Ozem the sixth, David the seventh;

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

All these were the sons of David, besides the sons of the concubines; and Tamar was their sister.

and at Beth Marcaboth, and Hazar Susim, and at Beth Biri, and at Shaaraim. These were their cities to the reign of David.

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

The sons of Tola: Uzzi, and Rephaiah, and Jeriel, and Jahmai, and Ibsam, and Shemuel, heads of their fathers' houses, to wit, of Tola; mighty men of valor in their generations: their number in the days of David was twenty-two thousand six hundred.

All these who were chosen to be gatekeepers in the thresholds were two hundred and twelve. These were reckoned by genealogy in their villages, whom David and Samuel the seer did ordain in their office of trust.

and did not inquire of the LORD: therefore he killed him, and turned the kingdom to David the son of Jesse.

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

So all the elders of Israel came 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.

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

The inhabitants of Jebus said to David, "You shall not come in here." Nevertheless David took the stronghold of Zion, that is, the City of David.

David said, "Whoever strikes the Jebusites first shall be chief and captain." Joab the son of Zeruiah went up first, and was made chief.

David lived in the stronghold; therefore they called it the City of David.

David grew greater and greater; for the LORD of hosts was with him.

Now these are the chief of the mighty men whom David had, who showed themselves strong with him in his kingdom, together with all Israel, to make him king, according to the word of the LORD concerning Israel.

This is the number of the mighty men whom David had: Jashobeam, the son of a Hachmonite, the chief of the thirty; he lifted up his spear against three hundred and killed them at one time.

He was with David at Pasdammim, and there the Philistines were gathered together to battle, where there was a plot of ground full of barley; and the people fled from before the Philistines.

Three of the thirty chief men went down to the rock to David, into the cave of Adullam; and the army of the Philistines were encamped in the valley of Rephaim.

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

David longed, and said, "Oh that one would give me water to drink of the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate."

The three broke through the army of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, 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 more honorable than the thirty, but he did not attain to the three: and David set him over his guard.

Now these are those who 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, his helpers in war.

Of the Gadites there separated themselves to David to the stronghold in the wilderness, mighty men of valor, men trained for war, that could handle shield and spear; whose faces were like the faces of lions, and they were as swift as the roes on the mountains;

There came of the children of Benjamin and Judah to the stronghold to David.

David went out to meet them, and answered them, "If you have come peaceably to me to help me, my heart shall be knit to you; but if you have come to betray me to my adversaries, since there is no wrong in my hands, may the God of our fathers look thereon, and rebuke it."

Then the Spirit came on Amasai, who was chief of the thirty, and he said, "We are yours, David, and on your side, you son of Jesse: peace, peace be to you, and peace be to your helpers; for your God helps you." Then David received them, and made them captains of the band.

Of Manasseh also there fell away some to David, when he came with the Philistines against Saul to battle; but they did not help them; for the lords of the Philistines sent him away after consultation, saying, "He will fall away to his master Saul to the jeopardy of our heads."

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

For from day to day men came to David to help him, until there was a great army, like the army of God.

These are the numbers of the heads of those who were armed for war, who came to David to Hebron, to turn the kingdom of Saul to him, according to the word of the LORD.

Of the half-tribe of Manasseh eighteen thousand, who were mentioned by name, to come and make David king.

All these being men of war, who could order the battle array, 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.

They were there with David three days, eating and drinking; for their brothers had made preparation for them.

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

David said to all the assembly of Israel, "If it seems good to you, and if it is of the LORD our God, let us send abroad everywhere to our brothers who are left in all the land of Israel, with whom the priests and Levites are in their cities that have suburbs, that they may gather themselves to us;

So David assembled all Israel together, from the Shihor the brook of Egypt even to the entrance of Hamath, to bring the ark of God from Kiriath Jearim.

David went up, and all Israel, to Baalah, that is, to Kiriath Jearim, which belonged to Judah, to bring up from there the ark of God the LORD that sits above the cherubim, that is called by the Name.

David and all Israel played before God with all their might, even with songs, and with harps, and with stringed instruments, and with tambourines, and with cymbals, and with trumpets.

David was displeased, because the LORD had broken forth on Uzza; and he called that place Perez Uzza, to this day.

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

So David did not move the ark to him into the City of David, but carried it aside into the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite.

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

And David knew that the LORD had established him king over Israel; for his kingdom was exalted on high, for his people Israel's sake.

David took more wives at Jerusalem; and David became the father of more sons and daughters.

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.

David inquired of God, saying, "Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will you deliver them into my hand?" The LORD said to him, "Go up; for I will deliver them into your hand."

So they came up to Baal Perazim, and David struck them there; and David said, God has broken through my enemies by my hand, like a breakthrough of waters. Therefore they called the name of that place Baal Perazim.

They left their gods there; and David gave commandment, and they were burned with fire.

David inquired again of God; and God said to him, "You shall not go up after them. Turn away from them, and come on them over against the mulberry trees.

David did as God commanded him: and they struck the army of the Philistines from Gibeon even to Gezer.

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

David made him houses in the City of David; and he prepared a place for the ark of God, and pitched for it a tent.

Then David said, "No one ought to carry the ark of God but the Levites. For the LORD has chosen them to carry the ark of God, and to minister to him forever."

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

David gathered together the sons of Aaron, and the Levites:

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

David spoke to the chief of the Levites to appoint their brothers the singers, with instruments of music, stringed instruments and harps and cymbals, sounding aloud and 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 out of the house of Obed-Edom with joy.

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

It happened, as the ark of the covenant of the LORD came to the City of David, that Michal the daughter of Saul looked out at the window, and saw king David dancing and playing; and she despised him in her heart.

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

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

Then on that day David first ordained to give thanks to the LORD, by the hand of Asaph and his brothers.

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

It happened, when David lived in his house, that David said to Nathan the prophet, "Behold, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of the covenant of the LORD is under curtains."

Nathan said to David, "Do all that is in your heart; for God is with you."

"Go and tell David my servant, 'Thus says the LORD, "You shall not build me a house to dwell in;

"Now therefore, you shall tell my servant David, 'Thus says the LORD of hosts, "I took you from the sheep pen, from following the sheep, that you should be prince over my people Israel.

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

Then David the king went in, and sat before the LORD; and he said, "Who am I, LORD God, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far?

What can David say yet more to you concerning the honor which is done to your servant? For you know your servant.

Let your name be established and magnified forever, saying, 'The LORD of hosts is the God of Israel, even a God to Israel. The house of David your servant is established before you.'

After this it happened, that David struck the Philistines, and subdued them, and took Gath and its towns out of the hand of the Philistines.

He struck Moab; and the Moabites became servants to David, and brought tribute.

David struck Hadadezer king of Zobah to Hamath, as he went to establish his dominion by the river Euphrates.

David took from him one thousand chariots, and seven thousand horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen; and David hamstrung all the chariot horses, but reserved of them for one hundred chariots.

When the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David struck of the Syrians twenty-two thousand men.

Then David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus; and the Syrians became servants to David, and brought tribute. The LORD gave victory to David wherever he went.

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

From Tibhath and from Cun, cities of Hadadezer, David took very much brass, with which Solomon made the bronze sea, and the pillars, and the vessels of brass.

When Tou king of Hamath heard that David had struck all the army of Hadadezer king of Zobah,

he sent Hadoram his son to king David, to Greet him, and to bless him, because he had fought against Hadadezer and struck him; (for Hadadezer had wars with Tou;) and he had with him all kinds of vessels of gold and silver and brass.

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

He put garrisons in Edom; and all the Edomites became servants to David. The LORD gave victory to David wherever he went.

David reigned over all Israel; and he executed justice and righteousness to 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.

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

But the leaders of the children of Ammon said to Hanun, "Do you think that David honors your father, in that he has sent comforters to you? Haven't his servants come to you to search, to overthrow, and to spy out the land?"

So Hanun took David's servants, and shaved them, and cut off their garments in the middle, even to their buttocks, and sent them away.

Then there went certain persons, and told David how the men were served. He sent to meet them; for the men were greatly ashamed. The king said, "Stay at Jericho until your beards have grown, and then return."

When the children of Ammon saw that they had made themselves odious to David, Hanun and the children of Ammon sent one thousand talents of silver to hire them chariots and horsemen out of Mesopotamia, and out of Arammaacah, and out of Zobah.

When David heard of it, he sent Joab, and all the army of the mighty men.

It was told David; and he gathered all Israel together, and passed over the Jordan, and came on 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.

The Syrians fled before Israel; and David killed of the Syrians the men of seven thousand chariots, and forty thousand footmen, and killed Shophach the captain of the army.

When the servants of Hadadezer saw that they were defeated by Israel, they made peace with David, and served him: neither would the Syrians help the children of Ammon any more.

It happened, at the time of the return of the year, at the time when kings go out, that Joab led forth the army, and wasted the country of the children of Ammon, and came and besieged Rabbah. But David stayed at Jerusalem. Joab struck Rabbah, and overthrew it.

David took the crown of their king from off his head, and found it to weigh a talent of gold, and there were precious stones in it; and it was set on David's head: and he brought forth the spoil of the city, a very great amount.

He brought forth the people who were therein, and cut them with saws, and with iron picks, and with axes. David did so to all the cities of the children of Ammon. David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.