Ozem the sixth, David the seventh:

Now these were the sons of David, who were born to him in Hebron; the first-born Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; the second Daniel, of Abigail the Carmelitess:

These were all the sons of David, besides the sons of the concubines, and Tamar their sister.

And at Beth-marcaboth, and Hazar-susim, and at Beth-birei, and at Shaaraim. These were their cities to the reign of David.

And these are they whom David set over the service of song in the house of the LORD, after that the ark had rest.

And the sons of Tola; Uzzi, and Rephaiah, and Jeriel, and Jahmai, and Jibsam, and Shemuel, heads of their father's house, to wit, of Tola: they were valiant men of might in their generations; whose number was in the days of David two and twenty thousand and six hundred.

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.

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

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

Therefore came all the elders of Israel to the king to Hebron; and David made a covenant with them in Hebron before the LORD; and they anointed David king over Israel, according to the word of the LORD by Samuel.

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

And the inhabitants of Jebus said to David, Thou shalt not come hither. Nevertheless David took the castle of Zion, which is the city of David.

And David said, Whoever smiteth the Jebusites first shall be chief and captain. So Joab the son of Zeruiah went up first, and was chief.

And David dwelt in the castle; therefore they called it, The city of David.

So David became greater and greater: for the LORD of hosts was with him.

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.

And this is the number of the mighty men whom David had; Jashobeam a Hachmonite, the chief of the captains: he lifted his spear against three hundred slain by him at one time.

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.

Now three of the thirty captains went down to the rock to David, into the cave of Adullam; and the host of the Philistines encamped in the valley of Rephaim.

And David was then in the hold, and the Philistines' garrison was then at Beth-lehem.

And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Beth-lehem, that is at the gate!

And the three broke through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Beth-lehem, 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,

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

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.

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;

And there came of the children of Benjamin and Judah to the hold to David.

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

For at that time day by day there came to David to help him, until it was a great host, like the host of God.

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.

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

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.

And David consulted with the captains of thousands, and of hundreds, and with every leader.

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:

So David assembled all Israel, from Shihor of Egypt even to the entrance of Hemath, to bring the ark of God from Kirjath-jearim.

And David went up, and all Israel, to Baalah, that is, to Kirjath-jearim, which belonged to Judah, to bring up thence the ark of God the LORD, that dwelleth between the cherubim, whose name is called on it.

And David and all Israel played before God with all their might, and with singing, and with harps, and with psalteries, and with timbrels, and with cymbals, and with trumpets.

And David was displeased, because the LORD had made a breach upon Uzza: wherefore that place is called Perez-uzza to this day.

And David was afraid of God that day, saying, How shall I bring the ark of God home to me?

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

Now Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and timber of cedars, with masons and carpenters, to build him a house.

And David perceived that the LORD had confirmed him king over Israel, for his kingdom was exalted on high, because of his people Israel.

And David took more wives at Jerusalem: and David begat more sons and daughters.

And when the Philistines heard that David was anointed king over all Israel, all the Philistines went up to seek David. And David heard of it, and went out against them.

And David inquired of God, saying, Shall I go up against the Philistines? and wilt thou deliver them into my hand? And the LORD said to him, Go up; for I will deliver them into thy hand.

So they came up to Baal-perazim; and David smote them there. Then David said, God hath broken in upon my enemies by my hand like the breaking forth of waters: therefore they called the name of that place Baal-perazim.

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

Therefore David inquired again of God: and God said to him, Go not up after them; turn away from them, and come upon them over against the mulberry trees.

David therefore did as God commanded him: and they smote the host of the Philistines from Gibeon even to Gazer.

And the fame of David went out into all lands; and the LORD brought the fear of him upon all nations.

And David made him houses in the city of David, and prepared a place for the ark of God, and pitched for it a tent.

Then David said, None ought to carry the ark of God but the Levites: for them hath the LORD chosen to carry the ark of God, and to minister to him for ever.

And David assembled all Israel to Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the LORD to its place, which he had prepared for it.

And David assembled the children of Aaron, and the Levites:

And David called for Zadok and Abiathar the priests, and for the Levites, for Uriel, Asaiah, and Joel, Shemaiah, and Eliel, and Amminadab,

And David spoke to the chief of the Levites to appoint their brethren to be the singers with instruments of music, psalteries, and harps, and cymbals, sounding, by lifting up the voice with joy.

So David and the elders of Israel, and the captains over thousands, went to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD from the house of Obed-edom with joy.

And David was clothed with a robe of fine linen, and all the Levites that bore the ark, and the singers, and Chenaniah the master of the song with the singers: David also had upon him an ephod of linen.

And it came to pass, as the ark of the covenant of the LORD came to the city of David, that Michal the daughter of Saul, looking out at a window, saw king David dancing and playing: and she despised him in her heart.

So they brought the ark of God, and set it in the midst of the tent that David had pitched for it: and they offered burnt-sacrifices and peace-offerings before God.

And when David had made an end of offering the burnt-offerings and the peace-offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD.

Then on that day David delivered first this psalm to thank the LORD into the hand of Asaph and his brethren.

And all the people departed every man to his house: and David returned to bless his house.

Now it came to pass, as David sat in his house, that David said to Nathan the prophet, Lo, I dwell in a house of cedars, but the ark of the covenant of the LORD remaineth under curtains.

Then Nathan said to David, Do all that is in thy heart; for God is with thee.

Go and tell David my servant, Thus saith the LORD, Thou shalt not build me a house to dwell in:

Now therefore thus shalt thou say to my servant David, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I took thee from the sheep-cote, even from following the sheep, that thou shouldst be ruler over my people Israel:

According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak to David.

And David the king came and sat before the LORD, and said, Who am I, O LORD God, and what is my house, that thou hast brought me hitherto?

What can David speak more to thee for the honor of thy servant? for thou knowest thy servant.

Let it even be established, that thy name may be magnified for ever, saying, The LORD of hosts is the God of Israel, even a God to Israel: and let the house of David thy servant be established before thee.

Now after this it came to pass that David smote the Philistines, and subdued them, and took Gath and its towns out of the hand of the Philistines.

And he smote Moab; and the Moabites became David's servants, and brought gifts.

And David smote Hadarezer king of Zobah to Hamath, as he went to establish his dominion by the river Euphrates.

And David took from him a thousand chariots, and seven thousand horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen: David also houghed all the chariot-horses, but reserved of them a hundred chariots.

And when the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadarezer king of Zobah, David slew of the Syrians two and twenty thousand men.

Then David put garrisons in Syria-damascus; and the Syrians became David's servants, and brought gifts. Thus the LORD preserved David whithersoever he went.

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

Likewise from Tibhath, and from Chun, cities of Hadarezer, David brought very much brass, with which Solomon made the brazen sea, and the pillars, and the vessels of brass.

Now when Tou king of Hamath heard how David had smitten all the host of Hadarezer king of Zobah;

He sent Hadoram his son to king David to inquire of his welfare, and to congratulate him, because he had fought against Hadarezer, and smitten him; (for Hadarezer had warred with Tou;) and with him all manner of vessels of gold, and silver, and brass.

Them also king David dedicated to the LORD, with the silver and the gold that he brought from all these nations; from Edom, and from Moab, and from the children of Ammon, and from the Philistines, and from Amalek.

And he put garrisons in Edom; and all the Edomites became David's servants. Thus the LORD preserved David whithersoever he went.

So David reigned over all Israel, and executed judgment and justice among all his people.

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

And David said, I will show kindness to Hanun the son of Nahash, because his father showed kindness to me. And David sent messengers to comfort him concerning his father. So the servants of David came into the land of the children of Ammon to Hanun, to comfort him.

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?

Wherefore Hanun took David's servants, and shaved them, and cut off their garments in the midst hard by their buttocks, and sent them away.

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 when the children of Ammon saw that they had made themselves odious to David, Hanun and the children of Ammon sent a thousand talents of silver to hire them chariots and horsemen out of Mesopotamia, and out of Syria-maachah, and out of Zobah.

And when David heard of it, he sent Joab, and all the host of the mighty men.

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.

But the Syrians fled before Israel; and David slew of the Syrians seven thousand men who fought in chariots, and forty thousand footmen, and killed Shophach the captain of the host.

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.