1 Chronicles 16-18
Complete Jewish Bible
16 They brought the ark of God in and put it in the tent that David had set up for it; and they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before God. 2 When David had finished offering the burnt offering and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of Adonai. 3 Then he distributed to everyone in Isra’el, to everyone there, both men and women, a loaf of bread, a portion of meat and a raisin cake.
4 He appointed certain L’vi’im to serve in front of the ark of Adonai, to celebrate, and to thank and praise Adonai the God of Isra’el: 5 Asaf, the leader; assisting him, Z’kharyah; then Ye‘i’el, Sh’miramot, Yechi’el, Mattityahu, Eli’av, B’nayahu, ‘Oved-Edom and Ye‘i’el playing lutes and lyres, while Asaf played cymbals. 6 B’nayah and Yachzi’el the cohanim blew the trumpets continually before the ark for the covenant of God. 7 It was on that same day that David first ordered that thanks be given to Adonai through Asaf and his kinsmen:
8 Give thanks to Adonai! Call on his name!
Make his deeds known among the peoples.
9 Sing to him, sing praises to him!
Talk about all his wonders.
10 Glory in his holy name;
let those seeking Adonai have joyful hearts.
11 Seek Adonai and his strength;
always seek his presence.
12 Remember the wonders he has done,
his signs and his spoken judgments.
13 You descendants of Isra’el his servant,
you offspring of Ya‘akov, his chosen ones:
14 he is Adonai our God,
His judgments are everywhere on earth.
15 Remember his covenant forever,
the word he commanded to a thousand generations,
16 the covenant he made with Avraham;
the oath he swore to Yitz’chak
17 and established as a law for Ya‘akov,
for Isra’el as an everlasting covenant:
18 “To you I will give the land of Kena‘an
as your allotted heritage.”
19 When you were but few in number,
and not only few, but aliens there too,
20 wandering from nation to nation,
from this kingdom to that people,
21 he allowed no one to oppress them.
Yes, for their sakes he rebuked even kings:
22 “Don’t touch my anointed ones
or do my prophets harm!”
23 Sing to Adonai, all the earth!
Proclaim his victory day after day!
24 Declare his glory among the nations,
his wonders among all peoples!
25 For Adonai is great, and greatly to be praised;
he is to be feared more than all gods.
26 For all the gods of the peoples are nothing,
but Adonai made the heavens.
27 In his presence are honor and majesty;
in his place, strength and joy.
28 Give Adonai his due, you families from the peoples,
give Adonai his due of glory and strength;
29 give Adonai the glory due to his name;
bring an offering, and come into his presence.
Worship Adonai in splendid, holy attire.
30 Tremble before him, all the earth!
The world is firmly established, immovable.
31 Let the heavens rejoice; let the earth be glad;
let them say among the nations, “Adonai is king!”
32 Let the sea roar, and everything in it;
let the fields exult, and all that is in them.
33 Then the trees in the forest will sing before Adonai,
because he has come to judge the earth.
34 Give thanks to Adonai; for he is good,
for his grace continues forever.
35 Say: “Save us, God who can save us!
Gather and rescue us from the nations;
so that we can thank your holy name
and glory in praising you.
36 Blessed be Adonai, the God of Isra’el,
from eternity past to eternity future!”
All the people said, “Amen!” and praised Adonai.
37 So, there before the ark for the covenant of Adonai, David left Asaf and his kinsmen to perform the service regularly before the ark, as each day’s work required; 38 also ‘Oved-Edom with their kinsmen, sixty-eight of them — ‘Oved-Edom the son of Y’dutun and Hosah were gatekeepers.
39 He left Tzadok the cohen with his kinsmen before the tabernacle of Adonai at the high place in Giv‘on 40 to offer burnt offerings to Adonai every morning and evening on the altar for burnt offerings, according to everything written in the Torah of Adonai, which he gave to Isra’el. 41 With them were Heman and Y’dutun and the rest who were chosen and assigned by name to give thanks to Adonai, because his grace continues forever. 42 With them were Heman and Y’dutun to play trumpets and cymbals, also instruments for the songs about God; while the sons of Y’dutun were assigned to the gate.
43 Then the people all left for their homes, and David returned to bless his household.
17 After David had been living in his palace awhile, he said to Natan the prophet, “Here, I’m living in a cedar-wood palace; but the ark for the covenant of Adonai is kept under a tent!” 2 Natan said to David, “Go, do everything that is in your heart, for God is with you.”
3 But that same night the word of God came to Natan: 4 “Go, and tell David my servant that this is what Adonai says: ‘You are not to build me a house to live in, 5 because from the day I brought up Isra’el until today, I never lived in a house; rather, I’ve gone from tent to tent and from one tabernacle to another. 6 Everywhere I traveled with all Isra’el, did I ever speak a word to any of the judges of Isra’el, whom I ordered to shepherd my people Isra’el, asking, “Why haven’t you built me a cedar-wood house?”’
7 “Therefore say to my servant David that this is what Adonai-Tzva’ot says: ‘I took you from the sheep-yards, from following the sheep, to make you chief over my people Isra’el. 8 I have been with you wherever you went, I have destroyed all your enemies ahead of you; and I am making your reputation like the reputations of the greatest people on earth. 9 I will assign a place to my people Isra’el; I will plant them there, so that they can live in their own place without being disturbed any more. The wicked will no longer devastate them, as they did at the beginning, 10 and as they did from the time I ordered judges to be over my people Isra’el; instead, I will subdue all your enemies.
“‘Moreover, I tell you that Adonai will make you a house. 11 When your days come to an end and you go to be with your ancestors, I will establish one of your descendants to succeed you, one of your own sons; and I will set up his rulership. 12 He will build me a house, and I will establish his throne forever. 13 I will be a father for him, and he will be a son for me; I will not take my grace away from him, as I took it away from your predecessor. 14 Rather, I will maintain him in my house and in my kingdom forever; and his throne will be set up forever.’” 15 Natan told David all of these words and described this entire vision.
16 Then David went in, sat before Adonai and said, “Who am I, Adonai, God, and what is my family, that has caused you to bring me this far? 17 Yet in your view, God, even this was but a small thing; so you have said that your servant’s dynasty will continue on into the distant future. You have regarded me, Adonai, God, as a man of high rank. 18 What more can David say to you about the honor you are bestowing on your servant? For you know your servant intimately. 19 Adonai, it is for your servant’s sake and in accordance with your own heart that you have done all this greatness and revealed all these great things. 20 Adonai, there is no one like you, and there is no God besides you — everything we have heard confirms that. 21 Who can be compared with your people Isra’el? What other nation on earth did God set out to redeem and turn into a people for himself? You made yourself a reputation by doing great and terrifying things, as you drove out the nations from before your people, whom you redeemed from Egypt. 22 For you made your people Isra’el your people forever; and you, Adonai, became their God. 23 So now, Adonai, let the word that you spoke concerning your servant and his house be confirmed forever; do what you have promised. 24 May your name be confirmed and magnified forever; so that it will be said, ‘Adonai-Tzva’ot is the God of Isra’el and the God for Isra’el, and the dynasty of David your servant will be set up in your presence.’ 25 For you, my God, have disclosed to your servant that you will build him a house. This is why your servant has the courage to pray to you. 26 Now, Adonai, you are God; and you have made this wonderful promise to your servant; 27 and now it has pleased you to bless the family of your servant and thereby cause it to continue forever in your presence. For you, Adonai, have blessed, and it is blessed forever.”
18 Some time afterwards, David attacked the P’lishtim and subdued them; David took Gat and its villages out of the hands of the P’lishtim. 2 He also defeated Mo’av, so that the people of Mo’av became subjects of David and paid tribute.
3 David, on his way to establish his dominion as far as the Euphrates River, also defeated Hadar‘ezer king of Tzovah near Hamat. 4 David captured 1,000 chariots, 7,000 horsemen and 20,000 foot soldiers. He reserved enough horses for 100 chariots and disabled the rest. 5 When the people of Aram from Dammesek came to the aid of Hadar‘ezer king of Tzovah, David killed 22,000 men of Aram. 6 Then David put [garrisons] among the people of Aram in Dammesek; Aram became subject to David and paid tribute. Adonai gave victory to David wherever he went.
7 David took the gold shields which Hadar‘ezer’s servants were wearing and brought them to Yerushalayim. 8 From Tivchat and Kun, cities of Hadar‘ezer, King David took a great quantity of bronze, which Shlomo used to make the bronze “Sea,” the columns and various bronze articles.
9 When To‘u king of Hamat heard that David had defeated the entire army of Hadar‘ezer king of Tzovah, 10 he sent Hadoram his son to King David to greet and congratulate him on fighting and defeating Hadar‘ezer — for Hadar‘ezer had been at war with To‘u — and [he sent] all kinds of articles made of silver, gold and bronze, 11 which King David dedicated to Adonai, along with the silver and gold that he had carried off from all the nations — from Edom, Mo’av, the people of ‘Amon, the P’lishtim and ‘Amalek. 12 Moreover, Avishai the son of Tz’ruyah killed 18,000 men from Edom in the Salt Valley. 13 David stationed garrisons in Edom, and all the people of Edom became subject to him. Adonai gave victory to David wherever he went.
14 David ruled over all Isra’el; he administered law and justice for all his people. 15 Yo’av the son of Tz’ruyah was commander of the army, Y’hoshafat the son of Achilud was chief adviser, 16 Tzadok the son of Achituv and Avimelekh the son of Evyatar were cohanim, Shavsha was secretary, 17 B’nayahu the son of Y’hoyada was in charge of the K’reti and P’leti [serving as the king’s bodyguards], and David’s sons were the king’s chief personal advisers.
Divrey Hayamim Alef 16-18
Orthodox Jewish Bible
16 So they brought the Aron HaElohim, and set it inside the Ohel that Dovid had pitched for it; and they offered olot (burnt sacrifices) and shelamim before HaElohim.
2 And when Dovid had made an end of offering the olot and the shelamim, he blessed HaAm b’Shem Hashem.
3 And he apportioned to kol Ish Yisroel, both ish and isha, to every one a kikar lechem, and a good piece of meat, and a raisin cake.
4 And he appointed certain of the Levi’im as mesharetim (ministers) before the Aron Hashem, and to remember, and to thank and to praise Hashem Elohei Yisroel;
5 Asaph HaRosh, and mishneh to him Zecharyah, Ye’i’el, and Shemiramot, and Yechiel, and Mattityah, and Eliav, and Benayah, and Oved-Edom; and Ye’i’el with instruments of nevalim (lyres) and with kinnorot; but Asaph made a sound with cymbals;
6 Benayah also and Yachziel the Kohanim with chatzotzerot (trumpets) tamid (continually) before the Aron Brit HaElohim.
7 Then on that day Dovid first committed the giving of thanks unto Hashem into the yad Asaph and his achim.
8 Give thanks unto Hashem, call upon Shmo, make known His deeds among the nations.
9 Sing unto Him, sing psalms unto Him, tell ye of all His nifle’ot (wondrous deeds).
10 Glory ye in Shem Kadesho; let the lev of them rejoice that seek Hashem.
11 Seek Hashem and His oz, seek His face tamid.
12 Remember His nifle’ot that He hath done, His mofetim, and the mishpatim of His mouth;
13 O ye zera Yisroel His eved, ye Bnei Ya’akov, His chosen ones.
14 He is Hashem Eloheinu; His mishpatim are in kol ha’aretz.
15 Be ye mindful l’olam of His Brit; the davar which He commanded to an elef dor;
16 Even of the Brit which He cut with Avraham, and of His shevu’a (oath) unto Yitzchak;
17 And hath confirmed the same to Ya’akov for a chok (decree), and to Yisroel for a Brit Olam,
18 Saying, Unto thee will I give Eretz Kena’an, the chevel (portion), the lot of your nachalah
19 When ye were but few, even a few, and gerim in it.
20 And when they went from goy (nation) to goy, and from one mamlachah to an Am acher (another people),
21 He permitted no ish to oppress them; he reproved melachim for their sakes,
22 Saying, Touch not Mine anointed ones, and do My nevi’im no harm.
23 Sing unto Hashem, kol ha’aretz; show forth from day to day His Yeshuah (salvation).
24 Declare His kavod among the Goyim; His nifle’ot among kol haAmim.
25 For gadol is Hashem, and greatly to be praised; He also is to be feared above kol elohim.
26 For kol elohei haAmim are elilim, but Hashem made Shomayim.
27 Hod and Hadar are in His presence; oz and chedvah (joy) are in His makom (place, home, dwelling).
28 Ascribe unto Hashem, ye mishpechot Amim, ascribe unto Hashem Kavod and oz.
29 Ascribe unto Hashem the kavod due unto Shmo; bring a minchah, and come before Him; worship Hashem in the hadar (splendor) of kodesh (holiness).
30 Fear before Him, kol ha’aretz; the tevel (world) also shall be firmly established, that it be not moved.
31 Let HaShomayim have simcha, and let ha’aretz rejoice; and let them say among the Goyim, Hashem reigneth.
32 Let the yam roar, and the fulness thereof; let the sadeh rejoice, and all that is therein.
33 Then shall the trees of the ya’ar (forest, woods) sing out before Hashem, because He cometh to judge ha’aretz.
34 O give thanks unto Hashem, for He is tov; for His chesed endureth l’olam.
35 And say ye, Hosheini, Elohei Yisheinu (G-d of our salvation), and gather us together, and deliver us from the Goyim, that we may give thanks to Shem Kadshecha, and glory in Thy tehillah (praise).
36 Baruch Hashem Elohei Yisroel min HaOlam v’ad HaOlam. And kol HaAm said, Omein, and praised Hashem.
37 So he left there before the Aron Brit Hashem Asaph and his achim, to minister before the Aron tamid (continually), accordingly yom by its yom;
38 And Oved-Edom with their achim, threescore and eight; Oved-Edom Ben Yeditun and Chosah as Shoarim (gatekeepers);
39 And Tzadok HaKohen, and his achim the Kohanim, before the Mishkan Hashem in the bamah (high place) that was at Giveon,
40 To offer olot (burnt offerings) unto Hashem upon the Mizbe’ach HaOlah tamid (continually) boker and erev, and to do according to all that is written in the Torat Hashem, which He commanded Yisroel;
41 And with them Heman and Yedutun, and the rest that were the Chosen ones, who were designated by shemot, to give thanksgiving to Hashem, ki l’olam chasdo.
42 And with them Heman and Yedutun with Chatzotzerot (trumpets) and cymbals for those that should make a sound, and with klei Shir HaElohim (musical instruments of G-d). And the Bnei Yedutun were at the Sha’ar (gate).
43 And kol haAm departed every ish to his bais; and Dovid returned to bless his bais.
17 Now it came to pass, as Dovid sat in his bais, that Dovid said to Natan HaNavi, Hinei, I dwell in a bais ha’arazim (a palace of cedars) but the Aron Brit Hashem [dwelleth] under tent curtains.
2 Then Natan said to Dovid, Do all that is in thine levav; for HaElohim is with thee.
3 And it came to pass the same lailah, that the Devar Elohim came to Natan, saying,
4 Go and tell Dovid Avdi, Thus saith Hashem, Thou shalt not build Me HaBayit to dwell in,
5 For I have not dwelt in a Bayit since the day that I brought up Yisroel until this day, but have gone from ohel to ohel, and from one mishkan to another.
6 Wheresoever I have walked with kol Yisroel, spoke I a word to any of the Shofetim of Yisroel, whom I commanded to shepherd My people, saying, Why have ye not built me a Bais Arazim?
7 Now therefore thus shalt thou say unto Avdi Dovid, Thus saith Hashem Tzva’os, I took thee from the naveh, even from following the tzon, that thou shouldest be Nagid over My people Yisroel;
8 And I have been with thee whithersoever thou hast walked, and have cut off all thine oyevim from before thee, and have made thee a shem like the shem of the gedolim that are in ha’aretz.
9 Also I will ordain a makom for My people Yisroel, and will plant them, and they shall dwell in their place, and shall be moved no more; neither shall the bnei avel oppress them any more, as they did at the beginning,
10 And since the time that I commanded Shofetim to be over My people Yisroel. Moreover I will subdue all thine oyevim. Furthermore I tell thee that Hashem will build thee a Bais (House, Dynasty).
11 And it shall come to pass, when thy yamim are expired that thou must go to be with Avoteicha, that I will raise up thy zera after thee, which shall be of thy banim; and I will establish his Malchut ([Messianic] Kingdom).
12 He shall build for Me a Bais, and I will establish his kisse ad olam.
13 I will be his Av, and he shall be My Ben [HaElohim]; and I will not take My chesed away from him, as I took it from him that was before thee,
14 But I will set him in Mine Bais and in My Malchut ad olam, and his kisse shall be established ad olam.
15 According to all these devarim, and according to all this chazon (revelation), so did Natan speak unto Dovid.
16 And Dovid HaMelech came and sat before Hashem, and said, Who am I, Hashem Elohim, and what is mine bais, that Thou hast brought me hitherto?
17 And as if this were not sufficient in Thine eyes, O Elohim, Thou hast also spoken of Bais Avdecha in the future afar off, and hast regarded me according to the estate of ha’adam hama’alah (the man of high degree), O Hashem Elohim.
18 What more can Dovid speak to Thee regarding the kavod of Thy eved? For Thou hast da’as of Thy eved.
19 Hashem, for the sake of Thy eved, and according to Thine own lev (heart, will), hast Thou done all this gedullah (greatness), in making known kol hagedulot (all great things).
20 Hashem, there is none like Thee, neither is there any Elohim zulah (besides) Thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears.
21 And what one goy (nation) in ha’aretz is like Thy people Yisroel, whom HaElohim went to redeem to be His own people, to make for Thee Shem Gedullot and Nora’ot, by driving out Goyim from before Thy people whom Thou hast redeemed out of Mitzrayim?
22 For Thy people Yisroel didst Thou make Thine own people ad olam; Thou Hashem, became their Elohim.
23 Therefore now, Hashem, let the davar that Thou hast spoken concerning Thy eved and concerning his Bais be established ad olam, and do as Thou hast said.
24 Let it even be established, that Thy Shem may be magnified ad olam, saying, Hashem Tzva’os is Elohei Yisroel, even Elohim to Yisroel; let Bais Dovid Avdecha be established before Thee.
25 For Thou, O Elohai, hast revealed in the ozen of Thy eved that Thou wilt build him a Bais; therefore Thy eved hath found to daven in prayer before Thee.
26 Now, Hashem, Thou art HaElohim, and hast promised this tovah unto Thy eved.
27 Now therefore let it please Thee to make brocha upon the Bais of Thy eved, that it may be before Thee l’olam; for Thou makest brocha Hashem, and it shall be mevorech l’olam (blessed forever).
18 Now after this it came to pass, that Dovid struck the Pelishtim, and subdued them, and took Gat and her villages out of the yad of the Pelishtim.
2 And he struck Moav, and Moav became Dovid’s avadim, and brought minchah.
3 And Dovid struck Hadadezer Melech Tzovah unto Chamat, as he [Hadadezer] went to establish his dominion over the river Euphrates.
4 And Dovid captured from him elef chariots, and 7,000 parashim, and 20,000 foot soldiers. Dovid also hamstrung all the chariot horses, but reserved of them 100 chariot horses.
5 And when the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadadezer Melech Tzovah, Dovid slaughtered of the Syrians 22,000 ish.
6 Then Dovid put garrisons in Aram Damascus; and the Syrians became Dovid’s avadim (subjects), bearing minchah (tribute). Thus Hashem saved Dovid wherever he went.
7 And Dovid took the shields of zahav that were on avadim of Hadadezer, and brought them to Yerushalayim.
8 Likewise from Tivchat, and from Kun, towns of Hadadezer, Dovid took very much nechoshet, wherewith Sh’lomo made the Yam HaNechoshet, and the Ammudim, and the kelei hanechoshet.
9 Now when To’u Melech Chamat heard how Dovid had struck down the whole army of Hadadezer Melech Tzovah,
10 He sent Hadoram bno to HaMelech Dovid, to give him a shalom greeting, and to congratulate him, because he had fought against Hadadezer, and struck him down (for Hadadezer was an ish milchamah often against To’u); and he sent all manner kelim zahav, kesef and nechoshet.
11 Them also Dovid HaMelech dedicated as kodesh unto Hashem, with the kesef and the zahav that he brought from all these Goyim; from Edom, and from Moav, and from the Bnei Ammon, and from the Pelishtim, and from Amalek.
12 Moreover Avishai Ben Tzeruyah slaughtered of Edom in the Gey HaMelach eighteen elef.
13 And he put garrisons in Edom, and kol Edom became Dovid’s avadim. Thus Hashem saved Dovid wherever he went.
14 So Dovid reigned over kol Yisroel, and executed mishpat and tzedakah among all his people.
15 And Yoav Ben Tzeruyah was over the tzava (army), and Yehoshaphat Ben Achilud was mazkir (recorder, secretary).
16 And Tzadok Ben Achituv, and Avimelech Ben Evyatar (Abiathar), were the Kohanim, and Shavsha was sofer (scribe),
17 And Benayahu Ben Yehoyada was over the Kereti and the Peleti; and the Bnei Dovid were the rishonim (first ones) at the side of HaMelech.
Copyright © 1998 by David H. Stern. All rights reserved.
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