Ozem the sixth, David the seventh.

These were the sons of David who were born to him in Hebron: the firstborn, Amnon, by Ahinoam the Jezreelite; the second, Daniel, by Abigail the Carmelite;

All these [were] the sons of David, besides the sons of the concubines. And Tamar was their sister.

Beth-Marcaboth, Hazar-Susim, Beth-Biri, and Shaaraim. These [were] their cities until David reigned.

Now these [are the men] whom David appointed for {control of singing} in the house of Yahweh where the ark rested.

The sons of Tola: Uzzi, Rephaiah, Jeriel, Jahmai, Ibsam, and Shemuel, heads of their fathers' houses; for Tola, mighty warriors of their generations, their number in the days of David [were] twenty-two thousand six hundred.

All of them were chosen as gatekeepers at the entrances, two hundred and twelve. They were enrolled by genealogies in their villages. They [were] established [by] David and Samuel the seer on account of their faithfulness.

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

Then all Israel gathered to David in Hebron, saying, "Look--we are your flesh and bones.

Then all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and David made a covenant with them at Hebron in the presence of Yahweh. And they anointed David as king over Israel according to the word of Yahweh by the hand of Samuel.

And David and all Israel went to Jerusalem (that [is] Jebus). And the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, [were] there.

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 David said, "Whoever strikes the Jebusites first will be chief and commander." And Joab the son of Zeruiah went up first and became chief.

And David lived in the fortress. Therefore they called it the city of David.

And David {became greater and greater}. And Yahweh of hosts [was] with him.

Now these [are] the chiefs of the mighty men who [were] for David, who gave him strong support in his kingdom, together with all Israel to make him king according to the word of Yahweh concerning Israel.

And this [is] the numbering of the mighty warriors who [were] for David: Jashobeam son of Hachmoni [was] chief of the three. He himself raised his spear against three hundred [whom he] killed on one occasion.

He himself [was] with David at Pas-Dammim when the Philistines were gathered there for the battle. And there was a plot of the field filled with barley, and the people fled before the Philistines.

And three of the thirty chiefs went down toward the rock to David at the cave of Adullam when the army of the Philistines was encamped in the valley of Rephaim.

And David [was] then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines [was] then in Bethlehem.

And David had a craving, and he said, "Who could give me a drink of water from the well of Bethlehem that [is] by the gate!"

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.

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

Now these are the ones who came to David at Ziklag while he was still shut up because {of Saul}, the son of Kish. And they [were] the mighty warriors helping [with] the war.

And from the Gadites, valiant mighty warriors, {soldiers fit for war}, expert with shield and spear, defected to David at the fortress toward the wilderness. And {they had faces like lions} [and were] swift as gazelles upon the mountains.

And some of the sons of Benjamin and [from] Judah came to the fortress, to David.

And David went out {to meet them} and answered and said to them, "If you come in peace to me, to help me, {my heart will be joined with you}, but if [you come] to betray me to my adversaries, although [there is] no wrong on my hands, may the God of our fathers see and pass judgment."

Then the Spirit came upon Amasai, chief of the thirty [who said]: "[We are] yours, O David! And [we are] with you, O son of Jesse! Peace! Peace to you, and peace to those who help you, for your God helps you." So David appointed them as heads of the troops.

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."

And they themselves helped David against the troops, for all of them [were] mighty men of strength and were commanders in the army.

{Day in and day out} they came to David to help him until [there was] a great army, like the army of God.

And these are the numbers of the chiefs of those prepared for the army who came to David at Hebron to turn the kingdom of Saul over to him according to the word of Yahweh.

And from the half-tribe of Manasseh: eighteen thousand who were designated by name to come to make David king.

From Zebulun, those who went out armed, equipped for battle with all the weapons of war: fifty thousand to help David {with singleness of purpose}.

All these [were] men of war arrayed in battle line {with a whole heart}. They came to Hebron to make David king over all Israel. Likewise, all the rest of Israel [had] one heart to make David king.

And they were there with David three days, eating and drinking, for their kinsmen were prepared for them.

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

And David said to all the assembly of Israel, "{If it seems good to you} and before Yahweh our God, {let us send word abroad} to our brothers who remain in all the land of Israel and [to] the priests and Levites with them in the cities with their pasturelands that they might be gathered to us.

And David summoned all Israel from Shihor of Egypt up to Lebo-Hamath to bring the ark of God from Kiriath-Jearim.

And David and all Israel went up to Baalah, Kiriath-Jearim of Judah, to bring up from there the ark of Yahweh God [who] is enthroned [between] the cherubim, which is called the name.

Now David and all Israel were celebrating before God with all [their] strength, and with songs, lyres, harps, tambourines, cymbals, and trumpets.

And David {was angry} because Yahweh had broken out in wrath against Uzza. And that place is called Perez Uzza unto this day.

And David feared God on that day, saying, "How can I bring the ark of God [home] to me?"

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.

And Hiram, king of Tyre, sent messengers to David and cedar trees, {masons}, and {carpenters} to build a house for him.

And David knew that Yahweh had established him as king over Israel [and] that his kingdom was highly exalted for the sake of his people Israel.

And David took more wives in Jerusalem, and David fathered more sons and daughters.

When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed as king over all Israel, all the Philistines went up to search for David. But David heard and went out from before them.

Then David inquired of God, saying, "Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will you put them into my hand?" And Yahweh said to him, "Go up. I will put them into your hand."

And he went up to Baal-Perazim, and David struck them there. And David said, "God has burst out against my enemies by my hand like waters burst out." Therefore they will call the name of this place Baal-Perazim.

And they abandoned their gods there. And David commanded, and they were burnt with fire.

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.

And David did as God commanded him, and they struck the camp of the Philistines from Gibeon to Gezer.

And the fame of David went out through all the lands. And Yahweh put the fear of him upon all the nations.

And David built houses for himself in the city of David, and he established a place for the ark of God. And he pitched a tent for it.

Then David ordered [that] none except the Levites should carry the ark of God, for Yahweh had chosen them to carry the ark of Yahweh and to serve him forever.

And David gathered all Israel to Jerusalem to bring up the ark of Yahweh to its place that he had established for it.

And David gathered the sons of Aaron and the Levites.

Then David summoned Zadok and Abiathar the priests, and the Levites Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel, and Amminadab.

Then David ordered the chiefs of the Levites to appoint their brothers [as] singers with instruments of song, musical instruments, stringed instruments, and cymbals, {raising their voices for joy}.

And it happened [that] David and the elders of Israel and the commanders of thousands went to bring up the ark of the covenant of Yahweh from the house of Obed-Edom with joy.

Now David was clothed with a robe of fine linen; so also all the Levites who were carrying the ark, the singers, and Kenaniah the chief of the singing. And David wore a linen ephod.

And when the ark of the covenant of Yahweh came into the city of David, then Michal the daughter of Saul looked down from the window and saw the king, David, leaping and dancing. And she despised him in her heart.

And they brought the ark of God and set it inside the tent that David had pitched for it. And they offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings before God.

And when David had finished offering the burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, he blessed the people in the name of Yahweh.

Then on that day David first appointed to give thanks to Yahweh by the hand of Asaph and his brothers.

Then all the people went each to his house, and David turned to bless his household.

And as David lived in his house, David said to Nathan the prophet, "Look, I live in a house of cedar, but the ark of the covenant of Yahweh [is] under tent curtains."

And Nathan said to David, "Whatever [is] in your heart, do, for God [is] with you."

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

So now, thus you shall say to my servant David, 'Thus says Yahweh of hosts, "I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, to be leader over my people Israel,

According to all these words and according to all this revelation, thus did Nathan speak to David.

Then King David went and sat before Yahweh and said, "Who [am] I, O Yahweh God, and what [is] my house that you have brought me thus far?

{What more} can David [do] to you for honoring your servant? Now you know your servant.

And let your name be established and be magnified forever, saying, 'Yahweh of hosts, the God of Israel, is Israel's God, and may the house of David your servant be established before you.'

And it happened [that] after David struck the Philistines and subdued them, he captured Gath and its villages out of the hand of the Philistines.

And he struck Moab, and the Moabites became servants to David, bearing tribute.

And David struck Hadadezer, king of Zobah-Hamath, as he set up his monument at the Euphrates River.

And David captured from him one thousand chariots, seven thousand horsemen, and twenty thousand foot soldiers. And David hamstrung all the chariot horses but left one hundred of them [to] remain [for] chariots.

And when the Arameans of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah-Hamath, David struck down twenty-two thousand men of Aram.

Then David set up [garrisons] in Aram of Damascus, and the Arameans became servants to David, bearing tribute. And Yahweh delivered David wherever he went.

And David took small round shields of gold that were upon the servants of Hadadezer and brought them [to] Jerusalem.

And from Tibhath and from Cun, cities of Hadadezer, David captured very much bronze. Solomon made the bronze sea with it along with the columns and objects of bronze.

And when Tou the king of Hamath heard that David had defeated the whole army of Hadadezer the king of Zobah,

he sent Hadoram his son to King David to ask him for peace and to bless him because he had fought against Hadadezer and defeated him, for Tou {had been at war} with Hadadezer. And [he brought with him] all the objects of gold, silver, and bronze.

King David dedicated these also to Yahweh, along with the silver and gold that he had taken from all the nations, from Edom, Moab, the sons of Ammon, the Philistines, and Amalek.

And he put garrisons in Edom, and all Edom became servants to David. And Yahweh delivered David wherever he went.

So David reigned over all Israel, and {he administered justice} and righteousness to all his people.

And Benaiah son of Jehoiada [was] over the Kerethites and the Pelethites. And the sons of David [were] chief officials under the hand of the king.

And David said, "I will deal kindly with Hanun the son of Nahash because his father showed kindness to me." So David sent messengers to comfort him concerning his father. And the servants of David came to the land of the {Ammonites}, to Hanun, to comfort him.

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?"

So Hanun took the servants of David and shaved them and cut off their garments at the middle, up to the buttocks, and sent them away.

And they went and told David concerning the men, and he inquired of them, for the men were very disgraced. And the king said, "Dwell in Jericho until your beards grow out; then return."

And when the {Ammonites} saw that they made themselves odious to David, Hanun and the {Ammonites} sent one thousand talents of silver to hire for themselves horses and chariots from Aram-Naharaim, Aram-Maacah, and Zobah.

And when David heard, he sent Joab and the entire army of mighty warriors.

And when it was told to David, he gathered all Israel and crossed the Jordan. And he came to them and was arrayed against them. Then David was arrayed to meet Aram in battle, and they fought with him.

And Aram fled before Israel. And David killed from Aram [the men of] seven thousand chariots and forty thousand foot soldiers, and he put to death Shophach the commander of the army.

And when the servants of Hadadezer saw that they were defeated before Israel, they made peace with David and became servants to him. So Aram was no longer willing to help the {Ammonites}.

And it happened [that] {in the spring time of year}, the time [when] kings go out [to battle], Joab led the troops of the army and destroyed the land of the {Ammonites}. And he came and besieged Rabbah, but David remained in Jerusalem. And Joab struck 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 in it [was] a precious stone. Then it was [placed] upon the head of David. And he brought out the booty of the city, a large amount.