And LORD, for thy servant's sake, even according to thine own heart thou hast done all this magnificence,

to show all bounteousness LORD, there is none like thee, nor any God save thou, according to all that we have heard with our ears.

Moreover, what nation on the earth is like thy people Israel, which God went and redeemed to be his own people, and to make thee a name of excellency and terribleness, with casting out nations from before thy people forever?

And now LORD the thing thou hast spoken concerning thy servant and his house be true forever, and do as thou hast said.

For thou Lord hast told thy servant, that thou wilt build him a house. And therefore thy servant hath found in his heart to pray before thee.

Now therefore go to and bless the house of thy servant, that it may continue before thee forever. For what thou blessest, O LORD that is blessed forever."

And David beat Hadadezer king of Zobah unto Hamath, as he went to bring his dominion unto the river Euphrates.

Then came the Syrians of Damascus to help Hadadezer king of Zobah. And David slew of the Syrians twenty two thousand,

and put garrisons in Syria of Damascus: And the Syrians became David's servants and brought him tribute. For the LORD helped David in all that he went to.

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

he sent Hadoram his son to king David, to salute him and to bless him, because he had fought with Hadadezer and beaten him - for Thou had war with Hadadezer - and sent all manner of Jewels of gold, silver and brass with him.

Then said David, "I will show kindness unto Hanun the son of Nahash, because his father dealt kindly with me." And thereupon David sent messengers to comfort him over the death of his father. And when the servants of David were come into the land of the children of Ammon to Hanun to comfort him,

the lords of the children of Ammon said to Hanun, "Thinkest thou that David doth honour thy father in thy sight, that he hath sent comforters unto thee? Nay, but it is to search and overthrow and to spy out the land, that his servants be come unto thee."

And there went that told David how the men were served. And the king sent to meet them - for the men were exceedingly ashamed - and said, "Tarry at Jericho until your beards be grown, and then return."

And when the children of Ammon saw that they stank in the nose of David, Hanun, and the children of Ammon sent a thousand talents of silver to hire the chariots and horsemen out of Mesopotamia and out of Arammaacah and out of Zobah.

And they hired thirty two thousand chariots, and the king of Maacah and his people, which came and pitched before Medeba. And the children of Ammon gathered themselves together from their cities and went out to battle.

And the children of Ammon came out and put them in array to battle before the gate of the city. And the kings that were come kept them by themselves in the field.

and said, "If the Syrians be too strong for me, succor me, and if the children of Ammon be too good for thee, I will help thee.

Pluck up thine heart and let us play the men for our people's sake, and for the cities of our God, and the LORD to do what seemeth him best."

And Joab and the people that were with him drew nigh to the Syrians, to fight, and they fled before him.

And when the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians were fled, they ran away likewise, from Abishai his brother and gat them into the city. And Joab came to Jerusalem.

And when the Syrians saw that they were put to the worse of Israel, they sent messengers and fetched out the Syrians that are beyond the river with Shophach the Captain of the host of Hadadezer before them.

And when the servants of Hadadezer saw that they were put to the worse of Israel, they made peace with David and served him. Neither would the Syrians help the children of Ammon anymore.

And he brought out the people that were in it and tamed them with saws and harrows of iron and with brakes, and so dealt David with all the cities of the children of Ammon. And then David and all the people came again to Jerusalem.

And Satan stood up against Israel, and persuaded David to number Israel.

And David said to Joab and the rulers of the people, "Go ye and number Israel from Beersheba to Dan, and bring it to me that I may know the number of them."

And Joab answered, "The LORD make thy people a hundred times so many more as they be. But my lord king, are they not all my lord's servants? Why then doth my lord require this thing? Why should my lord be a cause of trespass to Israel?"

Neverthelater, the king's words prevailed against Joab. And Joab took his way and went throughout all Israel, and came to Jerusalem

But the Levites and Benjamin he counted not among them. For the king's deed seemed abominable to Joab.

Then said David to God, "I have sinned exceedingly in doing this thing. Nevertheless, yet do away the wickedness of thy servant, for I have done above measure foolishly."

"Go and tell David saying, 'Thus sayeth the LORD: I give thee the choice of three things: choose thee one of them, that I may do unto thee.'"

And Gad came to David and said to him, "Thus sayeth the LORD:

'Choose thee either three years' famishment, or three months to be consumed of thine adversaries, the sword of thine enemies overtaking thee: or else the sword of the LORD three days and pestilence in the land, the angel of the LORD destroying throughout all the coasts of Israel.' And now advise thyself what word I shall bring again unto him that sent me."

And David said to Gad, "I am in an exceeding strait. But let me fall in to the hands of the LORD, for passing great is his mercy, and let me not fall unto the hands of men."

And God sent the angel to Jerusalem to destroy it. And as he was about to destroy, the LORD beheld and had compassion on the wretchedness, and said to the angel that destroyed, "It is enough, now cease thine hand." And the angel of the LORD stood by the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.

And David said unto God, "Is it not I that commanded to number the people? And I am he that have sinned and done evil in deed. But what have these sheep done? Let thine hand therefore O LORD God be on me and on my father's house, and not on thy people to destroy them."

And the Angel commanded Gad to say to David, that David should go and rear up an altar unto the LORD, in the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.

And David came to Ornan. And when Ornan looked and saw David, he went out of the threshing floor and bowed himself to David with his face to the ground.

And David said to Ornan, "Give me the place of the threshing floor, that I may build an altar therein unto the LORD. Let me have it for as much money as it is worth, that the plague may cease from the people."

And Ornan said to David, "Take it to thee, and let my lord king do that seemeth good in his eyes. See, I give thee oxen for a burnt sacrifice, and the threshing sleds for wood, and wheat for meat offering: I give it all."

But king David said to Ornan, "Not so, but I will buy it for as much money as it is worth. I will not take that which is thine, for the LORD, and offer burnt offering without cost."

And so David gave to Ornan for the place sicles of gold, six hundred by weight.

And the LORD commanded the Angel to put up his sword again to the sheath of it.

At that time, when David saw that the LORD had heard him in the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite, he used to offer there.

And David could not go before it to seek God, because he was afraid of the sword of the Angel of the LORD.

And David commanded to gather the strangers that were in the land of Israel, and set hewers to hew stone, to build the house of God.

And David prepared plenty of iron for nails to the doors of the gates and to join with all, and abundance of brass without weight,

and of Cedar trees without number. For the Sidonians and they of Tyre brought much Cedar wood to David.

For David thus thought, "Solomon my son is young and tender, and the house that is to be built for the LORD, must exceed in greatness, that it may be spoken of and praised in all lands. I will therefore make ordinance for it." And so David prepared abundance before his death.

And he called Solomon his son and charged him to build a house for the LORD God of Israel.

And David said to Salomon, "My son, I had in mine heart to build a house unto the name of the LORD my God.

But the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 'Thou hast shed much blood, and hast made many battles. Thou shalt not build a house for my name, for thou hast shed much blood to the earth in my sight.

And the LORD give thee wisdom and understanding, and make thee governor of Israel, and to keep the law of the LORD thy God.

For then thou shalt prosper: If thou shalt be diligent to do the ordinances and laws which the LORD charged Moses with, to deliver to Israel. Pluck up thine heart and be strong, dread not, nor be discouraged.

Moreover, thou hast workmen enough and masons and carpenters to work in stone and timber, and all manner of wise men for whatsoever work it be.

And David commanded all the lords of Israel, to help Solomon his son, saying,

Now therefore set your hearts and your souls to seek the LORD your God. And up, and build ye the temple of the LORD God, to bring the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD, and the holy vessels of God into the house so built for the name of the LORD."

Of which twenty four thousand were set to further the work of the house of the LORD. And six thousand were officers and judges.

Four thousand were porters and four thousand praised the LORD with such instruments as David had made to praise withal.

The sons of Amram: Aaron and Moses. And Aaron was appointed to consecrate in the place most holy, with his sons forever: and to burn the offerings before the LORD, and to minister, and to bless in his name forever.

These are the children of Levi in the households of their fathers the ancient heads, viewed and numbered by name and poll by poll from twenty year and above, to work in the service of the house of the LORD.

Moreover, the Levites should now no more bear the tabernacle and all the vessels that pertain to the service thereof." -

"To wait at the hands of the sons of Aaron in the service of the house of the LORD, and to have the oversight of the courts and of the store houses, and of the purifying of all holy things, and of the work of the things that served for the house of God,

and to wait every morning to thank and praise the LORD, and likewise at evening.

And to wait on every offering of burnt sacrifices unto the LORD, the Sabbaths and first days of the months, and other feastful days by number and custom, was their office ever before the LORD.

And David ordered them on this manner: Zadok of the sons of Eleazar and Ahimelech of the sons of Ithamar to be in office by course.

The first lot fell to Jehoiarib. The second to Jedaiah.

The third to Harim. The fourth to Seorim.

The fifth to Malcijah. The sixth to Mijamin.

The seventh to Hakkoz. The eighth to Abijah.

The ninth to Jeshua. The tenth to Shecaniah.

The eleventh to Eliashib. The twelfth to Jakim.

The thirteenth to Huppah. The fourteenth to Jeshebeab.

The fifteenth to Bilgah. The sixteenth to Immer.

The seventeenth to Hezir. The eighteenth to Happizzez.

The nineteenth to Pethahiah. The twentieth to Jehezkel.

The twenty-first to Jachin. The twenty-second to Gamul.

The twenty-third to Delaiah. The twenty-fourth to Maaziah.

This is the order of them in their offices, to come into the house of the LORD according to their manner under Aaron their father, as the LORD God of Israel commanded.

And these cast lots next to their brethren the sons of Aaron, before David the king and Zadok and Ahimelech and the ancient heads and priests of the Levites: as well the youngest brother as an ancient head.

And David and the captains of the host appointed out to do service, the sons of Asaph of Heman and Jeduthun, which did prophesy with harps, psalteries and cymbals. And they were numbered unto the work according to their office.

The sons of Asaph: Zaccur, Joseph, Nethaniah, Asharelah, to wait on Asaph which prophesied by the king.

The sons of Jeduthun: Gedaliah, Zeri, Jeshaiah, Hashabiah and Mattithiah-Shimei, six, at the hands of their fathers Jeduthun, with harps: which Jeduthun prophesied for to thank and praise the LORD.

All these were of the sons of Heman the king's seer of visions with the word of God, to lift up the horn. God gave to Heman fourteen sons and three daughters.

All these were at the hand of their father to sing in the house of the LORD with cymbals, psalteries and harps in the service of the house of God. And at the hand of the king was Asaph, Jeduthun and Heman:

But the multitude of them were with their brethren that were cunning in the song of the LORD. And the number of all that taught, were two hundred and fourscore and eight.

And the first lot of Asaph fell to Joseph. The second to Gedaliah with his brethren and sons, twelve persons.

The third fell to Zaccur with his sons and brethren, being twelve persons.

The fourth to Izri with his sons and brethren, twelve persons.

The fifth to Nethaniah with his sons and brethren, twelve persons.

The sixth to Bukkiah with his sons and brethren, twelve persons.

The seventh to Jesharelah with his sons and brethren, twelve persons.

The eighth to Jeshaiah with his sons and brethren, twelve persons.

The ninth to Mattaniah with his sons and brethren, twelve persons.

The tenth to Shimei with his sons and brethren, twelve persons.

The eleventh to Azarel with his sons and brethren, twelve persons.

The twelfth to Hashabiah with his sons and brethren, twelve persons.

The thirteenth to Shubael with his sons and brethren, twelve persons.

The fourteenth to Mattithiah with his sons and brethren, twelve persons.

The fifteenth to Jerimoth with his sons and brethren, twelve persons.