131 And David consulteth with the heads of the thousands, and of the hundreds, every leader, 2 and David saith to all the assembly of Israel, 'If unto you it be good, and from Jehovah our God it hath broken forth—we send unto our brethren, those left in all the lands of Israel, and with them the priests and the Levites, in the cities of their suburbs, and they are gathered unto us, 3 and we bring round the ark of our God unto us, for we sought Him not in the days of Saul.' 4 And all the assembly say to do so, for the thing is right in the eyes of all the people.
5 And David assembleth all Israel from Shihor of Egypt even unto the entering in of Hamath, to bring in the ark of God from Kirjath-Jearim, 6 and David goeth up, and all Israel, to Baalah, unto Kirjath-Jearim that 'is' to Judah, to bring up thence the ark of God Jehovah, inhabiting the cherubs, where the Name is called on. 7 And they place the ark of God on a new cart, from the house of Abinadab, and Uzza and Ahio are leading the cart, 8 and David and all Israel are playing before God, with all strength, and with songs, and with harps, and with psalteries, and with timbrels, and with cymbals, and with trumpets.
9 And they come in unto the threshing-floor of Chidon, and Uzza putteth forth his hand to seize the ark, for the oxen were released, 10 and the anger of Jehovah is kindled against Uzza, and He smiteth him, because that he hath put forth his hand on the ark, and he dieth there before God. 11 And it is displeasing to David, because Jehovah hath made a breach upon Uzza, and one calleth that place 'Breach of Uzza' unto this day. 12 And David feareth God on that day, saying, 'How do I bring in unto me the ark of God?' 13 And David hath not turned aside the ark unto himself, unto the city of David, and turneth it aside unto the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite. 14 And the ark of God dwelleth with the household of Obed-Edom, in his house, three months, and Jehovah blesseth the house of Obed-Edom, and all that he hath.
141 And Huram king of Tyre sendeth messengers unto David, and cedar-wood, and artificers of walls, and artificers of wood, to build to him a house. 2 And David knoweth that Jehovah hath established him for king over Israel, because of the lifting up on high of his kingdom, for the sake of His people Israel.
3 And David taketh again wives in Jerusalem, and David begetteth again sons and daughters; 4 and these 'are' the names of the children whom he hath in Jerusalem: Shammua, and Shobab, Nathan, and Solomon, 5 and Ibhar, and Elishua, and Elpalet, 6 and Nogah, and Nepheg, and Japhia, 7 and Elishama, and Beeliada, and Eliphalet.
8 And the Philistines hear that David hath been anointed for king over all Israel, and all the Philistines go up to seek David, and David heareth, and goeth out before them. 9 And the Philistines have come, and rush into the valley of Rephaim, 10 and David asketh of God, saying, 'Do I go up against the Philistines—and hast Thou given them into my hand?' And Jehovah saith to him, 'Go up, and I have given them into thy hand.' 11 And they go up into Baal-Perazim, and David smiteth them there, and David saith, 'God hath broken up mine enemies by my hand, like the breaking up of waters;' therefore they have called the name of that place Baal-Perazim. 12 And they leave there their gods, and David speaketh, and they are burnt with fire. 13 And the Philistines add again, and rush into the valley, 14 and David asketh again of God, and God saith to him, 'Do not go up after them, turn round from them, and thou hast come to them from over-against the mulberries; 15 and it cometh to pass, when thou hearest the sound of the stepping at the heads of the mulberries, then thou goest out into battle, for God hath gone out before thee to smite the camp of the Philistines.' 16 And David doth as God commanded him, and they smite the camp of the Philistines from Gibeon even unto Gazer; 17 and the name of David goeth out into all the lands, and Jehovah hath put his fear on all the nations.
151 And he maketh for himself houses in the city of David, and prepareth a place for the ark of God, and stretcheth out for it a tent. 2 Then said David, 'None 'are' to carry the ark of God, except the Levites, for on them hath Jehovah fixed to carry the ark of God, and to serve Him—unto the age.' 3 And David assembleth all Israel unto Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of Jehovah unto its place that he had prepared for it. 4 And David gathereth the sons of Aaron, and the Levites. 5 Of sons of Kohath: Uriel the chief, and his brethren, a hundred and twenty. 6 Of sons of Merari: Asaiah the chief, and his brethren, two hundred and twenty. 7 Of sons of Gershom: Joel the chief, and his brethren, a hundred and thirty. 8 Of sons of Elizaphan: Shemaiah the chief, and his brethren, two hundred. 9 Of sons of Hebron: Eliel the chief, and his brethren, eighty. 10 Of sons of Uzziel: Amminadab the chief, and his brethren, a hundred and twelve. 11 And David calleth to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, and to the Levites, to Uriel, Asaiah, and Joel, Shemaiah, and Eliel, and Amminadab, 12 and saith to them, 'Ye 'are' heads of the fathers of the Levites; sanctify yourselves, ye and your brethren, and ye have brought up the ark of Jehovah, God of Israel, unto 'the place' I have prepared for it; 13 because at the first 'it was' not ye, Jehovah our God made a breach upon us, because we sought Him not according to the ordinance.' 14 And the priests and the Levites sanctify themselves, to bring up the ark of Jehovah, God of Israel; 15 and sons of the Levites bear the ark of God, as Moses commanded, according to the word of Jehovah, on their shoulder, with staves, above them. 16 And David saith to the heads of the Levites to appoint their brethren the singers, with instruments of song, psalteries, and harps, and cymbals, sounding, to lift up with the voice for joy. 17 And the Levites appoint Heman son of Joel, and of his brethren, Asaph son of Berechiah, and of the sons of Merari their brethren, Ethan son of Kushaiah; 18 and with them their brethren, the seconds 'in 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 gatekeepers; 19 and the singers, Heman, Asaph, and Ethan, with cymbals of brass to sound, 20 and Zechariah, and Aziel, and Shemiramoth, and Jeheil, and Unni, and Eliab, and Maaseiah, and Benaiah, with psalteries besides virgins, 21 and Mattithiah, and Elipheleh, and Mikneiah, and Obed-Edom, and Jeiel, and Azaziah, with harps, on the octave, to oversee. 22 And Chenaniah, head of the Levites, 'is' over the burden; he instructeth about the burden, for he 'is' intelligent. 23 And Berechiah and Elkanah 'are' gatekeepers for the ark. 24 And Shebaniah, and Joshaphat, and Nethaneel, and Amasai, and Zechariah, and Benaiah, and Eliezer the priests, are blowing with trumpets before the ark of God; and Obed-Edom and Jehiah 'are' gatekeepers for the ark.
25 And it is David, and the elders of Israel, and the heads of the thousands, who are going to bring up the ark of the covenant of Jehovah from the house of Obed-Edom with joy; 26 and it cometh to pass, in God's helping the Levites bearing the ark of the covenant of Jehovah, that they sacrifice seven bullocks and seven rams. 27 And David is wrapped in an upper robe of fine linen, and all the Levites who are bearing the ark, and the singers, and Chenaniah head of the burden of the singers; and on David 'is' an Ephod of linen. 28 And all Israel are bringing up the ark of the covenant of Jehovah with shouting, and with the sound of a cornet, and with trumpets, and with cymbals, sounding with psalteries and harps, 29 and it cometh to pass, the ark of the covenant of Jehovah is entering in unto the city of David, and Michal daughter of Saul is looking through the window, and seeth king David dancing and playing, and despiseth him in her heart.
71 And Jesus was walking after these things in Galilee, for he did not wish to walk in Judea, because the Jews were seeking to kill him, 2 and the feast of the Jews was nigh—that of tabernacles— 3 his brethren, therefore, said unto him, 'Remove hence, and go away to Judea, that thy disciples also may behold thy works that thou dost; 4 for no one in secret doth anything, and himself seeketh to be in public; if thou dost these things—manifest thyself to the world;' 5 for not even were his brethren believing in him. 6 Jesus, therefore, saith to them, 'My time is not yet present, but your time is always ready; 7 the world is not able to hate you, but me it doth hate, because I testify concerning it that its works are evil. 8 Ye—go ye up to this feast; I do not yet go up to this feast, because my time hath not yet been fulfilled;' 9 and saying these things to them, he remained in Galilee.
10 And when his brethren went up, then also he himself went up to the feast, not manifestly, but as in secret; 11 the Jews, therefore, were seeking him, in the feast, and said, 'Where is that one?' 12 and there was much murmuring about him among the multitudes, some indeed said—'He is good;' and others said, 'No, but he leadeth astray the multitude;' 13 no one, however, was speaking freely about him, through fear of the Jews.
14 And it being now the middle of the feast, Jesus went up to the temple, and he was teaching, 15 and the Jews were wondering, saying, 'How hath this one known letters—not having learned?' 16 Jesus answered them and said, 'My teaching is not mine, but His who sent me; 17 if any one may will to do His will, he shall know concerning the teaching, whether it is of God, or—I do speak from myself. 18 'He who is speaking from himself his own glory doth seek, but he who is seeking the glory of him who sent him, this one is true, and unrighteousness is not in him; 19 hath not Moses given you the law? and none of you doth the law; why me do ye seek to kill?' 20 The multitude answered and said, 'Thou hast a demon, who doth seek to kill thee?' 21 Jesus answered and said to them, 'One work I did, and ye all wonder, 22 because of this, Moses hath given you the circumcision—not that it is of Moses, but of the fathers—and on a sabbath ye circumcise a man; 23 if a man doth receive circumcision on a sabbath that the law of Moses may not be broken, are ye wroth with me that I made a man all whole on a sabbath? 24 judge not according to appearance, but the righteous judgment judge.'
25 Certain, therefore, of the Jerusalemites said, 'Is not this he whom they are seeking to kill? 26 and, lo, he doth speak freely, and they say nothing to him; did the rulers at all know truly that this is truly the Christ? 27 but this one—we have known whence he is; and the Christ, when he doth come, no one doth know 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.
