They went to the entrance of Gedor, to the east side of the valley to seek pasture for their flocks.

They found rich, good pasture, and the land was broad, peaceful, and quiet, for some Hamites had lived there previously.

These who were recorded by name came in the days of King Hezekiah of Judah, attacked the Hamites’ tents and the Meunites who were found there, and set them apart for destruction, as they are today. Then they settled in their place because there was pasture for their flocks.

and Bela son of Azaz,
son of Shema, son of Joel.

They settled in Aroer as far as Nebo and Baal-meon.

They also settled in the east as far as the edge of the desert that extends to the Euphrates River, because their herds had increased in the land of Gilead.

The sons of Gad lived next to them in the land of Bashan as far as Salecah:

The sons of Reuben and Gad and half the tribe of Manasseh had 44,760 warriors who could serve in the army—men who carried shield and sword, drew the bow, and were trained for war.

But Aaron and his sons did all the work of the most holy place. They presented the offerings on the altar of burnt offerings and on the altar of incense to make atonement for Israel according to all that Moses the servant of God had commanded.

These were the places assigned to Aaron’s sons from the Kohathite family for their settlements in their territory, because the first lot was for them.

Some of the families of the Kohathites were given towns from the tribe of Ephraim for their territory:

Issachar’s sons: Tola, Puah, Jashub, and Shimron—four.

Along with them, they had 36,000 troops for battle according to the genealogical records of their ancestral houses, for they had many wives and children.

Their holdings and settlements were Bethel and its villages; Naaran to the east, Gezer and its villages to the west, and Shechem and its villages as far as Ayyah and its villages,

All these were Asher’s sons. They were the heads of their ancestral houses, chosen men, warriors, and chiefs among the leaders. The number of men listed in their genealogies for military service was 26,000.

The gatekeepers were on the four sides: east, west, north, and south.

but the four chief gatekeepers, who were Levites, were entrusted with the rooms and the treasuries of God’s temple.

Some of the Kohathites’ relatives were responsible for preparing the rows of the bread of the Presence every Sabbath.

Saul died for his unfaithfulness to the Lord because he did not keep the Lord’s word. He even consulted a medium for guidance,

He was with David at Pas-dammim when the Philistines had gathered there for battle. There was a portion of a field full of barley, where the troops had fled from the Philistines.

David said, “I would never do such a thing in the presence of God! How can I drink the blood of these men who risked their lives?” For they brought it at the risk of their lives. So he would not drink it. Such were the exploits of the three warriors.

Zelek the Ammonite,
Naharai the Beerothite, the armor-bearer for Joab son of Zeruiah,

Some Gadites defected to David at his stronghold in the desert. They were fighting men, trained for battle, expert with shield and spear. Their faces were like the faces of lions, and they were as swift as gazelles on the mountains.

These Gadites were army commanders; the least of them was a match for a hundred, and the greatest of them for a thousand.

Then the Spirit took control of Amasai, chief of the Thirty, and he said:

We are yours, David,
we are with you, son of Jesse!
Peace, peace to you,
and peace to him who helps you,
for your God helps you.

So David received them and made them leaders of his troops.

They helped David against the raiders, for they were all brave warriors and commanders in the army.

From the Simeonites: 7,100 brave warriors ready for war.

From Zebulun: 50,000 who could serve in the army, trained for battle with all kinds of weapons of war, with one purpose to help David.

From the Danites: 28,600 trained for battle.

From Asher: 40,000 who could serve in the army, trained for battle.

They spent three days there eating and drinking with David, for their relatives had provided for them.

In addition, their neighbors from as far away as Issachar, Zebulun, and Naphtali came and brought food on donkeys, camels, mules, and oxen—abundant provisions of flour, fig cakes, raisins, wine and oil, oxen, and sheep. Indeed, there was joy in Israel.

Then let us bring back the ark of our God, for we did not inquire of Him in Saul’s days.”

The ark of God remained with Obed-edom’s family in his house for three months, and the Lord blessed his family and all that he had.

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

Then David knew that the Lord had established him as king over Israel and that his kingdom had been exalted for the sake of His people Israel.

The Philistines abandoned their idols there, and David ordered that they be burned in the fire.

When you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, then march out to battle, for God will have marched out ahead of you to attack the camp of the Philistines.”

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

David assembled all Israel at Jerusalem to bring the ark of the Lord to the place he had prepared for it.

He said to them, “You are the heads of the Levite families. You and your relatives must consecrate yourselves so that you may bring the ark of the Lord God of Israel to the place I have prepared for it.

For the Lord our God burst out in anger against us because you Levites were not with us the first time, for we didn’t inquire of Him about the proper procedures.”

Berechiah and Elkanah were to be gatekeepers for the ark.

The priests, Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah, and Eliezer, were to blow trumpets before the ark of God. Obed-edom and Jehiah were also to be gatekeepers for the ark.

They brought the ark of God and placed it inside the tent David had pitched for it. Then they offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings in God’s presence.

On that day David decreed for the first time that thanks be given to the Lord by Asaph and his relatives:

Search for the Lord and for His strength;
seek His face always.

Remember His covenant forever—
the promise He ordained for a thousand generations,

For the Lord is great and highly praised;
He is feared above all gods.

For all the gods of the peoples are idols,
but the Lord made the heavens.

Then the trees of the forest will shout for joy before the Lord,
for He is coming to judge the earth.

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good;
His faithful love endures forever.

With them were Heman, Jeduthun, and the rest who were chosen and designated by name to give thanks to the Lord—for His faithful love endures forever.

Then all the people left for their homes, and David returned home to bless his household.

So Nathan told David, “Do all that is on your heart, for God is with you.”

I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have destroyed all your enemies before you. I will make a name for you like that of the greatest in the land.

I will establish a place for My people Israel and plant them, so that they may live there and not be disturbed again. Evildoers will not continue to oppress them as they formerly have

ever since the day I ordered judges to be over My people Israel. I will also subdue all your enemies.

“‘Furthermore, I declare to you that the Lord Himself will build a house for you.

He will build a house for Me, and I will establish his throne forever.

Then King David went in, sat in the Lord’s presence, and said,

Who am I, Lord God, and what is my house that You have brought me this far?

This was a little thing to You, God, for You have spoken about Your servant’s house in the distant future. You regard me as a man of distinction, Lord God.

What more can David say to You for honoring Your servant? You know Your servant.

And who is like Your people Israel? God, You came to one nation on earth to redeem a people for Yourself, to make a name for Yourself through great and awesome works by driving out nations before Your people You redeemed from Egypt.

So now, You have been pleased to bless Your servant’s house that it may continue before You forever. For You, Lord, have blessed it, and it is blessed forever.

he sent his son Hadoram to King David to greet him and to congratulate him because David had fought against Hadadezer and defeated him, for Tou and Hadadezer had fought many wars. Hadoram brought all kinds of gold, silver, and bronze items.

So David reigned over all Israel, administering justice and righteousness for all his people.

the Ammonite leaders said to Hanun, “Just because David has sent men with condolences for you, do you really believe he’s showing respect for your father? Instead, hasn’t David sent his emissaries in order to scout out, overthrow, and spy on the land?”

They hired 32,000 chariots and the king of Maacah with his army, who came and camped near Medeba. The Ammonites also came together from their cities for the battle.

“If the Arameans are too strong for me,” Joab said, “then you’ll be my help. However, if the Ammonites are too strong for you, I’ll help you.

Be strong! We must prove ourselves strong for our people and for the cities of our God. May the Lord’s will be done.”

Joab and the people with him approached the Arameans for battle, and they fled before him.

“Go and say to David, ‘This is what the Lord says: I am offering you three choices. Choose one of them for yourself, and I will do it to you.’”

Ornan was threshing wheat when he turned and saw the angel. His four sons, who were with him, hid themselves.

Then David said to Ornan, “Give me this threshing-floor plot so that I may build an altar to the Lord on it. Give it to me for the full price, so the plague on the people may be stopped.”

Ornan said to David, “Take it! My lord the king may do whatever he wants. See, I give the oxen for the burnt offerings, the threshing sledges for the wood, and the wheat for the grain offering—I give it all.”

King David answered Ornan, “No, I insist on paying the full price, for I will not take for the Lord what belongs to you or offer burnt offerings that cost me nothing.”

So David gave Ornan 15 pounds of gold for the plot.

He built an altar to the Lord there and offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. He called on the Lord, and He answered him with fire from heaven on the altar of burnt offering.

Then David said, “This is the house of the Lord God, and this is the altar of burnt offering for Israel.”

So David gave orders to gather the foreigners that were in the land of Israel, and he appointed stonecutters to cut finished stones for building God’s house.

David supplied a great deal of iron to make the nails for the doors of the gateways and for the fittings, together with an immeasurable quantity of bronze,

David said, “My son Solomon is young and inexperienced, and the house that is to be built for the Lord must be exceedingly great and famous and glorious in all the lands. Therefore, I must make provision for it.” So David made lavish preparations for it before his death.

Then he summoned his son Solomon and instructed him to build a house for the Lord God of Israel.

“My son,” David said to Solomon, “It was in my heart to build a house for the name of Yahweh my God,

but the word of the Lord came to me: ‘You have shed much blood and waged great wars. You are not to build a house for My name because you have shed so much blood on the ground before Me.

But a son will be born to you; he will be a man of rest. I will give him rest from all his surrounding enemies, for his name will be Solomon, and I will give peace and quiet to Israel during his reign.

He is the one who will build a house for My name. He will be My son, and I will be his father. I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever.’

Then you will succeed if you carefully follow the statutes and ordinances the Lord commanded Moses for Israel. Be strong and courageous. Don’t be afraid or discouraged.

“Notice I have taken great pains to provide for the house of the Lord—3,775 tons of gold, 37,750 tons of silver, and bronze and iron that can’t be weighed because there is so much of it. I have also provided timber and stone, but you will need to add more to them.

“The Lord your God is with you, isn’t He? And hasn’t He given you rest on every side? For He has handed the land’s inhabitants over to me, and the land has been subdued before the Lord and His people.

Now determine in your mind and heart to seek the Lord your God. Get started building the Lord God’s sanctuary so that you may bring the ark of the Lord’s covenant and the holy articles of God to the temple that is to be built for the name of Yahweh.”

4,000 are to be gatekeepers, and 4,000 are to praise the Lord with the instruments that I have made for worship.”

Shimei’s sons: Jahath, Zizah, Jeush, and Beriah. Those were Shimei’s sons—four.

Kohath’s sons: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel—four.

As for Moses the man of God, his sons were named among the tribe of Levi.

For David said, “The Lord God of Israel has given rest to His people, and He has come to stay in Jerusalem forever.

Also, the Levites no longer need to carry the tabernacle or any of the equipment for its service”—

for according to the last words of David, the Levites 20 years old or more were to be counted—

“but their duty will be to assist the sons of Aaron with the service of the Lord’s temple, being responsible for the courts and the chambers, the purification of all the holy things, and the work of the service of God’s temple—

as well as the rows of the bread of the Presence, the fine flour for the grain offering, the wafers of unleavened bread, the baking, the mixing, and all measurements of volume and length.

Whenever burnt offerings are offered to the Lord on the Sabbaths, New Moons, and appointed festivals, they are to do so regularly in the Lord’s presence according to the number prescribed for them.