Ruth | Chapter Summaries + Study Questions

Unapologetically Sold Out: 7 Days of Prayers for Millennials to Live Whole-Heartedly Committed to Jesus Christ

Judges | Chapter Summaries + Study Questions

Homesick for Heaven

The Lies We Believe: Beyond Quick Fixes to Real Freedom Part 2

Let Us Pray

Faith in Hard Times

Stormproof

FruitFULL - Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self-Control - the Mature Expression of Faith

Breath & Blueprint: Your Creative Awakening

The Listener’s Bible®: NIV Edition

New International Version™  (Anglicised), Audio Edition

Holy Bible, New International Version™ (Anglicised), South Asian Audio Edition

<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bkLUK">
 <div class="chapter ch19" data-usfm="LUK.19">
 <div class="label">19</div><div class="s1">Zacchaeus the Tax Collector</div><div class="p"> 1Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. 2A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. 3He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. 4So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.</div><div class="p"> 5When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, &#8220;Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.&#8221; 6So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.</div><div class="p"> 7All the people saw this and began to mutter, &#8220;He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 8But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, &#8220;Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 9Jesus said to him, &#8220;Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 10For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.&#8221;</div><div class="s1">The Parable of the Ten Minas</div><div class="p"> 11While they were listening to this, he went on to tell them a parable, because he was near Jerusalem and the people thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear at once. 12He said: &#8220;A man of noble birth went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return. 13So he called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas.#19:13 A mina was about three months&#8217; wages. &#8216;Put this money to work,&#8217; he said, &#8216;until I come back.&#8217;</div><div class="p"> 14 &#8220;But his subjects hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, &#8216;We don&#8217;t want this man to be our king.&#8217;</div><div class="p"> 15 &#8220;He was made king, however, and returned home. Then he sent for the servants to whom he had given the money, in order to find out what they had gained with it.</div><div class="p"> 16 &#8220;The first one came and said, &#8216;Sir, your mina has earned ten more.&#8217;</div><div class="p"> 17 &#8220;&#8198;&#8216;Well done, my good servant!&#8217; his master replied. &#8216;Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities.&#8217;</div><div class="p"> 18 &#8220;The second came and said, &#8216;Sir, your mina has earned five more.&#8217;</div><div class="p"> 19 &#8220;His master answered, &#8216;You take charge of five cities.&#8217;</div><div class="p"> 20 &#8220;Then another servant came and said, &#8216;Sir, here is your mina; I have kept it laid away in a piece of cloth. 21I was afraid of you, because you are a hard man. You take out what you did not put in and reap what you did not sow.&#8217;</div><div class="p"> 22 &#8220;His master replied, &#8216;I will judge you by your own words, you wicked servant! You knew, did you, that I am a hard man, taking out what I did not put in, and reaping what I did not sow? 23Why then didn&#8217;t you put my money on deposit, so that when I came back, I could have collected it with interest?&#8217;</div><div class="p"> 24 &#8220;Then he said to those standing by, &#8216;Take his mina away from him and give it to the one who has ten minas.&#8217;</div><div class="p"> 25 &#8220;&#8198;&#8216;Sir,&#8217; they said, &#8216;he already has ten!&#8217;</div><div class="p"> 26 &#8220;He replied, &#8216;I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but as for the one who has nothing, even what they have will be taken away. 27But those enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them&#8212;bring them here and kill them in front of me.&#8217;&#8198;&#8221;</div><div class="s1">Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King</div><div class="p"> 28After Jesus had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. 29As he approached Bethphage and Bethany at the hill called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, 30&#8220;Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 31If anyone asks you, &#8216;Why are you untying it?&#8217; say, &#8216;The Lord needs it.&#8217;&#8198;&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 32Those who were sent ahead went and found it just as he had told them. 33As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, &#8220;Why are you untying the colt?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 34They replied, &#8220;The Lord needs it.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 35They brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it. 36As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road.</div><div class="p"> 37When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen:</div><div class="q1"> 38&#8220;Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!&#8221;#19:38 Psalm 118:26</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1">&#8220;Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 39Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, &#8220;Teacher, rebuke your disciples!&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 40 &#8220;I tell you,&#8221; he replied, &#8220;if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 41As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it 42and said, &#8220;If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace&#8212;but now it is hidden from your eyes. 43The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. 44They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God&#8217;s coming to you.&#8221;</div><div class="s1">Jesus at the Temple</div><div class="p"> 45When Jesus entered the temple courts, he began to drive out those who were selling. 46&#8220;It is written,&#8221; he said to them, &#8220;&#8198;&#8216;My house will be a house of prayer&#8217;#19:46 Isaiah 56:7; but you have made it &#8216;a den of robbers.&#8217;#19:46 Jer. 7:11&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 47Every day he was teaching at the temple. But the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the leaders among the people were trying to kill him. 48Yet they could not find any way to do it, because all the people hung on his words.</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bkLUK">
 <div class="chapter ch20" data-usfm="LUK.20">
 <div class="label">20</div><div class="s1">The Authority of Jesus Questioned</div><div class="p"> 1One day as Jesus was teaching the people in the temple courts and proclaiming the good news, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, together with the elders, came up to him. 2&#8220;Tell us by what authority you are doing these things,&#8221; they said. &#8220;Who gave you this authority?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 3He replied, &#8220;I will also ask you a question. Tell me: 4John&#8217;s baptism&#8212;was it from heaven, or of human origin?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 5They discussed it among themselves and said, &#8220;If we say, &#8216;From heaven,&#8217; he will ask, &#8216;Why didn&#8217;t you believe him?&#8217; 6But if we say, &#8216;Of human origin,&#8217; all the people will stone us, because they are persuaded that John was a prophet.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 7So they answered, &#8220;We don&#8217;t know where it was from.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 8Jesus said, &#8220;Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.&#8221;</div><div class="s1">The Parable of the Tenants</div><div class="p"> 9He went on to tell the people this parable: &#8220;A man planted a vineyard, rented it to some farmers and went away for a long time. 10At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants so they would give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed. 11He sent another servant, but that one also they beat and treated shamefully and sent away empty-handed. 12He sent still a third, and they wounded him and threw him out.</div><div class="p"> 13 &#8220;Then the owner of the vineyard said, &#8216;What shall I do? I will send my son, whom I love; perhaps they will respect him.&#8217;</div><div class="p"> 14 &#8220;But when the tenants saw him, they talked the matter over. &#8216;This is the heir,&#8217; they said. &#8216;Let&#8217;s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.&#8217; 15So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.</div><div class="p"> &#8220;What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? 16He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others.&#8221;</div><div class="p">When the people heard this, they said, &#8220;God forbid!&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 17Jesus looked directly at them and asked, &#8220;Then what is the meaning of that which is written:</div><div class="q1"> &#8220;&#8198;&#8216;The stone the builders rejected</div><div class="q2"> has become the cornerstone&#8217; # 20:17 
 Psalm 118:22
 ?</div><div class="m"> 18 Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces; anyone on whom it falls will be crushed.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 19The teachers of the law and the chief priests looked for a way to arrest him immediately, because they knew he had spoken this parable against them. But they were afraid of the people.</div><div class="s1">Paying Taxes to Caesar</div><div class="p"> 20Keeping a close watch on him, they sent spies, who pretended to be sincere. They hoped to catch Jesus in something he said, so that they might hand him over to the power and authority of the governor. 21So the spies questioned him: &#8220;Teacher, we know that you speak and teach what is right, and that you do not show partiality but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. 22Is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 23He saw through their duplicity and said to them, 24&#8220;Show me a denarius. Whose image and inscription are on it?&#8221;</div><div class="p">&#8220;Caesar&#8217;s,&#8221; they replied.</div><div class="p"> 25He said to them, &#8220;Then give back to Caesar what is Caesar&#8217;s, and to God what is God&#8217;s.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 26They were unable to trap him in what he had said there in public. And astonished by his answer, they became silent.</div><div class="s1">The Resurrection and Marriage</div><div class="p"> 27Some of the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus with a question. 28&#8220;Teacher,&#8221; they said, &#8220;Moses wrote for us that if a man&#8217;s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man must marry the widow and raise up offspring for his brother. 29Now there were seven brothers. The first one married a woman and died childless. 30The second 31and then the third married her, and in the same way the seven died, leaving no children. 32Finally, the woman died too. 33Now then, at the resurrection whose wife will she be, since the seven were married to her?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 34Jesus replied, &#8220;The people of this age marry and are given in marriage. 35But those who are considered worthy of taking part in the age to come and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage, 36and they can no longer die; for they are like the angels. They are God&#8217;s children, since they are children of the resurrection. 37But in the account of the burning bush, even Moses showed that the dead rise, for he calls the Lord &#8216;the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.&#8217;#20:37 Exodus 3:6 38He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 39Some of the teachers of the law responded, &#8220;Well said, teacher!&#8221; 40And no one dared to ask him any more questions.</div><div class="s1">Whose Son Is the Messiah?</div><div class="p"> 41Then Jesus said to them, &#8220;Why is it said that the Messiah is the son of David? 42David himself declares in the Book of Psalms:</div><div class="q1"> &#8220;&#8198;&#8216;The Lord said to my Lord:</div><div class="q2"> &#8220;Sit at my right hand</div><div class="q1"> 43 until I make your enemies</div><div class="q2"> a footstool for your feet.&#8221;&#8198;&#8217; # 20:43 
 Psalm 110:1
 </div><div class="m"> 44 David calls him &#8216;Lord.&#8217; How then can he be his son?&#8221;</div><div class="s1">Warning Against the Teachers of the Law</div><div class="p"> 45While all the people were listening, Jesus said to his disciples, 46&#8220;Beware of the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. 47They devour widows&#8217; houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.&#8221;</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bkLUK">
 <div class="chapter ch21" data-usfm="LUK.21">
 <div class="label">21</div><div class="s1">The Widow&#8217;s Offering</div><div class="p"> 1As Jesus looked up, he saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. 2He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. 3&#8220;Truly I tell you,&#8221; he said, &#8220;this poor widow has put in more than all the others. 4All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.&#8221;</div><div class="s1">The Destruction of the Temple and Signs of the End Times</div><div class="p"> 5Some of his disciples were remarking about how the temple was adorned with beautiful stones and with gifts dedicated to God. But Jesus said, 6&#8220;As for what you see here, the time will come when not one stone will be left on another; every one of them will be thrown down.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 7&#8220;Teacher,&#8221; they asked, &#8220;when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are about to take place?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 8He replied: &#8220;Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, &#8216;I am he,&#8217; and, &#8216;The time is near.&#8217; Do not follow them. 9When you hear of wars and uprisings, do not be frightened. These things must happen first, but the end will not come right away.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 10Then he said to them: &#8220;Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 11There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven.</div><div class="p"> 12 &#8220;But before all this, they will seize you and persecute you. They will hand you over to synagogues and put you in prison, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name. 13And so you will bear testimony to me. 14But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. 15For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict. 16You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers and sisters, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. 17Everyone will hate you because of me. 18But not a hair of your head will perish. 19Stand firm, and you will win life.</div><div class="p"> 20 &#8220;When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, you will know that its desolation is near. 21Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out, and let those in the country not enter the city. 22For this is the time of punishment in fulfillment of all that has been written. 23How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! There will be great distress in the land and wrath against this people. 24They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.</div><div class="p"> 25 &#8220;There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. 26People will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. 27At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 29He told them this parable: &#8220;Look at the fig tree and all the trees. 30When they sprout leaves, you can see for yourselves and know that summer is near. 31Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near.</div><div class="p"> 32 &#8220;Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. 33Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.</div><div class="p"> 34 &#8220;Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you suddenly like a trap. 35For it will come on all those who live on the face of the whole earth. 36Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 37Each day Jesus was teaching at the temple, and each evening he went out to spend the night on the hill called the Mount of Olives, 38and all the people came early in the morning to hear him at the temple.</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bk2SA">
 <div class="chapter ch1" data-usfm="2SA.1">
 <div class="label">1</div><div class="s1">David Hears of Saul&#8217;s Death</div><div class="p"> 1After the death of Saul, David returned from striking down the Amalekites and stayed in Ziklag two days. 2On the third day a man arrived from Saul&#8217;s camp with his clothes torn and dust on his head. When he came to David, he fell to the ground to pay him honor.</div><div class="p"> 3&#8220;Where have you come from?&#8221; David asked him.</div><div class="p">He answered, &#8220;I have escaped from the Israelite camp.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 4&#8220;What happened?&#8221; David asked. &#8220;Tell me.&#8221;</div><div class="p">&#8220;The men fled from the battle,&#8221; he replied. &#8220;Many of them fell and died. And Saul and his son Jonathan are dead.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 5Then David said to the young man who brought him the report, &#8220;How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 6&#8220;I happened to be on Mount Gilboa,&#8221; the young man said, &#8220;and there was Saul, leaning on his spear, with the chariots and their drivers in hot pursuit. 7When he turned around and saw me, he called out to me, and I said, &#8216;What can I do?&#8217;</div><div class="p"> 8&#8220;He asked me, &#8216;Who are you?&#8217;</div><div class="p">&#8220;&#8198;&#8216;An Amalekite,&#8217; I answered.</div><div class="p"> 9&#8220;Then he said to me, &#8216;Stand here by me and kill me! I&#8217;m in the throes of death, but I&#8217;m still alive.&#8217;</div><div class="p"> 10&#8220;So I stood beside him and killed him, because I knew that after he had fallen he could not survive. And I took the crown that was on his head and the band on his arm and have brought them here to my lord.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 11Then David and all the men with him took hold of their clothes and tore them. 12They mourned and wept and fasted till evening for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the army of the Lord and for the nation of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.</div><div class="p"> 13David said to the young man who brought him the report, &#8220;Where are you from?&#8221;</div><div class="p">&#8220;I am the son of a foreigner, an Amalekite,&#8221; he answered.</div><div class="p"> 14David asked him, &#8220;Why weren&#8217;t you afraid to lift your hand to destroy the Lord&#8217;s anointed?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 15Then David called one of his men and said, &#8220;Go, strike him down!&#8221; So he struck him down, and he died. 16For David had said to him, &#8220;Your blood be on your own head. Your own mouth testified against you when you said, &#8216;I killed the Lord&#8217;s anointed.&#8217;&#8198;&#8221;</div><div class="s1">David&#8217;s Lament for Saul and Jonathan</div><div class="p"> 17David took up this lament concerning Saul and his son Jonathan, 18and he ordered that the people of Judah be taught this lament of the bow (it is written in the Book of Jashar):</div><div class="q1"> 19&#8220;A gazelle#1:19 Gazelle here symbolizes a human dignitary. lies slain on your heights, Israel.</div><div class="q2">How the mighty have fallen!</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"> 20&#8220;Tell it not in Gath,</div><div class="q2">proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon,</div><div class="q1">lest the daughters of the Philistines be glad,</div><div class="q2">lest the daughters of the uncircumcised rejoice.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"> 21&#8220;Mountains of Gilboa,</div><div class="q2">may you have neither dew nor rain,</div><div class="q2">may no showers fall on your terraced fields.#1:21 Or / nor fields that yield grain for offerings</div><div class="q1">For there the shield of the mighty was despised,</div><div class="q2">the shield of Saul&#8212;no longer rubbed with oil.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"> 22&#8220;From the blood of the slain,</div><div class="q2">from the flesh of the mighty,</div><div class="q1">the bow of Jonathan did not turn back,</div><div class="q2">the sword of Saul did not return unsatisfied.</div><div class="q1"> 23Saul and Jonathan&#8212;</div><div class="q2">in life they were loved and admired,</div><div class="q2">and in death they were not parted.</div><div class="q1">They were swifter than eagles,</div><div class="q2">they were stronger than lions.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"> 24&#8220;Daughters of Israel,</div><div class="q2">weep for Saul,</div><div class="q1">who clothed you in scarlet and finery,</div><div class="q2">who adorned your garments with ornaments of gold.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"> 25&#8220;How the mighty have fallen in battle!</div><div class="q2">Jonathan lies slain on your heights.</div><div class="q1"> 26I grieve for you, Jonathan my brother;</div><div class="q2">you were very dear to me.</div><div class="q1">Your love for me was wonderful,</div><div class="q2">more wonderful than that of women.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"> 27&#8220;How the mighty have fallen!</div><div class="q2">The weapons of war have perished!&#8221;</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
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 <div class="label">2</div><div class="s1">David Anointed King Over Judah</div><div class="p"> 1In the course of time, David inquired of the Lord. &#8220;Shall I go up to one of the towns of Judah?&#8221; he asked.</div><div class="p">The Lord said, &#8220;Go up.&#8221;</div><div class="p">David asked, &#8220;Where shall I go?&#8221;</div><div class="p">&#8220;To Hebron,&#8221; the Lord answered.</div><div class="p"> 2So David went up there with his two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal of Carmel. 3David also took the men who were with him, each with his family, and they settled in Hebron and its towns. 4Then the men of Judah came to Hebron, and there they anointed David king over the tribe of Judah.</div><div class="p">When David was told that it was the men from Jabesh Gilead who had buried Saul, 5he sent messengers to them to say to them, &#8220;The Lord bless you for showing this kindness to Saul your master by burying him. 6May the Lord now show you kindness and faithfulness, and I too will show you the same favor because you have done this. 7Now then, be strong and brave, for Saul your master is dead, and the people of Judah have anointed me king over them.&#8221;</div><div class="s1">War Between the Houses of David and Saul</div><div class="p"> 8Meanwhile, Abner son of Ner, the commander of Saul&#8217;s army, had taken Ish-Bosheth son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim. 9He made him king over Gilead, Ashuri and Jezreel, and also over Ephraim, Benjamin and all Israel.</div><div class="p"> 10Ish-Bosheth son of Saul was forty years old when he became king over Israel, and he reigned two years. The tribe of Judah, however, remained loyal to David. 11The length of time David was king in Hebron over Judah was seven years and six months.</div><div class="p"> 12Abner son of Ner, together with the men of Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, left Mahanaim and went to Gibeon. 13Joab son of Zeruiah and David&#8217;s men went out and met them at the pool of Gibeon. One group sat down on one side of the pool and one group on the other side.</div><div class="p"> 14Then Abner said to Joab, &#8220;Let&#8217;s have some of the young men get up and fight hand to hand in front of us.&#8221;</div><div class="p">&#8220;All right, let them do it,&#8221; Joab said.</div><div class="p"> 15So they stood up and were counted off&#8212;twelve men for Benjamin and Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, and twelve for David. 16Then each man grabbed his opponent by the head and thrust his dagger into his opponent&#8217;s side, and they fell down together. So that place in Gibeon was called Helkath Hazzurim.#2:16 Helkath Hazzurim means field of daggers or field of hostilities.</div><div class="p"> 17The battle that day was very fierce, and Abner and the Israelites were defeated by David&#8217;s men.</div><div class="p"> 18The three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab, Abishai and Asahel. Now Asahel was as fleet-footed as a wild gazelle. 19He chased Abner, turning neither to the right nor to the left as he pursued him. 20Abner looked behind him and asked, &#8220;Is that you, Asahel?&#8221;</div><div class="p">&#8220;It is,&#8221; he answered.</div><div class="p"> 21Then Abner said to him, &#8220;Turn aside to the right or to the left; take on one of the young men and strip him of his weapons.&#8221; But Asahel would not stop chasing him.</div><div class="p"> 22Again Abner warned Asahel, &#8220;Stop chasing me! Why should I strike you down? How could I look your brother Joab in the face?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 23But Asahel refused to give up the pursuit; so Abner thrust the butt of his spear into Asahel&#8217;s stomach, and the spear came out through his back. He fell there and died on the spot. And every man stopped when he came to the place where Asahel had fallen and died.</div><div class="p"> 24But Joab and Abishai pursued Abner, and as the sun was setting, they came to the hill of Ammah, near Giah on the way to the wasteland of Gibeon. 25Then the men of Benjamin rallied behind Abner. They formed themselves into a group and took their stand on top of a hill.</div><div class="p"> 26Abner called out to Joab, &#8220;Must the sword devour forever? Don&#8217;t you realize that this will end in bitterness? How long before you order your men to stop pursuing their fellow Israelites?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 27Joab answered, &#8220;As surely as God lives, if you had not spoken, the men would have continued pursuing them until morning.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 28So Joab blew the trumpet, and all the troops came to a halt; they no longer pursued Israel, nor did they fight anymore.</div><div class="p"> 29All that night Abner and his men marched through the Arabah. They crossed the Jordan, continued through the morning hours#2:29 See Septuagint; the meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain. and came to Mahanaim.</div><div class="p"> 30Then Joab stopped pursuing Abner and assembled the whole army. Besides Asahel, nineteen of David&#8217;s men were found missing. 31But David&#8217;s men had killed three hundred and sixty Benjamites who were with Abner. 32They took Asahel and buried him in his father&#8217;s tomb at Bethlehem. Then Joab and his men marched all night and arrived at Hebron by daybreak.</div>
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