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19 Some men from Manasseh had deserted ⌞Saul’s army⌟ to join David when he went with the Philistines to attack Saul. (However, David didn’t help the Philistines because their rulers sent him away after considering the matter. They said, “It will cost us our heads when he deserts and joins his master Saul.”) 20 When David went to Ziklag, these men from Manasseh deserted to join him: Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu, and Zillethai. Each one was an officer over 1,000 men in Manasseh. 21 They helped David fight raiding parties because they were all warriors, commanders in the army. 22 From day to day, men came to help David until he had an army as large as God’s army.
23 These are the numbers of the men equipped for war. The men joined David at Hebron to turn Saul’s kingship over to David, as the Lord had said.
24 From Judah’s descendants there were 6,800 men equipped for war. They carried shields and spears.
25 From Simeon’s descendants there were 7,100 warriors.
26 From Levi’s descendants there were 4,600 27 as well as Jehoiada (leader of Aaron’s families). With him there were 3,700 men, 28 and Zadok, a young warrior from whose family came 22 officers.
29 From Benjamin’s descendants, Saul’s relatives, there were 3,000 men, though most of them remained loyal to Saul’s family. 30 From Ephraim’s descendants there were 20,800 warriors who were famous among their families.
31 From half of the tribe of Manasseh there were 18,000 who had been designated by name to make David king.
32 From Issachar’s descendants there were 200 leaders who understood the times and knew what Israel should do. Their relatives were under their command.
33 From Zebulun there were 50,000 experienced soldiers. They were equipped for battle with every kind of weapon. Their loyalty was unquestioned.
34 From Naphtali there were 1,000 commanders. With them were 37,000 who fought with shields and spears.
35 From Dan there were 28,600 ready for battle.
36 From Asher there were 40,000 experienced soldiers ready for battle.
37 From the east side of the Jordan River, from Reuben, Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh, there were 120,000 soldiers ready to fight with all kinds of weapons.
38 All of these soldiers, who were prepared for battle, came with a single purpose to Hebron—to make David king of all Israel. The rest of Israel also had agreed to make David king. 39 They ate and drank with David for three days because their relatives ⌞in Judah⌟ had provided enough for them. 40 Also, their neighbors as far as the territories of Issachar, Zebulun, and Naphtali brought food on donkeys, camels, mules, and oxen. There was plenty of flour, fig cakes, raisins, wine, olive oil, cattle, and sheep, because Israel was celebrating.
David Has the Ark Brought to Obed Edom’s House(A)
13 David consulted with every officer who commanded a regiment or battalion. 2 Then he told the whole assembly of Israel, “If you approve and if the Lord our God has consented, we will send ⌞an invitation⌟ to the rest of our relatives in every region of Israel and to the priests and Levites in their cities and pasturelands so that they may join us. 3 Then we’ll bring back our God’s ark, which we ignored while Saul was king.”
4 The whole assembly agreed to this because the people considered it the right thing to do. 5 So David gathered all Israel from the Shihor River near Egypt to the border of Hamath in order to bring God’s ark from Kiriath Jearim.
6 David and all Israel went to Baalah in Kiriath Jearim, which is in Judah, to bring God’s ark ⌞to Jerusalem⌟. (The Lord is enthroned over the angels [a] ⌞on the ark⌟ where his name is used.) 7 David and his men put God’s ark on a new cart from Abinadab’s home. Uzzah and Ahio guided the cart. 8 David and all Israel were celebrating in God’s presence with all their might, with songs, with lyres, harps, tambourines, cymbals, and trumpets.
9 But when they came to Chidon’s threshing floor,[b] the oxen stumbled. So Uzzah reached out to grab the ark. 10 The Lord became angry with Uzzah and killed him for reaching for the ark. He died in God’s presence.
11 David was angry because the Lord had struck Uzzah so violently. (That place is still called Perez Uzzah [The Striking of Uzzah] today.) 12 David was afraid of God that day. “How can I bring God’s ark to my ⌞city⌟?” he asked. 13 So he didn’t bring God’s ark to his ⌞home⌟, the City of David. Instead, he rerouted it to the home of Obed Edom, who was from Gath. 14 God’s ark stayed at the home of Obed Edom with his family for three months, and the Lord blessed Obed Edom’s family and everything he owned.
David’s Palace, Wives, and Children in Jerusalem(B)
14 King Hiram of Tyre sent messengers to David, along with cedarwood, masons, and carpenters to build a palace for David. 2 So David realized that the Lord had established him as king of Israel and that his kingdom was made famous for the sake of Israel, the Lord’s people.
3 David married more wives in Jerusalem and fathered more sons and daughters. 4 These are the names of the children who were born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, 5 Ibhar, Elishua, Elpelet, 6 Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia, 7 Elishama, Beeliada, and Eliphelet.
David Defeats the Philistines(C)
8 When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king of Israel, all of them came to attack David. But David heard about it and went out to meet them. 9 The Philistines had come and raided the valley of Rephaim.
10 David asked God, “Should I attack the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?”
The Lord answered him, “Attack! I will hand them over to you.”
11 So David ⌞and his men⌟ attacked and defeated the Philistines at Baal Perazim. David said, “Using my power like an overwhelming flood, God has overwhelmed my enemies.” That is why they call that place Baal Perazim [The Lord Overwhelms]. 12 The Philistines left their gods there, so David ordered that the gods be burned.
13 The Philistines again raided the valley. 14 Once more David asked God.
God answered him, “Don’t go after them. Circle around, and come at them in front of the balsam trees. 15 As you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, then go out and fight because God has gone ahead of you to defeat the Philistine army.”
16 David did as God ordered him, and his men defeated the Philistine army from Gibeon to Gezer. 17 David’s fame spread through all lands, and the Lord made all the nations fear him.
Greeting
1 From Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle and appointed to spread the Good News of God.
2 (God had already promised this Good News through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures. 3 This Good News is about his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.[a] In his human nature he was a descendant of David. 4 In his spiritual, holy nature he was declared the Son of God. This was shown in a powerful way when he came back to life. 5 Through him we have received God’s kindness [b] and the privilege of being apostles who bring people from every nation to the obedience that is associated with faith. This is for the honor of his name. 6 You are among those who have been called to belong to Jesus Christ.)
7 To everyone in Rome whom God loves and has called to be his holy people.
Good will [c] and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ are yours!
Paul’s Prayer and Desire to Visit Rome
8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for every one of you because the news of your faith is spreading throughout the whole world. 9 I serve God by spreading the Good News about his Son. God is my witness that I always mention you 10 every time I pray. I ask that somehow God will now at last make it possible for me to visit you. 11 I long to see you to share a spiritual blessing with you so that you will be strengthened. 12 What I mean is that we may be encouraged by each other’s faith.
13 I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that I often planned to visit you. However, until now I have been kept from doing so. What I want is to enjoy some of the results of working among you as I have also enjoyed the results of working among the rest of the nations. 14 I have an obligation to those who are civilized and those who aren’t, to those who are wise and those who aren’t. 15 That’s why I’m eager to tell you who live in Rome the Good News also.
16 I’m not ashamed of the Good News. It is God’s power to save everyone who believes, Jews first and Greeks as well. 17 God’s approval is revealed in this Good News. This approval begins and ends with faith as Scripture says, “The person who has God’s approval will live by faith.”
13 Have pity on me, O Lord.
Look at what I suffer because of those who hate me.
You take me away from the gates of death
14 so that I may recite your praises one by one
in the gates of Zion
and find joy in your salvation.
15 The nations have sunk into the pit they have made.
Their feet are caught in the net they have hidden ⌞to trap others⌟.
16 The Lord is known by the judgment he has carried out.
The wicked person is trapped
by the work of his own hands. Higgaion Selah
17 Wicked people, all the nations who forget God,
will return to the grave.
18 Needy people will not always be forgotten.
Nor will the hope of oppressed people be lost forever.
19 Arise, O Lord.
Do not let mortals gain any power.
Let the nations be judged in your presence.
20 Strike them with terror, O Lord.
Let the nations know that they are ⌞only⌟ mortal. Selah
4 Wealth adds many friends,
but a poor person is separated from his friend.
5 A lying witness will not go unpunished.
One who tells lies will not escape.
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