When Husham died, Hadad son of Bedad succeeded him. He struck down the Midianites in the plains of Moab; the name of his city was Avith.

When Hadad died, Samlah from Masrekah succeeded him.

When Samlah died, Shaul from Rehoboth on the river succeeded him.

When Shaul died, Baal-Hanan son of Achbor succeeded him.

When Baal-Hanan died, Hadad succeeded him; the name of his city was Pai. His wife was Mehetabel, daughter of Matred, daughter of Me-Zahab.

The sons of Judah: Er, Onan, and Shelah. These three were born to him by Bathshua, a Canaanite woman. Er, Judah's firstborn, displeased the Lord, so the Lord killed him.

Tamar, Judah's daughter-in-law, bore to him Perez and Zerah. Judah had five sons in all.

When Azubah died, Caleb married Ephrath, who bore him Hur.

Later Hezron had sexual relations with the daughter of Makir, the father of Gilead. (He had married her when he was sixty years old.) She bore him Segub.

After Hezron's death, Caleb had sexual relations with Ephrath, his father Hezron's widow, and she bore to him Ashhur the father of Tekoa.

Abishur's wife was Abihail, who bore him Ahban and Molid.

Sheshan gave his daughter to his servant Jarha as a wife; she bore him Attai.

These were the sons of David who were born to him in Hebron: The firstborn was Amnon, whose mother was Ahinoam from Jezreel; the second was Daniel, whose mother was Abigail from Carmel;

These were the sons born to him in Jerusalem: Shimea, Shobab, Nathan, and Solomon -- the mother of these four was Bathsheba the daughter of Ammiel.

Naarah bore him Ahuzzam, Hepher, Temeni, and Haahashtari. These were the sons of Naarah.

Jabez was more respected than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez, for she said, "I experienced pain when I gave birth to him."

Though Judah was the strongest among his brothers and a leader descended from him, the right of the firstborn belonged to Joseph.)

They received divine help in fighting them, and the Hagrites and all their allies were handed over to them. They cried out to God during the battle; he responded to their prayers because they trusted in him.

Serving beside him was his fellow Levite Asaph, son of Berechiah, son of Shimea,

Their father Ephraim mourned for them many days and his brothers came to console him.

He had sexual relations with his wife; she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. Ephraim named him Beriah because tragedy had come to his family.

Phinehas son of Eleazar had been their leader in earlier times, and the Lord was with him.

The battle was thick around Saul; the archers spotted him and wounded him.

He did not seek the Lord's guidance, so the Lord killed him and transferred the kingdom to David son of Jesse.

David's power steadily grew, for the Lord who commands armies was with him.

and said, "God forbid that I should do this! Should I drink the blood of these men who risked their lives?" Because they risked their lives to bring it to him, he refused to drink it. Such were the exploits of the three elite warriors.

He even killed an Egyptian who was seven and a half feet tall. The Egyptian had a spear as big as the crossbeam of a weaver's loom; Benaiah attacked him with a club. He grabbed the spear out of the Egyptian's hand and killed him with his own spear.

He received honor from the thirty warriors, though he was not one of the three elite warriors. David put him in charge of his bodyguard.

Adina son of Shiza the Reubenite, leader of the Reubenites and the thirty warriors with him,

These were the men who joined David in Ziklag, when he was banished from the presence of Saul son of Kish. (They were among the warriors who assisted him in battle.

When David went to Ziklag, the men of Manasseh who joined him were Adnach, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu, and Zillethai, leaders of a thousand soldiers each in the tribe of Manasseh.

Jehoiada, the leader of Aaron's descendants, brought 3,700 men with him,

The Lord was so furious with Uzzah, he killed him, because he reached out his hand and touched the ark. He died right there before God.

The ark of God remained in Obed-Edom's house for three months; the Lord blessed Obed-Edom's family and everything that belonged to him.

King Hiram of Tyre sent messengers to David, along with cedar logs, stonemasons, and carpenters to build a palace for him.

David realized that the Lord had established him as king over Israel and that he had elevated his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel.

These are the names of children born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon,

When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king of all Israel, all the Philistines marched up to confront him. When David heard about it, he marched out against them.

David asked God, "Should I march up against the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?" The Lord said to him, "March up! I will hand them over to you!"

So David again asked God what he should do. This time God told him, "Don't march up after them; circle around them and come against them in front of the trees.

David did just as God commanded him, and they struck down the Philistine army from Gibeon to Gezer.

So David became famous in all the lands; the Lord caused all the nations to fear him.

Then David said, "Only the Levites may carry the ark of God, for the Lord chose them to carry the ark of the Lord and to serve before him perpetually.

The first time you did not carry it; that is why the Lord God attacked us, because we did not ask him about the proper way to carry it."

As the ark of the Lord's covenant entered the City of David, Michal, Saul's daughter, looked out the window. When she saw King David jumping and celebrating, she despised him.

Sing to him! Make music to him! Tell about all his miraculous deeds!

Majestic splendor emanates from him, he is the source of strength and joy.

Tremble before him, all the earth! The world is established, it cannot be moved.

I will become his father and he will become my son. I will never withhold my loyal love from him, as I withheld it from the one who ruled before you.

I will put him in permanent charge of my house and my kingdom; his dynasty will be permanent."'"

Nathan told David all these words that were revealed to him.

for you, my God, have revealed to your servant that you will build a dynasty for him. That is why your servant has had the courage to pray to you.

David seized from him 1,000 chariots, 7,000 charioteers, and 20,000 infantrymen. David cut the hamstrings of all but a hundred of Hadadezer's chariot horses.

he sent his son Hadoram to King David to extend his best wishes and to pronounce a blessing on him for his victory over Hadadezer, for Tou had been at war with Hadadezer. He also sent various items made of gold, silver, and bronze.

Later King Nahash of the Ammonites died and his son succeeded him.

So Joab and his men marched toward the Arameans to do battle, and they fled before him.

When David was informed, he gathered all Israel, crossed the Jordan River, and marched against them. David deployed his army against the Arameans for battle and they fought against him.

When he taunted Israel, Jonathan son of Shimea, David's brother, killed him.

Now Joab did not number Levi and Benjamin, for the king's edict disgusted him.

Gad went to David and told him, "This is what the Lord says: 'Pick one of these:

So David went up as Gad instructed him to do in the name of the Lord.

At that time, when David saw that the Lord responded to him at the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite, he sacrificed there.

He summoned his son Solomon and charged him to build a temple for the Lord God of Israel.

Look, you will have a son, who will be a peaceful man. I will give him rest from all his enemies on every side. Indeed, Solomon will be his name; I will give Israel peace and quiet during his reign.

The sons of Amram: Aaron and Moses. Aaron and his descendants were chosen on a permanent basis to consecrate the most holy items, to offer sacrifices before the Lord, to serve him, and to praise his name.

This was the order in which they carried out their assigned responsibilities when they entered the Lord's temple, according to the regulations given them by their ancestor Aaron, just as the Lord God of Israel had instructed him.

All these were the sons of Heman, the king's prophet. God had promised him these sons in order to make him prestigious. God gave Heman fourteen sons and three daughters.

Hosah, one of the descendants of Merari, had sons: The firstborn Shimri (he was not actually the firstborn, but his father gave him that status),

The lot for the east gate went to Shelemiah. They then cast lots for his son Zechariah, a wise adviser, and the lot for the north gate went to him.

The fourth, assigned the fourth month, was Asahel, brother of Joab; his son Zebadiah succeeded him. His division consisted of 24,000 men.

He said to me, 'Solomon your son is the one who will build my temple and my courts, for I have chosen him to become my son and I will become his father.

"And you, Solomon my son, obey the God of your father and serve him with a submissive attitude and a willing spirit, for the Lord examines all minds and understands every motive of one's thoughts. If you seek him, he will let you find him, but if you abandon him, he will reject you permanently.

He gave him the blueprints of all he envisioned for the courts of the Lord's temple, all the surrounding rooms, the storehouses of God's temple, and the storehouses for the holy items.

He gave him the regulations for the divisions of priests and Levites, for all the assigned responsibilities within the Lord's temple, and for all the items used in the service of the Lord's temple.

He gave him the prescribed weight for all the gold items to be used in various types of service in the Lord's temple, for all the silver items to be used in various types of service,

and for the refined gold of the incense altar. He gave him the blueprint for the seat of the gold cherubim that spread their wings and provide shelter for the ark of the Lord's covenant.

They held a feast before the Lord that day and celebrated. Then they designated Solomon, David's son, as king a second time; before the Lord they anointed him as ruler and Zadok as priest.

Solomon sat on the Lord's throne as king in place of his father David; he was successful and all Israel was loyal to him.

The Lord greatly magnified Solomon before all Israel and bestowed on him greater majesty than any king of Israel before him.

He died at a good old age, having enjoyed long life, wealth, and honor. His son Solomon succeeded him.

Recorded there are all the facts about his reign and accomplishments, and an account of the events that involved him, Israel, and all the neighboring kingdoms.

Solomon son of David solidified his royal authority, for the Lord his God was with him and magnified him greatly.

But the bronze altar made by Bezalel son of Uri, son of Hur, was in front of the Lord's tabernacle. Solomon and the entire assembly prayed to him there.)

That night God appeared to Solomon and said to him, "Tell me what I should give you."

Solomon sent a message to King Huram of Tyre: "Help me as you did my father David, when you sent him cedar logs for the construction of his palace.

Look, I am ready to build a temple to honor the Lord my God and to dedicate it to him in order to burn fragrant incense before him, to set out the bread that is regularly displayed, and to offer burnt sacrifices each morning and evening, and on Sabbaths, new moon festivals, and at other times appointed by the Lord our God. This is something Israel must do on a permanent basis.

Of course, who can really build a temple for him, since the sky and the highest heavens cannot contain him? Who am I that I should build him a temple! It will really be only a place to offer sacrifices before him.

whose mother is a Danite and whose father is a Tyrian. He knows how to work with gold, silver, bronze, iron, stones, and wood, as well as purple, violet, white, and crimson fabrics. He knows how to do all kinds of engraving and understands any design given to him. He will work with your skilled craftsmen and the skilled craftsmen of my lord David your father.

Now King Solomon and all the Israelites who had assembled with him went on ahead of the ark and sacrificed more sheep and cattle than could be counted or numbered.

At that time Solomon and all Israel with him celebrated a festival for seven days. This great assembly included people from Lebo Hamath in the north to the Brook of Egypt in the south.

the Lord appeared to Solomon at night and said to him: "I have answered your prayer and chosen this place to be my temple where sacrifices are to be made.

Solomon rebuilt the cities that Huram had given him and settled Israelites there.

and built up Baalath, all the storage cities that belonged to him, and all the cities where chariots and horses were kept. He built whatever he wanted in Jerusalem, Lebanon, and throughout his entire kingdom.

Huram sent him ships and some of his sailors, men who were well acquainted with the sea. They sailed with Solomon's men to Ophir, and took from there 450 talents of gold, which they brought back to King Solomon.

When the queen of Sheba heard about Solomon, she came to challenge him with difficult questions. She arrived in Jerusalem with a great display of pomp, bringing with her camels carrying spices, a very large quantity of gold, and precious gems. She visited Solomon and discussed with him everything that was on her mind.

King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba everything she requested, more than what she had brought him. Then she left and returned to her homeland with her attendants.

All the kings of the earth wanted to visit Solomon to see him display his God-given wisdom.

Then Solomon passed away and was buried in the city of his father David. His son Rehoboam replaced him as king.

They sent for him and Jeroboam and all Israel came and spoke to Rehoboam, saying,

They said to him, "If you are fair to these people, grant their request, and are cordial to them, they will be your servants from this time forward."