Author: Jon Green

The Ark Brought to Jerusalem

15 After David had constructed buildings for himself in the City of David, he prepared a place for the ark of God and pitched a tent for it. ² Then David said, “No one but the Levites may carry the ark of God, because the Lord chose them to carry the ark of the Lord and to minister before him forever.”

³ David assembled all Israel in Jerusalem to bring up the ark of the Lord to the place he had prepared for it. ⁴ He called together the descendants of Aaron and the Levites:

¹¹ Then David summoned Zadok and Abiathar the priests, and Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel and Amminadab the Levites. ¹² He said to them, “You are the heads of the Levitical families; you and your fellow Levites are to consecrate yourselves and bring up the ark of the Lord, the God of Israel, to the place I have prepared for it. ¹³ It was because you, the Levites, did not bring it up the first time that the Lord our God broke out in anger against us. We did not inquire of him about how to do it in the prescribed way.” ¹⁴ So the priests and Levites consecrated themselves in order to bring up the ark of the Lord, the God of Israel. ¹⁵ And the Levites carried the ark of God with the poles on their shoulders, as Moses had commanded in accordance with the word of the Lord.

¹⁶ David told the leaders of the Levites to appoint their fellow Levites as musicians to make a joyful sound with musical instruments: lyres, harps and cymbals.

¹⁷ So the Levites appointed Heman son of Joel; from his relatives, Asaphson of Berekiah; and from their relatives the Merarites, Ethan son of Kushaiah; ¹⁸ and with them their relatives next in rank: Zechariah, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom and Jeiel, the gatekeepers.

¹⁹ The musicians Heman, Asaph and Ethan were to sound the bronze cymbals; ²⁰ Zechariah, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah and Benaiah were to play the lyres according to alamoth, ²¹ and Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, Jeiel and Azaziah were to play the harps, directing according to sheminith. ²² Kenaniah the head Levite was in charge of the singing; that was his responsibility because he was skillful at it.

²³ Berekiah and Elkanah were to be doorkeepers for the ark. ²⁴ Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah and Eliezer the priests were to blow trumpets before the ark of God. Obed-Edom and Jehiah were also to be doorkeepers for the ark.

²⁵ So David and the elders of Israel and the commanders of units of a thousand went to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord from the house of Obed-Edom, with rejoicing. ²⁶ Because God had helped the Levites who were carrying the ark of the covenant of the Lord, seven bulls and seven rams were sacrificed. ²⁷ Now David was clothed in a robe of fine linen, as were all the Levites who were carrying the ark, and as were the musicians, and Kenaniah, who was in charge of the singing of the choirs. David also wore a linen ephod. ²⁸ So all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the Lord with shouts, with the sounding of rams’ horns and trumpets, and of cymbals, and the playing of lyres and harps.

²⁹ As the ark of the covenant of the Lord was entering the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King David dancing and celebrating, she despised him in her heart.

David’s House and Family

14 Now Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, along with cedar logs, stonemasons and carpenters to build a palace for him. ² And David knew that the Lord had established him as king over Israel and that his kingdom had been highly exalted for the sake of his people Israel.

³ In Jerusalem David took more wives and became the father of more sonsand daughters. ⁴ These are the names of the children born to him there:Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, ⁵ Ibhar, Elishua, Elpelet, ⁶ Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia, ⁷ Elishama, Beeliada and Eliphelet.

David Defeats the Philistines

⁸ When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over all Israel, they went up in full force to search for him, but David heard about it and went out to meet them. ⁹ Now the Philistines had come and raided the Valley of Rephaim; ¹⁰ so David inquired of God: “Shall I go and attack the Philistines? Will you deliver them into my hands?”

The Lord answered him, “Go, I will deliver them into your hands.”

¹¹ So David and his men went up to Baal Perazim, and there he defeated them. He said, “As waters break out, God has broken out against my enemies by my hand.” So that place was called Baal Perazim. ¹² The Philistines had abandoned their gods there, and David gave orders to burnthem in the fire.

¹³ Once more the Philistines raided the valley; ¹⁴ so David inquired of God again, and God answered him, “Do not go directly after them, but circle around them and attack them in front of the poplar trees. ¹⁵ As soon as you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the poplar trees, move out to battle, because that will mean God has gone out in front of you to strike the Philistine army.” ¹⁶ So David did as God commanded him, and they struck down the Philistine army, all the way from Gibeon to Gezer.

¹⁷ So David’s fame spread throughout every land, and the Lord made all the nations fear him.

Bringing Back the Ark

13 David conferred with each of his officers, the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds. ² He then said to the whole assembly of Israel, “If it seems good to you and if it is the will of the Lordour God, let us send word far and wide to the rest of our people throughout the territories of Israel, and also to the priests and Levites who are with them in their towns and pasturelands, to come and join us. ³ Let us bring the ark of our God back to us, for we did not inquire of it during the reign of Saul.” ⁴ The whole assembly agreed to do this, because it seemed right to all the people.

⁵ So David assembled all Israel, from the Shihor River in Egypt to Lebo Hamath, to bring the ark of God from Kiriath Jearim. ⁶ David and all Israel went to Baalah of Judah (Kiriath Jearim) to bring up from there the ark of God the Lord, who is enthroned between the cherubim—the ark that is called by the Name.

⁷ They moved the ark of God from Abinadab’s house on a new cart, with Uzzah and Ahio guiding it. ⁸ David and all the Israelites were celebrating with all their might before God, with songs and with harps, lyres, timbrels, cymbals and trumpets.

⁹ When they came to the threshing floor of Kidon, Uzzah reached out his hand to steady the ark, because the oxen stumbled. ¹⁰ The Lord’s angerburned against Uzzah, and he struck him down because he had put his hand on the ark. So he died there before God.

¹¹ Then David was angry because the Lord’s wrath had broken out against Uzzah, and to this day that place is called Perez Uzzah.

¹² David was afraid of God that day and asked, “How can I ever bring the ark of God to me?” ¹³ He did not take the ark to be with him in the City of David. Instead, he took it to the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite. ¹⁴ The ark of God remained with the family of Obed-Edom in his house for three months, and the Lord blessed his household and everything he had.

Warriors Join David

12 These were the men who came to David at Ziklag, while he was banished from the presence of Saul son of Kish (they were among the warriors who helped him in battle; ² they were armed with bows and were able to shoot arrows or to sling stones right-handed or left-handed; they were relatives of Saul from the tribe of Benjamin):

David Becomes King Over Israel

11 All Israel came together to David at Hebron and said, “We are your own flesh and blood. ² In the past, even while Saul was king, you were the one who led Israel on their military campaigns. And the Lord your God said to you, ‘You will shepherd my people Israel, and you will become their ruler.’”

³ When all the elders of Israel had come to King David at Hebron, he made a covenant with them at Hebron before the Lord, and they anointed David king over Israel, as the Lord had promised through Samuel.

David Conquers Jerusalem

⁴ David and all the Israelites marched to Jerusalem (that is, Jebus). The Jebusites who lived there ⁵ said to David, “You will not get in here.” Nevertheless, David captured the fortress of Zion—which is the City of David.

⁶ David had said, “Whoever leads the attack on the Jebusites will become commander in chief.” Joab son of Zeruiah went up first, and so he received the command.

⁷ David then took up residence in the fortress, and so it was called the City of David. ⁸ He built up the city around it, from the terraces to the surrounding wall, while Joab restored the rest of the city. ⁹ And David became more and more powerful, because the Lord Almighty was with him.

David’s Mighty Warriors

¹⁰ These were the chiefs of David’s mighty warriors—they, together with all Israel, gave his kingship strong support to extend it over the whole land, as the Lord had promised— ¹¹ this is the list of David’s mighty warriors:

Jashobeam, a Hakmonite, was chief of the officers; he raised his spear against three hundred men, whom he killed in one encounter.

¹² Next to him was Eleazar son of Dodai the Ahohite, one of the three mighty warriors. ¹³ He was with David at Pas Dammim when the Philistines gathered there for battle. At a place where there was a field full of barley, the troops fled from the Philistines. ¹⁴ But they took their stand in the middle of the field. They defended it and struck the Philistines down, and the Lord brought about a great victory.

¹⁵ Three of the thirty chiefs came down to David to the rock at the cave of Adullam, while a band of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim. ¹⁶ At that time David was in the stronghold, and the Philistine garrison was at Bethlehem. ¹⁷ David longed for water and said, “Oh, that someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem!” ¹⁸ So the Three broke through the Philistine lines, drew water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem and carried it back to David. But he refused to drink it; instead, he poured it out to the Lord. ¹⁹ “God forbid that I should do this!” he said. “Should I drink the blood of these men who went at the risk of their lives?” Because they risked their lives to bring it back, David would not drink it.

Such were the exploits of the three mighty warriors.

²⁰ Abishai the brother of Joab was chief of the Three. He raised his spear against three hundred men, whom he killed, and so he became as famous as the Three. ²¹ He was doubly honored above the Three and became their commander, even though he was not included among them.

²² Benaiah son of Jehoiada, a valiant fighter from Kabzeel, performed great exploits. He struck down Moab’s two mightiest warriors. He also went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion. ²³ And he struck down an Egyptian who was five cubits tall. Although the Egyptian had a spear like a weaver’s rod in his hand, Benaiah went against him with a club. He snatched the spear from the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with his own spear. ²⁴ Such were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoiada; he too was as famous as the three mighty warriors. ²⁵ He was held in greater honor than any of the Thirty, but he was not included among the Three. And David put him in charge of his bodyguard.

²⁶ The mighty warriors were: Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan son of Dodo from Bethlehem, ²⁷ Shammoth the Harorite, Helez the Pelonite, ²⁸ Ira son of Ikkesh from Tekoa, Abiezer from Anathoth, ²⁹ Sibbekai the Hushathite, Ilai the Ahohite,³⁰ Maharai the Netophathite, Heled son of Baanah the Netophathite,³¹ Ithai son of Ribai from Gibeah in Benjamin, Benaiah the Pirathonite,³² Hurai from the ravines of Gaash, Abiel the Arbathite,³³ Azmaveth the Baharumite, Eliahba the Shaalbonite,³⁴ the sons of Hashem the Gizonite, Jonathan son of Shagee the Hararite,³⁵ Ahiam son of Sakar the Hararite, Eliphal son of Ur,³⁶ Hepher the Mekerathite, Ahijah the Pelonite,³⁷ Hezro the Carmelite, Naarai son of Ezbai,³⁸ Joel the brother of Nathan, Mibhar son of Hagri,³⁹ Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Berothite, the armor-bearer of Joab son of Zeruiah,⁴⁰ Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,⁴¹ Uriah the Hittite, Zabad son of Ahlai,⁴² Adina son of Shiza the Reubenite, who was chief of the Reubenites, and the thirty with him,⁴³ Hanan son of Maakah, Joshaphat the Mithnite,⁴⁴ Uzzia the Ashterathite, Shama and Jeiel the sons of Hotham the Aroerite,⁴⁵ Jediael son of Shimri, his brother Joha the Tizite,⁴⁶ Eliel the Mahavite, Jeribai and Joshaviah the sons of Elnaam, Ithmah the Moabite,⁴⁷ Eliel, Obed and Jaasiel the Mezobaite.

Saul Takes His Life

10 Now the Philistines fought against Israel; the Israelites fled before them, and many fell dead on Mount Gilboa. ² The Philistines were in hot pursuit of Saul and his sons, and they killed his sons Jonathan, Abinadab and Malki-Shua. ³ The fighting grew fierce around Saul, and when the archers overtook him, they wounded him.

⁴ Saul said to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword and run me through, or these uncircumcised fellows will come and abuse me.”

But his armor-bearer was terrified and would not do it; so Saul took his own sword and fell on it. ⁵ When the armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he too fell on his sword and died. ⁶ So Saul and his three sons died, and all his house died together.

⁷ When all the Israelites in the valley saw that the army had fled and that Saul and his sons had died, they abandoned their towns and fled. And the Philistines came and occupied them.

⁸ The next day, when the Philistines came to strip the dead, they found Saul and his sons fallen on Mount Gilboa. ⁹ They stripped him and took his head and his armor, and sent messengers throughout the land of the Philistines to proclaim the news among their idols and their people.¹⁰ They put his armor in the temple of their gods and hung up his head in the temple of Dagon.

¹¹ When all the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul, ¹² all their valiant men went and took the bodies of Saul and his sons and brought them to Jabesh. Then they buried their bones under the great tree in Jabesh, and they fasted seven days.

¹³ Saul died because he was unfaithful to the Lord; he did not keep the word of the Lord and even consulted a medium for guidance, ¹⁴ and did not inquire of the Lord. So the Lord put him to death and turned the kingdom over to David son of Jesse.

9 All Israel was listed in the genealogies recorded in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah. They were taken captive to Babylon because of their unfaithfulness.

The People in Jerusalem

² Now the first to resettle on their own property in their own towns were some Israelites, priests, Levites and temple servants.

³ Those from Judah, from Benjamin, and from Ephraim and Manasseh who lived in Jerusalem were:

⁴ Uthai son of Ammihud, the son of Omri, the son of Imri, the son of Bani, a descendant of Perez son of Judah.

⁵ Of the Shelanites:

Asaiah the firstborn and his sons.

⁶ Of the Zerahites:

Jeuel.

The people from Judah numbered 690.

⁷ Of the Benjamites:

Sallu son of Meshullam, the son of Hodaviah, the son of Hassenuah;

⁸ Ibneiah son of Jeroham; Elah son of Uzzi, the son of Mikri; and Meshullam son of Shephatiah, the son of Reuel, the son of Ibnijah.

⁹ The people from Benjamin, as listed in their genealogy, numbered 956. All these men were heads of their families.

¹⁰ Of the priests:

Jedaiah; Jehoiarib; Jakin;

¹¹ Azariah son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, the official in charge of the house of God;

¹² Adaiah son of Jeroham, the son of Pashhur, the son of Malkijah; and Maasai son of Adiel, the son of Jahzerah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Meshillemith, the son of Immer.

¹³ The priests, who were heads of families, numbered 1,760. They were able men, responsible for ministering in the house of God.

¹⁴ Of the Levites:

Shemaiah son of Hasshub, the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, a Merarite; ¹⁵ Bakbakkar, Heresh, Galal and Mattaniah son of Mika, the son of Zikri, the son of Asaph; ¹⁶ Obadiah son of Shemaiah, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun; and Berekiah son of Asa, the son of Elkanah, who lived in the villages of the Netophathites.

¹⁷ The gatekeepers:

Shallum, Akkub, Talmon, Ahiman and their fellow Levites, Shallum their chief ¹⁸ being stationed at the King’s Gate on the east, up to the present time. These were the gatekeepers belonging to the camp of the Levites. ¹⁹ Shallum son of Kore, the son of Ebiasaph, the son of Korah, and his fellow gatekeepers from his family (the Korahites) were responsible for guarding the thresholds of the tent just as their ancestors had been responsible for guarding the entrance to the dwelling of the Lord. ²⁰ In earlier times Phinehas son of Eleazar was the official in charge of the gatekeepers, and the Lord was with him.²¹ Zechariah son of Meshelemiah was the gatekeeper at the entrance to the tent of meeting.

²² Altogether, those chosen to be gatekeepers at the thresholds numbered 212. They were registered by genealogy in their villages. The gatekeepers had been assigned to their positions of trust by David and Samuel the seer. ²³ They and their descendants were in charge of guarding the gates of the house of the Lord—the house called the tent of meeting. ²⁴ The gatekeepers were on the four sides: east, west, north and south. ²⁵ Their fellow Levites in their villages had to come from time to time and share their duties for seven-day periods. ²⁶ But the four principal gatekeepers, who were Levites, were entrusted with the responsibility for the rooms and treasuries in the house of God. ²⁷ They would spend the night stationed around the house of God, because they had to guard it; and they had charge of the key for opening it each morning.

²⁸ Some of them were in charge of the articles used in the temple service; they counted them when they were brought in and when they were taken out. ²⁹ Others were assigned to take care of the furnishings and all the other articles of the sanctuary, as well as the special flour and wine, and the olive oil, incense and spices. ³⁰ But some of the priests took care of mixing the spices. ³¹ A Levite named Mattithiah, the firstborn son of Shallum the Korahite, was entrusted with the responsibility for baking the offering bread. ³² Some of the Kohathites, their fellow Levites, were in charge of preparing for every Sabbath the bread set out on the table.

³³ Those who were musicians, heads of Levite families, stayed in the rooms of the temple and were exempt from other duties because they were responsible for the work day and night.

³⁴ All these were heads of Levite families, chiefs as listed in their genealogy, and they lived in Jerusalem.

The Genealogy of Saul

The Genealogy of Saul the Benjamite

8 Benjamin was the father of Bela his firstborn,

²⁸ All these were heads of families, chiefs as listed in their genealogy, and they lived in Jerusalem.

Issachar

7 The sons of Issachar:

Tola, Puah, Jashub and Shimron—four in all.

² The sons of Tola:

Uzzi, Rephaiah, Jeriel, Jahmai, Ibsam and Samuel—heads of their families. During the reign of David, the descendants of Tola listed as fighting men in their genealogy numbered 22,600.

³ The son of Uzzi:

Izrahiah.

The sons of Izrahiah:

Michael, Obadiah, Joel and Ishiah. All five of them were chiefs.⁴ According to their family genealogy, they had 36,000 men ready for battle, for they had many wives and children.

⁵ The relatives who were fighting men belonging to all the clans of Issachar, as listed in their genealogy, were 87,000 in all.

Benjamin

⁶ Three sons of Benjamin:

Bela, Beker and Jediael.

⁷ The sons of Bela:

Ezbon, Uzzi, Uzziel, Jerimoth and Iri, heads of families—five in all. Their genealogical record listed 22,034 fighting men.

⁸ The sons of Beker:

Zemirah, Joash, Eliezer, Elioenai, Omri, Jeremoth, Abijah, Anathoth and Alemeth. All these were the sons of Beker. ⁹ Their genealogical record listed the heads of families and 20,200 fighting men.

¹⁰ The son of Jediael:

Bilhan.

The sons of Bilhan:

Jeush, Benjamin, Ehud, Kenaanah, Zethan, Tarshish and Ahishahar.¹¹ All these sons of Jediael were heads of families. There were 17,200 fighting men ready to go out to war.

¹² The Shuppites and Huppites were the descendants of Ir, and the Hushites the descendants of Aher.

Naphtali

¹³ The sons of Naphtali:

Jahziel, Guni, Jezer and Shillem—the descendants of Bilhah.

Manasseh

¹⁴ The descendants of Manasseh:

Asriel was his descendant through his Aramean concubine. She gave birth to Makir the father of Gilead. ¹⁵ Makir took a wife from among the Huppites and Shuppites. His sister’s name was Maakah.

Another descendant was named Zelophehad, who had only daughters.

¹⁶ Makir’s wife Maakah gave birth to a son and named him Peresh. His brother was named Sheresh, and his sons were Ulam and Rakem.

¹⁷ The son of Ulam:

Bedan.

These were the sons of Gilead son of Makir, the son of Manasseh.¹⁸ His sister Hammoleketh gave birth to Ishhod, Abiezer and Mahlah.

¹⁹ The sons of Shemida were:

Ahian, Shechem, Likhi and Aniam.

Ephraim

²⁰ The descendants of Ephraim:

Shuthelah, Bered his son,

Tahath his son, Eleadah his son,

Tahath his son, ²¹ Zabad his son

and Shuthelah his son.

Ezer and Elead were killed by the native-born men of Gath, when they went down to seize their livestock. ²² Their father Ephraim mourned for them many days, and his relatives came to comfort him. ²³ Then he made love to his wife again, and she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. He named him Beriah, because there had been misfortune in his family. ²⁴ His daughter was Sheerah, who built Lower and Upper Beth Horon as well as Uzzen Sheerah.

²⁵ Rephah was his son, Resheph his son,

Telah his son, Tahan his son,

²⁶ Ladan his son, Ammihud his son,

Elishama his son, ²⁷ Nun his son

and Joshua his son.

²⁸ Their lands and settlements included Bethel and its surrounding villages, Naaran to the east, Gezer and its villages to the west, and Shechem and its villages all the way to Ayyah and its villages. ²⁹ Along the borders of Manasseh were Beth Shan, Taanach, Megiddo and Dor,together with their villages. The descendants of Joseph son of Israel lived in these towns.

Asher

³⁰ The sons of Asher:

Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi and Beriah. Their sister was Serah.

³¹ The sons of Beriah:

Heber and Malkiel, who was the father of Birzaith.

³² Heber was the father of Japhlet, Shomer and Hotham and of their sister Shua.

³³ The sons of Japhlet:

Pasak, Bimhal and Ashvath.

These were Japhlet’s sons.

³⁴ The sons of Shomer:

Ahi, Rohgah, Hubbah and Aram.

³⁵ The sons of his brother Helem:

Zophah, Imna, Shelesh and Amal.

³⁶ The sons of Zophah:

Suah, Harnepher, Shual, Beri, Imrah, ³⁷ Bezer, Hod, Shamma, Shilshah, Ithran and Beera.

³⁸ The sons of Jether:

Jephunneh, Pispah and Ara.

³⁹ The sons of Ulla:

Arah, Hanniel and Rizia.

⁴⁰ All these were descendants of Asher—heads of families, choice men, brave warriors and outstanding leaders. The number of men ready for battle, as listed in their genealogy, was 26,000.