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1 Chronicles 17:1-23:15
New American Standard Bible

God’s Covenant with David

17 (A)And it came about, when David lived in his house, that David said to Nathan the prophet, “Look, I am living in a house of cedar, but the ark of the covenant of the Lord is under tent curtains.” 2 Then Nathan said to David, “Do whatever is in your heart, for God is with you.”

3 But it happened that same night, that the word of God came to Nathan, saying, 4 “Go and tell David My servant, ‘This is what the Lord says: “(B)You shall not build a house for Me to dwell in; 5 for I have not dwelt in a house since the day that I brought up Israel to this day, (C)but I have [a]gone from tent to tent and from one dwelling place to another. 6 In all places where I have walked with all Israel, have I spoken a word (D)with any of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd My people, saying, ‘Why have you not built Me a house of cedar?’”’ 7 Now, therefore, this is what you shall say to My servant David: ‘This is what the Lord of armies says: “I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, to be leader over My people Israel. 8 I have been with you wherever you have gone, and have eliminated all your enemies from you; and I will make for you a name like the name of the great ones who are on the earth. 9 And I will appoint a place for My people Israel, and will plant them there, so that they may live in their own place and not tremble with anxiety again; and the [b]wicked will not make them waste away anymore as they did previously, 10 even from the day that I commanded judges to be over My people Israel. And I will subdue all your enemies.

Moreover, I tell you that the Lord will build a house for you. 11 When your days are fulfilled that you must [c]go to be with your fathers, then I will set up one of your [d]descendants after you, who will be from your sons; and I will establish his kingdom. 12 He shall build for Me a house, and I will establish his throne forever. 13 (E)I will be his father and he shall be My son; and I will not take My favor away from him, (F)as I took it from him who was before you. 14 But I will settle him in My house and in My kingdom forever, and his throne will be established forever.”’” 15 According to all these words and according to all of this vision, so Nathan spoke to David.

David’s Prayer in Response

16 Then King David came in and sat before the Lord, and said, “(G)Who am I, Lord God, and what is my house that You have brought me this far? 17 This was a small thing in Your eyes, God; but You have spoken of Your servant’s house for a great while to come, and have viewed me according to the standard of a person of high degree, Lord God. 18 What more can David still say to You concerning the honor bestowed on Your servant? For You know Your servant. 19 Lord, (H)for Your servant’s sake, and according to Your own heart, You have accomplished all this greatness, to make known all these great things. 20 Lord, there is none like You, nor is there any God besides You, according to everything that we have heard with our ears. 21 And what one nation on the earth is like Your people Israel, whom God went to redeem for Himself as a people, to make for You a name by great and awesome things, by driving out nations from before Your people, whom You redeemed from Egypt? 22 (I)For You have made Your people Israel Your own people forever, and You, Lord, became their God.

23 “Now, Lord, let the word that You have spoken concerning Your servant and concerning his house be established forever, and do just as You have spoken. 24 Let Your name be established and be great forever, saying, ‘The Lord of armies is the God of Israel, a God to Israel; and the house of Your servant David is established before You.’ 25 For You, my God, have revealed to Your servant that You will build him a house; therefore Your servant has found courage to pray before You. 26 Now, Lord, You are God, and have [e]promised this good thing to Your servant. 27 And now You have decided to bless the house of Your servant, that it may [f]continue forever before You; for You, Lord, have blessed, and it is blessed forever.”

David’s Kingdom Strengthened

18 Now after this (J)it came about that David [g]defeated the Philistines and subdued them and took Gath and its towns from the hand of the Philistines. 2 And he defeated Moab, and the Moabites became servants to David, bringing tribute.

3 David also defeated Hadadezer king of Zobah as far as Hamath, as he went to establish his [h]rule to the river Euphrates. 4 David took from him a thousand chariots and seven thousand horsemen and twenty thousand foot soldiers, and David hamstrung almost all the chariot horses, but left enough of them for a hundred chariots.

5 When the Arameans of [i]Damascus came to help Hadadezer king (K)of Zobah, David [j]killed twenty-two thousand men of the Arameans. 6 Then David put garrisons among the Arameans of [k]Damascus; and the Arameans became servants to David, bringing tribute. And the Lord helped David wherever he went. 7 And David took the shields of gold which were [l]carried by the servants of Hadadezer, and brought them to Jerusalem. 8 Also from [m]Tibhath and Cun, cities of Hadadezer, David took a very large amount of bronze, with which (L)Solomon made the bronze [n]Sea and the pillars and the bronze utensils.

9 Now when [o]Tou king of Hamath heard that David had [p]defeated all the army of Hadadezer king of Zobah, 10 he sent [q]Hadoram his son to King David to [r]greet him and to bless him, because he had fought against Hadadezer and had [s]defeated him; for Hadadezer had been at war with Tou. And Hadoram brought all kinds of articles of gold and silver and bronze. 11 King David also dedicated these to the Lord, with the silver and the gold which he had carried away from all the nations: from Edom, Moab, the sons of Ammon, the Philistines, and from Amalek.

12 Moreover, Abishai the son of Zeruiah [t]defeated eighteen thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt. 13 Then he put garrisons in Edom, and all the Edomites became servants to David. And the Lord helped David wherever he went.

14 So David reigned over all Israel; and he [u]administered justice and righteousness for all his people. 15 (M)Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the army, and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was secretary; 16 and Zadok the son of Ahitub and Abimelech the son of Abiathar were priests, and Shavsha was secretary; 17 and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites, and the sons of David were chiefs at the king’s side.

David’s Messengers Abused

19 (N)Now it came about after this, that Nahash the king of the sons of Ammon died, and his son became king in his place. 2 Then David said, “I will show kindness to Hanun the son of Nahash, because his father showed kindness to me.” So David sent messengers to console him concerning his father. And David’s servants came into the land of the sons of Ammon to Hanun to console him. 3 But the commanders among the sons of Ammon said to Hanun, “[v]Do you think that David is honoring your father, in that he has sent comforters to you? Have his servants not come to you to search, to demolish, and to spy out the land?” 4 So Hanun took David’s servants and shaved them, and cut off their robes in the middle as far as their buttocks, and sent them away. 5 Then certain people went and told David about the men. And he sent messengers to meet them, because the men were very humiliated. And the king said, “Stay at Jericho until your beards grow back, then return.”

6 When the sons of Ammon saw that they had made themselves repulsive to David, Hanun and the sons of Ammon sent [w]a thousand talents of silver to hire for themselves chariots and horsemen from Mesopotamia, Aram-maacah, and (O)Zobah. 7 So they hired for themselves thirty-two thousand chariots, and the king of Maacah and his people, who came and camped opposite (P)Medeba. And the sons of Ammon gathered together from their cities and came to the battle. 8 When David heard about it, he sent Joab and all the army, the mighty men. 9 The sons of Ammon came out and drew up in battle formation at the entrance of the city; and the kings who had come were by themselves in the field.

Ammon and Aram Defeated

10 Now when Joab saw that the [x]battle was set against him at the front and at the rear, he selected warriors from all the choice men in Israel and lined them up against the Arameans. 11 But the remainder of the people he placed [y]under the command of [z]Abshai his brother; and they lined up against the sons of Ammon. 12 He said, “If the Arameans are too strong for me, then you shall help me; but if the sons of Ammon are too strong for you, then I will help you. 13 Be strong, and let’s show ourselves courageous for the benefit of our people and the cities of our God; and may the Lord do what is good in His sight.” 14 So Joab and the people who were with him advanced to battle against the Arameans, and they fled from him. 15 When the sons of Ammon saw that the Arameans had fled, they also fled from his brother Abshai and entered the city. Then Joab came to Jerusalem.

16 When the Arameans saw that they had been [aa]defeated by Israel, they sent messengers and brought out the Arameans who were beyond the Euphrates River, with Shophach the commander of the army of Hadadezer [ab]leading them. 17 When it was reported to David, he gathered all Israel together and crossed the Jordan, and came upon them and drew up in formation against them. And when David drew up in battle formation against the Arameans, they fought against him. 18 And the Arameans fled from Israel, and David killed of the Arameans seven thousand charioteers and forty thousand foot soldiers; and he put Shophach the commander of the army to death. 19 So when the servants of Hadadezer saw that they had been [ac]defeated by Israel, they made peace with David and served him. So the Arameans were not willing to help the sons of Ammon anymore.

War with Philistine Giants

20 (Q)Then it happened [ad]in the spring, at the time when kings go out to battle, that Joab led out the army and ravaged the land of the sons of Ammon, and came and besieged Rabbah. But David stayed in Jerusalem. And (R)Joab struck Rabbah and overthrew it. 2 (S)David took the crown of [ae]their king from his head, and he found it to weigh a [af]talent of gold, and there was a precious stone in it; and it was placed on David’s head. And he brought out the spoils of the city, a very great amount. 3 He brought out the people who were in it, (T)and [ag]put them to work at saws, iron picks, and axes. And David did the same to all the cities of the sons of Ammon. Then David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.

4 (U)Now it came about after this, that war [ah]broke out at [ai]Gezer with the Philistines; then Sibbecai the Hushathite [aj]killed Sippai, one of the descendants of the [ak]giants, and they were subdued. 5 And there was war with the Philistines again, and Elhanan the son of (V)Jair [al]killed Lahmi the brother of Goliath the Gittite, the (W)shaft of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam. 6 Again there was war at Gath, where there was a man of great stature who had twenty-four fingers and toes, six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot; and he also was descended from the giants. 7 When he taunted Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimea, David’s brother, [am]killed him. 8 These were descended from the giants in Gath, and they fell by the hand of David and by the hand of his servants.

Census Brings Plague

21 (X)Then Satan stood up against Israel and incited David to count Israel. 2 So David said to Joab and to the leaders of the people, “(Y)Go, count Israel from Beersheba to Dan, and bring me word so that I may know their number.” 3 But Joab said, “(Z)May the Lord add to His people a hundred times as many as they are! My lord the king, are they not all my lord’s servants? Why does my lord seek this thing? Why should he be a cause of guilt to Israel?” 4 Nevertheless, the king’s word prevailed against Joab. Therefore, Joab departed and went throughout Israel, and came to Jerusalem. 5 Then Joab gave the number of the census of the people to David. (AA)Israel was 1,100,000 men in all who drew the sword; and Judah was 470,000 men who drew the sword. 6 (AB)But he did not [an]count Levi and Benjamin among them, because the king’s [ao]command was abhorrent to Joab.

7 Now [ap]God was displeased with this thing, so He struck Israel. 8 David said to God, “I have sinned greatly, [aq]by doing this thing. (AC)But now, please overlook Your servant’s guilt, for I have behaved very foolishly.”

9 The Lord spoke to (AD)Gad, David’s (AE)seer, saying, 10 “Go and speak to David, saying, ‘This is what the Lord says: “I extend to you three choices; choose for yourself one of them, which I will do to you.”’” 11 So Gad came to David and said to him, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Take for yourself 12 (AF)three years of famine, or three months to be swept away before your foes while the sword of your enemies overtakes you, or else three days of the sword of the Lord: a plague in the land, and the angel of the Lord destroying throughout the territory of Israel.’ Now, therefore, consider what answer I shall bring back to Him who sent me.” 13 David said to Gad, “I am in great distress; please let me fall into the hand of the Lord, (AG)for His mercies are very great. But do not let me fall into human hands.”

14 (AH)So the Lord [ar]sent a plague on Israel; seventy thousand men of Israel fell. 15 And God sent an angel to Jerusalem to destroy it; but as he was about to destroy it, the Lord saw and (AI)was sorry about the catastrophe, and said to the destroying angel, “It is enough; now relax your hand.” And the angel of the Lord was standing by the threshing floor of [as]Ornan the Jebusite. 16 Then David raised his eyes and saw the angel of the Lord standing between earth and heaven, with his drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders, (AJ)covered with sackcloth, fell on their faces. 17 And David said to God, “Is it not I who [at]commanded to count the people? Indeed, I am the one who has sinned and acted very wickedly, (AK)but these sheep, what have they done? Lord, my God, just let Your hand be against me and my father’s household, and not against Your people as a plague.”

David’s Altar

18 (AL)Then the angel of the Lord [au]commanded Gad to say to David, that David was to go up and build an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite. 19 So David went up at the word of Gad, which he spoke in the name of the Lord. 20 Now Ornan turned back and saw the angel, and his four sons who were with him hid themselves. And Ornan was threshing wheat. 21 As David came to Ornan, Ornan looked and saw David, and went out from the threshing floor and prostrated himself to David with his face to the ground. 22 Then David said to Ornan, “Give me the [av]site of this threshing floor, so that I may build on it an altar to the Lord; you shall give it to me for the full price, so that the plague may be brought to a halt from the people.” 23 But Ornan said to David, “Take it for yourself, and may my lord the king do what is good in his sight. See, I am giving the oxen for burnt offerings, and the threshing sledges for wood and the wheat for the grain offering; I am giving it all.” 24 Nevertheless, King David said to Ornan, “No, but I will certainly buy it for the full price; for I will not take what is yours for the Lord, nor offer a burnt offering [aw]which costs me nothing.” 25 So (AM)David gave Ornan six hundred shekels of gold by weight for the [ax]site. 26 Then David built an altar there to the Lord, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. And he called to the Lord, and (AN)He answered him with fire from heaven on the altar of burnt offering. 27 The Lord commanded the angel, and he returned his sword to its sheath.

28 At that time, when David saw that the Lord had answered him on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite, he offered sacrifice there. 29 (AO)For the tabernacle of the Lord, which Moses had made in the wilderness, and the altar of burnt offering were on the high place at Gibeon at that time. 30 But David could not go before it to inquire of God, for he was terrified by the sword of the angel of the Lord.

David Prepares for Temple Building

22 Then David said, “(AP)This is the house of the Lord God, and this is the altar of burnt offering for Israel.”

2 So David [ay]gave orders to gather (AQ)the strangers who were in the land of Israel, and (AR)he set stonecutters to cut out stones to build the house of God. 3 And David (AS)prepared large quantities of iron [az]to make the nails for the doors of the gates and for the clamps, and more (AT)bronze than could be weighed; 4 and timbers of cedar beyond number, for (AU)the Sidonians and Tyrians brought large quantities of cedar timber to David. 5 David said, “My son (AV)Solomon is young and inexperienced, and the house that is to be built for the Lord shall be exceedingly magnificent, famous, and glorious throughout the lands. Therefore I now will make preparations for it.” So David made ample preparations before his death.

Solomon Commanded to Build the Temple

6 Then (AW)he called for his son Solomon, and commanded him to build a house for the Lord God of Israel. 7 David said to Solomon, “(AX)My son, [ba]I had intended to build a house for the name of the Lord my God. 8 But the word of the Lord came to me, saying, ‘(AY)You have shed much blood and have [bb]waged great wars; you shall not build a house to My name, because you have shed so much blood on the earth before Me. 9 Behold, a son will be born to you, who shall be a man of rest, and (AZ)I will give him rest from all his enemies on every side; for (BA)his name will be [bc]Solomon, and I will give peace and quiet to Israel in his days. 10 (BB)He shall build a house for My name, and he shall be My son and I will be his Father; and I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever.’ 11 Now, my son, (BC)the Lord be with you that you may be successful, and build the house of the Lord your God just as He has spoken concerning you. 12 (BD)Only the Lord give you discretion and understanding, and put you in charge of Israel, so that you may (BE)keep the Law of the Lord your God. 13 (BF)Then you will prosper, if you are careful to [bd]follow the statutes and the ordinances which the Lord commanded Moses concerning Israel. (BG)Be strong and courageous, do not fear nor be dismayed. 14 Now behold, [be]with great pains I have prepared for the house of the Lord (BH)a hundred thousand [bf]talents of gold and a million talents of silver, and (BI)bronze and iron beyond measure, for [bg]they are in great quantity; I have also prepared timber and stone, and you may add to that. 15 Moreover there are many workmen with you, stonecutters, masons of stone, and carpenters; and all of them are skillful in every kind of work. 16 Of the gold, silver, bronze, and iron there is no limit. Arise and work, and may (BJ)the Lord be with you.”

17 (BK)David also commanded all the leaders of Israel to help his son Solomon, saying, 18 “Is the Lord your God not with you? And (BL)has He not given you rest on every side? For He has handed over to me the inhabitants of the land, and the land is subdued before the Lord and before His people. 19 Now (BM)set your heart and your soul to seek the Lord your God; then arise, and build the sanctuary of the Lord God, (BN)so that you may bring the ark of the covenant of the Lord and the holy vessels of God into the house that is to be built (BO)for the name of the Lord.”

Solomon Reigns

23 (BP)Now when David [bh]reached old age, (BQ)he made his son Solomon king over Israel. 2 And he gathered together all the leaders of Israel with the priests and the Levites.

Offices of the Levites

3 (BR)Now the Levites were counted from thirty years old and upward, and (BS)their number by [bi]head count of men was thirty-eight thousand. 4 Of these, twenty-four thousand were (BT)to oversee the work of the house of the Lord; and six thousand were (BU)officers and judges, 5 and four thousand were gatekeepers, and (BV)four thousand were praising the Lord with the instruments which [bj]David made for giving praise. 6 David divided them into divisions (BW)according to the sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

Gershonites

7 Of the Gershonites there were [bk]Ladan and Shimei. 8 The sons of Ladan were Jehiel the first, and Zetham and Joel, three. 9 The sons of Shimei were Shelomoth, Haziel, and Haran, three. These were the heads of the fathers’ households of Ladan. 10 The sons of Shimei were Jahath, [bl]Zina, Jeush, and Beriah. These four were the sons of Shimei. 11 Jahath was the first and Zizah the second; but Jeush and Beriah did not have many sons, so they became a father’s household, one group for duty.

Kohathites

12 The sons of Kohath were four in number: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. 13 (BX)The sons of Amram were Aaron and Moses. And (BY)Aaron was set apart to sanctify him as most holy, he and his sons forever, (BZ)to burn incense before the Lord, to serve Him and bless in His name forever. 14 But as for (CA)Moses, the man of God, his sons were named among the tribe of Levi. 15 The sons of Moses were Gershom and Eliezer.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Chronicles 17:5 Lit been
  2. 1 Chronicles 17:9 Lit sons of injustice
  3. 1 Chronicles 17:11 I.e., die
  4. 1 Chronicles 17:11 Lit seed
  5. 1 Chronicles 17:26 Lit said
  6. 1 Chronicles 17:27 Lit be
  7. 1 Chronicles 18:1 Lit struck, and so in vv 1-3
  8. 1 Chronicles 18:3 Lit hand
  9. 1 Chronicles 18:5 Heb Darmeseq
  10. 1 Chronicles 18:5 Lit struck
  11. 1 Chronicles 18:6 Heb Darmeseq
  12. 1 Chronicles 18:7 Lit on
  13. 1 Chronicles 18:8 In 2 Sam 8:8, Betah
  14. 1 Chronicles 18:8 I.e., large basin
  15. 1 Chronicles 18:9 In 2 Sam 8:9, Toi
  16. 1 Chronicles 18:9 Lit struck
  17. 1 Chronicles 18:10 In 2 Sam 8:10, Joram
  18. 1 Chronicles 18:10 Lit ask him of his welfare
  19. 1 Chronicles 18:10 Lit struck
  20. 1 Chronicles 18:12 Lit struck
  21. 1 Chronicles 18:14 Lit was doing
  22. 1 Chronicles 19:3 Lit Is David honoring your father in your eyes
  23. 1 Chronicles 19:6 About 38 tons or 34 metric tons
  24. 1 Chronicles 19:10 Lit face of the battle
  25. 1 Chronicles 19:11 Lit in the hand of
  26. 1 Chronicles 19:11 In 2 Sam 10:10, Abishai
  27. 1 Chronicles 19:16 Lit struck before
  28. 1 Chronicles 19:16 Lit before
  29. 1 Chronicles 19:19 Lit struck before
  30. 1 Chronicles 20:1 Lit at the return of the year
  31. 1 Chronicles 20:2 Another reading is Malcam from, a variant of the Ammonite god Milcom
  32. 1 Chronicles 20:2 About 75 lb. or 34 kg
  33. 1 Chronicles 20:3 So 2 Sam 12:31; MT sawed them apart with
  34. 1 Chronicles 20:4 Lit stood up
  35. 1 Chronicles 20:4 In 2 Sam 21:18, Gob
  36. 1 Chronicles 20:4 Lit struck
  37. 1 Chronicles 20:4 Heb Raphah, and so in vv 6, 8
  38. 1 Chronicles 20:5 Lit struck
  39. 1 Chronicles 20:7 Lit struck
  40. 1 Chronicles 21:6 Lit muster
  41. 1 Chronicles 21:6 Lit word
  42. 1 Chronicles 21:7 Lit it was evil in the sight of God
  43. 1 Chronicles 21:8 that I did
  44. 1 Chronicles 21:14 Lit gave
  45. 1 Chronicles 21:15 In 2 Sam 24:16, Araunah
  46. 1 Chronicles 21:17 Lit said
  47. 1 Chronicles 21:18 Lit said to
  48. 1 Chronicles 21:22 Lit place
  49. 1 Chronicles 21:24 Lit gratuitously
  50. 1 Chronicles 21:25 Lit place
  51. 1 Chronicles 22:2 Lit said to
  52. 1 Chronicles 22:3 Lit for
  53. 1 Chronicles 22:7 Lit as for me, it was with my heart
  54. 1 Chronicles 22:8 Lit made
  55. 1 Chronicles 22:9 I.e., peaceful
  56. 1 Chronicles 22:13 Lit do the
  57. 1 Chronicles 22:14 Lit in my affliction
  58. 1 Chronicles 22:14 A talent was about 75 lb. or 34 kg
  59. 1 Chronicles 22:14 Lit it is
  60. 1 Chronicles 23:1 Lit became old and sated with days
  61. 1 Chronicles 23:3 Lit their heads
  62. 1 Chronicles 23:5 Lit I made
  63. 1 Chronicles 23:7 In Ex 6:17, Libni
  64. 1 Chronicles 23:10 In v 11, Zizah
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1 Chronicles 17:1-23:15
New International Version

God’s Promise to David(A)

17 After David was settled in his palace, he said to Nathan the prophet, “Here I am, living in a house of cedar, while the ark of the covenant of the Lord is under a tent.(B)”

2 Nathan replied to David, “Whatever you have in mind,(C) do it, for God is with you.”

3 But that night the word of God came to Nathan, saying:

4 “Go and tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord says: You(D) are not the one to build me a house to dwell in. 5 I have not dwelt in a house from the day I brought Israel up out of Egypt to this day. I have moved from one tent site to another, from one dwelling place to another. 6 Wherever I have moved with all the Israelites, did I ever say to any of their leaders[a] whom I commanded to shepherd my people, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?(E)”’

7 “Now then, tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty says: I took you from the pasture, from tending the flock, and appointed you ruler(F) over my people Israel. 8 I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have cut off all your enemies from before you. Now I will make your name like the names of the greatest men on earth. 9 And I will provide a place for my people Israel and will plant them so that they can have a home of their own and no longer be disturbed. Wicked people will not oppress them anymore, as they did at the beginning 10 and have done ever since the time I appointed leaders(G) over my people Israel. I will also subdue all your enemies.

“‘I declare to you that the Lord will build a house for you: 11 When your days are over and you go to be with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, one of your own sons, and I will establish his kingdom. 12 He is the one who will build(H) a house for me, and I will establish his throne forever.(I) 13 I will be his father,(J) and he will be my son.(K) I will never take my love away from him, as I took it away from your predecessor. 14 I will set him over my house and my kingdom forever; his throne(L) will be established forever.(M)’”

15 Nathan reported to David all the words of this entire revelation.

David’s Prayer(N)

16 Then King David went in and sat before the Lord, and he said:

“Who am I, Lord God, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? 17 And as if this were not enough in your sight, my God, you have spoken about the future of the house of your servant. You, Lord God, have looked on me as though I were the most exalted of men.

18 “What more can David say to you for honoring your servant? For you know your servant, 19 Lord. For the sake(O) of your servant and according to your will, you have done this great thing and made known all these great promises.(P)

20 “There is no one like you, Lord, and there is no God but you,(Q) as we have heard with our own ears. 21 And who is like your people Israel—the one nation on earth whose God went out to redeem(R) a people for himself, and to make a name for yourself, and to perform great and awesome wonders by driving out nations from before your people, whom you redeemed from Egypt? 22 You made your people Israel your very own forever,(S) and you, Lord, have become their God.

23 “And now, Lord, let the promise(T) you have made concerning your servant and his house be established forever. Do as you promised, 24 so that it will be established and that your name will be great forever. Then people will say, ‘The Lord Almighty, the God over Israel, is Israel’s God!’ And the house of your servant David will be established before you.

25 “You, my God, have revealed to your servant that you will build a house for him. So your servant has found courage to pray to you. 26 You, Lord, are God! You have promised these good things to your servant. 27 Now you have been pleased to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue forever in your sight;(U) for you, Lord, have blessed it, and it will be blessed forever.”

David’s Victories(V)

18 In the course of time, David defeated the Philistines and subdued them, and he took Gath and its surrounding villages from the control of the Philistines.

2 David also defeated the Moabites,(W) and they became subject to him and brought him tribute.

3 Moreover, David defeated Hadadezer king of Zobah,(X) in the vicinity of Hamath, when he went to set up his monument at[b] the Euphrates River.(Y) 4 David captured a thousand of his chariots, seven thousand charioteers and twenty thousand foot soldiers. He hamstrung(Z) all but a hundred of the chariot horses.

5 When the Arameans of Damascus(AA) came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David struck down twenty-two thousand of them. 6 He put garrisons in the Aramean kingdom of Damascus, and the Arameans became subject to him and brought him tribute. The Lord gave David victory wherever he went.

7 David took the gold shields carried by the officers of Hadadezer and brought them to Jerusalem. 8 From Tebah[c] and Kun, towns that belonged to Hadadezer, David took a great quantity of bronze, which Solomon used to make the bronze Sea,(AB) the pillars and various bronze articles.

9 When Tou king of Hamath heard that David had defeated the entire army of Hadadezer king of Zobah, 10 he sent his son Hadoram to King David to greet him and congratulate him on his victory in battle over Hadadezer, who had been at war with Tou. Hadoram brought all kinds of articles of gold, of silver and of bronze.

11 King David dedicated these articles to the Lord, as he had done with the silver and gold he had taken from all these nations: Edom(AC) and Moab, the Ammonites and the Philistines, and Amalek.(AD)

12 Abishai son of Zeruiah struck down eighteen thousand Edomites(AE) in the Valley of Salt. 13 He put garrisons in Edom, and all the Edomites became subject to David. The Lord gave David victory wherever he went.

David’s Officials(AF)

14 David reigned(AG) over all Israel,(AH) doing what was just and right for all his people. 15 Joab(AI) son of Zeruiah was over the army; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was recorder; 16 Zadok(AJ) son of Ahitub and Ahimelek[d](AK) son of Abiathar were priests; Shavsha was secretary; 17 Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Kerethites and Pelethites;(AL) and David’s sons were chief officials at the king’s side.

David Defeats the Ammonites(AM)

19 In the course of time, Nahash king of the Ammonites(AN) died, and his son succeeded him as king. 2 David thought, “I will show kindness to Hanun son of Nahash, because his father showed kindness to me.” So David sent a delegation to express his sympathy to Hanun concerning his father.

When David’s envoys came to Hanun in the land of the Ammonites to express sympathy to him, 3 the Ammonite commanders said to Hanun, “Do you think David is honoring your father by sending envoys to you to express sympathy? Haven’t his envoys come to you only to explore and spy out(AO) the country and overthrow it?” 4 So Hanun seized David’s envoys, shaved them, cut off their garments at the buttocks, and sent them away.

5 When someone came and told David about the men, he sent messengers to meet them, for they were greatly humiliated. The king said, “Stay at Jericho till your beards have grown, and then come back.”

6 When the Ammonites realized that they had become obnoxious(AP) to David, Hanun and the Ammonites sent a thousand talents[e] of silver to hire chariots and charioteers from Aram Naharaim,[f] Aram Maakah and Zobah.(AQ) 7 They hired thirty-two thousand chariots and charioteers, as well as the king of Maakah with his troops, who came and camped near Medeba,(AR) while the Ammonites were mustered from their towns and moved out for battle.

8 On hearing this, David sent Joab out with the entire army of fighting men. 9 The Ammonites came out and drew up in battle formation at the entrance to their city, while the kings who had come were by themselves in the open country.

10 Joab saw that there were battle lines in front of him and behind him; so he selected some of the best troops in Israel and deployed them against the Arameans. 11 He put the rest of the men under the command of Abishai(AS) his brother, and they were deployed against the Ammonites. 12 Joab said, “If the Arameans are too strong for me, then you are to rescue me; but if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will rescue you. 13 Be strong, and let us fight bravely for our people and the cities of our God. The Lord will do what is good in his sight.”

14 Then Joab and the troops with him advanced to fight the Arameans, and they fled before him. 15 When the Ammonites realized that the Arameans were fleeing, they too fled before his brother Abishai and went inside the city. So Joab went back to Jerusalem.

16 After the Arameans saw that they had been routed by Israel, they sent messengers and had Arameans brought from beyond the Euphrates River, with Shophak the commander of Hadadezer’s army leading them.

17 When David was told of this, he gathered all Israel(AT) and crossed the Jordan; he advanced against them and formed his battle lines opposite them. David formed his lines to meet the Arameans in battle, and they fought against him. 18 But they fled before Israel, and David killed seven thousand of their charioteers and forty thousand of their foot soldiers. He also killed Shophak the commander of their army.

19 When the vassals of Hadadezer saw that they had been routed by Israel, they made peace with David and became subject to him.

So the Arameans were not willing to help the Ammonites anymore.

The Capture of Rabbah(AU)

20 In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, Joab led out the armed forces. He laid waste the land of the Ammonites and went to Rabbah(AV) and besieged it, but David remained in Jerusalem. Joab attacked Rabbah and left it in ruins.(AW) 2 David took the crown from the head of their king[g]—its weight was found to be a talent[h] of gold, and it was set with precious stones—and it was placed on David’s head. He took a great quantity of plunder from the city 3 and brought out the people who were there, consigning them to labor with saws and with iron picks and axes.(AX) David did this to all the Ammonite towns. Then David and his entire army returned to Jerusalem.

War With the Philistines(AY)

4 In the course of time, war broke out with the Philistines, at Gezer.(AZ) At that time Sibbekai the Hushathite killed Sippai, one of the descendants of the Rephaites,(BA) and the Philistines were subjugated.

5 In another battle with the Philistines, Elhanan son of Jair killed Lahmi the brother of Goliath the Gittite, who had a spear with a shaft like a weaver’s rod.(BB)

6 In still another battle, which took place at Gath, there was a huge man with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot—twenty-four in all. He also was descended from Rapha. 7 When he taunted Israel, Jonathan son of Shimea, David’s brother, killed him.

8 These were descendants of Rapha in Gath, and they fell at the hands of David and his men.

David Counts the Fighting Men(BC)

21 Satan(BD) rose up against Israel and incited David to take a census(BE) of Israel. 2 So David said to Joab and the commanders of the troops, “Go and count(BF) the Israelites from Beersheba to Dan. Then report back to me so that I may know how many there are.”

3 But Joab replied, “May the Lord multiply his troops a hundred times over.(BG) My lord the king, are they not all my lord’s subjects? Why does my lord want to do this? Why should he bring guilt on Israel?”

4 The king’s word, however, overruled Joab; so Joab left and went throughout Israel and then came back to Jerusalem. 5 Joab reported the number of the fighting men to David: In all Israel(BH) there were one million one hundred thousand men who could handle a sword, including four hundred and seventy thousand in Judah.

6 But Joab did not include Levi and Benjamin in the numbering, because the king’s command was repulsive to him. 7 This command was also evil in the sight of God; so he punished Israel.

8 Then David said to God, “I have sinned greatly by doing this. Now, I beg you, take away the guilt of your servant. I have done a very foolish thing.”

9 The Lord said to Gad,(BI) David’s seer,(BJ) 10 “Go and tell David, ‘This is what the Lord says: I am giving you three options. Choose one of them for me to carry out against you.’”

11 So Gad went to David and said to him, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Take your choice: 12 three years of famine,(BK) three months of being swept away[i] before your enemies, with their swords overtaking you, or three days of the sword(BL) of the Lord(BM)—days of plague in the land, with the angel of the Lord ravaging every part of Israel.’ Now then, decide how I should answer the one who sent me.”

13 David said to Gad, “I am in deep distress. Let me fall into the hands of the Lord, for his mercy(BN) is very great; but do not let me fall into human hands.”

14 So the Lord sent a plague on Israel, and seventy thousand men of Israel fell dead.(BO) 15 And God sent an angel(BP) to destroy Jerusalem.(BQ) But as the angel was doing so, the Lord saw it and relented(BR) concerning the disaster and said to the angel who was destroying(BS) the people, “Enough! Withdraw your hand.” The angel of the Lord was then standing at the threshing floor of Araunah[j] the Jebusite.

16 David looked up and saw the angel of the Lord standing between heaven and earth, with a drawn sword in his hand extended over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders, clothed in sackcloth, fell facedown.(BT)

17 David said to God, “Was it not I who ordered the fighting men to be counted? I, the shepherd,[k] have sinned and done wrong. These are but sheep.(BU) What have they done? Lord my God, let your hand fall on me and my family,(BV) but do not let this plague remain on your people.”

David Builds an Altar

18 Then the angel of the Lord ordered Gad to tell David to go up and build an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor(BW) of Araunah the Jebusite. 19 So David went up in obedience to the word that Gad had spoken in the name of the Lord.

20 While Araunah was threshing wheat,(BX) he turned and saw the angel; his four sons who were with him hid themselves. 21 Then David approached, and when Araunah looked and saw him, he left the threshing floor and bowed down before David with his face to the ground.

22 David said to him, “Let me have the site of your threshing floor so I can build an altar to the Lord, that the plague on the people may be stopped. Sell it to me at the full price.”

23 Araunah said to David, “Take it! Let my lord the king do whatever pleases him. Look, I will give the oxen for the burnt offerings, the threshing sledges for the wood, and the wheat for the grain offering. I will give all this.”

24 But King David replied to Araunah, “No, I insist on paying the full price. I will not take for the Lord what is yours, or sacrifice a burnt offering that costs me nothing.”

25 So David paid Araunah six hundred shekels[l] of gold for the site. 26 David built an altar to the Lord there and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. He called on the Lord, and the Lord answered him with fire(BY) from heaven on the altar of burnt offering.

27 Then the Lord spoke to the angel, and he put his sword back into its sheath. 28 At that time, when David saw that the Lord had answered him on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite, he offered sacrifices there. 29 The tabernacle of the Lord, which Moses had made in the wilderness, and the altar of burnt offering were at that time on the high place at Gibeon.(BZ) 30 But David could not go before it to inquire of God, because he was afraid of the sword of the angel of the Lord.

22 Then David said, “The house of the Lord God(CA) is to be here, and also the altar of burnt offering for Israel.”

Preparations for the Temple

2 So David gave orders to assemble the foreigners(CB) residing in Israel, and from among them he appointed stonecutters(CC) to prepare dressed stone for building the house of God. 3 He provided a large amount of iron to make nails for the doors of the gateways and for the fittings, and more bronze than could be weighed.(CD) 4 He also provided more cedar logs(CE) than could be counted, for the Sidonians and Tyrians had brought large numbers of them to David.

5 David said, “My son Solomon is young(CF) and inexperienced, and the house to be built for the Lord should be of great magnificence and fame and splendor(CG) in the sight of all the nations. Therefore I will make preparations for it.” So David made extensive preparations before his death.

6 Then he called for his son Solomon and charged him to build(CH) a house for the Lord, the God of Israel. 7 David said to Solomon: “My son, I had it in my heart(CI) to build(CJ) a house for the Name(CK) of the Lord my God. 8 But this word of the Lord came to me: ‘You have shed much blood and have fought many wars.(CL) You are not to build a house for my Name,(CM) because you have shed much blood on the earth in my sight. 9 But you will have a son who will be a man of peace(CN) and rest,(CO) and I will give him rest from all his enemies on every side. His name will be Solomon,[m](CP) and I will grant Israel peace and quiet(CQ) during his reign. 10 He is the one who will build a house for my Name.(CR) He will be my son,(CS) and I will be his father. And I will establish(CT) the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever.’(CU)

11 “Now, my son, the Lord be with(CV) you, and may you have success and build the house of the Lord your God, as he said you would. 12 May the Lord give you discretion and understanding(CW) when he puts you in command over Israel, so that you may keep the law of the Lord your God. 13 Then you will have success(CX) if you are careful to observe the decrees and laws(CY) that the Lord gave Moses for Israel. Be strong and courageous.(CZ) Do not be afraid or discouraged.

14 “I have taken great pains to provide for the temple of the Lord a hundred thousand talents[n] of gold, a million talents[o] of silver, quantities of bronze and iron too great to be weighed, and wood and stone. And you may add to them.(DA) 15 You have many workers: stonecutters, masons and carpenters,(DB) as well as those skilled in every kind of work 16 in gold and silver, bronze and iron—craftsmen(DC) beyond number. Now begin the work, and the Lord be with you.”

17 Then David ordered(DD) all the leaders of Israel to help his son Solomon. 18 He said to them, “Is not the Lord your God with you? And has he not granted you rest(DE) on every side?(DF) For he has given the inhabitants of the land into my hands, and the land is subject to the Lord and to his people. 19 Now devote your heart and soul to seeking the Lord your God.(DG) Begin to build the sanctuary of the Lord God, so that you may bring the ark of the covenant of the Lord and the sacred articles belonging to God into the temple that will be built for the Name of the Lord.”

The Levites

23 When David was old and full of years, he made his son Solomon(DH) king over Israel.(DI)

2 He also gathered together all the leaders of Israel, as well as the priests and Levites. 3 The Levites thirty years old or more(DJ) were counted,(DK) and the total number of men was thirty-eight thousand.(DL) 4 David said, “Of these, twenty-four thousand are to be in charge(DM) of the work(DN) of the temple of the Lord and six thousand are to be officials and judges.(DO) 5 Four thousand are to be gatekeepers and four thousand are to praise the Lord with the musical instruments(DP) I have provided for that purpose.”(DQ)

6 David separated(DR) the Levites into divisions corresponding to the sons of Levi:(DS) Gershon, Kohath and Merari.

Gershonites

7 Belonging to the Gershonites:(DT)

Ladan and Shimei.

8 The sons of Ladan:

Jehiel the first, Zetham and Joel—three in all.

9 The sons of Shimei:

Shelomoth, Haziel and Haran—three in all.

These were the heads of the families of Ladan.

10 And the sons of Shimei:

Jahath, Ziza,[p] Jeush and Beriah.

These were the sons of Shimei—four in all.

11 Jahath was the first and Ziza the second, but Jeush and Beriah did not have many sons; so they were counted as one family with one assignment.

Kohathites

12 The sons of Kohath:(DU)

Amram, Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel—four in all.

13 The sons of Amram:(DV)

Aaron and Moses.

Aaron was set apart,(DW) he and his descendants forever, to consecrate the most holy things, to offer sacrifices before the Lord, to minister(DX) before him and to pronounce blessings(DY) in his name forever. 14 The sons of Moses the man(DZ) of God were counted as part of the tribe of Levi.

15 The sons of Moses:

Gershom and Eliezer.(EA)

Footnotes

  1. 1 Chronicles 17:6 Traditionally judges; also in verse 10
  2. 1 Chronicles 18:3 Or to restore his control over
  3. 1 Chronicles 18:8 Hebrew Tibhath, a variant of Tebah
  4. 1 Chronicles 18:16 Some Hebrew manuscripts, Vulgate and Syriac (see also 2 Samuel 8:17); most Hebrew manuscripts Abimelek
  5. 1 Chronicles 19:6 That is, about 38 tons or about 34 metric tons
  6. 1 Chronicles 19:6 That is, Northwest Mesopotamia
  7. 1 Chronicles 20:2 Or of Milkom, that is, Molek
  8. 1 Chronicles 20:2 That is, about 75 pounds or about 34 kilograms
  9. 1 Chronicles 21:12 Hebrew; Septuagint and Vulgate (see also 2 Samuel 24:13) of fleeing
  10. 1 Chronicles 21:15 Hebrew Ornan, a variant of Araunah; also in verses 18-28
  11. 1 Chronicles 21:17 Probable reading of the original Hebrew text (see 2 Samuel 24:17 and note); Masoretic Text does not have the shepherd.
  12. 1 Chronicles 21:25 That is, about 15 pounds or about 6.9 kilograms
  13. 1 Chronicles 22:9 Solomon sounds like and may be derived from the Hebrew for peace.
  14. 1 Chronicles 22:14 That is, about 3,750 tons or about 3,400 metric tons
  15. 1 Chronicles 22:14 That is, about 37,500 tons or about 34,000 metric tons
  16. 1 Chronicles 23:10 One Hebrew manuscript, Septuagint and Vulgate (see also verse 11); most Hebrew manuscripts Zina
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