Bible in 90 Days

10 Now the P’lishtim pressed their attack on Isra’el; and the men of Isra’el fled before the P’lishtim, leaving their dead on Mount Gilboa. ² The P’lishtim pursued Sha’ul; overtook him and his sons; and the P’lishtim killed Y’honatan, Avinadav and Malkishua, the sons of Sha’ul. ³ The fighting went hard against Sha’ul; then the archers overtook and wounded him, so that he was in agony. ⁴ Sha’ul said to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword and run me through with it. Otherwise, these uncircumcised men will come and make sport of me.” But his armor-bearer refused; he was too frightened. So Sha’ul took his sword and fell on it. ⁵ When his armor-bearer saw that Sha’ul was dead, he too fell on his own sword and died. ⁶ Thus Sha’ul, his three sons and all his household died together.

⁷ When all the men of Isra’el who were in the valley saw them fleeing and that Sha’ul and his sons were dead, they abandoned their cities and fled; then the P’lishtim came and lived in them.

⁸ The following day, when the P’lishtim came to strip the dead, they found Sha’ul and his sons lying dead on Mount Gilboa. ⁹ They stripped him, then took his head and his armor and sent them all over the territory of the P’lishtim to carry the news to their idols and to the people. ¹⁰ They put his armor in the temple of their gods and fastened his skull to the temple of Dagon. ¹¹ When everyone in Yavesh-Gil‘ad heard all that the P’lishtim had done to Sha’ul, ¹² all their warriors set out, took away the body of Sha’ul and the bodies of his sons, brought them to Yavesh, buried their bones under the pistachio tree in Yavesh and fasted seven days.

¹³ So Sha’ul died for the transgression he committed against Adonai, because of the word of Adonai that he did not keep and because he sought the counsel of a spirit ¹⁴ instead of consulting Adonai. Therefore Adonai put him to death and turned the rulership over to David the son of Yishai.

11 Then all Isra’el gathered themselves to David in Hevron and said, “Here, we are your own flesh and bone. ² In the past, even when Sha’ul was king, it was you who led Isra’el’s military campaigns; and Adonai your God said to you, ‘You will shepherd my people Isra’el, and you will be chief over my people Isra’el.’” ³ So all the leaders of Isra’el came to the king in Hevron; and David made a covenant with them in Hevron in the presence of Adonai. Then they anointed David king over Isra’el, as Adonai had said through Sh’mu’el.

⁴ David and all Isra’el went to Yerushalayim, also known as Y’vus; and the Y’vusi, the inhabitants of that region, were there. ⁵ The inhabitants of Y’vus taunted David by saying, “You won’t get in here!” Nevertheless, David captured the stronghold of Tziyon, also known now as the City of David. ⁶ David said, “Whoever attacks the Y’vusi first will be commander-in-chief.” Yo’av the son of Tz’ruyah attacked first and was made commander.

⁷ David lived in the stronghold; therefore they called it the City of David. ⁸ David built up the city around it, starting at the Millo [earth rampart] and going on around; while Yo’av repaired the rest of the city. ⁹ David grew greater and greater, because Adonai-Tzva’ot was with him.

¹⁰ These are David’s chief warriors, who, under his rulership, joined forces with him and with all Isra’el to make him king, as Adonai had said concerning Isra’el; ¹¹ here is the list of David’s warrior-heroes:

Yashov‘am son of a Hakhmoni, the chief officer; he is the one who raised his spear against 300 men and killed them in a single encounter.

¹² After him was El‘azar the son of Dodo the Achochi, one of the three warriors. ¹³ He was with David at Pas-Damim, where the P’lishtim had assembled for battle. There was a plot of ground full of barley; and when the people fled from the P’lishtim, ¹⁴ they stood in the middle of the plot and defended it, killing the P’lishtim; and Adonai saved them with a great victory.

¹⁵ Three of the thirty leaders went down to the rock and came to David during harvest season at the cave of ‘Adulam when the army of the P’lishtim had set up camp in the Refa’im Valley. ¹⁶ At that time David was in the fortress, and the garrison of the P’lishtim was in Beit-Lechem. ¹⁷ David had a craving and said, “I wish someone could give me water to drink from the well by the gate of Beit-Lechem!” ¹⁸ The three broke through the army of the P’lishtim, drew water from the well by the gate of Beit-Lechem, took it and brought it to David. But David would not drink it; instead, he poured it out to Adonai ¹⁹ and said, “My God forbid that I should do such a thing! Am I to drink the blood of these men who went and put their lives in jeopardy? They risked their lives to bring it!” — and he would not consent to drink it. These are the things the three warrior-heroes did.

²⁰ Avishai the brother of Yo’av was chief of these three. He raised his spear against 300 men and killed them; thus he had a reputation even among the three. ²¹ Of the three in the second rank he had the most honor and was therefore made their leader; however, he did not achieve the status of the first three.

²² B’nayah the son of Y’hoyada, the son of a valiant man of Kavtze’el, was a man of many exploits. He struck down two lion-hearted men of Mo’av. One day when it was snowing, he went down into a pit and killed a lion. ²³ Here is how he killed an Egyptian, a man who was very tall, seven-and-a-half feet: the Egyptian had a spear in his hand the size of a weaver’s beam; he went down to him with only a stick, seized the spear from the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with his own spear. ²⁴ These are things that B’nayah the son of Y’hoyada did that earned him a name among the three warrior-heroes. ²⁵ He had more honor than the thirty, but he did not achieve the status of the first three. David put him in command of his personal guard.

²⁶ There were also these warrior-heroes:

12 Following are the men who joined David at Ziklag while he was still being kept away from Sha’ul the son of Kish; they were among the warriors who helped him fight his battles. ² They were archers who could use either hand to sling stones or shoot arrows from a bow; they were Sha’ul’s kinsmen from Binyamin. ³ Their leader was Achi‘ezer, then Yo’ash, the sons of Sh’ma‘ah the Giv‘ati, Y’zi’el, Pelet, the sons of ‘Azmavet, B’rakhah, Yehu from ‘Anatot, ⁴ Yishma‘yah the Giv‘oni, one of the strongest of the thirty and commander of the thirty, ^5 (4b) Yirmeyah, Yachzi’el, Yochanan, Yozavad from G’derah, ^6 (5) El‘uzai, Yerimot, B‘alyah, Sh’maryah, Sh’fatyah the Harufi, ^7 (6) Elkanah, Yishiyahu, ‘Azar’el, Yo‘ezer, Yashov‘am the Korchi, ^8 (7) and Yo‘elah and Z’vadyah the sons of Yerocham from G’dor.

^9 (8) From the Gadi a number of strong, brave, trained fighting men defected to David at the fortress in the desert. They could handle shield and spear, they were as fierce as lions, and they were as fast as deer on the hills: ^10 (9) ‘Ezer was the leader, ‘Ovadyah was second, Eli’av third, ^11 (10) Mishmanah fourth, Yirmeyah fifth, ^12 (11) ‘Atai sixth, Eli’el seventh, ^13 (12) Yochanan eighth, Elzavad ninth, ^14 (13) Yirmeyah tenth, and Makhbanai eleventh. ^15 (14) These descendants of Gad were army commanders; the least of them was worth a hundred, and the greatest worth a thousand. ^16 (15) These are the men who crossed the Yarden during the first month, when it had overflowed all its banks, and drove out all those who lived in the valleys, both to the east and to the west.

^17 (16) From the descendants of Binyamin and Y’hudah a number came to David at the fortress. ^18 (17) When David went out to meet them, he said, “If you are coming to me in peace to help me, my heart will be bonded to yours. But if you are coming to betray me to my enemies, then, since I have done nothing wrong, may the God of our fathers see it and judge.” ^19 (18) Then the Spirit covered ‘Amasai the chief commander, and he said:

David welcomed them and made them senior officers.

^20 (19) From M’nasheh some defected to David when he was about to go with the P’lishtim to fight against Sha’ul; but they ended up not helping them; because the rulers of the P’lishtim, after consultation, sent David away, saying, “He will defect to his master Sha’ul at the cost of our heads.” ^21 (20) As he was on his way to Ziklag, those who defected to him from M’nasheh included ‘Adnach, Yozavad, Y’dia‘el, Mikha’el, Yozavad, Elihu and Tziltai, commanders of thousands from M’nasheh. ^22 (21) They helped David against the raiding band, for they were all strong, brave men who were commanders in the army.

^23 (22) Indeed, reinforcements to assist David reached him daily, until there was a great army, like the army of God. ^24 (23) Following are the numbers of those who came armed for war to David in Hevron, in order to transfer to him the kingdom of Sha’ul, according to what Adonai had said.

^25 (24) The descendants of Y’hudah bearing shields and spears numbered 6,800, armed for war.

^26 (25) Of the descendants of Shim‘on, strong, brave men for war, there were 7,100.

^27 (26) Of the descendants of Levi, there were 4,600. ^28 (27) Y’hoyada was the leader of the house of Aharon, and with him were 3,700; ^29 (28) also Tzadok, a young man, strong and brave, with twenty-two commanders from his father’s family.

^30 (29) Of the descendants of Binyamin the kinsmen of Sha’ul, there were 3,000; for up until then, the majority of them had remained loyal to the house of Sha’ul.

^31 (30) Of the descendants of Efrayim, there were 20,800 strong, brave men, well known in their fathers’ families.

^32 (31) Of the half-tribe of M’nasheh, 18,000 were designated by name to come and make David king.

^33 (32) Of the descendants of Yissakhar, men who understood the times and knew what Isra’el ought to do, there were 200 leaders, and all their kinsmen were under their command.

^34 (33) Of Z’vulun, 50,000 men were fit for military service, experienced in war and able to use all kinds of weapons; they were brave, and none was doubleminded.

^35 (34) Of Naftali, there were 1,000 officers, and with them 37,000 troops having shields and spears.

^36 (35) Of Dan, 28,600 were experienced in war.

^37 (36) Of Asher, 40,000 men were fit for military service and experienced in war.

^38 (37) On the other side of the Yarden, from the Re’uveni, the Gadi and the half-tribe of M’nasheh, there were 120,000 with all kinds of weapons for battle.

^39 (38) All these soldiers who were experienced in war came to Hevron wholeheartedly to make David king over all Isra’el, and all the rest from Isra’el were single-hearted in wanting to make David king. ^40 (39) They remained there with David for three days, eating and drinking, for their kinsmen had prepared for them. ^41 (40) Moreover, those who were near them — and even those as far as Yissakhar, Z’vulun and Naftali — brought food on donkeys, camels, mules and oxen: baked goods, fig cakes, clusters of raisins, wine, oil, and oxen and sheep in abundance; for there was joy in Isra’el.

13 David consulted with the commanders of thousands and of hundreds — with every leader. ² Then David said to the entire assembly of Isra’el, “If it seems good to you, and if it is the will of Adonai our God, let’s send messengers to the rest of our kinsmen in the land of Isra’el, and also to the cohanim and L’vi’im in their cities with surrounding open land, asking them to join us; ³ and let’s bring back the ark of our God to ourselves, since we didn’t go after it when Sha’ul was king.” ⁴ The whole assembly said they would do this, for in the view of all the people it seemed right.

⁵ So David summoned all Isra’el to come together, from Shichor in Egypt all the way to the entrance of Hamat, to bring the ark of God from Kiryat-Ye‘arim. ⁶ David went up with all Isra’el to Ba‘alah, that is, Kiryat-Ye‘arim, which belonged to Y’hudah, to bring up from there the ark of God, Adonai, who is enthroned above the k’ruvim, bearing the Name. ⁷ They set the ark of God on a new cart from the house of Avinadav, with ‘Uza and Achyo, the sons of Avinadav, driving the cart. ⁸ David and all Isra’el celebrated in the presence of God with all their strength, with songs, lyres, lutes, tambourines, cymbals and trumpets.

⁹ When they arrived at Kidon’s threshing-floor, the oxen stumbled; and ‘Uza put out his hand to steady the ark. ¹⁰ But Adonai’s anger blazed up against ‘Uza, and he struck him down, because he had put out his hand and touched the ark, so that he died there before God. ¹¹ It upset David that Adonai had broken out against ‘Uza; that place has been called Peretz-‘Uza [breaking-out of ‘Uza] ever since. ¹² That day, God frightened David; he asked, “How can I bring the ark of God to me?” ¹³ So David didn’t bring the ark into the City of David; rather, David carried it aside into the house of ‘Oved-’Edom the Gitti. ¹⁴ The ark of God stayed with the family of ‘Oved-’Edom the Gitti in his house for three months; and Adonai blessed the household of ‘Oved-’Edom and all he had.

14 Huram king of Tzor sent envoys to David with cedar logs, and with them stonemasons and carpenters, to build him a palace. ² David then knew that Adonai had set him up as king over Isra’el; because, for the sake of his people Isra’el, his royal power had been greatly increased.

³ David took more concubines and wives in Yerushalayim, and David became father of more sons and daughters. ⁴ Here are the names of the children born to him in Yerushalayim: Shamua, Shovav, Natan, Shlomo, ⁵ Yivchar, Elishua, Elpelet, ⁶ Nogah, Nefeg, Yafia, ⁷ Elishama, Be‘elyada and Elifelet.

⁸ When the P’lishtim heard that David had been anointed king over all Isra’el, all the P’lishtim went up in search of David. On hearing of it, David went to attack them. ⁹ Now the P’lishtim came and made a raid in the Refa’im Valley. ¹⁰ David consulted God, asking, “Should I attack the P’lishtim? Will you hand them over to me?” Adonai answered David, “Attack; I will hand them over to you.” ¹¹ So they went up to Ba‘al-P’ratzim, and David defeated them there. David said, “God has broken through my enemies by my power like a river breaking through its banks.” This is why they called the place Ba‘al-P’ratzim [Lord of breaking through]. ¹² The P’lishtim had left their gods there, so David gave an order, and they were burned up completely.

¹³ The P’lishtim came up again and raided the valley. ¹⁴ David consulted God again, but God told him, “Don’t attack them! Turn away from them, and engage them opposite the balsam trees. ¹⁵ When you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, move out, and attack; because God has gone out ahead of you to defeat the army of the P’lishtim.” ¹⁶ David did as God had ordered him to do and pursued his attack on the army of the P’lishtim from Giv‘on to Gezer.

¹⁷ So David’s reputation spread to all countries, and Adonai brought the fear of him on all nations.

15 David erected buildings for himself in the City of David, prepared a place for the ark of God, and set up a tent for it. ² Then David said, “No one but the L’vi’im should carry the ark of God, because Adonai chose them to carry the ark of Adonai and to serve him forever.”

³ David assembled all Isra’el in Yerushalayim to bring the ark of Adonai up to its place, which he had prepared for it. ⁴ David gathered together the descendants of Aharon and the L’vi’im: ⁵ from the descendants of K’hat: Uri’el the chief, and 120 of his kinsmen; ⁶ from the descendants of M’rari: ‘Asayah the chief, and 220 of his kinsmen; ⁷ from the descendants of Gershom: Yo’el the chief, and 130 of his kinsmen; ⁸ from the descendants of Elitzafan: Sh’ma‘yah the chief, and 200 of his kinsmen; ⁹ from the descendants of Hevron: Eli’el the chief, and eighty of his kinsmen; ¹⁰ and from the descendants of ‘Uzi’el: ‘Amminadav the chief, and 112 of his kinsmen.

¹¹ David called for Tzadok and Evyatar the cohanim and for the L’vi’im — Uri’el, ‘Asayah, Yo’el, Sh’ma‘yah, Eli’el and ‘Amminadav — ¹² and said to them, “You are the clan leaders of the L’vi’im. Consecrate yourselves, both you and your kinsmen, to bring the ark of Adonai the God of Isra’el up to the place I have prepared for it. ¹³ It’s because you weren’t there the first time that Adonai our God broke out against us. We didn’t seek him out according to the rule.” ¹⁴ So the cohanim and L’vi’im consecrated themselves to bring up the ark of Adonai the God of Isra’el; ¹⁵ and the L’vi’im carried the ark of God on their shoulders with the poles on it, as Moshe had ordered, according to what Adonai had said.

¹⁶ David spoke to the chief of the L’vi’im to appoint their kinsmen to be singers making use of musical instruments — lutes, lyres and cymbals — to play loudly and raise sounds of joy. ¹⁷ So the L’vi’im appointed Heman the son of Yo’el; of his kinsmen, Asaf the son of Berekhyahu; of the descendants of M’rari their kinsmen, Eitan the son of Kushayahu; ¹⁸ and with them their second-degree kinsmen Z’kharyahu, Ben, Ya‘azi’el, Sh’miramot, Yechi’el, ‘Uni, Eli’av, B’nayahu, Ma‘aseiyahu, Mattityahu, Elif’lehu, Mikneyahu, with ‘Oved-Edom and Ye‘i’el the gatekeepers. ¹⁹ The singers Heman, Asaf and Eitan were appointed to sound the bronze cymbals. ²⁰ Z’kharyahu, ‘Azi’el, Sh’miramot, Yechi’el, ‘Uni, Eli’av, Ma‘aseiyahu and B’nayahu were to play the lutes for ‘alamot [high-pitched music?]. ²¹ Mattityahu, Elif’lehu, Mikneyahu, ’Oved-Edom, Ye‘i’el and ‘Azazyahu were to play lyres to lead the sh’minit [low-pitched music?]. ²² K’nanyahu, chief of the L’vi’im, was in charge of the singing; he was put in charge of the singing because he was skillful at it. ²³ Berekhyahu and Elkanah were gatekeepers for the ark. ²⁴ Sh’vanyahu, Yoshafat, N’tan’el, ‘Amasai, Z’kharyahu, B’nayahu and Eli‘ezer the cohanim blew the trumpets in front of the ark of God. ‘Oved-Edom and Yechiyah were gatekeepers for the ark.

²⁵ So David, the leaders of Isra’el and the commanders over thousands went to bring up the ark for the covenant of Adonai out from the house of ‘Oved-Edom with joy. ²⁶ Since God was helping the L’vi’im who were carrying the ark for the covenant of Adonai, they sacrificed seven young bulls and seven rams. ²⁷ David, all the L’vi’im bearing the ark, the singers and K’nanyah the music leader for the singers were all wearing linen cloaks; and David was also wearing a linen ritual vest. ²⁸ So all Isra’el brought up the ark for the covenant of Adonai with shouting; blowing on shofars and trumpets; and cymbals sounding with lutes and lyres. ²⁹ As the ark for the covenant of Adonai entered the City of David, Mikhal the daughter of Sha’ul, watching from the window, saw King David dancing and celebrating; and she was filled with contempt for him.

16 They brought the ark of God in and put it in the tent that David had set up for it; and they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before God. ² When David had finished offering the burnt offering and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of Adonai. ³ Then he distributed to everyone in Isra’el, to everyone there, both men and women, a loaf of bread, a portion of meat and a raisin cake.

⁴ He appointed certain L’vi’im to serve in front of the ark of Adonai, to celebrate, and to thank and praise Adonai the God of Isra’el: ⁵ Asaf, the leader; assisting him, Z’kharyah; then Ye‘i’el, Sh’miramot, Yechi’el, Mattityahu, Eli’av, B’nayahu, ‘Oved-Edom and Ye‘i’el playing lutes and lyres, while Asaf played cymbals. ⁶ B’nayah and Yachzi’el the cohanim blew the trumpets continually before the ark for the covenant of God. ⁷ It was on that same day that David first ordered that thanks be given to Adonai through Asaf and his kinsmen:

All the people said, “Amen!” and praised Adonai.

³⁷ So, there before the ark for the covenant of Adonai, David left Asaf and his kinsmen to perform the service regularly before the ark, as each day’s work required; ³⁸ also ‘Oved-Edom with their kinsmen, sixty-eight of them — ‘Oved-Edom the son of Y’dutun and Hosah were gatekeepers.

³⁹ He left Tzadok the cohen with his kinsmen before the tabernacle of Adonai at the high place in Giv‘on ⁴⁰ to offer burnt offerings to Adonai every morning and evening on the altar for burnt offerings, according to everything written in the Torah of Adonai, which he gave to Isra’el. ⁴¹ With them were Heman and Y’dutun and the rest who were chosen and assigned by name to give thanks to Adonai, because his grace continues forever. ⁴² With them were Heman and Y’dutun to play trumpets and cymbals, also instruments for the songs about God; while the sons of Y’dutun were assigned to the gate.

⁴³ Then the people all left for their homes, and David returned to bless his household.

17 After David had been living in his palace awhile, he said to Natan the prophet, “Here, I’m living in a cedar-wood palace; but the ark for the covenant of Adonai is kept under a tent!” ² Natan said to David, “Go, do everything that is in your heart, for God is with you.”

³ But that same night the word of God came to Natan: ⁴ “Go, and tell David my servant that this is what Adonai says: ‘You are not to build me a house to live in, ⁵ because from the day I brought up Isra’el until today, I never lived in a house; rather, I’ve gone from tent to tent and from one tabernacle to another. ⁶ Everywhere I traveled with all Isra’el, did I ever speak a word to any of the judges of Isra’el, whom I ordered to shepherd my people Isra’el, asking, “Why haven’t you built me a cedar-wood house?”’

⁷ “Therefore say to my servant David that this is what Adonai-Tzva’ot says: ‘I took you from the sheep-yards, from following the sheep, to make you chief over my people Isra’el. ⁸ I have been with you wherever you went, I have destroyed all your enemies ahead of you; and I am making your reputation like the reputations of the greatest people on earth. ⁹ I will assign a place to my people Isra’el; I will plant them there, so that they can live in their own place without being disturbed any more. The wicked will no longer devastate them, as they did at the beginning, ¹⁰ and as they did from the time I ordered judges to be over my people Isra’el; instead, I will subdue all your enemies.

“‘Moreover, I tell you that Adonai will make you a house. ¹¹ When your days come to an end and you go to be with your ancestors, I will establish one of your descendants to succeed you, one of your own sons; and I will set up his rulership. ¹² He will build me a house, and I will establish his throne forever. ¹³ I will be a father for him, and he will be a son for me; I will not take my grace away from him, as I took it away from your predecessor. ¹⁴ Rather, I will maintain him in my house and in my kingdom forever; and his throne will be set up forever.’” ¹⁵ Natan told David all of these words and described this entire vision.

¹⁶ Then David went in, sat before Adonai and said, “Who am I, Adonai, God, and what is my family, that has caused you to bring me this far? ¹⁷ Yet in your view, God, even this was but a small thing; so you have said that your servant’s dynasty will continue on into the distant future. You have regarded me, Adonai, God, as a man of high rank. ¹⁸ What more can David say to you about the honor you are bestowing on your servant? For you know your servant intimately. ¹⁹ Adonai, it is for your servant’s sake and in accordance with your own heart that you have done all this greatness and revealed all these great things. ²⁰ Adonai, there is no one like you, and there is no God besides you — everything we have heard confirms that. ²¹ Who can be compared with your people Isra’el? What other nation on earth did God set out to redeem and turn into a people for himself? You made yourself a reputation by doing great and terrifying things, as you drove out the nations from before your people, whom you redeemed from Egypt. ²² For you made your people Isra’el your people forever; and you, Adonai, became their God. ²³ So now, Adonai, let the word that you spoke concerning your servant and his house be confirmed forever; do what you have promised. ²⁴ May your name be confirmed and magnified forever; so that it will be said, ‘Adonai-Tzva’ot is the God of Isra’el and the God for Isra’el, and the dynasty of David your servant will be set up in your presence.’ ²⁵ For you, my God, have disclosed to your servant that you will build him a house. This is why your servant has the courage to pray to you. ²⁶ Now, Adonai, you are God; and you have made this wonderful promise to your servant; ²⁷ and now it has pleased you to bless the family of your servant and thereby cause it to continue forever in your presence. For you, Adonai, have blessed, and it is blessed forever.”

18 Some time afterwards, David attacked the P’lishtim and subdued them; David took Gat and its villages out of the hands of the P’lishtim. ² He also defeated Mo’av, so that the people of Mo’av became subjects of David and paid tribute.

³ David, on his way to establish his dominion as far as the Euphrates River, also defeated Hadar‘ezer king of Tzovah near Hamat. ⁴ David captured 1,000 chariots, 7,000 horsemen and 20,000 foot soldiers. He reserved enough horses for 100 chariots and disabled the rest. ⁵ When the people of Aram from Dammesek came to the aid of Hadar‘ezer king of Tzovah, David killed 22,000 men of Aram. ⁶ Then David put [garrisons] among the people of Aram in Dammesek; Aram became subject to David and paid tribute. Adonai gave victory to David wherever he went.

⁷ David took the gold shields which Hadar‘ezer’s servants were wearing and brought them to Yerushalayim. ⁸ From Tivchat and Kun, cities of Hadar‘ezer, King David took a great quantity of bronze, which Shlomo used to make the bronze “Sea,” the columns and various bronze articles.

⁹ When To‘u king of Hamat heard that David had defeated the entire army of Hadar‘ezer king of Tzovah, ¹⁰ he sent Hadoram his son to King David to greet and congratulate him on fighting and defeating Hadar‘ezer — for Hadar‘ezer had been at war with To‘u — and [he sent] all kinds of articles made of silver, gold and bronze, ¹¹ which King David dedicated to Adonai, along with the silver and gold that he had carried off from all the nations — from Edom, Mo’av, the people of ‘Amon, the P’lishtim and ‘Amalek. ¹² Moreover, Avishai the son of Tz’ruyah killed 18,000 men from Edom in the Salt Valley. ¹³ David stationed garrisons in Edom, and all the people of Edom became subject to him. Adonai gave victory to David wherever he went.

¹⁴ David ruled over all Isra’el; he administered law and justice for all his people. ¹⁵ Yo’av the son of Tz’ruyah was commander of the army, Y’hoshafat the son of Achilud was chief adviser, ¹⁶ Tzadok the son of Achituv and Avimelekh the son of Evyatar were cohanim, Shavsha was secretary, ¹⁷ B’nayahu the son of Y’hoyada was in charge of the K’reti and P’leti [serving as the king’s bodyguards], and David’s sons were the king’s chief personal advisers.

19 Some time later, when Nachash the king of the people of ‘Amon died, his son became king in his place. ² David said, “I will be kind to Hanun the son of Nachash, because his father showed grace to me.” So David sent messengers to comfort him about his father.

David’s servants entered the territory of the people of ‘Amon to go to Hanun and comfort him; ³ but the leaders of the people of ‘Amon said to Hanun, “Do you really think David is honoring your father by sending people to comfort you? Haven’t his servants come to you in order to look the city over, overthrow it and reconnoiter the land?” ⁴ So Hanun took David’s servants, shaved them, cut off their clothes halfway up, at their hips, and then sent them away. ⁵ Some people reported to David how the men had been treated. He sent a delegation to meet them, because the men had been deeply humiliated. The king said, “Stay in Yericho until your beards have grown back, and then return.”

⁶ Aware that they had made themselves utterly abhorrent to David, Hanun and the people of ‘Amon sent thirty-three tons of silver to hire chariots and horsemen from Aram-Naharayim, Aram-Ma‘akhah and Tzovah. ⁷ They hired 32,000 chariots, as well as the king of Ma‘akhah with his people, who came and pitched their camp in front of Meidva. Then the people of ‘Amon assembled themselves from their cities and went out to fight. ⁸ When David heard of it, he sent Yo’av with his entire army of trained soldiers.

⁹ The army of ‘Amon came out and went into battle formation at the city gate, while the kings who had come were alone in the countryside. ¹⁰ When Yo’av saw that he would be fighting on two fronts, ahead and behind, he chose the best troops of Isra’el to deploy against Aram; ¹¹ while the rest of the army he put under the command of Avishai his brother to deploy against the army of ‘Amon. ¹² He said, “If Aram is too strong for me, you help me; but if the army of ‘Amon is too strong for you, then I will help you. ¹³ Take courage, and let’s be strong for the sake of our people and the cities of our God. May Adonai do what seems good to him.”

¹⁴ So Yo’av and the people with him went to engage Aram in battle, and they fled before him. ¹⁵ When the people of ‘Amon saw that Aram had fled, they likewise fled before Avishai his brother and retreated into the city. Then Yo’av went to Yerushalayim.

¹⁶ When Aram saw that Isra’el had gotten the better of them, they sent messengers and brought out the people of Aram who lived beyond the [Euphrates] River, with Shofakh the commander of Hadar‘ezer’s army at their head. ¹⁷ It was reported to David; so he gathered all Isra’el together and crossed the Yarden to engage them. David deployed his forces for battle against Aram; and after he had done so, fought them. ¹⁸ But Aram fled before Isra’el; David killed 7,000 chariot-drivers and 40,000 foot soldiers from Aram; and he killed Shofakh the commander of the army. ¹⁹ When all Hadar‘ezer’s servants saw that they had been defeated by Isra’el, they made peace with David and became his subjects; and Aram would no longer help the people of ‘Amon.

20 In the spring, at the time when kings go out to war, Yo’av led the army out in force and laid waste to the country of the people of ‘Amon; then he came and laid siege to Rabbah. But David stayed in Yerushalayim, while Yo’av attacked Rabbah and destroyed it. ² David took the crown off Malkam’s head and found it to weigh sixty-six pounds, with its gold and precious stones; and it was placed on David’s head. He carried off great quantities of spoil from the city. ³ In addition, he brought out the people who were in it and set them to work with saws, iron harrows and axes. This is what he did to all the cities of the people of ‘Amon. Then David and all the people returned to Yerushalayim.

⁴ A while after this there was war at Gezer with the P’lishtim. Sibkhai the Hushati killed Sipai, one of the giants, and they were defeated. ⁵ There was more war with the P’lishtim; and Elchanan the son of Ya’ir killed Lachmi the brother of Golyat the Gitti, who had a spear with a shaft like a weaver’s beam. ⁶ There was again war at Gat, where there was a very tall man whose fingers and toes numbered twenty-four, six [fingers on each hand] and six [toes on each foot]; and he too was a son of the giant. ⁷ When he mocked Isra’el, Y’honatan the son of Shim‘a David’s brother killed him. ⁸ These were sons of the giant in Gat; they fell at the hands of David and his servants.

21 The Adversary ^[a] now rose up against Isra’el and incited David to take a census of Isra’el. ² David said to Yo’av and the leaders of the people, “Go, take a census of Isra’el from Be’er-Sheva to Dan; then report to me, so that I can know how many of them there are.” ³ Yo’av said, “May Adonai make his people a hundred times as many as they are now! But, my lord the king, aren’t they all my lord’s servants in any case? Why does my lord the king require this? Why should he bring guilt upon Isra’el?” ⁴ Nevertheless, the king’s word prevailed against Yo’av. So Yo’av left and went through all Isra’el, after which he came to Yerushalayim.

⁵ Yo’av reported the results of the census to David: in Isra’el were 1,100,000 men who could handle a sword, while Y’hudah had 470,000 men who could handle a sword. ⁶ But he didn’t count Levi and Binyamin among them, because the king’s order was hateful to Yo’av.

⁷ God was displeased with this and therefore punished Isra’el. ⁸ David said to God, “I have greatly sinned by doing this. But now, please! Put aside your servant’s sin, for I have done a very foolish thing.” ⁹ Adonai spoke to Gad, David’s seer: ¹⁰ “Go and tell David that Adonai says, ‘I am offering you a choice of three punishments: choose one of them, and I will execute it against you.’” ¹¹ Gad came to David and said to him, “Take your choice: ¹² three years of famine; or three months of being swept away by your enemies, while your enemies’ sword overwhelms you; or three days of Adonai’s sword — plague in the land, with the angel of Adonai destroying everywhere in Isra’el’s territory. Now think about what answer I should give to the one who sent me.”

¹³ David said to Gad, “This is very hard for me. Let me fall into the hand of Adonai, because his mercies are very great, rather than have me fall into the hand of man.” ¹⁴ So Adonai sent a plague on Isra’el; 70,000 of the people of Isra’el died.

¹⁵ God also sent an angel to destroy Yerushalayim, but when he was about to carry out the destruction, Adonai saw it and changed his mind about causing such distress; so he said to the destroying angel, “Enough! Now withdraw your hand.” The angel of Adonai was standing at the threshing-floor of Ornan the Y’vusi. ¹⁶ David raised his eyes and saw the angel of Adonai standing between the earth and the sky, and in his hand was a drawn sword stretched out over Yerushalayim. Then David and the leaders, wearing sackcloth, fell on their faces. ¹⁷ David said to God, “Wasn’t it I who ordered the census of the people? Yes, I am the one who has sinned and done something very wicked. But these sheep, what have they done? Please! Let your hand be against me and my father’s family, but not against your people, striking them with this plague!”

¹⁸ Then the angel of Adonai ordered Gad to tell David to go and set up an altar to Adonai on the threshing-floor of Ornan the Y’vusi. ¹⁹ David went up at Gad’s word, spoken in Adonai’s name. ²⁰ Ornan turned back and saw the angel, and his four sons who were with him hid themselves. As Ornan was threshing wheat, ²¹ David approached Ornan. When Ornan looked and saw David, he went out from the threshing-floor and prostrated himself before David with his face to the ground. ²² Then David said to Ornan, “Let me have the parcel with this threshing-floor, so that I can build on it an altar to Adonai — I will pay you its full value — so that the plague will be lifted from the people.” ²³ Ornan said to David, “Take it for yourself, and let my lord the king do what seems good to him. I’m giving you the oxen for the burnt offerings, the threshing-sledges for firewood and the wheat for the grain offering — I’m giving it all.” ²⁴ But King David said to Ornan, “No; I insist on buying it from you at the full price. I refuse to take what is yours for Adonai or offer a burnt offering that costs me nothing.” ²⁵ So David bought the place from Ornan for 600 shekels of gold by weight [fifteen pounds]. ²⁶ Then David built an altar to Adonai there and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. He called on Adonai, who answered him from heaven by fire on the altar for burnt offerings. ²⁷ Adonai gave an order to the angel, and he put his sword back in its sheath. ²⁸ When David saw that Adonai had answered him at the threshing-floor of Ornan the Y’vusi, he sacrificed there. ²⁹ For at that time the tabernacle of Adonai, which Moshe had made in the desert, together with the altar for burnt offerings, were in the high place at Giv‘on. ³⁰ But David could not go into its presence to consult God, because the sword of the angel of Adonai had struck him with terror.

22 Then David said, “This is the house of Adonai, God; and this is the altar Isra’el is to use for burnt offerings.” ² David ordered that the foreigners in the land of Isra’el should be assembled, and he appointed stone-workers to shape stones for building the house of God. ³ David prepared a large store of iron from which to make nails and clamps for the gateway doors and, a quantity of bronze too great to weigh, ⁴ and cedar logs beyond numbering — because the Tzidonim and the people from Tzor brought cedar logs in abundance to David.

⁵ David said, “Shlomo my son is young and inexperienced, while the house to be built for Adonai must be so magnificent and splendid that its fame and glory will be known in every country; so I will make preparations for him.” Therefore David made extensive preparations before his death. ⁶ Then he summoned Shlomo his son and charged him to build a house for Adonai, the God of Isra’el. ⁷ “My son,” said David to Shlomo, “my heart was set on building a house for the name of Adonai my God. ⁸ But a message from Adonai came to me, ‘You have shed much blood and fought great wars. You are not to build a house for my name, because you have shed so much blood on the earth in my sight. ⁹ But you will have a son who will be a man of rest. I will give him rest from all his enemies that surround him; for his name is to be Shlomo, and during his reign I will give peace ^[b] and quiet to Isra’el. ¹⁰ It is he who will build a house for my name. He will be my son and I will be his father, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Isra’el forever.’

¹¹ “Now, my son, may Adonai be with you and give you success as you build the house of Adonai your God, in keeping with what he said about you. ¹² May Adonai give you common sense and understanding, and may he give you his orders concerning Isra’el, so that you will observe the Torah of Adonai your God. ¹³ Then you will succeed, if you take care to obey the laws and rulings that Adonai ordered Moshe concerning Isra’el. Be strong, be bold; don’t be afraid or become discouraged!

¹⁴ “Now look: despite my difficulties, I have prepared for the house of Adonai 3,300 tons of gold, 33,000 tons of silver, and so much bronze and iron that it can’t be weighed. I’ve also prepared timber and stone, and you can add to it. ¹⁵ Moreover, you have plenty of workers — quarrymen, stone-workers, lumbermen, and all kinds of skilled craftsmen to do whatever has to be done with ¹⁶ the gold, silver, bronze and iron — they’re beyond number. So get up, and get to work! And may Adonai be with you.”

¹⁷ David also ordered all the leaders of Isra’el to help Shlomo his son: ¹⁸ “Isn’t Adonai your God with you? Hasn’t he given you rest on every side? For he has put the inhabitants of the land under my power — the land has been subdued before Adonai and his people. ¹⁹ Now set your heart and being on seeking Adonai your God. Get up, and build the sanctuary for Adonai, God. Then you can bring the ark for the covenant of Adonai and the holy articles of God into the house that will be built for the name of Adonai.”

23 David had now grown old; he had lived many years; so he made Shlomo his son king over Isra’el.

² Then he assembled all the leaders of Isra’el, with the cohanim and L’vi’im. ³ A census of L’vi’im thirty years old and over was taken, and their number came to 38,000. ⁴ Of these, 24,000 were to oversee the work on the house of Adonai, while 6,000 were officials and judges, ⁵ 4,000 were gatekeepers, and 4,000 sang praise to Adonai “with the instruments I made for the purpose of singing praise.”

⁶ David organized them into divisions named after the sons of Levi — Gershon, K’hat and M’rari.

⁷ For the Gershuni: La‘dan and Shim‘i. ⁸ The sons of La‘dan: Yechi’el the chief, Zetam and Yo’el — three. ⁹ The sons of Shim‘i: Shlomit, Hazi’el and Haran — three. These were the heads of the clans of La‘dan. ¹⁰ The sons of Shim‘i: Yachat, Zina Ye‘ush and B’ri‘ah. These four were the sons of Shim‘i. ¹¹ Yachat was the chief and Zizah the second, then Ye‘ush and B’ri‘ah, who did not have many descendants and were therefore counted as one clan.

¹² The sons of K’hat: ‘Amram, Yitz’har, Hevron and ‘Uzi’el — four. ¹³ The sons of ‘Amram: Aharon and Moshe. Aharon was set apart to be consecrated as especially holy, he and his sons forever; so that they might bring offerings before Adonai, perform the service for him and bless in his name forever. ¹⁴ But as for Moshe the man of God, his sons are included with the tribe of Levi. ¹⁵ The sons of Moshe: Gershom and Eli‘ezer. ¹⁶ The sons of Gershom: Sh’vu’el the chief. ¹⁷ The sons of Eli‘ezer were: Rechavyah the chief. Eli‘ezer had no other sons, but the sons of Rechavyah were very numerous.

¹⁸ The sons of Yitz’har: Shlomit the chief. ¹⁹ The sons of Hevron: Yeriyahu the chief, Amaryah the second, Yachzi’el the third and Y’kam‘am the fourth. ²⁰ The sons of ‘Uzi’el: Mikhah the chief and Yishiyah the second.

²¹ The sons of M’rari: Machli and Mushi. The sons of Machli: El‘azar and Kish. ²² El‘azar died without having sons, but daughters only; their cousins, the sons of Kish, married them. ²³ Mushi had three sons — Machli, ‘Eder and Yeremot.

²⁴ These were the descendants of Levi, according to their clans, the heads of clans according to their listing in the register, who did the work for the service of the house of Adonai, those twenty years old and over. ²⁵ For David said, “Adonai the God of Isra’el has given rest to his people, and he lives in Yerushalayim forever. ²⁶ The L’vi’im will no longer have to carry the tabernacle and all the equipment that goes with it for its service.” ²⁷ For, according to David’s last instructions, the descendants of Levi twenty years old and over were to be counted. ²⁸ Their role was to assist the descendants of Aharon with the service of the house of Adonai in the courtyards and rooms, and with purification of all the holy articles — in other words, with the work needed to minister in the house of God. ²⁹ They were to assist with the showbread and the finely ground flour needed for grain offerings, no matter whether of matzah, pan-baked bread or mixed with oil, and no matter what shape or size. ³⁰ They were to stand every morning to sing thanks and praises to Adonai, and likewise every evening. ³¹ They were to be present regularly before Adonai whenever burnt offerings were offered to Adonai on Shabbat, at Rosh-Hodesh, and at the other designated times, in the numbers required by the rules for sacrifices. ³² Finally, for the service in the house of Adonai they were to perform their duties in relation to the tent of meeting, the Holy Place and their kinsmen the descendants of Aharon.