The Avenging of the Gibeonites

211 And there is a famine in the days of David three years, year after year, and David seeketh the face of Jehovah, and Jehovah saith, 'For Saul and for the bloody house, because that he put to death the Gibeonites.' 2 And the king calleth for the Gibeonites, and saith unto them—as to the Gibeonites, they 'are' not of the sons of Israel, but of the remnant of the Amorite, and the sons of Israel had sworn to them, and Saul seeketh to smite them in his zeal for the sons of Israel and Judah— 3 yea, David saith unto the Gibeonites, 'What do I do for you? and with what do I make atonement? and bless ye the inheritance of Jehovah.' 4 And the Gibeonites say to him, 'We have no silver and gold by Saul and by his house, and we have no man to put to death in Israel;' and he saith, 'What ye are saying I do to you.' 5 And they say unto the king, 'The man who consumed us, and who devised against us—we have been destroyed from stationing ourselves in all the border of Israel— 6 let there be given to us seven men of his sons, and we have hanged them before Jehovah, in the height of Saul, the chosen of Jehovah.' And the king saith, 'I do give;' 7 and the king hath pity on Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, son of Saul, because of the oath of Jehovah that 'is' between them, between David and Jonathan son of Saul; 8 and the king taketh the two sons of Rizpah daughter of Aiah, whom she bore to Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth, and the five sons of Michal daughter of Saul whom she bare to Adriel son of Barzillai the Meholathite, 9 and giveth them into the hand of the Gibeonites, and they hang them in the hill before Jehovah; and the seven fall together, and they have been put to death in the days of harvest, in the first 'days', the commencement of barley-harvest.

10 And Rizpah daughter of Aiah taketh the sackcloth, and stretcheth it out for herself on the rock, from the commencement of harvest till water hath been poured out upon them from the heavens, and hath not suffered a fowl of the heavens to rest upon them by day, or the beast of the field by night. 11 And it is declared to David that which Rizpah daughter of Aiah, concubine of Saul, hath done, 12 and David goeth and taketh the bones of Saul, and the bones of Jonathan his son, from the possessors of Jabesh-Gilead, who had stolen them from the broad place of Beth-Shan, where the Philistines hanged them, in the day of the Philistines smiting Saul in Gilboa; 13 and he bringeth up thence the bones of Saul, and the bones of Jonathan his son, and they gather the bones of those hanged, 14 and bury the bones of Saul and of Jonathan his son in the land of Benjamin, in Zelah, in the burying-place of Kish his father, and do all that the king commanded, and God is entreated for the land afterwards.

Abishai Rescues David from the Giant

15 And again have the Philistines war with Israel, and David goeth down, and his servants with him, and they fight with the Philistines; and David is weary, 16 and Ishbi-Benob, who 'is' among the children of the giant—the weight of his spear 'is' three hundred 'shekels' weight of brass, and he is girded with a new one—speaketh of smiting David, 17 and Abishai son of Zeruiah giveth help to him, and smiteth the Philistine, and putteth him to death; then swear the men of David to him, saying, 'Thou dost not go out again with us to battle, nor quench the lamp of Israel.'

The Giants Slain by David's Men

18 And it cometh to pass afterwards, that the battle is again in Gob with the Philistines, then hath Sibbechai the Hushathite smitten Saph, who 'is' among the children of the giant. 19 And the battle is again in Gob with the Philistines, and Elhanan son of Jaare-Oregim, the Beth-Lehemite, smiteth 'a brother of' Goliath the Gittite, and the wood of his spear 'is' like a beam of weavers. 20 And the battle is again in Gath, and there is a man of stature, and the fingers of his hands 'are' six, and the toes of his feet 'are' six, twenty and four in number, and he also hath been born to the giant, 21 and he reproacheth Israel, and smite him doth Jonathan son of Shimeah, brother of David; 22 these four have been born to the giant in Gath, and they fall by the hand of David, and by the hand of his servants.

David's Song of Deliverance

221 And David speaketh to Jehovah the words of this song in the day Jehovah hath delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul,

2 and he saith: 'Jehovah 'is' my rock, And my bulwark, and a deliverer to me, 3 My God 'is' my rock—I take refuge in Him; My shield, and the horn of my salvation, My high tower, and my refuge! My Saviour, from violence Thou savest me! 4 The Praised One, I call Jehovah: And from mine enemies I am saved. 5 When the breakers of death compassed me, The streams of the worthless terrify me, 6 The cords of Sheol have surrounded me, Before me have been the snares of death. 7 In mine adversity I call Jehovah, And unto my God I call, And He heareth from His temple my voice, And my cry 'is' in His ears, 8 And shake and tremble doth the earth, Foundations of the heavens are troubled, And are shaken, for He hath wrath! 9 Gone up hath smoke by His nostrils. And fire from His mouth devoureth, Brands have been kindled by it. 10 And He inclineth heaven, and cometh down, And thick darkness 'is' under His feet. 11 And He rideth on a cherub, and doth fly, And is seen on the wings of the wind. 12 And He setteth darkness Round about Him—tabernacles, Darkness of waters—thick clouds of the skies. 13 From the brightness before Him Were brands of fire kindled! 14 Thunder from the heavens doth Jehovah, And the Most High giveth forth His voice. 15 And He sendeth forth arrows, And scattereth them; Lightning, and troubleth them; 16 And seen are the streams of the sea, Revealed are foundations of the world, By the rebuke of Jehovah, From the breath of the spirit of His anger. 17 He sendeth from above—He taketh me, He draweth me out of many waters. 18 He delivereth me from my strong enemy, From those hating me, For they were stronger than I. 19 They are before me in a day of my calamity, And Jehovah is my support, 20 And He bringeth me out to a large place, He draweth me out for He delighted in me. 21 Jehovah recompenseth me, According to my righteousness, According to the cleanness of my hands, He doth return to me. 22 For I have kept the ways of Jehovah, And have not done wickedly against my God. 23 For all His judgments 'are' before me, As to His statutes, I turn not from them. 24 And I am perfect before Him, And I keep myself from mine iniquity. 25 And Jehovah returneth to me, According to my righteousness, According to my cleanness before His eyes. 26 With the kind Thou shewest Thyself kind, With the perfect man Thou shewest Thyself perfect, 27 With the pure Thou shewest Thyself pure, And with the perverse Thou shewest Thyself a wrestler. 28 And the poor people Thou dost save, And Thine eyes on the high causest to fall. 29 For Thou 'art' my lamp, O Jehovah, And Jehovah doth lighten my darkness. 30 For by Thee I run—a troop, By my God I leap a wall. 31 God! Perfect 'is' His way, The saying of Jehovah is tried, A shield He 'is' to all those trusting in Him. 32 For who is God save Jehovah? And who a Rock save our God? 33 God—my bulwark, 'my' strength, And He maketh perfect my way; 34 Making my feet like hinds, And on my high places causeth me to stand, 35 Teaching my hands for battle, And brought down was a bow of brass by mine arms, 36 And Thou givest to me the shield of Thy salvation, And Thy lowliness maketh me great. 37 Thou enlargest my step under me, And mine ankles have not slidden. 38 I pursue mine enemies and destroy them, And I turn not till they are consumed. 39 And I consume them, and smite them, And they rise not, and fall under my feet. 40 And Thou girdest me 'with' strength for battle, Thou causest my withstanders to bow under me. 41 And mine enemies—Thou givest to me the neck, Those hating me—and I cut them off. 42 They look, and there is no saviour; Unto Jehovah, and He hath not answered them. 43 And I beat them as dust of the earth, As mire of the streets I beat them small—I spread them out! 44 And—Thou dost deliver me From the strivings of my people, Thou placest me for a head of nations; A people I have not known do serve me. 45 Sons of a stranger feign obedience to me, At the hearing of the ear they hearken to me. 46 Sons of a stranger fade away, And gird themselves by their close places. 47 Jehovah liveth, and blessed 'is' my Rock, And exalted is my God—The Rock of my salvation. 48 God—who is giving vengeance to me, And bringing down peoples under me, 49 And bringing me forth from mine enemies, Yea, above my withstanders Thou raisest me up. From a man of violence Thou deliverest me. 50 Therefore I confess Thee, O Jehovah, among nations. And to Thy name I sing praise. 51 Magnifying the salvations of His king, And doing loving-kindness to His anointed, To David, and to his seed—unto the age!'

24 And Jesus having seen him become very sorrowful, said, 'How hardly shall those having riches enter into the reign of God! 25 for it is easier for a camel through the eye of a needle to enter, than for a rich man into the reign of God to enter.' 26 And those who heard, said, 'And who is able to be saved?' 27 and he said, 'The things impossible with men are possible with God.' 28 And Peter said, 'Lo, we left all, and did follow thee;' 29 and he said to them, 'Verily I say to you, that there is not one who left house, or parents, or brothers, or wife, or children, for the sake of the reign of God, 30 who may not receive back manifold more in this time, and in the coming age, life age-during.'

Jesus Foretells His Death a Third Time

31 And having taken the twelve aside, he said unto them, 'Lo, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things shall be completed—that have been written through the prophets—to the Son of Man, 32 for he shall be delivered up to the nations, and shall be mocked, and insulted, and spit upon, 33 and having scourged they shall put him to death, and on the third day he shall rise again.' 34 And they none of these things understood, and this saying was hid from them, and they were not knowing the things said.

A Blind Beggar Healed near Jericho

35 And it came to pass, in his coming nigh to Jericho, a certain blind man was sitting beside the way begging, 36 and having heard a multitude going by, he was inquiring what this may be, 37 and they brought him word that Jesus the Nazarene doth pass by, 38 and he cried out, saying, 'Jesus, Son of David, deal kindly with me;' 39 and those going before were rebuking him, that he might be silent, but he was much more crying out, 'Son of David, deal kindly with me.' 40 And Jesus having stood, commanded him to be brought unto him, and he having come nigh, he questioned him, 41 saying, 'What wilt thou I shall do to thee?' and he said, 'Sir, that I may receive sight.' 42 And Jesus said to him, 'Receive thy sight; thy faith hath saved thee;' 43 and presently he did receive sight, and was following him, glorifying God; and all the people, having seen, did give praise to 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.