and said, My God forbid it of me, that I should do this. Shall I drink the blood of these men who have put their lives in jeopardy? For with [the jeopardy of] their lives they brought it. Therefore he would not drink it. These thin

Of the three, he was more honourable than the two; for he was their captain: howbeit he attained not to the first three.

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.

He also killed an Egyptian who was seven and a half feet tall. Even though the Egyptian had a spear in his hand like a weaver’s beam, Benaiah went down to him with a club, snatched the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand, and then killed him with his own spear.

Behold, he was more honorable than the thirty, but he attained not to the first three: and David set him over his guard.

The chief was Ahiezer, then Joash, the sons of Shemaah the Gibeathite; and Jeziel, and Pelet, the sons of Azmaveth; and Berachah, and Jehu the Antothite,

and Ishmaiah the Gibeonite, a mighty man among the thirty, and over the thirty. Then Jeremiah, Jahaziel, Johanan, Jozabad the Gederathite,

Then some of the sons of Benjamin and Judah came to the stronghold to David.

And David went out to them, and said to them, If you have come in peace to give me help, my heart will be united with yours; but if you have come to give me up to those who would take my life, though my hands are clean from wrongdoing, then may the God of our fathers see it and give you punishment.

Then the spirit came upon Amasai, who was chief of the captains, and he said, Thine are we, David, and on thy side, thou son of Jesse: peace, peace be unto thee, and peace be to thine helpers; for thy God helpeth thee. Then David received them, and made them captains of the band.

Then when he went back to Ziklag, there came over to him, of the men of Manasseh, Adnah and Jozabad and Jediael and Michael and Jozabad and Elihu and Zillethai, captains of thousands from the armies of Manasseh.

Then David had discussions with the captains of thousands and the captains of hundreds and with every chief.

Then he said to the whole assembly of Israel, “If it seems good to you, and if this is from the Lord our God, let us spread out and send the message to the rest of our relatives in all the districts of Israel, including the priests and Levites in their cities with pasturelands, that they should gather together with us.

Then let us bring around the ark of our God to us, for we did not seek it in the days of Saul."

Than said all the convocation, that it should be done thus, - for right was the thing, in the eyes of all the people.

Then David and all Israel made melody before God with all their strength, with songs and corded instruments of music, and with brass instruments and horns.

Then the Lord’s anger burned against Uzzah, and He struck him dead because he had reached out to the ark. So he died there in the presence of God.

Then David became angry because of the Lord’s outburst against Uzza; and he called that place Perez-uzza to this day.

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.

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

And David inquired of God, saying, Shall I go up against the Philistines? and wilt thou deliver them into mine hand? And the LORD said unto him, Go up; for I will deliver them into thine hand.

So they came up to Baalperazim; and David smote them there. Then David said, God hath broken in upon mine enemies by mine hand like the breaking forth of waters: therefore they called the name of that place Baalperazim.

Then the Philistines {carried out another raid} in the valley.

Then David inquired again of God. And God said to him, "You shall not go up after them. Go around from before them and come against them the opposite [way] of the balsam trees.

And it shall be, when thou shalt hear a sound of going in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then thou shalt go out to battle: for God is gone forth before thee to smite the host of the Philistines.

Then David’s fame spread throughout the lands, and the Lord caused all the nations to be terrified of him.

David constructed buildings in the City of David; he then prepared a place for the ark of God and pitched a tent for it.

Then David said, None ought to carry the ark of God but the Levites: for them hath the LORD chosen to carry the ark of God, and to minister unto him for ever.

Then he gathered together the descendants of Aaron and the Levites:

Then David summoned Zadok and Abiathar the priests, and the Levites Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel, and Amminadab.

Then the priests and the Levites sanctified themselves to bring up the ark of Yahweh, the God of Israel.

Then the Levites carried the ark of God the way Moses had commanded according to the word of the Lord: on their shoulders with the poles.

Then David ordered the chiefs of the Levites to appoint their brothers [as] singers with instruments of song, musical instruments, stringed instruments, and cymbals, {raising their voices for joy}.

Then David, the elders of Israel, and the leaders of groups of thousands proceeded to bring the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD from Obed-edom's house, rejoicing as they went.

And when the ark of the covenant of Yahweh came into the city of David, then Michal the daughter of Saul looked down from the window and saw the king, David, leaping and dancing. And she despised him in her heart.

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.

Then he distributed to each and every Israelite, both men and women, a loaf of bread, a date cake, and a raisin cake.

Then he appointed some of the Levites as ministers before the ark of Yahweh, to invoke, thank, and praise Yahweh the God of Israel.

Asaph the chief, and second to him Zechariah, then Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-edom and Jeiel, with musical instruments, harps, lyres; also Asaph played loud-sounding cymbals,

Then on that day David delivered first this psalm to thank the LORD into the hand of Asaph and his brethren.

For the Lord is great, and greatly to be praised; and he is more to be feared than all other gods.

Then shall the trees of the wood sing out at the presence of the LORD, because he cometh to judge the earth.

Then say, "Save us, O God of our salvation; gather us and rescue us from the nations that [we may] give thanks to your holy name [and] glory in your praise.

Blessed be Yahweh the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting!" Then all the people said, "Amen!" and praised Yahweh.

Then all the people departed, each to his house, and David returned [home] to bless his household.

Then Nathan said unto David, Do all that is in thine heart; for God is with thee.

And I have been with thee whithersoever thou hast walked, and have cut off all thine enemies from before thee, and have made thee a name like the name of the great men that are in the earth.

And since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel. Moreover I will subdue all thine enemies. Furthermore I tell thee that the LORD will build thee an house.

And it shall be that when your days are fulfilled to go [and sleep] with your ancestors, then I will raise up your seed after you, who will be one of your sons, and I will establish his kingdom.

Then David the king went in, and sat before Jehovah; and he said, Who am I, O Jehovah God, and what is my house, that thou hast brought me thus far?

And yet this was a small thing in thine eyes, O God; for thou hast also spoken of thy servant's house for a great while to come, and hast regarded me according to the estate of a man of high degree, O LORD God.

What, yet further, can David say unto thee, thus to honour thy servant, - seeing that, thou thyself, knowest, thine own servant?

O LORD, for thy servant's sake, and according to thine own heart, hast thou done all this greatness, in making known all these great things.

"LORD, there is no one like you, and we have heard from no god other than you.

Who then is like thy people Israel, a nation alone in the earth, - whom God went to redeem, to be his own people, to make for thyself a name for great and fearful things, to drive out, nations, from before thy people, whom thou didst redeem out of Egypt;

For thy people Israel didst thou make thine own people for ever; and thou, LORD, becamest their God.

After this, David defeated and subdued the Philistines, and then took possession of Gath and its towns from Philistine control.

Then David overcame Hadadezer, king of Zobah, near Hamath, when he was going to make his power seen by the river Euphrates.

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

Then David put garrisons in Syriadamascus; and the Syrians became David's servants, and brought gifts. Thus the LORD preserved David whithersoever he went.

Then he put garrisons in Edom, and all the Edomites became servants to David. And the Lord helped David wherever he went.

Then David said, “I’ll show kindness to Hanun son of Nahash, because his father showed kindness to me.”

So David sent messengers to console him concerning his father. However, when David’s emissaries arrived in the land of the Ammonites to console him,

And the princes of the children of Ammon said to Hanun, Is it, in thine eyes, to honour thy father that David has sent comforters to thee? Is it not to search and overthrow, and to spy out the land that his servants are come to thee?

So Hanun seized David's servants and shaved their beards off. He cut off the lower part of their robes so that their buttocks were exposed and then sent them away.

Then there went certain, and told David how the men were served. And he sent to meet them: for the men were greatly ashamed. And the king said, Tarry at Jericho until your beards be grown, and then return.

And he said, If the Syrians be too strong for me, then thou shalt help me: but if the children of Ammon be too strong for thee, then 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."

Then did Joab, and all the people who were with him, draw near before the Syrians unto the battle, - and they fled from before him.

And when the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians were fled, they likewise fled before Abishai his brother, and entered into the city. Then Joab came to Jerusalem.

And when the Syrians saw that they had been defeated before Israel, then sent they messengers, and brought out the Syrians who were Beyond the River, - with Shophach captain of the army of Hadarezer, before them.

And when it was told to David, he gathered all Israel and crossed the Jordan. And he came to them and was arrayed against them. Then David was arrayed to meet Aram in battle, and they fought with him.

Later the next spring, at the time that kings go out to fight, Joab led out the army, ravaged the territory of the Ammonites, and then went out and attacked Rabbah, while David remained behind in Jerusalem. Joab besieged Rabbah and conquered it.

And David took the crown of their king from his head and found it to weigh a talent of gold. And in it [was] a precious stone. Then it was [placed] upon the head of David. And he brought out the booty of the city, a large amount.

And the people who [were] in it he brought out, and {he set them to work with saws and iron implements and axes}. Thus David did to all the cities of the {Ammonites}. Then David returned, and all the nation [went] with him.

And it came to pass after this, that there arose war at Gezer with the Philistines: then Sibbecai the Hushathite slew Sippai, of the sons of the giant; and they were subdued.

Then Satan stood against Israel and urged David to count Israel.

David told Joab and the leaders of the army, "Go, count the number of warriors from Beer Sheba to Dan. Then bring back a report to me so I may know how many we have."

And Joab answered, The LORD make his people an hundred times so many more as they be: but, my lord the king, are they not all my lord's servants? why then doth my lord require this thing? why will he be a cause of trespass to Israel?

But the word of the king prevailed over Joab. Then he went about through all Israel and came to Jerusalem.

Then David said to God, "I have sinned severely [in] that I have done this thing. But now, please forgive the sin of your servant, for I have been very foolish."

Then Yahweh spoke to Gad the seer of David, saying,

Either three years' famine; or three months to be destroyed before thy foes, while that the sword of thine enemies overtaketh thee; or else three days the sword of the LORD, even the pestilence, in the land, and the angel of the LORD destroying throughout all the coasts of Israel. Now therefore advise thyself what word I shall bring again to him that sent me.

Then David said to Gad, "{I am very troubled}. Let me into the hand of Yahweh, for his compassion is very great, but do not let me fall into the hand of a man."

Then the LORD sent a pestilence to Israel, and 70,000 men died in Israel.

And God sent an angel unto Jerusalem to destroy it: and as he was destroying, the LORD beheld, and he repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed, It is enough, stay now thine hand. And the angel of the LORD stood by the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite.

And David lifted up his eyes, and saw the angel of the LORD stand between the earth and the heaven, having a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders of Israel, who were clothed in sackcloth, fell upon their faces.

And David said unto God, Is it not I that commanded the people to be numbered? even I it is that have sinned and done evil indeed; but as for these sheep, what have they done? let thine hand, I pray thee, O LORD my God, be on me, and on my father's house; but not on thy people, that they should be plagued.

Then the angel of the LORD commanded Gad to say to David, that David should go up, and set up an altar unto the LORD in the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite.

Then David came to Ornan, and Ornan looked and saw David. And he went out from the threshing floor, and they bowed down to David, faces to the ground.

Then David said to Ornan, Grant me the place of this threshingfloor, that I may build an altar therein unto the LORD: thou shalt grant it me for the full price: that the plague may be stayed from the people.

And king David said to Ornan, Nay; but I will verily buy it for the full price: for I will not take that which is thine for the LORD, nor offer burnt offerings without cost.

Then David built an altar there to Yahweh, and he offered burnt offerings and peace offerings, and he called to Yahweh. And he answered him with fire from heaven upon the altar of burnt offering.

Then the Lord commanded the [avenging] angel, and he put his sword back into its sheath.

At that time when David saw that the LORD had answered him in the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite, then he sacrificed there.

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

And he got together a great store of iron, for the nails for the doors and for the joins; and brass, more in weight than might be measured;

and more cedar logs than could be counted. (The Sidonians and Tyrians had brought a large amount of cedar logs to David.)

Then David said, "Solomon my son [is] a boy and inexperienced, and the house built for Yahweh [must be] exceedingly great in fame and splendor throughout every land. I will make preparations for him." So David provided abundant [materials] before he died.

Then he called for Solomon his son, and charged him to build an house for the LORD God of Israel.

Then shalt thou prosper, if thou takest heed to fulfil the statutes and judgments which the LORD charged Moses with concerning Israel: be strong, and of good courage; dread not, nor be dismayed.