Bible in 90 Days

The Death of Saul and His Sons

10 Now the Philistines fought against Israel, and every Israelite fled away from before the Philistines. And they fell slain upon Mount Gilboa. ² And the Philistines overtook^[a] Saul and his sons. And the Philistines killed Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malki-Shua, the sons of Saul. ³ And the battle was heavy against Saul, and the archers^[b] found him, and he was wounded by the archers.^{[c] 4} And Saul said to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised come and deal harshly with me.” But he was very afraid. Then Saul took the sword and fell upon it. ⁵ When his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell upon the sword, and he died. ⁶ So Saul died. And his three sons and all his house died together. ⁷ And when all the men of Israel who were in the valley saw that they^[d] had fled and that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned their cities and fled. Then the Philistines came and dwelled in them. ⁸ And it happened that on the next day when the Philistines came to strip the dead, they found Saul and his sons fallen on Mount Gilboa. ⁹ And they stripped him and took his head and his weapons, and they sent them throughout the land of the Philistines to bring news to their idols and the nation. ¹⁰ And they put his weapons in the temple of their gods, and they fastened his skull to the temple of Dagon. ¹¹ When all Jabesh-Gilead heard all that the Philistines had done to Saul, ¹² every strong man arose and took the dead body of Saul and the dead bodies of his sons and brought them to Jabesh. And they buried their bones under the oak in Jabesh and fasted seven days. ¹³ So Saul died on account of his sin which he had sinned against Yahweh concerning the command of Yahweh that he did not keep. He also consulted a medium to seek guidance. ¹⁴ But he did not seek Yahweh. So Yahweh put him to death and turned over the kingship to David, the son of Jesse.

The Anointing of David as King

11 Then all Israel gathered to David in Hebron, saying, “Look—we are your flesh and bones. ² For some time now,^[e] even when Saul was king, you were the one who led the army of Israel in battle.^[f] And Yahweh your God said to you, ‘You will shepherd my people Israel and will be leader over my people Israel.’” ³ Then all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and David made a covenant with them at Hebron in the presence of Yahweh. And they anointed David as king over Israel according to the word of Yahweh by the hand of Samuel. ⁴ And David and all Israel went to Jerusalem (that is Jebus). And the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, were there. ⁵ And the inhabitants of Jebus said to David, “You will not enter here.” But David captured the stronghold of Zion; that is, the city of David. ⁶ Then David said, “Whoever strikes the Jebusites first will be chief and commander.” And Joab the son of Zeruiah went up first and became chief. ⁷ And David lived in the fortress. Therefore they called it the city of David. ⁸ And he built the city all around from the Millo and up to the circuit. And Joab restored the remainder of the city. ⁹ And David became greater and greater.^[g] And Yahweh of hosts was with him.

David’s Mighty Men

¹⁰ Now these are the chiefs of the mighty men who were for David, who gave him strong support in his kingdom, together with all Israel to make him king according to the word of Yahweh concerning Israel. ¹¹ And this is the numbering of the mighty warriors who were for David: Jashobeam son of Hachmoni was chief of the three. He himself raised his spear against three hundred whom he killed on one occasion.

¹² And after him was Eleazar son of Dodo the Ahohite. He was among the three mighty warriors. ¹³ He himself was with David at Pas-Dammim when the Philistines were gathered there for the battle. And there was a plot of the field filled with barley, and the people fled before the Philistines. ¹⁴ But they took their stand in the middle of the plot and defended it. And they killed the Philistines. And Yahweh saved them with a great victory.

¹⁵ And three of the thirty chiefs went down toward the rock to David at the cave of Adullam when the army of the Philistines was encamped in the valley of Rephaim. ¹⁶ And David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem. ¹⁷ And David had a craving, and he said, “Who could give me a drink of water from the well of Bethlehem that is by the gate!” ¹⁸ Then the three broke through into the camp of the Philistines and drew water from the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate and brought it and came to David. But David would not drink it and poured it out before Yahweh. ¹⁹ And he said, “Far be it from me that I would do this before my God. Shall I drink the lifeblood of these men? For at the risk of their lives^[h] they brought it.” And he was not willing to drink it. These things the three mighty men did.

²⁰ Now Abishai the brother of Joab was himself the head of the three.^[i] And he roused himself with his spear against three hundred whom he killed and made a name for himself^[j] among the three. ²¹ He was twice as renowned^[k] among the three^[l] and was their commander. But he did not attain to the three. ²² And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was a strong man^[m] from Kabzeel, one who did great deeds. He himself struck down two sons of Ariel of Moab. And he himself went down and struck down a lion within a pit on a snowy day. ²³ And he himself struck down an Egyptian man, a large man five cubits tall. And in the hand of the Egyptian was a spear like a weaver’s beam. But he went down to him with a club and seized the spear from the hand of the Egyptian and killed him with his own spear. ²⁴ These things Benaiah son of Jehoiada did and had a name among the three mighty warriors. ²⁵ He himself was certainly distinguished among the thirty, but he did not attain to the three. And David appointed him over his bodyguard.

²⁶ Now the mighty warriors of the troops were Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan the son of Dodo from Bethlehem, ²⁷ Shammoth the Harorite, Helez the Pelonite, ²⁸ Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, Abiezer the Anathothite, ²⁹ Sibbecai the Hushathite, Ilai the Ahohite, ³⁰ Maharai the Netophathite, Heled the son of Baanah the Netophathite, ³¹ Ittai the son of Ribai from Gibeah of the people of Benjamin, Benaiah the Pirathonite, ³² Hurai of the valleys of Gaash, Abiel the Arbathite, ³³ Azmaveth the Baharumite, Eliahba the Shaalbonite, ³⁴ the sons of Hashem the Gizonite, Jehonathan the son of Shagee the Hararite, ³⁵ Ahiam the son of Sacar the Hararite, Eliphal the son of Ur, ³⁶ Hepher the Mekerathite, Ahijah the Pelonite, ³⁷ Hezro the Carmelite, Naari the son of Ezbai, ³⁸ Joel the brother of Nathan, Mibhar the son of Hagri, ³⁹ Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, the bearer of the weapons of Joab the son of Zeruiah, ⁴⁰ Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, ⁴¹ Uriah the Hittite, Zabad the son of Ahlai, ⁴² Adina the son of Shiza the Reubenite, a leader of the Reubenites, and thirty with him, ⁴³ Hanan the son of Maacah, Jehoshaphat the Mithnite, ⁴⁴ Uzzia the Ashterathite, Shama and Jeiel the sons of Hotham the Aroerite, ⁴⁵ Jediael the son of Shimri and Joha his brother the Tizite, ⁴⁶ Eliel the Mahavite, Jeribai and Joshaviah the sons of Elnaam, Ithmah the Moabite, ⁴⁷ Eliel, Obed, and Jaasiel the Mezobaite.

David and His Mighty Men at Ziklag

12 Now these are the ones who came to David at Ziklag while he was still shut up because of Saul,^[n] the son of Kish. And they were the mighty warriors helping with the war. ² They were armed with the bow, able to shoot right-handed or left-handed, slinging stones or shooting arrows with the bow; they were kinsmen of Saul from Benjamin. ³ The leader was Ahiezer, then Jehoash, sons of Shemaah the Gibeonite; Jeiel and Pelet, sons of Azmaveth; Beracah; Jehu the Anathothite; ⁴ Ishmaiah the Gibeonite, a mighty warrior among the thirty who was over the thirty;^[o] Jeremiah; Jahaziel; Johanan; Jozabad the Gederathite; ^5 [p] Eluzai; Jerimoth; Bealiah; Shemariah; Shephatiah the Hariphite; ⁶ Elkanah, Isshiah, Azarel, Joezer, and Jashobeam the Korahites; ⁷ Joelah and Zebadiah, sons of Jeroham from the Gedor.

⁸ And from the Gadites, valiant mighty warriors, soldiers fit for war,^[q] expert with shield and spear, defected to David at the fortress toward the wilderness. And they had faces like lions^[r] and were swift as gazelles upon the mountains. ⁹ Ezer the chief, Obadiah second, Eliab third, ¹⁰ Mishmannah fourth, Jeremiah fifth, ¹¹ Attai sixth, Eliel seventh, ¹² Jehonan eighth, Elzabad ninth, ¹³ Jeremiah tenth, Macbannai eleventh. ¹⁴ These were the sons of Gad, leaders of the army. The smallest one was as a hundred, and the greatest as a thousand. ¹⁵ These were they who crossed the Jordan in the first month, when it was filled over its banks. And they put to flight all who were in the valley to the east and to the west.

¹⁶ And some of the sons of Benjamin and from Judah came to the fortress, to David. ¹⁷ And David went out to meet them^[s] and answered and said to them, “If you come in peace to me, to help me, my heart will be joined with you,^[t] but if you come to betray me to my adversaries, although there is no wrong on my hands, may the God of our fathers see and pass judgment.” ¹⁸ Then the Spirit came upon Amasai, chief of the thirty who said:

So David appointed them as heads of the troops.

¹⁹ And some Manassites deserted to David when he came with the Philistines to the battle against Saul, but he did not help them, for the rulers of the Philistines sent him away upon counsel, saying, “He will desert to his master Saul at the cost of our heads.” ²⁰ When he went to Ziklag some Manassites deserted to him: Adnah, Jehozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu, and Zillethai, heads of the thousands that were for Manasseh. ²¹ And they themselves helped David against the troops, for all of them were mighty men of strength and were commanders in the army. ²² Day in and day out^[u] they came to David to help him until there was a great army, like the army of God.

²³ And these are the numbers of the chiefs of those prepared for the army who came to David at Hebron to turn the kingdom of Saul over to him according to the word of Yahweh. ²⁴ The sons of Judah bearing shield and spear: six thousand eight hundred armed troops. ²⁵ From the men of Simeon, mighty warriors of strength for war: seven thousand one hundred. ²⁶ From the Levites: four thousand six hundred. ²⁷ Jehoiada the chief officer of the house of Aaron, and with him, three thousand seven hundred. ²⁸ And Zadok, a young man, a mighty warrior of strength, and the house of his father: twenty-two commanders. ²⁹ From the men of Benjamin, kinsmen of Saul, three thousand, and even still^[v] the majority of them remained loyal^[w] to the house of Saul. ³⁰ And from the men of Ephraim: twenty thousand eight hundred mighty warriors of strength, famous men in the house of their fathers. ³¹ And from the half-tribe of Manasseh: eighteen thousand who were designated by name to come to make David king. ³² And from the men of Issachar: men who were skilled in understanding the times^[x] to know what Israel should do. Their chiefs were two hundred, and all their kinsmen were under their command. ³³ From Zebulun, those who went out armed, equipped for battle with all the weapons of war: fifty thousand to help David with singleness of purpose.^{[y] 34} From Naphtali: one thousand commanders; and those with them with shield and spear: thirty-seven thousand. ³⁵ From the Danites, those equipped for battle: twenty-eight thousand six hundred. ³⁶ And from Asher, those who went out armed and prepared for battle: forty thousand. ³⁷ And from beyond the Jordan, from the Reubenites and the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh, with all their weapons of war for battle: one hundred and twenty thousand. ³⁸ All these were men of war arrayed in battle line with a whole heart.^[z] They came to Hebron to make David king over all Israel. Likewise, all the rest of Israel had one heart to make David king. ³⁹ And they were there with David three days, eating and drinking, for their kinsmen were prepared for them. ⁴⁰ And also their relatives, as far as Issachar and Zebulun and Naphtali, brought food on donkeys, on camels, on mules, and on oxen—provisions of flour, cakes of figs, raisin cakes, wine and oil, cattle and sheep in abundance, for there was great joy in Israel.

The Ark of the Covenant Brought from Kiriath-Jearim

13 And David consulted with the commanders of thousands and hundreds, with every leader. ² And David said to all the assembly of Israel, “If it seems good to you^[aa] and before Yahweh our God, let us send word abroad^[ab] to our brothers who remain in all the land of Israel and to the priests and Levites with them in the cities with their pasturelands that they might be gathered to us. ³ Then let us bring around the ark of our God to us, for we did not seek it in the days of Saul.” ⁴ And all the assembly agreed to do so, for the word was pleasing in the eyes of all the people.

⁵ And David summoned all Israel from Shihor of Egypt up to Lebo-Hamath to bring the ark of God from Kiriath-Jearim. ⁶ And David and all Israel went up to Baalah, Kiriath-Jearim of Judah, to bring up from there the ark of Yahweh God who is enthroned between the cherubim, which is called the name. ⁷ And they carried the ark of God upon a new cart from the house of Abinadab, and Uzza and Ahio were driving the cart.

⁸ Now David and all Israel were celebrating before God with all their strength, and with songs, lyres, harps, tambourines, cymbals, and trumpets. ⁹ And when they came to the threshing floor of Kidon, Uzza reached out his hand to hold the ark because the cattle had stumbled. ¹⁰ And Yahweh was angry^[ac] with Uzza, and he struck him down because he reached his hand upon the ark. And he died there before God. ¹¹ And David was angry^[ad] because Yahweh had broken out in wrath against Uzza. And that place is called Perez Uzza unto this day. ¹² And David feared God on that day, saying, “How can I bring the ark of God home to me?” ¹³ So David did not move the ark to himself into the city of David but diverted it to the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite. ¹⁴ And the ark of God remained with the household of Obed-Edom in his house three months. And Yahweh blessed the household of Obed-Edom and all that he had.

David’s Wives and Children

14 And Hiram, king of Tyre, sent messengers to David and cedar trees, masons,^[ae] and carpenters^[af] to build a house for him. ² And David knew that Yahweh had established him as king over Israel and that his kingdom was highly exalted for the sake of his people Israel. ³ And David took more wives in Jerusalem, and David fathered more sons and daughters. ⁴ Now 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

⁸ When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed as king over all Israel, all the Philistines went up to search for David. But David heard and went out from before them. ⁹ Now the Philistines came and carried out a raid in the Valley of Rephaim. ¹⁰ Then David inquired of God, saying, “Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will you put them into my hand?” And Yahweh said to him, “Go up. I will put them into your hand.” ¹¹ And he went up to Baal-Perazim, and David struck them there. And David said, “God has burst out against my enemies by my hand like waters burst out.” Therefore they will call the name of this place Baal-Perazim. ¹² And they abandoned their gods there. And David commanded, and they were burnt with fire. ¹³ Then the Philistines carried out another raid^[ag] in the valley. ¹⁴ Then David inquired again of God. And God said to him, “You shall not go up after them. Go around from before them and come against them the opposite way of the balsam trees. ¹⁵ And it shall be that when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, then go out into battle, for God goes out before you to strike the camp of the Philistines.” ¹⁶ And David did as God commanded him, and they struck the camp of the Philistines from Gibeon to Gezer. ¹⁷ And the fame of David went out through all the lands. And Yahweh put the fear of him upon all the nations.

David’s Wives and Children

15 And David built houses for himself in the city of David, and he established a place for the ark of God. And he pitched a tent for it. ² Then David ordered that none except the Levites should carry the ark of God, for Yahweh had chosen them to carry the ark of Yahweh and to serve him forever. ³ And David gathered all Israel to Jerusalem to bring up the ark of Yahweh to its place that he had established for it. ⁴ And David gathered the sons of Aaron and the Levites. ⁵ Of the sons of Kohath: Uriel the chief and one hundred and twenty of his brothers. ⁶ Of the sons of Merari: Asaiah the chief and two hundred and twenty of his brothers. ⁷ Of the sons of Gershom: Joel the chief and one hundred and thirty of his brothers. ⁸ Of the sons of Elizaphan: Shemaiah the chief and two hundred of his brothers. ⁹ Of the sons of Hebron: Eliel the chief and eighty of his brothers. ¹⁰ Of the sons of Uzziel: Amminadab the chief and one hundred and twelve of his brothers. ¹¹ Then David summoned Zadok and Abiathar the priests, and the Levites Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel, and Amminadab. ¹² And he said to them, “You are the heads of the families^[ah] for the Levites. Sanctify yourselves and your brothers and bring up the ark of Yahweh, the God of Israel, to the place I have established for it. ¹³ Because the first time you did not, and Yahweh our God burst out against us, for we did not care for it according to the law.” ¹⁴ Then the priests and the Levites sanctified themselves to bring up the ark of Yahweh, the God of Israel. ¹⁵ And the sons of the Levites carried the ark of God according to what Moses commanded, according to the word of Yahweh, on their shoulders with the carrying poles upon them.

¹⁶ Then David ordered the chiefs of the Levites to appoint their brothers as singers with instruments of song, musical instruments, stringed instruments, and cymbals, raising their voices for joy.^{[ai] 17} So the Levites appointed Heman son of Joel, and from his brothers, Asaph the son of Berekiah, and from the sons of Merari, their brothers, Ethan the son of Kushaiah; ¹⁸ and with them their brothers of the second rank, Zechariah the son, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, and the gatekeepers Obed-Edom and Jeiel. ¹⁹ Now the singers, Heman, Asaph, and Ethan, were to sound bronze cymbals; ²⁰ Zechariah, Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah, and Benaiah were to play on harps according to Alamoth; ²¹ and Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah were to play lyres, directing according to the Sheminith. ²² And Kenaniah, chief of the Levites in singing, was to be an instructor in singing because he understood. ²³ And Berekiah and Elkanah were gatekeepers for the ark. ²⁴ And Shebaniah, Jehoshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah, and Elizezer the priests sounded the trumpets^[aj] before the ark of God. And Obed-Edom and Jehiah were gatekeepers for the ark.

²⁵ And it happened that David and the elders of Israel and the commanders of thousands went to bring up the ark of the covenant of Yahweh from the house of Obed-Edom with joy. ²⁶ And it happened that when God helped the Levites carrying the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, they sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams. ²⁷ Now David was clothed with a robe of fine linen; so also all the Levites who were carrying the ark, the singers, and Kenaniah the chief of the singing. And David wore a linen ephod. ²⁸ And all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of Yahweh with shouting, with the sound of a shofar,^[ak] and with trumpets and cymbals, making loud music with musical instruments and stringed instruments.

²⁹ And when the ark of the covenant of Yahweh came into the city of David, then Michal the daughter of Saul looked down from the window and saw the king, David, leaping and dancing. And she despised him in her heart.

The Ark of the Covenant Placed in Its Tent

16 And they brought the ark of God and set it inside the tent that David had pitched for it. And they offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings before God. ² And when David had finished offering the burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, he blessed the people in the name of Yahweh. ³ And he distributed to every man of Israel, both men and women, to each person a loaf of bread, a cake of dates, and a cake of raisins. ⁴ Then he appointed some of the Levites as ministers before the ark of Yahweh, to invoke, thank, and praise Yahweh the God of Israel. ⁵ Asaph was chief, and his second was Zechariah; Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-Edom, and Jeiel were on harps and lyres. And Asaph played on the cymbals. ⁶ And Benaiah and Jahaziel the priests blew on the trumpets continually before the ark of the covenant of God. ⁷ Then on that day David first appointed to give thanks to Yahweh by the hand of Asaph and his brothers.

David’s Song of Thanks

Then all the people said, “Amen!” and praised Yahweh.

Worship and the Ark

³⁷ So he^[am] left Asaph and his brothers there before the ark of the covenant of Yahweh to minister before the ark regularly as each day required,^{[an] 38} and he left Obed-Edom with his sixty-eight brothers. And Obed-Edom, the son of Jeduthun, and Hosah were gatekeepers. ³⁹ And he left Zadok the priest and his brothers the priests before the tabernacle of Yahweh at the high place which was at Gibeon ⁴⁰ to offer burnt offerings regularly to Yahweh on the altar of burnt offering, morning and evening, according to all that was written in the law of Yahweh that he commanded concerning Israel. ⁴¹ And with them were Heman and Jeduthun and the remainder of those chosen, who were designated by name to give thanks to Yahweh, for his loyal love is everlasting. ⁴² And Heman and Jeduthun with them had trumpets and cymbals for making music, along with instruments for the song of God. And the sons of Jeduthun were at the gate. ⁴³ Then all the people went each to his house, and David turned to bless his household.

Yahweh’s Covenant with David

17 And as David lived in his house, David said to Nathan the prophet, “Look, I live in a house of cedar, but the ark of the covenant of Yahweh is under tent curtains.” ² And Nathan said to David, “Whatever is in your heart, do, for God is with you.”

³ And it happened that same night the word of God came to Nathan, saying, ⁴ “Go and say to David my servant, ‘Thus says Yahweh, “You are not to build a house for me to live in, ⁵ for I have not lived in a house from the day that I brought out Israel unto this day. I have been from tent to tent and from tabernacle to tabernacle. ⁶ In every place I have moved about, did I say one word with the judges of Israel I commanded to shepherd my people, saying, ‘Why have you not built for me a house of cedar?’”’ ⁷ So now, thus you shall say to my servant David, ‘Thus says Yahweh of hosts, “I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, to be leader over my people Israel, ⁸ and I have been with you wherever you went and have cut down your enemies from before you and will make a name for you, like the name of the great ones on the earth. ⁹ And I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and I will plant them,^[ao] and they^[ap] shall dwell in their^[aq] place and be in anguish no longer. And wicked men will no longer wear them down as before, ¹⁰ from the day that I commanded judges over my people Israel. And I will subdue your enemies, and I declare to you that Yahweh will build for you a house.^{[ar] 11} And it shall be that when your days are fulfilled to go and sleep with your ancestors,^[as] then I will raise up your seed after you, who will be one of your sons, and I will establish his kingdom. ¹² He himself will build for me a house, and I will establish his throne forever. ¹³ I myself will be a father to him, and he himself will be a son to me. And I will not remove my steadfast love from him as I took it away from whoever was before you. ¹⁴ And I will establish 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 this revelation, thus did Nathan speak to David.

David’s Prayer

¹⁶ Then King David went and sat before Yahweh and said, “Who am I, O Yahweh God, and what is my house that you have brought me thus far? ¹⁷ And this was a small matter in your eyes, O God. And you have spoken concerning the house of your servant for a long time and have shown me future generations to come,^[at] O Yahweh God. ¹⁸ What more^[au] can David do to you for honoring your servant? Now you know your servant. ¹⁹ O Yahweh, for the sake of your servant and according to your heart you have done all this greatness, to make known all these great things. ²⁰ O Yahweh, there is none like you, and there is no God except you, according to all that we have heard with our ears. ²¹ And who is like your people Israel, the one nation upon earth whom God went to redeem for himself, to establish for you a reputation^[av] for great and awesome things, to drive out nations from before your people whom you redeemed from Egypt? ²² And you made your people Israel an everlasting nation for yourself. And you, O Yahweh, became their God. ²³ So now, O Yahweh, let the word that you spoke to your servant and to his house be established forever, that you might do what you have spoken. ²⁴ And let your name be established and be magnified forever, saying, ‘Yahweh of hosts, the God of Israel, is Israel’s God, and may the house of David your servant be established before you.’ ²⁵ For you, my God, have informed^[aw] your servant that you will build a house for him. Therefore, your servant has found courage to pray before you. ²⁶ So now, O Yahweh, you yourself are God, and you have spoken to your servant this good thing. ²⁷ And now may you begin to bless the house of your servant to continue forever^[ax] before you, for you, O Yahweh, have blessed. And it will be blessed forever.”

David’s Victory over His Enemies

18 And it happened that after David struck the Philistines and subdued them, he captured Gath and its villages out of the hand of the Philistines. ² And he struck Moab, and the Moabites became servants to David, bearing tribute. ³ And David struck Hadadezer, king of Zobah-Hamath, as he set up his monument at the Euphrates River. ⁴ And David captured from him one thousand chariots, seven thousand horsemen, and twenty thousand foot soldiers. And David hamstrung all the chariot horses but left one hundred of them to remain for chariots. ⁵ And when the Arameans of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah-Hamath, David struck down twenty-two thousand men of Aram. ⁶ Then David set up garrisons in Aram of Damascus, and the Arameans became servants to David, bearing tribute. And Yahweh delivered David wherever he went. ⁷ And David took small round shields of gold that were upon the servants of Hadadezer and brought them to Jerusalem. ⁸ And from Tibhath and from Cun, cities of Hadadezer, David captured very much bronze. Solomon made the bronze sea with it along with the columns and objects of bronze.

⁹ And when Tou the king of Hamath heard that David had defeated the whole army of Hadadezer the king of Zobah, ¹⁰ he sent Hadoram his son to King David to ask him for peace and to bless him because he had fought against Hadadezer and defeated him, for Tou had been at war^[ay] with Hadadezer. And he brought with him all the objects of gold, silver, and bronze. ¹¹ King David dedicated these also to Yahweh, along with the silver and gold that he had taken from all the nations, from Edom, Moab, the sons of Ammon, the Philistines, and Amalek.

¹² And Abishai son of Zeruiah defeated eighteen thousand of Edom in the Valley of Salt. ¹³ And he put garrisons in Edom, and all Edom became servants to David. And Yahweh delivered David wherever he went.

David’s Administration

¹⁴ So David reigned over all Israel, and he administered justice^[az] and righteousness to all his people. ¹⁵ And Joab son of Zeruiah was over the army, and Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was recorder. ¹⁶ And Zadok son of Ahitub and Abimelech son of Abiathar were priests, and Shavsha was secretary. ¹⁷ And Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Kerethites and the Pelethites. And the sons of David were chief officials under the hand of the king.

The Ammonites Humiliate David’s Messengers

19 And it happened that after this Nahash the king of the Ammonites^[ba] died, and his son reigned in his place. ² And David said, “I will deal kindly with Hanun the son of Nahash because his father showed kindness to me.” So David sent messengers to comfort him concerning his father. And the servants of David came to the land of the Ammonites,^[bb] to Hanun, to comfort him. ³ But the princes of the Ammonites^[bc] said to Hanun, “Do you think^[bd] because David sent comforters to you that David honors your father? Is it not for the purpose of exploring so as to overthrow and spy out the land that his servants have come to you?” ⁴ So Hanun took the servants of David and shaved them and cut off their garments at the middle, up to the buttocks, and sent them away. ⁵ And they went and told David concerning the men, and he inquired of them, for the men were very disgraced. And the king said, “Dwell in Jericho until your beards grow out; then return.”

⁶ And when the Ammonites^[be] saw that they made themselves odious to David, Hanun and the Ammonites^[bf] sent one thousand talents of silver to hire for themselves horses and chariots from Aram-Naharaim, Aram-Maacah, and Zobah. ⁷ And they hired for themselves thirty-two thousand chariots and the king of Maacah and his people, and they came and encamped before Medeba. And the Ammonites^[bg] were gathered from their cities and came to the battle. ⁸ And when David heard, he sent Joab and the entire army of mighty warriors. ⁹ And the Ammonites^[bh] went out and took up positions for battle at the entrance of the city. And the kings who had come were alone in the field.

¹⁰ When Joab saw that there was a battle line^[bi] against him at the front and the back, he chose from among the chosen men in Israel and arranged them to meet Aram. ¹¹ And the remainder of the people he put in the hand of Abishai his brother, and they were arranged to meet the Ammonites.^{[bj] 12} And he said, “If Aram is too strong for me, then you must be a help to me, but if the Ammonites^[bk] are too strong for you, then I will help you. ¹³ Be strong! Let us strengthen ourselves on behalf of our people and on behalf of the cities of our God. And may Yahweh do what is good in his eyes.” ¹⁴ And Joab and the people who were with him drew near before Aram for battle, and they fled before him. ¹⁵ And when the Ammonites^[bl] saw that Aram had fled, they also fled before Abishai his brother, and they came to the city. Then Joab came to Jerusalem.

¹⁶ And when Aram saw that they were defeated before Israel, they sent messengers and brought out Aram, who was from beyond the Euphrates,^[bm] with Shophach the commander of the army of Hadadezer before them. ¹⁷ And when it was told to David, he gathered all Israel and crossed the Jordan. And he came to them and was arrayed against them. Then David was arrayed to meet Aram in battle, and they fought with him. ¹⁸ And Aram fled before Israel. And David killed from Aram the men of seven thousand chariots and forty thousand foot soldiers, and he put to death Shophach the commander of the army. ¹⁹ And when the servants of Hadadezer saw that they were defeated before Israel, they made peace with David and became servants to him. So Aram was no longer willing to help the Ammonites.^[bn]

The Capture of Rabbah

20 And it happened that in the spring time of year,^[bo] the time when kings go out to battle, Joab led the troops of the army and destroyed the land of the Ammonites.^[bp] And he came and besieged Rabbah, but David remained in Jerusalem. And Joab struck Rabbah and destroyed it. ² And David took the crown of their king from his head and found it to weigh a talent of gold. And in it was a precious stone. Then it was placed upon the head of David. And he brought out the booty of the city, a large amount. ³ And the people who were in it he brought out, and he set them to work with saws and iron implements and axes.^[bq] Thus David did to all the cities of the Ammonites.^[br] Then David returned, and all the nation went with him.

The Philistine Giants Slain

⁴ And after this there arose a war in Gezer with the Philistines. Then Sibbecai the Hushathite struck down Sippai, one of the descendants of the Rephaim. And they were subdued. ⁵ And again there was war with the Philistines. And Elhanan son of Jair struck down Lahmi, the brother of Goliath the Gittite, the shaft of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam. ⁶ And again there was war in Gath. And there was a very tall^[bs] man there, and he had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot, twenty-four in all.^[bt] He himself was also a descendant of the Rephaim. ⁷ And he taunted Israel, but Jehonathan son of Shimea, brother of David, struck him down. ⁸ These were born to the giants in Gath, and they fell by the hand of David and by the hand of his servants.

The Census of David

21 Then Satan^[bu] stood against Israel and urged David to count Israel. ² So David said to Joab and to the commanders of the nation, “Go, count Israel from Beersheba to Dan and bring a report to me that I might know their number.” ³ But Joab said, “May Yahweh add to the people a hundred times what they are! Are they not, O my lord the king, all of them the king’s servants? Why does my lord seek this? Why would he bring guilt to Israel?” ⁴ But the word of the king prevailed over Joab. Then he went about through all Israel and came to Jerusalem. ⁵ And Joab gave the number of the enrollment of the people to David. And it happened that all Israel was one million one hundred thousand men drawing a sword, and in Judah were four hundred and seventy thousand men drawing a sword. ⁶ But he did not count Levi and Benjamin among them, for the word of the king was repulsive to Joab.

⁷ But this word was displeasing in the eyes of God, and he struck Israel. ⁸ Then David said to God, “I have sinned severely in that I have done this thing. But now, please forgive the sin of your servant, for I have been very foolish.” ⁹ Then Yahweh spoke to Gad the seer of David, saying, ¹⁰ “Go, you must speak to David, saying, ‘Thus says Yahweh: “Three choices I offer to you. Choose one of them for yourself that I will do to you.”’” ¹¹ So Gad came to David and said to him, “Thus says Yahweh: ‘Choose for yourself: ¹² whether three years of famine or three months of devastation by your enemies while the sword of your enemies overtakes you, or three days of the sword of Yahweh, with disease in the land and the angel of Yahweh destroying throughout all the territory in Israel.’ So now, see what word I should return to my sender.” ¹³ Then David said to Gad, “I am very troubled.^[bv] Let me into the hand of Yahweh, for his compassion is very great, but do not let me fall into the hand of a man.”

¹⁴ So Yahweh sent a pestilence through Israel, and seventy thousand men from Israel fell. ¹⁵ And God sent an angel to Jerusalem to destroy it, and as he was about to destroy it, Yahweh saw and was grieved on account of the calamity. Then he said to the angel, the destroyer, “It is enough; slacken your hand.” And the angel of Yahweh was standing by the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite. ¹⁶ And David lifted his eyes and saw the angel of Yahweh standing between earth and heaven, with his sword drawn in his hand, stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders, clothed in sackcloth, fell upon their faces. ¹⁷ Then David said to God, “Was it not I who gave a command to count the people? Now I am he who has sinned, and I have certainly done wickedness, but these sheep, what have they done? O Yahweh, my God, please let your hand be against me and against the house of my father, but against your people, let there be no plague.”

David Builds an Altar

¹⁸ Now the angel of Yahweh had spoken to Gad to say to David that David should go up and erect an altar for Yahweh. ¹⁹ So David went up at the word of Gad that he had spoken in the name of Yahweh. ²⁰ Now Ornan was threshing wheat, and Ornan turned and saw the angel, and his four sons with him hid themselves. ²¹ Then David came to Ornan, and Ornan looked and saw David. And he went out from the threshing floor, and they bowed down to David, faces to the ground. ²² Then David said to Ornan, “Please give me the place, the threshing floor, that I might build an altar on it to Yahweh; at full price please give it to me, that the plague against the people might be stopped.” ²³ And Ornan said to David, “Take it to yourself; let my lord the king do what is good in his eyes. See, I give the cattle for the burnt offerings and threshing sledges for the wood and wheat for the grain offering—I give it all.” ²⁴ But King David said to Ornan, “No, for I will certainly buy it at full value; indeed, I will not take what is yours for Yahweh and offer burnt offerings for nothing.” ²⁵ So David gave to Ornan six hundred shekels of gold by weight for the place. ²⁶ Then David built an altar there to Yahweh, and he offered burnt offerings and peace offerings, and he called to Yahweh. And he answered him with fire from heaven upon the altar of burnt offering. ²⁷ Then Yahweh commanded the angel, and he returned his sword to its sheath.

²⁸ At that time, when David saw that Yahweh answered him at the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite, he sacrificed there. ²⁹ Now the tabernacle of Yahweh that Moses had made in the desert and the altar of burnt offering were at that time at the high place of Gibeon. ³⁰ But David was not able to go before it to seek God, for he was afraid on account of the sword of the angel of Yahweh.

22 Then David said, “This will be the house of Yahweh God, and this altar of burnt offering for Israel.”

David’s Preparations for Building the Temple

² And David commanded to assemble the resident aliens who were in the land of Israel and appointed stone craftsmen to cut dressed stones to build the house of God. ³ And David provided much iron for nails for the doors of the gates and for the seams, and abundant copper that could not be weighed, ⁴ and cedar timbers without number, for the Sidonians and Tyrians brought abundant cedars to David. ⁵ Then David said, “Solomon my son is a boy and inexperienced, and the house built for Yahweh must be exceedingly great in fame and splendor throughout every land. I will make preparations for him.” So David provided abundant materials before he died.

Solomon Charged with Building the Temple of Yahweh

⁶ Then he called to Solomon his son and commanded him to build a house for Yahweh, the God of Israel. ⁷ And David said to Solomon his son, “I myself had in my heart to build a house for the name of Yahweh my God, ⁸ but it happened that the word of Yahweh came over me, saying, ‘You have shed much blood and have made much war; you shall not build a house for my name because you have shed much blood upon the ground before me. ⁹ Behold, a son shall be born to you; he himself will be a man of rest, and I will give rest to him from all his enemies all around, for his name will be Solomon, and peace and quietness I will give to Israel in his days. ¹⁰ He himself will build a house for my name, and he himself will be to me a son, and I will be to him as a father, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever.’ ¹¹ Now, my son, Yahweh will be with you, that you may succeed and build the house of Yahweh your God as he has spoken concerning you. ¹² Only may Yahweh give to you understanding and insight that he might give you charge over Israel and the keeping of the law of Yahweh your God. ¹³ Then you will prosper if you take care to do the statutes and judgments which Yahweh commanded Moses concerning Israel. Be strong and be courageous; fear not and do not be dismayed. ¹⁴ Now see, with great effort I have made provision for the house of Yahweh: 100,000 talents of gold, 1,000,000 talents of silver, and bronze and iron that cannot be weighed, for there is an abundance. Also timber and stone I have provided, but to these you should add. ¹⁵ And with you there is an abundance of craftsmen: stonecutters, masons, carpenters, and everyone skilled in every kind of craftsmanship ¹⁶ with gold, silver, bronze, and iron without number. Arise and work! Yahweh will be with you!”

¹⁷ And David commanded all the commanders of Israel to help Solomon his son, saying, ¹⁸ “Is not Yahweh your God with you? And has he not given you rest all around? For he has put in my hand the inhabitants of the land, and the land is subdued before Yahweh and before his people. ¹⁹ Now set your heart and mind to seek Yahweh your Go, and arise and build the sanctuary of Yahweh God, that the ark of the covenant of Yahweh and the holy vessels of God might be brought into the house built for the name of Yahweh.

David Organizes the Levites

23 Now David was old and full of days. And he made Solomon his son king over Israel. ² And he assembled all the commanders of Israel and the priests and the Levites. ³ And the Levites thirty years old and above were counted, and their number according to their head count for the men was thirty-eight thousand. ⁴ Of these, David said, “Twenty-four thousand are to direct the work of the house of Yahweh, along with six thousand judges and officials, ⁵ four thousand gatekeepers, and four thousand offering praise with the instruments that I have made for praise.” ⁶ And David organized them in divisions according to the sons of Levi: to Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

⁷ For the Gershonites were Ladan and Shimei. ⁸ The sons of Ladan: Jehiel the chief and Zetham and Joel, three. ⁹ The sons of Shimei: Shelomoth, Haziel, and Haran, three. These were the heads of the families^[bw] of Ladan. ¹⁰ And the sons of Shimei: Jahath, Zina, Jeush, and Beriah; these four were the sons of Shimei. ¹¹ And Jahath was the chief, and Zizah the second, but Jeush and Beriah did not have many sons. They were enrolled as one for the house of a father.

¹² The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel, four. ¹³ The sons of Amram: Aaron and Moses. And Aaron was set apart to consecrate the most holy things. He and his sons were to burn offerings forever before Yahweh to serve him and to bless in his name forever. ¹⁴ But Moses the man of God and his sons were reckoned among the tribe of Levi. ¹⁵ The sons of Moses: Gershom and Eliezer. ¹⁶ The sons of Gershom: Shebuel the chief. ¹⁷ And the sons of Eliezer were Rehabiah, the head. And Eliezer had no other sons, but the sons of Rehabiah were very many. ¹⁸ The sons of Izhar: Shelomith the chief. ¹⁹ The sons of Hebron: Jeriah the chief, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, and Jekameam the fourth. ²⁰ The sons of Uzziel: Micah the chief and Isshiah the second.

²¹ The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. The sons of Mahli: Eleazar and Kish. ²² And Eleazar died, and he did not have sons, but only daughters. And the sons of Kish, their relatives, married them. ²³ The sons of Mushi: Mahli, Eder, and Jeremoth, three.

²⁴ These were the sons of Levi according to the house of their fathers, the heads of the families,^[bx] according to their enrollment, by the number of the names, according to their head count, who were to do the work of the service of the house of Yahweh, from twenty years old and above. ²⁵ For David said, “Yahweh, the God of Israel, has given rest to his people, and he dwells in Jerusalem forever. ²⁶ And also, the Levites do not need to carry the tabernacle and all its vessels for its service.” ²⁷ For by the last words of David, they are the number of the sons of Levi, from twenty years old and above. ²⁸ For their station was to assist^[by] the sons of Aaron with the service of the house of Yahweh, over the courtyards, over the chambers, and over the cleansing of all the sanctified objects, and with the work of the service of the house of God, ²⁹ and with the rows of bread, the flour, the grain offering, the wafers of unleavened bread, the baked offering, the offering mixed with oil, and for all the amounts and measurements. ³⁰ And they were to stand every morning,^[bz] thanking and praising Yahweh, and likewise in the evening, ³¹ and for every burnt offering offered to Yahweh, on Sabbaths, on new moon festivals, and at the appointed feasts, according to the customary number required of them,^[ca] regularly before Yahweh. ³² And they shall keep the responsibility of the tent of assembly,^[cb] the responsibility of the sanctified objects, and the responsibility of the sons of Aaron, their brothers, to serve the house of Yahweh.