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19 Some of the men from Manasseh also ·joined [defected/deserted to] David when he went with the Philistines to fight Saul. But David and his men did not really help the Philistines. After ·talking about it [consultation], the Philistine leaders decided to send David away. They said, “If David ·goes [defects; deserts] back to his master Saul, ·we will be killed [L it will be our heads].” 20 These are the men from Manasseh who ·joined [defected/deserted to] David when he went to Ziklag: Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu, and Zillethai. Each of them was a ·leader [captain; chief] of a thousand men from Manasseh. 21 All these men of Manasseh were ·brave soldiers [L mighty men of valor], and they helped David fight against ·groups of men who went around the country robbing people [raiding bands]. These soldiers became ·commanders [captains] in David’s army. 22 Every day more men ·joined [came to help] David, and his army became ·large [great], like the army of God.
Others Join David at Hebron
23 These are the numbers of the soldiers ·ready [armed] for battle who ·joined [came to] David at Hebron. They came to help turn the kingdom of Saul over to David, ·just as the Lord had said [L according to the word of the Lord].
24 There were sixty-eight hundred armed ·men from [L descendants/sons of] Judah, carrying shields and spears.
25 There were seventy-one hundred men from Simeon. They were ·warriors [L mighty men of valor] ready for war.
26 There were forty-six hundred ·men from [L descendants/sons of] Levi. 27 Jehoiada, a leader from Aaron’s family, was in that group. There were thirty-seven hundred with him. 28 Zadok was also in that group. He was a ·strong [brave] young warrior, and with him came twenty-two leaders from his ·family [L father’s house].
29 There were three thousand men from Benjamin, who were Saul’s ·relatives [kinsmen; L brothers]. Most of them had ·remained loyal [kept their allegiance] to Saul’s ·family [L house] until then.
30 There were twenty thousand eight hundred ·men from [L sons of] Ephraim. They were brave warriors and were famous men in their ·own family groups [clans].
31 There were eighteen thousand men from ·West [L the half-tribe of] Manasseh. Each one was ·especially chosen [L designated by name] to make David king.
32 There were two hundred leaders from Issachar. They knew what Israel should do, and they ·knew the right time to do it [or understood the times]. Their ·relatives [kinsmen; L brothers] were with them and under their command.
33 There were fifty thousand men from Zebulun. They were ·trained [skilled] soldiers and ·knew how to use [equipped with] every kind of weapon of war. They followed David ·completely [with undivided loyalty/heart].
34 There were one thousand ·officers [commanders; captains] from Naphtali. They had thirty-seven thousand soldiers with them who carried shields and spears.
35 There were twenty-eight thousand six hundred men from Dan, who were ready for ·war [battle].
36 There were forty thousand trained soldiers from Asher, who were ready for ·war [battle].
37 There were one hundred twenty thousand soldiers from the east side of the Jordan River from the people of Reuben, Gad, and ·East [L the half-tribe of] Manasseh. They had every kind of weapon.
38 All these fighting men were ready to go to war. They came to Hebron ·fully agreed [determined; L with a complete/perfect heart] to make David king of all Israel. All the other Israelites also ·agreed [L were of one mind] to make David king. 39 They spent three days there with David, eating and drinking, because their ·relatives [kinsmen; L brothers] had prepared food for them. 40 Also, their neighbors came from as far away as Issachar, Zebulun, and Naphtali, bringing food on donkeys, camels, mules, and oxen. They brought much flour, fig cakes, raisins, wine, oil, ·cows [oxen; cattle], and sheep, because ·the people of Israel were very happy [there was great joy in Israel].
Bringing Back the Ark(A)
13 David ·talked with [consulted] all the officers of his army, the ·commanders [captains; leaders] of a hundred men and the ·commanders [captains; leaders] of a thousand men. 2 Then David ·called the people of Israel together and said [L said to the whole assembly of Israel], “If you ·think it is a good idea [approve], and if it is ·what the Lord our God wants [the will of/from the Lord our God], let’s send a message. Let’s tell our ·fellow Israelites [kinsmen; brothers] in all the ·areas [land] of Israel and the priests and Levites living with them in their towns and pastures to come and ·join [meet] us. 3 Let’s bring the Ark of our God back to us. We did not ·use it to ask God for help [inquire of it] while Saul was king.” 4 All the people agreed ·with David [to do so], because they all thought it was the right thing to do.
5 So David ·gathered [summoned; assembled] all the Israelites, from the Shihor River in Egypt to ·Lebo [or The Entrance/Pass of] Hamath, to bring the Ark of God back from the town of Kiriath Jearim. 6 David and all the Israelites with him went to Baalah of Judah, which is Kiriath Jearim, to get the Ark of God the Lord. God’s throne is ·between [above; on] the ·golden, winged creatures on the Ark [L cherubim], and the Ark is called by his name.
7 The people carried the Ark of God from Abinadab’s house on a new cart, and Uzzah and Ahio guided it. 8 David and all the Israelites were celebrating ·in the presence of [before] God. With all their ·strength [might] they were singing and playing lyres, harps, ·tambourines [timbrels], cymbals, and trumpets.
9 When David’s men came to the threshing floor of Kidon, the oxen stumbled, and Uzzah reached out his hand to ·steady [hold] the Ark. 10 The ·Lord was angry with [L the Lord’s anger burned against] Uzzah and ·killed him [struck him dead], because he had touched the Ark. So Uzzah died there ·in the presence of [before] God.
11 David was angry because the ·Lord had punished Uzzah in his anger [Lord’s anger had L burst/broken out against Uzzah]. Now that place is called Perez-uzzah [C “the outburst against Uzzah”].
12 David was afraid of God that day and asked, “How can I bring the Ark of God home to me?” 13 So David did not take the Ark with him to the City of David [C Jerusalem]. Instead, he took it to the house of Obed-Edom who was from Gath. 14 The Ark of God stayed with Obed-Edom’s ·family [household] in his house for three months, and the Lord blessed Obed-Edom’s ·family [household] and everything he owned.
David’s Kingdom Grows(B)
14 Hiram king of the city of Tyre sent messengers to David. He also sent cedar logs, bricklayers, and carpenters to build a ·palace [L house] for David. 2 Then David ·knew [understood; realized] that the Lord really had ·made [confirmed; established] him king of Israel and that he had made his kingdom ·great [highly exalted]. The Lord did this ·because he loved [for the sake of] his people Israel.
3 David ·married more women [took more wives] in Jerusalem and ·had [fathered] more sons and daughters. 4 These are the names of David’s children born in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, 5 Ibhar, Elishua, Elpelet, 6 Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia, 7 Elishama, Beeliada, and Eliphelet.
David Defeats the Philistines
8 When the Philistines heard that David had been ·made [anointed] king of all Israel, they went ·to look [in full force to search] for him. But David heard about it and went out ·to fight [against] them. 9 The Philistines had ·attacked and robbed the people in [raided] the Valley of Rephaim. 10 David ·asked [inquired of; C perhaps by means of the Urim and Thummim; Ex. 28:30] God, “Should I go ·and attack [against] the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?”
The Lord answered him, “Go, I will hand them over to you.”
11 So David and his men went up to the town of Baal Perazim and defeated the Philistines. David said, “Like a flood of water, God has used me to break through my enemies.” So that place was named Baal Perazim [C “Lord who bursts through”]. 12 The Philistines had ·left [abandoned] their idols there, so David ordered his men to burn them.
13 Soon the Philistines ·attacked the people in [raided] the valley again. 14 David ·prayed to [inquired of] God again [v. 10], and God answered him, saying, “Don’t attack the Philistines ·from the front [straight on; directly]. Instead, ·go [circle] around them and attack them ·in front of the balsam [or near the poplar] trees. 15 When you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the ·balsam [or poplar] trees, then attack. I, God, will have gone out before you to ·defeat [strike down] the Philistine army.” 16 David did as God commanded, and he and his men ·defeated [struck down] the Philistine army all the way from Gibeon to Gezer.
17 So David became famous in ·all the countries [every land], and the Lord made all nations afraid of him.
1 From Paul, a ·servant [slave; bondservant] of Christ Jesus. ·God called me [L …called] to be an ·apostle [messenger] and ·chose me [set me apart; appointed me] to tell the ·Good News [Gospel].
2 God promised this ·Good News [Gospel] ·long ago [beforehand; previously] through his prophets, as it is written in the Holy Scriptures. 3 The Good News is about God’s Son. ·As a man [or With reference to his earthly life; L According to the flesh], he was born ·from the family [a descendant; L of the seed] of David [2 Sam. 7:11–14]. 4 But through the Spirit of holiness [C a Jewish way of referring to the Holy Spirit] he was ·declared [or designated; appointed] to be God’s Son with great power by rising from the dead [C though eternally the Son of God, Jesus was appointed such “with power” at his resurrection; see Ps. 2:7; 110:1–2]. He is Jesus Christ our Lord. 5 Through ·Christ [L whom], ·God gave me the special work of an apostle [L we have received apostleship; C “we” could be a formal way of saying “I,” or could refer to Paul and the other apostles], which was to lead ·people of all nations [the Gentiles] to ·believe and obey [or the obedience that comes from faith; or the obedience that is faith]. I do this work for ·him [L his name]. 6 And you who are in Rome are also among those [C Gentiles] called to belong to Jesus Christ.
7 To all of you in Rome whom God loves and has called to be ·his holy people [T saints]:
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
A Prayer of Thanks
8 First I want to say that I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because people everywhere in the world are talking about your faith. 9 God, whom I serve ·with my whole heart [in/with my spirit] ·by telling [or for the sake of; L in] the ·Good News [Gospel] about his Son, ·knows [L is my witness] that I ·always [continually; never cease to] mention you 10 every time I pray. I pray that now at last ·if God wants it [by God’s will] I will ·be allowed to come [succeed in coming] to you. 11 I ·want very much [long] to see you, to ·give [impart to; or share with] you some spiritual gift to make you strong. 12 I mean that I want us to ·help each other [be mutually encouraged/comforted] ·with the faith we have [by each other’s faith]. ·Your faith will help me, and my faith will help you [L …both yours and mine]. 13 Brothers and sisters, I want you to know that I ·planned [intended] many times to come to you, but ·this has not been possible [L have been hindered/ unsuccessful until now]. I wanted to come so that I could ·help you grow spiritually [L harvest some fruit among you] as I have ·helped the other [L among the rest of the] Gentiles.
14 I have a ·duty [obligation; debt] to all people—Greeks and ·those who are not Greeks [or barbarians; C this pairing could mean (1) ethnic Greeks and other Gentiles; (2) Greek speakers (people in the Roman empire) and non-Greek speakers (those outside the Roman empire); or (3) cultured people and uncultured people], the wise and the foolish [C perhaps contrasting educated with uneducated, or philosophically sophisticated (1 Cor. 1:18–31) with simple-minded]. 15 That is why I ·want so much [am so eager] to preach the ·Good News [Gospel] to you in Rome.
16 [L For] I am not ashamed of the ·Good News [Gospel], because it is the power God uses to save everyone who believes—to save the Jews first, and then to save ·Gentiles [L the Greeks; C here meaning anyone who is not Jewish; contrast v. 14]. 17 The ·Good News [Gospel] shows ·how God makes people right with himself [or God’s righteous character; L the righteousness of/from God]—·that it begins and ends with faith [or that advances from one believing person to the next; or that begins with God’s faithfulness and results in people’s faith; L from faith to faith]. As the Scripture says, “But ·those who are right with God will live by faith [or those made righteous through faith will live (eternally); Hab. 2:4].”
13 Lord, ·have mercy on [be gracious toward] me.
See how ·my enemies [L those who hate me] ·hurt [afflict; persecute] me.
·Do not let me go through [L Lift me up from] the gates of death.
14 Then, at the gates of ·Jerusalem [the daughter of Zion; C a name of Jerusalem], I will ·praise you [L declare your praises];
I will rejoice ·because you saved me [L in your salvation].
15 The nations have ·fallen [L sunk] into the pit they ·dug [L made].
Their feet are caught in the nets they ·laid [L hid].
16 The Lord has made himself known by ·his fair decisions [L the judgments he has made];
the wicked get trapped by ·what they do [L the deeds of their palms/hands]. ·
17 Wicked people will ·go [L return] to the ·grave [or underworld; L Sheol],
and so will all ·those who [L the nations that] forget God.
18 But those who ·have troubles [are afflicted] will not always be forgotten.
The hopes of the ·poor [oppressed; exploited] will never ·die [perish].
19 Lord, rise up and don’t let people ·think they are strong [L prevail].
Judge the nations in your presence.
20 ·Teach them to fear you [or Strike them with terror; Deut. 4:34; 28:8; 34:12], Lord.
The nations must learn that they are ·only human [mere mortals]. ·
4 Wealthy people are always finding more friends,
but the poor lose all theirs.
5 A witness who lies will not go ·free [unpunished];
liars will never escape.
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