 4 And there goeth out a man of the duellists from the camps of the Philistines, Goliath 'is' his name, from Gath; his height 'is' six cubits and a span, 5 and a helmet of brass 'is' on his head, and 'with' a scaled coat of mail he 'is' clothed, and the weight of the coat of mail 'is' five thousand shekels of brass, 6 and a frontlet of brass 'is' on his feet, and a javelin of brass between his shoulders, 7 and the wood of his spear 'is' like a beam of weavers', and the flame of his spear 'is' six hundred shekels of iron, and the bearer of the buckler is going before him. 8 And he standeth and calleth unto the ranks of Israel, and saith to them, 'Why are ye come out to set in array the battle? 'am' not I the Philistine, and ye servants to Saul? choose for you a man, and let him come down unto me; 9 if he be able to fight with me, and have smitten me, then we have been to you for servants; and if I am able for him, and have smitten him, then ye have been to us for servants, and have served us.' 10 And the Philistine saith, 'I have reproached the ranks of Israel this day; give to me a man, and we fight together.' 11 And Saul heareth—and all Israel—these words of the Philistine, and they are broken down and greatly afraid.
12 And David 'is' son of this Ephrathite of Beth-Lehem-Judah, whose name 'is' Jesse, and he hath eight sons, and the man in the days of Saul hath become aged among men; 13 and the three eldest sons of Jesse go, they have gone after Saul to battle; and the name of his three sons who have gone into battle 'are' Eliab the first-born, and his second Abinadab, and the third Shammah. 14 And David is the youngest, and the three eldest have gone after Saul, 15 and David is going and returning from Saul, to feed the flock of his father at Beth-Lehem. 16 And the Philistine draweth nigh, morning and evening, and stationeth himself forty days. 17 And Jesse saith to David his son, 'Take, I pray thee, to thy brethren, an ephah of this roasted 'corn', and these ten loaves, and run to the camp to thy brethren; 18 and these ten cuttings of the cheese thou dost take in to the head of the thousand, and thy brethren thou dost inspect for welfare, and their pledge dost receive.' 19 And Saul, and they, and all the men of Israel 'are' in the valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines. 20 And David riseth early in the morning, and leaveth the flock to a keeper, and lifteth up, and goeth, as Jesse commanded him, and he cometh in to the path, and to the force which is going out unto the rank, and they have shouted for battle; 21 and Israel and the Philistines set in array rank to meet rank. 22 And David letteth down the goods from off him on the hand of a keeper of the goods, and runneth into the rank, and cometh and asketh of his brethren of welfare. 23 And he is speaking with them, and lo, a man of the duellists is coming up, Goliath the Philistine 'is' his name, of Gath, out of the ranks of the Philistines, and he speaketh according to those words, and David heareth; 24 and all the men of Israel when they see the man flee from his presence, and are greatly afraid. 25 And the men of Israel say, 'Have ye seen this man who is coming up? for, to reproach Israel he is coming up, and it hath been—the man who smiteth him, the king doth enrich him with great riches, and his daughter he doth give to him, and his father's house doth make free in Israel.' 26 And David speaketh unto the men who are standing by him, saying, 'What is done to the man who smiteth this Philistine, and hath turned aside reproach from Israel? for who 'is' this uncircumcised Philistine that he hath reproached the ranks of the living God?' 27 And the people speak to him according to this word, saying, 'Thus it is done to the man who smiteth him.' 28 And Eliab, his eldest brother, heareth when he speaketh unto the men, and the anger of Eliab burneth against David, and he saith, 'Why 'is' this—thou hast come down! and to whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I have known thy pride, and the evil of thy heart—for, to see the battle thou hast come down.' 29 And David saith, 'What have I done now? is it not a word?' 30 And he turneth round from him unto another, and saith according to this word, and the people return him word as the first word.
31 And the words which David hath spoken are heard, and they declare before Saul, and he receiveth him; 32 and David saith unto Saul, 'Let no man's heart fall because of him, thy servant doth go, and hath fought with this Philistine.' 33 And Saul saith unto David, 'Thou art not able to go unto this Philistine, to fight with him, for a youth thou 'art', and he a man of war from his youth.' 34 And David saith unto Saul, 'A shepherd hath thy servant been to his father among the sheep, and the lion hath come—and the bear—and hath taken away a sheep out of the drove, 35 and I have gone out after him, and smitten him, and delivered out of his mouth, and he riseth against me, and I have taken hold on his beard, and smitten him, and put him to death. 36 Both the lion and the bear hath thy servant smitten, and this uncircumcised Philistine hath been as one of them, for he hath reproached the ranks of the living God.' 37 And David saith, 'Jehovah, who delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, He doth deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.' And Saul saith unto David, 'Go, and Jehovah is with thee.' 38 And Saul clotheth David with his long robe, and hath put a helmet of brass on his head, and doth clothe him with a coat of mail. 39 And David girded his sword above his long robe, and beginneth to go, for he hath not tried 'it'; and David saith unto Saul, 'I am not able to go with these, for I had not tried;' and David turneth them aside from off him.
40 And he taketh his staff in his hand, and chooseth for him five smooth stones from the brook, and putteth them in the shepherds' habiliments that he hath, even in the scrip, and his sling 'is' in his hand, and he draweth nigh unto the Philistine. 41 And the Philistine goeth on, going and drawing near unto David, and the man bearing the buckler 'is' before him, 42 and the Philistine looketh attentively, and seeth David, and despiseth him, for he was a youth, and ruddy, with a fair appearance. 43 And the Philistine saith unto David, 'Am I a dog that thou art coming unto me with staves?' and the Philistine revileth David by his gods, 44 and the Philistine saith unto David, 'Come unto me, and I give thy flesh to the fowl of the heavens, and to the beast of the field.' 45 And David saith unto the Philistine, 'Thou art coming unto me with sword, and with spear, and with buckler, and I am coming unto thee in the name of Jehovah of Hosts, God of the ranks of Israel, which thou hast reproached. 46 This day doth Jehovah shut thee up into my hand—and I have smitten thee, and turned aside thy head from off thee, and given the carcase of the camp of the Philistines this day to the fowl of the heavens, and to the beast of the earth, and all the earth do know that God is for Israel. 47 and all this assembly do know that not by sword and by spear doth Jehovah save, that the battle 'is' Jehovah's, and He hath given you into our hand.'
48 And it hath come to pass, that the Philistine hath risen, and goeth, and draweth near to meet David, and David hasteth and runneth to the rank to meet the Philistine, 49 and David putteth forth his hand unto the vessel, and taketh thence a stone, and slingeth, and smiteth the Philistine on his forehead, and the stone sinketh into his forehead, and he falleth on his face to the earth. 50 And David is stronger than the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smiteth the Philistine, and putteth him to death, and there is no sword in the hand of David, 51 and David runneth and standeth over the Philistine, and taketh his sword, and draweth it out of its sheath, and putteth him to death, and cutteth off with it his head; and the Philistines see that their hero 'is' dead, and flee. 52 And the men of Israel rise—also Judah—and shout, and pursue the Philistines till thou enter the valley, and unto the gates of Ekron, and the wounded of the Philistines fall in the way of Shaaraim, even unto Gath, and unto Ekron, 53 and the sons of Israel turn back from burning after the Philistines, and spoil their camps. 54 And David taketh the head of the Philistine, and bringeth it in to Jerusalem, and his weapons he hath put in his own tent. 55 And when Saul seeth David going out to meet the Philistine, he hath said unto Abner, head of the host, 'Whose son 'is' this—the youth, Abner?' and Abner saith, 'Thy soul liveth, O king, I have not known.' 56 And the king saith, 'Ask thou whose son this 'is'—the young man.' 57 And when David turneth back from smiting the Philistine, then Abner taketh him and bringeth him in before Saul, and the head of the Philistine in his hand; 58 and Saul saith unto him, 'Whose son 'art' thou, O youth?' and David saith, 'Son of thy servant Jesse, the Beth-Lehemite.'
181 And it cometh to pass, when he finisheth to speak unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan hath been bound to the soul of David, and Jonathan loveth him as his own soul. 2 And Saul taketh him on that day, and hath not permitted him to turn back to the house of his father. 3 And Jonathan maketh—also David—a covenant, because he loveth him as his own soul, 4 and Jonathan strippeth himself of the upper robe which 'is' upon him, and giveth it to David, and his long robe, even unto his sword, and unto his bow, and unto his girdle. 5 And David goeth out whithersoever Saul doth send him; he acted wisely, and Saul setteth him over the men of war, and it is good in the eyes of all the people, and also in the eyes of the servants of Saul.
6 And it cometh to pass, in their coming in, in David's returning from smiting the Philistine, that the women come out from all the cities of Israel to sing—also the dancers—to meet Saul the king, with tabrets, with joy, and with three-stringed instruments; 7 and the women answer—those playing, and say, 'Saul hath smitten among his thousands, And David among his myriads.' 8 And it is displeasing to Saul exceedingly, and this thing is evil in his eyes, and he saith, 'They have given to David myriads, and to me they have given the thousands, and more to him 'is' only the kingdom;' 9 and Saul is eyeing David from that day and thenceforth. 10 And it cometh to pass, on the morrow, that the spirit of sadness 'from' God prospereth over Saul, and he prophesieth in the midst of the house, and David is playing with his hand, as day by day, and the javelin 'is' in the hand of Saul, 11 and Saul casteth the javelin, and saith, 'I smite through David, even through the wall;' and David turneth round out of his presence twice.
12 And Saul is afraid of the presence of David, for Jehovah hath been with him, and from Saul He hath turned aside; 13 and Saul turneth him aside from him, and appointeth him to himself head of a thousand, and he goeth out an cometh in, before the people. 14 And David is in all his ways acting wisely, and Jehovah 'is' with him, 15 and Saul seeth that he is acting very wisely, and is afraid of him, 16 and all Israel and Judah love David when he is going out and coming in before them. 17 And Saul saith unto David, 'Lo, my elder daughter Merab—her I give to thee for a wife; only, be to me for a son of valour, and fight the battles of Jehovah;' and Saul said, 'Let not my hand be on him, but let the hand of the Philistines be upon him.' 18 And David saith unto Saul, 'Who 'am' I? and what my life—the family of my father in Israel—that I am son-in-law to the king?' 19 And it cometh to pass, at the time of the giving of Merab daughter of Saul to David, that she hath been given to Adriel the Meholathite for a wife. 20 And Michal daughter of Saul loveth David, and they declare to Saul, and the thing is right in his eyes, 21 and Saul saith, 'I give her to him, and she is to him for a snare, and the hand of the Philistines is on him;' and Saul saith unto David, 'By the second—thou dost become my son-in-law to-day.' 22 And Saul commandeth his servants, 'Speak unto David gently, saying, Lo, the king hath delighted in thee, and all his servants have loved thee, and now, be son-in-law to the king.' 23 And the servants of Saul speak in the ears of David these words, and David saith, 'Is it a light thing in your eyes to be son-in-law to the king—and I a poor man, and lightly esteemed?' 24 And the servants of Saul declare to him, saying, 'According to these words hath David spoken.' 25 And Saul saith, 'Thus do ye say to David, There is no delight to the king in dowry, but in a hundred foreskins of the Philistines—to be avenged on the enemies of the king;' and Saul thought to cause David to fall by the hand of the Philistines. 26 And his servants declare to David these words, and the thing is right in the eyes of David, to be son-in-law to the king; and the days have not been full, 27 and David riseth and goeth, he and his men, and smiteth among the Philistines two hundred men, and David bringeth in their foreskins, and they set them before the king, to be son-in-law to the king; and Saul giveth to him Michal his daughter for a wife. 28 And Saul seeth and knoweth that Jehovah 'is' with David, and Michal daughter of Saul hath loved him, 29 and Saul addeth to be afraid of the presence of David yet; and Saul is an enemy with David all the days. 30 And the princes of the Philistines come out, and it cometh to pass from the time of their coming out, David hath acted more wisely than any of the servants of Saul, and his name is very precious.
111 And it came to pass, in his being in a certain place praying, as he ceased, a certain one of his disciples said unto him, 'Sir, teach us to pray, as also John taught his disciples.' 2 And he said to them, 'When ye may pray, say ye: Our Father who art in the heavens; hallowed be Thy name: Thy reign come; Thy will come to pass, as in heaven also on earth; 3 our appointed bread be giving us daily; 4 and forgive us our sins, for also we ourselves forgive every one indebted to us; and mayest Thou not bring us into temptation; but do Thou deliver us from the evil.' 5 And he said unto them, 'Who of you shall have a friend, and shall go on unto him at midnight, and may say to him, Friend, lend me three loaves, 6 seeing a friend of mine came out of the way unto me, and I have not what I shall set before him, 7 and he from within answering may say, Do not give me trouble, already the door hath been shut, and my children with me are in the bed, I am not able, having risen, to give to thee. 8 'I say to you, even if he will not give to him, having risen, because of his being his friend, yet because of his importunity, having risen, he will give him as many as he doth need; 9 and I say to you, Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you; 10 for every one who is asking doth receive; and he who is seeking doth find; and to him who is knocking it shall be opened. 11 'And of which of you—the father—if the son shall ask a loaf, a stone will he present to him? and if a fish, will he instead of a fish, a serpent present to him? 12 and if he may ask an egg, will he present to him a scorpion? 13 If, then, ye, being evil, have known good gifts to be giving to your children, how much more shall the Father who is from heaven give the Holy Spirit to those asking Him!'
14 And he was casting forth a demon, and it was dumb, and it came to pass, the demon having gone forth, the dumb man spake, and the multitudes wondered, 15 and certain of them said, 'By Beelzeboul, ruler of the demons, he doth cast forth the demons;' 16 and others, tempting, a sign out of heaven from him were asking. 17 And he, knowing their thoughts, said to them, 'Every kingdom having been divided against itself is desolated; and house against house doth fall; 18 and if also the Adversary against himself was divided, how shall his kingdom be made to stand? for ye say, by Beelzeboul is my casting forth the demons. 19 'But if I by Beelzeboul cast forth the demons—your sons, by whom do they cast forth? because of this your judges they shall be; 20 but if by the finger of God I cast forth the demons, then come unawares upon you did the reign of God. 21 'When the strong man armed may keep his hall, in peace are his goods; 22 but when the stronger than he, having come upon 'him', may overcome him, his whole-armour he doth take away in which he had trusted, and his spoils he distributeth; 23 he who is not with me is against me, and he who is not gathering with me doth scatter.
24 'When the unclean spirit may go forth from the man it walketh through waterless places seeking rest, and not finding, it saith, I will turn back to my house whence I came forth; 25 and having come, it findeth 'it' swept and adorned; 26 then doth it go, and take to it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and having entered, they dwell there, and the last of that man becometh worst than the first.'
27 And it came to pass, in his saying these things, a certain woman having lifted up the voice out of the multitude, said to him, 'Happy the womb that carried thee, and the paps that thou didst suck!' 28 And he said, 'Yea, rather, happy those hearing the word of God, and keeping 'it'!'
(Read Luke 11:1-4)
"Lord, teach us to pray," is a good prayer, and a very needful one, for Jesus Christ only can teach us, by his word and Spirit, how to pray. Lord, teach me what it is to pray; Lord, stir up and quicken me to the duty; Lord, direct me what to pray for; teach me what I should say. Christ taught them a prayer, much the same that he had given before in his sermon upon the mount. There are some differences in the words of the Lord's prayer in Matthew and in Luke, but they are of no moment. Let us in our requests, both for others and for ourselves, come to our heavenly Father, confiding in his power and goodness.
(Read Luke 11:5-13)
Christ encourages fervency and constancy in prayer. We must come for what we need, as a man does to his neighbour or friend, who is kind to him. We must come for bread; for that which is needful. If God does not answer our prayers speedily, yet he will in due time, if we continue to pray. Observe what to pray for; we must ask for the Holy Spirit, not only as necessary in order to our praying well, but as all spiritual blessings are included in that one. For by the influences of the Holy Spirit we are brought to know God and ourselves, to repent, believe in, and love Christ, and so are made comfortable in this world, and meet for happiness in the next. All these blessings our heavenly Father is more ready to bestow on every one that asks for them, than an indulgent parent is to give food to a hungry child. And this is the advantage of the prayer of faith, that it quiets and establishes the heart in God.
(Read Luke 11:14-26)
Christ's thus casting out the devils, was really the destroying of their power. The heart of every unconverted sinner is the devil's palace, where he dwells, and where he rules. There is a kind of peace in the heart of an unconverted soul, while the devil, as a strong man armed, keeps it. The sinner is secure, has no doubt concerning the goodness of his state, nor any dread of the judgment to come. But observe the wonderful change made in conversion. The conversion of a soul to God, is Christ's victory over the devil and his power in that soul, restoring the soul to its liberty, and recovering his own interest in it and power over it. All the endowments of mind of body are now employed for Christ. Here is the condition of a hypocrite. The house is swept from common sins, by a forced confession, as Pharaoh's; by a feigned contrition, as Ahab's; or by a partial reformation, as Herod's. The house is swept, but it is not washed; the heart is not made holy. Sweeping takes off only the loose dirt, while the sin that besets the sinner, the beloved sin, is untouched. The house is garnished with common gifts and graces. It is not furnished with any true grace; it is all paint and varnish, not real nor lasting. It was never given up to Christ, nor dwelt in by the Spirit. Let us take heed of resting in that which a man may have, and yet come short of heaven. The wicked spirits enter in without any difficulty; they are welcomed, and they dwell there; there they work, there they rule. From such an awful state let all earnestly pray to be delivered.
(Read Luke 11:27-28)
While the scribes and Pharisees despised and blasphemed the discourses of our Lord Jesus, this good woman admired them, and the wisdom and power with which he spake. Christ led the woman to a higher consideration. Though it is a great privilege to hear the word of God, yet those only are truly blessed, that is, blessed of the Lord, that hear it, keep it in memory, and keep to it as their way and rule.
