The Avenging of the Gibeonites

211 And there was a famine in the days of David three years, year after year; and David sought the face of Jehovah. And Jehovah said, It is for Saul, and for his bloody house, because he put to death the Gibeonites. 2 And the king called the Gibeonites, and said unto them (now the Gibeonites were not of the children of Israel, but of the remnant of the Amorites; and the children of Israel had sworn unto them: and Saul sought to slay them in his zeal for the children of Israel and Judah); 3 and David said unto the Gibeonites, What shall I do for you? and wherewith shall I make atonement, that ye may bless the inheritance of Jehovah? 4 And the Gibeonites said unto him, It is no matter of silver or gold between us and Saul, or his house; neither is it for us to put any man to death in Israel. And he said, What ye shall say, that will I do for you. 5 And they said unto the king, The man that consumed us, and that devised against us, [that] we should be destroyed from remaining in any of the borders of Israel, 6 let seven men of his sons be delivered unto us, and we will hang them up unto Jehovah in Gibeah of Saul, the chosen of Jehovah. And the king said, I will give them. 7 But the king spared Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan the son of Saul, because of Jehovah's oath that was between them, between David and Jonathan the son of Saul. 8 But the king took the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, whom she bare unto Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth; and the five sons of Michal the daughter of Saul, whom she bare to Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite: 9 And he delivered them into the hands of the Gibeonites, and they hanged them in the mountain before Jehovah, and they fell [all] seven together. And they were put to death in the days of harvest, in the first days, at the beginning of barley harvest.

10 And Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth, and spread it for her upon the rock, from the beginning of harvest until water was poured upon them from heaven; and she suffered neither the birds of the heavens to rest on them by day, nor the beasts of the field by night. 11 And it was told David what Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, the concubine of Saul, had done. 12 And David went and took the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son from the men of Jabesh-gilead, who had stolen them from the street of Beth-shan, where the Philistines had hanged them, in the day that the Philistines slew Saul in Gilboa; 13 and he brought up from thence the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son: and they gathered the bones of them that were hanged. 14 And they buried the bones of Saul and Jonathan his son in the country of Benjamin in Zela, in the sepulchre of Kish his father: and they performed all that the king commanded. And after that God was entreated for the land.

Abishai Rescues David from the Giant

15 And the Philistines had war again with Israel; and David went down, and his servants with him, and fought against the Philistines. And David waxed faint; 16 and Ishbibenob, who was of the sons of the giant, the weight of whose spear was three hundred [shekels] of brass in weight, he being girded with a new [sword], thought to have slain David. 17 But Abishai the son of Zeruiah succored him, and smote the Philistine, and killed him. Then the men of David sware unto him, saying, Thou shalt go no more out with us to battle, that thou quench not the lamp of Israel.

The Giants Slain by David's Men

18 And it came to pass after this, that there was again war with the Philistines at Gob: then Sibbecai the Hushathite slew Saph, who was of the sons of the giant. 19 And there was again war with the Philistines at Gob; and Elhanan the son of Jaareoregim the Beth-lehemite slew Goliath the Gittite, the staff of whose spear was like a weaver's beam. 20 And there was again war at Gath, where was a man of great stature, that had on every hand six fingers, and on every foot six toes, four and twenty in number; and he also was born to the giant. 21 And when he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimei, David's brother, slew him. 22 These four were born to the giant in Gath; and they fell by the hand of David, and by the hand of his servants.

David's Song of Deliverance

221 And David spake unto Jehovah the words of this song in the day that Jehovah delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul:

2 and he said, Jehovah is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer, even mine; 3 God, my rock, in him will I take refuge; My shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge; My saviour, thou savest me from violence. 4 I will call upon Jehovah, who is worthy to be praised: So shall I be saved from mine enemies. 5 For the waves of death compassed me; The floods of ungodliness made me afraid: 6 The cords of Sheol were round about me; The snares of death came upon me. 7 In my distress I called upon Jehovah; Yea, I called unto my God: And he heard my voice out of his temple, And my cry [came] into his ears. 8 Then the earth shook and trembled, The foundations of heaven quaked And were shaken, because he was wroth. 9 There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, And fire out of his mouth devoured: Coals were kindled by it. 10 He bowed the heavens also, and came down; And thick darkness was under his feet. 11 And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly; Yea, he was seen upon the wings of the wind. 12 And he made darkness pavilions round about him, Gathering of waters, thick clouds of the skies. 13 At the brightness before him Coals of fire were kindled. 14 Jehovah thundered from heaven, And the Most High uttered his voice. 15 And he sent out arrows, and scattered them; Lightning, and discomfited them. 16 Then the channels of the sea appeared, The foundations of the world were laid bare, By the rebuke of Jehovah, At the blast of the breath of his nostrils. 17 He sent from on high, he took me; He drew me out of many waters; 18 He delivered me from my strong enemy, From them that hated me; for they were too mighty for me. 19 They came upon me in the day of my calamity; But Jehovah was my stay. 20 He brought me forth also into a large place; He delivered me, because he delighted in me. 21 Jehovah rewarded me according to my righteousness; According to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me. 22 For I have kept the ways of Jehovah, And have not wickedly departed from my God. 23 For all his ordinances were before me; And as for his statutes, I did not depart from them. 24 I was also perfect toward him; And I kept myself from mine iniquity. 25 Therefore hath Jehovah recompensed me according to my righteousness, According to my cleanness in his eyesight. 26 With the merciful thou wilt show thyself merciful; With the perfect man thou wilt show thyself perfect; 27 With the pure thou wilt show thyself pure; And with the perverse thou wilt show thyself froward. 28 And the afflicted people thou wilt save; But thine eyes are upon the haughty, that thou mayest bring them down. 29 For thou art my lamp, O Jehovah; And Jehovah will lighten my darkness. 30 For by thee I run upon a troop; By my God do I leap over a wall. 31 As for God, his way is perfect: The word of Jehovah is tried; He is a shield unto all them that take refuge in him. 32 For who is God, save Jehovah? And who is a rock, save our God? 33 God is my strong fortress; And he guideth the perfect in his way. 34 He maketh his feet like hinds' [feet], And setteth me upon my high places. 35 He teacheth my hands to war, So that mine arms do bend a bow of brass. 36 Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation; And thy gentleness hath made me great. 37 Thou hast enlarged my steps under me; And my feet have not slipped. 38 I have pursued mine enemies, and destroyed them; Neither did I turn again till they were consumed. 39 And I have consumed them, and smitten them through, so that they cannot arise: Yea, they are fallen under my feet. 40 For thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle; Thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me. 41 Thou hast also made mine enemies turn their backs unto me, That I might cut off them that hate me. 42 They looked, but there was none to save; Even unto Jehovah, but he answered them not. 43 Then did I beat them small as the dust of the earth, I did crush them as the mire of the streets, and did spread them abroad. 44 Thou also hast delivered me from the strivings of my people; Thou hast kept me to be the head of the nations: A people whom I have not known shall serve me. 45 The foreigners shall submit themselves unto me: As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me. 46 The foreigners shall fade away, And shall come trembling out of their close places. 47 Jehovah liveth; And blessed be my rock; And exalted be God, the rock of my salvation, 48 Even the God that executeth vengeance for me, And that bringeth down peoples under me, 49 And that bringeth me forth from mine enemies: Yea, thou liftest me up above them that rise up against me; Thou deliverest me from the violent man. 50 Therefore I will give thanks unto thee, O Jehovah, among the nations, And will sing praises unto thy name. 51 Great deliverance giveth he to his king, And showeth lovingkindness to his anointed, To David and to his seed, for evermore.

24 And Jesus seeing him said, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! 25 For it is easier for a camel to enter in through a needle's eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. 26 And they that heard it said, Then who can be saved? 27 But he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God. 28 And Peter said, Lo, we have left our own, and followed thee. 29 And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or wife, or brethren, or parents, or children, for the kingdom of God's sake, 30 who shall not receive manifold more in this time, and in the world to come eternal life.

Jesus Foretells His Death a Third Time

31 And he took unto him the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all the things that are written through the prophets shall be accomplished unto the Son of man. 32 For he shall be delivered up unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and shamefully treated, and spit upon: 33 and they shall scourge and kill him: and the third day he shall rise again. 34 And they understood none of these things; and this saying was hid from them, and they perceived not the things that were said.

A Blind Beggar Healed near Jericho

35 And it came to pass, as he drew nigh unto Jericho, a certain blind man sat by the way side begging: 36 and hearing a multitude going by, he inquired what this meant. 37 And they told him that Jesus of Nazareth passeth by. 38 And he cried, saying, Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me. 39 And they that went before rebuked him, that he should hold his peace: but he cried out the more a great deal, Thou son of David, have mercy on me. 40 And Jesus stood, and commanded him to be brought unto him: and when he was come near, he asked him, 41 What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? And he said, Lord, that I may receive my sight. 42 And Jesus said unto him, Receive thy sight; thy faith hath made thee whole. 43 And immediately he received his sight, and followed him, glorifying God: and all the people, when they saw it, gave praise unto God.

Matthew Henry's Commentary on Luke 18:24-43

Commentary on Luke 18:18-30

(Read Luke 18:18-30)

Many have a great deal in them very commendable, yet perish for lack of some one thing; so this ruler could not bear Christ's terms, which would part between him and his estate. Many who are loth to leave Christ, yet do leave him. After a long struggle between their convictions and their corruptions, their corruptions carry the day. They are very sorry that they cannot serve both; but if one must be quitted, it shall be their God, not their wordly gain. Their boasted obedience will be found mere outside show; the love of the world in some form or other lies at the root. Men are apt to speak too much of what they have left and lost, of what they have done and suffered for Christ, as Peter did. But we should rather be ashamed that there has been any regret or difficulty in doing it.

Commentary on Luke 18:31-34

(Read Luke 18:31-34)

The Spirit of Christ, in the Old Testament prophets, testified beforehand his sufferings, and the glory that should follow, 1 Peter 1:11. The disciples' prejudices were so strong, that they would not understand these things literally. They were so intent upon the prophecies which spake of Christ's glory, that they overlooked those which spake of his sufferings. People run into mistakes, because they read their Bibles by halves, and are only for the smooth things. We are as backward to learn the proper lessons from the sufferings, crucifixion, and resurrection of Christ, as the disciples were to what he told them as to those events; and for the same reason; self-love, and a desire of worldly objects, close our understandings.

Commentary on Luke 18:35-43

(Read Luke 18:35-43)

This poor blind man sat by the wayside, begging. He was not only blind, but poor, the fitter emblem of the world of mankind which Christ came to heal and save. The prayer of faith, guided by Christ's encouraging promises, and grounded on them, shall not be in vain. The grace of Christ ought to be thankfully acknowledged, to the glory of God. It is for the glory of God if we follow Jesus, as those will do whose eyes are opened. We must praise God for his mercies to others, as well as for mercies to ourselves. Would we rightly understand these things, we must come to Christ, like the blind man, earnestly beseeching him to open our eyes, and to show us clearly the excellence of his precepts, and the value of his salvation.