Bible in 90 Days Plan

¹Issachar’s sons: Tola, Puah, Jashub, and Shimron — four.

²Tola’s sons: Uzzi, Rephaiah, Jeriel, Jahmai, Ibsam, and Shemuel, the heads of their ancestral families. During David’s reign, 22,600 descendants of Tola were recorded as valiant warriors in their family records.

³Uzzi’s son: Izrahiah. Izrahiah’s sons: Michael, Obadiah, Joel, Isshiah. All five of them were chiefs.

⁴Along with them, they had 36,000 troops for battle according to the family records of their ancestral families, for they had many wives and children.

⁵Their tribesmen who were valiant warriors belonging to all the families of Issachar totaled 87,000 in their genealogies.

⁶Three of Benjamin’s sons: Bela, Becher, and Jediael.

⁷Bela’s sons: Ezbon, Uzzi, Uzziel, Jerimoth, and Iri — five. They were valiant warriors and heads of their ancestral families; 22,034 were listed in their genealogies.

⁸Becher’s sons: Zemirah, Joash, Eliezer, Elioenai, Omri, Jeremoth, Abijah, Anathoth, and Alemeth; all these were Becher’s sons.

⁹Their family records were recorded according to the heads of their ancestral families — 20,200 valiant warriors.

¹⁰Jediael’s son: Bilhan. Bilhan’s sons: Jeush, Benjamin, Ehud, Chenaanah, Zethan, Tarshish, and Ahishahar.

¹¹All these sons of Jediael listed by family heads were valiant warriors; there were 17,200 who could serve in the army.

¹²Shuppim and Huppim were sons of Ir, and the Hushim were the sons of Aher.

¹³Naphtali’s sons: Jahziel, Guni, Jezer, and Shallum — Bilhah’s sons.

¹⁴Manasseh’s sons through his Aramean concubine: Asriel and Machir the father of Gilead.

¹⁵Machir took wives from Huppim and Shuppim. The name of his sister was Maacah. Another descendant was named Zelophehad, but he had only daughters.

¹⁶Machir’s wife Maacah gave birth to a son, and she named him Peresh. His brother was named Sheresh, and his sons were Ulam and Rekem.

¹⁷Ulam’s son: Bedan. These were the sons of Gilead son of Machir, son of Manasseh.

¹⁸His sister Hammolecheth gave birth to Ishhod, Abiezer, and Mahlah.

¹⁹Shemida’s sons: Ahian, Shechem, Likhi, and Aniam.

²⁰Ephraim’s sons: Shuthelah, and his son Bered, his son Tahath, his son Eleadah, his son Tahath,

²¹his son Zabad, his son Shuthelah, also Ezer, and Elead. The men of Gath, born in the land, killed them because they went down to raid their cattle.

²²Their father Ephraim mourned a long time, and his relatives came to comfort him.

²³He slept with his wife, and she conceived and gave birth to a son. So he named him Beriah, because there had been misfortune in his home.

²⁴His daughter was Sheerah, who built Lower and Upper Beth-horon and Uzzen-sheerah,

²⁵his son Rephah, his son Resheph, his son Telah, his son Tahan,

²⁶his son Ladan, his son Ammihud, his son Elishama,

²⁷his son Nun, and his son Joshua.

²⁸Their holdings and settlements were Bethel and its surrounding villages; Naaran to the east, Gezer and its villages to the west, and Shechem and its villages as far as Ayyah and its villages,

²⁹and along the borders of the descendants of Manasseh, Beth-shean, Taanach, Megiddo, and Dor with their surrounding villages. The sons of Joseph son of Israel lived in these towns.

³⁰Asher’s sons: Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, and Beriah, with their sister Serah.

³¹Beriah’s sons: Heber, and Malchiel, who fathered Birzaith.

³²Heber fathered Japhlet, Shomer, and Hotham, with their sister Shua.

³³Japhlet’s sons: Pasach, Bimhal, and Ashvath. These were Japhlet’s sons.

³⁴Shemer’s sons: Ahi, Rohgah, Hubbah, and Aram.

³⁵His brother Helem’s sons: Zophah, Imna, Shelesh, and Amal.

³⁶Zophah’s sons: Suah, Harnepher, Shual, Beri, Imrah,

³⁷Bezer, Hod, Shamma, Shilshah, Ithran, and Beera.

³⁸Jether’s sons: Jephunneh, Pispa, and Ara.

³⁹Ulla’s sons: Arah, Hanniel, and Rizia.

⁴⁰All these were Asher’s descendants. They were the heads of their ancestral families, chosen men, valiant warriors, and chiefs among the leaders. The number of men listed in their genealogies for military service was 26,000.

¹Benjamin fathered Bela, his firstborn; Ashbel was born second, Aharah third,

²Nohah fourth, and Rapha fifth.

³Bela’s sons: Addar, Gera, Abihud,

⁴Abishua, Naaman, Ahoah,

⁵Gera, Shephuphan, and Huram.

⁶These were Ehud’s sons, who were the heads of the families living in Geba and who were deported to Manahath:

⁷Naaman, Ahijah, and Gera. Gera deported them and was the father of Uzza and Ahihud.

⁸Shaharaim had sons in the territory of Moab after he had divorced his wives Hushim and Baara.

⁹His sons by his wife Hodesh: Jobab, Zibia, Mesha, Malcam,

¹⁰Jeuz, Sachia, and Mirmah. These were his sons, family heads.

¹¹He also had sons by Hushim: Abitub and Elpaal.

¹²Elpaal’s sons: Eber, Misham, and Shemed who built Ono and Lod and its surrounding villages,

¹³Beriah and Shema, who were the family heads of Aijalon’s residents and who drove out the residents of Gath,

¹⁴Ahio, Shashak, and Jeremoth.

¹⁵Zebadiah, Arad, Eder,

¹⁶Michael, Ishpah, and Joha were Beriah’s sons.

¹⁷Zebadiah, Meshullam, Hizki, Heber,

¹⁸Ishmerai, Izliah, and Jobab were Elpaal’s sons.

¹⁹Jakim, Zichri, Zabdi,

²⁰Elienai, Zillethai, Eliel,

²¹Adaiah, Beraiah, and Shimrath were Shimei’s sons.

²²Ishpan, Eber, Eliel,

²³Abdon, Zichri, Hanan,

²⁴Hananiah, Elam, Anthothijah,

²⁵Iphdeiah, and Penuel were Shashak’s sons.

²⁶Shamsherai, Shehariah, Athaliah,

²⁷Jaareshiah, Elijah, and Zichri were Jeroham’s sons.

²⁸These were family heads, chiefs according to their family records; they lived in Jerusalem.

²⁹Jeiel fathered Gibeon and lived in Gibeon. His wife’s name was Maacah.

³⁰Abdon was his firstborn son, then Zur, Kish, Baal, Nadab,

³¹Gedor, Ahio, Zecher,

³²and Mikloth who fathered Shimeah. These also lived opposite their relatives in Jerusalem, with their other relatives.

³³Ner fathered Kish, Kish fathered Saul, and Saul fathered Jonathan, Malchishua, Abinadab, and Esh-baal.

³⁴Jonathan’s son was Merib-baal, and Merib-baal fathered Micah.

³⁵Micah’s sons: Pithon, Melech, Tarea, and Ahaz.

³⁶Ahaz fathered Jehoaddah, Jehoaddah fathered Alemeth, Azmaveth, and Zimri, and Zimri fathered Moza.

³⁷Moza fathered Binea. His son was Raphah, his son Elasah, and his son Azel.

³⁸Azel had six sons, and these were their names: Azrikam, Bocheru, Ishmael, Sheariah, Obadiah, and Hanan. All these were Azel’s sons.

³⁹His brother Eshek’s sons: Ulam was his firstborn, Jeush second, and Eliphelet third.

⁴⁰Ulam’s sons were valiant warriors and archers. They had many sons and grandsons — 150 of them. All these were among Benjamin’s sons.

¹All Israel was registered in the genealogies that are written in the Book of the Kings of Israel. But Judah was exiled to Babylon because of their unfaithfulness.

²The first to live in their towns on their own property again were Israelites, priests, Levites, and temple servants.

³These people from the descendants of Judah, Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh settled in Jerusalem:

⁴Uthai son of Ammihud, son of Omri, son of Imri, son of Bani, a descendant of Perez son of Judah;

⁵from the Shilonites: Asaiah the firstborn and his sons;

⁶and from the descendants of Zerah: Jeuel and their relatives — 690 in all.

⁷The Benjaminites: Sallu son of Meshullam, son of Hodaviah, son of Hassenuah;

⁸Ibneiah son of Jeroham; Elah son of Uzzi, son of Michri; Meshullam son of Shephatiah, son of Reuel, son of Ibnijah;

⁹and their relatives according to their family records — 956 in all. All these men were heads of their ancestral families.

¹⁰The priests: Jedaiah; Jehoiarib; Jachin;

¹¹Azariah son of Hilkiah, son of Meshullam, son of Zadok, son of Meraioth, son of Ahitub, the chief official of God’s temple;

¹²Adaiah son of Jeroham, son of Pashhur, son of Malchijah; Maasai son of Adiel, son of Jahzerah, son of Meshullam, son of Meshillemith, son of Immer;

¹³and their relatives, the heads of their ancestral families — 1,760 in all. They were capable men employed in the ministry of God’s temple.

¹⁴The Levites: Shemaiah son of Hasshub, son of Azrikam, son of Hashabiah of the Merarites;

¹⁵Bakbakkar, Heresh, Galal, and Mattaniah, son of Mica, son of Zichri, son of Asaph;

¹⁶Obadiah son of Shemaiah, son of Galal, son of Jeduthun; and Berechiah son of Asa, son of Elkanah who lived in the settlements of the Netophathites.

¹⁷The gatekeepers: Shallum, Akkub, Talmon, Ahiman, and their relatives. Shallum was their chief;

¹⁸he was previously stationed at the King’s Gate on the east side. These were the gatekeepers from the camp of the Levites.

¹⁹Shallum son of Kore, son of Ebiasaph, son of Korah and his relatives from his father’s family, the Korahites, were assigned to guard the thresholds of the tent. Their ancestors had been assigned to the LORD’s camp as guardians of the entrance.

²⁰In earlier times Phinehas son of Eleazar had been their leader, and the LORD was with him.

²¹Zechariah son of Meshelemiah was the gatekeeper at the entrance to the tent of meeting.

²²The total number of those chosen to be gatekeepers at the thresholds was 212. They were registered by genealogy in their settlements. David and the seer Samuel had appointed them to their trusted positions.

²³So they and their sons were assigned as guards to the gates of the LORD’s temple, which had been the tent-temple.

²⁴The gatekeepers were on the four sides: east, west, north, and south.

²⁵Their relatives came from their settlements at fixed times to be with them seven days,

²⁶but the four chief gatekeepers, who were Levites, were entrusted with the rooms and the treasuries of God’s temple.

²⁷They spent the night in the vicinity of God’s temple, because they had guard duty and were in charge of opening it every morning.

²⁸Some of them were in charge of the utensils used in worship. They would count them when they brought them in and when they took them out.

²⁹Others were put in charge of the furnishings and all the utensils of the sanctuary, as well as the fine flour, wine, oil, incense, and spices.

³⁰Some of the priests’ sons mixed the spices.

³¹A Levite called Mattithiah, the firstborn of Shallum the Korahite, was entrusted with baking the bread.

³²Some of the Kohathites’ relatives were responsible for preparing the rows of the Bread of the Presence every Sabbath.

³³The singers, the heads of the Levite families, stayed in the temple chambers and were exempt from other tasks because they were on duty day and night.

³⁴These were the heads of the Levite families, chiefs according to their family records; they lived in Jerusalem.

³⁵Jeiel fathered Gibeon and lived in Gibeon. His wife’s name was Maacah.

³⁶Abdon was his firstborn son, then Zur, Kish, Baal, Ner, Nadab,

³⁷Gedor, Ahio, Zechariah, and Mikloth.

³⁸Mikloth fathered Shimeam. These also lived opposite their relatives in Jerusalem with their other relatives.

³⁹Ner fathered Kish, Kish fathered Saul, and Saul fathered Jonathan, Malchishua, Abinadab, and Esh-baal.

⁴⁰Jonathan’s son was Merib-baal, and Merib-baal fathered Micah.

⁴¹Micah’s sons: Pithon, Melech, Tahrea, and Ahaz.

⁴²Ahaz fathered Jarah; Jarah fathered Alemeth, Azmaveth, and Zimri; Zimri fathered Moza.

⁴³Moza fathered Binea. His son was Rephaiah, his son Elasah, and his son Azel.

⁴⁴Azel had six sons, and these were their names: Azrikam, Bocheru, Ishmael, Sheariah, Obadiah, and Hanan. These were Azel’s sons.

¹The Philistines fought against Israel, and Israel’s men fled from them. Many were killed on Mount Gilboa.

²The Philistines pursued Saul and his sons and killed his sons Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchishua.

³When the battle intensified against Saul, the archers spotted him and severely wounded him.

⁴Then Saul said to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword and run me through with it, or these uncircumcised men will come and torture me.” But his armor-bearer would not do it because he was terrified. Then Saul took his sword and fell on it.

⁵When his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell on his own sword and died.

⁶So Saul and his three sons died — his whole house died together.

⁷When all the men of Israel in the valley saw that the army had fled and that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned their cities and fled. So the Philistines came and settled in them.

⁸The next day when the Philistines came to strip the slain, they found Saul and his sons dead on Mount Gilboa.

⁹They stripped Saul, cut off his head, took his armor, and sent messengers throughout the land of the Philistines to spread the good news to their idols and the people.

¹⁰Then they put his armor in the temple of their gods and hung his skull in the temple of Dagon.

¹¹When all Jabesh-gilead heard of everything the Philistines had done to Saul,

¹²all their brave men set out and retrieved the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons and brought them to Jabesh. They buried their bones under the oak in Jabesh and fasted seven days.

¹³Saul died for his unfaithfulness to the LORD because he did not keep the LORD’s word. He even consulted a medium for guidance,

¹⁴but he did not inquire of the LORD. So the LORD put him to death and turned the kingdom over to David son of Jesse.

¹All Israel came together to David at Hebron and said, “Here we are, your own flesh and blood.

²Even previously when Saul was king, you were leading Israel out to battle and bringing us back. The LORD your God also said to you, ‘You will shepherd my people Israel, and you will be ruler over my people Israel.’”

³So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron. David made a covenant with them at Hebron in the LORD’s presence, and they anointed David king over Israel, in keeping with the LORD’s word through Samuel.

⁴David and all Israel marched to Jerusalem (that is, Jebus); the Jebusites who inhabited the land were there.

⁵The inhabitants of Jebus said to David, “You will never get in here.” Yet David did capture the stronghold of Zion, that is, the city of David.

⁶David said, “Whoever is the first to kill a Jebusite will become chief commander.” Joab son of Zeruiah went up first, so he became the chief.

⁷Then David took up residence in the stronghold; therefore, it was called the city of David.

⁸He built up the city all the way around, from the supporting terraces to the surrounding parts, and Joab restored the rest of the city.

⁹David steadily grew more powerful, and the LORD of Armies was with him.

¹⁰The following were the chiefs of David’s warriors who, together with all Israel, strongly supported him in his reign to make him king according to the LORD’s word about Israel.

¹¹This is the list of David’s warriors: Jashobeam son of Hachmoni was chief of the Thirty; he wielded his spear against three hundred and killed them at one time.

¹²After him, Eleazar son of Dodo the Ahohite was one of the three warriors.

¹³He was with David at Pas-dammim when the Philistines had gathered there for battle. There was a portion of a field full of barley, where the troops had fled from the Philistines.

¹⁴But Eleazar and David took their stand in the middle of the field and defended it. They killed the Philistines, and the LORD gave them a great victory.

¹⁵Three of the thirty chief men went down to David, to the rock at the cave of Adullam, while the Philistine army was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim.

¹⁶At that time David was in the stronghold, and a Philistine garrison was at Bethlehem.

¹⁷David was extremely thirsty and said, “If only someone would bring me water to drink from the well at the city gate of Bethlehem!”

¹⁸So the Three broke through the Philistine camp and drew water from the well at the gate of Bethlehem. They brought it back to David, but he refused to drink it. Instead, he poured it out to the LORD.

¹⁹David said, “I would never do such a thing in the presence of my God! How can I drink the blood of these men who risked their lives?” For they brought it at the risk of their lives. So he would not drink it. Such were the exploits of the three warriors.

²⁰Abishai, Joab’s brother, was the leader of the Three. He raised his spear against three hundred men and killed them, gaining a reputation among the Three.

²¹He was more honored than the Three and became their commander even though he did not become one of the Three.

²²Benaiah son of Jehoiada was the son of a brave man from Kabzeel, a man of many exploits. Benaiah killed two sons of Ariel of Moab, and he went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion.

²³He also killed an Egyptian who was seven and a half feet tall. Even though the Egyptian had a spear in his hand like a weaver’s beam, Benaiah went down to him with a club, snatched the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand, and then killed him with his own spear.

²⁴These were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoiada, who had a reputation among the three warriors.

²⁵He was the most honored of the Thirty, but he did not become one of the Three. David put him in charge of his bodyguard.

²⁶The best soldiers were Joab’s brother Asahel, Elhanan son of Dodo of Bethlehem,

²⁷Shammoth the Harorite, Helez the Pelonite,

²⁸Ira son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, Abiezer the Anathothite,

²⁹Sibbecai the Hushathite, Ilai the Ahohite,

³⁰Maharai the Netophathite, Heled son of Baanah the Netophathite,

³¹Ithai son of Ribai from Gibeah of the Benjaminites, Benaiah the Pirathonite,

³²Hurai from the wadis of Gaash, Abiel the Arbathite,

³³Azmaveth the Baharumite, Eliahba the Shaalbonite,

³⁴the sons of Hashem the Gizonite, Jonathan son of Shagee the Hararite,

³⁵Ahiam son of Sachar the Hararite, Eliphal son of Ur,

³⁶Hepher the Mecherathite, Ahijah the Pelonite,

³⁷Hezro the Carmelite, Naarai son of Ezbai,

³⁸Joel the brother of Nathan, Mibhar son of Hagri,

³⁹Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, the armor-bearer for Joab son of Zeruiah,

⁴⁰Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,

⁴¹Uriah the Hethite, Zabad son of Ahlai,

⁴²Adina son of Shiza the Reubenite, chief of the Reubenites, and thirty with him,

⁴³Hanan son of Maacah, Joshaphat the Mithnite,

⁴⁴Uzzia the Ashterathite, Shama and Jeiel the sons of Hotham the Aroerite,

⁴⁵Jediael son of Shimri and his brother Joha the Tizite,

⁴⁶Eliel the Mahavite, Jeribai and Joshaviah, the sons of Elnaam, Ithmah the Moabite,

⁴⁷Eliel, Obed, and Jaasiel the Mezobaite.

¹The following were the men who came to David at Ziklag while he was still banned from the presence of Saul son of Kish. They were among the warriors who helped him in battle.

²They were archers who could use either the right or left hand, both to sling stones and shoot arrows from a bow. They were Saul’s relatives from Benjamin:

³Their chief was Ahiezer son of Shemaah the Gibeathite. Then there was his brother Joash; Jeziel and Pelet sons of Azmaveth; Beracah, Jehu the Anathothite;

⁴Ishmaiah the Gibeonite, a warrior among the Thirty and a leader over the Thirty; Jeremiah, Jahaziel, Johanan, Jozabad the Gederathite;

⁵Eluzai, Jerimoth, Bealiah, Shemariah, Shephatiah the Haruphite;

⁶Elkanah, Isshiah, Azarel, Joezer, and Jashobeam, the Korahites;

⁷and Joelah and Zebadiah, the sons of Jeroham from Gedor.

⁸Some Gadites defected to David at his stronghold in the desert. They were valiant warriors, trained for battle, expert with shield and spear. Their faces were like the faces of lions, and they were as swift as gazelles on the mountains.

⁹Ezer was the chief, Obadiah second, Eliab third,

¹⁰Mishmannah fourth, Jeremiah fifth,

¹¹Attai sixth, Eliel seventh,

¹²Johanan eighth, Elzabad ninth,

¹³Jeremiah tenth, and Machbannai eleventh.

¹⁴These Gadites were army commanders; the least of them was a match for a hundred, and the greatest of them for a thousand.

¹⁵These are the men who crossed the Jordan in the first month when it was overflowing all its banks, and put to flight all those in the valleys to the east and to the west.

¹⁶Other Benjaminites and men from Judah also went to David at the stronghold.

¹⁷David went out to meet them and said to them, “If you have come in peace to help me, my heart will be united with you, but if you have come to betray me to my enemies even though my hands have done no wrong, may the God of our ancestors look on it and judge.”

¹⁸Then the Spirit enveloped Amasai, chief of the Thirty, and he said: We are yours, David, we are with you, son of Jesse! Peace, peace to you, and peace to him who helps you, for your God helps you. So David received them and made them leaders of his troops.

¹⁹Some Manassites defected to David when he went with the Philistines to fight against Saul. However, they did not help the Philistines because the Philistine rulers sent David away after a discussion. They said, “It will be our heads if he defects to his master Saul.”

²⁰When David went to Ziklag, some men from Manasseh defected to him: Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu, and Zillethai, chiefs of thousands in Manasseh.

²¹They helped David against the raiders, for they were all valiant warriors and commanders in the army.

²²At that time, men came day after day to help David until there was a great army, like an army of God.

²³The numbers of the armed troops who came to David at Hebron to turn Saul’s kingdom over to him, according to the LORD’s word, were as follows:

²⁴From the Judahites: 6,800 armed troops bearing shields and spears.

²⁵From the Simeonites: 7,100 valiant warriors ready for war.

²⁶From the Levites: 4,600

²⁷in addition to Jehoiada, leader of the house of Aaron, with 3,700 men;

²⁸and Zadok, a young valiant warrior, with 22 commanders from his father’s family.

²⁹From the Benjaminites, the relatives of Saul: 3,000 (up to that time the majority of the Benjaminites maintained their allegiance to the house of Saul).

³⁰From the Ephraimites: 20,800 valiant warriors who were famous men in their ancestral families.

³¹From half the tribe of Manasseh: 18,000 designated by name to come and make David king.

³²From the Issacharites, who understood the times and knew what Israel should do: 200 chiefs with all their relatives under their command.

³³From Zebulun: 50,000 who could serve in the army, trained for battle with all kinds of weapons of war, with one purpose to help David.

³⁴From Naphtali: 1,000 commanders accompanied by 37,000 men with shield and spear.

³⁵From the Danites: 28,600 trained for battle.

³⁶From Asher: 40,000 who could serve in the army, trained for battle.

³⁷From across the Jordan — from the Reubenites, Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh: 120,000 men equipped with all the military weapons of war.

³⁸All these warriors, lined up in battle formation, came to Hebron wholeheartedly determined to make David king over all Israel. All the rest of Israel was also of one mind to make David king.

³⁹They spent three days there eating and drinking with David, for their relatives had provided for them.

⁴⁰In addition, their neighbors from as far away as Issachar, Zebulun, and Naphtali came and brought food on donkeys, camels, mules, and oxen — abundant provisions of flour, fig cakes, raisins, wine and oil, herds, and flocks. Indeed, there was joy in Israel.

¹David consulted with all his leaders, the commanders of hundreds and of thousands.

²Then he said to the whole assembly of Israel, “If it seems good to you, and if this is from the LORD our God, let us spread out and send the message to the rest of our relatives in all the districts of Israel, including the priests and Levites in their cities with pasturelands, that they should gather together with us.

³Then let us bring back the ark of our God, for we did not inquire of him in Saul’s days.”

⁴Since the proposal seemed right to all the people, the whole assembly agreed to do it.

⁵So David assembled all Israel, from the Shihor of Egypt to the entrance of Hamath, to bring the ark of God from Kiriath-jearim.

⁶David and all Israel went to Baalah (that is, Kiriath-jearim that belongs to Judah) to take from there the ark of God, which bears the name of the LORD who is enthroned between the cherubim.

⁷At Abinadab’s house they set the ark of God on a new cart. Uzzah and Ahio were guiding the cart.

⁸David and all Israel were dancing with all their might before God with songs and with lyres, harps, tambourines, cymbals, and trumpets.

⁹When they came to Chidon’s threshing floor, Uzzah reached out to hold the ark because the oxen had stumbled.

¹⁰Then the LORD’s anger burned against Uzzah, and he struck him dead because he had reached out to the ark. So he died there in the presence of God.

¹¹David was angry because of the LORD’s outburst against Uzzah, so he named that place Outburst Against Uzzah, as it is still named today.

¹²David feared God that day and said, “How can I ever bring the ark of God to me?”

¹³So David did not bring the ark of God home to the city of David; instead, he diverted it to the house of Obed-edom of Gath.

¹⁴The ark of God remained with Obed-edom’s family in his house for three months, and the LORD blessed his family and all that he had.

¹King Hiram of Tyre sent envoys to David, along with cedar logs, stonemasons, and carpenters to build a palace for him.

²Then David knew that the LORD had established him as king over Israel and that his kingdom had been exalted for the sake of his people Israel.

³David took more wives in Jerusalem, and he became the father of more sons and daughters.

⁴These are the names of the children born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon,

⁵Ibhar, Elishua, Elpelet,

⁶Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia,

⁷Elishama, Beeliada, and Eliphelet.

⁸When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over all Israel, they all went in search of David; when David heard of this, he went out to face them.

⁹Now the Philistines had come and raided in the Valley of Rephaim,

¹⁰so David inquired of God, “Should I attack the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?” The LORD replied, “Attack, and I will hand them over to you.”

¹¹So the Israelites went up to Baal-perazim, and David defeated the Philistines there. Then David said, “Like a bursting flood, God has used me to burst out against my enemies.” Therefore, they named that place The Lord Bursts Out.

¹²The Philistines abandoned their idols there, and David ordered that they be burned in the fire.

¹³Once again the Philistines raided in the valley.

¹⁴So David again inquired of God, and God answered him, “Do not pursue them directly. Circle around them and attack them opposite the balsam trees.

¹⁵When you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, then go out to battle, for God will have gone out ahead of you to strike down the army of the Philistines.”

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

¹⁷Then David’s fame spread throughout the lands, and the LORD caused all the nations to be terrified of him.

¹David built houses for himself in the city of David, and he prepared a place for the ark of God and pitched a tent for it.

²Then David said, “No one but the Levites may carry the ark of God, because the LORD has chosen them to carry the ark of the LORD and to minister before him forever.”

³David assembled all Israel at Jerusalem to bring the ark of the LORD to the place he had prepared for it.

⁴[4a] Then he gathered together the descendants of Aaron and the Levites:

⁵From the Kohathites, Uriel the leader and 120 of his relatives;

⁶from the Merarites, Asaiah the leader and 220 of his relatives;

⁷from the Gershomites, Joel the leader and 130 of his relatives;

⁸from the Elizaphanites, Shemaiah the leader and 200 of his relatives;

⁹from the Hebronites, Eliel the leader and 80 of his relatives;

¹⁰from the Uzzielites, Amminadab the leader and 112 of his relatives.

¹¹David summoned the priests Zadok and Abiathar and the Levites Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel, and Amminadab.

¹²He said to them, “You are the heads of the Levite families. You and your relatives must consecrate yourselves so that you may bring the ark of the LORD God of Israel to the place I have prepared for it.

¹³For the LORD our God burst out in anger against us because you Levites were not with us the first time, for we didn’t inquire of him about the proper procedures.”

¹⁴So the priests and the Levites consecrated themselves to bring up the ark of the LORD God of Israel.

¹⁵Then the Levites carried the ark of God the way Moses had commanded according to the word of the LORD: on their shoulders with the poles.

¹⁶Then David told the leaders of the Levites to appoint their relatives as singers and to have them raise their voices with joy accompanied by musical instruments — harps, lyres, and cymbals.

¹⁷So the Levites appointed Heman son of Joel; from his relatives, Asaph son of Berechiah; and from their relatives the Merarites, Ethan son of Kushaiah.

¹⁸With them were their relatives second in rank: Zechariah, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, and the gatekeepers Obed-edom and Jeiel.

¹⁹The singers Heman, Asaph, and Ethan were to sound the bronze cymbals;

²⁰Zechariah, Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah, and Benaiah were to play harps according to Alamoth

²¹and Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah were to lead the music with lyres according to the Sheminith.

²²Chenaniah, the leader of the Levites in music, was to direct the music because he was skillful.

²³Berechiah and Elkanah were to be gatekeepers for the ark.

²⁴The priests, Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah, and Eliezer, were to blow trumpets before the ark of God. Obed-edom and Jehiah were also to be gatekeepers for the ark.

²⁵David, the elders of Israel, and the commanders of thousands went with rejoicing to bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD from the house of Obed-edom.

²⁶Because God helped the Levites who were carrying the ark of the covenant of the LORD, with God’s help, they sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams.

²⁷Now David was dressed in a robe of fine linen, as were all the Levites who were carrying the ark, as well as the singers and Chenaniah, the music leader of the singers. David also wore a linen ephod.

²⁸So all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the LORD with shouts, the sound of the ram’s horn, trumpets, and cymbals, and the playing of harps and lyres.

²⁹As the ark of the covenant of the LORD was entering the city of David, Saul’s daughter Michal looked down from the window and saw King David leaping and dancing, and she despised him in her heart.

¹They brought the ark of God and placed it inside the tent David had pitched for it. Then they offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings in God’s presence.

²When David had finished offering the burnt offerings and the fellowship offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD.

³Then he distributed to each and every Israelite, both men and women, a loaf of bread, a date cake, and a raisin cake.

⁴David appointed some of the Levites to be ministers before the ark of the LORD, to celebrate the LORD God of Israel, and to give thanks and praise to him.

⁵Asaph was the chief and Zechariah was second to him. Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-edom, and Jeiel played the harps and lyres, while Asaph sounded the cymbals

⁶and the priests Benaiah and Jahaziel blew the trumpets regularly before the ark of the covenant of God.

⁷On that day David decreed for the first time that thanks be given to the LORD by Asaph and his relatives:

⁸Give thanks to the LORD; call on his name; proclaim his deeds among the peoples.

⁹Sing to him; sing praise to him; tell about all his wondrous works!

¹⁰Honor his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice.

¹¹Seek the LORD and his strength; seek his face always.

¹²Remember the wondrous works he has done, his wonders, and the judgments he has pronounced,

¹³you offspring of Israel his servant, Jacob’s descendants — his chosen ones.

¹⁴He is the LORD our God; his judgments govern the whole earth.

¹⁵Remember his covenant forever — the promise he ordained for a thousand generations,

¹⁶the covenant he made with Abraham, swore to Isaac,

¹⁷and confirmed to Jacob as a decree, and to Israel as a permanent covenant:

¹⁸“I will give the land of Canaan to you as your inherited portion.”

¹⁹When they were few in number, very few indeed, and resident aliens in Canaan

²⁰wandering from nation to nation and from one kingdom to another,

²¹he allowed no one to oppress them; he rebuked kings on their behalf:

²²“Do not touch my anointed ones or harm my prophets.”

²³Let the whole earth sing to the LORD. Proclaim his salvation from day to day.

²⁴Declare his glory among the nations, his wondrous works among all peoples.

²⁵For the LORD is great and highly praised; he is feared above all gods.

²⁶For all the gods of the peoples are idols, but the LORD made the heavens.

²⁷Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and joy are in his place.

²⁸Ascribe to the LORD, families of the peoples, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.

²⁹Ascribe to the LORD the glory of his name; bring an offering and come before him. Worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness;

³⁰let the whole earth tremble before him. The world is firmly established; it cannot be shaken.

³¹Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice, and let them say among the nations, “The LORD reigns!”

³²Let the sea and all that fills it resound; let the fields and everything in them exult.

³³Then the trees of the forest will shout for joy before the LORD, for he is coming to judge the earth.

³⁴Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his faithful love endures forever.

³⁵And say: “Save us, God of our salvation; gather us and rescue us from the nations so that we may give thanks to your holy name and rejoice in your praise.

³⁶Blessed be the LORD God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting.” Then all the people said, “Amen” and “Praise the LORD.”

³⁷So David left Asaph and his relatives there before the ark of the LORD’s covenant to minister regularly before the ark according to the daily requirements.

³⁸He assigned Obed-edom and his sixty-eight relatives. Obed-edom son of Jeduthun and Hosah were to be gatekeepers.

³⁹David left the priest Zadok and his fellow priests before the tabernacle of the LORD at the high place in Gibeon

⁴⁰to offer burnt offerings regularly, morning and evening, to the LORD on the altar of burnt offerings and to do everything that was written in the law of the LORD, which he had commanded Israel to keep.

⁴¹With them were Heman, Jeduthun, and the rest who were chosen and designated by name to give thanks to the LORD  — for his faithful love endures forever.

⁴²Heman and Jeduthun had with them trumpets and cymbals to play and musical instruments of God. Jeduthun’s sons were at the city gate.

⁴³Then all the people went home, and David returned home to bless his household.

¹When David had settled into his palace, he said to the prophet Nathan, “Look! I am living in a cedar house while the ark of the LORD’s covenant is under tent curtains.”

²So Nathan told David, “Do all that is on your mind, for God is with you.”

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

⁴“Go to David my servant and say, ‘This is what the LORD says: You are not the one to build me a house to dwell in.

⁵From the time I brought Israel out of Egypt until today I have not dwelt in a house; instead, I have moved from one tent site to another, and from one tabernacle location to another.

⁶In all my journeys throughout Israel, have I ever spoken a word to even one of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people, asking: Why haven’t you built me a house of cedar? ’

⁷“So now this is what you are to say to my servant David: ‘This is what the LORD of Armies says: I took you from the pasture, from tending the flock, to be ruler over my people Israel.

⁸I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have destroyed all your enemies before you. I will make a name for you like that of the greatest on the earth.

⁹I will designate a place for my people Israel and plant them, so that they may live there and not be disturbed again. Evildoers will not continue to oppress them as they have done

¹⁰ever since the day I ordered judges to be over my people Israel. I will also subdue all your enemies. “‘Furthermore, I declare to you that the LORD himself will build a house for you.

¹¹When your time comes to be with your fathers, I will raise up after you your descendant, who is one of your own sons, and I will establish his kingdom.

¹²He is the one who will build a house for me, and I will establish his throne forever.

¹³I will be his father, and he will be my son. I will not remove my faithful love from him as I removed it from the one who was before you.

¹⁴I will appoint him over my house and my kingdom forever, and his throne will be established forever.’”

¹⁵Nathan reported all these words and this entire vision to David.

¹⁶Then King David went in, sat in the LORD’s presence, and said, Who am I, LORD God, and what is my house that you have brought me this far?

¹⁷This was a little thing to you, God, for you have spoken about your servant’s house in the distant future. You regard me as a man of distinction, LORD God.

¹⁸What more can David say to you for honoring your servant? You know your servant.

¹⁹LORD, you have done this whole great thing, making known all these great promises for the sake of your servant and according to your will.

²⁰LORD, there is no one like you, and there is no God besides you, as all we have heard confirms.

²¹And who is like your people Israel? God, you came to one nation on earth to redeem a people for yourself, to make a name for yourself through great and awesome works by driving out nations before your people you redeemed from Egypt.

²²You made your people Israel your own people forever, and you, LORD, have become their God.

²³Now, LORD, let the word that you have spoken concerning your servant and his house be confirmed forever, and do as you have promised.

²⁴Let your name be confirmed and magnified forever in the saying, “The LORD of Armies, the God of Israel, is God over Israel.” May the house of your servant David be established before you.

²⁵Since you, my God, have revealed to your servant that you will build him a house, your servant has found courage to pray in your presence.

²⁶LORD, you indeed are God, and you have promised this good thing to your servant.

²⁷So now, you have been pleased to bless your servant’s house that it may continue before you forever. For you, LORD, have blessed it, and it is blessed forever.

¹After this, David defeated the Philistines, subdued them, and took Gath and its surrounding villages from Philistine control.

²He also defeated the Moabites, and they became David’s subjects and brought tribute.

³David also defeated King Hadadezer of Zobah at Hamath when he went to establish his control at the Euphrates River.

⁴David captured one thousand chariots, seven thousand horsemen, and twenty thousand foot soldiers from him, hamstrung all the horses, and kept a hundred chariots.

⁵When the Arameans of Damascus came to assist King Hadadezer of Zobah, David struck down twenty-two thousand Aramean men.

⁶Then he placed garrisons in Aram of Damascus, and the Arameans became David’s subjects and brought tribute. The LORD made David victorious wherever he went.

⁷David took the gold shields carried by Hadadezer’s officers and brought them to Jerusalem.

⁸From Tibhath and Cun, Hadadezer’s cities, David also took huge quantities of bronze, from which Solomon made the bronze basin, the pillars, and the bronze articles.

⁹When King Tou of Hamath heard that David had defeated the entire army of King Hadadezer of Zobah,

¹⁰he sent his son Hadoram to King David to greet him and to congratulate him because David had fought against Hadadezer and defeated him, for Tou and Hadadezer had fought many wars. Hadoram brought all kinds of gold, silver, and bronze items.

¹¹King David also dedicated these to the LORD, along with the silver and gold he had carried off from all the nations — from Edom, Moab, the Ammonites, the Philistines, and the Amalekites.

¹²Abishai son of Zeruiah struck down eighteen thousand Edomites in the Salt Valley.

¹³He put garrisons in Edom, and all the Edomites were subject to David. The LORD made David victorious wherever he went.

¹⁴So David reigned over all Israel, administering justice and righteousness for all his people.

¹⁵Joab son of Zeruiah was over the army; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was court historian;

¹⁶Zadok son of Ahitub and Ahimelech son of Abiathar were priests; Shavsha was court secretary;

¹⁷Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and David’s sons were the chief officials at the king’s side.

¹Some time later, King Nahash of the Ammonites died, and his son became king in his place.

²Then David said, “I’ll show kindness to Hanun son of Nahash, because his father showed kindness to me.” So David sent messengers to console him concerning his father. However, when David’s emissaries arrived in the land of the Ammonites to console him,

³the Ammonite leaders said to Hanun, “Just because David has sent men with condolences for you, do you really believe he’s showing respect for your father? Instead, haven’t his emissaries come in order to scout out, overthrow, and spy on the land?”

⁴So Hanun took David’s emissaries, shaved them, cut their clothes in half at the hips, and sent them away.

⁵It was reported to David about his men, so he sent messengers to meet them, since the men were deeply humiliated. The king said, “Stay in Jericho until your beards grow back; then return.”

⁶When the Ammonites realized they had made themselves repulsive to David, Hanun and the Ammonites sent thirty-eight tons of silver to hire chariots and horsemen from Aram-naharaim, Aram-maacah, and Zobah.

⁷They hired thirty-two thousand chariots and the king of Maacah with his army, who came and camped near Medeba. The Ammonites also came together from their cities for the battle.

⁸David heard about this and sent Joab and all the elite troops.

⁹The Ammonites marched out and lined up in battle formation at the entrance of the city while the kings who had come were in the field by themselves.

¹⁰When Joab saw that there was a battle line in front of him and another behind him, he chose some of Israel’s finest young men and lined up in formation to engage the Arameans.

¹¹He placed the rest of the forces under the command of his brother Abishai. They lined up in formation to engage the Ammonites.

¹²“If the Arameans are too strong for me,” Joab said, “then you’ll be my help. However, if the Ammonites are too strong for you, I’ll help you.

¹³Be strong! Let’s prove ourselves strong for our people and for the cities of our God. May the LORD’s will be done.”

¹⁴Joab and the people with him approached the Arameans for battle, and they fled before him.

¹⁵When the Ammonites saw that the Arameans had fled, they likewise fled before Joab’s brother Abishai and entered the city. Then Joab went to Jerusalem.

¹⁶When the Arameans realized that they had been defeated by Israel, they sent messengers to summon the Arameans who were beyond the Euphrates River. They were led by Shophach, the commander of Hadadezer’s army.

¹⁷When this was reported to David, he gathered all Israel and crossed the Jordan. He came up to the Arameans and lined up against them. When David lined up to engage them, they fought against him.

¹⁸But the Arameans fled before Israel, and David killed seven thousand of their charioteers and forty thousand foot soldiers. He also killed Shophach, commander of the army.

¹⁹When Hadadezer’s subjects saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they made peace with David and became his subjects. After this, the Arameans were never willing to help the Ammonites again.