When David ¹  had finished talking with Saul, Jonathan and David became bound together in close friendship. ²  Jonathan loved David as much as he did his own life. ³ 

Then Saul told his son Jonathan and all his servants to kill David. But Saul’s son Jonathan liked David very much. ¹ 

The Philistines stayed right on the heels ¹  of Saul and his sons. They ²  struck down Saul’s sons Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malki-Shua.

So as Joab kept watch on the city, he stationed Uriah at the place where he knew the best enemy soldiers ¹  were.

a wise woman called out from the city, “Listen up! Listen up! Tell Joab, ‘Come near so that I may speak to you.’”

King Baasha of Israel attacked Judah and established Ramah as a military outpost to prevent anyone from leaving or entering the land of King Asa of Judah. ¹ 

As the sun was setting, a cry went through the camp, “Each one should return to his city and to his homeland.”

Go and close the door behind you and your sons. Pour the olive oil into all the containers; ¹  set aside each one when you have filled it.”

So she left him and closed the door behind her and her sons. As they were bringing the containers to her, she was pouring the olive oil.

She went up and laid him down on the prophet’s ¹  bed. She shut the door behind her and left.

These were the men who joined David in Ziklag, when he was banished ¹  from the presence of Saul son of Kish. (They were among the warriors who assisted him in battle.

Benaiah son of Jehoiada supervised ¹  the Kerethites and Pelethites; and David’s sons were the king’s leading officials. ² 

On the eighth day they held an assembly, for they had dedicated the altar for seven days and celebrated the festival for seven more days.

When ¹  I close up the sky ²  so that it doesn’t rain, or command locusts to devour the land’s vegetation, ³  or send a plague among my people,

In the first month of the first year of his reign, he opened the doors of the Lord’s temple and repaired them.

We have prepared and consecrated all the items that King Ahaz removed during his reign when he acted unfaithfully. They are in front of the altar of the Lord.”

Then Tobiah the Ammonite, who was close by, said, “If even a fox were to climb up on what they are building, it would break down their wall of stones!”

They are exalted for a little while, and then they are gone, ¹  they are brought low ²  like all others, and gathered in, ³  and like a head of grain they are cut off.’ ⁴ 

May the evil deeds of the wicked ¹  come to an end! ²  But make the innocent ³  secure, ⁴  O righteous God, you who examine ⁵  inner thoughts and motives! ⁶ 

He lies in ambush in a hidden place, like a lion in a thicket; ¹  he lies in ambush, waiting to catch ²  the oppressed; he catches the oppressed ³  by pulling in his net. ⁴