Day 137 of 730

¹David again gathered together all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand.

²David arose, and went with all the people who were with him, from Baale Judah, to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the Name, even the name of the Lord of hosts who sits above the cherubim.

³They set the ark of God on a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab that was in the hill: and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drove the new cart.

⁴They brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was in the hill, with the ark of God: and Ahio went before the ark.

⁵David and all the house of Israel played before the Lord with all kinds of instruments made of fir wood, and with harps, and with stringed instruments, and with tambourines, and with castanets, and with cymbals.

⁶When they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah reached for the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the cattle stumbled.

⁷The anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah; and God struck him there for his error; and there he died by the ark of God.

⁸David was displeased, because the Lord had broken forth on Uzzah; and he called that place Perez Uzzah, to this day.

⁹David was afraid of the Lord that day; and he said, "How shall the ark of the Lord come to me?"

¹⁰So David would not move the ark of the Lord to be with him in the city of David; but David carried it aside into the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite.

¹¹The ark of the Lord remained in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite three months: and the Lord blessed Obed-Edom, and all his house.

¹²It was told king David, saying, "The Lord has blessed the house of Obed-Edom, and all that pertains to him, because of the ark of God." David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom into the city of David with joy.

¹³It was so, that, when those who bore the ark of the Lord had gone six paces, he sacrificed an ox and a fattened calf.

¹⁴David danced before the Lord with all his might; and David was clothed in a linen ephod.

¹⁵So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet.

¹⁶It was so, as the ark of the Lord came into the city of David, that Michal the daughter of Saul looked out at the window, and saw king David leaping and dancing before the Lord; and she despised him in her heart.

¹⁷They brought in the ark of the Lord, and set it in its place, in the midst of the tent that David had pitched for it; and David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord.

¹⁸When David had made an end of offering the burnt offering and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of hosts.

¹⁹He gave to all the people, even among the whole multitude of Israel, both to men and women, to everyone a portion of bread, dates, and raisins. So all the people departed everyone to his house.

²⁰Then David returned to bless his household. Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, "How glorious the king of Israel was today, who uncovered himself today in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovers himself!"

²¹David said to Michal, "It was before the Lord, who chose me above your father, and above all his house, to appoint me prince over the people of the Lord, over Israel. Therefore will I celebrate before the Lord.

²²I will be yet more vile than this, and will be base in my own sight. But of the handmaids of whom you have spoken, they shall honor me."

²³Michal the daughter of Saul had no child to the day of her death.

¹It happened, when the king lived in his house, and the Lord had given him rest from all his enemies all around,

²that the king said to Nathan the prophet, "See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells within curtains."

³Nathan said to the king, "Go, do all that is in your heart; for the Lord is with you."

⁴It happened the same night, that the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying,

⁵"Go and tell my servant David, 'Thus says the Lord, "Shall you build me a house for me to dwell in?

⁶For I have not lived in a house since the day that I brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt, even to this day, but have moved around in a tent and in a tabernacle.

⁷In all places in which I have walked with all the children of Israel, did I say a word to any of the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to be shepherd of my people Israel, saying, 'Why have you not built me a house of cedar?'"'

⁸Now therefore you shall tell my servant David this, 'Thus says the Lord of hosts, "I took you from the sheep pen, from following the sheep, that you should be prince over my people, over Israel.

⁹I have been with you wherever you went, and have cut off all your enemies from before you. I will make you a great name, like the name of the great ones who are in the earth.

¹⁰I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in their own place, and be moved no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more, as at the first,

¹¹and as from the day that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel. I will cause you to rest from all your enemies. Moreover the Lord tells you that the Lord will make you a house.

¹²When your days are fulfilled, and you shall sleep with your fathers, I will set up your seed after you, who shall proceed out of your bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.

¹³He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.

¹⁴I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commits iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men;

¹⁵but my loving kindness shall not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before you.

¹⁶Your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before you. Your throne shall be established forever."'"

¹⁷According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so Nathan spoke to David.

¹⁸Then David the king went in, and sat before the Lord; and he said, "Who am I, Lord God, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far?

¹⁹This was yet a small thing in your eyes, Lord God; but you have spoken also of your servant's house for a great while to come; and this after the way of men, Lord God!

²⁰What more can David say to you? For you know your servant, Lord God.

²¹For your word's sake, and according to your own heart, you have worked all this greatness, to make your servant know it.

²²Therefore you are great, Lord God. For there is none like you, neither is there any God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears.

²³What one nation in the earth is like your people, even like Israel, whom God went to redeem to himself for a people, and to make himself a name, and to do great things for you, and awesome things for your land, before your people, whom you redeem to yourself out of Egypt, from the nations and their gods?

²⁴You established for yourself your people Israel to be a people to you forever; and you, Lord, became their God.

²⁵Now, Lord God, the word that you have spoken concerning your servant, and concerning his house, confirm it forever, and do as you have spoken.

²⁶Let your name be magnified forever, saying, 'The Lord of hosts is God over Israel; and the house of your servant David shall be established before you.'

²⁷For you, the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, have revealed to your servant, saying, 'I will build you a house.' Therefore your servant has found in his heart to pray this prayer to you.

²⁸"Now, O Lord God, you are God, and your words are truth, and you have promised this good thing to your servant.

²⁹Now therefore let it please you to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue forever before you; for you, Lord God, have spoken it. Let the house of your servant be blessed forever with your blessing."

¹By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down. Yes, we wept, when we remembered Zion.

²On the willows in its midst, we hung up our harps.

³For there, those who led us captive asked us for songs. Those who tormented us demanded songs of joy: "Sing us one of the songs of Zion!"

⁴How can we sing the Lord's song in a foreign land?

⁵If I forget you, Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill.

⁶Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth if I do not remember you; if I do not prefer Jerusalem above my chief joy.

⁷Remember, Lord, against the children of Edom, the day of Jerusalem; who said, "Raze it! Raze it even to its foundation!"

⁸Daughter of Babylon, doomed to destruction, he will be happy who rewards you, as you have served us.

⁹Happy shall he be, who takes and dashes your little ones against the rock.

¹A wise son listens to his father's instruction, but a scoffer doesn't listen to rebuke.

²By the fruit of his lips, a man enjoys good things; but the unfaithful crave violence.

³He who guards his mouth guards his soul. One who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.

⁴The soul of the sluggard desires, and has nothing, but the desire of the diligent shall be fully satisfied.

⁵A righteous man hates lies, but a wicked man brings shame and disgrace.

⁶Righteousness guards the way of integrity, but wickedness overthrows the sinner.

⁷There are some who pretend to be rich, yet have nothing. There are some who pretend to be poor, yet have great wealth.

⁸The ransom of a man's life is his riches, but the poor hear no threats.

⁹The light of the righteous shines brightly, but the lamp of the wicked is snuffed out.

¹⁰Pride only breeds quarrels, but with ones who take advice is wisdom.

¹¹Wealth gained dishonestly dwindles away, but he who gathers by hand makes it grow.

¹²Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when longing is fulfilled, it is a tree of life.

¹³Whoever despises instruction will pay for it, but he who respects a command will be rewarded.

¹⁴The teaching of the wise is a spring of life, to turn from the snares of death.

¹⁵Good understanding wins favor; but the way of the unfaithful is hard.

¹⁶Every prudent man acts from knowledge, but a fool exposes folly.

¹⁷A wicked messenger falls into trouble, but a trustworthy envoy gains healing.

¹⁸Poverty and shame come to him who refuses discipline, but he who heeds correction shall be honored.

¹⁹Longing fulfilled is sweet to the soul, but fools detest turning from evil.

²⁰One who walks with wise men grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.

²¹Misfortune pursues sinners, but prosperity rewards the righteous.

²²A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children, but the wealth of the sinner is stored for the righteous.

²³An abundance of food is in poor people's fields, but injustice sweeps it away.

²⁴One who spares the rod hates his son, but one who loves him is careful to discipline him.

²⁵The righteous one eats to the satisfying of his soul, but the belly of the wicked goes hungry.