Bible in 90 Days
The Death of Saul
10 The Philistines fought against Israel, and the men of Israel fled from the Philistines and fell mortally wounded at Mount Gilboa. 2 The Philistines were closing in on Saul and his sons. They struck down Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malkishua, the sons of Saul. 3 The attack directed at Saul was fierce. The archers targeted him and hit him, and he was in great pain from his wounds.
4 Then Saul said to his armor bearer, “Draw your sword and run me through so that these uncircumcised fellows do not come and abuse me.”
His armor bearer would not do it because he was too afraid. So Saul took his own sword and fell on it. 5 When the armor bearer saw that Saul was dead, he too fell on his sword and died. 6 So Saul died, and his three sons, his entire house, died together.
7 When all the men of Israel who were in the valley saw that their army had fled and that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned their cities and fled. Then the Philistines came and lived in them.
8 On the next day when the Philistines came to strip those who had been killed in the battle, they found Saul and his sons fallen on Mount Gilboa. 9 They stripped Saul, carried off his head and his armor, and sent them throughout Philistia to spread the good news to their idols and people. 10 They put Saul’s armor and weapons in the temple of their gods and impaled his skull in the temple of Dagon.
11 The entire city of Jabesh Gilead heard about everything that the Philistines had done to Saul. 12 So all the courageous, strong men set out and carried away the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons. They brought them to Jabesh and buried their bones under the terebinth[a] tree in Jabesh. Then they fasted for seven days.
13 Saul died as a result of the unfaithfulness which he had commited against the Lord by not keeping the Lord’s command and by seeking a medium to direct his actions. 14 He did not seek guidance from the Lord. That is why the Lord brought about his death and turned the kingdom over to David the son of Jesse.
David Becomes King
11 All Israel gathered to David at Hebron to say, “Look! We are your flesh and blood.[b] 2 Previously when Saul was king, you led Israel out to battle and back again. Besides, the Lord your God said to you, ‘You shall shepherd my people Israel and be leader over my people Israel.’”
3 All the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron. David made a covenant with them there in the presence of the Lord. They anointed David king over Israel, according to the word of the Lord from Samuel.
David Captures Jerusalem
4 David and all Israel went to Jerusalem (that is, Jebus). The Jebusites were living in that part of the land. 5 Those living in Jebus said to David, “You will not get in here.” Nevertheless, David captured the stronghold of Zion, which became the City of David. 6 David had said, “Whoever attacks the Jebusites first will become the head and commander.” Joab son of Zeruiah went up first and became the head. 7 David lived in the stronghold. That is why it is called the City of David. 8 He built up the city all around the stronghold, from the Millo[c] to the surrounding walls. Joab repaired the rest of the city.
9 David became greater and greater because the Lord of Armies was with him.
David’s Elite Warriors
10 These are the leaders of David’s elite warriors, who built up support for his kingdom throughout all Israel, in order to make him king, according to the word of the Lord concerning Israel.
11 This is the record of David’s elite warriors.
The Three
Jashobeam son of Hakmoni,[d] head of the Thirty,[e] wielded his spear against three hundred, who were killed at one time.
12 After him came Eleazar son of Dodo, the Ahohite. He was in the group of three elite warriors. 13 He was with David at Pas Dammim, where there was a plot of land full of barley, when the Philistines were gathered there for battle. The people had been fleeing from the Philistines, 14 but they took their stand in the middle of that plot of land. They defended it and killed the Philistines. The Lord rescued them with a great victory.[f]
15 Three of the thirty leaders went down to David at the rock by the Cave of Adullam. The army of the Philistines was camping in the Valley of Rephaim. 16 While David was in the stronghold, the garrison of Philistines was in Bethlehem. 17 David expressed this desire: “Who will give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem inside the gate?” 18 The Three broke through the camp of the Philistines and drew water from the well[g] of Bethlehem inside the gate. They took it and brought it to David. However, David was not willing to drink it. Instead, he poured it out to the Lord. 19 He said, “I should be cursed by God if I did that. Shall I drink the blood of these men? They risked their lives to bring it to me.” He was not willing to drink it. The three elite warriors carried out these actions.
Other Heroes
20 Abishai, the brother of Joab, was the leader of the Three. He wielded his spear against three hundred and killed them. His reputation equaled that of the Three.[h] 21 He was considered twice as great as the Group of Three. He became their commander. But he did not belong to the Group of Three.
22 Benaiah son of Jehoiada, a courageous man from Kabze’el, did great things. He struck down two Lions of God[i] from Moab. He also went down and killed a lion in a cistern[j] on a snowy day. 23 He also killed an Egyptian who was seven and a half feet tall. The Egyptian was holding a spear like a weaver’s beam. Benaiah went down to him with a staff, snatched the spear from the hand of the Egyptian, and killed him with his own spear. 24 Benaiah son of Jehoiada accomplished these feats. His reputation equaled that of the Three. 25 Among the Thirty he was considered great, but he did not belong to the Three. David placed him over his bodyguards.
26 These were the elite warriors of the armies:[k]
Asahel, the brother of Joab,
Elhanan son of Dodo from Bethlehem,
27 Shammoth the Harorite,[l]
Helez the Pelonite,
28 Ira son of Ikkesh the Tekoan,
Abiezer from Anathoth,
29 Sibbekai[m] the Hushathite,
Ilai[n] the Ahohite,
30 Mahrai the Netophahite,
Heled son of Ba’anah the Netophahite,
31 Ithai son of Ribai from Gibeah of Benjamin,
Benaiah the Pirathonite,
32 Hurai[o] from the ravines of Ga’ash,
Abiel the Arbathite,
33 Azmaveth the Baharumite,
Eliahba the Sha’albonite,
34 the sons of Hashem the Gizonite,[p]
Jonathan son of Shageh the Hararite,
35 Ahiam son of Sakar the Hararite,
Eliphal son of Ur,[q]
36 Hepher the Mekerathite,
Ahijah the Pelonite,
37 Hezro the Carmelite,
Na’arai son of Ezbai,
38 Joel, the brother of Nathan,[r]
Mibhar son of Hagri,
39 Zelek the Ammonite,
Naharai the Berothite, the armor bearer of Joab son of Zeruiah,
40 Ira the Ithrite,
Gareb the Ithrite,
41 Uriah the Hittite,
Zabad son of Ahlai,
42 Adina son of Shiza the Reubenite, a leader of the Reubenites,
who had thirty men with him,
43 Hanan son of Ma’akah
and Joshaphat the Mithnite,
44 Uzzia the Ashterathite,
Shama and Jeiel, the sons of Hotham the Aroerite,
45 Jediael son of Shimri,
and his brother Joha the Tizite,
46 Eliel the Mahavite
and Jeribai and Joshaviah, the sons of Elna’am,
and Ithmah the Moabite,
47 Eliel and Obed and Ja’asiel the Mezobaite.
12 These are the men who came to David at Ziklag, when he was a fugitive from Saul son of Kish. They were among the warriors who helped him wage war.
2 Among them were relatives of Saul from Benjamin, who were able to use bow and arrow and to sling stones right-handed or left-handed.
3 Their leader was Ahiezer along with Joash, sons of Shema’ah the Gibeathite,
Jeziel and Pelet, sons of Azmaveth,
Berakah and Jehu the Anathothite,
4 Ishmaiah the Gibeonite, a powerful warrior among the Thirty and over the Thirty,
Jeremiah and Jahaziel and Johanan and Jozabad the Gederathite,[s]
5 Eluzai and Jerimoth and Bealiah
and Shemariah and Shephatiah the Haruphite,
6 Elkanah, Ishiah, Azarel, Joezer, and Jashobeam, the Korathites,
7 Joelah and Zebadiah, sons of Jeroham from Gedor.
8 Some men from Gad defected and went to David at the stronghold in the wilderness. They were powerful warriors, military men, skilled for war with shield and spear, with faces like lions and with speed like gazelles on the mountains.
9 Ezer the head, Obadiah the second, Eliab the third,
10 Mishmannah the fourth, Jeremiah the fifth,
11 Attai the sixth, Eliel the seventh,
12 Johanan the eighth, Elzabad the ninth,
13 Jeremiah the tenth, and Makbannai the eleventh.
14 These men from Gad were leaders of the army. The less capable were leaders for a hundred, the more capable for a thousand.[t] 15 These are the ones who crossed the Jordan in the first month[u] when it was overflowing all its banks. They forced those living in the valleys to the east and the west to flee.
16 Men also came from Benjamin and Judah to David at the stronghold. 17 David went out to meet with them and said to them, “If you have come to me with peaceful intentions to help me, my heart will be one with yours. But if you come to betray me to my enemies, even though there is no violence in my hands, the God of our fathers will see and judge.”
18 A spirit[v] came upon[w] Amazai, head of the Thirty. He said, “We are yours, David, and we are with you, son of Jesse. Peace, peace to you, and peace to those helping you, for your God helps you.” David received them and made them leaders of the troops.
19 Men from Manasseh deserted to David when he came along with the Philistines for the battle against Saul. These men did not help the Philistines, because the serens[x] of the Philistines decided to send David away, because they thought, “He will desert to his master Saul with our heads.”
20 When he went to Ziklag, men from Manasseh deserted to David. They were Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu, and Zillethai, leaders of groups of a thousand which belonged to Manasseh. 21 They helped David against the bands of raiders, because all of them were powerful warriors and commanders in the army.
22 Every day men kept coming to David to help him, until the army became great, like an army of God. 23 The following are the numbers of the troops equipped for war who came to David in Hebron, to turn the kingdom of Saul over to him according to the word of the Lord:
24 from the descendants of Judah, bearing shields and spears, 6,800 equipped for war,
25 from the descendants of Simeon, powerful warriors, 7,100 equipped for war,
26 from the descendants of Levi, 4,600, 27 and[y] Jehoiada the tribal ruler for Aaron, who had with him 3,700; 28 also Zadok, a powerful young warrior, and from the house of his father 22 commanders,
29 from the descendants of Benjamin, Saul’s relatives, 3,000 (until then the majority of them had been keeping their connection with the house of Saul),
30 from the descendants of Ephraim, 20,800 powerful warriors, men who had earned a name for themselves in the house of their fathers,
31 from the half tribe of Manasseh, 18,000 who were designated by name to come and make David king,
32 from the descendants of Issachar, men who understood the times and what Israel should do, 200 leaders and all their relatives under their command,
33 from Zebulun, 50,000 men qualified to serve in the army, ready to line up for battle with all kinds of weapons for battle and with undivided allegiance,
34 from Naphtali, 1,000 commanders and with them 37,000 men with shields and spears,
35 from the Danites, 28,600 men ready to line up for battle,
36 from Asher, 40,000 men qualified to serve in the army, ready to line up for battle,
37 and from east of the Jordan, from Reuben, Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh, with all the weapons of an army ready for battle, 120,000 men.
38 All these soldiers, organized for battle, totally committed, came to Hebron to make David king over all Israel. All the rest of Israel also was totally committed to make David king. 39 They were there with David for three days, eating and drinking, because their fellow citizens[z] had prepared provisions for them. 40 Also, their neighbors from as far away as Issachar, Zebulun, and Naphtali were bringing food on donkeys, camels, mules, and oxen, including provisions of flour, cakes of figs, clusters of raisins, wine, olive oil, oxen, and sheep in abundance, because there was joy in Israel.
The Attempt to Bring the Ark to Jerusalem
13 David consulted with the commanders of the thousands and of the hundreds, with every leader. 2 David said to the whole assembly of Israel, “If it seems good to you and receives approval from the Lord our God, we should send word everywhere to our brothers who remain in the whole land of Israel and get together with them. We will also send word to the priests and to the Levites in their cities with their pasturelands that they should assemble with us. 3 We will bring the Ark of our God back to us, because we did not seek it during the days of Saul.” 4 The whole assembly agreed to do it because it was the right thing to do in the view of all the people. 5 David gathered all Israel from the Shihor River in Egypt to the entrance of Hamath,[aa] to bring the Ark of God from Kiriath Jearim.
6 David and all Israel went up to Baalah in Judah (that is, Kiriath Jearim) to bring up the ark from there, the Ark of God the Lord, who is seated above the cherubim and who is called by the Name.[ab] 7 They transported God’s ark on a new cart from the house of Abinadab. Uzzah and Ahio[ac] were leading the cart. 8 David and all Israel were celebrating enthusiastically before God with songs, lyres, harps, hand drums, cymbals, and trumpets.
9 When they came to the threshing floor of Kidon,[ad] Uzzah reached out to grab the ark because the oxen stumbled. 10 The anger of the Lord burned against Uzzah, and the Lord struck him down because Uzzah reached out his hand to the ark. He died there in the presence of God. 11 David was angry because the Lord had burst out against Uzzah. That place is called Perez Uzzah[ae] to this day. 12 David was afraid of God on that day. He said, “How can I bring the Ark of God to me?”
13 David did not take the ark along with him into the City of David. He set it aside in the house of Obed Edom the Gittite. 14 The Ark of God stayed in the house of Obed Edom for three months, and the Lord blessed the house of Obed Edom and all that belonged to him.
Events of David’s Reign
14 Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, along with cedar logs, stonemasons, and carpenters to build a palace for him. 2 David knew that the Lord had established him as king over Israel because his kingdom had been lifted high for the sake of his people Israel.
3 David took wives in Jerusalem and fathered 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, Be’eliada, and Eliphelet.
David Defeats the Philistines
8 The Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over all Israel. So all the Philistines went up to search for David. David heard about it and went out to face them. 9 The Philistines came and made a raid in the Valley of Rephaim. 10 David asked God, “Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will you give them into my hand?”
The Lord said to him, “Go up, and I will give them into your hand.” 11 So they went up to Baal Perazim, and David defeated the Philistines there. David said, “By my hand God has broken through my enemies like a wall of water.” That is why they named that place Baal Perazim.[af] 12 The Philistines abandoned their gods there. David gave the order, and they were burned with fire.
13 The Philistines made another raid in the valley. 14 David again consulted God. God said to him, “Do not go directly at them. Go around them and come to them in the area of the balsam trees.[ag] 15 When you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, you are to go out in battle, because God has gone out before you to strike the army of the Philistines.” 16 David did what God had commanded him, and they struck the army of the Philistines from Gibeon to Gezer.
17 David’s reputation spread into all the lands. The Lord caused all the nations to be terrified.
The Successful Move of the Ark to Jerusalem
15 David constructed buildings for himself in the City of David. He established a place for the Ark of God and pitched a tent for it.
2 Then David said, “Nobody is to carry God’s ark except the Levites, because the Lord chose them to carry the Ark of the Lord and to serve him forever.” 3 David gathered all Israel in Jerusalem to bring up the Ark of the Lord to the place that he had prepared for it.
4 David gathered the descendants of Aaron and the Levites:
5 representing the sons of Kohath were Uriel the leader and 120 of his relatives,[ah]
6 representing the sons of Merari were Asaiah the leader and 220 of his relatives,
7 representing the sons of Gershom were Joel the leader and 130 of his relatives,
8 representing the sons of Elizaphan were Shemaiah the leader and 200 of his relatives,
9 representing the sons of Hebron were Eliel the leader and 80 of his relatives,
10 representing the sons of Uzziel were Amminadab the leader and 112 of his relatives.
11 So David summoned the priests Zadok and Abiathar and the Levites Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel, and Amminadab. 12 He said to them, “You are the leading fathers of the descendants of Levi. Consecrate yourselves, you and your brothers. Bring up the Ark of the Lord, the God of Israel, to the place prepared for it, 13 because the first time, when you were not there, the Lord our God burst out against us, because we did not inquire about and follow the proper procedures.”
14 The priests and the Levites consecrated themselves to bring up the Ark of the Lord, the God of Israel. 15 The descendants of Levi carried the Ark of God with poles on their shoulders, as Moses had commanded according to the word of the Lord. 16 David told the leading officials of the Levites to appoint their brother Levites as singers with musical instruments, harps, lyres, and cymbals, to raise their voices for the people to hear with joy.
17 The Levites appointed Heman son of Joel, and from the Levites closely related to him they appointed Asaph son of Berekiah, and from their relatives who were the descendants of Merari they appointed Ethan son of Kushaiah.
18 Their brother Levites assigned to serve with them on the second level were Zechariah,[ai] Ja’aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Ma’aseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, and Mikneiah, and Obed Edom and Jeiel, the gatekeepers.[aj]
19 Also appointed were the singers Heman, Asaph, and Ethan, to sound the bronze cymbals,
20 Zechariah, Aziel,[ak] Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Ma’aseiah, and Benaiah, to play the harps according to alamoth,
21 and Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed Edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah with lyres, to lead according to sheminith.[al]
22 Kenaniah was musical leader of the Levites, directing the music because he had the skill.
23 Berekiah and Elkanah were gatekeepers for the Ark.
24 The priests Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah, and Eliezer were directed to blow trumpets before the Ark of God.
Obed Edom and Jehiah were also gatekeepers for the Ark.
25 David, the elders of Israel, and the leaders of the units of a thousand were going to bring up the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord from the house of Obed Edom. They were celebrating as they went, 26 because God was helping the Levites who were carrying the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord. They sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams. 27 David was clothed with a fine linen robe, as were all of the Levites who were carrying the ark, the singers, and Kenaniah, the choir director for the singers. David was wearing a special linen vest.[am]
28 All Israel brought up the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord with shouts, with the sound of the ram’s horn, trumpets, and cymbals, and with music on harps and lyres. 29 When the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord came to the City of David, Michal, the daughter of Saul, looked out through the window. She saw King David dancing and celebrating, and she despised him in her heart.
16 They brought the Ark of God and set it inside the tent that David had pitched for it. They offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings[an] before God. 2 When David had finished offering the burnt offerings and the fellowship offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord. 3 He distributed to each and every Israelite man and woman a loaf of bread, a cake of dates,[ao] and a cake of raisins.
4 He designated the following individuals from the Levites to serve before the Ark of the Lord by remembering, thanking, and praising the Lord, the God of Israel:
5 Asaph was the leader. Zechariah was directly under him.
Jeiel,[ap] Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed Edom, and Jeiel were to play music on harps and lyres.
Asaph was sounding the cymbals.
6 Benaiah and Jahaziel, the priests with trumpets, were to be continually before the Ark of the Covenant of God.
The Psalm of Thanks[aq]
7 On that day David first gave the directive to give thanks to the Lord through the ministry of Asaph and his associates:
8 Give thanks to the Lord.
Call on his name.
Make known his deeds among the peoples.
9 Sing to him.
Make music to him.
Tell about all his wonderful acts.[ar]
10 Praise his holy name.
The hearts of those who seek the Lord will rejoice.
11 Seek the Lord and his strength.
Seek his presence continually.
12 Remember his wonderful acts, his signs,
and the judgments from his mouth,
13 you descendants[as] of Israel, his servant,
you sons of Jacob, his chosen ones.
14 He is the Lord our God.
His judgments are in all the earth.
15 Remember his covenant forever,
a word he commanded for a thousand generations,
16 his covenant which he made with Abraham,
which was his sworn promise to Isaac.
17 He confirmed it to Jacob as a statute for Israel,
an everlasting covenant.
18 He said, “To you I will give the land of Canaan
as a portion for your inheritance,
19 even though your numbers are small,
and you are insignificant,
and you are living in it as aliens.”
20 They were wandering from nation to nation
and from one kingdom to another people.
21 Yet he did not permit anyone to oppress them.
He rebuked kings on their account:
22 “You must not touch my anointed ones.
Against my prophets you must do no harm.”
23 Sing to the Lord, all the earth.
Proclaim the good news of his salvation from day to day.
24 Declare his glory among the nations,
his wonderful acts among all the peoples,
25 for great is the Lord and greatly to be praised.
He is to be feared above all gods.
26 For all the gods of the peoples are not gods at all.[at]
But the Lord made the heavens.
27 Honor and majesty are before him.
Strength and joy are in his place.
28 Ascribe to the Lord, you families of the peoples.
Ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
29 Ascribe to the Lord the glory of his name.
Bring an offering and come before him.
Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness.
30 Tremble before him, all the earth.
Surely the world stands firm.
It shall never be overthrown.
31 The heavens will be glad.[au]
The earth will rejoice.
They will say among the nations, “The Lord reigns.”
32 The sea and everything that fills it will roar.
The fields and everything in them will celebrate.
33 The trees of the forest will sing for joy before the Lord,
for he is coming to judge the earth.
34 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
for his mercy endures forever.
35 Say, “Save us, O God of our salvation.
Gather us and save us from the nations,
to give thanks to your holy name,
to glorify you by praising you.”
36 Blessed is the Lord, the God of Israel,
from everlasting to everlasting.
Then all the people said “Amen” and praised the Lord.
37 David left Asaph and his relatives there before the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord, to minister before the Ark continually, to do whatever was needed each day, 38 along with Obed Edom and sixty-eight relatives. Obed Edom son of Jeduthun and Hosah served as gatekeepers.
39 Zadok the priest and his fellow priests were assigned to the Tent of the Lord at the high place in Gibeon, 40 to present burnt offerings to the Lord upon the altar for burnt offerings regularly, morning and evening, according to everything written in the Law of the Lord, which he commanded Israel.
41 With them were Heman, Jeduthun, and the rest of those chosen and designated by name to give thanks to the Lord, because his mercy endures forever.
42 With them were Heman and Jeduthun to make music to God with trumpets, cymbals, and musical instruments. The descendants of Jeduthun were assigned to the gate.
43 Then all the people departed, each to his own house, and David returned to bless his house.
The Lord’s Covenant With David
17 After David was living in his own house, he said to Nathan the prophet, “Look! I am living in a house of cedar, but the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord sits under tent curtains.”
2 Nathan said to David, “Do everything that is in your heart, because God is with you.”
3 But that night the word of God came to Nathan. 4 “Go and tell David my servant these things.”
This is what the Lord says. You will not be the one to build a house for me to live in, 5 for I have not lived in a house from the day when I caused Israel to go up from Egypt until this day, but I have been in a moving tent as my dwelling place.[av] 6 In all my traveling about with all the Israelites, did I ever speak a word with one of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people, or ask, “Why have you not built a house of cedar for me?”
7 Now you are also to say the following to my servant David:
This is what the Lord of Armies says. I took you from the pastures, from following the sheep, to be ruler over my people Israel. 8 I have been with you wherever you went. I have cut off all your enemies before you. I will make a reputation for you like the reputation of the great ones in the earth. 9 I will establish a place for my people Israel, and I will plant them there. They will dwell there, and they will not be disturbed anymore. I will not allow wicked men to devastate them again as I did in the beginning, 10 and as it happened during the times when I commanded judges over my people Israel, but I will subdue all your enemies.
I declare to you that the Lord will build a house for you. 11 When your days are completed, you will go to be with your fathers. I will raise up your seed[aw] after you from among your sons, and I will establish his kingdom. 12 He will build a house for me. I will establish his throne forever. 13 I will be his father, and he will be my son. My mercy I will not take away from him as I took it from the one who was before you. 14 I will cause him to stand in my house and in my kingdom forever. His throne will be established forever.
15 Nathan told David all the words that had been revealed in this vision.
David’s Response to the Covenant
16 Then King David went and sat before the Lord and said:
Who am I, Lord God, and what is my house that you have brought me to this point? 17 Yet this was a small thing in your eyes, God! You have spoken about the house of your servant for a long time into the future. You have revealed to me the course for the man who will arise, Lord God.[ax]
18 What more can David add to you for honoring your servant? You know your servant.
19 Lord, for the sake of your servant and according to the plan of your heart, you have carried out this great thing by making known all these great promises. 20 Lord, there is none like you, and there is no God besides you, as is apparent from everything which our ears have heard.
21 Who is like your people Israel? It is the one nation on earth for whom God went out to redeem a people to himself, to make for yourself a great name, by doing great and awe-inspiring things in order to drive out nations in front of your people, whom you redeemed from Egypt. 22 You adopted Israel as your people forever. You, O Lord, became their God.
23 Now, Lord, the word which you have spoken about your servant and about his house will stand firm forever. Do as you have spoken. 24 It will stand firm. Your name will be great forever. It will be said: The Lord of Armies is the God of Israel.[ay] The house of David your servant will be established before you.
25 For you, my God, have whispered into the ear[az] of your servant that you would build a house for him. That is why your servant has dared to pray before you. 26 Now, Lord, you are God and have said these good things concerning your servant. 27 Now you have been pleased to bless the house of your servant to be forever before you. For what you, Lord, have blessed is blessed forever.
David’s Wars
18 After this David defeated the Philistines. He subdued them and took Gath and its villages from the control of the Philistines.
2 He defeated Moab, so the Moabites became subjects of David and paid tribute.
3 David also defeated Hadadezer king of Zobah, as he was on his way to Hamath to establish control[ba] at the river Euphrates. 4 David took from him one thousand chariots, seven thousand charioteers,[bb] and twenty thousand foot soldiers. He hamstrung all the chariot horses but left enough for one hundred chariots. 5 Arameans from Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, but David killed twenty-two thousand men in Aram. 6 David placed garrisons in Damascus in Aram. So the Arameans became subject to David and paid tribute.
The Lord gave victory to David everywhere.
7 David took the gold shields which belonged to the officials of Hadadezer and brought them to Jerusalem. 8 From Tibhath and Kun,[bc] cities of Hadadezer, David took huge amounts of bronze. With it Solomon later made the sea, the pillars, and the bronze vessels.
9 Tou[bd] king of Hamath heard that David had defeated the entire army of Hadadezer king of Zobah. 10 He sent his son Hadoram[be] to King David to ask for peace with him and to bless him, because he had fought against and defeated Hadadezer, who had been at war with Tou. He sent all kinds of articles of gold, silver, and bronze.
11 King David dedicated these to the Lord, along with the silver and gold which he had carried off from all the nations, from Edom, Moab, Ammon, the Philistines, and Amalek.
12 Abishai son of Zeruiah killed eighteen thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt. 13 He placed garrisons in Edom. All Edom was subject to David.
The Lord gave victory to David everywhere he went.
14 David was king over all Israel, and he treated his people with justice and fairness.
David’s Officials
15 Joab son of Zeruiah was over the army.
Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the record keeper.[bf]
16 Zadok son of Ahitub and Ahimelek son of Abiathar were the priests.
Shavsha[bg] was the secretary.
17 Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Kerethites and the Pelethites.
The sons of David were chief advisors at the side of the king.
David and the Ammonites
19 After this, Nahash king of the Ammonites died, and his son became king in his place.
2 David said, “I will show kindness to Hanun son of Nahash, just as his father showed kindness to me.” David sent messengers to comfort him concerning his father.
But when David’s officials came to the land of the Ammonites to console Hanun, 3 the officers of the Ammonites said to Hanun, “Do you really think David is honoring your father because he has sent messengers to express sympathy to you? Haven’t his officials come to you as scouts to spy on the land and to overthrow it?”
4 So Hanun seized David’s officials, shaved them, and cut off their clothing up to the middle of their buttocks and sent them away.
5 After they were sent on their way, David received a report about these men. David sent messengers to meet them, for the men were deeply humiliated. The king said, “Stay in Jericho until your beards have grown, and then return.”
6 The Ammonites saw that they had made themselves a disgusting stench to David. Hanun and the Ammonites sent a thousand talents[bh] of silver to hire chariots and charioteers for themselves from Aram of the Two Rivers, from Aram Ma’akah, and from Zobah. 7 They hired thirty-two thousand chariots, the king of Ma’akah, and his troops. They came and set up camp in front of Medeba. The Ammonites were called together from their cities, and they came for battle.
8 When David heard about this, he deployed Joab and the entire army of powerful warriors. 9 The Ammonites came out and lined up in battle formation in front of the entrance to the city. The kings who had come from Aram were lined up by themselves in the open country.
10 Joab saw that the battle lines were drawn up against him both in front of him and behind him, so he chose some of the best troops of Israel and deployed them to confront the Arameans. 11 The rest of the army he put under the command of his brother Abishai. They were deployed to confront the Ammonites.
12 He said, “If Aram is too strong for me, you will come to my rescue, and if the Ammonites are too strong for you, I will rescue you. 13 Be strong and act courageously for our people and for the cities of our God. The Lord will do what is good in his eyes.”
14 Joab and the people who were with him confronted the Arameans in the battle, and the Arameans fled from him.
15 When the Ammonites saw that the Arameans had fled, they also fled from Joab’s brother Abishai and entered the city. Joab returned to Jerusalem.
16 When the Arameans saw that they had been defeated, they sent messengers and summoned the Arameans who were from beyond the Euphrates. Shophak[bi] the commander of the army of Hadadezer was leading them.
17 This was reported to David, so he gathered all Israel and crossed the Jordan. He came upon them and deployed for battle against them. David deployed for battle to engage Aram, and they fought against each other.
18 The Arameans fled from Israel. David killed seven thousand Aramean charioteers and forty thousand foot soldiers.[bj] He also killed Shophak the commander of the army.
19 The kings subject to[bk] Hadadezer saw that they were defeated by Israel. They made peace with David and became subject to him. Then Aram was not willing to rescue the Ammonites anymore.
20 When springtime arrived, the time when kings go out to war, Joab led out the army, ravaged the land of the Ammonites, and besieged Rabbah. David remained in Jerusalem. Joab attacked Rabbah and pulled it down.
2 David took the gold crown of their king[bl] from his head. It weighed seventy-five pounds[bm] and had a precious stone in it. It was placed on[bn] David’s head. He brought out large amounts of plunder from the city. 3 He brought out the people who were in the city. He put them to work with saws, iron picks, and axes.[bo] David did the same to all the cities of the Ammonites. Then David and all the troops returned to Jerusalem.
War With the Philistines
4 After this, war arose at Gezer[bp] with the Philistines. Then Sibbecai the Hushathite killed Sippai,[bq] one of the descendants of Rapha the giant,[br] and the Philistines were subdued.
5 There was another battle with the Philistines. Elhanan, the son of Jair, killed Lahmi, the brother of Goliath the Gittite. The shaft of his spear was like a weaver’s beam.
6 There was another battle, this time at Gath. There was a very tall man who had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot, twenty-four digits in all. He also was descended from Rapha the giant.[bs] 7 He taunted Israel, but Jonathan, the son of Shimeah, David’s brother, killed him. 8 These were descended from the giant in Gath. They fell by the hand of David and the men who served him.
David’s Census
21 Satan stood up against Israel and incited David to count Israel. 2 David said to Joab and to the officers of the army, “Go, count Israel from Beersheba to Dan. Let me know how many they are.”
3 Joab said, “The Lord will multiply his people a hundred times. Are not all of them your servants, my lord the king? Why does my lord want to do this? Why should there be guilt upon Israel?”
4 But the word of the king overruled Joab.
Joab went throughout all Israel and came back to Jerusalem. 5 He reported the total number of the people to David: In all Israel there were one million one hundred thousand men who could draw the sword, including four hundred seventy thousand from Judah who could draw the sword. 6 He did not include Levi and Benjamin in the census because the king’s directive was offensive to Joab. 7 This action was also evil in the eyes of God, so he struck Israel.
8 David said to God, “I have sinned greatly by doing this. Please forgive the guilt of your servant, for I have acted very foolishly.”
9 The Lord said to Gad, David’s seer, 10 “Go tell David this is what the Lord has said. I am offering you three choices. Choose one of them for yourself, and I will impose it on you.”
11 So Gad came to David and said to him, “This is what the Lord says. Choose one of these for yourself: 12 either three years of famine, or three months of devastation in which you are overwhelmed by the sword of your enemies, or three days of the sword of the Lord bringing plague on the land, with the angel of the Lord causing destruction throughout all the territory of Israel. Now decide what answer I should take back to the one who sent me with this directive.”
13 David said to Gad, “This puts me in a difficult position. Please let me fall into the hand of the Lord, because his compassion is very great. But do not let me fall into the hands of man.”
14 The Lord caused a plague[bt] in Israel. Seventy thousand men from Israel fell. 15 God sent an angel to Jerusalem to destroy it. The Lord saw the destruction, and he relented from this devastation. He said to the destroying angel, “Enough. Hold back your hand.”
The angel of the Lord was standing by the threshing floor of Ornan[bu] the Jebusite.
16 David looked up and saw the angel of the Lord standing between the earth and the heavens, with his sword drawn in his hand and stretched out over Jerusalem. David and the elders, who were clothed in sackcloth, fell on their faces. 17 David said to God, “Look, I am the one who said to count the people. I am the one who has sinned and acted very wickedly. But these sheep! What have they done, O Lord my God? Please let your hand be on me and on the house of my father. But not a plague on your people!”
18 The angel of the Lord told Gad to tell David to go and set up an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite. 19 David went up according to the directive from Gad, which he had spoken in the name of the Lord.
20 While Ornan was threshing wheat, he turned and saw the angel. Ornan and his four sons hid themselves.
David Builds an Altar
21 As David approached Ornan, Ornan looked up and saw David. He went out from the threshing floor and bowed to David with his face to the ground. 22 David said to Ornan, “Give me the site of the threshing floor. I will build an altar to the Lord on it. You will give it to me for full price, and the plague will be averted from the people.”
23 Ornan said to David, “Take it for yourself. My lord the king may do what is good in his eyes. Look here. I have given the oxen for burnt offerings, the threshing sledges for the wood, and the wheat for the grain offering. I have given everything.”
24 David said to Ornan, “No. I am determined to buy it for the full price, because I will not take what belongs to you for the Lord and for burnt offerings without paying for it.”
25 So David weighed out six hundred shekels[bv] of gold to Ornan for the site.
26 Then David built an altar to the Lord there, and he offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. He called to the Lord, and the Lord answered him with fire from heaven upon the altar for burnt offerings. 27 The Lord spoke to the angel. The angel put his sword back into its sheath.
28 At that time, when David saw the Lord had answered him on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite, he sacrificed there.
29 The Dwelling for the Lord, which Moses had made in the wilderness, and the altar of burnt offering at that time were at the high place at Gibeon. 30 David was not able to go before it to seek answers from God because he was afraid of the sword of the angel of the Lord.
Plans for the Temple
22 Then David said, “This is the place for the House of the Lord God and for the altar for burnt offerings for Israel.” 2 David said to gather together the aliens who were residents in the land of Israel. He lined up stonecutters to prepare trimmed stones for building the house for God. 3 He provided a large amount of iron for making nails for the doors of the gates, and he provided so much bronze for the fittings[bw] that it was not weighed. 4 He provided cedar logs beyond number because the Sidonians and Tyrians brought a large supply of cedar logs to David.
5 David said, “My son Solomon is young and inexperienced. The house to be built for the Lord will make his name very great and give him glory in all the lands. Therefore, I will make preparations for it.” So David completed many of the preparations before his death. 6 He summoned his son Solomon and commanded him to build a house for the Lord, the God of Israel.
7 David said to Solomon:
My son, I had it in my heart to build a house for the name of the Lord my God. 8 But this word of the Lord was laid upon me: “You have shed much blood. You have waged great wars. You will not build a house for my name because of the great amount of blood you have shed on the earth in my presence. 9 You see, a son has been born to you. He will be a man of peace. To him I will give peace from all the enemies around him. Solomon will be his name. I will bestow peace and quiet upon Israel in his days. 10 He will build a house for my name. He will be my son. I will be his father. I will establish the throne of his kingdom in Israel forever.”
11 Now, my son, the Lord will be with you. You will succeed. You will build the house for the Lord your God, as he has said about you. 12 The Lord will give you discretion and understanding. He will give you orders about Israel and about how to keep the Law of the Lord your God. 13 You will prosper if you will continue to carry out the statutes and the judgments that the Lord commanded Moses for Israel. Be strong and be courageous. Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed.
14 Look! With great effort I have provided one hundred thousand talents[bx] of gold for the House of the Lord, a million talents of silver, and too much bronze and iron to be weighed. I have provided lumber and stones. You may add to what I have provided. 15 There are plenty of laborers available to you, namely, stonecutters, masons, and wood workers, and those capable in all kinds of crafts, 16 also workers with gold, silver, bronze, and iron, too many to count. Get up and do it. The Lord will be with you.
17 David commanded all the officials and officers of Israel to help his son Solomon. He said:
18 Is not the Lord your God with you? He has given you peace on all sides by giving the inhabitants of the land into my hand. The land has been subdued before the Lord and before his people. 19 Now devote your hearts and your minds to seek the Lord your God. Get up and build the holy place for the Lord God, in order to bring the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord and the holy vessels of God into the house built for the name of the Lord.
David Organizes the Levites
23 When David was old and had lived a long life, he made his son Solomon king over Israel. 2 He gathered together all the officials and officers of Israel, along with the priests and the Levites. 3 The Levites who were thirty years old and over were counted, and their total number, man by man,[by] was thirty-eight thousand. 4 David said, “Of these, twenty-four thousand are to oversee the work of the Lord’s house, six thousand are to be officers and judges, 5 four thousand are to be gatekeepers, and four thousand are to praise the Lord with the musical instruments that I made for giving praise.”
David’s Divisions of the Levites
6 David assigned them to divisions based on their descent from the sons of Levi, namely, Gershon,[bz] Kohath, and Merari.
Divisions of the Gershonites
7 The Gershonites were descended from Ladan and Shimei.
8 The sons of Ladan were Jehiel, who was the head, then Zetham[ca] and Joel, three in all.
9 The sons of Shimei[cb] were Shelomoth, Haziel, and Haran, three in all. These were the heads of the fathers’ households of Ladan.
10 The sons of Shimei were Jahath, Ziza,[cc] Jeush, and Beriah. These four were the sons of Shimei. 11 Jahath was the chief, and Zizah the second, but Jeush and Beriah did not have many sons. That is why they were counted as only one father’s house.[cd]
Divisions of the Kohathites
12 The sons of Kohath were Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel, four in all.
Descendants of Amram
13 The sons of Amram were Aaron and Moses.
Aaron was set apart to consecrate the most holy things. He and his sons received a permanent assignment to burn incense before the Lord, to minister to him, and to bless his name forever.
14 The sons of Moses, the man of God, however, were classified along with the rest of the tribe of Levi. 15 The sons of Moses were Gershom and Eliezer.
16 The son of Gershom was Shebuel the head.
17 The son of Eliezer was Rehabiah the head.
Eliezer had no other sons, but Rehabiah had very many sons.
Descendants of Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel
18 The son of Izhar was Shelomith the head.
19 The sons of Hebron were Jeriah the head, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, and Jekameam the fourth.
20 The sons of Uzziel were Micah the head, and Ishiah the second.
Divisions of the Merarites
21 The sons of Merari were Mahli and Mushi.
The sons of Mahli were Eleazar and Kish. 22 Eleazar died, and he had no sons but only daughters, so their cousins the sons of Kish took them as wives.
23 The sons of Mushi were Mahli, Eder, and Jeremoth, three in all.
24 These were the descendants of Levi who were registered by their fathers’ houses. They were listed under the heads of their fathers’ houses. All those twenty years old and older were counted man by man and registered by name to perform the work for the service of the Lord’s house. 25 For David had said, “The Lord, the God of Israel, has given rest to his people, and he dwells in Jerusalem forever, 26 so the Levites will no longer need to carry the Dwelling and all the vessels and utensils for its service.”
27 So according to the last directions given by David, the descendants of Levi twenty years old and older were counted. 28 Their work was to assist the descendants of Aaron in the service of the Lord’s house, in the courtyards, in the storage rooms, and in the purification of all the holy things, that is, in all the work of the service of God’s house. 29 Their responsibilities included the bread that was to be set out and the fine flour for the grain offerings (whether for unleavened wafers, or for offerings baked in a pan, or those soaked in oil). They also did all of the measuring and mixing.
30 They also were to stand and thank and praise the Lord every morning, and likewise in the evening, 31 and to offer all burnt offerings to the Lord on the sabbaths, on the new moons, and on the prescribed festivals. They were to serve continually before the Lord, in the number specified by the regulations, 32 so that they would diligently carry out their duties for the Tent of Meeting, their duties for the Holy Place, and their duties with their brothers, the descendants of Aaron, for the service of the Lord’s house.
The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.