And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that you would bless me indeed, and enlarge my border, and that your hand might be with me, and that you would keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested.

And Shimei had sixteen sons and six daughters; but his brothers had not many children, neither did all their family multiply, like the children of Judah.

Now the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel, (for he was the firstborn; but, since he defiled his father's bed, his birthright was given unto the sons of Joseph the son of Israel: and the genealogy is not to be recorded according to the birthright.

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

Then said Saul to his armorbearer, Draw your sword, and thrust me through with it; lest these uncircumcised come and abuse me. But his armorbearer would not; for he was greatly afraid. So Saul took a sword, and fell upon it.

So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the LORD, even against the word of the LORD, which he kept not, and also for asking counsel of one that was a medium, to seek council;

And inquired not of the LORD: therefore he slew him, and turned the kingdom over to David the son of Jesse.

And the inhabitants of Jebus said to David, You shall not come here. Nevertheless David took the stronghold of Zion, which is the city of David.

And the three broke through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: but David would not drink of it, but poured it out to the LORD,

And said, My God forbid me, that I should do this thing: shall I drink the blood of these men that have put their lives in jeopardy? for with the jeopardy of their lives they brought it. Therefore he would not drink it. These things did these three mighty men.

Of the three, he was more honorable than the two; for he was their captain: however he attained not to the first three.

Behold, he was honorable among the thirty, but attained not to the first three: and David set him over his guard.

And David went out to meet them, and answered and said unto them, If you are come peaceably unto me to help me, my heart shall be knit unto you: but if you are 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.

And there deserted 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 after counsel sent him away, saying, He will desert to his master Saul to the peril of our heads.

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

So David brought not the ark home to himself to the city of David, but carried it aside into the house of Obed-edom the Gittite.

Therefore David inquired again of God; and God said unto him, Go not up after them; turn away from them, and come upon them opposite the balsam trees.

For because you did it not at the first, the LORD our God broke forth upon us, for we sought him not about the proper order.

Saying, Touch not my anointed, and do my prophets no harm.

Fear before him, all the earth: the world also shall be stable, that it be not moved.

And it came to pass the same night, that the word of God came to Nathan, saying,

Go and tell David my servant, Thus says the LORD, You shall not build me a house to dwell in:

For I have not dwelt in a house since the day that I brought up Israel unto this day; but have gone from tent to tent, and from one tabernacle to another.

Wherever I have walked with all Israel, spoke I a word to any of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to feed my people, saying, Why have you not built me a house of cedars?

I will be his father, and he shall be my son: and I will not take my mercy away from him, as I took it from him that was before you:

But the princes of the children of Ammon said to Hanun, Think you that David does honor your father, that he has sent comforters unto you? are not his servants come unto you to search, and to overthrow, and to spy out the land?

And Joab answered, The LORD make his people a hundred times so many more as they are: but, my lord the king, are they not all my lord's servants? why then does my lord require this thing? why will he be a cause of guilt to Israel?

But Levi and Benjamin counted he not among them: for the king's command was abominable to Joab.

And David said unto 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 said unto God, Is it not I that commanded the people to be numbered? even I it is that have sinned and done evil indeed; but as for these sheep, what have they done? let your hand, I pray you, O LORD my God, be on me, and on my father's house; but not on your people, that they should be plagued.

And king David said to Ornan, Nay; but I will indeed buy it for the full price: for I will not take that which is yours for the LORD, nor offer burnt offerings without cost.

But David could not go before it to inquire of God: for he was afraid because of the sword of the angel of the LORD.

But the word of the LORD came to me, saying, You have shed blood abundantly, and have made great wars: you shall not build a house unto my name, because you have shed much blood upon the earth in my sight.

Then shall you prosper, if you take heed to fulfill the statutes and judgments which the LORD charged Moses with concerning Israel: be strong, and of good courage; dread not, nor be dismayed.

Is not the LORD your God with you? and has he not given you rest on every side? for he has given the inhabitants of the land into my hand; and the land is subdued before the LORD, and before his people.

And Jahath was the chief, and Zizah the second: but Jeush and Beriah had not many sons; therefore they were in one reckoning, as one father's house.

Also Hosah, of the children of Merari, had sons; Shimri the chief, (for though he was not the firstborn, yet his father made him the chief;)

But David took not the number of them from twenty years old and under: because the LORD had said he would increase Israel like the stars of the heavens.

Joab the son of Zeruiah began to number, but he finished not, because there fell wrath for it against Israel; neither was the number put in the account of the chronicles of king David.

But God said unto me, You shall not build a house for my name, because you have been a man of war, and have shed blood.

And David said to Solomon his son, Be strong and of good courage, and do it: fear not, nor be dismayed: for the LORD God, even my God, will be with you; he will not fail you, nor forsake you, until you have finished all the work for the service of the house of the LORD.

Furthermore David the king said unto all the congregation, Solomon my son, whom alone God has chosen, is yet young and tender, and the work is great: for the palace is not for man, but for the LORD God.

And the LORD magnified Solomon exceedingly in the sight of all Israel, and bestowed upon him such royal majesty as had not been on any king before him in Israel.