Ozem his sixth born, David his seventh born;

These are David's descendants who were born to him in Hebron: Amnon his firstborn by Ahinoam the Jezreelite, Daniel his second born by Abigail the Carmelite,

He reigned 33 years in Jerusalem. These four children were born to David by Bath-shua daughter of Ammiel while he was living in Jerusalem: Shimea, Shobab, Nathan, and Solomon,

All these were David's sons, besides children born to his mistresses. Tamar was their sister.

Beth-marcaboth, Hazar-susim, Beth-biri, and Shaaraim. These were their cities until David began to reign.

These are the men to whom David handed responsibility for music in the Temple of the LORD, after the ark came to rest there.

Tola's descendants included Uzzi, Rephaiah, Jeriel, Jahmai, Ibsam, and Shemuel, leaders of their ancestral house of Tola, who were valiant warriors during their lifetimes. During the life of David, they numbered 22,600.

David and Samuel the seer installed them in their positions of trust, so they and their descendants were in charge of the gates of the house of the LORD, that is, the House of the Tent, as guardians.

and by not seeking counsel from the LORD, who therefore put him to death and turned the kingdom over to Jesse's son David.

Later on, all of Israel gathered together at Hebron in order to tell David, "Look, we're your own flesh and blood!

So all the elders of Israel approached the king at Hebron, where David entered into a covenant in the presence of the LORD. Then they anointed David to be king over Israel, just as the LORD had sent word through Samuel.

Later, David and all of Israel marched to Jerusalem (then known as Jebus, where the Jebusites lived when they inhabited the land).

The inhabitants of Jebus told David, "You're not coming in here!" Nevertheless, David captured the fortress of Zion, now known as the City of David.

David had announced, "Whoever first attacks the Jebusites will be appointed chief and commander." When Zeruiah's son Joab went up first, he became chief.

David occupied the fortress, so it was named the City of David after him.

David became more and more prestigious because the LORD of the Heavenly Armies was with him.

These are the leaders of the elite warriors who were strong supporters of David in his kingdom, along with all of Israel, in keeping with the message from the LORD concerning Israel.

This record of the warriors who were for David included Hachmoni's son Jashobeam, leader of the platoons, who killed 300 with his spear in a single encounter.

He was with David at Pas-dammim when the Philistines were there to engage them in battle. There was a field planted with barley, and the army had run away from the Philistines,

Later, the Three Warriors went down to David's hideout at the cave of Adullam when the Philistine army was camping in the valley of giants.

David was living in that stronghold at the time, while a Philistine garrison was then at Bethlehem.

David expressed a longing, "Oh, how I wish someone would get me a drink of water from the Bethlehem well that's by the city gate!"

So the Three Warriors broke through the Philistine ranks, drew some water from the Bethlehem well that was next to the city gate, and brought it back to David. But David refused to drink it, poured it out in the LORD's presence, and

He was well known among the platoons, but he didn't measure up to the Three Warriors. David placed him in charge of his security detail.

Here's a list of those who came to David at Ziklag when he was unable to travel freely due to Saul son of Kish. They were among the elite soldiers who assisted him in battle.

Mighty and experienced warriors from the descendants of Gad joined David at his wilderness stronghold. They were expert handlers of both shield and spear, with hardened looks and as agile as a gazelle on a mountain slope.

Later, some descendants of Benjamin and Judah approached David at his stronghold,

and David went out to meet them. He told them, "If you've come in peace to be of help to me, then you'll have my commitment. But if you've come to betray me to my enemies, even though I'm innocent of wrongdoing, then may the God of our ancestors watch and judge."

Then the Spirit came upon Amasai, leader of the Thirty, and he said, "David, we belong to you; we're with you, son of Jesse! Peace, peace to you, and peace to the one who helps you! For your deliverer is your God."

So David received them and assigned them to be officers over troops. Some of the descendants of Manasseh joined David when he was going to fight against Saul, accompanied by the Philistines. Even so, David was of no help to them, because the Philistine rulers were counseled to send him away. They told themselves, "He's going to go over to his master Saul at the cost of our heads."

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

Indeed people kept coming to David every day to help him, until his army became a great, vast army.

What follows is a listing of the divisions of battle-ready troops who joined David in Hebron to turn the kingdom of Saul over to him, in accordance with what the LORD had spoken.

The half-tribe of Manasseh supplied 18,000, who had been appointed specifically to come and establish David as king.

The tribe of Zebulun supplied 50,000 experienced troops, trained in the use of every kind of war weapon, in order to help David with undivided loyalty.

All these warriors arrived in battle order at Hebron, fully intending to establish David as king over all Israel. Furthermore, all of the rest of Israel were united in their intent to make David king.

They spent three days eating and drinking with David, since their relatives had supplied provisions for them.

Later, David conferred with every officer in charge of groups of thousands and groups of hundreds.

So David assembled all of Israel from the Shihor River of Egypt to Lebo-hamath in order to bring the Ark of God from Kiriath-jearim.

David, accompanied by all of Israel, went up to Baalah (the former name of Kiriath-jearim), which belonged to Judah, to bring from there the Ark of God, the LORD, who sits enthroned on the cherubim, and who is called the Name.

David and all of Israel were dancing in the presence of God with all of their might with songs, harps, tambourines, cymbals, and trumpets.

David flew into a rage because the LORD had killed Uzzah. As a result, that place was called Perez-uzzah to this day.

But David feared God that day, and asked "How am I to bring the Ark of God to me?"

As a result, David would not take the ark into the City of David for it to be in his care. Instead, he took it to the home of Obed-edom the Gittite.

After this, King Hiram of Tyre sent a delegation to David, accompanied by cedar logs, stone masons, and wood workers, to construct a palace for him.

David realized that the LORD was affirming him as king over Israel, and that his government was being exalted in order to benefit his people Israel.

But while he was living in Jerusalem, David married more wives and fathered more sons and daughters.

When the Philistines learned that David had been anointed king over all of Israel, all of the Philistines invaded to look for David. David heard about it and went out to fight them.

So David asked God, "Am I to go out against the Philistines? Will you give me victory over them?" "Go out," the LORD replied to him, "and I'll put them right into your hand."

So David went out to Baal-perazim and defeated the Philistines there. David observed, "Like an overwhelming flood, God has overwhelmed my enemies, using me to do it." That's why that place is called Baal-perazim.

The Philistines abandoned their gods there, so David ordered that their idols be incinerated.

When David asked God about it, God told him, "Don't directly attack them. Instead, go around them and come up against them opposite those balsam trees.

So David did just as God had ordered, and they struck down the Philistine army from Gibeon to Gezer.

Then David's reputation spread through all of the neighboring countries, and the LORD caused all nations to be afraid of David.

David built palaces for himself in the City of David, and he prepared a place for the Ark of God and erected a tent for it.

Then David ordered that the Ark of God was to be carried by no one except the descendants of Levi, because the LORD had chosen them to carry the ark of the LORD and to serve him forever.

David assembled all of Israel in Jerusalem to bring up the ark of the LORD to its proper place that he had prepared for it.

David also assembled the descendants of Aaron, who were descendants of Levi,

Then David summoned the priests Zadok and Abiathar, along with the descendants of Levi Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel, and Amminadab

David also told the leaders of the descendants of Levi to appoint their relatives as singers, to play musical instruments such as harps, lyres, and cymbals, and to keep sounding aloud with joyful voices.

Then David, the elders of Israel, and the leaders of groups of thousands proceeded to bring the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD from Obed-edom's house, rejoicing as they went.

David wore a robe made from fine linen, as did all of the descendants of Levi who were carrying the ark, the singers, and Chenaniah the music and choir director. David also wore a linen ephod.

But as the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD approached the City of David, Saul's daughter Michal was peering out a window, watching King David dancing and cavorting around, and she despised him in her heart.

They brought the Ark of God, placed it within the tent that David had erected, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings in the presence of God.

After David had finished sacrificing the burnt offerings and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD

On that very day, David composed this psalm of thanksgiving to the LORD just for Asaph and his companions:

Later David left the presence of the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD so Asaph and his fellow descendants of Levi could serve the ark there continually each day, doing whatever was required.

David also appointed Heman, Jeduthun, and others chosen by name to give thanks to the LORD, because "his gracious love is eternal."

After this, everyone left for their own homes and David went home to bless his own household.

After David had settled down to live in his palace, he spoke with the prophet Nathan. "Look, here I am living in this cedar palace, but the ark of the LORD's covenant remains surrounded by curtains!"

"Do everything you have in mind," Nathan replied to David, "because God is with you."

"Go tell David, my servant, "This is what the LORD says:

"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 over my people Israel.

Using precisely these words, Nathan communicated this complete oracle to David.

Then King David went in, sat down in the presence of the LORD, and said:

"What more can David say to you about how you are honoring your servant, and you surely know your servant.

May your name be made great and honored forever: The LORD of the Heavenly Armies, the God of Israel, is God for Israel, and may the family of David your servant stand before you forever.

After this, David defeated and subdued the Philistines, and then took possession of Gath and its towns from Philistine control.

David also defeated King Hadadezer of Zobah, which is near Hamath, while he was going about establishing his hegemony as far as the Euphrates River.

David confiscated 1,000 chariots, 7,000 horsemen, and 20,000 foot soldiers from him, and hamstrung all of the chariot horses except for a reserve force of 100 chariots.

When Arameans came from Damascus to help King Hadadezer of Zobah, David killed 22,000 of them.

David later erected garrisons in Aram of Damascus, and the Arameans were placed under servitude to David, to whom they paid tribute.

David also confiscated the gold shields that belonged to Hadadezer's officials and took them to Jerusalem.

David also confiscated a vast quantity of bronze from Tibhath and Cun, cities under Hadadezer's control. Later on, Solomon crafted the bronze sea, the pillars, and the bronze vessels for the Temple.

When King Tou of Hamath learned that David had conquered King Hadadezer of Zobah's entire army,

he sent his son Hadoram to King David to meet and congratulate him, because he had fought against and defeated Hadadezer. Since Hadadezer had often been to war against Tou, he sent all sorts of gold, silver, and bronze goods

to King David, which David also dedicated to the LORD, along with silver and gold that he confiscated from all the surrounding nations, including Edom, Moab, the Ammonites, the Philistines, and Amalek.

He erected garrisons in Edom, and all the Edomites became subservient to David, while the LORD gave victory to David wherever he went.

So David reigned over all of Israel, administering justice and equity to all of his people.

Jehoiada's son Benaiah supervised the special forces and mercenaries, while David's sons worked as chief officials in service to the king.

so David told himself, "I will be loyal to Nahash's son Hanun, since his father showed loyal, gracious love to me." So David sent a delegation to console him about his loss of his father.

But when David's delegation arrived to visit Hanun in Ammonite territory to console him, the Ammonite officials asked 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 to search, overthrow, and scout the land, hasn't it?"

So Hanun arrested David's delegation, shaved off their beards, cut off their clothes at the waist line, and sent them away in disgrace.

After they had departed, David was informed about the men, so he sent word to them, since they had been deeply humiliated. He told them, "Stay at Jericho until your beards have grown back, and then return."

When the Ammonites realized that they had created quite a stink with David, Hanun and the Ammonites spent 1,000 silver talents to hire chariots and mercenaries from Mesopotamia, from Aram-maacah, and from Zobah.

In response, David sent out Joab and his entire army of elite soldiers.

When David learned this, he mustered all of Israel, crossed the Jordan, approached the Arameans, and drew up his forces against them. After David had assembled in battle array against the Arameans, the Arameans attacked him.

The Arameans retreated from Israel, and David's forces killed 7,000 Aramean charioteers, 40,000 soldiers, and Shophach, the commander of their army.

When Hadadezer's officials saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they sought terms of peace with David and became subservient to him. After this, the Arameans were unwilling to help the Ammonites anymore.

Later the next spring, at the time that kings go out to fight, Joab led out the army, ravaged the territory of the Ammonites, and then went out and attacked Rabbah, while David remained behind in Jerusalem. Joab besieged Rabbah and conquered it.