¹⁹ Then a spirit came upon Amasai, leader of the 30,

“We are yours, David,

on your side, son of Jesse.

Shalom, shalom to you,

and shalom to him who helps you,

for your God supports you!”

So David welcomed them and made them leaders of the troops.

²⁰ Some from Manasseh went over to David when he went with the Philistines to battle against Saul. But they did not help them because the Philistine rulers after consultation sent him away, saying: “It would cost us our heads if he defected to his master Saul.”

²¹ When he went to Ziklag, these from Manasseh joined him—Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu, Zillethai, the leaders of thousands that were from Manasseh. ²² They helped David against the raiding bands, for all of them were valiant warriors and they were officers in the army. ²³ Day by day men came to David to help him until there was a great army like the army of God.

²⁴ These are the numbers of the heads of those armed for war who came to David in Hebron to transfer Saul’s kingdom to him, according to the word of Adonai:

²⁵ The sons of Judah that bore shield and spear were 6,800, armed for war;

²⁶ from the sons of Simeon, 7,100 brave warriors ready for war;

²⁷ from the sons of Levi 4,600; ²⁸ Jehoiada the leader of the Aaronides and with him 3,700; ²⁹ Zadok, a young mighty man of valor, with 22 commanders from his clan;

³⁰ from the sons of Benjamin, Saul’s kinsmen, 3,000 for up to that time the majority of them had kept their allegiance to Saul’s house;

³¹ from the sons of Ephraim 20,800 valliant warriors, famous men in their clan; ³² from the half-tribe of Manasseh 18,000 who were designated by name to come and make David king;

³³ from the sons of Issachar—men who know how to interpret the signs of the times to determine what Israel should do—200 chiefs with all their kinsmen under their command;

³⁴ from Zebulun 50,000 warriors prepared for battle, arrayed with all types of weapons of war and ready to give their undivided loyalty;

³⁵ from Naphtali 1,000 officers, along with 37,000 with shield and spear;

³⁶ from the Danites, 28,600 equipped for battle;

³⁷ from Asher 40,000 experienced warriors arrayed for battle;

³⁸ and from beyond the Jordan, from the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh 120,000 armed with every type of weapons of war.

³⁹ All these fighting men, prepared for the battle line, came to Hebron with a whole heart to make David king over all Israel. All the rest of Israel were also of one heart to make David king. ⁴⁰ So they were there with David three days, eating and drinking, for their kinsmen had given them provision. ⁴¹ Moreover those who were near to them, from as far as Issachar, Zebulun and Naphtali, brought food on donkeys, camels, mules and oxen. There was flour, pressed figs, raisins, wine, oil, cattle, and sheep in abundance—for indeed, there was joy in Israel.

Ark Retrieved from Kiriath-jearim

13 Then David consulted with the officers of the thousands and of the hundreds, with every leader. ² David said to the entire assembly of Israel, “If it seems good to you, and is from Adonai Eloheinu, let us spread the word to our kinsmen who remain in all the regions of Israel, along with the kohanim and Levites in their towns and pasturelands to come and join us. ³ Let us bring the Ark of our God back to us—for we did not inquire of it in the days of Saul.” ⁴ The entire assembly agreed to do so, for the proposal seemed right in the eyes of all the people.

⁵ So David assembled all Israel from the Shihor of Egypt to the entrance of Hamat, to bring the Ark of God from Kiriath-jearim. ⁶ David and all Israel went up to Baalah, to Kiriath-jearim, that was in Judah to bring up from there the Ark of God, Adonai who sits enthroned above the cheruvim, which is called by His Name.

⁷ They transported the Ark of God upon a new cart from the house of Abinadab. Uzza and Ahio guided the cart ⁸ while David and all Israel celebrated before God with all their might, with songs, lyres, harps, timbrels, cymbals and trumpets. ⁹ But when they came to the threshing-floor of Hidon, Uzza reached out his hand to hold the Ark, because the oxen stumbled. ¹⁰ The anger of Adonai burned against Uzza, and He struck him down, because he reached out his hand and touched the Ark. He died there before God.

¹¹ David was angry because Adonai had burst out against Uzza. So he called that place Perez-uzza as it is to this day.

¹² David feared God that day, saying, “How can I ever bring the Ark of God to me?”

¹³ So David did not take the Ark with him to the City of David, but left it in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite. ¹⁴ So the Ark of God remained with the family of Obed-edom in his house three months; Adonai blessed the house of Obed-edom and everything that he had.

14 Now King Hiram of Tyre sent messengers to David, as well as cedar logs, stonemasons and carpenters, to build a palace for him. ² Then David knew that Adonai had established him king over Israel, for his kingdom was highly exalted for the sake of His people

Israel.

³ David took more wives in Jerusalem, and David fathered more sons and daughters. ⁴ These are the names of the children born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, ⁵ Ibhar, Elishua, Elpelet, ⁶ Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia, ⁷ Elishama, Beeliada and Eliphelet.

David Breaks Through at Baal-perazim

⁸ When the Philistines heard that David was anointed king over all Israel, all the Philistines went up in search of David, but David heard of it and went out before them. ⁹ Now the Philistines had come and raided the Valley of Rephaim. ¹⁰ So David inquired of God, asking, “Should I go up against the Philistines? Will You give them over into my hand?”

Then Adonai said to him, “Go up! I will give them over into your hand.”

¹¹ So they came up to Baal-perazim, where David defeated them. David said, “God burst out against my enemies by my hand, like waters burst out!” Therefore they called the name of that place Baal-perazim^[a]. ¹² They abandoned their gods there, so David ordered and they were burned with fire.

¹³ But the Philistines again raided the valley. ¹⁴ So David again inquired of God, and God said to him, “Do not go up after them, but circle around behind them and come against them in front of the baca trees^[b]. ¹⁵ As soon as you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the baca trees, then go out to battle. For God has gone out before you to strike down the army of the Philistines.”

¹⁶ David did just as God commanded him, and they struck down the Philistine army from Gibeon to Gezer.

¹⁷ So the fame of David spread throughout every land, and Adonai brought the fear of him upon all nations.

Introducing Paul and His Message

1 Paul, a slave of Messiah Yeshua, called to be an emissary and set apart for the Good News of God, ² which He announced beforehand through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures.

⁵ Through Him we have received grace and the office of emissary, to bring about obedience of faith among all the nations on behalf of His name. ⁶ And you also are called to Yeshua the Messiah.

⁷ To all those in Rome, loved by God, called to be kedoshim:

Grace to you and shalom from God our Father and the Lord Yeshua the Messiah!

Eager to Visit

⁸ First, I thank my God through Messiah Yeshua for all of you, because your faithfulness is made known throughout the whole world. ⁹ For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the Good News of His Son. How unceasingly I make mention of you, ¹⁰ always pleading in my prayers, if somehow by God’s will now at last I will be granted a good journey to come to you. ¹¹ For I long to see you, so I may share with you some spiritual gift to strengthen you. ¹² That is to say, we would be encouraged together by one another’s faithfulness—both yours and mine.

¹³ I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters,^[a] that many times I planned to come to you (though I was prevented until now)—so I might have some fruit among you also, just as I have among the rest of the nations. ¹⁴ I have an obligation to both Greeks and barbarians, to both the wise and the foolish. ¹⁵ So I am eager to proclaim the Good News also to you who are in Rome.

The Righteous Shall Live by Faith

¹⁶ For I am not ashamed of the Good News, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who trusts—to the Jew first and also to the Greek. ¹⁷ In it the righteousness of God is revealed, from trust to trust.^[b] As it is written, “But the righteous shall live by emunah.”^[c]