every valiant soldier got up, removed the bodies of Saul and his sons, took them to Jabesh, and buried their bones under the tamarisk tree in Jabesh. Then they fasted for seven days.

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.

He built up the walls surrounding the city in a complete circle from the terrace ramparts, and Joab repaired the rest of the city.

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.

The tribe of Issachar supplied 200 leaders, along with all of their relatives under their command. They kept up-to-date in their understanding of the times and knew what Israel should do.

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.

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.

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.

and addressed them: "As leaders of your Levitical families, set yourselves apart, both you and your relatives, so you can be qualified to bring up the ark of the LORD God of Israel to the place I've prepared for it.

All of Israel were bringing up the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD, accompanied by shouting, sounding of horns, trumpets, and cymbals, along with loud music on harps and lyres.

"""I'm also announcing to you that the LORD also will himself build a house for you. It will come about that when your life is complete and you go to join your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring after you, who is related to one of your sons, and I will fortify his kingdom.

When Joab observed that the battle lines were set up to oppose him both in front and behind, he appointed some special forces from Israel and arrayed them to oppose the Arameans,

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.

So the angel of the ORD remained standing near the threshing floor that belonged to Ornan the Jebusite. David looked up and saw the angel of the LORD standing between earth and heaven, with a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders, clothed in sackcloth, fell on their faces.

The angel of the LORD told Gad to tell David that David was to go up and build an altar to the LORD on the threshing floor that belonged to Ornan the Jebusite.

So David went up, obeying Gad's directive that he had spoken in the name of the LORD.

So set your minds and hearts to seek the LORD your God, to get up, and to build the sanctuary of the LORD God, so the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD and the holy vessels of God may be stored in a temple built for the name of the LORD."

David continued with these words for his son Solomon: "Be strong and courageous, and get to work. Never be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you nor will he abandon you right up to your completion of the work for the service of the Temple of the LORD.