And Jabez called upon the God of Israel, saying, "Oh that you would surely bless me and enlarge my border. And may your hand be with me, that you would keep me from evil so that it might not harm me!" And God granted what he asked.

Shimei had sixteen sons and six daughters, but his brothers did not have many children. But all their families did not multiply like the men of Judah.

The sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel (for he was the firstborn, but when he defiled the couch of his father, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph, the son of Israel, so that he was not enrolled in the genealogy as the firstborn,

Now these [were] the singers; the heads of the {families} of the Levites [were] in the chambers free from other service, for day and night [they were] over them on the service.

So Saul died on account of his sin which he had sinned against Yahweh concerning the command of Yahweh that he did not keep. He also consulted a medium to seek [guidance].

But he did not seek Yahweh. So Yahweh put him to death and turned over the kingship to David, the son of Jesse.

And the inhabitants of Jebus said to David, "You will not enter here." But David captured the stronghold of Zion; that [is,] the city of David.

Then the three broke through into the camp of the Philistines and drew water from the well of Bethlehem that [was] by the gate and brought [it] and came to David. But David would not drink it and poured it out before Yahweh.

And he said, "Far be it from me [that] I would do this before my God. Shall I drink the lifeblood of these men? For {at the risk of their lives} they brought it." And he was not willing to drink it. These things the three mighty men did.

{He was twice as renowned} among the three and was their commander. But he did not attain to the three.

He himself was certainly distinguished among the thirty, but he did not attain to the three. And David appointed him over his bodyguard.

And some Manassites deserted to David when he came with the Philistines to the battle against Saul, but he did not help them, for the rulers of the Philistines sent him away upon counsel, saying, "He will desert to his master Saul at [the cost of] our heads."

Then let us bring around the ark of our God to us, for we did not seek it in the days of Saul."

So David did not move the ark to himself into the city of David but diverted it to the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite.

Then David inquired again of God. And God said to him, "You shall not go up after them. Go around from before them and come against them the opposite [way] of the balsam trees.

Because the first time you did not, [and] Yahweh our God burst out against us, for we did not care for it according to the law."

he did not allow anyone to oppress them, and he rebuked kings on their account,

[saying,] "You must not touch my anointed nor do harm to my prophets!"

Tremble before him, all the earth; surely the world shall not be shaken.

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

"Go and say to David my servant, 'Thus says Yahweh, "You [are] not to build a house for me to live [in],

for I have not lived in a house from the day that I brought out Israel unto this day. I have been from tent to tent and from tabernacle [to tabernacle].

In every [place] I have moved about, did I say one word [with] the judges of Israel I commanded to shepherd my people, saying, 'Why have you not built for me a house of cedar?'" '

I myself will be a father to him, and he himself will be a son to me. And I will not remove my steadfast love from him as I took it away from whoever was before you.

But the princes of the {Ammonites} said to Hanun, "{Do you think} because David sent comforters to you [that] David honors your father? Is it not for the purpose of exploring [so as] to overthrow and spy out the land that his servants have come to you?"

But Joab said, "May Yahweh add to the people a hundred times what they are! Are they not, O my lord the king, all of them the king's servants? Why does my lord seek this? Why would he bring guilt to Israel?"

But he did not count Levi and Benjamin among them, for the word of the king was repulsive to Joab.

Then David said to Gad, "{I am very troubled}. Let me into the hand of Yahweh, for his compassion is very great, but do not let me fall into the hand of a man."

Then David said to God, "Was it not I [who] gave a command to count the people? Now I [am] he who has sinned, and I have certainly done wickedness, but these sheep, what have they done? O Yahweh, my God, please let your hand be against me and against the house of my father, but against your people, [let there be] no plague."

But King David said to Ornan, "No, for I will certainly buy [it] at full value; indeed, I will not take what is yours for Yahweh and offer burnt offerings for nothing."

But David was not able to go before it to seek God, for he was afraid on account of the sword of the angel of Yahweh.

And David provided much iron for nails for the doors of the gates and for the seams, and abundant copper [that] could not be weighed,

but it happened [that] the word of Yahweh [came] over me, saying, 'You have shed much blood and have made much war; you shall not build a house for my name because you have shed much blood upon the ground before me.

Then you will prosper if you take care to do the statutes and judgments which Yahweh commanded Moses concerning Israel. Be strong and be courageous; fear not and do not be dismayed.

"Is not Yahweh your God with you? And has he [not] given you rest all around? For he has put in my hand the inhabitants of the land, and the land is subdued before Yahweh and before his people.

And Jahath was the chief, and Zizah the second, but Jeush and Beriah did not have many sons. They were enrolled as one for the house of a father.

And Eleazar died, and he did not have sons, but only daughters. And the sons of Kish, their relatives, married them.

And also, the Levites do not [need] to carry the tabernacle and all its vessels for its service."

And Hosah, from the sons of Merari, had sons: Shimri the chief (though he was not firstborn, his father appointed him as chief),

And David did not {take a census of those twenty years old or under} because Yahweh promised to make Israel more numerous than the stars of heaven.

Joab the son of Zeruiah began to count, but he did not finish. But wrath came upon Israel concerning this, and the number was not included in {the chronicles} of King David.

But God said to me, 'You may not build a house for my name because you [are] a man of war, and you have shed blood.'

Then David said to Solomon his son, "Be strong and courageous, and do [this]! Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed, for Yahweh God, my God, [is] with you. He will not fail you and will not forsake you until all the work of the service of the house of Yahweh is finished.

Then David the king said to all the assembly, "God has chosen Solomon my son alone, a young man and inexperienced, and the work [is] great, for the citadel [is] not for humankind, but for Yahweh God.

And Yahweh made Solomon exceedingly great in the sight of all Israel, and he bestowed upon him royal splendor that was not [bestowed] upon any king before him in Israel.