Their relatives who lived in their villages were required to visit every seven days to be with them in turn,

because the four senior gatekeepers (who were descendants of Levi) had been placed in charge of the chambers and the treasury of the Temple of God.

Jeiel, who fathered Gibeon, lived in the city of Gibeon. His wife was named Maacah.

The heaviest fighting was against Saul, and when the archers who were shooting located Saul, he was gravely wounded by them.

and by not seeking counsel from the LORD, who therefore put him to death and turned the kingdom over to Jesse's son David.

These are the leaders of the elite warriors who were strong supporters of David in his kingdom, along with all of Israel, in keeping with the message from the LORD concerning Israel.

This record of the warriors who were for David included Hachmoni's son Jashobeam, leader of the platoons, who killed 300 with his spear in a single encounter.

Jehoiada's son Benaiah, who was a valiant man, accomplished great things. He was from Kabzeel. He killed two men named Ariel from Moab and then he also went down into a pit and struck down a lion during a snow storm one day.

Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai from Beeroth, who was the armor-bearer for Zeruiah's son Joab,

Here's a list of those who came to David at Ziklag when he was unable to travel freely due to Saul son of Kish. They were among the elite soldiers who assisted him in battle.

Ishmaiah from Gibeon (who was one of the elite among the Thirty and in charge over them), Jeremiah, Jahaziel, Johanan, Jozabad from Gederah,

Then the Spirit came upon Amasai, leader of the Thirty, and he said, "David, we belong to you; we're with you, son of Jesse! Peace, peace to you, and peace to the one who helps you! For your deliverer is your God."

What follows is a listing of the divisions of battle-ready troops who joined David in Hebron to turn the kingdom of Saul over to him, in accordance with what the LORD had spoken.

The tribe of Benjamin, relatives of Saul numbered 3,000, of whom most had remained allied to what remained of Saul's dynasty.

The tribe of Ephraim supplied 20,800 valiant soldiers who were well known in their ancestral households.

The half-tribe of Manasseh supplied 18,000, who had been appointed specifically to come and establish David as king.

Then he addressed the entire community of Israel, "If it seems good to you and something from the Lord our God, let's spread word to all of our relatives who remain throughout the entire land of Israel, including the priests and descendants of Levi in the cities and pasture lands, so they can gather together with us.

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.

Here's a list of the children whom he fathered while in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon,

David also assembled the descendants of Aaron, who were descendants of Levi,

The singers included Heman, Asaph, and Ethan (who played bronze cymbals).

As God helped the descendants of Levi who were carrying the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD, they sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams.

David wore a robe made from fine linen, as did all of the descendants of Levi who were carrying the ark, the singers, and Chenaniah the music and choir director. David also wore a linen ephod.

Their director Asaph played cymbals, and next to him was Zechariah, followed by Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-edom, and Jeiel, who played harps and lyres.

Find joy in his holy name; let the hearts of those who keep on seeking the LORD rejoice.

Call out, "Save us, God, you who delivers us! Gather us and rescue us from the nations! We will thank your holy name and rejoice as we praise you!

Praise the LORD God of Israel, who lives from eternity to eternity! Then all of the people shouted "Amen!" and praised the LORD.

Wherever I've moved within all of Israel, did I ever ask even one judge of Israel whom I commanded to shepherd my people, "Why haven't you built me a cedar house?'"'

"""Furthermore, I have remained with you everywhere you have gone, annihilating all your enemies right in front of you. I will make your reputation great, like the reputation of the great ones who have lived on earth.

"""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.

I will be a father to him and he will be a son to me. I will never remove my gracious love from him as I did from the one who preceded you.

"Who am I, LORD God, and what is my household, since you have brought me to this? Furthermore, this is a small thing to you, God, and yet you have spoken concerning your servant's household for a great while to come, and you have seen in me the fulfillment of man's purpose, LORD God.

David later erected garrisons in Aram of Damascus, and the Arameans were placed under servitude to David, to whom they paid tribute.

They hired 32,000 chariots, along with the king of Maacah and his army, who arrived and encamped at Medeba. The Ammonites also were mustered and came out to battle from their home cities.

The Ammonites went out in battle formation in front of the entrance to the city while the kings who had come stayed by themselves in the open fields.

putting the rest of his forces under command of his brother Abishai, who arrayed them to oppose the Ammonites.

So Joab and the soldiers who were with him attacked the Arameans in battle formation, and the Arameans retreated in front of him.

After the Arameans realized that they had been defeated by Israel, they sent for the Arameans who lived beyond the Euphrates River. Shophach was leading them as commander of Hadadezer's army.

brought back the people who had lived in it, and put them to conscripted labor with saws, iron picks, and axes. David did this to every Ammonite city, and then David and his entire army returned to Jerusalem.

There was also a battle at Gath, where there was a very tall man with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot for a total of 24 digits who was a descendant of the Rephaim.

Either three years of famine, or three months of reversals as you are swept away by your enemies while the sword of your enemies overtakes you, or three days with the sword of the LORD, consisting of pestilence infecting the land, with the angel of the LORD wreaking destruction from border to border throughout all of Israel.' Decide right now what I am to answer to the one who sent me."

David told God, "Wasn't I the one who ordered the census of the population? Wasn't it I who sinned and acted wickedly? Now as for these sheep, what have they done? LORD God, please let your hand be against me and my ancestral household, but don't let your people be ravaged by plague!"

After this, the LORD spoke to the angel, who then sheathed his sword.

David subsequently issued orders to conscript the resident aliens who lived in the land of Israel and appointed stonecutters to prepare stones for building a temple for God.

You already have plenty of workers, including stonecutters, masons, carpenters, and an innumerable group of artisans who are skilled at working in

These were the descendants of Levi according to their ancestral households, with family heads documented according to the names of persons 20 years and older who were appointed to perform work in service to the Temple of the LORD.

By doing this, they will fulfill their obligation as trustees over the Tent of Assembly and the Sanctuary, attending to the needs of their relatives, who are descendants of Aaron, in keeping with their service on behalf of the Temple of the LORD."

with respect to Mahli, Eleazar, who had no sons;

Along with officers in his army, David consecrated to assist in service to the descendants of Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun those who prophesy with lyres, harps, and cymbals.

The list of those who participated in this service included: from the descendants of Asaph: Zaccur, Joseph, Nethaniah, and Asarelah, sons of Asaph mentored by Asaph himself, who prophesied under the supervision of the king;

from Jeduthun, these six of his descendants: Gedaliah, Zeri, Jeshaiah, Shimei, Hashabiah, and Mattithiah, mentored by their father Jeduthun, who played a lyre and prophesied, giving thanks and praise to the LORD;

Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman were under command of the king. They and their relatives who had been skillfully trained in singing to the LORD, numbered 288.

Furthermore, his son Shemaiah had sons born to him who wielded authority in their ancestral households, since they were mighty men of valor.

Meshelemiah had 18 sons and brothers who were valiant men.

The lot for the eastern gate fell to Shelemiah. They also cast lots for his son Zechariah, who was a wise counselor, and his lot indicated the northern gate.

King David appointed Jerijah, his relatives, and 2,700 competent men who were each family heads, to oversee the tribes of Reuben and Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh regarding everything pertaining to God as well as matters relating to the king.

The Israelis, according to the number of the leaders of their families, the officers of groups of thousands and groups of hundreds, and their leaders who served the king on behalf of the army divisions of 24,000 soldiers on duty month by month throughout the year, consisted of the following.

This was the same Benaiah who was one of the elite men of the Thirty and in command of the Thirty. His son Ammizabad was responsible for his division.

Chelub's son Ezri supervised the field workers who tilled the soil.

David gathered together all of the leaders of Israel, the leaders of the tribes, division officers who reported to the king, the commanders of thousands, commanders of hundreds, the supervisors of the property and livestock that belonged to the king and to his sons, along with all of the officers of the palace, the elite forces, and all of the soldiers.

"I chose your son Solomon to be the one who will construct my Temple and my courts, because I have chosen him to be a son to me, and I will be a father to him. I will establish his kingdom forever, assuming he remains strongly committed to carry out my commandments and ordinances, as he is doing today.'

Therefore, in the presence of all of Israel, the assembly of the LORD, and while our God is listening, observe and search through all of the commandments of the LORD your God, so that you may continue to possess this good land, leaving it for an inheritance forever to benefit your descendants who come after you."

Now look! Here are the ranks of the priests and the descendants of Levi for the entire service of the Temple of God, and in all of the work there will be all types of volunteers who have skills for anything needed for the services. Furthermore, the officers and all of the people will be at your complete command."

Then King David addressed the entire assembly: "My son Solomon, the one whom God alone has chosen, is still young and inexperienced, and the task is great, since this structure will be a citadel to the LORD God and not for human beings.

and for all the work to be undertaken by skilled artists, gold for what is to be made of gold, and silver for what is to be made of silver. Who then, will be dedicating the productivity of his own work to the LORD today?"

Both wealth and honor proceed from you, and you are ruling over them all. You control power you control who is made great, and how everyone becomes strong.

But who am I, and who are my people, that we make such voluntary offerings as these? For all things come from you, and from your own hand we are giving to you.

And I know, God, that it is you who searches the heart and you who finds pleasure in righteousness. With a righteous heart I have freely given all these things, and now I have seen all of these people of yours giving freely and joyfully to you!

Give me wisdom now, so I may go in and out among this people, because who can rule this great people that belongs to you?

God told Solomon, "Since you had this in mind, to ask neither to focus on riches, wealth, honor, or the lives of those who hate you, nor have you requested a long life, but instead you have asked for wisdom and knowledge for yourself, so that you may rule my people over whom I have established you as king,

wisdom and knowledge have been granted to you. Furthermore, I will give you riches, wealth, and honor such as none of the kings owned who lived before you and none after you are to ever attain their equal."

But who can build a temple for him, since neither heaven nor the highest of the heavens can contain him? So who am I, that I should build a temple to him, except to burn incense in his presence?

"At any rate, send me an individual who is a skilled craftsman in gold, silver, bronze, and iron, as well as in purple, crimson, and blue materials, who knows how to craft engravings, so he may work with the craftsmen whom I have assembled in Judah and Jerusalem, as provided for by my father David.

"Now look! I will pay your servants, the lumberjacks who prepare the timber, 20,000 measures of barley, 20,000 baths of wine, and 20,000 baths of oil."

Hiram also wrote: "Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, who made the heavens and the earth. He gave King David a wise son, who is acquainted with discretion and understanding, and who is building a temple to the LORD, as well as a royal palace for himself.

Now I'm sending along Hiram-abi, a skilled craftsman, who is very creative.

He is the son of a mother from the tribe of Dan, and his father is from Tyre. He's skilled in working with gold, silver, bronze, iron, stone, and timber, as well as in purple, blue, linen, and crimson materials. He is skilled in engravings, and can craft any design to which he may be assigned. He will work with your skilled artisans and with all of your craftsmen who have been assigned by my lord David, your father.

Solomon took a census of all the non-Israeli men who lived in the land of Israel, after the census that his father David had taken, and 153,600 were counted.

King Solomon and all the Israelis who had assembled together proceeded ahead of the ark and sacrificed more sheep and oxen than could be counted or recorded due to the number of sacrifices.

After this, the priests vacated the Holy Place. (Meanwhile, all the priests who were participating consecrated themselves, irrespective of their Levitical divisions.

All the musicians who were descendants of Levi, including Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun, and their sons and relatives wore linen and played cymbals and stringed instruments as they stood east of the altar. Accompanied by 120 priests who played trumpets,

Then Solomon prayed: "Blessed is the LORD God of Israel, who made a commitment to my father David and then personally fulfilled what he had promised when he said:

"Therefore, since you determined to build a temple for my name, you acted well, because it was your choice to do so. Nevertheless, you are not to build the Temple, but your son who will be born to you is to build a temple for my name.'

"LORD God of Israel, there is no one like you, God of heaven and earth, who watches over his covenant, showing gracious love to your servants who live their lives in your presence with all their hearts. It is you, LORD God, who has kept your promise to my father, your servant David, that you made to him. Indeed, you made a commitment to my father David and then personally fulfilled what you had promised today.

"Now concerning the foreigner who is not from your people Israel, when he comes from a land far away for the sake of your great name, your mighty acts, and your obvious power, when they come and pray in the direction of this Temple,

"When they sin against you because there isn't a single human being who doesn't sin and you become angry with them and deliver them over to their enemy, who takes them away captive to a land that's near or far away,

then hear their prayer and requests from heaven, where you reside, and fight for their cause, forgiving your people who have sinned against you.

The priests stood in waiting at their assigned places, along with the descendants of Levi who carried musical instruments used in service to the LORD that King David had made for giving thanks to the LORD because his gracious love is eternal whenever David, accompanied by priests sounding trumpets, offered praises while all of Israel stood in the assembly.

when my people humble themselves the ones who are called by my name and pray, seek me, and turn away from their evil practices, I myself will listen from heaven, I will pardon their sins, and I will restore their land.

"Furthermore, even though this Temple seems so exalted, everyone who passes by it will be so astounded that they will ask, "Why did the LORD do this to this land and to this Temple?'

They will answer, "Because they abandoned the LORD God of their ancestors, who brought them from the land of Egypt, adopted other gods, worshipped them, and served them, therefore the LORD has brought all of this disaster on them.'"

All of the survivors who remained living in the land but who were not Israelis (including Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites)

were descendants of the nations whom the people of Israel had not eliminated. Solomon put them to work as conscripted laborers, which they continue to do to this day.

Hiram sent Solomon ships and servants who were expert mariners, and they sailed with Solomon's servants to Ophir, where they brought back 450 talents of gold for Solomon.

the food set at his table, his servants who waited on him, his ministers in attendance and how they were dressed, his personal staff and how they were dressed, and even his personal stairway by which he went up to the LORD's Temple, she was breathless!

How blessed are your staff! And how blessed are your employees, who serve you continually and get to listen to your wisdom!

Blessed be the LORD your God, who is delighted with you! He set you in place on his throne to be king for the LORD your God. He made you king over them so you could carry out justice and implement righteousness, because your God loves Israel and intends to establish them forever."

Hiram's servants and Solomon's servants, who brought gold from Ophir, also presented algum wood and other precious stones.

while King Rehoboam conferred with his advisors who had worked with his father Solomon during his administration. He asked them, "What is your advice as to what response I should return to these people?"

But Rehoboam ignored the counsel that his elder advisors had given him. Instead, he consulted the younger men who had grown up with him and worked for him.