~~~~~~1~~~~~ ~~~~~~1~~~~~ ~~~~~~1~~~~~ ~~~~~~1~~~~~ ~~~~~~1~~~~~ Adam, Seth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalalel, Jared, Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech, Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. The sons of Japheth were Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras. The sons of Gomer were Ashkenaz, Diphath, and Togarmah. The sons of Javan were Elishah, Tarshish, Kittim, and Rodanim. The sons of Ham were Cush, Mizraim, Put, and Canaan. The sons of Cush were Seba, Havilah, Sabta, Raama, and Sabteca; and the sons of Raama were Sheba and Dedan. Cush was the father of Nimrod; he began to be a mighty one on the earth. Mizraim was the father of the people of Lud, Anam, Lehab, Naphtuh, Pathrus, Casluh (from which came the Philistines), and Caphtor. Canaan was the father of Sidon, his firstborn, Heth, and the Jebusites, the Amorites, the Girgashites, the Hivites, the Arkites, the Sinites, the Arvadites, the Zemarites, and the Hamathites. The sons of Shem were Elam, Asshur, Arpachshad, Lud, Aram, Uz, Hul, Gether, and Meshech. Arpachshad was the father of Shelah, and Shelah was the father of Eber. Two sons were born to Eber, the name of the one was Peleg, for in his days the earth was divided, and his brother’s name was Joktan. Joktan was the father of Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah, Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah, Ebal, Abimael, Sheba, Ophir, Havilah, and Jobab; all these were the sons of Joktan. Shem, Arpachshad, Shelah, Eber, Peleg, Reu, Serug, Nahor, Terah, Abram, that is Abraham. The sons of Abraham were Isaac and Ishmael. These are their generations: the firstborn of Ishmael was Nebaioth, then Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, Mishma, Dumah, Massa, Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah; these were the sons of Ishmael. The sons of Keturah, Abraham’s concubine, whom she bore, were Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. And the sons of Jokshan were Sheba and Dedan. The sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah. All these were the sons of Keturah. Abraham became the father of Isaac. The sons of Isaac were Esau and Israel. The sons of Esau were Eliphaz, Reuel, Jeush, Jalam, and Korah. The sons of Eliphaz were Teman, Omar, Zephi, Gatam, Kenaz, Timna, and Amalek. The sons of Reuel were Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah. The sons of Seir were Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah, Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan. The sons of Lotan were Hori and Homam; and Lotan’s sister was Timna. The sons of Shobal were Alian, Manahath, Ebal, Shephi, and Onam. And the sons of Zibeon were Aiah and Anah. The son of Anah was Dishon. And the sons of Dishon were Hamran, Eshban, Ithran, and Cheran. The sons of Ezer were Bilhan, Zaavan, and Jaakan. The sons of Dishon were Uz and Aran. Now these are the kings who reigned in the land of Edom before any king of the sons of Israel reigned. Bela was the son of Beor, and the name of his city was Dinhabah. Then Bela died, and Jobab the son of Zerah of Bozrah became king in his place. Then Jobab died, and Husham of the land of the Temanites became king in his place. Then Husham died, and Hadad the son of Bedad, who struck down Midian in the field of Moab, became king in his place; and the name of his city was Avith. Then Hadad died, and Samlah of Masrekah became king in his place. Then Samlah died, and Shaul of Rehoboth by the River became king in his place. Then Shaul died, and Baal-hanan the son of Achbor became king in his place. Then Baal-hanan died, and Hadad became king in his place; and the name of his city was Pai, and his wife’s name was Mehetabel, the daughter of Matred, daughter of Mezahab. Then Hadad died. Now the chiefs of Edom were: chief Timna, chief Aliah, chief Jetheth, chief Oholibamah, chief Elah, chief Pinon, chief Kenaz, chief Teman, chief Mibzar, chief Magdiel, chief Iram. These were the chiefs of Edom.

~~~~~~2~~~~~ ~~~~~~2~~~~~ ~~~~~~2~~~~~ ~~~~~~2~~~~~ ~~~~~~2~~~~~ These are the sons of Israel: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Dan, Joseph, Benjamin, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher. The sons of Judah were Er, Onan, and Shelah; these three were born to him by Bath-shua the Canaanitess. And Er, Judah’s firstborn, was evil in the sight of Yahweh, so He put him to death. Tamar his daughter-in-law bore him Perez and Zerah. Judah had five sons in all. The sons of Perez were Hezron and Hamul. The sons of Zerah were Zimri, Ethan, Heman, Calcol, and Dara; five of them in all. The son of Carmi was Achar, the troubler of Israel, who violated what was devoted to destruction. The son of Ethan was Azariah. Now the sons of Hezron, who were born to him were Jerahmeel, Ram, and Chelubai. Ram became the father of Amminadab, and Amminadab became the father of Nahshon, leader of the sons of Judah; Nahshon became the father of Salma, Salma became the father of Boaz, Boaz became the father of Obed, and Obed became the father of Jesse; and Jesse became the father of Eliab his firstborn, then Abinadab the second, Shimea the third, Nethanel the fourth, Raddai the fifth, Ozem the sixth, David the seventh; and their sisters were Zeruiah and Abigail. And the three sons of Zeruiah were Abshai, Joab, and Asahel. Abigail bore Amasa, and the father of Amasa was Jether the Ishmaelite. Now Caleb the son of Hezron became a father by Azubah his wife, and by Jerioth; and these were her sons: Jesher, Shobab, and Ardon. Then Azubah died, and Caleb took for himself Ephrath as a wife, and she bore him Hur. Hur became the father of Uri, and Uri became the father of Bezalel. Afterward Hezron went in to the daughter of Machir the father of Gilead, whom he took as a wife when he was sixty years old; and she bore him Segub. Segub became the father of Jair, and he had twenty-three cities in the land of Gilead. But Geshur and Aram took Havvoth-jair from them, with Kenath and its villages, even sixty cities. All these were the sons of Machir, the father of Gilead. After the death of Hezron in Caleb-ephrathah, Abijah, Hezron’s wife, bore him Ashhur the father of Tekoa. And the sons of Jerahmeel the firstborn of Hezron were Ram the firstborn, then Bunah, Oren, Ozem, and Ahijah. Jerahmeel had another wife, whose name was Atarah; she was the mother of Onam. The sons of Ram, the firstborn of Jerahmeel, were Maaz, Jamin, and Eker. The sons of Onam were Shammai and Jada. And the sons of Shammai were Nadab and Abishur. The name of Abishur’s wife was Abihail, and she bore him Ahban and Molid. The sons of Nadab were Seled and Appaim, and Seled died without sons. The son of Appaim was Ishi. And the son of Ishi was Sheshan. And the son of Sheshan was Ahlai. The sons of Jada the brother of Shammai were Jether and Jonathan, and Jether died without sons. The sons of Jonathan were Peleth and Zaza. These were the sons of Jerahmeel. Now Sheshan had no sons, only daughters. And Sheshan had an Egyptian slave whose name was Jarha. Sheshan gave his daughter to Jarha his servant as a wife, and she bore him Attai. Attai became the father of Nathan, and Nathan became the father of Zabad, and Zabad became the father of Ephlal, and Ephlal became the father of Obed, and Obed became the father of Jehu, and Jehu became the father of Azariah, and Azariah became the father of Helez, and Helez became the father of Eleasah, and Eleasah became the father of Sismai, and Sismai became the father of Shallum, and Shallum became the father of Jekamiah, and Jekamiah became the father of Elishama. Now the sons of Caleb, the brother of Jerahmeel, were Mesha his firstborn, who was the father of Ziph; and his son was Mareshah, the father of Hebron. The sons of Hebron were Korah and Tappuah and Rekem and Shema. Shema became the father of Raham, the father of Jorkeam; and Rekem became the father of Shammai. The son of Shammai was Maon, and Maon was the father of Bethzur. Ephah, Caleb’s concubine, bore Haran, Moza, and Gazez; and Haran became the father of Gazez. The sons of Jahdai were Regem, Jotham, Geshan, Pelet, Ephah, and Shaaph. Maacah, Caleb’s concubine, bore Sheber and Tirhanah. She also bore Shaaph the father of Madmannah, Sheva the father of Machbena and the father of Gibea; and the daughter of Caleb was Achsah. These were the sons of Caleb. The sons of Hur, the firstborn of Ephrathah, were Shobal the father of Kiriath-jearim, Salma the father of Bethlehem and Hareph the father of Beth-gader. Shobal the father of Kiriath-jearim had sons: Haroeh, half of the Manahathites, and the families of Kiriath-jearim: the Ithrites, the Puthites, the Shumathites, and the Mishraites; from these came the Zorathites and the Eshtaolites. The sons of Salma were Bethlehem and the Netophathites, Atroth-beth-joab and half of the Manahathites, the Zorites. The families of scribes who lived at Jabez were the Tirathites, the Shimeathites, and the Sucathites. Those are the Kenites who came from Hammath, the father of the house of Rechab.

~~~~~~3~~~~~ ~~~~~~3~~~~~ ~~~~~~3~~~~~ ~~~~~~3~~~~~ ~~~~~~3~~~~~ These are the sons of Israel: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Dan, Joseph, Benjamin, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher. The sons of Judah were Er, Onan, and Shelah; these three were born to him by Bath-shua the Canaanitess. And Er, Judah’s firstborn, was evil in the sight of Yahweh, so He put him to death. Tamar his daughter-in-law bore him Perez and Zerah. Judah had five sons in all. The sons of Perez were Hezron and Hamul. The sons of Zerah were Zimri, Ethan, Heman, Calcol, and Dara; five of them in all. The son of Carmi was Achar, the troubler of Israel, who violated what was devoted to destruction. The son of Ethan was Azariah. Now the sons of Hezron, who were born to him were Jerahmeel, Ram, and Chelubai. Ram became the father of Amminadab, and Amminadab became the father of Nahshon, leader of the sons of Judah; Nahshon became the father of Salma, Salma became the father of Boaz, Boaz became the father of Obed, and Obed became the father of Jesse; and Jesse became the father of Eliab his firstborn, then Abinadab the second, Shimea the third, Nethanel the fourth, Raddai the fifth, Ozem the sixth, David the seventh; and their sisters were Zeruiah and Abigail. And the three sons of Zeruiah were Abshai, Joab, and Asahel. Abigail bore Amasa, and the father of Amasa was Jether the Ishmaelite. Now Caleb the son of Hezron became a father by Azubah his wife, and by Jerioth; and these were her sons: Jesher, Shobab, and Ardon. Then Azubah died, and Caleb took for himself Ephrath as a wife, and she bore him Hur. Hur became the father of Uri, and Uri became the father of Bezalel. Afterward Hezron went in to the daughter of Machir the father of Gilead, whom he took as a wife when he was sixty years old; and she bore him Segub. Segub became the father of Jair, and he had twenty-three cities in the land of Gilead. But Geshur and Aram took Havvoth-jair from them, with Kenath and its villages, even sixty cities. All these were the sons of Machir, the father of Gilead. After the death of Hezron in Caleb-ephrathah, Abijah, Hezron’s wife, bore him Ashhur the father of Tekoa. And the sons of Jerahmeel the firstborn of Hezron were Ram the firstborn, then Bunah, Oren, Ozem, and Ahijah. Jerahmeel had another wife, whose name was Atarah; she was the mother of Onam. The sons of Ram, the firstborn of Jerahmeel, were Maaz, Jamin, and Eker. The sons of Onam were Shammai and Jada. And the sons of Shammai were Nadab and Abishur. The name of Abishur’s wife was Abihail, and she bore him Ahban and Molid. The sons of Nadab were Seled and Appaim, and Seled died without sons. The son of Appaim was Ishi. And the son of Ishi was Sheshan. And the son of Sheshan was Ahlai. The sons of Jada the brother of Shammai were Jether and Jonathan, and Jether died without sons. The sons of Jonathan were Peleth and Zaza. These were the sons of Jerahmeel. Now Sheshan had no sons, only daughters. And Sheshan had an Egyptian slave whose name was Jarha. Sheshan gave his daughter to Jarha his servant as a wife, and she bore him Attai. Attai became the father of Nathan, and Nathan became the father of Zabad, and Zabad became the father of Ephlal, and Ephlal became the father of Obed, and Obed became the father of Jehu, and Jehu became the father of Azariah, and Azariah became the father of Helez, and Helez became the father of Eleasah, and Eleasah became the father of Sismai, and Sismai became the father of Shallum, and Shallum became the father of Jekamiah, and Jekamiah became the father of Elishama. Now the sons of Caleb, the brother of Jerahmeel, were Mesha his firstborn, who was the father of Ziph; and his son was Mareshah, the father of Hebron. The sons of Hebron were Korah and Tappuah and Rekem and Shema. Shema became the father of Raham, the father of Jorkeam; and Rekem became the father of Shammai. The son of Shammai was Maon, and Maon was the father of Bethzur. Ephah, Caleb’s concubine, bore Haran, Moza, and Gazez; and Haran became the father of Gazez. The sons of Jahdai were Regem, Jotham, Geshan, Pelet, Ephah, and Shaaph. Maacah, Caleb’s concubine, bore Sheber and Tirhanah. She also bore Shaaph the father of Madmannah, Sheva the father of Machbena and the father of Gibea; and the daughter of Caleb was Achsah. These were the sons of Caleb. The sons of Hur, the firstborn of Ephrathah, were Shobal the father of Kiriath-jearim, Salma the father of Bethlehem and Hareph the father of Beth-gader. Shobal the father of Kiriath-jearim had sons: Haroeh, half of the Manahathites, and the families of Kiriath-jearim: the Ithrites, the Puthites, the Shumathites, and the Mishraites; from these came the Zorathites and the Eshtaolites. The sons of Salma were Bethlehem and the Netophathites, Atroth-beth-joab and half of the Manahathites, the Zorites. The families of scribes who lived at Jabez were the Tirathites, the Shimeathites, and the Sucathites. Those are the Kenites who came from Hammath, the father of the house of Rechab.

~~~~~~4~~~~~ ~~~~~~4~~~~~ ~~~~~~4~~~~~ ~~~~~~4~~~~~ ~~~~~~4~~~~~ The sons of Judah were Perez, Hezron, Carmi, Hur, and Shobal. Reaiah the son of Shobal became the father of Jahath, and Jahath became the father of Ahumai and Lahad. These were the families of the Zorathites. These were the sons of Etam: Jezreel, Ishma, and Idbash; and the name of their sister was Hazzelelponi. Penuel was the father of Gedor, and Ezer the father of Hushah. These were the sons of Hur, the firstborn of Ephrathah, the father of Bethlehem. Ashhur, the father of Tekoa, had two wives, Helah and Naarah. Naarah bore him Ahuzzam, Hepher, Temeni, and Haahashtari. These were the sons of Naarah. The sons of Helah were Zereth, Izhar, and Ethnan. Koz became the father of Anub and Zobebah, and the families of Aharhel the son of Harum. Now Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, and his mother named him Jabez saying, “Because I bore him with pain.” Then Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, “Oh that You would bless me indeed and enlarge my border, and that Your hand might be with me, and that You would keep me from harm that it may not pain me!” And God brought about what he asked. Chelub the brother of Shuhah became the father of Mehir, who was the father of Eshton. Eshton became the father of Beth-rapha and Paseah, and Tehinnah the father of Ir-nahash. These are the men of Recah. Now the sons of Kenaz were Othniel and Seraiah. And the sons of Othniel were Hathath and Meonothai. Meonothai became the father of Ophrah, and Seraiah became the father of Joab the father of Ge-harashim, for they were craftsmen. The sons of Caleb the son of Jephunneh were Iru, Elah, and Naam; and the son of Elah was Kenaz. The sons of Jehallelel were Ziph and Ziphah, Tiria and Asarel. The sons of Ezrah were Jether, Mered, Epher, and Jalon. (And these are the sons of Bithia the daughter of Pharaoh, whom Mered took) and she conceived and bore Miriam, Shammai, and Ishbah the father of Eshtemoa. His Jewish wife bore Jered the father of Gedor, and Heber the father of Soco, and Jekuthiel the father of Zanoah. The sons of the wife of Hodiah, the sister of Naham, were the fathers of Keilah the Garmite and Eshtemoa the Maacathite. The sons of Shimon were Amnon and Rinnah, Benhanan and Tilon. And the sons of Ishi were Zoheth and Ben-zoheth. The sons of Shelah the son of Judah were Er the father of Lecah and Laadah the father of Mareshah, and the families of the house of the fine linen workers at Beth-ashbea; and Jokim, the men of Cozeba, Joash, Saraph, who ruled in Moab, and Jashubi-lehem. And the records are ancient. These were the potters and the inhabitants of Netaim and Gederah; they lived there with the king for his work. The sons of Simeon were Nemuel and Jamin, Jarib, Zerah, Shaul; Shallum his son, Mibsam his son, Mishma his son. The sons of Mishma were Hammuel his son, Zaccur his son, Shimei his son. Now Shimei had sixteen sons and six daughters; but his brothers did not have many sons, nor did all their family multiply like the sons of Judah. They lived at Beersheba, Moladah, and Hazar-shual, at Bilhah, Ezem, Tolad, Bethuel, Hormah, Ziklag, Beth-marcaboth, Hazar-susim, Beth-biri, and Shaaraim. These were their cities until the reign of David. Their villages were Etam, Ain, Rimmon, Tochen, and Ashan, five cities; and all their villages that were all around these cities as far as Baal. These were their settlements, and they have their genealogy. Meshobab and Jamlech and Joshah the son of Amaziah, and Joel and Jehu the son of Joshibiah, the son of Seraiah, the son of Asiel, and Elioenai, Jaakobah, Jeshohaiah, Asaiah, Adiel, Jesimiel, Benaiah, Ziza the son of Shiphi, the son of Allon, the son of Jedaiah, the son of Shimri, the son of Shemaiah; these, who came into the record by name, were leaders in their families; and their fathers’ houses increased greatly. They went to the entrance of Gedor, even to the east side of the valley, to seek pasture for their flocks. They found rich and good pasture, and the land was broad and quiet and peaceful; for those who lived there formerly were Hamites. And these, recorded by name, came in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah, and struck down their tents and the Meunites who were found there, and devoted them to destruction to this day, and lived in their place, because there was pasture there for their flocks. From them, from the sons of Simeon, five hundred men went to Mount Seir, with Pelatiah, Neariah, Rephaiah, and Uzziel, the sons of Ishi, as their chiefs. They struck down the remnant of the Amalekites who escaped, and have lived there to this day.

~~~~~~5~~~~~ ~~~~~~5~~~~~ ~~~~~~5~~~~~ ~~~~~~5~~~~~ ~~~~~~5~~~~~ Now the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel (for he was the firstborn, but because he profaned his father’s bed, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph the son of Israel; so that he is not recorded in the genealogy according to the birthright. Though Judah prevailed over his brothers, and from him came the ruler, yet the birthright belonged to Joseph), the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel were Hanoch and Pallu, Hezron and Carmi. The sons of Joel were Shemaiah his son, Gog his son, Shimei his son, Micah his son, Reaiah his son, Baal his son, Beerah his son, whom Tilgath-pilneser king of Assyria took away into exile; he was leader of the Reubenites. His relatives by their families, in the genealogy of their generations, were Jeiel the chief, then Zechariah, and Bela the son of Azaz, the son of Shema, the son of Joel, who lived in Aroer, even to Nebo and Baal-meon. To the east he lived as far as the entrance of the wilderness from the river Euphrates, because their cattle had increased in the land of Gilead. In the days of Saul they made war with the Hagrites, and they fell by their hand. So they lived in their tents throughout all the land east of Gilead. Now the sons of Gad lived opposite them in the land of Bashan as far as Salecah. Joel was the chief and Shapham the second, then Janai and Shaphat in Bashan. Their relatives of their fathers’ households were Michael, Meshullam, Sheba, Jorai, Jacan, Zia, and Eber, seven. These were the sons of Abihail, the son of Huri, the son of Jaroah, the son of Gilead, the son of Michael, the son of Jeshishai, the son of Jahdo, the son of Buz; Ahi the son of Abdiel, the son of Guni, was head of their fathers’ households. They lived in Gilead, in Bashan and in its towns, and in all the pasture lands of Sharon, as far as their borders. All of these were recorded in the genealogies in the days of Jotham king of Judah and in the days of Jeroboam king of Israel. The sons of Reuben and the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh, consisting of men of valor, men who bore shield and sword and shot with bow and were learned in the ways of battle, were 44,760, who went out for military duty. They made war against the Hagrites, Jetur, Naphish, and Nodab. They were helped against them, and the Hagrites and all who were with them were given into their hand; for they cried out to God in the battle, and He was moved by their entreaty because they trusted in Him. They took captive their cattle: their 50,000 camels, 250,000 sheep, 2,000 donkeys; and 100,000 men. For many fell slain, because the war was of God. And they lived in their place until the exile. Now the sons of the half-tribe of Manasseh lived in the land; from Bashan to Baal-hermon and Senir and Mount Hermon they were numerous. These were the heads of their fathers’ households, even Epher, Ishi, Eliel, Azriel, Jeremiah, Hodaviah, and Jahdiel, mighty men of valor, men of renown, heads of their fathers’ households. But they acted unfaithfully against the God of their fathers and played the harlot after the gods of the peoples of the land, whom God had destroyed before them. So the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul, king of Assyria, even the spirit of Tilgath-pilneser, king of Assyria, and he took them away into exile, namely the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, and brought them to Halah, Habor, Hara, and to the river of Gozan, to this day.

~~~~~~6~~~~~ ~~~~~~6~~~~~ ~~~~~~6~~~~~ ~~~~~~6~~~~~ ~~~~~~6~~~~~ The sons of Levi were Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. The sons of Kohath were Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. The children of Amram were Aaron, Moses, and Miriam. And the sons of Aaron were Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. Eleazar became the father of Phinehas, and Phinehas became the father of Abishua, and Abishua became the father of Bukki, and Bukki became the father of Uzzi, and Uzzi became the father of Zerahiah, and Zerahiah became the father of Meraioth, Meraioth became the father of Amariah, and Amariah became the father of Ahitub, and Ahitub became the father of Zadok, and Zadok became the father of Ahimaaz, and Ahimaaz became the father of Azariah, and Azariah became the father of Johanan, and Johanan became the father of Azariah (it was he who ministered as the priest in the house which Solomon built in Jerusalem), and Azariah became the father of Amariah, and Amariah became the father of Ahitub, and Ahitub became the father of Zadok, and Zadok became the father of Shallum, and Shallum became the father of Hilkiah, and Hilkiah became the father of Azariah, and Azariah became the father of Seraiah, and Seraiah became the father of Jehozadak; and Jehozadak went along when Yahweh took Judah and Jerusalem away into exile by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar. The sons of Levi were Gershom, Kohath, and Merari. These are the names of the sons of Gershom: Libni and Shimei. The sons of Kohath were Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. The sons of Merari were Mahli and Mushi. And these are the families of the Levites according to their fathers’ households. Of Gershom: Libni his son, Jahath his son, Zimmah his son, Joah his son, Iddo his son, Zerah his son, Jeatherai his son. The sons of Kohath were Amminadab his son, Korah his son, Assir his son, Elkanah his son, Ebiasaph his son, and Assir his son, Tahath his son, Uriel his son, Uzziah his son, and Shaul his son. The sons of Elkanah were Amasai and Ahimoth. As for Elkanah, the sons of Elkanah were Zophai his son and Nahath his son, Eliab his son, Jeroham his son, Elkanah his son. The sons of Samuel were Joel the firstborn, and Abijah the second. The sons of Merari were Mahli, Libni his son, Shimei his son, Uzzah his son, Shimea his son, Haggiah his son, Asaiah his son. Now these are those whom David caused to stand over the service of song in the house of Yahweh, after the ark rested there. And they ministered with song before the tabernacle of the tent of meeting, until Solomon had built the house of Yahweh in Jerusalem; and they stood for their service according to their custom. These are those who stood for service with their sons: From the sons of the Kohathites were Heman the singer, the son of Joel, the son of Samuel, the son of Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Eliel, the son of Toah, the son of Zuph, the son of Elkanah, the son of Mahath, the son of Amasai, the son of Elkanah, the son of Joel, the son of Azariah, the son of Zephaniah, the son of Tahath, the son of Assir, the son of Ebiasaph, the son of Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, the son of Israel. Heman’s brother Asaph stood at his right hand, even Asaph the son of Berechiah, the son of Shimea, the son of Michael, the son of Baaseiah, the son of Malchijah, the son of Ethni, the son of Zerah, the son of Adaiah, the son of Ethan, the son of Zimmah, the son of Shimei, the son of Jahath, the son of Gershom, the son of Levi. On the left hand were their relatives the sons of Merari: Ethan the son of Kishi, the son of Abdi, the son of Malluch, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Amaziah, the son of Hilkiah, the son of Amzi, the son of Bani, the son of Shemer, the son of Mahli, the son of Mushi, the son of Merari, the son of Levi. Their relatives the Levites were given over unto all the service of the tabernacle of the house of God. But Aaron and his sons offered offerings up in smoke on the altar of burnt offering and on the altar of incense, for all the work of the Holy of Holies, and to make atonement for Israel, according to all that Moses the servant of God had commanded. These are the sons of Aaron: Eleazar his son, Phinehas his son, Abishua his son, Bukki his son, Uzzi his son, Zerahiah his son, Meraioth his son, Amariah his son, Ahitub his son, Zadok his son, Ahimaaz his son. Now these are their settlements according to their camps within their borders. To the sons of Aaron of the families of the Kohathites (for the lot was theirs first), to them they gave Hebron in the land of Judah, with its pasture lands all around it; but the fields of the city and its villages, they gave to Caleb the son of Jephunneh. To the sons of Aaron they gave the following cities of refuge: Hebron, Libnah also with its pasture lands, Jattir, Eshtemoa with its pasture lands, Hilen with its pasture lands, Debir with its pasture lands, Ashan with its pasture lands, and Beth-shemesh with its pasture lands; from the tribe of Benjamin: Geba with its pasture lands, Allemeth with its pasture lands, and Anathoth with its pasture lands. All their cities throughout their families were thirteen cities. Now to the rest of the sons of Kohath were given by lot, from the family of the tribe, from the half-tribe, the half of Manasseh, ten cities. And to the sons of Gershom, according to their families, were given from the tribe of Issachar and from the tribe of Asher, the tribe of Naphtali, and the tribe of Manasseh, thirteen cities in Bashan. To the sons of Merari were given by lot, according to their families, from the tribe of Reuben, the tribe of Gad, and the tribe of Zebulun, twelve cities. So the sons of Israel gave to the Levites the cities with their pasture lands. They also gave by lot from the tribe of the sons of Judah, the tribe of the sons of Simeon, and the tribe of the sons of Benjamin, these cities which are mentioned here by name. Now some of the families of the sons of Kohath had cities of their territory from the tribe of Ephraim. And they gave to them the following cities of refuge: Shechem, with its pasture lands, in the hill country of Ephraim, and Gezer with its pasture lands, Jokmeam with its pasture lands, Beth-horon with its pasture lands, Aijalon with its pasture lands, and Gath-rimmon with its pasture lands; and from the half-tribe of Manasseh: Aner with its pasture lands and Bileam with its pasture lands, for the family of the rest of the sons of Kohath. To the sons of Gershom were given, from the family of the half-tribe of Manasseh: Golan in Bashan with its pasture lands and Ashtaroth with its pasture lands; and from the tribe of Issachar: Kedesh with its pasture lands, Daberath with its pasture lands, and Ramoth with its pasture lands, Anem with its pasture lands; and from the tribe of Asher: Mashal with its pasture lands, Abdon with its pasture lands, Hukok with its pasture lands, and Rehob with its pasture lands; and from the tribe of Naphtali: Kedesh in Galilee with its pasture lands, Hammon with its pasture lands, and Kiriathaim with its pasture lands. To the sons of Merari, the rest of the Levites, were given, from the tribe of Zebulun: Rimmono with its pasture lands, Tabor with its pasture lands; and beyond the Jordan at Jericho, on the east side of the Jordan, were given them, from the tribe of Reuben: Bezer in the wilderness with its pasture lands, Jahzah with its pasture lands, Kedemoth with its pasture lands, and Mephaath with its pasture lands; and from the tribe of Gad: Ramoth in Gilead with its pasture lands, Mahanaim with its pasture lands, Heshbon with its pasture lands, and Jazer with its pasture lands.

~~~~~~7~~~~~ ~~~~~~7~~~~~ ~~~~~~7~~~~~ ~~~~~~7~~~~~ ~~~~~~7~~~~~ Now the sons of Issachar: Tola, Puah, Jashub, and Shimron, four. The sons of Tola were Uzzi, Rephaiah, Jeriel, Jahmai, Ibsam, and Samuel, heads of their fathers’ households. The sons of Tola were mighty men of valor in their generations; their number in the days of David was 22,600. The son of Uzzi was Izrahiah. And the sons of Izrahiah were Michael, Obadiah, Joel, Isshiah; all five of them were chief men. With them by their generations according to their fathers’ households were 36,000 troops of the army for war, for they had many wives and sons. Their relatives among all the families of Issachar were mighty men of valor, recorded by genealogy, in all 87,000. The sons of Benjamin: Bela and Becher and Jediael, three. The sons of Bela: Ezbon, Uzzi, Uzziel, Jerimoth, and Iri, five. They were heads of fathers’ households, mighty men of valor, and were 22,034 recorded by genealogy. The sons of Becher were Zemirah, Joash, Eliezer, Elioenai, Omri, Jeremoth, Abijah, Anathoth, and Alemeth. All these were the sons of Becher. They were recorded by genealogy, according to their generations, heads of their fathers’ households, 20,200 mighty men of valor. The son of Jediael was Bilhan. And the sons of Bilhan were Jeush, Benjamin, Ehud, Chenaanah, Zethan, Tarshish, and Ahishahar. All these were sons of Jediael, according to the heads of their fathers’ households, 17,200 mighty men of valor, who went out with the army to war. Shuppim and Huppim were the sons of Ir; Hushim was the son of Aher. The sons of Naphtali were Jahziel, Guni, Jezer, and Shallum, the sons of Bilhah. The sons of Manasseh were Asriel, whom his Aramean concubine bore; she bore Machir the father of Gilead. Now Machir took a wife for Huppim and Shuppim, whose sister’s name was Maacah. And the name of the second was Zelophehad, and Zelophehad had daughters. And Maacah the wife of Machir bore a son, and she named him Peresh; and the name of his brother was Sheresh, and his sons were Ulam and Rakem. The son of Ulam was Bedan. These were the sons of Gilead the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh. And his sister Hammolecheth bore Ishhod and Abiezer and Mahlah. The sons of Shemida were Ahian and Shechem and Likhi and Aniam. The sons of Ephraim were Shuthelah and Bered his son, Tahath his son, Eleadah his son, Tahath his son, Zabad his son, Shuthelah his son, and Ezer and Elead whom the men of Gath who were born in the land killed, because they came down to take their livestock. And their father Ephraim mourned many days, and his relatives came to comfort him. Then he went in to his wife, and she conceived and bore a son, and he named him Beriah, because calamity had come upon his house. And his daughter was Sheerah, and she built lower and upper Beth-horon, also Uzzen-sheerah. Rephah was his son along with Resheph, Telah his son, Tahan his son, Ladan his son, Ammihud his son, Elishama his son, Non his son and Joshua his son. Now their possessions and settlements were Bethel with its towns, and to the east Naaran, and to the west Gezer with its towns, and Shechem with its towns as far as Ayyah with its towns, and along the borders of the sons of Manasseh, Beth-shean with its towns, Taanach with its towns, Megiddo with its towns, Dor with its towns. In these lived the sons of Joseph the son of Israel. The sons of Asher were Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, and Beriah, and Serah their sister. The sons of Beriah were Heber and Malchiel, who was the father of Birzaith. Heber became the father of Japhlet, Shomer, and Hotham, and Shua their sister. The sons of Japhlet were Pasach, Bimhal, and Ashvath. These were the sons of Japhlet. The sons of Shemer were Ahi and Rohgah, Jehubbah and Aram. The sons of his brother Helem were Zophah, Imna, Shelesh, and Amal. The sons of Zophah were Suah, Harnepher, Shual, Beri, and Imrah, Bezer, Hod, Shamma, Shilshah, Ithran, and Beera. The sons of Jether were Jephunneh, Pispa, and Ara. The sons of Ulla were Arah, Hanniel, and Rizia. All these were the sons of Asher, heads of the fathers’ houses, choice and mighty men of valor, heads of the princes. And the number of them recorded by genealogy for the army in war was 26,000 men.

~~~~~~8~~~~~ ~~~~~~8~~~~~ ~~~~~~8~~~~~ ~~~~~~8~~~~~ ~~~~~~8~~~~~ And Benjamin became the father of Bela his firstborn, Ashbel the second, Aharah the third, Nohah the fourth, and Rapha the fifth. Bela had sons: Addar, Gera, Abihud, Abishua, Naaman, Ahoah, Gera, Shephuphan, and Huram. These are the sons of Ehud: these are the heads of fathers’ households of the inhabitants of Geba, and they took them away into exile to Manahath, namely, Naaman, Ahijah, and Gera—he took them away into exile; and he became the father of Uzza and Ahihud. Shaharaim became the father of children in the country of Moab after he had sent away Hushim and Baara his wives. By Hodesh his wife he became the father of Jobab, Zibia, Mesha, Malcam, Jeuz, Sachia, Mirmah. These were his sons, heads of fathers’ households. By Hushim he became the father of Abitub and Elpaal. The sons of Elpaal were Eber, Misham, and Shemed, who built Ono and Lod, with its towns; and Beriah and Shema, who were heads of fathers’ households of the inhabitants of Aijalon, who made the inhabitants of Gath flee; and Ahio, Shashak, and Jeremoth. Zebadiah, Arad, Eder, Michael, Ishpah, and Joha were the sons of Beriah. Zebadiah, Meshullam, Hizki, Heber, Ishmerai, Izliah, and Jobab were the sons of Elpaal. Jakim, Zichri, Zabdi, Elienai, Zillethai, Eliel, Adaiah, Beraiah, and Shimrath were the sons of Shimei. Ishpan, Eber, Eliel, Abdon, Zichri, Hanan, Hananiah, Elam, Anthothijah, Iphdeiah and Penuel were the sons of Shashak. Shamsherai, Shehariah, Athaliah, Jaareshiah, Elijah, and Zichri were the sons of Jeroham. These were heads of the fathers’ households according to their generations, the heads who lived in Jerusalem. Now in Gibeon, Jeiel the father of Gibeon lived, and his wife’s name was Maacah; and his firstborn son was Abdon, then Zur, Kish, Baal, Nadab, Gedor, Ahio, and Zecher. Mikloth became the father of Shimeah. And they also lived with their relatives in Jerusalem opposite their other relatives. Ner became the father of Kish, and Kish became the father of Saul, and Saul became the father of Jonathan, Malchi-shua, Abinadab, and Eshbaal. The son of Jonathan was Merib-baal, and Merib-baal became the father of Micah. The sons of Micah were Pithon, Melech, Tarea, and Ahaz. Ahaz became the father of Jehoaddah, and Jehoaddah became the father of Alemeth, Azmaveth, and Zimri; and Zimri became the father of Moza. Moza became the father of Binea; Raphah was his son, Eleasah his son, Azel his son. Azel had six sons, and these were their names: Azrikam, Bocheru, Ishmael, Sheariah, Obadiah, and Hanan. All these were the sons of Azel. The sons of Eshek his brother were Ulam his firstborn, Jeush the second, and Eliphelet the third. The sons of Ulam were mighty men of valor, archers, and had many sons and grandsons, 150 of them. All these were of the sons of Benjamin.

~~~~~~9~~~~~ ~~~~~~9~~~~~ ~~~~~~9~~~~~ ~~~~~~9~~~~~ ~~~~~~9~~~~~ So all Israel was recorded by genealogies; and behold, they are written in the Book of the Kings of Israel. And Judah was taken away into exile to Babylon for their unfaithfulness. Now the first who lived in their possessions in their cities were Israel, the priests, the Levites, and the temple servants. And some of the sons of Judah, of the sons of Benjamin and of the sons of Ephraim and Manasseh lived in Jerusalem: Uthai the son of Ammihud, the son of Omri, the son of Imri, the son of Bani, from the sons of Perez the son of Judah. From the Shilonites were Asaiah the firstborn and his sons. From the sons of Zerah were Jeuel and their relatives, 690 of them. From the sons of Benjamin were Sallu the son of Meshullam, the son of Hodaviah, the son of Hassenuah, and Ibneiah the son of Jeroham, and Elah the son of Uzzi, the son of Michri, and Meshullam the son of Shephatiah, the son of Reuel, the son of Ibnijah; and their relatives according to their generations, 956. All these were heads of fathers’ households according to their fathers’ houses. From the priests were Jedaiah, Jehoiarib, Jachin, and Azariah the son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, the leader of the house of God; and Adaiah the son of Jeroham, the son of Pashhur, the son of Malchijah, and Maasai the son of Adiel, the son of Jahzerah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Meshillemith, the son of Immer; and their relatives, heads of their fathers’ households, 1,760 mighty men of valor for the work of the service of the house of God. Of the Levites were Shemaiah the son of Hasshub, the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, of the sons of Merari; and Bakbakkar, Heresh, and Galal and Mattaniah the son of Mica, the son of Zichri, the son of Asaph, and Obadiah the son of Shemaiah, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun, and Berechiah the son of Asa, the son of Elkanah, who lived in the villages of the Netophathites. Now the gatekeepers were Shallum and Akkub and Talmon and Ahiman and their relatives (Shallum the chief being stationed until now at the king’s gate to the east). These were the gatekeepers for the camp of the sons of Levi. Shallum the son of Kore, the son of Ebiasaph, the son of Korah, and his relatives of his father’s house, the Korahites, were over the work of the service, keepers of the thresholds of the tent; and their fathers had been over the camp of Yahweh, keepers of the entrance. And Phinehas the son of Eleazar was ruler over them previously, and Yahweh was with him. Zechariah the son of Meshelemiah was gatekeeper of the entrance of the tent of meeting. All these who were chosen to be gatekeepers at the thresholds were 212. These were recorded by genealogy in their villages, whom David and Samuel the seer established in their office of trust. So they and their sons were over the gates of the house of Yahweh, even the house of the tent, as those who kept watch. The gatekeepers were on the four sides, to the east, west, north, and south. And their relatives in their villages were to come in every seven days from time to time to be with them; for the four chief gatekeepers who were Levites, were in an office of trust, and were over the chambers and over the treasuries in the house of God. And they spent the night all around the house of God, because the watch was committed to them; and they were over opening it morning by morning. Now some of them were over the utensils of service, for they counted them when they brought them in and when they took them out. Some of them also were appointed over the furniture and over all the utensils of the sanctuary and over the fine flour and the wine and the oil and the frankincense and the spices. Some of the sons of the priests prepared the mixing of the spices. And Mattithiah, one of the Levites, who was the firstborn of Shallum the Korahite, had the office of trust over the things which were baked in pans. Some of their relatives of the sons of the Kohathites were over the showbread to prepare it every sabbath. Now these are the singers, heads of fathers’ households of the Levites, who lived in the chambers of the temple free from other service; for they were over them in their work day and night. These were heads of fathers’ households of the Levites according to their generations, the heads who lived in Jerusalem. Now in Gibeon, Jeiel the father of Gibeon lived, and his wife’s name was Maacah, and his firstborn son was Abdon, then Zur, Kish, Baal, Ner, Nadab, Gedor, Ahio, Zechariah, and Mikloth. Mikloth became the father of Shimeam. And they also lived with their relatives in Jerusalem opposite their other relatives. Ner became the father of Kish, and Kish became the father of Saul, and Saul became the father of Jonathan, Malchi-shua, Abinadab, and Eshbaal. The son of Jonathan was Merib-baal, and Merib-baal became the father of Micah. The sons of Micah were Pithon, Melech, Tahrea, and Ahaz. Ahaz became the father of Jarah, and Jarah became the father of Alemeth, Azmaveth, and Zimri; and Zimri became the father of Moza. Moza became the father of Binea and Rephaiah his son, Eleasah his son, Azel his son. Azel had six sons, and these were their names: Azrikam, Bocheru, Ishmael, Sheariah, Obadiah, and Hanan. These were the sons of Azel.

~~~~~~10~~~~~ ~~~~~~10~~~~~ ~~~~~~10~~~~~ ~~~~~~10~~~~~ ~~~~~~10~~~~~ Now the Philistines fought against Israel; and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines and fell slain on Mount Gilboa. And the Philistines closely pursued Saul and his sons, and the Philistines struck down Jonathan and Abinadab and Malchi-shua, the sons of Saul. And the battle became heavy against Saul, and the archers hit him; and he was wounded by the archers. Then Saul said to his armor bearer, “Draw your sword and pierce me through with it, lest these uncircumcised come and abuse me.” But his armor bearer was not willing, for he was greatly afraid. So Saul took his sword and fell on it. Then his armor bearer saw that Saul was dead, so he also fell on his sword and died. Thus Saul died with his three sons, and all those of his house died together. Then all the men of Israel who were in the valley saw that they had fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead. So they forsook their cities and fled; and the Philistines came and lived in them. Now it happened on the next day, that the Philistines came to strip the slain, and they found Saul and his sons fallen on Mount Gilboa. So they stripped him and took his head and his weapons and sent them all around the land of the Philistines, to proclaim the good news to their idols and to the people. And they placed his weapons in the house of their gods and fastened his head in the house of Dagon. Then all Jabesh-gilead heard all that the Philistines had done to Saul, so all the valiant men arose and took away the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons and brought them to Jabesh, and they buried their bones under the oak in Jabesh and fasted seven days. Thus Saul died for his unfaithfulness, which he committed against Yahweh, because of the word of Yahweh which he did not keep; and also because he asked counsel of a medium, making inquiry of it, and did not inquire of Yahweh. Therefore He put him to death and turned the kingdom to David the son of Jesse.

~~~~~~11~~~~~ ~~~~~~11~~~~~ ~~~~~~11~~~~~ ~~~~~~11~~~~~ ~~~~~~11~~~~~ Then all Israel gathered to David at Hebron and said, “Behold, we are your bone and your flesh. “Previously, even when Saul was king, you were the one who led out and brought in Israel; and Yahweh your God said to you, ‘You will shepherd My people Israel, and you will be a ruler over My people Israel.’” So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and David cut a covenant with them in Hebron before Yahweh; then they anointed David king over Israel, according to the word of Yahweh through Samuel. Then David and all Israel went to Jerusalem (that is, Jebus); and the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, were there. Then the inhabitants of Jebus said to David, “You shall not come in here.” Nevertheless, David captured the fortress of Zion, that is, the city of David. And David said, “Whoever strikes down a Jebusite first shall be chief and commander.” Joab the son of Zeruiah went up first, so he became chief. Then David lived in the stronghold; therefore it was called the city of David. And he built the city all around, from the Millo even to the surrounding area; and Joab repaired the rest of the city. And David became greater and greater, and Yahweh of hosts was with him. Now these are the heads of the mighty men whom David had, who gave him strong support in his kingdom, together with all Israel, to make him king, according to the word of Yahweh concerning Israel. These constitute the list of the mighty men whom David had: Jashobeam, the son of a Hachmonite, the chief of the thirty; he lifted up his spear against three hundred slain by him at one time. And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo, the Ahohite, who was one of the three mighty men. He was with David at Pasdammim. Now the Philistines had gathered together there to battle, and there was a portion of the field full of barley; and the people fled from before the Philistines. But they took their stand in the midst of that portion and delivered it, and struck down the Philistines. So Yahweh saved them by a great salvation. Then three of the thirty chief men went down to the rock to David, to the cave of Adullam, while the camp of the Philistines was camping in the valley of Rephaim. And David was then in the fortress, while the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem. Then David had a craving and said, “Oh that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!” So the three broke through the camp of the Philistines and drew water from the well of Bethlehem which was by the gate, and carried it and brought it to David. Nevertheless, David was not willing to drink it, but poured it out to Yahweh; and he said, “Be it far from me before my God that I should do this. Shall I drink the blood of these men who went at the risk of their lives? For at the risk of their lives they brought it.” Therefore he was not willing to drink it. These things the three mighty men did. Now Abshai, the brother of Joab, was chief of the thirty. And he swung his spear against three hundred who were slain by him; and he had a name as well as the thirty. Of the three in the second rank he was the most honored and became their commander; however, he did not attain to the first three. Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man of Kabzeel, mighty in deeds, struck down the two sons of Ariel of Moab. He also went down and struck down a lion in the midst of a pit on a snowy day. He had also struck down an Egyptian, an impressive man, five cubits tall. Now in the Egyptian’s hand was a spear like a weaver’s beam, but he went down to him with a club and snatched the spear from the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with his own spear. These things Benaiah the son of Jehoiada did, and had a name as well as the three mighty men. Behold, he was honored among the thirty, but he did not attain to the three. And David appointed him over his guard. Now the mighty men of the military forces were Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem, Shammoth the Harorite, Helez the Pelonite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, Abiezer the Anathothite, Sibbecai the Hushathite, Ilai the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite, Heled the son of Baanah the Netophathite, Ithai the son of Ribai of Gibeah of the sons of Benjamin, Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hurai of the brooks of Gaash, Abiel the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Baharumite, Eliahba the Shaalbonite, the sons of Hashem the Gizonite, Jonathan the son of Shagee the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sacar the Hararite, Eliphal the son of Ur, Hepher the Mecherathite, Ahijah the Pelonite, Hezro the Carmelite, Naarai the son of Ezbai, Joel the brother of Nathan, Mibhar the son of Hagri, Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Berothite, the armor bearer of Joab the son of Zeruiah, Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, Uriah the Hittite, Zabad the son of Ahlai, Adina the son of Shiza the Reubenite, a chief of the Reubenites, and thirty with him, Hanan the son of Maacah and Joshaphat the Mithnite, Uzzia the Ashterathite, Shama and Jeiel the sons of Hotham the Aroerite, Jediael the son of Shimri and Joha his brother, the Tizite, Eliel the Mahavite and Jeribai and Joshaviah, the sons of Elnaam, and Ithmah the Moabite, Eliel and Obed and Jaasiel the Mezobaite.

~~~~~~12~~~~~ ~~~~~~12~~~~~ ~~~~~~12~~~~~ ~~~~~~12~~~~~ ~~~~~~12~~~~~ Now these are the ones who came to David at Ziklag, while he was still restricted because of Saul the son of Kish; and they were among the mighty men who helped him in war. They were equipped with bows, using both the right hand and the left to sling stones and to shoot arrows from the bow; they were Saul’s relatives from Benjamin. The chief was Ahiezer, then Joash, the sons of Shemaah the Gibeathite; and Jeziel and Pelet, the sons of Azmaveth, and Beracah and Jehu the Anathothite, and Ishmaiah the Gibeonite, a mighty man among the thirty, and over the thirty. Then Jeremiah, Jahaziel, Johanan, Jozabad the Gederathite, Eluzai, Jerimoth, Bealiah, Shemariah, Shephatiah the Haruphite, Elkanah, Isshiah, Azarel, Joezer, Jashobeam, the Korahites, and Joelah and Zebadiah, the sons of Jeroham of Gedor. From the Gadites, mighty men of valor separated themselves to David in the stronghold in the wilderness, men of war who had gone out for military duty, who could handle large shield and spear, and whose faces were like the faces of lions, and they were as swift as the gazelles on the mountains. Ezer was the first, Obadiah the second, Eliab the third, Mishmannah the fourth, Jeremiah the fifth, Attai the sixth, Eliel the seventh, Johanan the eighth, Elzabad the ninth, Jeremiah the tenth, Machbannai the eleventh. These of the sons of Gad were chiefs of the army; he who was least was equal to one hundred and the greatest to one thousand. These are the ones who crossed the Jordan in the first month when it was overflowing all its banks and they made all those in the valleys flee, both to the east and to the west. Then some of the sons of Benjamin and Judah came to the stronghold to David. David went out before them, and he answered and said to them, “If you come peacefully to me to help me, my heart shall be united with you; but if to betray me to my adversaries, since there is no violence in my hands, may the God of our fathers look on it and reprove.” And the Spirit clothed Amasai, who was the chief of the thirty, and he said, “We are yours, O David, And with you, O son of Jesse! Peace, peace to you, And peace to him who helps you; Indeed, your God helps you!” Then David received them and made them chiefs of the band. Now from Manasseh also some defected to David when he was about to go to battle with the Philistines against Saul. But they did not help them, for the lords of the Philistines after counsel sent him away, saying, “At the cost of our heads he may defect to his master Saul.” As he went to Ziklag there defected to him from Manasseh: Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu and Zillethai, chiefs of thousands who belonged to Manasseh. They helped David against the marauding band, for they were all mighty men of valor, and were commanders in the army. For day by day men came to David to help him, until there was a great camp like the camp of God. Now these are the numbers of the companies equipped for military duty, who came to David at Hebron, to turn the kingdom of Saul to him, according to the command of Yahweh. The sons of Judah who bore shield and spear were 6,800, equipped for military duty. Of the sons of Simeon, mighty men of valor for military duty, 7,100. Of the sons of Levi 4,600. Now Jehoiada was the leader of the house of Aaron, and with him were 3,700, also Zadok, a young man mighty of valor, and of his father’s house 22 commanders. Of the sons of Benjamin, Saul’s relatives, 3,000; for until now the greatest part of them had kept their allegiance to the house of Saul. Of the sons of Ephraim 20,800, mighty men of valor, men who had a name in their fathers’ households. Of the half-tribe of Manasseh 18,000, who were designated by name to come and make David king. Of the sons of Issachar, men who knew how to discern the times, to know what Israel should do, their chiefs were two hundred; and all their relatives were at their command. Of Zebulun, there were 50,000 who went out in the army, who could arrange themselves for battle with all kinds of weapons of war and helped David with an undivided heart. Of Naphtali there were 1,000 commanders, and with them 37,000 with large shield and spear. Of the Danites who could arrange themselves for battle, there were 28,600. Of Asher there were 40,000 who went out in the army to arrange themselves for battle. From the other side of the Jordan, of the Reubenites and the Gadites and of the half-tribe of Manasseh, there were 120,000 with all kinds of weapons for the army for battle. All these, being men of war who could draw up in battle lines, came to Hebron with their whole heart to make David king over all Israel; and all the rest also of Israel were of one heart to make David king. They were there with David three days, eating and drinking, for their relatives had prepared for them. Moreover those who were near to them, even as far as Issachar and Zebulun and Naphtali, brought food on donkeys, camels, mules, and on oxen, great provisions of flour, fig cakes and bunches of raisins, wine, oil, oxen, and sheep. There was gladness indeed in Israel.

~~~~~~13~~~~~ ~~~~~~13~~~~~ ~~~~~~13~~~~~ ~~~~~~13~~~~~ ~~~~~~13~~~~~ Then David took counsel with the commanders of the thousands and the hundreds, even with every leader. And David said to all the assembly of Israel, “If it seems good to you, and if it is from Yahweh our God, let us send everywhere to our relatives who remain in all the lands of Israel, also to the priests and Levites who are with them in their cities with pasture lands, that they may gather with us; and let us bring back the ark of our God to us, for we did not seek it in the days of Saul.” Then all the assembly said that they would do so, for the thing was right in the eyes of all the people. So David assembled all Israel together, from the Shihor of Egypt even to Lebo-hamath, to bring the ark of God from Kiriath-jearim. And David and all Israel went up to Baalah, that is, to Kiriath-jearim, which belongs to Judah, to bring up from there the ark of God, Yahweh, who is enthroned above the cherubim, where His name is called. And they drove the ark of God on a new cart from the house of Abinadab, and Uzza and Ahio were leading the cart. Now David and all Israel were celebrating before God with all their strength, even with songs and with lyres, harps, tambourines, cymbals, and with trumpets. Then they came to the threshing floor of Chidon. And Uzza reached out with his hand to take hold of the ark, because the oxen nearly upset it. And the anger of Yahweh burned against Uzza, and He struck him down because he reached out with his hand to the ark; and he died there before God. And David became angry because of Yahweh’s breaking out against Uzza; and that place is called Perez-uzza to this day. So David was afraid of God that day, saying, “How can I bring the ark of God back to me?” And David did not move the ark with him to the city of David, but took it aside to the house of Obed-edom the Gittite. Thus the ark of God remained with the household of Obed-edom in his house three months; and Yahweh blessed the household of Obed-edom with all that he had.

~~~~~~14~~~~~ ~~~~~~14~~~~~ ~~~~~~14~~~~~ ~~~~~~14~~~~~ ~~~~~~14~~~~~ Then Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David with cedar trees and craftsmen of walls and craftsmen of wood, to build a house for him. Thus David knew that Yahweh had established him as king over Israel, and that his kingdom was lifted up, for the sake of His people Israel. Then David took more wives at Jerusalem, and David became the father of more sons and daughters. These are the names of the children born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, Ibhar, Elishua, Elpelet, Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia, Elishama, Beeliada, and Eliphelet. Then the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over all Israel, so all the Philistines went up to seek out David. And David heard of it and went out against them. Now the Philistines had come and made a raid in the valley of Rephaim. Then David asked of God, saying, “Shall I go up against the Philistines? And will You give them into my hand?” And Yahweh said to him, “Go up, for I will give them into your hand.” So they came up to Baal-perazim, and there David struck them down; and David said, “God has broken through my enemies by my hand, like the breakthrough of waters.” Therefore they named that place Baal-perazim. And they forsook their gods there; so David said the word, and they were burned with fire. Then the Philistines yet again made a raid in the valley. So David again asked of God, and God said to him, “You shall not go directly up after them; circle around from behind them and come at them in front of the balsam trees. “And it will be that when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, then you shall go out to battle, for God will have gone out before you to strike the camp of the Philistines.” Then David did just as God had commanded him, and they struck down the camp of the Philistines from Gibeon even as far as Gezer. Then the name of David went out into all the lands; and Yahweh brought the dread of him on all the nations.

~~~~~~15~~~~~ ~~~~~~15~~~~~ ~~~~~~15~~~~~ ~~~~~~15~~~~~ ~~~~~~15~~~~~ Then David made houses for himself in the city of David; and he prepared a place for the ark of God and pitched a tent for it. And David said, “No one is to carry the ark of God but the Levites; for Yahweh chose them to carry the ark of God and to minister to Him forever.” Then David assembled all Israel at Jerusalem to bring up the ark of Yahweh to its place which he had prepared for it. And David gathered together the sons of Aaron and the Levites: of the sons of Kohath, Uriel the chief, and 120 of his relatives; of the sons of Merari, Asaiah the chief, and 220 of his relatives; of the sons of Gershom, Joel the chief, and 130 of his relatives; of the sons of Elizaphan, Shemaiah the chief, and 200 of his relatives; of the sons of Hebron, Eliel the chief, and 80 of his relatives; of the sons of Uzziel, Amminadab the chief, and 112 of his relatives. Then David called for Zadok and Abiathar the priests, and for the Levites, for Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel and Amminadab, and said to them, “You are the heads of the fathers’ households of the Levites; set yourselves apart as holy, both you and your relatives, that you may bring up the ark of Yahweh, the God of Israel, to the place that I have prepared for it. “Because you did not carry it at the first, Yahweh our God broke out against us, for we did not seek Him according to the legal judgment.” So the priests and the Levites set themselves apart as holy to bring up the ark of Yahweh, the God of Israel. And the sons of the Levites carried the ark of God on their shoulders with the poles thereon, as Moses had commanded according to the word of Yahweh. Then David said to the chiefs of the Levites to appoint their relatives the singers, with instruments of music, harps, lyres, loud-sounding cymbals, to raise a sound of gladness. So the Levites appointed Heman the son of Joel, and from his relatives, Asaph the son of Berechiah; and from the sons of Merari their relatives, Ethan the son of Kushaiah, and with them their relatives of the second rank, Zechariah, Ben, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-edom, and Jeiel, the gatekeepers. So the singers, Heman, Asaph and Ethan were appointed to sound aloud cymbals of bronze; and Zechariah, Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah, and Benaiah, with harps set according to alamoth; and Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah, to lead with lyres set according to the sheminith. Chenaniah, chief of the Levites, was in charge of the singing; he gave instruction in singing because he had understanding. Berechiah and Elkanah were gatekeepers for the ark. Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah, and Eliezer, the priests, blew the trumpets before the ark of God. Obed-edom and Jehiah also were gatekeepers for the ark. So it was David, with the elders of Israel and the commanders over thousands, who went to bring up the ark of the covenant of Yahweh from the house of Obed-edom with gladness. Now this happened because God was helping the Levites who were carrying the ark of the covenant of Yahweh. And they sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams. Now David was clothed with a robe of fine linen with all the Levites who were carrying the ark, as well as the singers and Chenaniah the leader of the singing with the singers. David also wore a linen ephod. Thus all Israel was bringing up the ark of the covenant of Yahweh with shouting, and with sound of the horn, with trumpets, with loud-sounding cymbals, with harps, and lyres. Now it happened as the ark of the covenant of Yahweh came to the city of David, that Michal the daughter of Saul looked out of the window and saw King David leaping and celebrating; and she despised him in her heart.

~~~~~~16~~~~~ ~~~~~~16~~~~~ ~~~~~~16~~~~~ ~~~~~~16~~~~~ ~~~~~~16~~~~~ And they brought in the ark of God and placed it inside the tent which David had pitched for it, and they brought burnt offerings and peace offerings near before God. Then David completed offering the burnt offerings and the peace offerings. And he blessed the people in the name of Yahweh. And he apportioned to everyone of Israel, both men and women, to everyone a loaf of bread and a portion of meat and a raisin cake. And he made some of the Levites ministers before the ark of Yahweh, even to bring remembrance and to 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, and Benaiah and Jahaziel the priests blew trumpets continually before the ark of the covenant of God. Then on that day David first assigned Asaph and his relatives to give thanks to Yahweh. Oh give thanks to Yahweh, call upon His name; Make known His acts among the peoples. Sing to Him, sing praises to Him; Muse on all His wondrous deeds. Boast in His holy name; Let the heart of those who seek Yahweh be glad. Inquire of Yahweh and His strength; Seek His face continually. Remember His wondrous deeds which He has done, His miraculous signs and the judgments uttered by His mouth, O seed of Israel His servant, O sons of Jacob, His chosen ones! He is Yahweh our God; His judgments are in all the earth. Remember His covenant forever, The word which He commanded for a thousand generations, Which He cut with Abraham, And His oath to Isaac. Then He also confirmed it to Jacob for a statute, To Israel as an everlasting covenant, Saying, “To you I will give the land of Canaan, As the portion of your inheritance,” When you were only a few men in number, Of little account, and sojourners in it, And they wandered about from nation to nation, And from one kingdom to another people, He permitted no man to oppress them, And He reproved kings for their sakes, “Do not touch My anointed ones, And against My prophets do no evil.” Sing to Yahweh, all the earth; Proclaim good news of His salvation from day to day. Recount His glory among the nations, His wondrous deeds among all the peoples. For great is Yahweh, and greatly to be praised; And He is more fearsome than all gods. For all the gods of the peoples are idols, But Yahweh made the heavens. Splendor and majesty are before Him, Strength and joy are in His place. Ascribe to Yahweh, O families of the peoples, Ascribe to Yahweh glory and strength. Ascribe to Yahweh the glory of His name; Lift up an offering, and come before Him; Worship Yahweh in the splendor of holiness. Tremble before Him, all the earth; Indeed, the world is established, it will not be shaken. Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; And let them say among the nations, “Yahweh reigns.” Let the sea roar, as well as its fullness; Let the field exult, and all that is in it. Then the trees of the forest will sing for joy before Yahweh; For He is coming to judge the earth. Oh give thanks to Yahweh, for He is good, For His lovingkindness endures forever. Then say, “Save us, O God of our salvation, And gather us and deliver us from among the nations, To give thanks to Your holy name And revel in Your praise.” Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Israel, From everlasting to everlasting. Then all the people said, “Amen,” and praised Yahweh. So he left behind Asaph and his relatives there before the ark of the covenant of Yahweh to minister before the ark continually, as every day’s work required; and Obed-edom with his 68 relatives; Obed-edom, also the son of Jeduthun, and Hosah as gatekeepers. Now he left behind Zadok the priest and his relatives the priests before the tabernacle of Yahweh in the high place, which was at Gibeon, to offer burnt offerings to Yahweh on the altar of burnt offering continually morning and evening, even according to all that is written in the law of Yahweh, which He commanded Israel. And with them were Heman and Jeduthun, and the rest who were chosen, who were designated by name, to give thanks to Yahweh, because His lovingkindness endures forever. And with them were Heman and Jeduthun with trumpets and cymbals for those who should sound aloud, and with instruments for the songs of God, and the sons of Jeduthun for the gate. Then all the people went each to his house, and David returned to bless his household.

~~~~~~17~~~~~ ~~~~~~17~~~~~ ~~~~~~17~~~~~ ~~~~~~17~~~~~ ~~~~~~17~~~~~ Now it happened when David inhabited his house, that David said to Nathan the prophet, “Behold, I inhabit a house of cedar, but the ark of the covenant of Yahweh is under tent curtains.” So Nathan said to David, “Do all that is in your heart, for God is with you.” Now it happened in the same night, that the word of God came to Nathan, saying, “Go and say to David My servant, ‘Thus says Yahweh, “You shall not build Me a house to inhabit; for I have not inhabited a house since the day that I brought up Israel to this day, but I have been from tent to tent and from one dwelling place to another. “Wherever I have gone about with all Israel, did I speak a word with even one of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd My people, saying, ‘Why have you not built Me a house of cedar?’”’ “So now, thus shall you say to My servant David, ‘Thus says Yahweh of hosts, “I Myself took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, to be ruler over My people Israel. “And I have been with you wherever you have gone, and have cut off all your enemies from before you; and I will make you a name like the name of the great men who are on the earth. “And I will appoint a place for My people Israel and will plant them, that they may dwell in their own place and not be disturbed again; and the unrighteous will not waste them anymore as formerly, even from the day that I commanded judges to be over My people Israel. And I will subdue all your enemies. And I tell you that Yahweh will build a house for you. “And it will be that when your days are fulfilled to go to be with your fathers, I will raise up one of your seed after you, who will be of your sons; and I will establish his kingdom. “He shall build for Me a house, and I will establish his throne forever. “I will be a father to him and he will be a son to Me; and I will not remove My lovingkindness from him, as I removed it from him who was before you. “But I will cause him to stand in My house and in My kingdom forever, and his throne shall be established forever.” ’ ” According to all these words and according to all this vision, so Nathan spoke to David. Then David the king went in and sat before Yahweh and said, “Who am I, O Yahweh God, and what is my house that You have brought me this far? “And this was a small thing in Your eyes, O God; but You have spoken of the house of Your slave concerning the distant future, and have regarded me according to the standard of a man of high degree, O Yahweh God. “Again what more can David say to You concerning the glory bestowed on Your slave? You know Your slave. “O Yahweh, for the sake of Your slave, and according to Your own heart, You have done all this greatness, to make known all these great things. “O Yahweh, there is none like You, and there is no God besides You, according to all that we have heard with our ears. “And what one nation in the earth is like Your people Israel, whom God went to redeem for Himself as a people, to make You a name by great and awesome things, in driving out nations from before Your people, whom You redeemed out of Egypt? “Yet You gave Your people Israel to be Your own people forever, and You, O Yahweh, have become their God. “So now, O Yahweh, let the word that You have spoken concerning Your slave and concerning his house endure forever, and do as You have spoken, that Your name endure and be magnified forever, by saying, ‘Yahweh of hosts is the God of Israel, even a God to Israel; and the house of David Your servant is established before You.’ “For You, O my God, have revealed in the hearing of Your slave that You will build for him a house; therefore Your slave has found courage to pray before You. “So now, O Yahweh, You are God, and You have promised this good thing to Your slave. “So now, You have been pleased to bless the house of Your slave, that it may be forever before You. For You, O Yahweh, have blessed, and it is blessed forever.”

~~~~~~18~~~~~ ~~~~~~18~~~~~ ~~~~~~18~~~~~ ~~~~~~18~~~~~ ~~~~~~18~~~~~ Now it happened afterwards, that David struck the Philistines and subdued them and took Gath and its towns from the hand of the Philistines. He also struck Moab, and the Moabites became servants to David, bringing tribute. Then David struck Hadadezer king of Zobah as far as Hamath, as he went to set up his power at the Euphrates River. And David captured from him 1,000 chariots and 7,000 horsemen and 20,000 foot soldiers, and David hamstrung all the chariot horses, but left enough of them for 100 chariots. Then the Arameans of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah. And David struck down 22,000 men of the Arameans. Then David placed garrisons among the Arameans of Damascus; and the Arameans became servants to David, bringing tribute. And Yahweh granted salvation to David wherever he went. And David took the small shields of gold which were carried by the servants of Hadadezer and brought them to Jerusalem. Also from Tibhath and from Cun, cities of Hadadezer, David took a very large amount of bronze, with which Solomon made the bronze sea and the pillars and the bronze utensils. Then Tou king of Hamath heard that David had struck down all the military force of Hadadezer king of Zobah, so he sent Hadoram his son to King David to greet him and to bless him, because he had fought against Hadadezer and struck him down; for Hadadezer had been at war with Tou. And Hadoram brought all kinds of articles of gold and silver and bronze. King David also set these apart as holy to Yahweh with the silver and the gold which he had carried away from all the nations: from Edom, Moab, the sons of Ammon, the Philistines, and from Amalek. Moreover, Abishai the son of Zeruiah smote 18,000 of Edom in the Valley of Salt. Then he placed garrisons in Edom, and all the Edomites became servants to David. And Yahweh granted salvation to David wherever he went. So David reigned over all Israel; and he was doing justice and righteousness for all his people. Now Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the army, and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder; and Zadok the son of Ahitub and Abimelech the son of Abiathar were priests, and Shavsha was scribe; and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites, and the sons of David were chiefs at the king’s side.

~~~~~~19~~~~~ ~~~~~~19~~~~~ ~~~~~~19~~~~~ ~~~~~~19~~~~~ ~~~~~~19~~~~~ Now it happened afterwards, that Nahash the king of the sons of Ammon died, and his son became king in his place. So David said, “I will show lovingkindness to Hanun the son of Nahash, because his father showed lovingkindness to me.” So David sent messengers to comfort him concerning his father. And David’s servants came into the land of the sons of Ammon to Hanun to comfort him. But the princes of the sons of Ammon said to Hanun, “In your eyes, is David honoring your father because he has sent comforters to you? Have not his servants come to you to search and to overthrow and to spy out the land?” So Hanun took David’s servants and shaved them and cut off their garments in the middle as far as their hips, and sent them away. Then certain persons went and told David about the men. And he sent to meet them, for the men were greatly dishonored. And the king said, “Stay at Jericho until your beards grow, and then return.” Then the sons of Ammon saw that they had made themselves odious to David. So Hanun and the sons of Ammon sent 1,000 talents of silver to hire for themselves chariots and horsemen from Mesopotamia, from Aram-maacah, and from Zobah. So they hired for themselves 32,000 chariots, and the king of Maacah and his people, who came and camped before Medeba. And the sons of Ammon gathered together from their cities and came to battle. Then David heard of it, and he sent Joab and all the army, the mighty men. And the sons of Ammon came out and arranged themselves for battle at the entrance of the city. But the kings who had come were by themselves in the field. Then Joab saw that the battle was set against him in front and in the rear. So he chose from all the choice men of Israel and they arranged themselves to meet the Arameans. But the remainder of the people he put in the hand of Abshai his brother; and they arranged themselves to meet the sons of Ammon. And he said, “If the Arameans are too strong for me, then you shall save me; but if the sons of Ammon are too strong for you, then I will save you. “Be strong, and let us show strength for the sake of our people and for the cities of our God; and may Yahweh do what is good in His sight.” So Joab and the people who were with him drew near before the Arameans for the battle, and they fled before him. Now the sons of Ammon saw that the Arameans fled. So they themselves also fled before Abshai his brother and came into the city. Then Joab came to Jerusalem. Then the Arameans saw that they had been defeated by Israel. So they sent messengers and brought out the Arameans who were beyond the River, and Shophach the commander of the army of Hadadezer led them. And it was told to David, so he gathered all Israel together and crossed the Jordan, and came upon them and arranged for battle against them. So David arranged them in battle to meet the Arameans. And they fought against him. But the Arameans fled before Israel, and David killed of the Arameans 7,000 charioteers and 40,000 foot soldiers, and put to death Shophach the commander of the army. Then the servants of Hadadezer saw that they were defeated by Israel. So they made peace with David and served him. And the Arameans were not willing to save the sons of Ammon anymore.

~~~~~~20~~~~~ ~~~~~~20~~~~~ ~~~~~~20~~~~~ ~~~~~~20~~~~~ ~~~~~~20~~~~~ Now it happened in the spring, at the time when kings go out to battle, that Joab led out the force of the military and brought the land of the sons of Ammon to ruin, and came and besieged Rabbah. But David stayed at Jerusalem. And Joab struck Rabbah and tore it down. Then David took the crown of their king from his head; and he found it to weigh a talent of gold, and in it was a precious stone; and it was placed on David’s head. And he brought out the spoil of the city in a very great amount. He also brought out the people who were in it and made them work with saws and with sharp iron instruments and with axes. And thus David used to do to all the cities of the sons of Ammon. Then David and all the people returned to Jerusalem. Now it happened afterwards, that war broke out at Gezer with the Philistines; then Sibbecai the Hushathite struck down Sippai, one among those born of the giants, and they were subdued. And there was war with the Philistines again, and Elhanan the son of Jair struck down Lahmi the brother of Goliath the Gittite, the shaft of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam. Then there was war at Gath again, and there was a man of great stature who had twenty-four fingers and toes, six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot; and he also had been born to the giants. And he reproached Israel, so Jonathan the son of Shimea, David’s brother, struck him down. These were born to the giants in Gath, and they fell by the hand of David and by the hand of his servants.

~~~~~~21~~~~~ ~~~~~~21~~~~~ ~~~~~~21~~~~~ ~~~~~~21~~~~~ ~~~~~~21~~~~~ Then Satan stood up against Israel and incited David to number Israel. So David said to Joab and to the princes of the people, “Go, count Israel from Beersheba even to Dan, and bring me word that I may know their total count.” But Joab said, “May Yahweh add to His people a hundred times as many as they are! But, my lord the king, are they not all my lord’s servants? Why does my lord seek this thing? Why should he be a cause of guilt to Israel?” Nevertheless, the king’s word stood strong against Joab. So, Joab went out and went throughout all Israel, and came to Jerusalem. And Joab gave the total count of the census of the people to David. And all Israel were 1,100,000 men who drew the sword; and Judah was 470,000 men who drew the sword. But he did not number Levi and Benjamin among them, for the king’s command was abominable to Joab. And this thing was displeasing in the sight of God, so He struck Israel. Then David said to God, “I have sinned greatly, in that I have done this thing. But now, please take away the iniquity of Your slave, for I have acted very foolishly.” And Yahweh spoke to Gad, David’s seer, saying, “Go and speak to David, saying, ‘Thus says Yahweh, “I am offering you three things; choose for yourself one of them, and I will do that to you.” ’ ” So Gad came to David and said to him, “Thus says Yahweh, ‘Take for yourself either three years of famine, or three months to be swept away before your adversaries, while the sword of your enemies overtakes you, or else three days of the sword of Yahweh, even pestilence in the land, and the angel of Yahweh destroying throughout all the territory of Israel.’ So now, see what word I should return to Him who sent me.” Then David said to Gad, “I am in great distress. Let me now fall into the hand of Yahweh, for His compassions are exceedingly abundant. But do not let me fall into the hand of man.” So Yahweh sent a pestilence against Israel; and 70,000 men of Israel fell. And God sent an angel to Jerusalem to destroy it; but as he was about to destroy it, Yahweh saw and relented concerning the calamity, and said to the destroying angel, “It is enough! Now relax your hand.” And the angel of Yahweh was standing by the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite. Then David lifted up his eyes and saw the angel of Yahweh standing between earth and heaven, with his drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders, covered with sackcloth, fell on their faces. And David said to God, “Is it not I who commanded to number the people? Indeed, I am the one who has sinned and done a great evil; but these sheep, what have they done? O Yahweh my God, please let Your hand be against me and my father’s household, but not against Your people that they should be plagued.” Then the angel of Yahweh said to Gad to say to David, that David should go up and erect an altar to Yahweh on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite. So David went up at the word of Gad, which he spoke in the name of Yahweh. Now Ornan turned back and saw the angel, and his four sons who were with him hid themselves. And Ornan was threshing wheat. Then David came to Ornan, and Ornan looked and saw David, and went out from the threshing floor and bowed his face to the ground before David. Then David said to Ornan, “Give me the site of this threshing floor, that I may build on it an altar to Yahweh; for the full price you shall give it to me, that the plague may be checked from being upon the people.” And Ornan said to David, “Take it for yourself; and let my lord the king do what is good in his sight. See, I will give the oxen for the burnt offerings and the threshing sledges for the wood and the wheat for the grain offering; I will give everything.” However, King David said to Ornan, “No, but I will surely buy it for the full price; for I will not lift up what is yours to Yahweh, or offer a burnt offering which costs me nothing.” So David gave Ornan 600 shekels of gold by weight for the site. Then David built there an altar to Yahweh and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. And he called to Yahweh and He answered him with fire from heaven on the altar of burnt offering. Then Yahweh spoke to the angel, and he returned his sword to its sheath. At that time, when David saw that Yahweh had answered him on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite, he sacrificed there. Now the tabernacle of Yahweh, which Moses had made in the wilderness, and the altar of burnt offering were in the high place at Gibeon at that time. But David could not go before it to inquire of God, for he was terrified by the sword of the angel of Yahweh.

~~~~~~22~~~~~ ~~~~~~22~~~~~ ~~~~~~22~~~~~ ~~~~~~22~~~~~ ~~~~~~22~~~~~ Then David said, “This is the house of Yahweh God, and this is the altar of burnt offering for Israel.” So David said to gather the sojourners who were in the land of Israel, and he appointed stonecutters to hew out stones to build the house of God. And David prepared large quantities of iron to make the nails for the doors of the gates and for the clamps, and more bronze than could be weighed; and timbers of cedar logs beyond number, for the Sidonians and Tyrians brought large quantities of cedar timber to David. And David said, “My son Solomon is young and inexperienced, and the house that is to be built for Yahweh shall be highly exalted, for a name and beauty throughout all lands. Therefore now I will make preparation for it.” So David made ample preparations before his death. Then he called for his son Solomon, and commanded him to build a house for Yahweh, the God of Israel. And David said to Solomon, “My son, I had it within my heart to build a house to the name of Yahweh my God. “But the word of Yahweh came to me, saying, ‘You have shed much blood and have waged great wars; you shall not build a house for My name, because you have shed so much blood on the earth before Me. ‘Behold, a son will be born to you, who shall be a man of rest; and I will give him rest from all his enemies on every side; for his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quiet to Israel in his days. ‘He shall build a house for My name, and he shall be a son to Me and I will be a father to him; and I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever.’ “Now, my son, Yahweh be with you that you may be successful, and build the house of Yahweh your God just as He has spoken concerning you. “Only Yahweh give you insight and understanding, and give you command over Israel, so that you may keep the law of Yahweh your God. “Then you will succeed, if you are careful to do the statutes and the judgments which Yahweh commanded Moses concerning Israel. Be strong and courageous, do not fear nor be dismayed. “Now behold, with great pains I have prepared for the house of Yahweh 100,000 talents of gold and 1,000,000 talents of silver, and bronze and iron beyond weight, for they are in great quantity; also timber and stone I have prepared, and you may add to them. “Moreover, there are many of those who do the work with you, hewers of stone and craftsmen of stone and wood, and all men who are wise in every kind of work. “Of the gold, the silver and the bronze and the iron there is no number. Arise and work, and may Yahweh be with you.” David also commanded all the officials of Israel to help his son Solomon, saying, “Is not Yahweh your God with you? And has He not given you rest on every side? For He has given the inhabitants of the land into my hand, and the land is subdued before Yahweh and before His people. “Now give your heart and your soul to seek Yahweh your God; arise, therefore, and build the sanctuary of Yahweh God, so that you may bring the ark of the covenant of Yahweh and the holy vessels of God into the house that is to be built for the name of Yahweh.”

~~~~~~23~~~~~ ~~~~~~23~~~~~ ~~~~~~23~~~~~ ~~~~~~23~~~~~ ~~~~~~23~~~~~ Now David became old and full of days, and he made his son Solomon king over Israel. And he gathered together all the leaders of Israel with the priests and the Levites. And the Levites were numbered from thirty years old and upward, and their number by census of men was 38,000. Of these, 24,000 were to direct the work of the house of Yahweh; and 6,000 were officers and judges, and 4,000 were gatekeepers, and 4,000 were praising Yahweh with the instruments which David made for giving praise. And David divided them into divisions according to the sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. Of the Gershonites were Ladan and Shimei. The sons of Ladan were Jehiel the first and Zetham and Joel, three. The sons of Shimei were Shelomoth and Haziel and Haran, three. These were the heads of the fathers’ households of Ladan. The sons of Shimei were Jahath, Zina, Jeush, and Beriah. These four were the sons of Shimei. Jahath was the first and Zizah the second; but Jeush and Beriah did not have many sons, so they became a father’s household, one unit. The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel, four. The sons of Amram were Aaron and Moses. And Aaron was separated in order to sanctify him as most holy, he and his sons forever, to offer offerings up in smoke before Yahweh, to minister to Him and to bless in His name forever. But as for Moses the man of God, his sons were named among the tribe of Levi. The sons of Moses were Gershom and Eliezer. The son of Gershom was Shebuel the chief. The son of Eliezer was Rehabiah the chief; and Eliezer had no other sons, but the sons of Rehabiah were very many. The son of Izhar was Shelomith the chief. The sons of Hebron were Jeriah the first, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third and Jekameam the fourth. The sons of Uzziel were Micah the first and Isshiah the second. The sons of Merari were Mahli and Mushi. The sons of Mahli were Eleazar and Kish. And Eleazar died and had no sons, but daughters only, so their brothers, the sons of Kish, took them up as wives. The sons of Mushi: Mahli, Eder, and Jeremoth, three. These were the sons of Levi according to their fathers’ households, even the heads of the fathers’ households of those of them who were counted, in the number of names by their census, doing the work for the service of the house of Yahweh, from twenty years old and upward. For David said, “Yahweh, the God of Israel, has given rest to His people, and He dwells in Jerusalem forever. “Also, the Levites will no longer need to carry the tabernacle and all its furnishings for its service.” For by the last words of David the sons of Levi were numbered from twenty years old and upward. For their station is to be on hand for the sons of Aaron with the service of the house of Yahweh, in the courts and in the chambers and in the cleansing of all holy things, even the work of the service of the house of God, and with the showbread, and the fine flour for a grain offering, and unleavened wafers, or what is made on the griddle, or what is well stirred, and all measures of volume and size. And they are to stand every morning to thank and to praise Yahweh, and likewise at evening, and to offer all burnt offerings to Yahweh, on the sabbaths, the new moons and the appointed times in the number set by the judgments concerning them, continually before Yahweh. Thus they shall keep responsibility of the tent of meeting, and responsibility of the holy place, and responsibility of the sons of Aaron their relatives, for the service of the house of Yahweh.

~~~~~~24~~~~~ ~~~~~~24~~~~~ ~~~~~~24~~~~~ ~~~~~~24~~~~~ ~~~~~~24~~~~~ Now the divisions of the sons of Aaron were these: the sons of Aaron were Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. But Nadab and Abihu died before their father and had no sons. So Eleazar and Ithamar ministered as priests. And David, with Zadok of the sons of Eleazar and Ahimelech of the sons of Ithamar, divided them according to their assignments for their service. And more chief men were found from the sons of Eleazar than the sons of Ithamar, so they divided them thus: there were sixteen heads of fathers’ households of the sons of Eleazar and eight of the sons of Ithamar, according to their fathers’ households. Thus they were divided by lot, the one as the other; for they were leaders for the sanctuary and leaders for God, both from the sons of Eleazar and the sons of Ithamar. Shemaiah, the son of Nethanel the scribe, from the Levites, wrote them down in the presence of the king, the princes, Zadok the priest, Ahimelech the son of Abiathar, and the heads of the fathers’ households of the priests and of the Levites; one father’s household taken for Eleazar and one taken for Ithamar. Now the first lot came out for Jehoiarib, the second for Jedaiah, the third for Harim, the fourth for Seorim, the fifth for Malchijah, the sixth for Mijamin, the seventh for Hakkoz, the eighth for Abijah, the ninth for Jeshua, the tenth for Shecaniah, the eleventh for Eliashib, the twelfth for Jakim, the thirteenth for Huppah, the fourteenth for Jeshebeab, the fifteenth for Bilgah, the sixteenth for Immer, the seventeenth for Hezir, the eighteenth for Happizzez, the nineteenth for Pethahiah, the twentieth for Jehezkel, the twenty-first for Jachin, the twenty-second for Gamul, the twenty-third for Delaiah, the twenty-fourth for Maaziah. These were their assignments for their service when they came in to the house of Yahweh according to the legal judgment rendered to them by the hand of Aaron their father, just as Yahweh, the God of Israel, had commanded him. Now for the rest of the sons of Levi: of the sons of Amram, Shubael; of the sons of Shubael, Jehdeiah. Of Rehabiah: of the sons of Rehabiah, Isshiah the first. Of the Izharites, Shelomoth; of the sons of Shelomoth, Jahath. The sons of Hebron: Jeriah the first, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, Jekameam the fourth. The sons of Uzziel, Micah; of the sons of Micah, Shamir. The brother of Micah, Isshiah; of the sons of Isshiah, Zechariah. The sons of Merari, Mahli and Mushi; the sons of Jaaziah, Beno. The sons of Merari: by Jaaziah were Beno, Shoham, Zaccur, and Ibri. By Mahli: Eleazar, who had no sons. By Kish: the sons of Kish, Jerahmeel. The sons of Mushi: Mahli, Eder and Jerimoth. These were the sons of the Levites according to their fathers’ households. These also cast lots alongside their relatives the sons of Aaron in the presence of David the king, Zadok, Ahimelech, and the heads of the fathers’ households of the priests and of the Levites—the head of fathers’ households alongside those of his younger brother.

~~~~~~25~~~~~ ~~~~~~25~~~~~ ~~~~~~25~~~~~ ~~~~~~25~~~~~ ~~~~~~25~~~~~ Moreover, David and the commanders of the army separated for the service some of the sons of Asaph and of Heman and of Jeduthun, who were to prophesy with lyres, harps, and cymbals; and the number of those who performed their service was: Of the sons of Asaph: Zaccur, Joseph, Nethaniah, and Asharelah; the sons of Asaph were under the direction of Asaph, who prophesied under the direction of the king. Of Jeduthun, the sons of Jeduthun: Gedaliah, Zeri, Jeshaiah, Shimei, Hashabiah, and Mattithiah, six, under the direction of their father Jeduthun with the harp, who prophesied in giving thanks and praising Yahweh. Of Heman, the sons of Heman: Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shebuel and Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti and Romamti-ezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, Mahazioth. All these were the sons of Heman the king’s seer to exalt him according to the words of God. So God gave fourteen sons and three daughters to Heman. All these were under the direction of their father to sing in the house of Yahweh, with cymbals, harps, and lyres, for the service of the house of God. Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman were under the direction of the king. And their number who were trained in singing to Yahweh, with their relatives, all who were skillful, was 288. They cast lots for their responsibilities, each alongside the other, the small as well as the great, the teacher as well as the pupil. Now the first lot came out for Asaph to Joseph, the second for Gedaliah, he with his relatives and sons were twelve; the third to Zaccur, his sons and his relatives, twelve; the fourth to Izri, his sons and his relatives, twelve; the fifth to Nethaniah, his sons and his relatives, twelve; the sixth to Bukkiah, his sons and his relatives, twelve; the seventh to Jesharelah, his sons and his relatives, twelve; the eighth to Jeshaiah, his sons and his relatives, twelve; the ninth to Mattaniah, his sons and his relatives, twelve; the tenth to Shimei, his sons and his relatives, twelve; the eleventh to Azarel, his sons and his relatives, twelve; the twelfth to Hashabiah, his sons and his relatives, twelve; for the thirteenth, Shubael, his sons and his relatives, twelve; for the fourteenth, Mattithiah, his sons and his relatives, twelve; for the fifteenth to Jeremoth, his sons and his relatives, twelve; for the sixteenth to Hananiah, his sons and his relatives, twelve; for the seventeenth to Joshbekashah, his sons and his relatives, twelve; for the eighteenth to Hanani, his sons and his relatives, twelve; for the nineteenth to Mallothi, his sons and his relatives, twelve; for the twentieth to Eliathah, his sons and his relatives, twelve; for the twenty-first to Hothir, his sons and his relatives, twelve; for the twenty-second to Giddalti, his sons and his relatives, twelve; for the twenty-third to Mahazioth, his sons and his relatives, twelve; for the twenty-fourth to Romamti-ezer, his sons and his relatives, twelve.

~~~~~~26~~~~~ ~~~~~~26~~~~~ ~~~~~~26~~~~~ ~~~~~~26~~~~~ ~~~~~~26~~~~~ For the divisions of the gatekeepers there were of the Korahites, Meshelemiah the son of Kore, of the sons of Asaph. Meshelemiah had sons: Zechariah the firstborn, Jediael the second, Zebadiah the third, Jathniel the fourth, Elam the fifth, Johanan the sixth, Eliehoenai the seventh. Obed-edom had sons: Shemaiah the firstborn, Jehozabad the second, Joah the third, Sacar the fourth, Nethanel the fifth, Ammiel the sixth, Issachar the seventh and Peullethai the eighth; God had indeed blessed him. Also to his son Shemaiah sons were born who ruled over the house of their father, for they were mighty men of valor. The sons of Shemaiah were Othni, Rephael, Obed, and Elzabad, whose brothers, Elihu and Semachiah, were men of valor. All these were of the sons of Obed-edom; they and their sons and their relatives were valiant men with strength for the service, sixty-two from Obed-edom. Meshelemiah had sons and relatives, eighteen men of valor. Also Hosah, one of the sons of Merari had sons: Shimri the first (although he was not the firstborn, his father made him first), Hilkiah the second, Tebaliah the third, Zechariah the fourth; all the sons and relatives of Hosah were thirteen. To these divisions of the gatekeepers, the chief men, were given responsibilities like their relatives to minister in the house of Yahweh. And they cast lots, the small and the great alike, according to their fathers’ households, for every gate. And the lot to the east fell to Shelemiah. Then they cast lots for his son Zechariah, a counselor with insight, and his lot came out to the north. For Obed-edom it fell to the south, and to his sons went the house of storerooms. For Shuppim and Hosah it was to the west, by the gate of Shallecheth, on the ascending highway. Guard corresponded to guard. On the east there were six Levites, on the north four daily, on the south four daily, and at the storerooms two by two. At the Parbar on the west there were four at the highway and two at the Parbar. These were the divisions of the gatekeepers of the sons of Korah and of the sons of Merari. As for the Levites, Ahijhah was over the treasures of the house of God and of the treasures of the holy gifts. The sons of Ladan, the sons of the Gershonites belonging to Ladan, namely, the Jehielites, were the heads of the fathers’ households, belonging to Ladan the Gershonite. The sons of Jehieli, Zetham, and Joel his brother, were over the treasures of the house of Yahweh. As for the Amramites, the Izharites, the Hebronites and the Uzzielites, Shebuel the son of Gershom, the son of Moses, was officer over the treasures. And his relatives by Eliezer were Rehabiah his son, Jeshaiah his son, Joram his son, Zichri his son, and Shelomoth his son. This Shelomoth and his relatives were over all the treasures of the holy gifts which King David and the heads of the fathers’ households, the commanders of thousands and hundreds, and the commanders of the army, had set apart as holy. They set apart as holy part of what was won in battles and part of the spoil to repair the house of Yahweh. And all that Samuel the seer had set apart as holy and Saul the son of Kish, Abner the son of Ner, and Joab the son of Zeruiah, everyone who had set apart anything as holy, all of this was in the care of Shelomoth and his relatives. As for the Izharites, Chenaniah and his sons were assigned to the outside work for Israel, as officers and judges. As for the Hebronites, Hashabiah and his relatives, 1,700 men of valor, were over the administration of Israel across the Jordan to the west, for all the work of Yahweh and the service of the king. As for the Hebronites, Jerijah the chief (these Hebronites were investigated according to their generations and fathers’ households, in the fortieth year of David’s reign, and mighty men of valor were found among them at Jazer of Gilead) and his relatives, men of valor, were 2,700 in number, heads of fathers’ households. And King David made them overseers of the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of the Manassites concerning all the affairs of God and of the king.

~~~~~~27~~~~~ ~~~~~~27~~~~~ ~~~~~~27~~~~~ ~~~~~~27~~~~~ ~~~~~~27~~~~~ Now this is the total count of the sons of Israel, the heads of fathers’ households, the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, and their officers who ministered to the king in each matter of the divisions which came in and went out month by month throughout all the months of the year, each division numbering 24,000: Jashobeam the son of Zabdiel was over the first division for the first month; and in his division were 24,000. He was from the sons of Perez, and was chief of all the commanders of the army for the first month. Dodai the Ahohite and his division were over the division for the second month, Mikloth being the chief officer; and in his division were 24,000. The third commander of the army for the third month was Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada the priest, as chief; and in his division were 24,000. This Benaiah was the mighty man of the thirty, and was over thirty; and over his division was Ammizabad his son. The fourth for the fourth month was Asahel the brother of Joab, and Zebadiah his son after him; and in his division were 24,000. The fifth for the fifth month was the commander Shamhuth the Izrahite; and in his division were 24,000. The sixth for the sixth month was Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite; and in his division were 24,000. The seventh for the seventh month was Helez the Pelonite of the sons of Ephraim; and in his division were 24,000. The eighth for the eighth month was Sibbecai the Hushathite of the Zerahites; and in his division were 24,000. The ninth for the ninth month was Abiezer the Anathothite of the Benjamites; and in his division were 24,000. The tenth for the tenth month was Maharai the Netophathite of the Zerahites; and in his division were 24,000. The eleventh for the eleventh month was Benaiah the Pirathonite of the sons of Ephraim; and in his division were 24,000. The twelfth for the twelfth month was Heldai the Netophathite of Othniel; and in his division were 24,000. Now those over the tribes of Israel: chief officer for the Reubenites was Eliezer the son of Zichri; for the Simeonites, Shephatiah the son of Maacah; for Levi, Hashabiah the son of Kemuel; for Aaron, Zadok; for Judah, Elihu, one of David’s brothers; for Issachar, Omri the son of Michael; for Zebulun, Ishmaiah the son of Obadiah; for Naphtali, Jeremoth the son of Azriel; for the sons of Ephraim, Hoshea the son of Azaziah; for the half-tribe of Manasseh, Joel the son of Pedaiah; for the half-tribe of Manasseh in Gilead, Iddo the son of Zechariah; for Benjamin, Jaasiel the son of Abner; for Dan, Azarel the son of Jeroham. These were the princes of the tribes of Israel. But David did not take up a count of those twenty years of age and under, because Yahweh had said He would multiply Israel as the stars of heaven. Joab the son of Zeruiah had begun to number them, but did not finish; and because of this, wrath came upon Israel, and this count was not included in the total count of the chronicles of King David. Now Azmaveth the son of Adiel was over the king’s storehouses. And Jonathan the son of Uzziah was over the storehouses in the country, in the cities, in the villages and in the towers. Ezri the son of Chelub was over the workers of the field who cultivated the soil. Shimei the Ramathite was over the vineyards; and Zabdi the Shiphmite was over the produce of the vineyards stored in the wine cellars. Baal-hanan the Gederite was over the olive and sycamore trees in the Shephelah; and Joash had charge of the stores of oil. Shitrai the Sharonite was over the cattle which were grazing in Sharon; and Shaphat the son of Adlai was over the cattle in the valleys. Obil the Ishmaelite was over the camels; and Jehdeiah the Meronothite was over the donkeys. Jaziz the Hagrite was over the flocks. All these were officials over the possessions which belonged to King David. Also Jonathan, David’s uncle, was a counselor, a man of understanding, and a scribe; and Jehiel the son of Hachmoni was with the king’s sons. Ahithophel was counselor to the king; and Hushai the Archite was the king’s friend. Jehoiada the son of Benaiah, and Abiathar succeeded Ahithophel; and Joab was the commander of the king’s army.

~~~~~~28~~~~~ ~~~~~~28~~~~~ ~~~~~~28~~~~~ ~~~~~~28~~~~~ ~~~~~~28~~~~~ And David assembled at Jerusalem all the commanders of Israel, the commanders of the tribes, and the commanders of the divisions that ministered to the king, and the commanders of thousands, and the commanders of hundreds, and the commanders over all the property and livestock belonging to the king and his sons, with the officials and the mighty men, even all the mighty men of valor. Then King David rose to his feet and said, “Listen to me, my brothers and my people; I had it within my heart to build a house of rest for the ark of the covenant of Yahweh and for the footstool of the feet of our God. So I had made preparations to build it. “But God said to me, ‘You shall not build a house for My name because you are a man of war and have shed blood.’ “Yet, Yahweh, the God of Israel, chose me from all the house of my father to be king over Israel forever. For He has chosen Judah to be a ruler; and in the house of Judah, my father’s house, and among the sons of my father He took pleasure in me to make me king over all Israel. “Now of all my sons (for Yahweh has given me many sons), He has chosen my son Solomon to sit on the throne of the kingdom of Yahweh over Israel. “And He said to me, ‘Your son Solomon is the one who shall build My house and My courts; for I have chosen him to be a son to Me, and I will be a father to him. ‘And I will establish his kingdom forever if he will be strong to do My commandments and My judgments, as is done now.’ “So now, in the sight of all Israel, the assembly of Yahweh, and in the hearing of our God, keep and seek after all the commandments of Yahweh your God so that you may possess the good land and cause your sons after you to inherit it forever. “As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a whole heart and a delighted soul; for Yahweh searches all hearts, and understands every intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found; but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever. “See now, for Yahweh has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary; be strong and act.” Then David gave to his son Solomon the pattern of the porch of the temple, its buildings, its storehouses, its upper rooms, its inner rooms, and the room for the mercy seat; and the pattern of all that he had in mind, for the courts of the house of Yahweh, and for all the surrounding chambers, for the treasuries of the house of God, and for the treasuries of the holy things; also for the divisions of the priests and the Levites and for all the work of the service of the house of Yahweh and for all the utensils of service in the house of Yahweh; for the golden utensils, the weight of gold for all utensils for every kind of service; for the silver utensils, the weight of silver for all utensils for every kind of service; and the weight of gold for the golden lampstands and their golden lamps, with the weight of each lampstand and its lamps; and the weight of silver for the silver lampstands, with the weight of each lampstand and its lamps according to the service of each lampstand; and the gold by weight for the tables of showbread, for each table; and silver for the silver tables; and the flesh hooks, the bowls, and the jars of pure gold; and for the golden bowls with the weight for each bowl; and for the silver bowls with the weight for each bowl; and for the altar of incense refined gold by weight; and gold for the pattern of the chariot, even the cherubim that spread out their wings and covered the ark of the covenant of Yahweh. “All this,” said David, “has been granted to me as insight in writing by the hand of Yahweh, all the details of this pattern.” Then David said to his son Solomon, “Be strong and courageous, and act; do not fear nor be dismayed, for Yahweh God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you nor forsake you until all the work for the service of the house of Yahweh is completed. “Now behold, there are the divisions of the priests and the Levites for all the service of the house of God, and every willing man with wisdom will be with you in all the work for all the service. The officials also and all the people will be entirely at your command.”

~~~~~~29~~~~~ ~~~~~~29~~~~~ ~~~~~~29~~~~~ ~~~~~~29~~~~~ ~~~~~~29~~~~~ Then King David said to the entire assembly, “My son Solomon, whom alone God has chosen, is still young and inexperienced and the work is great; for the temple is not for man, but for Yahweh God. “Now with all my power I have prepared for the house of my God the gold for the things of gold, and the silver for the things of silver, and the bronze for the things of bronze, the iron for the things of iron, and wood for the things of wood, onyx stones and inlaid stones, stones of antimony and stones of various colors, and all kinds of precious stones and alabaster in abundance. “Moreover, in my pleasure in the house of my God, the treasure I have of gold and silver, I give to the house of my God, over and above all that I have already prepared for the holy house, namely, 3,000 talents of gold, of the gold of Ophir, and 7,000 talents of refined silver, to overlay the walls of the buildings; of gold for the things of gold and of silver for the things of silver, that is, for all the work done by the hand of craftsmen. Who then would offer willingly to ordain himself this day to Yahweh?” Then the commanders of the fathers’ households, and the commanders of the tribes of Israel, and the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, with the commanders of the king’s work, offered willingly; and for the service for the house of God they gave 5,000 talents and 10,000 darics of gold, and 10,000 talents of silver, and 18,000 talents of brass, and 100,000 talents of iron. And whoever possessed precious stones gave them to the treasury of the house of Yahweh, in the care of Jehiel the Gershonite. Then the people were glad because they had offered so willingly, for they made their freewill offering to Yahweh with a whole heart, and King David also was exceedingly glad. So David blessed Yahweh in the sight of all the assembly; and David said, “Blessed are You, O Yahweh, the God of Israel our father, from everlasting to everlasting. “Yours, O Yahweh, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, indeed everything that is in the heavens and the earth; Yours is the kingdom, O Yahweh, and You exalt Yourself as head over all. “Both riches and honor come from You, and You rule over all, and in Your hand is power and might; and it lies in Your hand to make great and to strengthen everyone. “So now, our God, we are thanking You and praising Your glorious name. “But who am I and who are my people that we should be able to offer as willingly as this? For all things come from You, and from Your hand we have given You. “For we are sojourners before You, and foreign residents, like all our fathers were; our days on the earth are like a shadow, and there is no hope. “O Yahweh our God, all this abundance that we have prepared to build You a house for Your holy name, it is from Your hand, and all is Yours. “And I know, O my God, that You try the heart and delight in uprightness. I, in the uprightness of my heart, have willingly offered all these things. So now with gladness I have seen Your people, who are present here, make their offerings willingly to You. “O Yahweh, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, our fathers, keep this forever in the intentions of the heart of Your people, and prepare their heart to You; and give to my son Solomon a whole heart to keep Your commandments, Your testimonies and Your statutes, and to do them all, and to build the temple, for which I have made preparation.” Then David said to all the assembly, “Now bless Yahweh your God.” And all the assembly blessed Yahweh, the God of their fathers, and bowed low and prostrated themselves to Yahweh and to the king. And on the next day they made sacrifices to Yahweh and offered burnt offerings to Yahweh, 1,000 bulls, 1,000 rams, and 1,000 lambs, with their drink offerings and sacrifices in abundance for all Israel. So they ate and drank that day before Yahweh with great gladness. And they made Solomon the son of David king a second time, and they anointed him as ruler for Yahweh and Zadok as priest. Then Solomon sat on the throne of Yahweh as king instead of David his father; and he succeeded, and all Israel obeyed him. And all the officials, the mighty men, and also all the sons of King David pledged allegiance to King Solomon. And Yahweh highly exalted Solomon in the sight of all Israel, and granted to him royal majesty which had not been on any king before him in Israel. Now David the son of Jesse reigned over all Israel. And the time which he reigned over Israel was forty years; in Hebron he reigned seven years and in Jerusalem thirty-three years. Then he died in a good old age, full of days, riches and glory; and his son Solomon became king in his place. Now the acts of King David, from first to last, behold, they are written in the chronicles of Samuel the seer, in the chronicles of Nathan the prophet and in the chronicles of Gad the seer, with all his reign, his might, and the circumstances which came on him, on Israel, and on all the kingdoms of the lands.
