Reading with Ben

Welcome back to Reading with Ben! Let's continue the lecture on the book of 1 Kings. This is episode #01 chapters 01 & 02. 1 Kings Chapter 1 begins by discussing the final days of King David. The chapter begins with David lying in bed in his old age unable to keep warm, though clothes are heaped over him. 1 Kings 2, David knows his time is coming to a close. He calls on his son, Solomon, to ta...

The Book of 2 Samuel Chapters 23 & 24 ESV Version. 2 Samuel Chapters 23, this chapter continues with the rest of the song that King David sang to the lord. David sings about how the spirit of God spoke through him and how if his house was not right with the Lord then he would not receive salvation. The words of the song also describe that evil men should be cast aside just like they were thorn...

The Book of 2 Samuel Chapters 21 & 22 ESV Version. 2 Samuel 21 reveals David’s relationship with the Gibeonites and how he seeks to make amends after Saul tried to destroy them. 2 Samuel Chapter 22 is an exaltation from King David recounting how the Lord had rescued him from his enemies, including the mad King Saul, who tried to kill him more than once. In this song of praise, David calls God...

The Book of 2 Samuel Chapters 19 & 20 ESV Version. 2 Samuel Chapter 19, David wept and mourned the death of Absalom. David’s troops did not celebrate their victory because their king was in mourning. Then Joab went see David and told him that he had humiliated his men. He went on to say that the men had saved his life and the lives of all his sons, daughters, wives, and concubines. 2 Samuel Ch...

Welcome back to Reading with Ben! Let's continue the lecture on the book of 2 Samuel. This is episode #09 chapters 17 & 18. 2 Samuel Chapter 18, Ahithophel told Absalom that he should select 12,000 men so they could pursue David while he was weak and tired. This seemed like a good plan to Absalom. Then Absalom wanted to talk to Hushai the Arkite to hear what he had to say about this plan. Hush...

Welcome back to Reading with Ben! Let's continue the lecture on the book of 2 Samuel. This is episode #08 chapters 15 & 16. 2 Samuel Chapter 15, Absalom had treated the Israeli people well and they adored him. He asked the king if he could go to Hebron so he could fulfill a vow that he had made to God. He told King David that his vow was to worship God in Hebron. The king told him to go in pea...

Welcome back to Reading with Ben! Let's continue the lecture on the book of 2 Samuel. This is episode #07 chapters 13 & 14. 2 Samuel Chapter 13, David’s son, Amnon, fell in love with his sister, Tamar, who was a virgin. One day, pretending to be ill, he had his sister bake some bread for him and when she tried to feed it to him, he grabbed her hand. Then, he told her to get into his bed. 2 Sam...

Welcome back to Reading with Ben! Let's continue the lecture on the book of 2 Samuel. This is episode #06 chapters 11 & 12. 2 Samuel Chapter 11, During the spring, at a time when most kings head off to war, King David told Joab to go battle with his men, as well as the entire army of Israel. They wiped out the Ammonites and also besieged Rabbah while the king stayed in Jerusalem. 2 Samuel Chap...

Welcome back to Reading with Ben! Let's continue the lecture on the book of 2 Samuel. This is episode #05 chapters 09 & 10. 2 Samuel Chapter 9, King David wanted to know if there was anyone left in Saul’s house that he could show kindness towards because of Jonathan. Saul had a servant named Ziba and he was summoned to appear in front of David. The king asked the servant if he really was Ziba...

Welcome back to Reading with Ben! Let's continue the lecture on the book of 2 Samuel. This is episode #03 chapters 07 & 08. 2 Samuel Chapter 7, David is firmly ensconced as the King of Israel and his enemies have been vanquished. He has brought the Ark of the Covenant to Zion, also called the City of David, after it had been long exiled. 2 Samuel 8, delves into some of the victories that King...

Welcome back to Reading with Ben! Let's continue the lecture on the book of 2 Samuel. This is episode #02 chapters 05 & 06. 2 Samuel Chapter 5 chronicles David’s rise to the position of king of all Israel. The chapter also covers his successful military campaigns. 2 Samuel Chapter 6 chronicles David and the rejoicing over the Ark of the Covenant.

Welcome back to Reading with Ben! Let's continue the lecture on the book of 2 Samuel. This is episode #02 chapters 03 & 04. 2 Samuel Chapter 3, the war between the houses of David and Saul has gone on for a long time, though David’s side grows stronger while Saul’s side grows weaker. The war lasts so long that David, who lives with his people in Hebron, has six sons with six different wives. 2...

Welcome back to Reading with Ben! Let's continue the lecture on the book of 2 Samuel. This is episode #01 chapters 01 & 02. 2 Samuel Chapter 1, involves a report of King Saul’s death, the execution of a messenger, and David’s mourning of Saul and Saul’s son, Jonathan. 2 Samuel Chapter 2, David asks God if he should go to Judah and God tells him to go to Hebron instead. David then goes to Hebro...

Welcome back to Reading with Ben! Let's continue the lecture on the book of 1 Samuel. This is episode #03 chapters 05 & 06. 1 Samuel Chapter 05, The Philistines captured the Ark of the Covenant and carried it from Ebenezer to Ashdod where they put it into Dagon’s temple next to the statue of Dagon. 1 Samuel Chapter 06, The Ark of the Covenant has been in Philistine hands for seven months and t...

Welcome back to Reading with Ben! Let's continue the lecture on the book of 1 Samuel. This is episode #16 chapter 31. 1 Samuel Chapter 31, talks about how the army of Saul is routed by the Philistines on Mount Gilboa. His sons, Jonathan, Malki-Shua, and Abinadab are brutally murdered and Saul takes his own life.

Welcome back to Reading with Ben! Let's continue the lecture on the book of 1 Samuel. This is episode #15 chapters 29 & 30. 1 Samuel Chapter 29, is on the battle between the Philistines and the Israelites. They encamp in different areas and we learn that the captains of the Philistines refused to allow David to join them in battle. They were worried that he might betray them. Achish, however,...

Welcome back to Reading with Ben! Let's continue the lecture on the book of 1 Samuel. This is episode #14 chapters 27 & 28. 1 Samuel Chapter 27, talks about how David dealt with his opposition. David felt that he was not safe around King Saul and that Saul may kill him one day. So he flew to the king of Gath, Achish, who welcomed him, and gave him a Ziklag to live in, where he lived for one ye...

Welcome back to Reading with Ben! Let's continue the lecture on the book of 1 Samuel. This is episode #13 chapters 25 & 26. 1 Samuel Chapter 25, and everyone in Israel mourned him. He was buried in Ramah. David then moved to the Desert of Paran. A Calebite named Nabal had property there. He was married to Abigail who was beautiful and intelligent. Nabal was a very wealthy man who owned many sh...

Welcome back to Reading with Ben! Let's continue the lecture on the book of 1 Samuel. This is episode #12 chapters 23 & 24. 1 Samuel Chapter 23, starts with David saving Keilah when he found that the Philistines were fighting against Keilah. He was told that the place was being thrashed. 1 Samuel Chapter 23, Saul was informed that David was in the En Gedi Desert. Saul then took 3,000 young men...

Welcome back to Reading with Ben! Let's continue the lecture on the book of 1 Samuel. This is episode #11 chapters 21 & 22. 1 Samuel Chapter 21, David went to see Ahimelek, the priest at Nob. Ahimelek asks him why he had come by himself. David told him that he was sent on a mission by the king. David asked the priest for some loaves of bread. Ahimelek told him that he did not have any regular...

Welcome back to Reading with Ben! Let's continue the lecture on the book of 1 Samuel. This is episode #10 chapters 19 & 20. 1 Samuel Chapter 19 is about the time when Saul tried to kill David. It started with Saul telling his son, Jonathan, as well as all of his attendants to kill David. However, Jonathan had grown fond of David, and instead of plotting with his father, he warned the man about...

Welcome back to Reading with Ben! Let's continue the lecture on the book of 1 Samuel. This is episode #09 chapters 17 & 18. 1 Samuel Chapter 17, the Philistines are once again gearing up for war against the Israelites. Saul, who is the King of the Israelites, and his forces come to occupy one hill and the Philistines another, with the valley of Elah separating them. The Philistine’s champion,...

Welcome back to Reading with Ben! Let's continue the lecture on the book of 1 Samuel. This is episode #08 chapters 15 & 16. 1 Samuel Chapter 15, told Saul that the Lord had sent him to anoint Saul as the king over the people of Israel. He said that the Lord had a message for Saul. The message was that Saul was to destroy the Amalekites right down to the last living creature because of the way...

Welcome back to Reading with Ben! Let's continue the lecture on the book of 1 Samuel. This is episode #07 chapters 13 & 14. 1 Samuel Chapter 13, the reader is told that Saul became the king when he was 30 years old and his reign lasted 42 years. Saul picks 3,000 Israelite men, 2,000 of which stayed with him in Mikmash and the rest stayed with his son Jonathan, who was in Gibeah. Saul sends the...

Welcome back to Reading with Ben! Let's continue the lecture on the book of 1 Samuel. This is episode #06 chapters 11 & 12. 1 Samuel chapter 11, an Ammonite named Nahash went to Jabesh Gilead and besieged the city. The men of the city offered a treaty and said they would become Nahash’s subjects. However, Nahash said that he would only agree to this if he could disgrace all of Israel by gougin...