Historical
David Plans to Build the Temple(A)
7 After the king had settled down in his palace and the Lord had given him respite from all of his surrounding enemies, 2 he[a] told the prophet Nathan, “Look now, I’m living in a cedar palace, but the Ark of God resides behind[b] a tent[c] curtain.”
3 Nathan replied to the king, “Go do everything you have in mind,[d] because the Lord is with you.”
4 But later that same night, this message came to Nathan from the Lord:
5 “Go tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord says:
“‘“Are you going to build a house[e] for me to inhabit? 6 After all, I haven’t lived in a house since the day I brought up the Israelis from Egypt until now. Instead, I’ve moved around in a tent that served as my[f] dwelling place. 7 Wherever I moved among the Israelis, did I ever ask even one tribal leader[g] of Israel whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, ‘Why haven’t you built me a cedar house?’
8 “‘“Now therefore this is what you are to tell my servant David: ‘This is what the Lord of the Heavenly Armies says: “I took you from the pasture myself—from tending sheep—to become Commander-in-Chief[h] over my people, that is, over Israel.
9 “‘“Furthermore, I have remained with you everywhere you have gone, annihilating all your enemies right in front of you. I will make a great reputation[i] for you, like the reputation[j] of great ones who have lived on[k] earth. 10 I will establish a homeland[l] for my people—for Israel—planting them so they may live in a secure location where they will never be disturbed anymore. Wicked people[m] will no longer afflict them, as happened in the past 11 when I had commanded judges to administer[n] my people Israel. I’ll also grant you relief from all your enemies.”’
“‘The Lord also announces to you: “The Lord will himself build a house[o] for you. 12 When your life[p] is complete and you go to join[q] your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring[r] after you, who will come forth from your body,[s] and I will fortify his kingdom. 13 He will build a Temple dedicated to my Name, and I will make the throne of his kingdom last forever. 14 I will be a father to him, and he will be to me a son who, when he commits iniquity, I will discipline with the rod wielded by armies[t] and with wounds inflicted by human beings.[u] 15 But I’ll never remove my gracious love from him as I did from Saul, whom I removed from your presence. 16 Your dynasty and your kingdom will remain forever in my presence—your throne will be secure forever.”’”
17 Nathan communicated this complete oracle to David with precisely these words.
David’s Prayer(B)
18 Then King David went in to the presence of the Lord, sat down, and said:
“Who am I, Lord God, and what is my family,[v] that you have brought me to this? 19 And this is still a small thing to you, Lord God—you also have spoken about the future of your servant’s house, and this is the charter[w] for mankind, O Lord God!
20 “What more can David say to you, and you surely know your servant, Lord God. 21 For the sake of your word and consistent with your desire,[x] you have done all of these great things, informing your servant. 22 And therefore you are great, Lord God, there is no one like you, there is no God except for you, just as we’ve heard with our own ears.
23 “And who is like your people, like Israel, the one nation on earth that God went out to redeem as a people for himself, to make a name for himself, and to carry out for them great and awe-inspiring accomplishments, driving out nations and their gods in front of your people, whom you redeemed to yourself from Egypt? 24 You have prepared your people Israel to be your very own people for ever, and you, Lord, have become their God!
25 “And now, Lord God, let what you have spoken concerning your servant and his household be done—and let it be done just as you’ve promised. 26 May your name be made great forever with the result that it is said that the Lord of the Heavenly Armies is God over Israel, and that the household of your servant David may be established before you. 27 For you, Lord of the Heavenly Armies, the God of Israel, have revealed this to your servant, telling him, ‘I will build a dynasty for you,’ so that your servant has found fortitude[y] to pray this prayer to you.
28 “Now therefore, Lord God, you are God, and your words are true, and you have spoken to your servant these good things. 29 So may it please you to bless the household of your servant, so that it might remain forever in your presence, because you, Lord God, have spoken, and from your blessing may the household of your servant be blessed forever.”
David’s Military Victories(C)
8 Sometime later, David defeated and subdued the Philistines, taking Metheg-ammah away from the Philistines. 2 David also conquered Moab, then measured them with a cord, making them lie down on the ground. He executed everyone measured out in each two lengths’ measurement of the cord, but spared the ones measured out by every third length. Then the Moabites were placed under servitude to David, and made to pay tribute.
3 David also attacked King Hadadezer, Rehob’s son from Zobah, when he was attempting to restore his hegemony[z] over the Euphrates[aa] River. 4 David captured 1,000 of his chariots, 1,700[ab] horsemen, and 20,000 foot soldiers. David hamstrung all the chariot horses except for enough to supply[ac] 100 chariots. 5 When Arameans came from Damascus to help King Hadadezer of Zobah, David killed 22,000 of them. 6 David erected garrisons in the Aramean kingdom of Damascus, placing the Arameans under servitude to him,[ad] and they paid tribute to him. 7 David also confiscated the gold shields that belonged to Hadadezer’s officers and took them to Jerusalem. 8 He[ae] also confiscated a vast quantity of bronze from Betah and Berothai, cities under Hadadezer’s control.
9 When King Tou of Hamath learned that David had conquered the entire army of King Hadadezer of Zobah, 10 Tou sent his son Joram to King David to greet him and congratulate him on his victory over Hadadezer, because he had been at war with Tou. Joram brought articles of silver, gold, and bronze with him, 11 and King David dedicated them to the Lord, along with the silver and gold that had been dedicated from all the nations that he had conquered, 12 including from Edom, Moab, the Ammonites, the Philistines, Amalek, and spoil from King Hadadezer, Rehob’s son from Zobah.
13 David made a name for himself when he returned from killing 18,000 Edomites in the Salt Valley. 14 He erected garrisons throughout Edom, and all the Edomites became subservient to David, while the Lord gave victory to David wherever he went.
David’s Leaders(D)
15 David reigned over all of Israel, administering[af] justice and equity to every one of his people. 16 Zeruiah’s son Joab served in charge of the army, Ahilud’s son Jehoshaphat was his personal archivist,[ag] 17 Ahitub’s son Zadok and Abiathar’s son Ahimelech were priests, Seraiah[ah] was his personal secretary,[ai] 18 Jehoida’s son Benaiah supervised the special forces[aj] and mercenaries,[ak] and David’s sons were priests.[al]
David Shows Kindness to Mephibosheth
9 Later on, David asked, “Is there anyone left alive from Saul’s household to whom I can show gracious love in memory[am] of Jonathan?”
2 A household servant of Saul named Ziba was called to appear before David, and the king asked him, “Are you Ziba?”
“I am your servant,” Ziba replied.
3 At this the king asked, “Isn’t there still someone left from Saul’s household to whom I may show God’s gracious love?”
“There’s Jonathan’s son. He has maimed feet,” Ziba answered.
4 So David asked, “Where is he?”
Ziba responded, “He’s in Lo-debar at the home of Ammiel’s son Makir.”
5 At this, King David sent for him and brought him from the home of Ammiel’s son Makir in Lo-debar. 6 When Mephibosheth, Jonathan’s son and a grandson of Saul, approached David, he threw himself on his face out of respect.
“Mephibosheth!” David said as he greeted him.
“Hello! I am your servant,” he replied.
7 “Don’t be afraid,” David reassured him, “because I’m going to show gracious love to you in memory[an] of your father Jonathan. I’m going to restore to you all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you’ll always have a place[ao] at my table!”
8 Mephibosheth[ap] bowed low again and asked, “Who am I, your servant, that you would pay attention to a dead dog like me?”
9 At this, the king called for Saul’s servant Ziba and told him, “I’m restoring to your master’s grandson everything that belonged to Saul and his family. 10 You and your servants are to farm the land on his behalf and bring in the crops in order to provide for your master’s grandson. Meanwhile, Mephibosheth, your master’s grandson, will always have a place[aq] at my table.” (Now Ziba had fifteen sons and 20 servants.)
11 Later, Ziba told the king, “Your servant will do everything that your majesty the king commands him.” So Mephibosheth ate at David’s table like one of the king’s sons. 12 Mephibosheth fathered a son named Mica, and everyone who lived in Ziba’s house became Mephibosheth’s servants. 13 Mephibosheth continued to live in Jerusalem, always eating at the king’s table, since he was maimed in both feet.
Subjugation of Ammon and Aram(E)
10 Sometime later, the Ammonite king died and his son Hanun succeeded him as king, 2 so David told himself, “I will be loyal to Nahash’s son Hanun, since in his loyalty his father showed gracious love to me.” So David sent a delegation[ar] to Hanun to console him about his loss of[as] his father.
But when David’s delegation arrived in Ammonite territory, 3 the Ammonite officials asked their lord Hanun, “Do you think that because David has sent a delegation of consolers to you that he is honoring your father? His delegation has arrived intending to search, scout the land, and then overthrow it, hasn’t it?” 4 So Hanun arrested David’s delegation, shaved off half of their beards, cut off their clothes at the waist line, and sent them away in disgrace.[at]
5 When David had been informed about the incident,[au] he sent word[av] to them, since the men had been deeply humiliated. The king told them, “Stay at Jericho until your beards have grown back, and then return.”
6 When the Ammonites realized that they had created quite a stink with[aw] David, they hired 20,000 Aramean mercenaries from Beth-rehob and Zobah, along with the king of Maacah and 1,000 men, and 12,000 men from Tob. 7 In response, David sent out Joab and his entire army of elite soldiers. 8 The Ammonites went out in battle formation at the entrance to the city[ax] gate, while the Arameans from Zobah and Rehob, along with the army[ay] from Tob and Maacah, were out by themselves in the open fields.
9 When Joab observed that the battle lines were set up to oppose him both in front and behind, he appointed the best troops in Israel and arrayed them to oppose the Arameans, 10 putting the rest of his forces under the command of his brother Abishai, who arrayed them to oppose the Ammonites. 11 He said, “If the Arameans prove too strong for me, then you are to help me. If the Ammonites prove too strong for you, then I will come help you. 12 Be strong, be courageous on behalf of our people and for the cities of our God, and may the Lord do what he thinks is best.”
13 So Joab and the soldiers who were with him attacked the Arameans in battle formation, and the Arameans retreated in front of him. 14 When the Ammonites saw the Arameans retreating, they also retreated from Abishai back to the city. Then Joab broke off his attack against the Ammonites and went back to Jerusalem. 15 After the Arameans realized that they had been defeated by Israel, they regrouped. 16 Hadadezer sent for the Arameans who lived beyond the Euphrates River,[az] and they set out for Helam, with Shobach[ba] leading them as commander of Hadadezer’s army.
17 When David learned this, he mustered all of Israel, crossed the Jordan River, and approached Helam. The Arameans assembled in battle array to attack David, and started their assault. 18 But the Arameans retreated from Israel, and David’s forces[bb] killed 700 of their charioteers, 40,000 soldiers, and mortally wounded Shobach, the commander of their army. As a result, Shobach[bc] died there. 19 When all the kings who were allied with[bd] Hadadezer saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they sought terms of peace with the Israelis and became subservient to them. Furthermore, the Arameans were afraid to help the Ammonites anymore.
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