Rahab Welcomes the Spies

¹Then Joshua son of Nun secretly sent two spies from Shittim,saying, “Go, inspect the land, especially Jericho.” So they went and entered the house of a prostitute named Rahab and stayed there.

²And it was reported to the king of Jericho: “Behold, some men of Israel have come here tonight to spy out the land.”

³So the king of Jericho sent to Rahab and said, “Bring out the men who came to you and entered your house, for they have come to spy out the whole land.”

⁴But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them. So she said, “Yes, the men did come to me, but I did not know where they had come from.

⁵At dusk, when the gate was about to close, the men went out, and I do not know which way they went. Pursue them quickly, and you may catch them!”

⁶(But Rahab had taken them up to the roof and hidden them among the stalks of flax that she had laid out there.)

⁷So the king’s men set out in pursuit of the spies along the road to the fords of the Jordan, and as soon as they had gone out, the gate was shut.

The Promise to Rahab

⁸Before the spies lay down for the night, Rahab went up on the roof

⁹and said to them, “I know that the LORD has given you this land and that the fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who dwell in the land are melting in fear of you.

¹⁰For we have heard how the LORD dried up the waters of the Red Seabefore you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites across the Jordan, whom you devoted to destruction.

¹¹When we heard this, our hearts melted and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the LORD your God is God in the heavens above and on the earth below.

¹²Now therefore, please swear to me by the LORD that you will indeed show kindness to my family, because I showed kindness to you. Give me a sure sign

¹³that you will spare the lives of my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to them, and that you will deliver us from death.”

¹⁴“Our lives for your lives!” the men agreed. “If you do not report our mission, we will show you kindness and faithfulness when the LORD gives us the land.”

¹⁵Then Rahab let them down by a rope through the window, since the house where she lived was built into the wall of the city.

¹⁶“Go to the hill country,” she said, “so that your pursuers will not find you. Hide yourselves there for three days until they have returned; then go on your way.”

¹⁷The men said to her, “We will not be bound by this oath you made us swear

¹⁸unless, when we enter the land, you have tied this scarlet cord in the window through which you let us down, and unless you have brought your father and mother and brothers and all your family into your house.

¹⁹If anyone goes out the door of your house into the street, his blood will be on his own head, and we will be innocent. But if a hand is laid on anyone with you in the house, his blood will be on our heads.

²⁰And if you report our mission, we will be released from the oath you made us swear.”

²¹“Let it be as you say,” she replied, and she sent them away. And when they had gone, she tied the scarlet cord in the window.

²²So the spies went out into the hill country and stayed there three days, until their pursuers had returned without finding them, having searched all along the road.

²³Then the two men started back, came down from the hill country, and crossed the river. So they came to Joshua son of Nun and reported all that had happened to them.

²⁴“The LORD has surely delivered the entire land into our hands,” they said to Joshua. “Indeed, all who dwell in the land are melting in fear of us.”

David Takes the Consecrated Bread

¹Then David came to Nob, to Ahimelech the priest. And when Ahimelech met David, he trembled and asked him, “Why are you alone? Why is no one with you?”

²“The king has given me a mission,” David replied. “He told me no one is to know about the mission on which I am sending you. And I have directed my young men to meet me at a certain place.

³Now then, what do you have on hand? Give me five loaves of bread, or whatever can be found.”

⁴“There is no common bread on hand,” the priest replied, “but there is some consecrated bread—provided that the young men have kept themselves from women.”

⁵David answered, “Women have indeed been kept from us, as is usual when I set out. And the bodies of the young men are holy even on common missions. How much more so today!”

⁶So the priest gave him the consecrated bread, since there was no bread there but the Bread of the Presence, which had been removed from before the LORD and replaced with hot bread on the day it was taken away.

⁷Now one of Saul’s servants was there that day, detained before the LORD. And his name was Doeg the Edomite, the chief shepherd for Saul.

David Flees to Gath

⁸Then David asked Ahimelech, “Is there not a spear or sword on hand here? For I have brought neither my sword nor my weapons with me, because the king’s mission was urgent.”

⁹The priest replied, “The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you killed in the Valley of Elah, is here; it is wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod. If you want, you may take it. For there is no other but this one here.”And David said, “There is none like it; give it to me.”

¹⁰That day David fled from Saul and went to Achish king of Gath.

¹¹But the servants of Achish said to him, “Is this not David, the king of the land? Did they not sing about him in their dances, saying:‘Saul has slain his thousands,and David his tens of thousands’?”

¹²Now David took these words to heart and was very much afraid of Achish the king of Gath.

¹³So he changed his behavior before them and feigned madness in their hands; he scratched on the doors of the gate and let his saliva run down his beard.

¹⁴Then Achish said to his servants, “Look, you can see that the man is insane! Why have you brought him to me?

¹⁵Am I in need of madmen, that you have brought this man to rave in my presence? Must this man come into my house?”

Saul’s Overthrow and Death

¹Now the Philistines fought against Israel, and the men of Israel fled before them, and many fell slain on Mount Gilboa.

²The Philistines followed hard after Saul and his sons, and they killed Saul’s sons Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchishua.

³When the battle intensified against Saul, the archers overtook him and wounded him.

⁴Then Saul said to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword and run me through with it, or these uncircumcised men will come and torture me!”But his armor-bearer was terrified and refused to do it. So Saul took his own sword and fell on it.

⁵When his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he too fell on his own sword and died.

⁶So Saul died together with his three sons and all his house.

The Philistines Possess the Towns

⁷When all the Israelites in the valley saw that the army had fled and that Saul and his sons had died, they abandoned their cities and ran away. So the Philistines came and occupied their cities.

⁸The next day, when the Philistines came to strip the dead, they found Saul and his sons fallen on Mount Gilboa.

⁹They stripped Saul, cut off his head, took his armor, and sent messengers throughout the land of the Philistines to proclaim the news in the temple of their idols and among their people.

¹⁰They put his armor in the temple of their gods and hung his head in the temple of Dagon.

Jabesh-gilead’s Tribute to Saul

¹¹When all the people of Jabesh-gilead heard about everything the Philistines had done to Saul,

¹²all their men of valor set out and retrieved the bodies of Saul and his sons and brought them to Jabesh. And they buried their bones under the oakin Jabesh and fasted seven days.

¹³So Saul died for his unfaithfulness to the LORD, because he did not keep the word of the LORD and even consulted a medium for guidance,

¹⁴and he failed to inquire of the LORD. So the LORD put him to death and turned the kingdom over to David son of Jesse.

Your Word Is a Lamp to My Feet

¹Blessedare those whose way is blameless,who walk in the Law of the LORD.

²Blessed are those who keep His testimoniesand seek Him with all their heart.

³They do no iniquity;they walk in His ways.

⁴You have ordained Your precepts,that we should keep them diligently.

⁵Oh, that my ways were committedto keeping Your statutes!

⁶Then I would not be ashamedwhen I consider all Your commandments.

⁷I will praise You with an upright heartwhen I learn Your righteous judgments.

⁸I will keep Your statutes;do not utterly forsake me.

⁹How can a young man keep his way pure?By guarding it according to Your word.

¹⁰With all my heart I have sought You;do not let me stray from Your commandments.

¹¹I have hidden Your word in my heartthat I might not sin against You.

¹²Blessed are You, O LORD;teach me Your statutes.

¹³With my lips I proclaimall the judgments of Your mouth.

¹⁴I rejoice in the way of Your testimoniesas much as in all riches.

¹⁵I will meditate on Your preceptsand regard Your ways.

¹⁶I will delight in Your statutes;I will not forget Your word.

¹⁷Deal bountifully with Your servant,that I may live and keep Your word.

¹⁸Open my eyes that I may seewondrous things from Your law.

¹⁹I am a stranger on the earth;do not hide Your commandments from me.

²⁰My soul is consumed with longingfor Your judgments at all times.

²¹You rebuke the arrogant—the cursed who stray from Your commandments.

²²Remove my scorn and contempt,for I have kept Your testimonies.

²³Though rulers sit and slander me,Your servant meditates on Your statutes.

²⁴Your testimonies are indeed my delight;they are my counselors.

²⁵My soul cleaves to the dust;revive me according to Your word.

²⁶I recounted my ways, and You answered me;teach me Your statutes.

²⁷Make clear to me the way of Your precepts;then I will meditate on Your wonders.

²⁸My soul melts with sorrow;strengthen me according to Your word.

²⁹Remove me from the path of deceitand graciously grant me Your law.

³⁰I have chosen the way of truth;I have set Your ordinances before me.

³¹I cling to Your testimonies, O LORD;let me not be put to shame.

³²I run in the path of Your commandments,for You will enlarge my heart.

³³Teach me, O LORD, the way of Your statutes,and I will keep them to the end.

³⁴Give me understanding that I may obey Your law,and follow it with all my heart.

³⁵Direct me in the path of Your commandments,for there I find delight.

³⁶Turn my heart to Your testimoniesand not to covetous gain.

³⁷Turn my eyes away from worthless things;revive me with Your word.

³⁸Establish Your word to Your servant,to produce reverence for You.

³⁹Turn away the disgrace I dread,for Your judgments are good.

⁴⁰How I long for Your precepts!Revive me in Your righteousness.

⁴¹May Your loving devotion come to me, O LORD,Your salvation, according to Your promise.

⁴²Then I can answer him who taunts,for I trust in Your word.

⁴³Never take Your word of truth from my mouth,for I hope in Your judgments.

⁴⁴I will always obey Your law,forever and ever.

⁴⁵And I will walk in freedom,for I have sought Your precepts.

⁴⁶I will speak of Your testimonies before kings,and I will not be ashamed.

⁴⁷I delight in Your commandmentsbecause I love them.

⁴⁸I lift up my hands to Your commandments, which I love,and I meditate on Your statutes.

⁴⁹Remember Your word to Your servant,upon which You have given me hope.

⁵⁰This is my comfort in affliction,that Your promise has given me life.

⁵¹The arrogant utterly deride me,but I do not turn from Your law.

⁵²I remember Your judgments of old, O LORD,and in them I find comfort.

⁵³Rage has taken hold of mebecause of the wicked who reject Your law.

⁵⁴Your statutes are songs to mein the house of my pilgrimage.

⁵⁵In the night, O LORD, I remember Your name,that I may keep Your law.

⁵⁶This is my practice,for I obey Your precepts.

⁵⁷The LORD is my portion;I have promised to keep Your words.

⁵⁸I have sought Your face with all my heart;be gracious to me according to Your promise.

⁵⁹I considered my waysand turned my steps to Your testimonies.

⁶⁰I hurried without hesitatingto keep Your commandments.

⁶¹Though the ropes of the wicked bind me,I do not forget Your law.

⁶²At midnight I rise to give You thanksfor Your righteous judgments.

⁶³I am a friend to all who fear You,and to those who keep Your precepts.

⁶⁴The earth is filled with Your loving devotion, O LORD;teach me Your statutes.

⁶⁵You are good to Your servant, O LORD,according to Your word.

⁶⁶Teach me good judgment and knowledge,for I believe in Your commandments.

⁶⁷Before I was afflicted, I went astray;but now I keep Your word.

⁶⁸You are good, and You do what is good;teach me Your statutes.

⁶⁹Though the arrogant have smeared me with lies,I keep Your precepts with all my heart.

⁷⁰Their hearts are callous and insensitive,but I delight in Your law.

⁷¹It was good for me to be afflicted,that I might learn Your statutes.

⁷²The law from Your mouth is more precious to methan thousands of pieces of gold and silver.

⁷³Your hands have made me and fashioned me;give me understanding to learn Your commandments.

⁷⁴May those who fear You see me and rejoice,for I have hoped in Your word.

⁷⁵I know, O LORD, that Your judgments are righteous,and that in faithfulness You have afflicted me.

⁷⁶May Your loving devotion comfort me, I pray,according to Your promise to Your servant.

⁷⁷May Your compassion come to me, that I may live,for Your law is my delight.

⁷⁸May the arrogant be put to shame for subverting me with a lie;I will meditate on Your precepts.

⁷⁹May those who fear You turn to me,those who know Your testimonies.

⁸⁰May my heart be blameless in Your statutes,that I may not be put to shame.

⁸¹My soul faints for Your salvation;I wait for Your word.

⁸²My eyes fail, looking for Your promise;I ask, “When will You comfort me?”

⁸³Though I am like a wineskin dried up by smoke,I do not forget Your statutes.

⁸⁴How many days must Your servant wait?When will You execute judgment on my persecutors?

⁸⁵The arrogant have dug pits for mein violation of Your law.

⁸⁶All Your commandments are faithful;I am persecuted without cause—help me!

⁸⁷They almost wiped me from the earth,but I have not forsaken Your precepts.

⁸⁸Revive me according to Your loving devotion,that I may obey the testimony of Your mouth.

⁸⁹Your word, O LORD, is everlasting;it is firmly fixed in the heavens.

⁹⁰Your faithfulness continues through all generations;You established the earth, and it endures.

⁹¹Your ordinances stand to this day,for all things are servants to You.

⁹²If Your law had not been my delight,then I would have perished in my affliction.

⁹³I will never forget Your precepts,for by them You have revived me.

⁹⁴I am Yours; save me,for I have sought Your precepts.

⁹⁵The wicked wait to destroy me,but I will ponder Your testimonies.

⁹⁶I have seen a limit to all perfection,but Your commandment is without limit.

⁹⁷Oh, how I love Your law!All day long it is my meditation.

⁹⁸Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies,for they are always with me.

⁹⁹I have more insight than all my teachers,for Your testimonies are my meditation.

¹⁰⁰I discern more than the elders,for I obey Your precepts.

¹⁰¹I have kept my feet from every evil path,that I may keep Your word.

¹⁰²I have not departed from Your ordinances,for You Yourself have taught me.

¹⁰³How sweet are Your words to my taste—sweeter than honey in my mouth!

¹⁰⁴I gain understanding from Your precepts;therefore I hate every false way.

¹⁰⁵Your word is a lamp to my feetand a light to my path.

¹⁰⁶I have sworn and confirmedthat I will keep Your righteous judgments.

¹⁰⁷I am severely afflicted, O LORD;revive me through Your word.

¹⁰⁸Accept the freewill offerings of my mouth, O LORD,and teach me Your judgments.

¹⁰⁹I constantly take my life in my hands,yet I do not forget Your law.

¹¹⁰The wicked have set a snare for me,but I have not strayed from Your precepts.

¹¹¹Your testimonies are my heritage forever,for they are the joy of my heart.

¹¹²I have inclined my heart to perform Your statutes,even to the very end.

¹¹³The double-minded I despise,but Your law I love.

¹¹⁴You are my hiding place and my shield;I put my hope in Your word.

¹¹⁵Depart from me, you evildoers,that I may obey the commandments of my God.

¹¹⁶Sustain me as You promised, that I may live;let me not be ashamed of my hope.

¹¹⁷Uphold me, and I will be saved,that I may always regard Your statutes.

¹¹⁸You reject all who stray from Your statutes,for their deceitfulness is in vain.

¹¹⁹All the wicked on earth You discard like dross;therefore I love Your testimonies.

¹²⁰My flesh trembles in awe of You;I stand in fear of Your judgments.

¹²¹I have done what is just and right;do not leave me to my oppressors.

¹²²Ensure Your servant’s well-being;do not let the arrogant oppress me.

¹²³My eyes fail, looking for Your salvation,and for Your righteous promise.

¹²⁴Deal with Your servant according to Your loving devotion,and teach me Your statutes.

¹²⁵I am Your servant; give me understanding,that I may know Your testimonies.

¹²⁶It is time for the LORD to act,for they have broken Your law.

¹²⁷Therefore I love Your commandments more than gold,even the purest gold.

¹²⁸Therefore I admire all Your preceptsand hate every false way.

¹²⁹Wonderful are Your testimonies;therefore I obey them.

¹³⁰The unfolding of Your words gives light;it informs the simple.

¹³¹I open my mouth and pant,longing for Your commandments.

¹³²Turn to me and show me mercy,as You do to those who love Your name.

¹³³Order my steps in Your word;let no sin rule over me.

¹³⁴Redeem me from the oppression of man,that I may keep Your precepts.

¹³⁵Make Your face shine upon Your servant,and teach me Your statutes.

¹³⁶My eyes shed streams of tearsbecause Your law is not obeyed.

¹³⁷Righteous are You, O LORD,and upright are Your judgments.

¹³⁸The testimonies You have laid down are righteousand altogether faithful.

¹³⁹My zeal has consumed mebecause my foes forget Your words.

¹⁴⁰Your promise is completely pure;therefore Your servant loves it.

¹⁴¹I am lowly and despised,but I do not forget Your precepts.

¹⁴²Your righteousness is everlastingand Your law is true.

¹⁴³Trouble and distress have found me,but Your commandments are my delight.

¹⁴⁴Your testimonies are righteous forever.Give me understanding, that I may live.

¹⁴⁵I call with all my heart; answer me, O LORD!I will obey Your statutes.

¹⁴⁶I call to You; save me,that I may keep Your testimonies.

¹⁴⁷I rise before dawn and cry for help;in Your word I have put my hope.

¹⁴⁸My eyes anticipate the watches of night,that I may meditate on Your word.

¹⁴⁹Hear my voice, O LORD, according to Your loving devotion;give me life according to Your justice.

¹⁵⁰Those who follow after wickedness draw near;they are far from Your law.

¹⁵¹You are near, O LORD,and all Your commandments are true.

¹⁵²Long ago I learned from Your testimoniesthat You have established them forever.

¹⁵³Look upon my affliction and rescue me,for I have not forgotten Your law.

¹⁵⁴Defend my cause and redeem me;revive me according to Your word.

¹⁵⁵Salvation is far from the wickedbecause they do not seek Your statutes.

¹⁵⁶Great are Your mercies, O LORD;revive me according to Your ordinances.

¹⁵⁷Though my persecutors and foes are many,I have not turned from Your testimonies.

¹⁵⁸I look on the faithless with loathingbecause they do not keep Your word.

¹⁵⁹Consider how I love Your precepts, O LORD;give me life according to Your loving devotion.

¹⁶⁰The entirety of Your word is truth,and all Your righteous judgments endure forever.

¹⁶¹Rulers persecute me without cause,but my heart fears only Your word.

¹⁶²I rejoice in Your promiselike one who finds great spoil.

¹⁶³I hate and abhor falsehood,but Your law I love.

¹⁶⁴Seven times a day I praise Youfor Your righteous judgments.

¹⁶⁵Abundant peace belongs to those who love Your law;nothing can make them stumble.

¹⁶⁶I wait for Your salvation, O LORD,and I carry out Your commandments.

¹⁶⁷I obey Your testimoniesand love them greatly.

¹⁶⁸I obey Your precepts and Your testimonies,for all my ways are before You.

¹⁶⁹May my cry come before You, O LORD;give me understanding according to Your word.

¹⁷⁰May my plea come before You;rescue me according to Your promise.

¹⁷¹My lips pour forth praise,for You teach me Your statutes.

¹⁷²My tongue sings of Your word,for all Your commandments are righteous.

¹⁷³May Your hand be ready to help me,for I have chosen Your precepts.

¹⁷⁴I long for Your salvation, O LORD,and Your law is my delight.

¹⁷⁵Let me live to praise You;may Your judgments sustain me.

¹⁷⁶I have strayed like a lost sheep;seek Your servant, for I have not forgotten Your commandments.