1

1 Adam, Seth, Enosh,

2 Kenan, Mahalalel, Jared,

3 Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech,

4 Noah: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

5 Japheth’s descendants were Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras.

6 Gomer’s descendants were Ashkenaz, Riphath, and Togarmah.

7 Javan’s descendants were the people from Elishah, Tarshish, Cyprus, and Rodanim Dodanim .

8 Ham’s descendants were Cush, Egypt, Put, and Canaan.

9 Cush’s descendants were Seba, Havilah, Sabta, Raama, and Sabteca. Raama’s descendants were Sheba and Dedan.

10 Cush was the father of Nimrod, the first mighty warrior on the earth.

11 Mizraim was the father of the Ludites, Anamites, Lehabites, Naphtuhites,

12 Pathrusites, Casluhites from whom the Philistines came and Caphtorites.

13 Canaan was the father of Sidon his firstborn, and of the Hittites,

14 Jebusites, Amorites, Girgashites,

15 Hivites, Arkites, Sinites,

16 Arvadites, Zemarites and Hamathites.

17 The sons of Shem: Elam, Asshur, Arphaxad, Lud and Aram. The sons of Aram: Uz, Hul, Gether and Meshech.

18 Arphaxad was the father of Shelah, and Shelah the father of Eber.

19 Two sons were born to Eber: One was named Peleg, division because in his time the earth was divided; his brother was named Joktan.

20 Joktan was the father of Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah,

21 Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah,

22 Obal, Abimael, Sheba,

23 Ophir, Havilah and Jobab. All these were sons of Joktan.

24 Shem, Arphaxad, Shelah,

25 Eber, Peleg, Reu,

26 Serug, Nahor, Terah

27 and Abram Abraham .

28 The sons of Abraham: Isaac and Ishmael.

29 These were their descendants: Nebaioth the firstborn of Ishmael, Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam,

30 Mishma, Dumah, Massa, Hadad, Tema,

31 Jetur, Naphish and Kedemah. These were the sons of Ishmael.

32 The sons born to Keturah, Abraham’s concubine: Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak and Shuah. The sons of Jokshan: Sheba and Dedan.

33 The sons of Midian: Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida and Eldaah. All these were descendants of Keturah.

34 Abraham was the father of Isaac. The sons of Isaac: Esau and Israel.

35 The sons of Esau: Eliphaz, Reuel, Jeush, Jalam and Korah.

36 The sons of Eliphaz: Teman, Omar, Zepho, Gatam and Kenaz by Timna: Amalek.

37 The sons of Reuel: Nahath, Zerah, Shammah and Mizzah.

38 The sons of Seir: Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah, Dishon, Ezer and Dishan.

39 The sons of Lotan: Hori and Homam. Timna was Lotan’s sister.

40 The sons of Shobal: Alvan, Manahath, Ebal, Shepho and Onam. The sons of Zibeon: Aiah and Anah.

41 The son of Anah: Dishon. The sons of Dishon: Hemdan, Hamran Amram , Eshban, Ithran and Keran.

42 The sons of Ezer: Bilhan, Zaavan and Akan. The sons of Dishan: Uz and Aran.

43 These were the kings who reigned in Edom before any Israelite king reigned: Bela son of Beor, whose city was named Dinhabah.

44 When Bela died, Jobab son of Zerah from Bozrah succeeded him as king.

45 When Jobab died, Husham from the land of the Temanites succeeded him as king.

46 When Husham died, Hadad son of Bedad, who defeated Midian in the country of Moab, succeeded him as king. His city was named Avith.

47 When Hadad died, Samlah from Masrekah succeeded him as king.

48 When Samlah died, Shaul from Rehoboth on the river succeeded him as king.

49 When Shaul died, Baal-Hanan son of Acbor succeeded him as king.

50 When Baal-Hanan died, Hadad succeeded him as king. His city was named Pau, and his wife’s name was Mehetabel daughter of Matred, the daughter of Me-Zahab.

51 Hadad also died. The chiefs of Edom were: Timna, Alvah, Jetheth,

52 Oholibamah, Elah, Pinon,

53 Kenaz, Teman, Mibzar,

54 Magdiel and Iram. These were the chiefs of Edom.

2

1 These were the sons of Israel: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun,

2 Dan, Joseph, Benjamin, Naphtali, Gad and Asher.

3 The sons of Judah: Er, Onan and Shelah. These three were born to him by a Canaanite woman, the daughter of Shua. Er, Judah’s firstborn was wicked in Jehovah’s sight; so Jehovah put him to death.

4 Tamar, Judah’s daughter-in-law, bore him Perez and Zerah. Judah had five sons in all.

5 The sons of Perez: Hezron and Hamul.

6 The sons of Zerah: Zimri, Ethan, Heman, Calcol and Darda five in all.

7 The son of Carmi: Achar, who brought trouble on Israel by violating the ban on taking devoted things.

8 The son of Ethan: Azariah.

9 The sons born to Hezron were: Jerahmeel, Ram and Caleb.

10 Ram was the father of Amminadab, and Amminadab the father of Nahshon, the leader of the people of Judah.

11 Nahshon was the father of Salmon, Salmon the father of Boaz,

12 Boaz the father of Obed and Obed the father of Jesse.

13 Jesse was the father of Eliab his firstborn; the second son was Abinadab, the third Shimea,

14 the fourth Nethanel, the fifth Raddai,

15 the sixth Ozem and the seventh David.

16 Their sisters were Zeruiah and Abigail. Zeruiah’s three sons were Abishai, Joab and Asahel.

17 Abigail was the mother of Amasa, whose father was Jether the Ishmaelite.

18 Caleb son of Hezron had children by his wife Azubah. These were her sons: Jesher, Shobab and Ardon.

19 When Azubah died, Caleb married Ephrath, who bore him Hur.

20 Hur was the father of Uri, and Uri the father of Bezalel.

21 Later, Hezron lay with the daughter of Makir the father of Gilead he had married her when he was sixty years old , and she bore him Segub.

22 Segub was the father of Jair, who controlled twenty-three towns in Gilead.

23 But Geshur and Aram captured Havvoth Jair, as well as Kenath with its surrounding settlements— sixty towns. All these were descendants of Makir the father of Gilead.

24 After Hezron died in Caleb Ephrathah, Abijah the wife of Hezron bore him Ashhur the father of Tekoa.

25 The sons of Jerahmeel the firstborn of Hezron: Ram his firstborn, Bunah, Oren, Ozem and Ahijah.

26 Jerahmeel had another wife, whose name was Atarah; she was the mother of Onam.

27 The sons of Ram the firstborn of Jerahmeel: Maaz, Jamin and Eker.

28 The sons of Onam: Shammai and Jada. The sons of Shammai: Nadab and Abishur.

29 Abishur’s wife was named Abihail, who bore him Ahban and Molid.

30 The sons of Nadab: Seled and Appaim. Seled died without children.

31 The son of Appaim: Ishi, who was the father of Sheshan. Sheshan was the father of Ahlai.

32 The sons of Jada, Shammai’s brother: Jether and Jonathan. Jether died without children.

33 The sons of Jonathan: Peleth and Zaza. These were the descendants of Jerahmeel.

34 Sheshan had no sons, only daughters. He had an Egyptian servant named Jarha.

35 Sheshan gave his daughter in marriage to his servant Jarha, and she bore him Attai.

36 Attai was the father of Nathan, Nathan the father of Zabad,

37 Zabad the father of Ephlal, Ephlal the father of Obed,

38 Obed the father of Jehu, Jehu the father of Azariah,

39 Azariah the father of Helez, Helez the father of Eleasah,

40 Eleasah the father of Sismai, Sismai the father of Shallum,

41 Shallum the father of Jekamiah, and Jekamiah the father of Elishama.

42 The sons of Caleb the brother of Jerahmeel: Mesha his firstborn, who was the father of Ziph, and his son Mareshah, who was the father of Hebron.

43 The sons of Hebron: Korah, Tappuah, Rekem and Shema.

44 Shema was the father of Raham, and Raham the father of Jorkeam. Rekem was the father of Shammai.

45 The son of Shammai was Maon, and Maon was the father of Beth Zur.

46 Caleb’s concubine Ephah was the mother of Haran, Moza and Gazez. Haran was the father of Gazez.

47 The sons of Jahdai: Regem, Jotham, Geshan, Pelet, Ephah and Shaaph.

48 Caleb’s concubine Maacah was the mother of Sheber and Tirhanah.

49 She also gave birth to Shaaph the father of Madmannah and to Sheva the father of Macbenah and Gibea. Caleb’s daughter was Acsah.

50 These were the descendants of Caleb. The sons of Hur the firstborn of Ephrathah: Shobal the father of Kiriath Jearim,

51 Salma the father of Bethlehem, and Hareph the father of Beth Gader.

52 The descendants of Shobal the father of Kiriath Jearim were: Haroeh, half the Manahathites,

53 and the clans of Kiriath Jearim: the Ithrites, Puthites, Shumathites and Mishraites. From these descended the Zorathites and Eshtaolites.

54 The descendants of Salma: Bethlehem, the Netophathites, Atroth Beth Joab, half the Manahathites, the Zorites,

55 and the clans of scribes who lived at Jabez: the Tirathites, Shimeathites and Sucathites. These are the Kenites who came from Hammath, the father of the house of Recab. Ram was the father of Amminadab, and Amminadab the father of Nahshon, the leader of the people of Judah.

3

1 These were the sons of David born to him in Hebron: The firstborn was Amnon the son of Ahinoam of Jezreel; the second, Daniel the son of Abigail of Carmel;

2 the third, Absalom the son of Maacah daughter of Talmai king of Geshur; the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith;

3 the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital; and the sixth, Ithream, by his wife Eglah.

4 These six were born to David in Hebron, where he reigned seven years and six months. David reigned in Jerusalem thirty-three years,

5 and these were the children born to him there: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan and Solomon. These four were by Bathsheba daughter of Ammiel.

6 There were also Ibhar, Elishua, Eliphelet,

7 Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia,

8 Elishama, Eliada and Eliphelet— nine in all.

9 All these were the sons of David, besides his sons by his concubines. And Tamar was their sister.

10 Solomon’s son was Rehoboam, Abijah his son, Asa his son, Jehoshaphat his son,

11 Jehoram his son, Ahaziah his son, Joash his son,

12 Amaziah his son, Azariah his son, Jotham his son,

13 Ahaz his son, Hezekiah his son, Manasseh his son,

14 Amon his son, Josiah his son.

15 The sons of Josiah: Johanan the firstborn, Jehoiakim the second son, Zedekiah the third, Shallum the fourth.

16 The successors of Jehoiakim: Jehoiachin his son, and Zedekiah.

17 The descendants of Jehoiachin the captive: Shealtiel his son,

18 Malkiram, Pedaiah, Shenazzar, Jekamiah, Hoshama and Nedabiah.

19 The sons of Pedaiah: Zerubbabel and Shimei. The sons of Zerubbabel: Meshullam and Hananiah. Shelomith was their sister.

20 There were also five others: Hashubah, Ohel, Berekiah, Hasadiah and Jushab-Hesed.

21 The descendants of Hananiah: Pelatiah and Jeshaiah, and the sons of Rephaiah, of Arnan, of Obadiah and of Shecaniah.

22 The descendants of Shecaniah: Shemaiah and his sons: Hattush, Igal, Bariah, Neariah and Shaphat, six in all.

23 The sons of Neariah: Eloienai, Hizkiah and Azrikam, three in all.

24 The sons of Elioenai: Hodaviah, Eliashib, Pelaiah, Akkub, Johanan, Delaiah and Anani, seven in all.

4

1 The descendants of Judah: Perez, Hezron, Carmi, Hur and Shobal.

2 Reaiah son of Shobal was the father of Jahath, and Jahath the father of Ahumai and Lahad. These were the clans of the Zorathites.

3 These were the sons of Etam: Jezreel, Ishma and Idbash. Their sister was named Hazzelelponi.

4 Penuel was the father of Gedor, and Ezer the father of Hushah. These were the descendants of Hur, the firstborn of Ephrathah and father of Bethlehem.

5 Ashhur the father of Tekoa had two wives, Helah and Naarah.

6 Naarah bore him Ahuzzam, Hepher, Temeni and Haahashtari. These were the descendants of Naarah.

7 The sons of Helah: Zereth, Zohar, Ethnan,

8 and Koz, who was the father of Anub and Hazzobebah and of the clans of Aharhel son of Harum.

9 Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez. She said: I gave birth to him in pain.

10 Jabez cried out to the God of Israel: Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain. And God granted his request.

11 Chelub, Shuhah’s brother, was the father of Mehir, who was the father of Eshton.

12 Eshton was the father of Beth Rapha, Paseah and Tehinnah the father of Ir Nahash. These were the men of Recah.

13 The sons of Kenaz: Othniel and Seraiah. The sons of Othniel: Hathath and Meonothai.

14 Meonothai was the father of Ophrah. Seraiah was the father of Joab, the father of Ge Harashim. Valley of Craftsmen It was called this because its people were craftsmen.

15 The sons of Caleb son of Jephunneh: Iru, Elah and Naam. The son of Elah: Kenaz.

16 The sons of Jehallelel: Ziph, Ziphah, Tiria and Asarel.

17 The sons of Ezrah: Jether, Mered, Epher and Jalon. One of Mered’s wives gave birth to Miriam, Shammai and Ishbah the father of Eshtemoa.

18 His Judean wife gave birth to Jered the father of Gedor, Heber the father of Soco, and Jekuthiel the father of Zanoah. These were the children of Pharaoh’s daughter Bithiah, whom Mered had married.

19 The sons of Hodiah’s wife, the sister of Naham: the father of Keilah the Garmite, and Eshtemoa the Maacathite.

20 The sons of Shimon: Amnon, Rinnah, Ben-Hanan and Tilon. The descendants of Ishi: Zoheth and Ben-Zoheth.

21 The sons of Shelah son of Judah: Er the father of Lecah, Laadah the father of Mareshah and the clans of the linen workers at Beth Ashbea,

22 Jokim, the men of Cozeba, and Joash and Saraph, who ruled in Moab and Jashubi Lehem. These records are from ancient times.

23 They were the potters who lived at Netaim and Gederah; they stayed there and worked for the king.

24 The descendants of Simeon: Nemuel, Jamin, Jarib, Zerah and Shaul;

25 Shallum was Shaul’s son, Mibsam his son and Mishma his son.

26 The descendants of Mishma: Hammuel his son, Zaccur his son and Shimei his son.

27 Shimei had sixteen sons and six daughters, but his brothers did not have many children; so their entire clan did not become as numerous as the people of Judah.

28 They lived in Beersheba, Moladah, Hazar Shual,

29 Bilhah, Ezem, Tolad,

30 Bethuel, Hormah, Ziklag,

31 Beth Marcaboth, Hazar Susim, Beth Biri and Shaaraim. These were their towns until the reign of David.

32 Their surrounding villages were Etam, Ain, Rimmon, Token and Ashan— five towns—

33 and all the villages around these towns as far as Baalath. These were their settlements. And they kept a genealogical record.

34 Meshobab, Jamlech, Joshah son of Amaziah,

35 Joel, Jehu son of Joshibiah, the son of Seraiah, the son of Asiel,

36 also Elioenai, Jaakobah, Jeshohaiah, Asaiah, Adiel, Jesimiel, Benaiah,

37 and Ziza son of Shiphi, the son of Allon, the son of Jedaiah, the son of Shimri, the son of Shemaiah.

38 The men listed above by name were leaders of their clans. Their families increased greatly,

39 and they went to the outskirts of Gedor to the east of the valley in search of pasture for their flocks.

40 They found rich, good pasture, and the land was spacious, peaceful and quiet. Some Hamites had lived there formerly.

41 The men whose names were listed came in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah. They attacked the Hamites in their dwellings and also the Meunites who were there and completely destroyed them, as is evident to this day. Then they settled in their place, because there was pasture for their flocks.

42 And five hundred of these Simeonites, led by Pelatiah, Neariah, Rephaiah and Uzziel, the sons of Ishi, invaded the hill country of Seir.

43 They killed the remaining Amalekites who had escaped, and they have lived there to this day.

5

1 The sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel he was the firstborn, but when he defiled his father’s marriage bed, his rights as firstborn were given to the sons of Joseph son of Israel; so he could not be listed in the genealogical record in accordance with his birthright,

2 and though Judah was the strongest of his brothers and a ruler came from him, the rights of the firstborn belonged to Joseph

3 the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron and Carmi.

4 The descendants of Joel: Shemaiah his son, Gog his son, Shimei his son,

5 Micah his son, Reaiah his son, Baal his son,

6 and Beerah his son, whom Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria took into exile. Beerah was a leader of the Reubenites.

7 Their relatives by clans, listed according to their genealogical records: Jeiel the chief, Zechariah,

8 and Bela son of Azaz, the son of Shema, the son of Joel. They settled in the area from Aroer to Nebo and Baal Meon.

9 To the east they occupied the land up to the edge of the desert that extends to the Euphrates River, because their livestock had increased in Gilead.

10 During Saul’s reign they waged war against the Hagrites, who were defeated at their hands; they occupied the dwellings of the Hagrites throughout the entire region east of Gilead.

11 The Gadites lived next to them in Bashan, as far as Salecah:

12 Joel was the chief, Shapham the second, then Janai and Shaphat, in Bashan.

13 Their relatives, by families, were: Michael, Meshullam, Sheba, Jorai, Jacan, Zia and Eber, seven in all.

14 These were the sons of Abihail 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.

15 Ahi son of Abdiel, the son of Guni, was head of their family.

16 The Gadites lived in Gilead, in Bashan and its outlying villages, and on all the pasturelands of Sharon as far as they extended.

17 All these were entered in the genealogical records during the reigns of Jotham king of Judah and Jeroboam king of Israel.

18 The Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh had forty-four thousand seven hundred and sixty men ready for military service, able-bodied men who could handle shield and sword, who could use a bow, and who were trained for battle.

19 They waged war against the Hagrites, Jetur, Naphish and Nodab.

20 They were helped in fighting them, and God handed the Hagrites and all their allies over to them, because they cried out to him during the battle. He answered their prayers, because they trusted in him.

21 They seized the livestock of the Hagrites, fifty thousand camels, two hundred fifty thousand sheep and two thousand donkeys. They also took one hundred thousand people captive,

22 and many others fell slain, because the battle was God’s. And they occupied the land until the exile.

23 The people of the half-tribe of Manasseh were numerous; they settled in the land from Bashan to Baal Hermon, that is, to Senir Mount Hermon .

24 These were the heads of their families: Epher, Ishi, Eliel, Azriel, Jeremiah, Hodaviah and Jahdiel. They were brave warriors, famous men, and heads of their families.

25 But they were unfaithful to the God of their fathers and prostituted themselves to the gods of the peoples of the land, whom God had destroyed before them.

26 So the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria that is, Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria , who took the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh into exile. He took them to Halah, Habor, Hara and the river of Gozan, where they are to this day.

6

1 The sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath and Merari.

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

3 The children of Amram: Aaron, Moses and Miriam. The sons of Aaron: Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.

4 Eleazar was the father of Phinehas, Phinehas the father of Abishua,

5 Abishua the father of Bukki, Bukki the father of Uzzi,

6 Uzzi the father of Zerahiah, Zerahiah the father of Meraioth,

7 Meraioth the father of Amariah, Amariah the father of Ahitub,

8 Ahitub the father of Zadok, Zadok the father of Ahimaaz,

9 Ahimaaz the father of Azariah, Azariah the father of Johanan,

10 Johanan was the father of Azariah. It was he who served as priest in the temple Solomon built in Jerusalem),

11 Azariah the father of Amariah, Amariah the father of Ahitub,

12 Ahitub the father of Zadok, Zadok the father of Shallum,

13 Shallum the father of Hilkiah, Hilkiah the father of Azariah,

14 Azariah the father of Seraiah, and Seraiah the father of Jehozadak.

15 Jehozadak was deported when Jehovah sent Judah and Jerusalem into exile by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar.

16 The sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath and Merari.

17 These are the names of the sons of Gershon: Libni and Shimei.

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

19 The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. These are the clans of the Levites listed according to their fathers:

20 Of Gershon: Libni his son, Jehath his son, Zimmah his son,

21 Joah his son, Iddo his son, Zerah his son and Jeatherai his son.

22 The descendants of Kohath: Amminadab his son, Korah his son, Assir his son,

23 Elkanah his son, Ebiasaph his son, Assir his son,

24 Tahath his son, Uriel his son, Uzziah his son and Shaul his son.

25 The descendants of Elkanah: Amasai, Ahimoth,

26 Elkanah his son, Zophai his son, Nahath his son,

27 Eliab his son, Jeroham his son, Elkanah his son and Samuel his son.

28 The sons of Samuel: Joel the firstborn and Abijah the second son.

29 The descendants of Merari: Mahli, Libni his son, Shimei his son, Uzzah his son,

30 Shimea his son, Haggiah his son and Asaiah his son.

31 These are the men David put in charge of the music in the house of Jehovah after the ark came to rest there.

32 They ministered with music before the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting, until Solomon built the temple of Jehovah in Jerusalem. They performed their duties according to the regulations laid down for them.

33 Here are the men who served, together with their sons: From the Kohathites: Heman, the musician, the son of Joel, the son of Samuel,

34 the son of Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Eliel, the son of Toah,

35 the son of Zuph, the son of Elkanah, the son of Mahath, the son of Amasai,

36 the son of Elkanah, the son of Joel, the son of Azariah, the son of Zephaniah,

37 the son of Tahath, the son of Assir, the son of Ebiasaph, the son of Korah,

38 the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, the son of Israel;

39 and Heman’s associate Asaph, who served at his right hand: Asaph son of Berekiah, the son of Shimea,

40 the son of Michael, the son of Baaseiah, the son of Malkijah,

41 the son of Ethni, the son of Zerah, the son of Adaiah,

42 the son of Ethan, the son of Zimmah, the son of Shimei,

43 the son of Jahath, the son of Gershon, the son of Levi;

44 and from their associates, the Merarites, at his left hand: Ethan son of Kishi, the son of Abdi, the son of Malluch,

45 the son of Hashabiah, the son of Amaziah, the son of Hilkiah,

46 the son of Amzi, the son of Bani, the son of Shemer,

47 the son of Mahli, the son of Mushi, the son of Merari, the son of Levi.

48 Their fellow Levites was assigned to all the other duties of the tabernacle, the house of God.

49 But Aaron and his descendants were the ones who presented offerings on the altar of burnt offering and on the altar of incense in connection with all that was done in the Most Holy Place, making atonement for Israel, in accordance with all that Moses the servant of God had commanded.

50 These were the descendants of Aaron: Eleazar his son, Phinehas his son, Abishua his son,

51 Bukki his son, Uzzi his son, Zerahiah his son,

52 Meraioth his son, Amariah his son, Ahitub his son,

53 Zadok his son and Ahimaaz his son.

54 These were the locations of their settlements allotted as their territory they were assigned to the descendants of Aaron who were from the Kohathite clan, because the first lot was for them :

55 They were given Hebron in Judah with its surrounding pasturelands.

56 But the fields and villages around the city were given to Caleb son of Jephunneh.

57 So the descendants of Aaron were given Hebron a city of refuge , and Libnah, Jattir, Eshtemoa,

58 Hilen, Debir,

59 Ashan, Juttah and Beth Shemesh, together with their pasturelands.

60 And from the tribe of Benjamin they were given Gibeon, Geba, Alemeth and Anathoth, together with their pasturelands. These towns, which were distributed among the Kohathite clans, were thirteen in all.

61 The rest of Kohath’s descendants were allotted ten towns from the clans of half the tribe of Manasseh.

62 The descendants of Gershon, clan by clan, were allotted thirteen towns from the tribes of Issachar, Asher and Naphtali, and from the part of the tribe of Manasseh that is in Bashan.

63 The descendants of Merari, clan by clan, were allotted twelve towns from the tribes of Reuben, Gad and Zebulun.

64 So the Israelites gave the Levites these towns and their pasturelands.

65 From the tribes of Judah, Simeon and Benjamin they allotted the previously named towns.

66 Some of the Kohathite clans were given as their territory towns from the tribe of Ephraim.

67 In the hill country of Ephraim they were given Shechem a city of refuge , and Gezer,

68 Jokmeam, Beth Horon,

69 Aijalon and Gath Rimmon, together with their pasturelands.

70 And from half the tribe of Manasseh the Israelites gave Aner and Bileam, together with their pasturelands, to the rest of the Kohathite clans.

71 The Gershonites received the following: From the clan of the half-tribe of Manasseh they received Golan in Bashan and also Ashtaroth, together with their pasturelands,

72 from the tribe of Issachar they received Kedesh, Daberath,

73 Ramoth and Anem, together with their pasturelands;

74 from the tribe of Asher they received Mashal, Abdon,

75 Hukok and Rehob, together with their pasturelands;

76 and from the tribe of Naphtali they received Kedesh in Galilee, Hammon and Kiriathaim, together with their pasturelands.

77 The Merarites the rest of the Levites ) received the following: From the tribe of Zebulun they received Jokneam, Kartah, Rimmono and Tabor, together with their pasturelands,

78 from the tribe of Reuben across the Jordan east of Jericho they received Bezer in the desert, Jahzah,

79 Kedemoth and Mephaath, together with their pasturelands;

80 and from the tribe of Gad they received Ramoth in Gilead, Mahanaim,

81 Heshbon with its pastureland, and Jazer with its pastureland.

7

1 The sons of Issachar: Tola, Puah, Jashub and Shimron, four in all.

2 The sons of Tola: Uzzi, Rephaiah, Jeriel, Jahmai, Ibsam and Samuel, heads of their families. During the reign of David, the descendants of Tola listed as fighting men in their genealogy numbered twenty-two thousand six hundred.

3 The son of Uzzi: Izrahiah. The sons of Izrahiah: Michael, Obadiah, Joel and Isshiah. All five of them were chiefs.

4 According to their family genealogy, they had thirty-six men ready for battle, for they had many wives and children.

5 The relatives who were fighting men belonging to all the clans of Issachar, as listed in their genealogy, were eighty-seven thousand in all.

6 Three sons of Benjamin: Bela, Beker and Jediael.

7 The sons of Bela: Ezbon, Uzzi, Uzziel, Jerimoth and Iri, heads of families, five in all. Their genealogical record listed twenty-two thousand and thirty-four fighting men.

8 The sons of Beker: Zemirah, Joash, Eliezer, Elioenai, Omri, Jeremoth, Abijah, Anathoth and Alemeth. All these were the sons of Beker.

9 Their genealogical record listed the heads of families and twenty thousand two hundred fighting men.

10 The son of Jediael: Bilhan. The sons of Bilhan: Jeush, Benjamin, Ehud, Kenaanah, Zethan, Tarshish and Ahishahar.

11 All these sons of Jediael were heads of families. There were seventeen thousand two hundred fighting men ready to go out to war.

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

13 The sons of Naphtali: Jahziel, Guni, Jezer and Shillem, the descendants of Bilhah.

14 The descendants of Manasseh: Asriel was his descendant through his Aramean concubine. She gave birth to Makir the father of Gilead.

15 Makir took a wife from among the Huppites and Shuppites. His sister’s name was Maacah. Another descendant was named Zelophehad, who had only daughters.

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

17 The son of Ulam: Bedan. These were the sons of Gilead son of Makir, the son of Manasseh.

18 His sister Hammoleketh gave birth to Ishhod, Abiezer and Mahlah.

19 The sons of Shemida were: Ahian, Shechem, Likhi and Aniam.

20 The descendants of Ephraim: Shuthelah, Bered his son, Tahath his son, Eleadah his son, Tahath his son,

21 Zabad his son and Shuthelah his son. The native-born men of Gath killed Ezer and Elead, when they went down to seize their livestock.

22 Their father Ephraim mourned for them many days, and his relatives came to comfort him.

23 Then he lay with his wife again, and she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. He named him Beriah, because there had been misfortune in his family.

24 His daughter was Sheerah, who built Lower and Upper Beth Horon as well as Uzzen Sheerah.

25 Rephah was his son, Resheph his son, Telah his son, Tahan his son,

26 Ladan his son, Ammihud his son, Elishama his son,

27 Nun his son and Joshua his son.

28 Their lands and settlements included Bethel and its surrounding villages, Naaran to the east, Gezer and its villages to the west, and Shechem and its villages all the way to Ayyah and its villages.

29 Along the borders of Manasseh were Beth Shan, Taanach, Megiddo and Dor, together with their villages. The descendants of Joseph son of Israel lived in these towns.

30 The sons of Asher: Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi and Beriah. Their sister was Serah.

31 The sons of Beriah: Heber and Malkiel, who was the father of Birzaith.

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

33 The sons of Japhlet: Pasach, Bimhal and Ashvath. These were Japhlet’s sons.

34 The sons of Shomer: Ahi, Rohgah, Hubbah and Aram.

35 The sons of his brother Helem: Zophah, Imna, Shelesh and Amal.

36 The sons of Zophah: Suah, Harnepher, Shual, Beri, Imrah,

37 Bezer, Hod, Shamma, Shilshah, Ithran and Beera.

38 The sons of Jether: Jephunneh, Pispah and Ara.

39 The sons of Ulla: Arah, Hanniel and Rizia.

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

8

1 Benjamin was the father of Bela his firstborn, Ashbel the second son, Aharah the third,

2 Nohah the fourth and Rapha the fifth.

3 The sons of Bela were: Addar, Gera, Abihud,

4 Abishua, Naaman, Ahoah,

5 Gera, Shephuphan and Huram.

6 These were the descendants of Ehud, who were heads of families of those living in Geba and were deported to Manahath:

7 Naaman, Ahijah, and Gera, who deported them and who was the father of Uzza and Ahihud.

8 Sons were born to Shaharaim in Moab after he had divorced his wives Hushim and Baara.

9 By his wife Hodesh he had Jobab, Zibia, Mesha, Malcam,

10 Jeuz, Sakia and Mirmah. These were his sons, heads of families.

11 By Hushim he had Abitub and Elpaal.

12 The sons of Elpaal: Eber, Misham, Shemed who built Ono and Lod with its surrounding villages,

13 and Beriah and Shema, who were heads of families of those living in Aijalon and who drove out the inhabitants of Gath.

14 Ahio, Shashak, Jeremoth,

15 Zebadiah, Arad, Eder,

16 Michael, Ishpah and Joha were the sons of Beriah.

17 Zebadiah, Meshullam, Hizki, Heber,

18 Ishmerai, Izliah and Jobab were the sons of Elpaal.

19 Jakim, Zicri, Zabdi,

20 Elienai, Zillethai, Eliel,

21 Adaiah, Beraiah and Shimrath were the sons of Shimei.

22 Ishpan, Eber, Eliel,

23 Abdon, Zicri, Hanan,

24 Hananiah, Elam, Anthothijah,

25 Iphdeiah and Penuel were the sons of Shashak.

26 Shamsherai, Shehariah, Athaliah,

27 Jaareshiah, Elijah and Zicri were the sons of Jeroham.

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

29 Jeiel the father of Gibeon lived in Gibeon. His wife’s name was Maacah,

30 and his firstborn son was Abdon, followed by Zur, Kish, Baal, Ner, Nadab,

31 Gedor, Ahio, Zeker

32 and Mikloth, who was the father of Shimeah. They too lived near their relatives in Jerusalem.

33 Ner was the father of Kish, Kish the father of Saul, and Saul the father of Jonathan, Malki-Shua, Abinadab and Esh-Baal.

34 The son of Jonathan: Merib-Baal, Mephibosheth who was the father of Micah.

35 The sons of Micah: Pithon, Melech, Tarea and Ahaz.

36 Ahaz was the father of Jehoaddah, Jehoaddah was the father of Alemeth, Azmaveth and Zimri, and Zimri was the father of Moza.

37 Moza was the father of Binea; Raphah was his son, Eleasah his son and Azel his son.

38 Azel had six sons, and these were their names: Azrikam, Bokeru, Ishmael, Sheariah, Obadiah and Hanan. All these were the sons of Azel.

39 The sons of his brother Eshek: Ulam his firstborn, Jeush the second son and Eliphelet the third.

40 The sons of Ulam were brave warriors who could handle the bow. They had many sons and grandsons, one hundred fifty in all. All these were the descendants of Benjamin.

9

1 All Israel was listed in the genealogies recorded in the book of the kings of Israel. The people of Judah were taken captive to Babylon because of their unfaithfulness.

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

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

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

5 Of the Shilonites: Asaiah the firstborn and his sons.

6 Of the Zerahites: Jeuel. The people from Judah numbered six hundred ninety.

7 Of the Benjamites: Sallu son of Meshullam, the son of Hodaviah, the son of Hassenuah;

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

9 The people from Benjamin, as listed in their genealogy, numbered nine hundred and fifty-six. All these men were heads of their families.

10 Of the priests: Jedaiah; Jehoiarib; Jakin;

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

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

13 The priests, who were heads of families, numbered one thousand seven hundred and sixty. They were able men, responsible for ministering in the house of God.

14 Of the Levites: Shemaiah son of Hasshub, the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, a Merarite;

15 Bakbakkar, Heresh, Galal and Mattaniah son of Mica, the son of Zicri, the son of Asaph;

16 Obadiah son of Shemaiah, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun; and Berekiah son of Asa, the son of Elkanah, who lived in the villages of the Netophathites.

17 The gatekeepers: Shallum, Akkub, Talmon, Ahiman and their brothers, Shallum their chief

18 being stationed at the King’s Gate on the east, up to the present time. These were the gatekeepers belonging to the camp of the Levites.

19 Shallum son of Kore, the son of Ebiasaph, the son of Korah, and his fellow gatekeepers from his family, the Korahites, were responsible for guarding the thresholds of the tent just as their fathers had been responsible for guarding the entrance to the dwelling of Jehovah.

20 In earlier times Phinehas son of Eleazar was in charge of the gatekeepers, and Jehovah was with him.

21 Zechariah son of Meshelemiah was the gatekeeper at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.

22 Altogether, those chosen to be gatekeepers at the thresholds numbered two hundred and twelve. They were registered by genealogy in their villages. David and Samuel the seer had assigned the gatekeepers to their positions of trust.

23 They and their descendants were in charge of guarding the gates of the house of Jehovah, the house called the tent.

24 The gatekeepers were on the four sides: east, west, north and south.

25 Their brothers in their villages had to come from time to time and share their duties for seven-day periods.

26 But the four principal gatekeepers, who were Levites, were entrusted with the responsibility for the rooms and treasuries in the house of God.

27 They would spend the night stationed around the house of God, because they had to guard it; and they had charge of the key for opening it each morning.

28 Some of them were in charge of the articles used in the temple service; they counted them when they were brought in and when they were taken out.

29 Others were assigned to take care of the furnishings and all the other articles of the sanctuary, as well as the flour and wine, and the oil, incense and spices.

30 But some of the priests took care of mixing the spices.

31 A Levite named Mattithiah, the firstborn son of Shallum the Korahite, was entrusted with the responsibility for baking the offering bread.

32 Some of their Kohathite brothers were in charge of preparing for every Sabbath the bread set out on the table.

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

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

35 Jeiel the father of Gibeon lived in Gibeon. His wife’s name was Maacah,

36 and his firstborn son was Abdon, followed by Zur, Kish, Baal, Ner, Nadab,

37 Gedor, Ahio, Zechariah and Mikloth.

38 Mikloth was the father of Shimeam. They too lived near their relatives in Jerusalem.

39 Ner was the father of Kish, Kish the father of Saul, and Saul the father of Jonathan, Malki-Shua, Abinadab and Esh-Baal. Ish-Bosheth

40 The son of Jonathan: Merib-Baal, Mephibosheth who was the father of Micah.

41 The sons of Micah: Pithon, Melech, Tahrea and Ahaz.

42 Ahaz was the father of Jadah, Jadah was the father of Alemeth, Azmaveth and Zimri, and Zimri was the father of Moza.

43 Moza was the father of Binea; Rephaiah was his son, Eleasah his son and Azel his son.

44 Azel had six sons, and these were their names: Azrikam, Bokeru, Ishmael, Sheariah, Obadiah and Hanan. These were the sons of Azel.

10

1 Now the Philistines fought against Israel. The Israelites fled from them, and many fell slain on Mount Gilboa.

2 The Philistines pressed hard after Saul and his sons, and they killed his sons Jonathan, Abinadab and Malki-Shua.

3 The fighting grew fierce around Saul, and when the archers overtook him, they wounded him.

4 Saul said to his armor-bearer: »Draw your sword and run me through, or these uncircumcised fellows will come and abuse me.« But his armor-bearer was terrified and would not do it. So Saul took his own sword and fell on it.

5 When the armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he too fell on his sword and died.

6 Saul, his three sons and his entire house died together.

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

8 The next day, when the Philistines came to strip the dead they found Saul and his sons fallen on Mount Gilboa.

9 They stripped him and took his head and his armor, and sent messengers throughout the land of the Philistines to proclaim the news among their idols and their people.

10 They put his armor in the temple of their gods and hung up his head in the temple of Dagon.

11 When all the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead heard of everything the Philistines had done to Saul,

12 all their fighting men took the bodies of Saul and his sons and brought them to Jabesh. They buried their bones under the great tree in Jabesh. Then they fasted seven days.

13 Saul died because of his unfaithfulness to Jehovah. He did not obey the word of Jehovah. He asked a medium to request information from a dead person.

14 He did not request information from Jehovah. Thus Jehovah killed him and turned the kingship over to David, Jesse’s son.

11

1 Then all Israel came together to David at Hebron. They said: »Indeed we are your bone and your flesh.

2 »In time past, even when Saul was king, you were the one who led Israel out and brought them in.« Jehovah your God said to you: »You will shepherd my people Israel, and be ruler over my people Israel.«

3 Therefore all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron. David made a covenant with them at Hebron in the presence of Jehovah. Then they anointed David king over Israel, according to the word of Jehovah by Samuel.

4 David and all Israel went to Jerusalem, which is Jebus, where the Jebusites were, the inhabitants of the land.

5 Then the inhabitants of Jebus said to David: »You shall not come in here!« Nevertheless David took the stronghold of Zion that is, the City of David.

6 David said: Whoever attacks the Jebusites first shall be chief and captain. Joab the son of Zeruiah went up first, and became chief.

7 Then David dwelt in the stronghold. That is why they called it the City of David.

8 He built the city around it, from the stronghold on the mound to the surrounding area. Joab repaired the rest of the city.

9 David went on and became great, and Jehovah of Hosts was with him.

10 These were the men in charge of David’s mighty men. They strengthened themselves with him in his kingdom, with all Israel, to make him king, according to the word of Jehovah concerning Israel.

11 This is the number of the mighty men whom David had: Jashobeam the son of a Hachmonite, chief of the captains; he had lifted up his spear against three hundred, killed by him at one time.

12 After him were Eleazar the son of Dodo, the Ahohite, who was one of the three mighty men.

13 He was with David at Pasdammim. The Philistines were gathered for battle. There was a piece of ground full of barley. And the people fled from the Philistines.

14 They stationed themselves in the middle of that field, defended it, and killed the Philistines. So Jehovah brought about a great victory.

15 Now three of the thirty chief men went down to the rock to David, into the cave of Adullam. The army of the Philistines encamped in the Valley of Rephaim.

16 David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem.

17 David said with longing: »Oh, that someone would give me a drink of water from the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!«

18 So the three broke through the camp of the Philistines, drew water from the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate. They took it to David. Nevertheless David would not drink it, but poured it out to Jehovah.

19 He said: »Far be it from me, O my God, that I should do this! Shall I drink the blood of these men who have placed their lives in jeopardy? For at the risk of their lives they brought it.« Therefore he would not drink it. The three mighty men did these things.

20 Abishai the brother of Joab was chief of another three. He had lifted up his spear against three hundred men. He killed them and won a name among these three.

21 Of the three he was more honored than the other two men. Therefore he became their captain. However he did not attain to the first three.

22 Benaiah was the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man from Kabzeel, who had done many deeds. He killed two lion-like heroes of Moab. He also had gone down and killed a lion in the midst of a pit on a snowy day.

23 And he killed an Egyptian, a man of great height, seven and a half feet tall. Egyptian had a spear like a weaver’s beam in his hand. He went down to him with a staff, wrested the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand, and killed him with his own spear.

24 These things Benaiah the son of Jehoiada did, and won a name among three mighty men.

25 Indeed he was more honored than the thirty, but he did not attain to the first three. David appointed him over his guard.

26 Also the mighty warriors were Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem,

27 Shammoth the Harorite, Helez the Pelonite,

28 Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, Abiezer the Anathothite,

29 Sibbechai the Hushathite, Ilai the Ahohite,

30 Maharai the Netophathite, Heled the son of Baanah the Netophathite,

31 Ithai the son of Ribai of Gibeah, of the sons of Benjamin, Benaiah the Pirathonite,

32 Hurai of the brooks of Gaash, Abiel the Arbathite,

33 Azmaveth the Baharumite, Eliahba the Shaalbonite,

34 the sons of Hashem the Gizonite, Jonathan the son of Shageh the Hararite,

35 Ahiam the son of Sacar the Hararite, Eliphal the son of Ur,

36 Hepher the Mecherathite, Ahijah the Pelonite,

37 Hezro the Carmelite, Naarai the son of Ezbai,

38 Joel the brother of Nathan, Mibhar the son of Hagri,

39 Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Berothite the armor bearer of Joab the son of Zeruiah,

40 Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,

41 Uriah the Hittite, Zabad the son of Ahlai,

42 Adina the son of Shiza the Reubenite a chief of the Reubenites and thirty with him,

43 Hanan the son of Maachah, Joshaphat the Mithnite,

44 Uzzia the Ashterathite, Shama and Jeiel the sons of Hotham the Aroerite,

45 Jediael the son of Shimri, and Joha his brother, the Tizite,

46 Eliel the Mahavite, Jeribai and Joshaviah the sons of Elnaam, Ithmah the Moabite,

47 Eliel, Obed, and Jaasiel the Mezobaite.

12

1 The following men joined David at Ziklag while he was hiding from Saul son of Kish. They were among the warriors who fought beside David in battle.

2 All of them were expert archers who could shoot arrows or sling stones with their left hand as well as their right. They were all relatives of Saul from the tribe of Benjamin.

3 Their leader was Ahiezer son of Shemaah from Gibeah; his brother Joash was second-in-command. These were the other warriors: Jeziel and Pelet, sons of Azmaveth; Beracah and Jehu from Anathoth;

4 Ishmaiah from Gibeon, a famous warrior and leader among the Thirty; Jeremiah, Jahaziel, Johanan, and Jozabad from Gederah;

5 Eluzai, Jerimoth, Bealiah, Shemariah, and Shephatiah from Haruph;

6 Elkanah, Isshiah, Azarel, Joezer, and Jashobeam, who were Korahites;

7 Joelah and Zebadiah, sons of Jeroham from Gedor.

8 Some brave and experienced warriors from the tribe of Gad also defected to David while he was at the stronghold in the wilderness. They were expert with both shield and spear, as fierce as lions and as swift as deer on the mountains.

9 Ezer was their leader. Obadiah was second. Eliab was third.

10 Mishmannah was fourth. Jeremiah was fifth.

11 Attai was sixth. Eliel was seventh.

12 Johanan was eighth. Elzabad was ninth.

13 Jeremiah was tenth. Macbannai was eleventh.

14 These warriors from Gad were army commanders. The weakest among them could take on a hundred regular troops, and the strongest could take on a thousand!

15 They crossed the Jordan River during its seasonal flooding at the beginning of the year and drove out all the people living in the lowlands on both the east and west banks.

16 Others from Benjamin and Judah came to David at the stronghold.

17 David went out to meet them and said: »If you have come in peace to help me, we are friends. But if you have come to betray me to my enemies when I am innocent, then may the God of our ancestors see and judge you.«

18 Then the Spirit came upon Amasai, who later became a leader among the Thirty, and he said: »We are yours, David! We are on your side, son of Jesse. Peace and prosperity be with you, and success to all who help you, for your God is the one who helps you.« So David let them join him, and he made them officers over his troops.

19 Some men from Manasseh defected from the Israelite army and joined David when he went with the Philistines to fight against Saul. But as it turned out, the Philistine leaders refused to let David and his men go with them. After much discussion, they sent them back, for they said: »It will cost us our lives if David switches loyalties to Saul and turns against us.«

20 Here is a list of the men from Manasseh who defected to David as he was returning to Ziklag: Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu, and Zillethai. Each commanded a thousand troops from the tribe of Manasseh.

21 They helped David chase down bands of raiders, for they were all brave and able warriors who became commanders in his army.

22 Day after day more men joined David until he had a great army, like the army of God.

23 These are the numbers of armed warriors who joined David at Hebron. They were all eager to see David become king instead of Saul, just as Jehovah had promised.

24 From the tribe of Judah, there were six thousand eight hundred warriors armed with shields and spears.

25 From the tribe of Simeon, there were seven thousand one hundred warriors.

26 From the tribe of Levi, there were four thousand six hundred troops.

27 This included Jehoiada, leader of the family of Aaron, who had three thousand seven hundred under his command.

28 This also included Zadok, a young warrior, with twenty-two members of his family who were all officers.

29 From the tribe of Benjamin, Saul’s relatives, there were three thousand warriors. Most of the men from Benjamin had remained loyal to Saul until this time.

30 From the tribe of Ephraim, there were twenty thousand eight hundred warriors, each famous in his own clan.

31 From the half-tribe of Manasseh west of the Jordan, eighteen thousand men were sent for the express purpose of helping David become king.

32 From the tribe of Issachar, there were two hundred leaders of the tribe with their relatives. All these men understood the temper of the times and knew the best course for Israel to take.

33 From the tribe of Zebulun, there were fifty thousand skilled warriors. They were fully armed and prepared for battle and completely loyal to David.

34 From the tribe of Naphtali, there were one thousand officers and thirty-seven thousand warriors armed with shields and spears.

35 From the tribe of Dan, there were twenty-eight thousand six hundred warriors, all prepared for battle.

36 From the tribe of Asher, there were forty thousand trained warriors, all prepared for battle.

37 From the east side of the Jordan River—where the tribes of Reuben and Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh lived—there were one hundred twenty thousand troops armed with every kind of weapon.

38 All these men came in battle array to Hebron with the single purpose of making David the king of Israel. In fact, all Israel agreed that David should be their king.

39 They feasted and drank with David for three days. Their relatives had made preparations for their arrival.

40 People from as far away as Issachar, Zebulun, and Naphtali brought food on donkeys, camels, mules, and oxen. Vast supplies of flour, fig cakes, raisins, wine; olive oil, cattle, and sheep were brought to the celebration. There was great joy throughout the land of Israel

13

1 David conferred with each of his officers, the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds.

2 He then said to the whole assembly of Israel: »If it seems good to you and if it is the will of Jehovah our God, let us send word far and wide to the rest of our brothers throughout the territories of Israel, and also to the priests and Levites with them in their towns and pasturelands, to come and join us.

3 »Let us bring the Ark of our God back to us, for we did not inquire of it during the reign of Saul.«

4 The whole assembly agreed to do this, because it seemed right to all the people.

5 David assembled all the Israelites, from the Shihor River in Egypt to Lebo to the entrance to Hamath, to bring the Ark of God from Kiriath Jearim.

6 David and all the people of Israel with him went to Baalah of Judah Kiriath Jearim . They went to bring the Ark of Jehovah God from there. He is enthroned between the cherubim on the Ark that is called by his name.

7 They moved the Ark of God from Abinadab’s house on a new cart. Uzzah and Ahio guided it.

8 David and all the people of Israel celebrated with all their might before God. They did it with songs and with harps, lyres, tambourines, cymbals and trumpets.

9 When they came to the threshing floor of Kidon, Uzzah reached out his hand to steady the Ark, because the bulls stumbled.

10 Jehovah’s anger burned against Uzzah. He struck him down because he had put his hand on the Ark. So he died there before God.

11 David was angry because Jehovah’s wrath had broken out against Uzzah. To this day that place is called Perez Uzzah. Outbreak against Uzzah

12 David was afraid of God that day and asked: »How can I ever bring the Ark of God to me?«

13 He did not take the Ark to be with him in the City of David. Instead, he took it aside to the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite.

14 The Ark of God remained with the family of Obed-Edom in his house for three months. Jehovah blessed his household and everything he had.

14

1 Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David. He also sent cedar logs, stonemasons and carpenters to build a palace for him.

2 David knew that Jehovah had established him as king over Israel and that his kingdom had been highly exalted for the sake of his people Israel.

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

4 These are the names of the children born to him there: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon,

5 Ibhar, Elishua, Elpelet,

6 Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia,

7 Elishama, Beeliada and Eliphelet.

8 The Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over all Israel. So they went up in full force to search for him. David heard about it and went out to meet them.

9 The Philistines raided the Valley of Rephaim.

10 David inquired of God: »Should I attack the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?« Jehovah answered him: »Go, I will hand them over to you.«

11 David and his men went to Baal Perazim. He defeated them there. He said: »As waters break out, God has broken out against my enemies by my hand.« So that place was called Baal Perazim the lord who breaks out .

12 The Philistines abandoned their gods. So David gave orders to burn them in the fire.

13 Once more the Philistines raided the valley.

14 David inquired of God again, and God answered him: »Do not go straight up, but circle around them and attack them in front of the balsam trees.

15 »As soon as you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, move out to battle. That will mean God has gone out in front of you to strike the Philistine army.«

16 David did as God commanded him. They struck down the Philistine army all the way from Gibeon to Gezer.

17 Thus David’s fame spread throughout every land. Jehovah made all the nations fear him.

15

1 David constructed buildings for himself in the City of David. Then he prepared a place for God’s Ark and pitched a tent for it.

2 David insisted that only the Levites carry God’s Ark because Jehovah had chosen them to carry his Ark and to serve him from generation to generation.

3 David called together all Israel at Jerusalem to bring Jehovah’s Ark to the place he had prepared for it.

4 David also called together Aaron’s descendants and the Levites.

5 Leading Kohath’s descendants were Uriel, who came with one hundred and twenty of his relatives.

6 Leading Merari’s descendants were Asaiah, who came with two hundred and twenty of his relatives.

7 Leading Gershom’s descendants were Joel, who came with one hundred and thirty of his relatives.

8 Leading Elizaphan’s descendants were Shemaiah, who came with two hundred of his relatives.

9 Leading Hebron’s descendants were Eliel, who came with eighty of his relatives.

10 Leading Uzziel’s descendants were Amminadab, who came with one hundred and twelve of his relatives.

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

12 He said to them: »You are the heads of the Levite families. You and your brothers must perform the ceremonies to make yourselves holy. Then bring the Ark of Jehovah the God of Israel to the place I prepared for it.

13 »Because you Levites were not there the first time, Jehovah our God struck us. We had not dedicated our lives to serving him in the way he designated.«

14 So the priests and the Levites made themselves holy in order to move the Ark of Jehovah the God of Israel.

15 The Levites carried God’s Ark on their shoulders. They used poles as Moses had commanded according to Jehovah’s instructions.

16 David told the Levite leaders to appoint some of their brothers to serve as musicians. They were expected to play music on harps, lyres, and cymbals to produce joyful music for singing.

17 So the Levites appointed Heman son of Joel, and from his relatives they appointed Asaph Berechiah’s son. From their own relatives, Merari’s descendants, they appointed Ethan son of Kushaiah.

18 In addition, they appointed their relatives from the second division: Zechariah, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, and Mikneiah. Obed Edom and Jeiel were appointed gatekeepers.

19 The musicians Heman, Asaph, and Ethan were appointed to play bronze cymbals.

20 Zechariah, Jaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah, and Benaiah were appointed to play harps tuned according to alamoth.

21 Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed Edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah were appointed to play lyres and to conduct the eighth.

22 Chenaniah, a Levite leader, instructed others how to sing prophetic songs because he was skilled at it.

23 Berechiah and Elkanah were gatekeepers for the ark.

24 The priests Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah, and Eliezer blew trumpets in front of God’s Ark. Obed Edom and Jehiah were doorkeepers for the ark.

25 Thus David, the leaders of Israel, and the army’s commanders joyfully went to get the Ark of Jehovah’s Covenant from Obed Edom’s house.

26 Because God helped the Levites who carried the Ark of the Jehovah’s Covenant, they sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams.

27 David was dressed in a fine linen robe, as were all the Levites who carried the Ark, the Levites who were singers, and Chenaniah, the leader of the musicians’ prophetic songs. David also wore a linen ephod.

28 All Israel brought the Ark of Jehovah’s Covenant with shouts of joy and the sounding of rams’ horns, trumpets, cymbals, harps, and lyres.

29 When the Ark of Jehovah’s Covenant came to the City of David, Saul’s daughter Michal looked out of a window and saw King David dancing and celebrating, so she despised him.

16

1 The men carrying the ark set it inside the tent David had put up for it. They presented burnt offerings and fellowship offerings in God’s presence.

2 When David finished sacrificing burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, he blessed the people in the name of Jehovah.

3 He also distributed to every person in Israel, both men and women, a loaf of bread, a date cake, and a raisin cake.

4 David appointed some Levites to serve in front of Jehovah’s Ark by offering prayers, thanks, and praise to Jehovah the God of Israel.

5 Asaph was the head. Zechariah was second, then Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed Edom, and Jeiel with harps and lyres. Asaph played the cymbals.

6 The priests Benaiah and Jahaziel played trumpets all the time in front of the Ark of God’s covenant.

7 For the first time David entrusted Asaph and his relatives with the task of singing songs of thanks to Jehovah:

8 Give thanks to Jehovah. Call on his name. Make known among the nations what he has done.

9 Sing to him. Make music to praise him. Meditate on all the miracles he has done.

10 Praise his holy name. Let the hearts of those who seek Jehovah rejoice.

11 Search for Jehovah and his strength. Always seek his presence.

12 Remember the miracles he performed. And remember the amazing things he did and the judgments he pronounced.

13 You are descendants of Israel, his servant. You are descendants of Jacob, his chosen ones.

14 HE IS JEHOVAH OUR GOD. His judgments are pronounced throughout the earth.

15 Remember his promise for a very long time, the word that he commanded for a thousand generations!

16 Remember the covenant that he made to Abraham, and his sworn promise to Isaac.

17 He confirmed it as a law for Jacob, as a long lasting covenant to Israel.

18 He said: »I will give you Canaan. It is your share of the inheritance.«

19 While they were few in number a small group of foreigners lived in that land.

20 They wandered from nation to nation and from one kingdom to another.

21 He did not permit anyone to oppress them. He warned kings about them:

22 »Do not touch my anointed ones or harm my prophets.«

23 Sing to Jehovah, all the earth! Day after day announce that Jehovah saves his people.

24 Tell people about his glory! Tell all the nations about his miracles.

25 JEHOVAH IS GREAT! He should be highly praised. He should be reverenced held in awe respected more than all other gods.

26 This is because all the gods of the nations are useless idols while Jehovah created the heavens.

27 Splendor and majesty are in his presence. Strength and joy are where he is.

28 Appreciate Jehovah’s glory and power you families of the nations. Ascribe to Jehovah glory and strength.

29 Ascribe to Jehovah the glory his name deserves. Bring an offering, and come to him. Worship Jehovah in his holy splendor.

30 Tremble in his presence, all the earth! The earth stands firm. It cannot be moved.

31 Let the heavens rejoice and the earth be glad. Say to the nations: »JEHOVAH RULES AS KING!«

32 Let the sea and everything in it roar like thunder. Let the fields and everything in them rejoice.

33 Then the trees in the forest will sing with joy in the presence of Jehovah when he comes to judge the earth.

34 Give thanks to Jehovah because he is good, because his mercy endures forever!

35 Say: »Rescue us, O God our Salvation. Gather us and save us from the nations that we may give thanks to your holy name and glory in your praise.«

36 Thanks be to Jehovah, God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Then all the people said »amen« and praised Jehovah.

37 David left Asaph and his relatives to serve continually in front of the Ark of Jehovah’s Covenant, as the daily work required.

38 David also left Obed Edom and sixty-eight of his relatives to serve there. Obed Edom Jeduthun’s son and Hosah were to be gatekeepers.

39 David left Zadok and his priestly relatives to serve in Jehovah’s Tent at the place of worship in Gibeon.

40 They were ordered to sacrifice burnt offerings to Jehovah. This happened on the altar of burnt offerings continually, morning and evening, as written in the Law of Jehovah that he gave Israel.

41 With Zadok and his relatives were Heman, Jeduthun, and the rest of the Levites who had been selected. They were chosen by name, to give thanks to Jehovah by singing, because His mercy endures forever.

42 Also, Heman and Jeduthun played trumpets, cymbals, and the other musical instruments that accompany sacred songs. Jeduthun’s sons were stationed at the gate.

43 Then all the people went home. David went back to bless his family.

17

1 David settled in his palace. He said to Nathan the prophet: »Here I am, living in a palace of cedar, while the Ark of the Covenant of Jehovah is under a tent.«

2 Nathan replied to David: »Do what you have in mind, for God is with you.«

3 That night God spoke to Nathan. He said:

4 »Go tell my servant David, This is what Jehovah says: ‘You are not the one to build me a house to dwell in.

5 »I have not dwelt in a house from the day I brought Israel up out of Egypt to this day. I have moved from one tent site to another, from one dwelling place to another.

6 »In all the places where I have moved with the Israelites, did I ever say to any of their leaders whom I commanded to shepherd my people: Why have you not built me a house of cedar?«

7 Therefore, tell my servant David: »This is what Jehovah of Hosts says: ‘I took you from the pasture and from following the flock, to be ruler over my people Israel.

8 »‘I have been with you wherever you have gone. I have destroyed all your enemies from before you. Now I will make your name like the names of the greatest men of the earth.

9 »‘I will provide a place for my people Israel and will plant them so that they can have a home of their own and no longer be disturbed. Wicked people will not oppress them anymore, as they did at the beginning.

10 »‘They have done this since the time I appointed leaders over my people Israel. I will also subdue all your enemies. I declare to you that Jehovah will build a house for you!

11 »‘When your days are over and you go to be with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you. It will be one of your own sons, and I will establish his kingdom.

12 »‘He is the one who will build a house for me. I will establish his throne forever.

13 »‘I will be his father, and he will be my son. I will never take my love away from him, as I took it away from your predecessor.

14 »‘I will set him over my house and my kingdom forever! His throne will be established forever.’«

15 Nathan reported to David all the words of this entire revelation.

16 Then King David went in and sat in Jehovah’s presence. He said: »Who am I, O Jehovah? What is my family, that you have brought me this far?

17 »If this were not enough in your sight, O God, you have spoken about the future of the house of your servant. You have looked on me as though I were the most exalted of men, O Jehovah my God.

18 »What more can David say to you for honoring your servant? For you know your servant

19 »Jehovah. For the sake of your servant and according to your will, you have done this great thing and made known all these great promises.

20 »There is no one like you Jehovah and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears.

21 »Who is like your people Israel? Israel is the one nation on earth who’s God went out to redeem a people. You redeemed your people from Egypt. You make a name for yourself, and perform great and awesome wonders by driving out nations from before your people.

22 »You made your people Israel your very own for a very long time, and you, O Jehovah, have become their God.

23 »Now, Jehovah, let the promise you have made concerning your servant and his house be established from generation to generation. Do as you promised!

24 »It will be established and your name will be great forever. Then men will say: »Jehovah of Hosts, the God over Israel, is Israel’s God! And the house of your servant David will be established before you.

25 »You, my God, have revealed to your servant that you will build a house for him. So your servant has found courage to pray to you.

26 »O JEHOVAH, YOU ARE GOD! You have promised these good things to your servant.

27 »You have been pleased to bless the house of your servant that it may continue for a very long time in your sight. You Jehovah have blessed it and it will be blessed from generation to generation.«

18

1 After this, David defeated and crushed the Philistines. He captured Gath and its surrounding villages from them.

2 He also defeated Moab, and the Moabites became David’s subjects and paid taxes to him.

3 David went to establish his control over the territory along the Euphrates River. He defeated King Hadadezer at Hamath.

4 David took one thousand chariots, seven thousand horsemen, and twenty thousand foot soldiers from him. David also disabled all but one hundred of their horses so that they could not pull chariots.

5 When the Arameans from Damascus came to help King Hadadezer of Zobah, David killed twenty-two thousand of them.

6 David stationed troops in the Aramean kingdom of Damascus. The Arameans became his subjects and paid taxes to him. Everywhere David went Jehovah gave him victories.

7 David took the gold shields that Hadadezer’s servants carried. He brought them to Jerusalem.

8 David also took a large quantity of bronze from Tibhath and Cun, Hadadezer’s cities. Later Solomon used it to make the pool, pillars, and utensils for the temple.

9 When King Tou of Hamath heard that David had defeated the whole army of Zobah’s King Hadadezer,

10 he sent his son Hadoram to greet King David and congratulate him for fighting and defeating Hadadezer. There had often been war between Hadadezer and Tou.

11 King David dedicated all the articles of gold, silver, and bronze to Jehovah, along with the silver and gold he had taken from other nations-from Edom, Moab, Ammon, the Philistines, and Amalek.

12 Zeruiah’s son Abishai killed eighteen thousand Edomites in the Dead Sea region.

13 He put troops in Edom, and all its people became David’s subjects. Everywhere David went Jehovah gave him victories.

14 So David ruled all Israel. He did what was fair and right for all his people.

15 Zeruiah’s son Joab was in charge of the army. Ahilud’s son Jehoshaphat was the royal historian.

16 Ahitub’s son Zadok and Abiathar’s son Abimelech were priests. Shavsha was the royal scribe.

17 Jehoiada’s son Benaiah was commander of the Cherethites and the Pelethites. And David’s sons were his main officials.

19

1 In the course of time, Nahash king of the Ammonites died, and his son succeeded him as king.

2 David thought: »I will show kindness to Hanun son of Nahash, because his father showed kindness to me.« So David sent a delegation to express his sympathy to Hanun concerning his father. David’s men came to Hanun in the land of the Ammonites to express sympathy to him.

3 The Ammonite nobles said to Hanun: »Do you think David honors your father by sending men to you to express sympathy? Or have his men come to you to explore and spy out the country and overthrow it?«

4 Therefore Hanun seized David’s men, shaved them, cut off their garments in the middle at the buttocks, and sent them away.

5 When David was told about the men he sent messengers to meet them, for they were greatly humiliated. The king said: »Stay at Jericho till your beards have grown and then come back.«

6 The Ammonites realized that they had become a stench in David’s nostrils. Then Hanun and the Ammonites sent seventy-five thousand pounds of silver to hire chariots and charioteers from Aram Naharaim, Northwest Mesopotamia Aram Maacah and Zobah.

7 They hired thirty-two thousand chariots and charioteers, as well as the king of Maacah with his troops, who came and camped near Medeba, while the Ammonites were mustered from their towns and moved out for battle.

8 David heard about this and sent Joab out with the entire army of fighting men.

9 The Ammonites came out and drew up in battle formation at the entrance to their city, while the kings who had come were by themselves in the open country.

10 Joab saw that there were battle lines in front of him and behind him; so he selected some of the best troops in Israel and deployed them against the Arameans.

11 He put the rest of the men under the command of Abishai his brother, and they were deployed against the Ammonites.

12 Joab said: »If the Arameans are too strong for me, then you are to rescue me. But if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will rescue you.

13 »Be strong and let us fight bravely for our people and the cities of our God. Jehovah will do what is good in his sight.«

14 Then Joab and the troops with him advanced to fight the Arameans, and they fled before him.

15 When the Ammonites saw that the Arameans were fleeing, they too fled before his brother Abishai and went inside the city. So Joab went back to Jerusalem.

16 The Arameans saw that they had been routed by Israel. So they sent messengers and had Arameans brought from beyond the Euphrates River, with Shophach the commander of Hadadezer’s army leading them.

17 David was told of this, so he gathered all Israel and crossed the Jordan. He advanced against them and formed his battle lines opposite them. David formed his lines to meet the Arameans in battle, and they fought against him.

18 But they fled before Israel, and David killed seven thousand of their charioteers and forty thousand of their foot soldiers. He also killed Shophach the commander of their army.

19 When the vassals of Hadadezer saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they made peace with David and became subject to him. So the Arameans were not willing to help the Ammonites anymore.

20

1 In the spring, the time when kings go out to battle, Joab led the army to war. They destroyed the Ammonites and came to Rabbah to attack it, while David stayed in Jerusalem. Joab defeated Rabbah and tore it down.

2 David took the gold crown from the head of Rabbah’s king. It was placed on David’s head. The crown was found to weigh seventy-five pounds, and in it was a precious stone. David also took a lot of goods from the city.

3 He took the troops who were there and put them to work with saws, hoes, and axes. He did the same to all the Ammonite cities. After that David and all the troops returned to Jerusalem.

4 War broke out with the Philistines at Gezer. Sibbecai from Hushah killed Sippai, a descendant of Haraphah, and the Philistines were defeated.

5 When more fighting broke out with the Philistines, Elhanan, son of Jair, killed Lahmi, the brother of Goliath from Gath. The shaft of Lahmi’s spear was like a beam used by weavers.

6 In another battle at Gath, there was a tall man who had twenty-four fingers and toes: six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot. He also was a descendant of Haraphah.

7 When he challenged Israel, Jonathan, son of David’s brother Shimea, killed him.

8 These men were the descendants of Haraphah from Gath. David and his men killed them.

21

1 Satan wanted to bring trouble on the people of Israel. He made David decide to take a census.

2 David gave orders to Joab and the other officers. He said: »Go through Israel, from one end of the country to the other, and count the people. I want to know how many there are.«

3 Joab answered: »May Jehovah make the people of Israel a hundred times more numerous than they are now! They are all your servants, Your Majesty. Why do you want to do this and make the whole nation guilty?«

4 But the king made Joab obey the order. Joab traveled through the whole country of Israel, and then returned to Jerusalem.

5 He reported to King David the total number of men capable of military service. There were one million one hundred thousand in Israel and four hundred seventy thousand in Judah.

6 Because Joab disapproved of the king’s command, he did not take any census of the tribes of Levi and Benjamin.

7 God was displeased with what had been done, so he punished Israel.

8 David said to God: »I have committed a terrible sin in doing this! Please forgive me. I have acted foolishly.«

9 Jehovah said to Gad, David’s prophet:

10 »Tell David that I am giving him three choices. I will do whichever he chooses.«

11 Gad went to David and told him what Jehovah said. He asked: »Which is it to be?

12 »Three years of famine? Three months of running away from the armies of your enemies? Or: three days in which Jehovah attacks you with his sword and sends an epidemic on your land. He will use his angel to bring death throughout Israel? What answer shall I give Jehovah?«

13 David replied to Gad: »I am in a desperate situation! But I do not want to be punished by the people. Let Jehovah be the one to punish me, because he is merciful.«

14 Therefore Jehovah sent an epidemic on the people of Israel, and seventy thousand of them died.

15 Then God sent an angel to destroy Jerusalem. Then he changed his mind. He said to the angel: »Stop! That is enough!« The angel was standing at the threshing place of Araunah, a Jebusite.

16 David saw the angel standing in midair, holding his sword in his hand, ready to destroy Jerusalem. Then David and the leaders of the people, all of whom were wearing sackcloth bowed low, with their faces touching the ground.

17 David prayed: »O God, I am the one who did wrong. I am the one who ordered the census. What have these poor people done? Jehovah, my God, punish my family, and me and spare your people.«

18 Jehovah’s angel told Gad to command David to go and build an altar to Jehovah at Araunah’s threshing place.

19 David obeyed Jehovah’s command and did what Gad told him to do.

20 There at the threshing place Araunah and his four sons were threshing wheat, and when they saw the angel, the sons ran and hid.

21 Araunah saw King David approaching. He left the threshing place and bowed low with his face touching the ground.

22 David said to him: »Sell me your threshing place so that I can build an altar to Jehovah, to stop the epidemic. I will give you the full price.«

23 »Take it, Your Majesty,« Araunah said, »and do whatever you wish. Here are these bulls to burn as an offering on the altar. Here are the threshing boards to use as fuel and wheat to give as an offering. I give it all to you.«

24 The king answered: »No, I will pay you the full price. I will not give as an offering to Jehovah something that belongs to you, something that costs me nothing.«

25 He paid Araunah six hundred gold coins for the threshing place.

26 David built an altar to Jehovah there and offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. He prayed, and Jehovah answered him by sending fire from heaven to burn the sacrifices on the altar.

27 Jehovah told the angel to put his sword away, and the angel obeyed.

28 David saw by this that Jehovah answered his prayer. So he offered sacrifices on the altar at Araunah’s threshing place.

29 Jehovah’s tent that Moses made in the desert and the altar for burnt offerings were at the worship site at Gibeon.

30 David could not go there to consult God because the sword of Jehovah’s angel frightened him.

22

1 David said: »The house of Jehovah God is to be here, and also the altar of burnt offering for Israel.«

2 So David gave orders to assemble the foreigners living in Israel. He appointed stonecutters from among them to prepare dressed stone for building the house of God.

3 He provided a large amount of iron to make nails for the doors of the gateways and for the fittings, and more copper than could be weighed.

4 He also provided more cedar logs than could be counted. The Sidonians and Tyrians had brought large numbers of them to David.

5 David said: »My son Solomon is young and inexperienced. The house to be built for Jehovah should be of great magnificence and fame and splendor in the sight of all the nations. Therefore I will make preparations for it. So David made extensive preparations before his death.«

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

7 David said to Solomon: »My son, I had it in my heart to build a house for the Name of Jehovah my God.

8 »The word of Jehovah came to me, saying: ‘You have shed much blood and have fought many wars. You are not to build a house for my name. This is because you have shed much blood on the earth in my sight.

9 »‘You will have a son who will be a man of peace and rest, and I will give him rest from all his enemies on every side. His name will be Solomon peace , and I will grant Israel peace and quiet during his reign.

10 »‘He is the one who will build a house for my name. He will be my son, and I will be his father. I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel for a very ong time.’«

11 »Now, my son, Jehovah is with you, and may you have success and build the house of Jehovah your God, as he said you would.

12 »May Jehovah give you discretion and understanding when he puts you in command over Israel, so that you may keep the law of Jehovah your God.

13 »You will have success if you are careful to observe the decrees and laws that Jehovah gave Moses for Israel. Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged.

14 »I have taken great pains to provide for the temple of Jehovah three thousand seven hundred and fifty tons of gold, about thirty-seven thousand five hundred tons of silver, quantities of copper and iron too great to be weighed, and wood and stone. And you may add to them.

15 »You have many workmen: stonecutters, masons and carpenters, as well as men skilled in every kind of work

16 in gold and silver, copper and iron, craftsmen beyond number. Now begin the work, and Jehovah will be with you.«

17 David ordered all the leaders of Israel to help his son Solomon.

18 He said to them: »Is not Jehovah your God with you? And has he not granted you rest on every side? For he has handed the inhabitants of the land over to me, and the land is subject to Jehovah and to his people.

19 »Devote your mind and heart to seek Jehovah your God. Begin to build the sanctuary of Jehovah God. That way you may bring the Ark of the Covenant of Jehovah and the sacred articles belonging to God into the Temple that will be built for the name of Jehovah.«

23

1 When David was old and full of years, he made his son Solomon king over Israel.

2 He also gathered all the leaders of Israel, as well as the priests and Levites.

3 The Levites thirty years old or older were counted, and the total number of men was thirty-eight thousand.

4 David said: Of these, twenty-four thousand are to supervise the work of Jehovah’s Temple and six thousand are to be officials and judges.

5 Four thousand are to be gatekeepers and four thousand are to praise Jehovah with musical instruments I have provided for that purpose.

6 David divided the Levites into groups corresponding to the sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath and Merari.

7 Belonging to the Gershonites: Ladan and Shimei.

8 The sons of Ladan: Jehiel the first, Zetham and Joel, three in all.

9 The sons of Shimei: Shelomoth, Haziel and Haran, three in all. These were the heads of the families of Ladan.

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

11 Jahath was the first and Ziza the second, but Jeush and Beriah did not have many sons so they were counted as one family with one assignment.

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

13 The sons of Amram: Aaron and Moses. Aaron was set apart, he and his descendants from generation to generation, to consecrate the most holy things, to offer sacrifices before Jehovah, to minister before him and to pronounce blessings in his name as long as they live.

14 The sons of Moses the man of God were counted as part of the tribe of Levi.

15 The sons of Moses: Gershom and Eliezer.

16 The descendants of Gershom: Shubael was the first.

17 The descendants of Eliezer: Rehabiah was the first. Eliezer had no other sons, but the sons of Rehabiah were very numerous.

18 The sons of Izhar: Shelomith was the first.

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

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

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

22 Eleazar died without having sons: he had only daughters. Their cousins, the sons of Kish, married them.

23 The sons of Mushi: Mahli, Eder and Jerimoth, three in all.

24 These were the descendants of Levi by their families, the heads of families as they were registered under their names and counted individually, that is, the workers twenty years old or more who served in the Temple of Jehovah.

25 For David had said: »Since Jehovah, the God of Israel, has granted rest to his people and has come to dwell in Jerusalem from generation to generation,

26 the Levites no longer need to carry the Tabernacle or any of the articles used in its service.«

27 According to the last instructions of David, the Levites were counted from those twenty years old or more.

28 The duty of the Levites was to help Aaron’s descendants in the service of the Temple of Jehovah: to be in charge of the courtyards, the side rooms, the purification of all sacred things and the performance of other duties at the House of God.

29 They were in charge of the bread set out on the table, the flour for the grain offerings, the unleavened wafers, the baking and the mixing, and all measurements of quantity and size.

30 They were also to stand every morning to thank and praise Jehovah. They were to do the same in the evening

31 and whenever burnt offerings were presented to Jehovah on Sabbaths and at New Moon festivals and at appointed feasts. They were to serve before Jehovah regularly in the proper number and in the way prescribed for them.

32 So the Levites carried out their responsibilities for the Tent of Meeting, for the Holy Place and, under their brothers the descendants of Aaron, for the service of the Temple of Jehovah.

24

1 The divisions of Aaron’s descendants were as follows: Aaron’s sons were Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.

2 Nadab and Abihu died before their father died, and neither had any children. So Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests.

3 David, Eleazar’s descendant Zadok, and Ithamar’s descendant Ahimelech divided Aaron’s descendants into groups for service.

4 Since Eleazar’s descendants had more men who were family heads than Ithamar’s descendants, they were divided so that Eleazar’s descendants had sixteen family leaders and Ithamar’s descendants had eight family leaders.

5 Both groups were divided impartially by drawing lots so that there were officers for the holy place and officers for God among both Eleazar’s and Ithamar’s descendants.

6 The scribe Shemaiah was a son of Nethanel and a descendant of Levi. Shemaiah recorded their names in the presence of the king, the princes, the priest Zadok, Ahimelech son of Abiathar, and the family leaders of the priests and Levites. One family was chosen for Eleazar, another for Ithamar.

7 The first lot drawn was for Jehoiarib, the second for Jedaiah,

8 the third for Harim, the fourth for Seorim,

9 the fifth for Malchiah, the sixth for Mijamin,

10 the seventh for Hakkoz, the eighth for Abijah,

11 the ninth for Jeshua, the tenth for Shecaniah,

12 the eleventh for Eliashib, the twelfth for Jakim,

13 the thirteenth for Huppah, the fourteenth for Jeshebeab,

14 the fifteenth for Bilgah, the sixteenth for Immer,

15 the seventeenth for Hezir, the eighteenth for Happizzez,

16 the nineteenth for Pethahiah, the twentieth for Jehezkel,

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

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

19 These were their priestly groups when they went to serve at Jehovah’s temple. Their ancestor Aaron made these rules for them, as Jehovah God of Israel had commanded him.

20 The following men were leaders for Levi’s descendants from Kohath: Jehdeiah for Amram’s descendants through Shubael,

21 Isshiah for Amram’s descendants through Rehabiah,

22 Jahath for Izhar’s descendants through Shelomoth,

23 Jeriah for Hebron’s descendants, Amariah the second of Hebron’s descendants, Jahaziel the third of Hebron’s descendants, Jekameam the fourth of Hebron’s descendants,

24 Shamir for Uzziel’s descendants through Micah,

25 and Zechariah for Uzziel’s descendants through Micah’s brother Isshiah.

26 The following men were leaders from Levi’s descendants from Merari: Mahli, Mushi, and Merari’s son Jaaziah,

27 Shoham, Zaccur, and Ibri for Merari’s descendants through his son Jaaziah,

28 Eleazar who had no sons, for Mahli’s descendants,

29 Jerahmeel for Mahli’s descendants through Kish,

30 Mahli, Eder, and Jerimoth for Mushi’s descendants. These were Levi’s descendants according to their families.

31 They drew lots as their relatives, Aaron’s descendants, had done. They drew them in front of King David, Zadok, Ahimelech, and the leaders of the families of the priests and Levites. The families of the oldest brother were treated the same way as those of the youngest.

25

1 David and the commanders of the army set apart 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:

2 Of the sons of Asaph: Zaccur, Joseph, Nethaniah and Asharelah the sons of Asaph under the direction of Asaph, who prophesied under the direction of the king.

3 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 Jehovah.

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

5 All these the sons of Heman the king’s seer to exalt him according to the words of God, for God gave fourteen sons and three daughters to Heman.

6 All these were under the direction of their father to sing in the house of Jehovah, with cymbals, harps and lyres, for the service of the house of God. Asaph, Jeduthun and Heman under the direction of the king.

7 Their number who were trained in singing to Jehovah, with their relatives, all who were skillful, two hundred eighty-eight.

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

9 Now the first lot came out for Asaph to Joseph, the second for Gedaliah, he with his relatives and sons were twelve.

10 the third to Zaccur, his sons and his relatives, twelve;

11 the fourth to Izri, his sons and his relatives, twelve;

12 the fifth to Nethaniah, his sons and his relatives, twelve;

13 the sixth to Bukkiah, his sons and his relatives, twelve;

14 the seventh to Jesharelah, his sons and his relatives, twelve;

15 the eighth to Jeshaiah, his sons and his relatives, twelve;

16 the ninth to Mattaniah, his sons and his relatives, twelve;

17 the tenth to Shimei, his sons and his relatives, twelve;

18 the eleventh to Azarel, his sons and his relatives, twelve;

19 the twelfth to Hashabiah, his sons and his relatives, twelve;

20 for the thirteenth, Shubael, his sons and his relatives, twelve;

21 for the fourteenth, Mattithiah, his sons and his relatives, twelve;

22 for the fifteenth to Jeremoth, his sons and his relatives, twelve;

23 for the sixteenth to Hananiah, his sons and his relatives, twelve;

24 for the seventeenth to Joshbekashah, his sons and his relatives, twelve;

25 for the eighteenth to Hanani, his sons and his relatives, twelve;

26 for the nineteenth to Mallothi, his sons and his relatives, twelve;

27 for the twentieth to Eliathah, his sons and his relatives, twelve;

28 for the twenty-first to Hothir, his sons and his relatives, twelve;

29 for the twenty-second to Giddalti, his sons and his relatives, twelve;

30 for the twenty-third to Mahazioth, his sons and his relatives, twelve;

31 for the twenty-fourth to Romamti-ezer, his sons and his relatives, twelve.

26

1 The divisions of the gatekeepers: From the Korahites: Meshelemiah son of Kore, one of the sons of Asaph.

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

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

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

5 Ammiel the sixth, Issachar the seventh and Peullethai the eighth. For God had blessed Obed-Edom.

6 His son Shemaiah also had sons, who were leaders in their father’s family because they were very capable men.

7 The sons of Shemaiah: Othni, Rephael, Obed and Elzabad; his relatives Elihu and Semakiah were also able men.

8 All these were descendants of Obed-Edom; they and their sons and their relatives were capable men with the strength to do the work, descendants of Obed-Edom, sixty-two in all.

9 Meshelemiah had sons and relatives, who were able men, eighteen in all.

10 Hosah the Merarite had sons: Shimri the first although he was not the firstborn, his father had appointed him the first,

11 Hilkiah the second, Tabaliah the third and Zechariah the fourth. The sons and relatives of Hosah were thirteen in all.

12 These divisions of the gatekeepers, through their chief men, had duties for ministering in the Temple of Jehovah, just as their relatives had.

13 Lots were cast for each gate, according to their families, young and old alike.

14 The lot for the East Gate fell to Shelemiah. Then lots were cast for his son Zechariah, a wise counselor, and the lot for the North Gate fell to him.

15 The lot for the South Gate fell to Obed-Edom, and the lot for the storehouse fell to his sons.

16 The lots for the West Gate and the Shalleketh Gate on the upper road fell to Shuppim and Hosah. Guard was alongside of guard:

17 There were six Levites a day on the east, four a day on the north, four a day on the south and two at a time at the storehouse.

18 As for the court to the west, there were four at the road and two at the court itself.

19 These were the divisions of the gatekeepers who were descendants of Korah and Merari.

20 Their fellow Levites were in charge of the treasuries of the house of God and the treasuries for the dedicated things.

21 The descendants of Ladan, who were Gershonites through Ladan and who were heads of families belonging to Ladan the Gershonite, were Jehieli,

22 the sons of Jehieli, Zetham and his brother Joel. They were in charge of the treasuries of the temple of Jehovah.

23 From the Amramites, the Izharites, the Hebronites and the Uzzielites:

24 Shubael, a descendant of Gershom son of Moses, was the officer in charge of the treasuries.

25 His relatives through Eliezer: Rehabiah his son, Jeshaiah his son, Joram his son, Zicri his son and Shelomith his son.

26 Shelomith and his relatives were in charge of all the treasuries for the things dedicated by King David, by the heads of families who were the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds, and by the other army commanders.

27 Some of the plunder taken in battle they dedicated for the repair of the Temple of Jehovah.

28 And everything dedicated by Samuel the seer and by Saul son of Kish, Abner son of Ner and Joab son of Zeruiah, and all the other dedicated things were in the care of Shelomith and his relatives.

29 From the Izharites: Kenaniah and his sons were assigned duties away from the temple, as officials and judges over Israel.

30 From the Hebronites: Hashabiah and his relatives, seventeen hundred able men, were responsible in Israel west of the Jordan for all the work of Jehovah and for the king’s service.

31 As for the Hebronites, Jeriah was their chief according to the genealogical records of their families. In the fortieth year of David’s reign a search was made in the records, and capable men among the Hebronites were found at Jazer in Gilead.

32 Jeriah had twenty-seven hundred relatives, who were able men and heads of families, and King David put them in charge of the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh for every matter pertaining to God and for the affairs of the king.

27

1 This is a list of Israelite family heads, regiment and battalion commanders, and officers who were serving the king in all the army’s units. Throughout each year they came for a month at a time and then left. Each unit consisted of twenty-four thousand men.

2 Jashobeam, son of Zabdiel, was in charge of the first unit, the one during the first month. In his unit there were twenty-four thousand.

3 He was a descendant of Perez, and he was head of all of the army’s officers for the first month.

4 Dodai, Ahoh’s descendant, was in charge of the unit during the second month. It was his unit. Mikloth was one of its leaders. In Dodai’s unit there were twenty-four thousand.

5 The third commander of the army during the third month was Benaiah, son of the priest Jehoiada. He was the head, and in his unit there were twenty-four thousand.

6 This Benaiah was one of the thirty fighting men and commander of the thirty as well as his own unit. His son was Ammizabad.

7 Asahel, Joab’s brother, was in charge of the fourth unit during the fourth month, and after him was his son Zebadiah. In his unit there were twenty-four thousand.

8 Shamhuth, Izrah’s descendant, was commander of the fifth unit during the fifth month. In his unit there were twenty-four thousand.

9 Ira, the son of Ikkesh from Tekoa, was in charge of the sixth unit during the sixth month. In his unit there were twenty-four thousand.

10 Helez, a Pelonite from the descendants of Ephraim, was in charge of the seventh unit during the seventh month. In his unit there were twenty-four thousand.

11 Sibbecai, a descendant of Zerah from Hushah, was in charge of the eighth unit during the eighth month. In his unit there were twenty-four thousand.

12 Abiezer, a member of the tribe of Benjamin from Anathoth, was in charge of the ninth unit during the ninth month. In his unit there were twenty-four thousand.

13 Mahrai, a descendant of Zerah from Netophah, was in charge of the tenth unit during the tenth month. In his unit there were twenty-four thousand.

14 Benaiah, a member of the tribe of Ephraim from Pirathon, was in charge of the eleventh unit during the eleventh month. In his unit there were twenty-four thousand.

15 During the twelfth month, the twelfth unit was commanded by Heldai from Netophah. He was Othniel’s descendant. In his unit there were twenty-four thousand.

16 The following officers were in charge of the tribes of Israel: for the tribe of Reuben- Eliezer, son of Zichri for the tribe of Simeo, Shephatiah, son of Maacah

17 for the tribe of Levi, Hashabiah, son of Kemuel for the family of Aaron, Zadok

18 for the tribe of Judah, Elihu, one of David’s brothers for the tribe of Issachar, Omri, son of Michael

19 for the tribe of Zebulun, Ishmaiah, son of Obadiah for the tribe of Naphtali, Jerimoth, son of Azriel

20 for the tribe of Ephraim, Hoshea, son of Azaziah for half of the tribe of Manasseh, Joel, son of Pedaiah

21 for the half of Manasseh in Gilead, Iddo, son of Zechariah for the tribe of Benjamin- Jaasiel, son of Abner

22 for the tribe of Dan, Azarel, son of Jeroham These were the commanders of Israel’s tribes.

23 David did not count those less than twenty years old, because Jehovah promised that the people of Israel would be as numerous as the stars in the sky.

24 Joab, son of Zeruiah, started to count them but did not finish. God was angry with Israel because of this, and the report from it was never included in the official records of King David.

25 These were all the commanders in charge of King David’s property: for the royal treasuries, Azmaveth, son of Adiel for the goods in the fields, cities, villages, and watchtowers- Jonathan, son of Uzziah

26 for the farm workers in the fields, Ezri, son of Chelub

27 for the vineyards, Shimei from Ramah for storing wine that came from the vineyards- Zabdi from Shepham

28 for the olive and fig trees in the foothills, Baal Hanan from Gedor for storing olive oil- Joash

29 for the herds grazing in Sharon, Shitrai from Sharon for the herds in the valleys- Shaphat, son of Adlai

30 for the camels, Obil, a descendant of Ishmael for the donkeys, Jehdeiah from Meronoth

31 for the flocks, Jaziz from Hagar

32 David’s uncle Jonathan, an educated man who possessed insight, was David’s adviser. Jonathan and Jehiel, son of Hachmoni, were in charge of the king’s sons.

33 Ahithophel was the king’s adviser. Hushai, a descendant of Archi, was the king’s friend.

34 Jehoiada son of Benaiah and Abiathar succeeded Ahithophel. Joab was the commander of the royal army.

28

1 David held a meeting in Jerusalem for all the leaders of Israel, the leaders of the tribes, the leaders of the army units that served the king, the commanders of regiments and battalions, the officials in charge of all the property and livestock belonging to the king and his sons, the palace officials, the soldiers, and the fighting men.

2 King David stood there and said: »Listen to me relatives brothers and sisters and subjects. I had my heart set on building the Temple where the Ark of Jehovah’s Covenant could be placed. This Temple will be a stool for our God’s feet, and I have made preparations to build it.«

3 »However God told me: ‘You must not build the Temple for my name because you have fought wars and caused bloodshed.’«

4 »Yet, from my entire family Jehovah God of Israel chose me to be king of Israel for as long as I live. He had chosen the tribe of Judah to lead Israel. From the families of Judah he chose my father’s family. From among my father’s sons he was pleased to make me king over all Israel.

5 »Of all my sons, for Jehovah has given me many sons, he has chosen my son Solomon to sit on the throne of Jehovah’s kingdom to rule Israel.

6 »He told me: ‘Your son Solomon will build my Temple and my courtyards because I have chosen him to be my son. I will be his father.

7 »‘I will establish his kingdom for a very long time if he will remain determined to obey my commands and laws, as he is doing today.’«

8 »I order you in the sight of Israel, Jehovah’s congregation. And as our God listens dedicate your lives to doing everything Jehovah your God has commanded. Then you will be able to possess this good land and leave it as an inheritance for your descendants.

9 »You my son Solomon, learn to know your father’s God. Serve Jehovah wholeheartedly and willingly because he searches every heart and understands every thought we have. If you dedicate your life to serving him, he will accept you. On the other hand if you abandon him, he will reject you from then on.

10 »So be careful, because Jehovah has chosen you to build the Temple as his holy place. Be strong, and do it.«

11 Then David gave his son Solomon the plans for the entrance hall and the Temple, the storerooms, upper rooms, inner rooms, and the room for the throne of mercy.

12 He gave him plans for the courtyards of Jehovah’s Temple and for all the rooms around it. These rooms served as treasuries for God’s Temple and the gifts dedicated to God.

13 He determined the divisions of the priests and Levites. He planned all the work done for worship in Jehovah’s Temple. He designed all the utensils for worship in Jehovah’s Temple.

14 David specified the weight of gold to be used for each of the utensils for worship,

15 the weight of the gold lamp stands and their gold lamps that is, the weight of gold for each lamp stand and its lamps, the weight of silver for each silver lamp stand and its lamps according to the use of each lamp stand for worship,

16 the weight of gold for each table with the rows of bread, and the silver for the silver tables,

17 the pure gold for the forks, bowls, and pitchers, the weight of each gold bowl, the weight of each silver bowl,

18 and the refined gold for the altar of incense. He also gave Solomon the plans for the chariot, that is, the gold angels with their wings spread to cover the Ark of Jehovah’s Covenant.

19 David said: »All this was written for me by Jehovah’s hand. He made all the details of the plan clear to me.«

20 David also told his son Solomon: Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do no be afraid or terrified. Jehovah God, my God, will be with you. He will not abandon you until all the work on Jehovah’s Temple is finished.

21 Here are the divisions of the priests and Levites for every type of worship in God’s Temple. You have with you every skilled worker to do the work. In addition, all the leaders and people are at your command.

29

1 King David announced to the entire assembly: »God has chosen my son Solomon. He is however young and lacks experience. The work to be done is enormous, because this is not a palace for people but a Temple for Jehovah God.

2 »I have made every effort to prepare materials for the Temple: gold, silver, bronze, iron, timber, precious stones and gems, stones for mosaics, and quantities of marble.

3 »Over and above all this that I have provided, I have given silver and gold from my personal property because of my love for God’s Temple.

4 »I have given one hundred and fifteen tons of the finest gold and two hundred and sixty five tons of pure silver for decorating the walls of the Temple

5 and for all the objects which the skilled workers are to make. Now who else is willing to give a generous offering to Jehovah?«

6 Then the heads of the clans, the officials of the tribes, the commanders of the army, and the administrators of the royal property volunteered to give.

7 They gave the following for the work on the Temple: one hundred and ninety tons of gold, three hundred and eighty tons of silver, six hundred and seventy five tons of bronze, and three thousand seven hundred and fifty tons of iron.

8 Those who had precious stones gave them to the Temple treasury, which was administered by Jehiel of the Levite clan of Gershon.

9 The people gave willingly to Jehovah and were happy that so much had been given. King David also was extremely happy.

10 »There in front of the whole assembly King David praised Jehovah. He said: Jehovah, God of our father ancester Israel. May you be praised forever and ever!

11 »You are great and powerful, glorious, splendid, and majestic. Everything in heaven and earth is yours, and you, O Jehovah, are king, supreme ruler over all.

12 »All riches and wealth come from you. You rule everything by your strength and power. You are able to make anyone great and strong.

13 »Now, our God, we give you thanks, and we praise your glorious name.

14 »Yet my people and I cannot really give you anything. This is because everything is a gift from you, and we have only given back what is yours already.

15 »You know, O Jehovah that we pass through life like exiles and strangers, as our ancestors did. Our days are like a passing shadow, and we cannot escape death.

16 »O Jehovah, our God, we have brought together all this wealth to build a Temple to honor your holy name. It all came from you and all belongs to you.

17 »I well know, O my God, that you test everyone’s heart and are pleased with people of integrity. In honesty and sincerity I have willingly given all this to you. I have seen how your people who are gathered here have been happy to bring offerings to you.

18 »Jehovah, God of our ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, keep such devotion always strong in your people’s hearts and keep them always faithful to you.

19 »Give my son Solomon a wholehearted desire to obey everything that you command and to build the Temple for which I have made these preparations.«

20 Then David commanded the people: Praise Jehovah your God! The entire assembly praised Jehovah, the God of their ancestors. They bowed low and gave honor to Jehovah and also to the king.

21 The following day they killed animals as sacrifices, dedicating them to Jehovah. Then they gave them to the people to eat. In addition, they sacrificed a thousand bulls, a thousand rams, and a thousand lambs, which they burned whole on the altar. They also brought the offerings of wine.

22 That day they were very happy as they ate and drank in the presence of Jehovah. For a second time they proclaimed Solomon king. In the name of Jehovah they anointed him as their ruler and Zadok as priest.

23 So Solomon succeeded his father David on the throne Jehovah had established. He was a successful king, and the whole nation of Israel obeyed him.

24 All the officials and soldiers, and even all of David’s other sons, promised to be loyal to Solomon as king.

25 Jehovah made the whole nation stand in awe of Solomon. He made him more glorious than any other king that had ruled Israel.

26 David son of Jesse ruled over all Israel

27 for forty years. He ruled in Hebron for seven years and in Jerusalem for thirty-three.

28 He died at a very old age, wealthy and respected, and his son Solomon succeeded him as king.

29 The history of King David from beginning to end is recorded in the records of the three prophets, Samuel, Nathan, and Gad.

30 The records tell how he ruled, how powerful he was, and all the things that happened to him, to Israel, and to the surrounding kingdoms.