I love the stories of David. And I like how we are getting to read David's Psalms right after we have read about the event he is writing about.

AS I read 2 Samuel 21:9b so all seven of them died together at the beginning of the barley harvest, I couldn't help but wonder why the barley harvest was mentioned. Then I realized Rizpah said with the bodies until the end of the barley harvest. So, I looked it up. Apparently this was a very rainy season, so I guess they could not get the bodies down from the mountain.

But, in reading in the concordance I found another something worth mentioning. The Gibeoites that Saul was guilty of murdering were the people that deceived Joshua into making a covenant with them. Joshua 9:3-27 (They brought him presents and said they were from a distant land.) That covenant was made 400 years before and under false pretense, but God still honored the covenant.

I'm just curious, how does one standing in a cave relieving himself not notice someone cutting off a piece of his hem?

I guess Abigail didn't need much time to mourn Nabal. She sure married David quickly.

Okay, I am backing up a day, but did anyone notice on the 14th that Saul had to ask who David was? Why didn't he know, after all he had been playing the harp for him and Saul had already asked Jesse to let David remain in his service.

Another thing I noticed was that when David and Jonathan's said their good-byes they were both in tears, yet when David left his wife nothing was mentioned about their good-byes. Was he sad? His wife must have been after all she loved him very much.

I hate it when I have recently heard something that stuck in my mind and later run across the scripture that backs it up, but can't remember where I heard it... A few weeks ago I heard a preacher or someone make the statement that God wants our obedience more than our sacrifice. I thought this was an interesting statement and meant to do a little research myself, but never got around to it. And now here it is Samuel 15:22. I get how in the Old Testament they could be disobedient and still make their sacrifices, but today how do we have sacrifice without obedience? I guess it is a heart matter.

As I was reading 1 Samuel 17:12-27 I was wondering if David's brothers were jealous of him like Joseph's brothers were. Well, I didn't have to read much farther to figure out that they were. Verse 28 Eliab accuses David of pride and deceit. And with David's reply in verse 29 "What have I done NOW?" you know that this was not the first time that one of his brothers and said something to him.

This is what was running through my brain while reading today:

Blah blah blah bblah bblah bblah hey Ram is a biblical name. Blah blah blah bblah bblah bblah Oh there is the scripture that made one author lots and lots of money.

Blah blah blah bblah bblah bblah Blah blah blah bblah bblah bblah Oh I love the story of Hannah.

OH my GOODness what man in his right mind looks at a women grieving because she has no children and says "Why be downhearted just because you have no children? You have me-isn't that better than having ten sons?" Ah yeah, right!

Oh my goodness... so much good stuff has been happening I could hardly stand for the blog to sit idle so I kidnapped it and today's comments are from Lisa. Hopefully, Teresa will start feeling better soon and get back in the blogging mood.

As tempted as I am to go back ALL the way to Mar 25 I'll spare you my blogging blah blah blah and begin with April 4th. There is an awful lot of killing and rape and circumcision and sacrificing going on but I think the story of Jepthah's Vow takes us to a whole new level of bizarre. Can't you just imagine Jephthah bebopping into the house, all proud of his latest conquest, skipping and singing as he walks up the sidewalk - then out walks his most prized possession and as he reaches out to hug her REMEMBERS his vow. OH NO. Then he tears his cloths and of all things says "Oh, my daughter YOU have completely destroyed me!" Come on now - whose idea was this any way? I did do enough research to figure out that he probably didn't actually sacrifice her, just dedicated her to God so she had to remain an unmarried virgin.

I love the story of Samson - it gives me hope to know that God can use such immature, spoiled and arrogant people. Samson was dedicated to God from birth, blessed by God and the Spirit stirred in him. Yet it appears that every thing he did was against God until he asked to be used one more time. And then he is listed as a man of great Faith in Hebrews. Maybe next year I'll go back and study in depth some of these intriguing stories. But for now my deepest thought on this story is did you notice how in Ju 16:25 the half drunk people brought Samson out so he could "amuse them"? That made me laugh out loud.

And lastly, Ruth....feels like someone stuck Julia Roberts and Pretty Woman right in the middle of Mel Gibson's Braveheart. But it is a nice change from all the war and violence we've been experiencing.

But seriously, I loved the way today ended with Boaz being Ruth's redeemer - when she didn't do anything to deserve it and he had no obligation to redeem her. And the elders blessing to Ruth connecting her to Leah & Rachel, making her famous in "Bethlehem" and giving her descendants like those of Perez, the Son of Tamar and Judah. Which of course is who Jesus, our redeemer, descended from!