David went out to meet them and said, "If you come to me in peace and want to help me, then I will make an alliance with you. But if you come to betray me to my enemies when I have not harmed you, may the God of our ancestors take notice and judge!"

The following is a record of the armed warriors who came with their leaders and joined David in Hebron in order to make David king in Saul's place, in accordance with the Lord's decree:

From the half tribe of Manasseh there were 18,000 who had been designated by name to come and make David king.

All these men were warriors who were ready to march. They came to Hebron to make David king over all Israel by acclamation; all the rest of the Israelites also were in agreement that David should become king.

Give thanks to the Lord! Call on his name! Make known his accomplishments among the nations!

Sing to him! Make music to him! Tell about all his miraculous deeds!

"So now, say this to my servant David: 'This is what the Lord who commands armies says: "I took you from the pasture and from your work as a shepherd to make you a leader of my people Israel.

I was with you wherever you went and I defeated all your enemies before you. Now I will make you as famous as the great men of the earth.

He will build me a house, and I will make his dynasty permanent.

From Tibhath and Kun, Hadadezer's cities, David took a great deal of bronze. (Solomon used it to make the big bronze basin called "The Sea," the pillars, and other bronze items.

Joab replied, "May the Lord make his army a hundred times larger! My master, O king, do not all of them serve my master? Why does my master want to do this? Why bring judgment on Israel?"

David said, "My son Solomon is just an inexperienced young man, and the temple to be built for the Lord must be especially magnificent so it will become famous and be considered splendid by all the nations. Therefore I will make preparations for its construction." So David made extensive preparations before he died.

All these were the sons of Heman, the king's prophet. God had promised him these sons in order to make him prestigious. God gave Heman fourteen sons and three daughters.

They and their relatives, all of them skilled and trained to make music to the Lord, numbered two hundred eighty-eight.

David did not count the males twenty years old and under, for the Lord had promised to make Israel as numerous as the stars in the sky.

Make my son Solomon willing to obey your commands, rules, and regulations, and to complete building the palace for which I have made preparations."