Daily Devotions · May 4
Reading for May 4
Read the whole Bible in a year, a few chapters a day.
2 Samuel 8–9 · 1 Chronicles 18–19 · Matthew 21
2 Samuel 8–9 · 1 Chronicles 18–19 · Matthew 21, Berean Standard Bible
2 Samuel 8
Some time later, David defeated the Philistines, subdued them, and took Metheg-ammah from the hand of the Philistines. 2 David also defeated the Moabites, made them lie down on the ground, and measured them off with a cord. He measured off with two lengths those to be put to death, and with one length those to be spared. So the Moabites became subject to David and brought him tribute. 3 David also defeated Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah, who had marched out to restore his dominion along the Euphrates River. 4 David captured from him a thousand chariots, seven thousand charioteers, and twenty thousand foot soldiers, and he hamstrung all the horses except a hundred he kept for the chariots. 5 When the Arameans of Damascus came to help King Hadadezer of Zobah, David struck down twenty-two thousand of their men. 6 Then he placed garrisons in Aram of Damascus, and the Arameans became subject to David and brought him tribute. So the LORD made David victorious wherever he went. 7 And David took the gold shields that belonged to the officers of Hadadezer and brought them to Jerusalem. 8 And from Betah and Berothai, cities of Hadadezer, King David took a large amount of bronze. 9 When King Toi of Hamath heard that David had defeated the entire army of Hadadezer, 10 he sent his son Joram to greet King David and bless him for fighting and defeating Hadadezer, who had been at war with Toi. Joram brought with him articles of silver and gold and bronze, 11 and King David dedicated these to the LORD, along with the silver and gold he had dedicated from all the nations he had subdued— 12 from Edom and Moab, from the Ammonites and Philistines and Amalekites, and from the spoil of Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah. 13 And David made a name for himself when he returned from striking down eighteen thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt. 14 He placed garrisons throughout Edom, and all the Edomites were subject to David. So the LORD made David victorious wherever he went. 15 Thus David reigned over all Israel and administered justice and righteousness for all his people: 16 Joab son of Zeruiah was over the army; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the recorder; 17 Zadok son of Ahitub and Ahimelech son of Abiathar were priests; Seraiah was the scribe; 18 Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and Pelethites; and David’s sons were priestly leaders.
2 Samuel 9
Then David asked, “Is there anyone left from the house of Saul to whom I can show kindness for the sake of Jonathan?” 2 And there was a servant of the house of Saul named Ziba. They summoned him to David, and the king inquired, “Are you Ziba?” “I am your servant,” he replied. 3 So the king asked, “Is there anyone left of the house of Saul to whom I can show the kindness of God?” Ziba answered, “There is still Jonathan’s son, who is lame in both feet.” 4 “Where is he?” replied the king. And Ziba said, “Indeed, he is in Lo-debar at the house of Machir son of Ammiel.” 5 So King David had him brought from the house of Machir son of Ammiel in Lo-debar. 6 And when Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David, he fell facedown in reverence. Then David said, “Mephibosheth!” “I am your servant,” he replied. 7 “Do not be afraid,” said David, “for surely I will show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan. I will restore to you all the land of your grandfather Saul, and you will always eat at my table.” 8 Mephibosheth bowed down and said, “What is your servant, that you should show regard for a dead dog like me?” 9 Then the king summoned Saul’s servant Ziba and said to him, “I have given to your master’s grandson all that belonged to Saul and to all his house. 10 You and your sons and servants are to work the ground for him and bring in the harvest, so that your master’s grandson may have food to eat. But Mephibosheth, your master’s grandson, is always to eat at my table.” Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants. 11 And Ziba said to the king, “Your servant will do all that my lord the king has commanded.” So Mephibosheth ate at David’s table like one of the king’s own sons. 12 And Mephibosheth had a young son named Mica, and all who dwelt in the house of Ziba were servants of Mephibosheth. 13 So Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, because he always ate at the king’s table, and he was lame in both feet.
1 Chronicles 18
Some time later, David defeated the Philistines, subdued them, and took Gath and its villages from the hand of the Philistines. 2 David also defeated the Moabites, and they became subject to David and brought him tribute. 3 As far as Hamath, David also defeated King Hadadezer of Zobah, who had marched out to establish his dominion along the Euphrates River. 4 David captured from him a thousand chariots, seven thousand charioteers, and twenty thousand foot soldiers, and he hamstrung all the horses except a hundred he kept for the chariots. 5 When the Arameans of Damascus came to help King Hadadezer of Zobah, David struck down twenty-two thousand of their men. 6 Then he placed garrisons in Aram of Damascus, and the Arameans became subject to David and brought him tribute. So the LORD made David victorious wherever he went. 7 And David took the gold shields that belonged to the officers of Hadadezer and brought them to Jerusalem. 8 And from Tibhath and Cun, cities of Hadadezer, David took a large amount of bronze, with which Solomon made the bronze Sea, the pillars, and various bronze articles. 9 When King Tou of Hamath heard that David had defeated the entire army of Hadadezer king of Zobah, 10 he sent his son Hadoram to greet King David and bless him for fighting and defeating Hadadezer, who had been at war with Tou. Hadoram brought all kinds of articles of gold and silver and bronze, 11 and King David dedicated these to the LORD, along with the silver and gold he had carried off from all these nations—from Edom and Moab, and from the Ammonites, Philistines, and Amalekites. 12 Moreover, Abishai son of Zeruiah struck down eighteen thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt. 13 He placed garrisons in Edom, and all the Edomites were subject to David. So the LORD made David victorious wherever he went. 14 Thus David reigned over all Israel and administered justice and righteousness for all his people: 15 Joab son of Zeruiah was over the army; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the recorder; 16 Zadok son of Ahitub and Ahimelech son of Abiathar were priests; Shavsha was the scribe; 17 Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and Pelethites; and David’s sons were chief officials at the king’s side.
1 Chronicles 19
Some time later, Nahash king of the Ammonites died and was succeeded by his son. 2 And David said, “I will show kindness to Hanun son of Nahash, because his father showed kindness to me.” So David sent messengers to console Hanun concerning his father. But when David’s servants arrived in the land of the Ammonites to console him, 3 the princes of the Ammonites said to Hanun, “Just because David has sent you comforters, do you really believe he is showing respect for your father? Have not his servants come to you to explore the land, spy it out, and overthrow it?” 4 So Hanun took David’s servants, shaved their beards, cut off their garments at the hips, and sent them away. 5 When someone came and told David about his men, he sent messengers to meet them, since the men had been thoroughly humiliated. The king told them, “Stay in Jericho until your beards have grown back, and then return.” 6 When the Ammonites realized that they had become a stench to David, Hanun and the Ammonites sent a thousand talents of silver to hire for themselves chariots and horsemen from Aram-naharaim, Aram-maacah, and Zobah. 7 So they hired for themselves thirty-two thousand chariots, as well as the king of Maacah with his troops, who came and camped near Medeba while the Ammonites were mustered from their cities and marched out for battle. 8 On hearing this, David sent Joab and the entire army of mighty men. 9 The Ammonites marched out and arrayed themselves for battle at the entrance to the city, while the kings who had come stayed by themselves in the open country. 10 When Joab saw the battle lines before him and behind him, he selected some of the best men of Israel and arrayed them against the Arameans. 11 And he placed the rest of the troops under the command of his brother Abishai, who arrayed them against the Ammonites. 12 “If the Arameans are too strong for me,” said Joab, “then you will come to my rescue. And if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will come to your rescue. 13 Be strong and let us fight bravely for our people and for the cities of our God. May the LORD do what is good in His sight.” 14 So Joab and his troops advanced to fight the Arameans, who fled before him. 15 When the Ammonites saw that the Arameans had fled, they too fled before Joab’s brother Abishai, and they entered the city. So Joab went back to Jerusalem. 16 When the Arameans saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they sent messengers to bring more Arameans from beyond the Euphrates, with Shophach the commander of Hadadezer’s army leading them. 17 When this was reported to David, he gathered all Israel, crossed the Jordan, advanced toward the Arameans, and arrayed for battle against them. When David lined up to engage them in battle, they fought against him. 18 But the Arameans fled before Israel, and David killed seven thousand of their charioteers and forty thousand foot soldiers. He also killed Shophach the commander of their army. 19 When Hadadezer’s subjects saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they made peace with David and became subject to him. So the Arameans were unwilling to help the Ammonites anymore.
Matthew 21
As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent out two disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go into the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt beside her. Untie them and bring them to Me. 3 If anyone questions you, tell him that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.” 4 This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet: 5 “Say to the Daughter of Zion, ‘See, your King comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’” 6 So the disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt and laid their cloaks on them, and Jesus sat on them. 8 A massive crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 The crowds that went ahead of Him and those that followed were shouting: “Hosanna to the Son of David!” “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Hosanna in the highest!” 10 When Jesus had entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?” 11 The crowds replied, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.” 12 Then Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those selling doves. 13 And He declared to them, “It is written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer.’ But you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’” 14 The blind and the lame came to Him at the temple, and He healed them. 15 But the chief priests and scribes were indignant when they saw the wonders He performed and the children shouting in the temple courts, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” 16 “Do You hear what these children are saying?” they asked. “Yes,” Jesus answered. “Have you never read: ‘From the mouths of children and infants You have ordained praise’?” 17 Then He left them and went out of the city to Bethany, where He spent the night. 18 In the morning, as Jesus was returning to the city, He was hungry. 19 Seeing a fig tree by the road, He went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. “May you never bear fruit again!” He said. And immediately the tree withered. 20 When the disciples saw this, they marveled and asked, “How did the fig tree wither so quickly?” 21 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “if you have faith and do not doubt, not only will you do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen. 22 If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.” 23 When Jesus returned to the temple courts and began to teach, the chief priests and elders of the people came up to Him. “By what authority are You doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave You this authority?” 24 “I will also ask you one question,” Jesus replied, “and if you answer Me, I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. 25 What was the source of John’s baptism? Was it from heaven or from men?” They deliberated among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will ask, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ 26 But if we say, ‘From men,’ we are afraid of the people, for they all regard John as a prophet.” 27 So they answered, “We do not know.” And Jesus replied, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things. 28 But what do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first one and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’ 29 ‘I will not,’ he replied. But later he changed his mind and went. 30 Then the man went to the second son and told him the same thing. ‘I will, sir,’ he said. But he did not go. 31 Which of the two did the will of his father?” “The first,” they answered. Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you. 32 For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him. 33 Listen to another parable: There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it, and built a tower. Then he rented it out to some tenants and went away on a journey. 34 When the harvest time drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his share of the fruit. 35 But the tenants seized his servants. They beat one, killed another, and stoned a third. 36 Again, he sent other servants, more than the first group. But the tenants did the same to them. 37 Finally, he sent his son to them. ‘They will respect my son,’ he said. 38 But when the tenants saw the son, they said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and take his inheritance.’ 39 So they seized him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. 40 Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard returns, what will he do to those tenants?” 41 “He will bring those wretches to a wretched end,” they replied, “and will rent out the vineyard to other tenants who will give him his share of the fruit at harvest time.” 42 Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. This is from the Lord, and it is marvelous in our eyes’? 43 Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit. 44 He who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed.” 45 When the chief priests and Pharisees heard His parables, they knew that Jesus was speaking about them. 46 Although they wanted to arrest Him, they were afraid of the crowds, because the people regarded Him as a prophet.
Scripture from the Berean Standard Bible (BSB), dedicated to the public domain.
How to SOAP
Grab a journal and a pen. Read the chapters above and watch for the verse that stops you. Then take it through four steps.
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Scripture
Write out the verse that stood out to you.
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Observation
What is it saying? Who is speaking, and to whom?
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Application
What does it mean for your life today? Be specific.
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Prayer
Talk to God about it. Ask Him to help you live it.
Your SOAP journal
Write your SOAP here. Tap any verse in the reading to add it to Scripture. Your journal saves on this device only, so no one else sees it.
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Why daily devotions?
Devotions are time set aside each day to read God's Word and let Him speak. The point isn't checking off chapters. It's meeting with Him.
Ten or fifteen minutes is enough to start. Pick a time and a place and keep the appointment. Mornings work well for a lot of us, before the phone and the day start talking.
Missed a day? Don't start over. Read today's chapters and keep going.