Day 26 of 90

¹David consulted with the captains of thousands and of hundreds, even with every leader.

²David said to all the assembly of Israel, "If it seems good to you, and if it is of the Lord our God, let us send abroad everywhere to our brothers who are left in all the land of Israel, with whom the priests and Levites are in their cities that have suburbs, that they may gather themselves to us;

³and let us bring again the ark of our God to us. For we did not seek it in the days of Saul."

⁴All the assembly said that they would do so; for the thing was right in the eyes of all the people.

⁵So David assembled all Israel together, from the Shihor the brook of Egypt even to the entrance of Hamath, to bring the ark of God from Kiriath Jearim.

⁶David went up, and all Israel, to Baalah, that is, to Kiriath Jearim, which belonged to Judah, to bring up from there the ark of God the Lord that sits above the cherubim, that is called by the Name.

⁷They carried the ark of God on a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab: and Uzza and Ahio drove the cart.

⁸David and all Israel played before God with all their might, even with songs, and with harps, and with stringed instruments, and with tambourines, and with cymbals, and with trumpets.

⁹When they came to the threshing floor of Chidon, Uzza put forth his hand to hold the ark; for the oxen stumbled.

¹⁰The anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzza, and he struck him, because he put forth his hand to the ark; and there he died before God.

¹¹David was displeased, because the Lord had broken forth on Uzza; and he called that place Perez Uzza, to this day.

¹²David was afraid of God that day, saying, "How shall I bring the ark of God home to me?"

¹³So David did not move the ark to him into the city of David, but carried it aside into the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite.

¹⁴The ark of God remained with the family of Obed-Edom in his house three months: and the Lord blessed the house of Obed-Edom, and all that he had.

¹Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, and masons, and carpenters, to build him a house.

²David perceived that the Lord had established him king over Israel; for his kingdom was exalted on high, for his people Israel's sake.

³David took more wives at Jerusalem; and David became the father of more sons and daughters.

⁴These are the names of the children whom he had in Jerusalem: Shammua, and Shobab, Nathan, and Solomon,

⁵and Ibhar, and Elishua, and Elpelet,

⁶and Nogah, and Nepheg, and Japhia,

⁷and Elishama, and Beeliada, and Eliphelet.

⁸When the Philistines heard that David was anointed king over all Israel, all the Philistines went up to seek David: and David heard of it, and went out against them.

⁹Now the Philistines had come and made a raid in the valley of Rephaim.

¹⁰David inquired of God, saying, "Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will you deliver them into my hand?" The Lord said to him, "Go up; for I will deliver them into your hand."

¹¹So they came up to Baal Perazim, and David struck them there; and David said, God has broken my enemies by my hand, like the breach of waters. Therefore they called the name of that place Baal Perazim.

¹²They left their gods there; and David gave commandment, and they were burned with fire.

¹³The Philistines yet again made a raid in the valley.

¹⁴David inquired again of God; and God said to him, "You shall not go up after them. Turn away from them, and come on them over against the mulberry trees.

¹⁵It shall be, when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then you shall go out to battle; for God has gone out before you to strike the army of the Philistines."

¹⁶David did as God commanded him: and they struck the army of the Philistines from Gibeon even to Gezer.

¹⁷The fame of David went out into all lands; and the Lord brought the fear of him on all nations.

¹David made him houses in the city of David; and he prepared a place for the ark of God, and pitched for it a tent.

²Then David said, "No one ought to carry the ark of God but the Levites. For the Lord has chosen them to carry the ark of God, and to minister to him forever."

³David assembled all Israel at Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the Lord to its place, which he had prepared for it.

⁴David gathered together the sons of Aaron, and the Levites:

⁵of the sons of Kohath, Uriel the chief, and his brothers one hundred twenty;

⁶of the sons of Merari, Asaiah the chief, and his brothers two hundred twenty;

⁷of the sons of Gershom, Joel the chief, and his brothers one hundred thirty;

⁸of the sons of Elizaphan, Shemaiah the chief, and his brothers two hundred;

⁹of the sons of Hebron, Eliel the chief, and his brothers eighty;

¹⁰of the sons of Uzziel, Amminadab the chief, and his brothers one hundred twelve.

¹¹David called for Zadok and Abiathar the priests, and for the Levites, for Uriel, Asaiah, and Joel, Shemaiah, and Eliel, and Amminadab,

¹²and said to them, "You are the heads of the fathers' households of the Levites. Sanctify yourselves, both you and your brothers, that you may bring up the ark of the Lord, the God of Israel, to the place that I have prepared for it.

¹³For because you did not carry it at first, the Lord our God made an outbreak against us, because we did not seek him according to the ordinance."

¹⁴So the priests and the Levites sanctified themselves to bring up the ark of the Lord, the God of Israel.

¹⁵The children of the Levites bore the ark of God on their shoulders with the poles thereon, as Moses commanded according to the word of the Lord.

¹⁶David spoke to the chief of the Levites to appoint their brothers the singers, with instruments of music, stringed instruments and harps and cymbals, sounding aloud and lifting up the voice with joy.

¹⁷So the Levites appointed Heman the son of Joel; and of his brothers, Asaph the son of Berechiah; and of the sons of Merari their brothers, Ethan the son of Kushaiah;

¹⁸and with them their brothers of the second degree, Zechariah, Ben, and Jaaziel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Unni, Eliab, and Benaiah, and Maaseiah, and Mattithiah, and Eliphelehu, and Mikneiah, and Obed-Edom, and Jeiel, the doorkeepers.

¹⁹So the singers, Heman, Asaph, and Ethan, were given cymbals of brass to sound aloud;

²⁰and Zechariah, and Aziel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Unni, and Eliab, and Maaseiah, and Benaiah, with stringed instruments set to Alamoth;

²¹and Mattithiah, and Eliphelehu, and Mikneiah, and Obed-Edom, and Jeiel, and Azaziah, with harps tuned to the eight-stringed lyre, to lead.

²²Chenaniah, chief of the Levites, was over the song: he instructed about the song, because he was skillful.

²³Berechiah and Elkanah were doorkeepers for the ark.

²⁴Shebaniah, and Joshaphat, and Nethanel, and Amasai, and Zechariah, and Benaiah, and Eliezer, the priests, blew the trumpets before the ark of God: and Obed-Edom and Jehiah were doorkeepers for the ark.

²⁵So David, and the elders of Israel, and the captains over thousands, went to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of the house of Obed-Edom with joy.

²⁶It happened, when God helped the Levites who bore the ark of the covenant of the Lord, that they sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams.

²⁷David was clothed with a robe of fine linen, and all the Levites who bore the ark, and the singers, and Chenaniah the master of the song with the singers: and David had on him an ephod of linen.

²⁸Thus all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the Lord with shouting, and with sound of the cornet, and with trumpets, and with cymbals, sounding aloud with stringed instruments and harps.

²⁹It happened, as the ark of the covenant of the Lord came to the city of David, that Michal the daughter of Saul looked out at the window, and saw king David dancing and playing; and she despised him in her heart.

¹They brought in the ark of God, and set it in the midst of the tent that David had pitched for it: and they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before God.

²When David had made an end of offering the burnt offering and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord.

³He dealt to everyone of Israel, both man and woman, to every one a loaf of bread, and a portion of meat, and a cake of raisins.

⁴He appointed certain of the Levites to minister before the ark of the Lord, and to celebrate and to thank and praise the Lord, the God of Israel:

⁵Asaph the chief, and second to him Zechariah, Jeiel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Mattithiah, and Eliab, and Benaiah, and Obed-Edom, and Jeiel, with stringed instruments and with harps; and Asaph with cymbals, sounding aloud;

⁶and Benaiah and Jahaziel the priests with trumpets continually, before the ark of the covenant of God.

⁷Then on that day David first ordained to give thanks to the Lord, by the hand of Asaph and his brothers.

⁸Oh give thanks to the Lord. Call on his name. Make his doings known among the peoples.

⁹Sing to him. Sing praises to him. Tell of all his marvelous works.

¹⁰Glory in his holy name. Let the heart of those who seek the Lord rejoice.

¹¹Seek the Lord and his strength. Seek his face forever more.

¹²Remember his marvelous works that he has done, his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth,

¹³you seed of Israel his servant, you children of Jacob, his chosen ones.

¹⁴He is the Lord our God. His judgments are in all the earth.

¹⁵Remember his covenant forever, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations,

¹⁶the covenant which he made with Abraham, his oath to Isaac.

¹⁷He confirmed the same to Jacob for a statute, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant,

¹⁸saying, "I will give you the land of Canaan, The lot of your inheritance,"

¹⁹when you were but a few men in number, yes, very few, and foreigners were in it.

²⁰They went about from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another people.

²¹He allowed no man to do them wrong. Yes, he reproved kings for their sakes,

²²"Do not touch my anointed ones! Do my prophets no harm!"

²³Sing to the Lord, all the earth! Display his salvation from day to day.

²⁴Declare his glory among the nations, and his marvelous works among all the peoples.

²⁵For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised. He also is to be feared above all gods.

²⁶For all the gods of the peoples are idols, but the Lord made the heavens.

²⁷Honor and majesty are before him. Strength and gladness are in his place.

²⁸Ascribe to the Lord, you relatives of the peoples, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength!

²⁹Ascribe to the Lord the glory due to his name. Bring an offering, and come before him. Worship the Lord in holy array.

³⁰Tremble before him, all the earth. The world also is established that it can't be moved.

³¹Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice! Let them say among the nations, "The Lord reigns!"

³²Let the sea roar, and its fullness! Let the field exult, and all that is therein!

³³Then the trees of the forest will sing for joy before the Lord, for he comes to judge the earth.

³⁴Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his loving kindness endures forever.

³⁵Say, "Save us, God of our salvation! Gather us together and deliver us from the nations, to give thanks to your holy name, to triumph in your praise."

³⁶Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting even to everlasting. All the people said, "Amen," and praised the Lord.

³⁷So he left there, before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, Asaph and his brothers, to minister before the ark continually, as every day's work required;

³⁸and Obed-Edom with their brothers, sixty-eight; Obed-Edom also the son of Jeduthun and Hosah to be doorkeepers;

³⁹and Zadok the priest, and his brothers the priests, before the tabernacle of the Lord in the high place that was at Gibeon,

⁴⁰to offer burnt offerings to the Lord on the altar of burnt offering continually morning and evening, even according to all that is written in the law of the Lord, which he commanded to Israel;

⁴¹and with them Heman and Jeduthun, and the rest who were chosen, who were mentioned by name, to give thanks to the Lord, because his loving kindness endures forever;

⁴²and with them Heman and Jeduthun with trumpets and cymbals for those that should sound aloud, and with instruments for the songs of God; and the sons of Jeduthun to be at the gate.

⁴³All the people departed every man to his house: and David returned to bless his house.

¹It happened, when David lived in his house, that David said to Nathan the prophet, "Behold, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of the covenant of the Lord is under curtains."

²Nathan said to David, "Do all that is in your heart; for God is with you."

³It happened the same night, that the word of God came to Nathan, saying,

⁴"Go and tell David my servant, 'Thus says the Lord, "You shall not build me a house to dwell in;

⁵for I have not lived in a house since the day that I brought up Israel, to this day, but have gone from tent to tent, and from one tent to another.

⁶In all places in which I have walked with all Israel, did I speak a word with any of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to be shepherd of my people, saying, 'Why have you not built me a house of cedar?'"'

⁷"Now therefore, you shall tell my servant David, '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 Israel.

⁸I have been with you wherever you have gone, and have cut off all your enemies from before you. I will make you a name, like the name of the great ones who are in the earth.

⁹I 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 waste them any more, as at the first,

¹⁰and from the day that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel; and I will subdue all your enemies. Moreover I tell you that the Lord will build you a house.

¹¹It shall happen, when your days are fulfilled that you must go to be with your fathers, that I will set up your seed after you, who shall be of your sons; and I will establish his kingdom.

¹²He shall build me a house, and I will establish his throne forever.

¹³I will be his father, and he shall be my son. I will not take my loving kindness away from him, as I took it from him that was before you;

¹⁴but I will settle him in my house and in my kingdom forever. His throne shall be established forever."'"

¹⁵According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so Nathan spoke to David.

¹⁶Then 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?

¹⁷This was a small thing in your eyes, God; but you have spoken of your servant's house for a great while to come, and have respected me according to the estate of a man of high degree, Lord God.

¹⁸What can David say yet more to you concerning the honor which is done to your servant? For you know your servant.

¹⁹Lord, for your servant's sake, and according to your own heart, you have worked all this greatness, to make known all these great things.

²⁰Lord, there is none like you, neither is there any God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears.

²¹What one nation in the earth is like your people Israel, whom God went to redeem to himself for a people, to make you a name by great and awesome things, in driving out nations from before your people, whom you redeem out of Egypt?

²²For your people Israel you made your own people forever; and you, Lord, became their God.

²³Now, Lord, let the word that you have spoken concerning your servant, and concerning his house, be established forever, and do as you have spoken.

²⁴Let your name be established and magnified forever, saying, 'The Lord of hosts is the God of Israel, even a God to Israel. The house of David your servant is established before you.'

²⁵For you, my God, have revealed to your servant that you will build him a house. Therefore your servant has found courage to pray before you.

²⁶Now, Lord, you are God, and have promised this good thing to your servant.

²⁷Now it has pleased you to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue forever before you; for you, Lord, have blessed, and it is blessed forever."

¹After this it happened, that David struck the Philistines, and subdued them, and took Gath and its towns out of the hand of the Philistines.

²He struck Moab; and the Moabites became servants to David, and brought tribute.

³David struck Hadadezer king of Zobah to Hamath, as he went to establish his dominion by the river Euphrates.

⁴David took from him one thousand chariots, and seven thousand horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen; and David hamstrung all the chariot horses, but reserved of them for one hundred chariots.

⁵When the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David struck of the Syrians twenty-two thousand men.

⁶Then David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus; and the Syrians became servants to David, and brought tribute. The Lord gave victory to David wherever he went.

⁷David took the shields of gold that were on the servants of Hadadezer, and brought them to Jerusalem.

⁸From Tibhath and from Cun, cities of Hadadezer, David took very much brass, with which Solomon made the bronze sea, and the pillars, and the vessels of brass.

⁹When Tou king of Hamath heard that David had struck all the army of Hadadezer king of Zobah,

¹⁰he sent Hadoram his son to king David, to Greet him, and to bless him, because he had fought against Hadadezer and struck him; (for Hadadezer had wars with Tou;) and he had with him all kinds of vessels of gold and silver and brass.

¹¹King David also dedicated these to the Lord, with the silver and the gold that he carried away from all the nations; from Edom, and from Moab, and from the children of Ammon, and from the Philistines, and from Amalek.

¹²Moreover Abishai the son of Zeruiah struck of the Edomites in the Valley of Salt eighteen thousand.

¹³He put garrisons in Edom; and all the Edomites became servants to David. The Lord gave victory to David wherever he went.

¹⁴David reigned over all Israel; and he executed justice and righteousness to all his people.

¹⁵Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the army; and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder;

¹⁶and Zadok the son of Ahitub, and Abimelech the son of Abiathar, were priests; and Shavsha was scribe;

¹⁷and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and the sons of David were chief about the king.

¹It happened after this, that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon died, and his son reigned in his place.

²David said, "I will show kindness to Hanun the son of Nahash, because his father showed kindness to me." So David sent messengers to comfort him concerning his father. David's servants came into the land of the children of Ammon to Hanun, to comfort him.

³But the princes of the children of Ammon said to Hanun, "Do you think that David honors your father, in that he has sent comforters to you? Haven't his servants come to you to search, to overthrow, and to spy out the land?"

⁴So Hanun took David's servants, and shaved them, and cut off their garments in the middle, even to their buttocks, and sent them away.

⁵Then there went certain persons, and told David how the men were served. He sent to meet them; for the men were greatly ashamed. The king said, "Stay at Jericho until your beards have grown, and then return."

⁶When the children of Ammon saw that they had made themselves odious to David, Hanun and the children of Ammon sent one thousand talents of silver to hire them chariots and horsemen out of Mesopotamia, and out of Arammaacah, and out of Zobah.

⁷So they hired for themselves thirty-two thousand chariots, and the king of Maacah and his people, who came and encamped before Medeba. The children of Ammon gathered themselves together from their cities, and came to battle.

⁸When David heard of it, he sent Joab, and all the army of the mighty men.

⁹The children of Ammon came out, and put the battle in array at the gate of the city: and the kings who had come were by themselves in the field.

¹⁰Now when Joab saw that the battle was set against him before and behind, he chose of all the choice men of Israel, and put them in array against the Syrians.

¹¹The rest of the people he committed into the hand of Abishai his brother; and they put themselves in array against the children of Ammon.

¹²He said, "If the Syrians are too strong for me, then you are to help me; but if the children of Ammon are too strong for you, then I will help you.

¹³Be courageous, and let us be strong for our people, and for the cities of our God. May the Lord do that which seems good to him."

¹⁴So Joab and the people who were with him drew near before the Syrians to the battle; and they fled before him.

¹⁵When the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians had fled, they likewise fled before Abishai his brother, and entered into the city. Then Joab came to Jerusalem.

¹⁶When the Syrians saw that they were defeated by Israel, they sent messengers, and drew forth the Syrians who were beyond the River, with Shophach the captain of the army of Hadadezer at their head.

¹⁷It was told David; and he gathered all Israel together, and passed over the Jordan, and came on them, and set the battle in array against them. So when David had put the battle in array against the Syrians, they fought with him.

¹⁸The Syrians fled before Israel; and David killed of the Syrians the men of seven thousand chariots, and forty thousand footmen, and killed Shophach the captain of the army.

¹⁹When the servants of Hadadezer saw that they were defeated by Israel, they made peace with David, and served him: neither would the Syrians help the children of Ammon any more.

¹It happened, at the time of the return of the year, at the time when kings go out, that Joab led forth the army, and wasted the country of the children of Ammon, and came and besieged Rabbah. But David stayed at Jerusalem. Joab struck Rabbah, and overthrew it.

²David took the crown of their king from off his head, and found it to weigh a talent of gold, and there were precious stones in it; and it was set on David's head: and he brought forth the spoil of the city, a very great amount.

³He brought forth the people who were therein, and cut them with saws, and with iron picks, and with axes. David did so to all the cities of the children of Ammon. David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.

⁴It happened after this, that there arose war at Gezer with the Philistines: then Sibbecai the Hushathite killed Sippai, of the sons of the giant; and they were subdued.

⁵There was again war with the Philistines; and Elhanan the son of Jair killed Lahmi the brother of Goliath the Gittite, the staff of whose spear was like a weaver's beam.

⁶There was again war at Gath, where there was a man of great stature, whose fingers and toes were twenty-four, six on each hand, and six on each foot; and he also was born to the giant.

⁷When he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimea David's brother killed him.

⁸These were born to the giant in Gath; and they fell by the hand of David, and by the hand of his servants.

¹Satan stood up against Israel, and moved David to number Israel.

²David said to Joab and to the princes of the people, "Go, number Israel from Beersheba even to Dan; and bring me word, that I may know the sum of them."

³Joab said, "May the Lord make his people a hundred times as many as they are. But, my lord the king, aren't they all my lord's servants? Why does my lord require this thing? Why will he be a cause of guilt to Israel?"

⁴Nevertheless the king's word prevailed against Joab. Therefore Joab departed, and went throughout all Israel, and came to Jerusalem.

⁵Joab gave up the sum of the numbering of the people to David. All those of Israel were one million one hundred thousand men who drew sword: and in Judah were four hundred seventy thousand men who drew sword.

⁶But he did not count Levi and Benjamin among them; for the king's word was abominable to Joab.

⁷God was displeased with this thing; therefore he struck Israel.

⁸David said to God, "I have sinned greatly, in that I have done this thing. But now, put away, I beg you, the iniquity of your servant; for I have done very foolishly."

⁹The Lord spoke to Gad, David's seer, saying,

¹⁰"Go and speak to David, saying, 'Thus says the Lord, "I offer you three things. Choose one of them, that I may do it to you."'"

¹¹So Gad came to David, and said to him, "Thus says the Lord, 'Take your choice:

¹²either three years of famine; or three months to be consumed before your foes, while the sword of your enemies overtakes you; or else three days the sword of the Lord, even pestilence in the land, and the angel of the Lord destroying throughout all the borders of Israel. Now therefore consider what answer I shall return to him who sent me.'"

¹³David said to Gad, "I am in distress. Let me fall, I pray, into the hand of the Lord; for his mercies are very great. Let me not fall into the hand of man."

¹⁴So the Lord sent a pestilence on Israel; and seventy thousand men of Israel fell.

¹⁵God sent an angel to Jerusalem to destroy it. As he was about to destroy, the Lord saw, and he relented of the disaster, and said to the destroying angel, "It is enough; now stay your hand." The angel of the Lord was standing by the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.

¹⁶David lifted up his eyes, and saw the angel of the Lord standing between earth and the sky, having a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders, clothed in sackcloth, fell on their faces.

¹⁷David said to God, "Isn't it I who commanded the people to be numbered? It is even I who have sinned and done very wickedly; but these sheep, what have they done? Please let your hand, O Lord my God, be against me, and against my father's house; but not against your people, that they should be plagued."

¹⁸Then the angel of the Lord commanded Gad to tell David that David should go up, and raise an altar to the Lord in the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.

¹⁹David went up at the saying of Gad, which he spoke in the name of the Lord.

²⁰Ornan turned back, and saw the angel; and his four sons who were with him hid themselves. Now Ornan was threshing wheat.

²¹As David came to Ornan, Ornan looked and saw David, and went out of the threshing floor, and bowed himself to David with his face to the ground.

²²Then David said to Ornan, "Give me the place of this threshing floor, that I may build thereon an altar to the Lord. You shall sell it to me for the full price, that the plague may be stopped from afflicting the people."

²³Ornan said to David, "Take it for yourself, and let my lord the king do that which is good in his eyes. Behold, I give the oxen for burnt offerings, and the threshing instruments for wood, and the wheat for the meal offering. I give it all."

²⁴King David said to Ornan, "No; but I will most certainly buy it for the full price. For I will not take that which is yours for the Lord, nor offer a burnt offering without cost."

²⁵So David gave to Ornan six hundred shekels of gold by weight for the place.

²⁶David built an altar to the Lord there, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings, and called on the Lord; and he answered him from the sky by fire on the altar of burnt offering.

²⁷The Lord commanded the angel; and he put up his sword again into its sheath.

²⁸At that time, when David saw that the Lord had answered him in the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite, then he sacrificed there.

²⁹For the tabernacle of the Lord, which Moses made in the wilderness, and the altar of burnt offering, were at that time in the high place at Gibeon.

³⁰But David couldn't go before it to inquire of God; for he was afraid because of the sword of the angel of the Lord.

¹Then David said, "This is the house of the Lord God, and this is the altar of burnt offering for Israel."

²David gave orders to gather together the foreigners who were in the land of Israel; and he set masons to cut worked stones to build God's house.

³David prepared iron in abundance for the nails for the doors of the gates, and for the couplings; and brass in abundance without weight;

⁴and cedar trees without number: for the Sidonians and they of Tyre brought cedar trees in abundance to David.

⁵David said, "Solomon my son is young and tender, and the house that is to be built for the Lord must be exceedingly magnificent, of fame and of glory throughout all countries. I will therefore make preparation for it." So David prepared abundantly before his death.

⁶Then he called for Solomon his son, and commanded him to build a house for the Lord, the God of Israel.

⁷David said to Solomon his son, "As for me, it was in my heart to build a house to the name of the Lord my God.

⁸But the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 'You have shed blood abundantly, and have made great wars. You shall not build a house to my name, because you have shed much blood on the earth in my sight.

⁹Behold, a son shall be born to you, who shall be a man of rest. I will give him rest from all his enemies all around; for his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quietness to Israel in his days.

¹⁰He shall build a house for my name; and he shall be my son, and I will be his father; and I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel for ever.'

¹¹Now, my son, may the Lord be with you and prosper you, and build the house of the Lord your God, as he has spoken concerning you.

¹²May the Lord give you discretion and understanding, and put you in charge of Israel; that so you may keep the law of the Lord your God.

¹³Then you will prosper, if you observe to do the statutes and the ordinances which the Lord gave Moses concerning Israel. Be strong, and courageous. Do not be afraid, neither be dismayed.

¹⁴Now, behold, in my affliction I have prepared for the house of the Lord one hundred thousand talents of gold, one million talents of silver, and brass and iron without weight; for it is in abundance. I have also prepared timber and stone; and you may add to them.

¹⁵There are also workmen with you in abundance, cutters and workers of stone and timber, and all kinds of men who are skillful in every kind of work:

¹⁶of the gold, the silver, and the brass, and the iron, there is no number. Arise and be doing, and may the Lord be with you."

¹⁷David also commanded all the princes of Israel to help Solomon his son, saying,

¹⁸"Isn't the Lord your God with you? Hasn't he given you rest on every side? For he has delivered the inhabitants of the land into my hand; and the land is subdued before the Lord, and before his people.

¹⁹Now set your heart and your soul to seek after the Lord your God. Arise therefore, and build the sanctuary of the Lord God, to bring the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and the holy vessels of God, into the house that is to be built to the name of the Lord."

¹Now David was old and full of days; and he made Solomon his son king over Israel.

²He gathered together all the princes of Israel, with the priests and the Levites.

³The Levites were numbered from thirty years old and upward: and their number by their polls, man by man, was thirty-eight thousand.

⁴David said, "Of these, twenty-four thousand were to oversee the work of the house of the Lord; six thousand were officers and judges;

⁵four thousand were doorkeepers; and four thousand praised the Lord with the instruments which I made, for giving praise."

⁶David divided them into divisions according to the sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

⁷Of the Gershonites: Ladan and Shimei.

⁸The sons of Ladan: Jehiel the chief, and Zetham, and Joel, three.

⁹The sons of Shimei: Shelomoth, and Haziel, and Haran, three. These were the heads of the fathers' households of Ladan.

¹⁰The sons of Shimei: Jahath, Zina, and Jeush, and Beriah. These four were the sons of Shimei.

¹¹Jahath was the chief, and Zizah the second: but Jeush and Beriah did not have many sons; therefore they became a fathers' house in one reckoning.

¹²The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel, four.

¹³The sons of Amram: Aaron and Moses; and Aaron was separated, that he should sanctify the most holy things, he and his sons, forever, to burn incense before the Lord, to minister to him, and to bless in his name, forever.

¹⁴But as for Moses the man of God, his sons were named among the tribe of Levi.

¹⁵The sons of Moses: Gershom and Eliezer.

¹⁶The sons of Gershom: Shebuel the chief.

¹⁷The sons of Eliezer were: Rehabiah the chief; and Eliezer had no other sons; but the sons of Rehabiah were very many.

¹⁸The sons of Izhar: Shelomith the chief.

¹⁹The sons of Hebron: Jeriah the chief, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, and Jekameam the fourth.

²⁰The sons of Uzziel: Micah the chief, and Isshiah the second.

²¹The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. The sons of Mahli: Eleazar and Kish.

²²Eleazar died, and had no sons, but daughters only: and their brothers the sons of Kish took them as wives.

²³The sons of Mushi: Mahli, and Eder, and Jeremoth, three.

²⁴These were the sons of Levi after their fathers' houses, even the heads of the fathers' houses of those who were counted individually, in the number of names by their polls, who did the work for the service of the house of the Lord, from twenty years old and upward.

²⁵For David said, "The Lord, the God of Israel, has given rest to his people; and he dwells in Jerusalem forever.

²⁶Also the Levites will no longer need to carry the tabernacle and all its vessels for its service."

²⁷For by the last words of David the sons of Levi were numbered, from twenty years old and upward.

²⁸For their office was to wait on the sons of Aaron for the service of the house of the Lord, in the courts, and in the rooms, and in the purifying of all holy things, even the work of the service of God's house;

²⁹for the show bread also, and for the fine flour for a meal offering, whether of unleavened wafers, or of that which is baked in the pan, or of that which is soaked, and for all kinds of measure and size;

³⁰and to stand every morning to thank and praise the Lord, and likewise in the evening;

³¹and to offer all burnt offerings to the Lord, on the Sabbaths, on the new moons, and on the set feasts, in number according to the ordinance concerning them, continually before the Lord;

³²and that they should keep the duty of the Tent of Meeting, and the duty of the holy place, and the duty of the sons of Aaron their brothers, for the service of the house of the Lord.

¹These were the divisions of the sons of Aaron. The sons of Aaron: Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.

²But Nadab and Abihu died before their father, and had no children: therefore Eleazar and Ithamar executed the priest's office.

³David with Zadok of the sons of Eleazar, and Ahimelech of the sons of Ithamar, divided them according to their ordering in their service.

⁴There were more chief men found of the sons of Eleazar than of the sons of Ithamar; and they were divided like this: of the sons of Eleazar there were sixteen, heads of fathers' houses; and of the sons of Ithamar, according to their fathers' houses, eight.

⁵Thus were they divided impartially by drawing lots; for there were princes of the sanctuary, and princes of God, both of the sons of Eleazar, and of the sons of Ithamar.

⁶Shemaiah the son of Nethanel the scribe, who was of the Levites, wrote them in the presence of the king, and the princes, and Zadok the priest, and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar, and the heads of the fathers' households of the priests and of the Levites; one fathers' house being taken for Eleazar, and one taken for Ithamar.

⁷Now the first lot came forth to Jehoiarib, the second to Jedaiah,

⁸the third to Harim, the fourth to Seorim,

⁹the fifth to Malchijah, the sixth to Mijamin,

¹⁰the seventh to Hakkoz, the eighth to Abijah,

¹¹the ninth to Jeshua, the tenth to Shecaniah,

¹²the eleventh to Eliashib, the twelfth to Jakim,

¹³the thirteenth to Huppah, the fourteenth to Jeshebeab,

¹⁴the fifteenth to Bilgah, the sixteenth to Immer,

¹⁵the seventeenth to Hezir, the eighteenth to Happizzez,

¹⁶the nineteenth to Pethahiah, the twentieth to Jehezkel,

¹⁷the twenty-first to Jachin, the twenty-second to Gamul,

¹⁸the twenty-third to Delaiah, the twenty-fourth to Maaziah.

¹⁹This was their ordering in their service, to come into the house of the Lord according to the ordinance given to them by Aaron their father, as the Lord, the God of Israel, had commanded him.

²⁰Of the rest of the sons of Levi: of the sons of Amram, Shubael; of the sons of Shubael, Jehdeiah.

²¹Of Rehabiah: of the sons of Rehabiah, Isshiah the chief.

²²Of the Izharites, Shelomoth; of the sons of Shelomoth, Jahath.

²³The sons of Hebron: Jeriah, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, Jekameam the fourth.

²⁴The sons of Uzziel, Micah; of the sons of Micah, Shamir.

²⁵The brother of Micah, Isshiah; of the sons of Isshiah, Zechariah.

²⁶The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi; the sons of Jaaziah: Beno.

²⁷The sons of Merari: of Jaaziah, Beno, and Shoham, and Zaccur, and Ibri.

²⁸Of Mahli: Eleazar, who had no sons.

²⁹Of Kish; the sons of Kish: Jerahmeel.

³⁰The sons of Mushi: Mahli, and Eder, and Jerimoth. These were the sons of the Levites after their fathers' houses.

³¹These likewise cast lots even as their brothers the sons of Aaron in the presence of David the king, and Zadok, and Ahimelech, and the heads of the fathers' households of the priests and of the Levites; the fathers' households of the chief even as those of his younger brother.

¹Moreover, David and the captains of the army set apart for the service certain of the sons of Asaph, and of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who should prophesy with harps, with stringed instruments, and with cymbals: and the number of those who did the work according to their service was:

²of the sons of Asaph: Zaccur, and Joseph, and Nethaniah, and Asharelah, the sons of Asaph, under the hand of Asaph, who prophesied after the order of the king.

³Of Jeduthun; the sons of Jeduthun: Gedaliah, and Zeri, and Jeshaiah, Hashabiah, and Mattithiah, six, under the hands of their father Jeduthun with the harp, who prophesied in giving thanks and praising the Lord.

⁴Of Heman; the sons of Heman: Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shebuel, and Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti, and Romamti-Ezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, Mahazioth.

⁵All these were the sons of Heman the king's seer in the words of God, to lift up the horn. God gave to Heman fourteen sons and three daughters.

⁶All these were under the hands of their father for song in the house of the Lord, with cymbals, stringed instruments, and harps, for the service of God's house; Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman being under the order of the king.

⁷The number of them, with their brothers who were instructed in singing to the Lord, even all who were skillful, was two hundred eighty-eight.

⁸They cast lots for their offices, all alike, as well the small as the great, the teacher as the scholar.

⁹Now the first lot came forth for Asaph to Joseph: the second to Gedaliah; he and his brothers and sons were twelve:

¹⁰the third to Zaccur, his sons and his brothers, twelve:

¹¹the fourth to Izri, his sons and his brothers, twelve:

¹²the fifth to Nethaniah, his sons and his brothers, twelve:

¹³the sixth to Bukkiah, his sons and his brothers, twelve:

¹⁴the seventh to Jesharelah, his sons and his brothers, twelve:

¹⁵the eighth to Jeshaiah, his sons and his brothers, twelve:

¹⁶the ninth to Mattaniah, his sons and his brothers, twelve:

¹⁷the tenth to Shimei, his sons and his brothers, twelve:

¹⁸the eleventh to Azarel, his sons and his brothers, twelve:

¹⁹the twelfth to Hashabiah, his sons and his brothers, twelve:

²⁰for the thirteenth, Shubael, his sons and his brothers, twelve:

²¹for the fourteenth, Mattithiah, his sons and his brothers, twelve:

²²for the fifteenth to Jeremoth, his sons and his brothers, twelve:

²³for the sixteenth to Hananiah, his sons and his brothers, twelve:

²⁴for the seventeenth to Joshbekashah, his sons and his brothers, twelve:

²⁵for the eighteenth to Hanani, his sons and his brothers, twelve:

²⁶for the nineteenth to Mallothi, his sons and his brothers, twelve:

²⁷for the twentieth to Eliathah, his sons and his brothers, twelve:

²⁸for the one and twentieth to Hothir, his sons and his brothers, twelve:

²⁹for the two and twentieth to Giddalti, his sons and his brothers, twelve:

³⁰for the three and twentieth to Mahazioth, his sons and his brothers, twelve:

³¹for the four and twentieth to Romamti-Ezer, his sons and his brothers, twelve.

¹For the divisions of the doorkeepers: of the Korahites, Meshelemiah the son of Kore, of the sons of Asaph.

²Meshelemiah had sons: Zechariah the firstborn, Jediael the second, Zebadiah the third, Jathniel the fourth,

³Elam the fifth, Jehohanan the sixth, Eliehoenai the seventh.

⁴Obed-Edom had sons: Shemaiah the firstborn, Jehozabad the second, Joah the third, and Sacar the fourth, and Nethanel the fifth,

⁵Ammiel the sixth, Issachar the seventh, Peullethai the eighth; for God blessed him.

⁶Also to Shemaiah his son were sons born, who ruled over the house of their father; for they were mighty men of valor.

⁷The sons of Shemaiah: Othni, and Rephael, and Obed, Elzabad, whose brothers were valiant men, Elihu, and Semachiah.

⁸All these were of the sons of Obed-Edom: they and their sons and their brothers, able men in strength for the service; sixty-two of Obed-Edom.

⁹Meshelemiah had sons and brothers, valiant men, eighteen.

¹⁰Also Hosah, of the children of Merari, had sons: Shimri the chief, (for though he was not the firstborn, yet his father made him chief),

¹¹Hilkiah the second, Tebaliah the third, Zechariah the fourth: all the sons and brothers of Hosah were thirteen.

¹²Of these were the divisions of the doorkeepers, even of the chief men, having offices like their brothers, to minister in the house of the Lord.

¹³They cast lots, the small as well as the great, according to their fathers' houses, for every gate.

¹⁴The lot eastward fell to Shelemiah. Then for Zechariah his son, a wise counselor, they cast lots; and his lot came out northward.

¹⁵To Obed-Edom southward; and to his sons the storehouse.

¹⁶To Shuppim and Hosah westward, by the gate of Shallecheth, at the causeway that goes up, watch against watch.

¹⁷Eastward were six Levites, northward four a day, southward four a day, and for the storehouse two and two.

¹⁸For Parbar westward, four at the causeway, and two at Parbar.

¹⁹These were the divisions of the doorkeepers; of the sons of the Korahites, and of the sons of Merari.

²⁰Of the Levites, Ahijah was over the treasures of God's house, and over the treasures of the dedicated things.

²¹The sons of Ladan, the sons of the Gershonites belonging to Ladan, the heads of the fathers' households belonging to Ladan the Gershonite: Jehieli.

²²The sons of Jehieli: Zetham, and Joel his brother, over the treasures of the house of the Lord.

²³Of the Amramites, of the Izharites, of the Hebronites, of the Uzzielites:

²⁴and Shebuel the son of Gershom, the son of Moses, was ruler over the treasures.

²⁵His brothers: of Eliezer, Rehabiah his son, and Jeshaiah his son, and Joram his son, and Zichri his son, and Shelomoth his son.

²⁶This Shelomoth and his brothers were over all the treasures of the dedicated things, which David the king, and the heads of the fathers' households, the captains over thousands and hundreds, and the captains of the army, had dedicated.

²⁷They dedicated some of the spoil won in battles to repair the house of the Lord.

²⁸All that Samuel the seer, and Saul the son of Kish, and Abner the son of Ner, and Joab the son of Zeruiah, had dedicated, whoever had dedicated anything, it was under the hand of Shelomoth, and of his brothers.

²⁹Of the Izharites, Chenaniah and his sons were for the outward business over Israel, for officers and judges.

³⁰Of the Hebronites, Hashabiah and his brothers, men of valor, one thousand seven hundred, had the oversight of Israel beyond the Jordan westward, for all the business of the Lord, and for the service of the king.

³¹Of the Hebronites was Jerijah the chief, even of the Hebronites, according to their generations by fathers' households. In the fortieth year of the reign of David they were sought for, and there were found among them mighty men of valor at Jazer of Gilead.

³²His brothers, men of valor, were two thousand seven hundred, heads of fathers' households, whom king David made overseers over the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half-tribe of the Manassites, for every matter pertaining to God, and for the affairs of the king.