101 And the Philistines have fought with Israel, and the men of Israel flee from the face of the Philistines, and fall wounded in mount Gilboa, 2 and the Philistines pursue after Saul, and after his sons, and the Philistines smite Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchi-Shua, sons of Saul. 3 And the battle 'is' heavy on Saul, and those shooting with the bow find him, and he is wounded by those shooting, 4 and Saul saith unto the bearer of his weapons, 'Draw thy sword, and pierce me with it, lest these uncircumcised come—and have abused me.' And the bearer of his weapons hath not been willing, for he feareth exceedingly, and Saul taketh the sword, and falleth upon it; 5 and the bearer of his weapons seeth that Saul 'is' dead, and falleth, he also, on the sword, and dieth; 6 and Saul dieth, and his three sons, and all his house—together they died. 7 And all the men of Israel who 'are' in the valley see that they have fled, and that Saul and his sons have died, and they forsake their cities and flee, and the Philistines come and dwell in them.
8 And it cometh to pass, on the morrow, that the Philistines come to strip the wounded, and find Saul and his sons fallen in mount Gilboa, 9 and strip him, and bear away his head, and his weapons, and send into the land of the Philistines round about to proclaim tidings 'to' their idols and the people, 10 and put his weapons in the house of their gods, and his skull they have fixed in the house of Dagon. 11 And all Jabesh-Gilead hear of all that the Philistines have done to Saul, 12 and all the men of valour rise and bear away the body of Saul, and the bodies of his sons, and bring them in to Jabesh, and bury their bones under the oak in Jabesh, and fast seven days. 13 And Saul dieth because of his trespass that he trespassed against Jehovah, against the word of Jehovah that he kept not, and also for asking at a familiar spirit—to inquire,— 14 and he inquired not at Jehovah, and He putteth him to death, and turneth round the kingdom to David son of Jesse.
111 And gathered are all Israel unto David to Hebron, saying, 'Lo, thy bone and thy flesh 'are' we; 2 even in time past, even in Saul's being king, it is thou who art taking out and bringing in Israel, and Jehovah thy God saith to thee: Thou dost feed My people Israel, and thou art leader over My people Israel.' 3 And all the elders of Israel come in unto the king to Hebron, and David maketh with them a covenant in Hebron before Jehovah, and they anoint David for king over Israel, according to the word of Jehovah by the hand of Samuel.
4 And David goeth, and all Israel, to Jerusalem—it 'is' Jebus—and there the Jebusite, the inhabitants of the land. 5 And the inhabitants of Jebus say to David, 'Thou dost not come in hither;' and David captureth the fortress of Zion—it 'is' the city of David. 6 And David saith, 'Whoever smiteth the Jebusite first doth become head and prince;' and go up first doth Joab son of Zeruiah and becometh head. 7 And David dwelleth in the fortress, therefore they have called it, 'City of David;' 8 and he buildeth the city round about, from Millo, and unto the circumference, and Joab restoreth the rest of the city. 9 And David goeth, going on and becoming great, and Jehovah of Hosts 'is' with him.
10 And these 'are' heads of the mighty ones whom David hath, who are strengthening themselves with him in his kingdom, with all Israel, to cause him to reign, according to the word of Jehovah, over Israel. 11 And this 'is' an account of the mighty ones whom David hath: Jashobeam son of a Hachmonite 'is' head of the thirty; he is lifting up his spear against three hundred—wounded, at one time. 12 And after him 'is' Eleazar son of Dodo the Ahohite, he 'is' among the three mighty; 13 he hath been with David in Pas-Dammim, and the Philistines have been gathered there to battle, and a portion of the field is full of barley, and the people have fled from the face of the Philistines, 14 and they station themselves in the midst of the portion, and deliver it, and smite the Philistines, and Jehovah saveth—a great salvation. 15 And three of the thirty heads go down on the rock unto David, unto the cave of Adullam, and the host of the Philistines is encamping in the valley of Rephaim, 16 and David 'is' then in the fortress, and the station of the Philistines 'is' then in Beth-Lehem, 17 and David longeth, and saith, 'Who doth give me to drink water from the well of Beth-Lehem, that 'is' at the gate!' 18 And the three break through the camp of the Philistines, and draw water from the well of Beth-Lehem, that 'is' at the gate, and bear and bring in unto David, and David hath not been willing to drink it, and poureth it out to Jehovah, 19 and saith, 'Far be it from me, by my God, to do this; the blood of these men do I drink with their lives? for with their lives they have brought it;' and he was not willing to drink it; these 'things' did the three mighty ones. 20 And Abishai brother of Joab, he hath been head of the three: and he is lifting up his spear against three hundred—wounded, and hath a name among three. 21 Of the three by the two he is honoured, and becometh their head; and unto the 'first' three he hath not come. 22 Benaiah son of Jehoiada, son of a man of valour, of great deeds, from Kabzeel: he hath smitten the two lion-like Moabites, and he hath gone down and smitten the lion in the midst of the pit, in the day of snow. 23 And he hath smitten the man, the Egyptian—a man of measure, five by the cubit—and in the hand of the Egyptian 'is' a spear like a beam of weavers, and he goeth down unto him with a rod, and taketh violently away the spear out of the hand of the Egyptian, and slayeth him with his own spear. 24 These 'things' hath Benaiah son of Jehoiada done, and hath a name among the three mighty ones. 25 Of the thirty, lo, he 'is' honoured, and unto the 'first' three he hath not come, and David setteth him over his guard. 26 And the mighty ones of the forces 'are' Asahel brother of Joab, Elhanan son of Dodo of Beth-Lehem, 27 Shammoth the Harorite, Helez the Pelonite, 28 Ira son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, Abi-Ezer the Annethothite, 29 Sibbecai the Hushathite, Ilai the Ahohite, 30 Maharai the Netophathite, Heled son of Baanah the Netophathite, 31 Ithai son of Ribai of Gibeah, of the sons of Benjamin, Benaiah the Pirathonite, 32 Hurai of the brooks of Gaash, Abiel the Arbathite, 33 Azmaveth the Baharumite, Eliahba the Shaalbonite, 34 the sons of Hashem the Gizonite, Jonathan son of Shage the Hararite, 35 Ahiam son of Sacar the Hararite, Eliphal son of Ur, 36 Hepher the Mecherathite, Ahijah the Pelonite, 37 Hezor the Carmelite, Naarai son of Ezbai, 38 Joel brother of Nathan, Mibhar son of Haggeri, 39 Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Berothite, bearer of the weapons of Joab son of Zeruiah, 40 Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, 41 Uriah the Hittite, Zabad son of Ahlai, 42 Adina son of Shiza the Reubenite, head of the Reubenites, and by him thirty, 43 Hanan son of Maachah, and Joshaphat the Mithnite, 44 Uzzia the Ashterathite, Shama and Jehiel sons of Hothan the Aroerite, 45 Jediael son of Shimri, and Joha his brother the Tizite, 46 Eliel the Mahavite, and Jeribai, and Joshaviah, sons of Elnaam, and Ithmah the Moabite, 47 Eliel, and Obed, and Jaasiel the Mesobaite.
121 And these 'are' those coming in unto David to Ziklag, while shut up because of Saul son of Kish, and they 'are' among the mighty ones, helping the battle, 2 armed with bow, right and left handed, with stones, and with arrows, with bows, of the brethren of Saul, of Benjamin. 3 The head 'is' Ahiezer, and Joash, sons of Shemaab the Gibeathite, and Jeziel, and Pelet, sons of Azmaveth, and Berachah, and Jehu the Antothite, 4 and Ishmaiah the Gibeonite, a mighty one among the thirty, and over the thirty, and Jeremiah, and Jahaziel, and Johanan, and Josabad the Gederathite. 5 Eluzai, and Jerimoth, and Bealiah, and Shemariah, and Shephatiah the Haruphite; 6 Elkanah, and Jesiah, and Azareel, and Joezer, and Jashobeam the Korhites, 7 and Joelah, and Zebadiah, sons of Jeroham of Gedor. 8 And of the Gadite there have been separated unto David, to the fortress, to the wilderness, mighty of valour, men of the host for battle, setting in array target and buckler, and their faces the face of the lion, and as roes on the mountains for speed: 9 Ezer the head, Obadiah the second, Eliab the third, 10 Mishmannah the fourth, Jeremiah the fifth, 11 Attai the sixth, Eliel the seventh, 12 Johanan the eighth, Elzabad the ninth, 13 Jeremiah the tenth, Machbannai the eleventh. 14 These 'are' of the sons of Gad, heads of the host, one of a hundred 'is' the least, and the greatest, of a thousand; 15 these 'are' they who have passed over the Jordan in the first month,—and it is full over all its banks—and cause all 'they of' the valley to flee to the east and to the west. 16 And there come of the sons of Benjamin and Judah unto the stronghold to David, 17 and David goeth out before them, and answereth and saith to them, 'If for peace ye have come in unto me, to help me, I have a heart to unite with you; and if to betray me to mine adversaries—without violence in my hands—the God of our fathers doth see and reprove.' 18 And the Spirit hath clothed Amasai, head of the captains: 'To thee, O David, and with thee, O son of Jesse—peace! peace to thee, and peace to thy helper, for thy God hath helped thee;' and David receiveth them, and putteth them among the heads of the troop. 19 And of Manasseh there have fallen unto David in his coming with the Philistines against Israel to battle—and they helped them not, for by counsel the princes of the Philistines sent him away, saying, 'With our heads he doth fall unto his master Saul.'— 20 In his going unto Ziglag there have fallen unto him of Manasseh, Adnah, and Jozabad, and Jediael, and Michael, and Jozabad, and Elihu, and Zillthai, heads of the thousands that 'are' of Manasseh; 21 and they have helped with David over the troop, for mighty of valour 'are' all of them, and they are captains in the host, 22 for at that time, day by day, they come in unto David to help him, till it is a great camp, like a camp of God.
23 And these 'are' the numbers of the head, of the armed men of the host; they have come in unto David to Hebron to turn round the kingdom of Saul unto him, according to the mouth of Jehovah. 24 The sons of Judah, bearing target and spear, 'are' six thousand and eight hundred, armed ones of the host. 25 Of the sons of Simeon, mighty ones of valour for the host, 'are' seven thousand and a hundred. 26 Of the sons of Levi 'are' four thousand and six hundred; 27 and Jehoiada 'is' the leader of the Aaronite, and with him 'are' three thousand and seven hundred, 28 and Zadok, a young man, mighty of valour, and of the house of his father 'are' twenty and two heads. 29 And of the sons of Benjamin, brethren of Saul, 'are' three thousand, and hitherto their greater part are keeping the charge of the house of Saul. 30 And of the sons of Ephraim 'are' twenty thousand and eight hundred, mighty of valour, men of name, according to the house of their fathers. 31 And of the half of the tribe of Manasseh 'are' eighteen thousand, who have been defined by name, to come in to cause David to reign. 32 And of the sons of Issachar, having understanding for the times, to know what Israel should do; their heads 'are' two hundred, and all their brethren 'are' at their command. 33 Of Zebulun, going forth to the host, arranging battle with all instruments of battle, 'are' fifty thousand, and keeping rank without a double heart. 34 And of Naphtali, a thousand heads, and with them, with target and spear, 'are' thirty and seven thousand. 35 And of the Danite, arranging battle, 'are' twenty and eight thousand and six hundred. 36 And of Asher, going forth to the host, to arrange battle, 'are' forty thousand. 37 And from beyond the Jordan, of the Reubenite, and of the Gadite, and of the half of the tribe of Manasseh, with all instruments of the host for battle, 'are' a hundred and twenty thousand. 38 All these 'are' men of war, keeping rank—with a perfect heart they have come to Hebron, to cause David to reign over all Israel, and also all the rest of Israel 'are' of one heart, to cause David to reign, 39 and they are there, with David, three days, eating and drinking, for their brethren have prepared for them. 40 And also those near unto them, unto Issachar, and Zebulun, and Naphtali, are bringing in bread on asses, and on camels, and on mules, and on oxen—food of fine flour, fig-cakes and grape-cakes, and wine, and oil, and oxen, and sheep, in abundance, for joy 'is' in Israel.
45 it is having been written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God; every one therefore who heard from the Father, and learned, cometh to me; 46 not that any one hath seen the Father, except he who is from God, he hath seen the Father. 47 'Verily, verily, I say to you, He who is believing in me, hath life age-during; 48 I am the bread of the life; 49 your fathers did eat the manna in the wilderness, and they died; 50 this is the bread that out of the heaven is coming down, that any one may eat of it, and not die. 51 'I am the living bread that came down out of the heaven; if any one may eat of this bread he shall live—to the age; and the bread also that I will give is my flesh, that I will give for the life of the world.' 52 The Jews, therefore, were striving with one another, saying, 'How is this one able to give us 'his' flesh to eat?' 53 Jesus, therefore, said to them, 'Verily, verily, I say to you, If ye may not eat the flesh of the Son of Man, and may not drink his blood, ye have no life in yourselves; 54 he who is eating my flesh, and is drinking my blood, hath life age-during, and I will raise him up in the last day; 55 for my flesh truly is food, and my blood truly is drink; 56 he who is eating my flesh, and is drinking my blood, doth remain in me, and I in him. 57 'According as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, he also who is eating me, even that one shall live because of me; 58 this is the bread that came down out of the heaven; not as your fathers did eat the manna, and died; he who is eating this bread shall live—to the age.' 59 These things he said in a synagogue, teaching in Capernaum;
60 many, therefore, of his disciples having heard, said, 'This word is hard; who is able to hear it?' 61 And Jesus having known in himself that his disciples are murmuring about this, said to them, 'Doth this stumble you? 62 if then ye may behold the Son of Man going up where he was before? 63 the spirit it is that is giving life; the flesh doth not profit anything; the sayings that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life; 64 but there are certain of you who do not believe;' for Jesus had known from the beginning who they are who are not believing, and who is he who will deliver him up, 65 and he said, 'Because of this I have said to you—No one is able to come unto me, if it may not have been given him from my Father.' 66 From this 'time' many of his disciples went away backward, and were no more walking with him, 67 Jesus, therefore, said to the twelve, 'Do ye also wish to go away?' 68 Simon Peter, therefore, answered him, 'Sir, unto whom shall we go? thou hast sayings of life age-during; 69 and we have believed, and we have known, that thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.' 70 Jesus answered them, 'Did not I choose you—the twelve? and of you—one is a devil. 71 And he spake of Judas, Simon's 'son', Iscariot, for he was about to deliver him up, being one of the twelve.
(Read John 6:36-46)
The discovery of their guilt, danger, and remedy, by the teaching of the Holy Spirit, makes men willing and glad to come, and to give up every thing which hinders applying to him for salvation. The Father's will is, that not one of those who were given to the Son, should be rejected or lost by him. No one will come, till Divine grace has subdued, and in part changed his heart; therefore no one who comes will ever be cast out. The gospel finds none willing to be saved in the humbling, holy manner, made known therein; but God draws with his word and the Holy Ghost; and man's duty is to hear and learn; that is to say, to receive the grace offered, and consent to the promise. None had seen the Father but his beloved Son; and the Jews must expect to be taught by his inward power upon their minds, and by his word, and the ministers whom he sent among them.
(Read John 6:47-51)
The advantage of the manna was small, it only referred to this life; but the living Bread is so excellent, that the man who feedeth on it shall never die. This bread is Christ's human nature, which he took to present to the Father, as a sacrifice for the sins of the world; to purchase all things pertaining to life and godliness, for sinners of every nation, who repent and believe in him.
(Read John 6:52-59)
The flesh and blood of the Son of man, denote the Redeemer in the nature of man; Christ and him crucified, and the redemption wrought out by him, with all the precious benefits of redemption; pardon of sin, acceptance with God, the way to the throne of grace, the promises of the covenant, and eternal life. These are called the flesh and blood of Christ, because they are purchased by the breaking his body, and the shedding of his blood. Also, because they are meat and drink to our souls. Eating this flesh and drinking this blood mean believing in Christ. We partake of Christ and his benefits by faith. The soul that rightly knows its state and wants, finds whatever can calm the conscience, and promote true holiness, in the redeemer, God manifest in the flesh. Meditating upon the cross of Christ gives life to our repentance, love, and gratitude. We live by him, as our bodies live by our food. We live by him, as the members by the head, the branches by the root: because he lives we shall live also.
(Read John 6:60-65)
The human nature of Christ had not before been in heaven, but being God and man, that wondrous Person was truly said to have come down from heaven. The Messiah's kingdom was not of this world; and they were to understand by faith, what he had said of a spiritual living upon him, and his fulness. As without the soul of man the flesh is of no value, so without the quickening Spirit of God all forms of religion are dead and worthless. He who made this provision for our souls, alone can teach us these things, and draw us unto Christ, that we may live by faith in him. Let us apply to Christ, thankful that it is declared that every one who is willing to come unto him shall be made welcome.
(Read John 6:66-71)
When we admit into our minds hard thoughts of the words and works of Jesus, we enter into temptation, which, if the Lord in mercy prevent not, will end in drawing back. The corrupt and wicked heart of man often makes that an occasion for offence, which is matter of the greatest comfort. Our Lord had, in the foregoing discourse, promised eternal life to his followers; the disciples fastened on that plain saying, and resolved to cleave to him, when others fastened on hard sayings, and forsook him. Christ's doctrine is the word of eternal life, therefore we must live and die by it. If we forsake Christ, we forsake our own mercies. They believed that this Jesus was the Messiah promised to their fathers, the Son of the living God. When we are tempted to backslide or turn away, it is good to remember first principles, and to keep to them. And let us ever remember our Lord's searching question; Shall we go away and forsake our Redeemer? To whom can we go? He alone can give salvation by the forgiveness of sins. And this alone brings confidence, comfort, and joy, and bids fear and despondency flee away. It gains the only solid happiness in this world, and opens a way to the happiness of the next.
