These were heads of the fathers, by their generations, chief men. These dwelt in Jerusalem.

And the sons of Micah were, Pithon, and Melech, and Tarea, and Ahaz.

And Azel had six sons, whose names are these, Azrikam, Bocheru, and Ishmael, and Sheariah, and Obadiah, and Hanan. All these were the sons of Azel.

And the sons of Eshek his brother were, Ulam his first-born, Jehush the second, and Eliphelet the third.

And the sons of Ulam were mighty men of valor, archers, and had many sons, and sons' sons a hundred and fifty. All these are of the sons of Benjamin.

So all Israel were reckoned by genealogies; and behold, they were written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah, who were carried away to Babylon for their transgression.

Now the first inhabitants that dwelt in their possessions in their cities were, the Israelites, the priests, Levites, and the Nethinims.

And their brethren, according to their generations, nine hundred and fifty and six. All these men were chief of the fathers in the house of their fathers.

And the porters were Shallum, and Akkub, and Talmon, and Ahiman, and their brethren: Shallum was the chief;

Who hitherto waited in the king's gate eastward: they were porters in the companies of the children of Levi.

And Shallum the son of Kore, the son of Ebiasaph, the son of Korah, and his brethren of the house of his father, the Korahites, were over the work of the service, keepers of the gates of the tabernacle: and their fathers, being over the host of the LORD, were keepers of the entry.

All these who were chosen to be porters in the gates were two hundred and twelve. These were reckoned by their genealogy in their villages, whom David and Samuel the seer ordained in their set office.

In four quarters were the porters, towards the east, west, north and south.

And their brethren, who were in their villages, were to come after seven days from time to time with them.

For these Levites, the four chief porters, were in their set office, and were over the chambers and treasuries of the house of God.

Some of them also were appointed to oversee the vessels, and all the instruments of the sanctuary, and the fine flour, and the wine, and the oil, and the frankincense, and the spices.

And Mattithiah, one of the Levites, who was the first-born of Shallum the Korahite, had the set office over the things that were made in the pans.

And others of their brethren, of the sons of the Kohathites, were over the show-bread, to prepare it every sabbath.

And these are the singers, chief of the fathers of the Levites, who remaining in the chambers were free: for they were employed in that work day and night.

These chief fathers of the Levites were chief throughout their generations; these dwelt at Jerusalem.

And the sons of Micah were, Pithon, and Melech, and Tahrea, and Ahaz.

And Azel had six sons, whose names are these, Azrikam, Bocheru, and Ishmael, and Sheariah, and Obadiah, and Hanan: these were the sons of Azel.

And when all the men of Israel that were in the valley saw that they fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead, then they forsook their cities, and fled: and the Philistines came and dwelt in them.

Then all Israel gathered themselves to David to Hebron, saying, Behold, we are thy bone and thy flesh.

And David and all Israel went to Jerusalem, which is Jebus; where the Jebusites were, the inhabitants of the land.

These also are the chief of the mighty men whom David had, who strengthened themselves with him in his kingdom, and with all Israel, to make him king according to the word of the LORD concerning Israel.

He was with David at Pas-dammim, and there the Philistines were gathered to battle, where was a parcel of ground full of barley; and the people fled from before the Philistines.

Also the valiant men of the armies were, Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan the son of Dodo of Beth-lehem,

Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, Abiezer the Antothite,

Ahiam the son of Sacar the Hararite, Eliphel the son of Ur,

Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,

Uriah the Hittite, Zabad the son of Ahlai,

Now these are they that came to David to Ziklag, while he yet kept himself close because of Saul the son of Kish: and they were among the mighty men, helpers of the war.

They were armed with bows, and could use both the right hand and the left in hurling stones, and shooting arrows from a bow, even of Saul's brethren of Benjamin.

And of the Gadites there separated themselves to David in the hold in the wilderness men of might, and men of war fit for the battle, that could handle shield and buckler, whose faces were like the faces of lions, and were as swift as the roes upon the mountains;

These were of the sons of Gad, captains of the host: one of the least was over a hundred, and the greatest over a thousand.

These are they that went over Jordan in the first month, when it had overflowed all its banks; and they put to flight all them of the valleys, both towards the east, and towards the west.

And David went out to meet them, and answered and said to them, If ye have come peaceably to me to help me, my heart shall be knit to you: but if ye have come to betray me to my enemies, seeing there is no wrong in my hands, the God of our fathers look on it, and rebuke it.

Then the spirit came upon Amasai, who was chief of the captains, and he said, Thine are we, David, and on thy side, thou son of Jesse: peace, peace be to thee, and peace be to thy helpers; for thy God helpeth thee. Then David received them, and made them captains of the band.

And there fell some of Manasseh to David, when he came with the Philistines against Saul to battle: but they helped them not: for the lords of the Philistines upon advisement sent him away, saying, He will fall to his master Saul to the jeopardy of our heads.

And as he went to Ziklag, there fell to him of Manasseh, Adnah, and Jozabad, and Jediael, and Michael, and Jozabad, and Elihu, and Zilthai, captains of the thousands that were of Manasseh.

And they helped David against the band of the rovers: for they were all mighty men of valor, and were captains in the host.

And these are the numbers of the bands that were ready armed to the war, and came to David to Hebron, to turn the kingdom of Saul to him, according to the word of the LORD.

The children of Judah that bore shield and spear were six thousand and eight hundred, ready armed for war.

Of the children of Simeon, mighty men of valor for war, seven thousand and one hundred.

And Jehoiada was the leader of the Aaronites, and with him were three thousand and seven hundred;

And of the half tribe of Manasseh eighteen thousand, who were expressed by name, to come and make David king.

And of the children of Issachar, who were men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do; the heads of them were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their command.

Of Zebulun, such as went forth to battle, expert in war, with all instruments of war, fifty thousand, who could keep rank: they were not of double heart.

And of the Danites expert in war twenty and eight thousand and six hundred.

And of Asher, such as went forth to battle, expert in war, forty thousand.

And on the other side of Jordan, of the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and of the half tribe of Manasseh, with all manner of instruments of war for the battle, a hundred and twenty thousand.

All these men of war, that could keep rank, came with a perfect heart to Hebron, to make David king over all Israel: and all the rest also of Israel were of one heart to make David king.

And there they were with David three days, eating and drinking: for their brethren had prepared for them.

Moreover, they that were nigh them, even to Issachar, and Zebulun, and Naphtali, brought bread on asses, and on camels, and on mules, and on oxen, and provision, meal, cakes of figs, and bunches of raisins, and wine, and oil, and oxen, and sheep abundantly: for there was joy in Israel.

And David said to all the congregation of Israel, If it seemeth good to you, and that it is of the LORD our God, let us send abroad to our brethren every where, that are left in all the land of Israel, and with them also to the priests and Levites who are in their cities and suburbs, that they may assemble to us:

And let us bring again to us the ark of our God: for we inquired not at it in the days of Saul.

Now these are the names of his children which he had in Jerusalem; Shammua, and Shobab, Nathan, and Solomon,

And when they had left their gods there, David gave a commandment, and they were burned with fire.

And said to them, Ye are the chief of the fathers of the Levites: sanctify yourselves, both ye and your brethren, that ye may bring up the ark of the LORD God of Israel to the place that I have prepared for it.

For because ye did it not at the first, the LORD our God made a breach upon us, for that we sought him not after the due order.

So the singers, Heman, Asaph, and Ethan, were appointed to sound with cymbals of brass;

And Berechiah and Elkanah were door-keepers for the ark.

And Shebaniah, and Jehoshaphat, and Nethaneel, and Amasai, and Zechariah, and Benaiah, and Eliezer the priests, did blow with the trumpets before the ark of God: and Obed-edom and Jehiah were door-keepers for the ark.

He is the LORD our God; his judgments are in all the earth.

Saying, To thee will I give the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance;

When ye were but few, even a few, and strangers in it.

For all the gods of the people are idols: but the LORD made the heavens.

Glory and honor are in his presence; strength and gladness are in his place.

And say ye, Save us, O God of our salvation, and gather us together, and deliver us from the heathen, that we may give thanks to thy holy name, and glory in thy praise.

And with them Heman and Jeduthun, and the rest that were chosen, who were expressed by name, to give thanks to the LORD, because his mercy endureth for ever;

And with them Heman and Jeduthun with trumpets and cymbals for those that should make a sound, and with musical instruments of God. And the sons of Jeduthun were porters.

And I have been with thee whithersoever thou hast walked, and have cut off all thy enemies from before thee, and have made thee a name like the name of the great men that are in the earth.

O LORD, there is none like thee, neither is there any God besides thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears.

And David took the shields of gold that were on the servants of Hadarezer, and brought them to Jerusalem.

And Zadok the son of Ahitub, and Abimelech the son of Abiathar, were the priests; and Shavsha was scribe;

And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and the sons of David were chief about the king.

But the princes of the children of Ammon said to Hanun, Thinkest thou that David doth honor thy father, that he hath sent comforters to thee? are not his servants come to thee to search, and to overthrow, and to explore the land?

Then there went certain, and told David how the men were served. And he sent to meet them: for the men were greatly ashamed. And the king said, Tarry at Jericho until your beards are grown, and then return.

And the children of Ammon came out, and put the battle in array before the gate of the city: and the kings that had come were by themselves in the field.

Now when Joab saw that the battle was set against him before and behind, he selected all the choice of Israel, and put them in array against the Syrians.

And the rest of the people he delivered to the hand of Abishai his brother, and they set themselves in array against the children of Ammon.

Be of good courage, and let us behave ourselves valiantly for our people, and for the cities of our God: and let the LORD do that which is good in his sight.

So Joab and the people that were with him drew nigh before the Syrians to the battle; and they fled before him.

And when the Syrians saw that they were defeated before Israel, they sent messengers, and drew forth the Syrians that were beyond the river: and Shophach the captain of the host of Hadarezer went before them.

And it was told to David; and he gathered all Israel, and passed over Jordan, and came upon them, and set the battle in array against them. So when David had put the battle in array against the Syrians, they fought with him.

And when the servants of Hadarezer saw that they were defeated before Israel, they made peace with David, and became his servants: neither would the Syrians help the children of Ammon any more.

And it came to pass, that after the year had expired, at the time that kings go out to battle, Joab led forth the power of the army, and wasted the country of the children of Ammon, and came and besieged Rabbah. But David tarried at Jerusalem. And Joab smote Rabbah, and destroyed it.

And David took the crown of their king from his head, and found it to weigh a talent of gold, and there were precious stones in it; and it was set upon David's head: and he brought also a great quantity of spoil out of the city.

And he brought out the people that were in it, and cut them with saws, and with harrows of iron, and with axes. Even so David dealt with all the cities of the children of Ammon. And David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.

And it came to pass after this, that there arose war at Gezer with the Philistines: at which time Sibbechai the Hushathite slew Sippai, that was of the children of the giant: and they were subdued.

And there was war again with the Philistines; and Elhanan the son of Jair slew Lahmi the brother of Goliath the Gittite, whose spear-staff was like a weaver's beam.

And yet again there was war at Gath, where was a man of great stature, whose fingers and toes were four and twenty, six on each hand, and six on each foot: and he also was the son of the giant.

These were born to the giant in Gath; and they fell by the hand of David, and by the hand of his servants.

And Joab answered, the LORD make his people a hundred times more numerous than they are: but, my lord the king, are they not all my lord's servants? why then doth my lord require this thing? why will he be a cause of trespass to Israel?

And Joab gave the sum of the number of the people to David. And all they of Israel were a thousand thousand and a hundred thousand men that drew sword: and Judah was four hundred and seventy thousand men that drew sword.

Either three years' famine; or three months to be destroyed before thy foes, while the sword of thy enemies overtaketh thee; or else three days the sword of the LORD, even the pestilence, in the land, and the angel of the LORD destroying throughout all the borders of Israel. Now therefore advise thyself what word I shall bring again to him that sent me.

And David said to Gad, I am in a great strait: let me fall now into the hand of the LORD; for very great are his mercies: but let me not fall into the hand of man.

And David lifted up his eyes, and saw the angel of the LORD stand between the earth and the heaven, having a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders of Israel, who were clothed in sackcloth, fell upon their faces.

For the tabernacle of the LORD, which Moses made in the wilderness, and the altar of the burnt-offering, were at that season in the high place at Gibeon.