Nathan's message to David.

CHAP. XVIII.

The victories of David. 3 ¶ And it came to pass the same night, for the honour of thy servant? for thou that the word of God came to Nathan, knowest thy servant.

19 O LORD, for thy servant's sake, and

saying, 4 Go and tell David my servant, Thus according to thine own heart, hast thou saith the LORD, Thou shalt not build me done all this greatness, in making known an house to dwell in: all these great things.

5 For I have not dwelt in a house since the day that I brought up Israel unto this day but have gone from tent to tent, and from one tabernacle to another.

20 O LORD, there is none like thee, neither is there any God besides thee, according to all that we have heard with our

ears.

6 Wheresoever I have walked with all 21 And what one nation in the earth is Israel, spake I a word to any of the judges like thy people Israel, whom God went of Israel, whom I commanded to feed my to redeem, to be his own people, to make people, saying, Why have ye not built me thee a name of greatness and terribleness, a house of cedars? by driving out nations from before thy 7 Now therefore thus shalt thou say people, whom thou hast redeemed out of unto my servant David, Thus saith the Egypt?

LORD of hosts, I took thee from the sheep- 22 For thy people Israel didst thou cote, even from following the sheep, that make thine own people for ever; and thou, thou shouldest be ruler over my people LORD, becamest their God.

Israel:

23 Therefore now, LORD, let the thing

8 And I have been with thee whither-that thou hast spoken concerning thy sersoever thou hast walked, and have cut off vant, and concerning his house, be estaall thine enemies from before thee, and blished for ever, and do as thou hast said. have made thee a name like the name of 24 Let it even be established, that thy the great men that are in the earth. name may be magnified for ever, saying, 9 Also I will ordain a place for my peo-The LORD of hosts is the God of Israel, ple Israel, and will plant them, and they even a God to Isracl: and let the house of shall dwell in their place, and shall be David thy servant be established before moved no more; neither shall the children thee.

of wickedness waste them any more, as at 25 For thou, O my God, hast told thy the beginning,

servant that thou wilt build him a house: 10 And since the time that I command-therefore thy servant hath found in his ed judges to be over my people Israel. heart to pray before thee.

Moreover, I will subdue all thine enemies. 26 And now, LORD, thou art God, and Furthermore, I tell thee that the LORD hast promised this goodness unto thy serwill build thee a house.

vant:

11 ¶ And it shall come to pass, when 27 Now therefore let it please thee to thy days be expired that thou must go to bless the house of thy servant, that it may be with thy fathers, that I will raise up thy be before thee for ever: for thou blessest, seed after thee, which shall be of thy O LORD, and it shall be blessed for ever. sons; and I will establish his kingdom. CHAP. XVIII. 12 He shall build me a house, and I TOW after this it came to pass that will establish his throne for ever. David smote the Philistines, and 13 I will be his father, and he shall be subdued them, and took Gath and her my son and I will not take my mercy towns out of the hand of the Philistines. away from him, as I took it from him that 2 And he smote Moab; and the Moabites was before thee: became David's servants, and brought gifts.

14 But I will settle him in mine house and in my kingdom for ever: and his throne shall be established for evermore.

15 According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak unto David.

NOW

3 T And David smote Hadarezer king of Zobah unto Hamath, as he went to establish his dominion by the river Euphrates.

4 And David took from him a thousand chariots, and seven thousand horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen: David also 16 And David the king came and sat houghed all the chariot-horses, but reservbefore the LORD, and said, Who am I, Oed of them a hundred chariots. LORD God, and what is mine house, that 5 And when the Syrians of Damascus thou hast brought me hitherto? came to help Hadarezer king of Zobah, 17 And yet this was a small thing in David slew of the Syrians two and twenty thine eyes, O God; for thou hast also thousand men.

spoken of thy servant's house for a great 6 Then David put garrisons in Syriawhile to come, and hast regarded me ac-Damascus; and the Syrians became Dacording to the estate of a man of high de-vid's servants, and brought gifts. Thus gree, O LORD God. the LORD preserved David whithersoever

18 What can David speak more to thee he went.

Tou congratulates David.

I. CHRONICLES. Hanun's ungratefulness.

7 And David took the shields of gold David how the men were served. And he that were on the servants of Hadarezer, sent to meet them: for the men were greatly and brought them to Jerusalem. ashamed. And the king said, Tarry at 8 Likewise from Tibhath, and from Jericho until your beards be grown, and Chun, cities of Hadarezer, brought David then return. very much brass, wherewith Solomon made the brazen sea, and the pillars, and the vessels of brass.

9 Now when Tou king of Hamath heard how David had smitten all the host of Hadarezer king of Zobah;

6 ¶ And when the children of Ammon saw that they had made themselves odious to David, Hanun and the children of Ammon sent a thousand talents of silver to hire them chariots and horsemen out of Mesopotamia, and out of Syria-maachah, and out of Zobah. 10 He sent Hadoram his son to king| 7 So they hired thirty and two thousand David, to inquire of his welfare, and to chariots, and the king of Maachah and his congratulate him, because he had fought people, who came and pitched before Meagainst Hadarezer, and smitten him; (for deba. And the children of Ammon gaHadarezer had war with Tou;) and thered themselves together from their with him all manner of vessels of gold, and cities, and came to battle.

silver, and brass.

8 And when David heard of it, he sent

11 Them also king David dedicated Joab, and all the host of the mighty men. unto the LORD, with the silver and the gold 9 And the children of Ammon came out, that he brought from all these nations; from and put the battle in array before the gate Edom, and from Moab, and from the chil- of the city: and the kings that were come dren of Ammon, and from the Philistines, were by themselves in the field. and from Amalek.

12 Moreover, Abishai the son of Zeruiah slew of the Edomites in the valley of Salt eighteen thousand.

10 Now when Joab saw that the battle was set against him before and behind, he chose out of all the choice of Israel, and put them in array against the Syrians.

13 And he put garrisons in Edom; 11 And the rest of the people he deliverand all the Edomites became David's ser-ed unto the hand of Abishai his brother, vants. Thus the LORD preserved David and they set themselves in array against the whithersoever he went. children of Ammon.

14 So David reigned over all Israel, and executed judgment and justice among all his people.

15 And Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the host; and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud, recorder;

16 And Zadok the son of Ahitub, and Abimelech the son of Abiathar, were the priests; and Shavsha was scribe;

12 And he said, If the Syrians be too strong for me, then thou shalt help me: but if the children of Ammon be too strong for thee, then I will help thee.

13 Be of good courage, and let us behave ourselves valiantly for our people, and for the cities of our God: and let the LORD do that which is good in his sight.

14 So Joab and the people that were 17 And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was with him drew nigh before the Syrians over the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and unto the battle; and they fled before him. the sons of David were chief about the king. 15 And when the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians were fled, they like

CHAP. XIX.

NOW it came to pass after this, that Na-wise fled before Abishai his brother, and hash the king of the children of Am-entered into the city. Then Joab came mon died, and his son reigned in his stead. to Jerusalem.

2 And David said, I will shew kindness 16 T And when the Syrians saw that anto Hanun the son of Nahash, because his they were put to the worse before Israel, father shewed kindness to me. And Da- they sent messengers, and drew forth the vid sent messengers to comfort him con- Syrians that were beyond the river: and cerning his father. So the servants of Da- Shophach the captain of the host of Hadavid came into the land of the children of rezer went before them. Ammon to Hanun, to comfort him.

17 And it was told David; and he ga

3 But the princes of the children of Am-thered all Israel, and passed over Jordan, -mon said to Hanun, Thinkest thou that Da- and came upon them, and set the battle in vid doth honour thy father, that he hath array against them. So when David had sent comforters unto thee? are not his ser- put the battle in array against the Syrians, vants come unto thee for to search, and to they fought with him. overthrow, and to spy out the land?

18 But the Syrians fled before Israel; 4 Wherefore Hanun took David's ser- and David slew of the Syrians seven thouvants, and shaved them, and cut off their sand men which fought in chariots, and garments in the midst hard by their but- forty thousand footmen, and killed Shotocks, and sent them away. phach the captain of the host.

5 Then there went certain, and told

19 And when the servants of Hadarezer

Rabbah besieged and taken.

CHAP. XX, XXI.

David numbers the people. saw that they were put to the worse before 5 T And Joab gave the sum of the numIsrael, they made peace with David, and ber of the people unto David. And all became his servants: neither would the they of Israel were a thousand thousand Syrians help the children of Ammon any and a hundred thousand men that drew sword: and Judah was four hundred threescore and ten thousand men that drew

more.

CHAP. XX.

AND it came to pass, that after the sword.

year was expired, at the time that 6 But Levi and Benjamin counted he kings go out to battle, Joab led forth the not among them: for the king's word was power of the army, and wasted the country abominable to Joab.

of the children of Ammon, and came and 7 And God was displeased with this besieged Rabbah. But David tarried at thing, therefore he smote Israel. Jerusalem. And Joab smote Rabbah, and destroyed it.

8 And David said unto God, I have sinned greatly, because I have done this 2 And David took the crown of their thing: but now, I beseech thee, do away king from off his head, and found it to the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done weigh a talent of gold, and there were pre- very foolishly.

cious stones in it; and it was set upon 9 And the LORD spake unto Gad, DaDavid's head: and he brought also ex-vid's seer, saying, ceeding much spoil out of the city.

3 And he brought out the people that were in it, and cut them with saws, and with harrows of iron, and with axes. Even so dealt David with all the cities of the children of Ammon. And David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.

10 Go and tell David, saying, Thus saith the LORD, I offer thee three things; choose thee one of them, that I may do it unto thee.

11 So Gad came to David, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Choose thee 12 Either three years' famine; or three 4¶ And it came to pass after this, that months to be destroyed before thy foes, there arose war at Gezer with the Philis-while that the sword of thine enemies overtines: at which time Sibbechai the Hu- taketh thee; or else three days the sword shathite slew Sippai, that was of the chil- of the LORD, even the pestilence, in the dren of the giant: and they were subdued. land, and the angel of the LORD destroying 5 And there was war again with the throughout all the coasts of Israel. Now Philistines; and Elhanan the son of Jair therefore advise thyself what word I shall slew Lahmi the brother of Goliath the bring again to him that sent me. Gittite, whose spear's staff was like a weaver's beam.

6 And yet again there was war at Gath, where was a man of great stature, whose fingers and toes were four and twenty, six on each hand, and six on each foot: and he also was the son of the giant.

7 But when he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimea, David's brother, slew him.

13 And David said unto Gad, I am in a great strait: let me fall now into the hand of the LORD; for very great are his mercies: but let me not fall into the hand of man.

14 So the LORD sent pestilence upon Israel: and there fell of Israel seventy thousand men.

15 And God sent an angel unto Jerusalem to destroy it: and as he was destroy8 These were born unto the giant in ing, the LORD beheld, and he repented Gath; and they fell by the hand of David, him of the evil, and said to the angel that and by the hand of his servants. destroyed, It is enough, stay now thine CHAP. XXI. hand. And the angel of the LORD stood by

AND Satan stood up against Israel, and

the threshing-floor of Orman the Jebusite.

provoked David to number Israel. 16 And David lifted up his eyes, and 2 And David said to Joab and to the saw the angel of the LORD stand between rulers of the people, Go, number Israel the earth and the heaven, having a drawn from Beer-sheba even to Dan; and bring sword in his hand, stretched out over Jethe number of them to me, that I may rusalem. Then David and the elders of know it. Israel, who were clothed in sackcloth, fell

3 And Joab answered, The LORD make upon their faces. his people a hundred times so many more 17 And David said unto God, Is it not as they be: but, my lord the king, are they I that commanded the people to be numnot all my lord's servants? why then doth bered? even I it is that have sinned and my lord require this thing? why will he done evil indeed; but as for these sheep, be a cause of trespass to Israel? what have they done? let thine hand, 4 Nevertheless the king's word prevail- pray thee, O LORD my God, be on me, ed against Joab. Wherefore Joab depart- and on my father's house; but not on thy ed, and went throughout all Israel, and people, that they should be plagued. came to Jerusalem. 18 Then the angel of the LORD COM

David builds an altar.

I. CHRONICLES. Preparations for the temple. manded Gad to say to David, that David! 4 Also cedar-trees in abundance: for should go up, and set up an altar unto the the Zidonians and they of Tyre brought LORD in the threshing-floor of Ornan the much cedar-wood to David. 5 And David said, Solomon my son is

Jebusite.

19 And David went up at the saying of young and tender, and the house that is to Gad, which he spake in the name of the be builded for the LORD must be exceeding LORD. magnifical, of fame and of glory through20 And Ornan turned back, and saw out all countries: I will therefore now the angel; and his four sons with him hid make preparation for it. So David prethemselves. Now Ornan was threshing pared abundantly before his death. 6 T Then he called for Solomon his 21 And as David came to Ornan, Ornan son, and charged him to build a house for looked, and saw David, and went out of the LORD God of Israel. the threshing-floor, and bowed himself to David with his face to the ground.

wheat.

7 And David said to Solomon, My son, as for me, it was in my mind to build a 22 Then David said to Ornan, Grant house unto the name of the LORD my God. me the place of this threshing-floor, that I 8 But the word of the LORD came to me, may build an altar therein unto the LORD: saying, Thou hast shed blood abundantly, thou shalt grant it me for the full price: and hast made great wars: thou shalt not that the plague may be stayed from the build a house unto my name, because people. thou hast shed much blood upon the earth

23 And Ornan said unto David, Take it in my sight. to thee, and let my lord the king do that 9 Behold, a son shall be born to thee, which is good in his eyes: lo, I give thee the who shall be a man of rest; and I will oxen also for burnt-offerings, and the give him rest from all his enemies round threshing instruments for wood, and the about: for his name shall be Solomon, and wheat for the meat-offering; I give it all. I will give peace and quietness unto Israel 24 And king David said to Ornan, Nay; in his days.

but I will verily buy it for the full price: 10 He shall build a house formy name; for I will not take that which is thine for and he shall be my son, and I will be his the LORD, nor offer burnt-offerings without father; and I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel for ever.

cost.

25 So David gave to Ornan for the place six hundred shekels of gold by weight.

26 And David built there an altar unto the LORD, and offered burnt-offerings and peace-offerings, and called upon the LORD; and he answered him from heaven by fire upon the altar of burnt-offering.

27 And the LORD commanded the angel; and he put up his sword again into the sheath thereof.

11 Now, my son, the LORD be with thee; and prosper thou, and build the house of the LORD thy God, as he hath said of thee.

12 Only the LORD give thee wisdom and understanding, and give thee charge concerning Israel, that thou mayest keep the law of the LORD thy God.

13 Then shalt thou prosper, if tho takest heed to fulfil the statutes and judg28 At that time when David saw that ments which the LORD charged Moses with the LORD had answered him in the thresh-concerning Israel: be strong, and of good ing-floor of Ornan the Jebusite, then he courage; dread not, nor be dismayed. sacrificed there. 14 Now behold, in my trouble I have 29 For the tabernacle of the LORD, prepared for the house of the LORD an which Moses made in the wilderness, and hundred thousand talents of gold, and a the altar of the burnt-offering, were at that season in the high place at Gibeon.

30 But David could not go before it to inquire of God: for he was afraid because of the sword of the angel of the LORD. CHAP. XXII.

thousand thousand talents of silver; and of brass and iron without weight: for it is in abundance: timber also and stone have I prepared; and thou mayest add thereto.

15 Moreover, there are workmen with thee in abundance, hewers and workers of HEN David said, This is the house of stone and timber, and all manner of cunthe LORD God, and this is the altar ning men for every manner of work. of the burnt-offering for Israel. 16 Of the gold, the silver, and the brass,

THE

2 And David commanded to gather to- and the iron, there is no number. Arise, gether the strangers that were in the land therefore, and be doing, and the LORD be of Israel; and he set masons to hew with thee.

wrought stones to build the house of God. 17 David also commanded all the 3 And David prepared iron in abun- princes of Israel to help Solomon his son, dance for the nails for the doors of the saying, gates, and for the joinings; and brass in abundance without weight;

18 Is not the LORD your God with you? and hath he not given you rest on every

Solomon made king.

CHAP. XXIII, XXIV. The families of the Levites.

side? for he hath given the inhabitants of the] 18 Of the sons of Izhar; Shelomith the land into mine hand; and the land is subdu-chief.

ed before the LORD, and before his people. 19 Of the sons of Hebron; Jeriah the 19 Now set your heart and your soul to first, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the seek the LORD your God: arise therefore, third, and Jekameam the fourth.

and build ye the sanctuary of the LORD 20 Of the sons of Uzziel; Micah the God, to bring the ark of the covenant of first, and Jesiah the second. the LORD, and the holy vessels of God,

21 The sons of Merari; Mahli, and into the house that is to be built to the Mushi. The sons of Mahli; Eleazar, and name of the LORD. Kish.

CHAP. XXIII.

22 And Eleazar died, and had no sons,

So when David was old and full of days, but daughters; and their brethren the sons

he made Solomon his son king over Israel.

2 T And he gathered together all the princes of Israel, with the priests and the Levites.

of Kish took them.

23 The sons of Mushi ; Mahli, and Eder, and Jeremoth, three.

24 T These were the sons of Levi after the house of their fathers; even the chief 3 Now the Levites were numbered from of the fathers, as they were counted by the age of thirty years and upward: and number of names by their polls, that did their number by their polls, man by man, the work for the service of the house of the was thirty and eight thousand. LORD, from the age of twenty years and upward.

4 Of which, twenty and four thousand were to set forward the work of the house of the LORD; and six thousand were officers and judges:

5 Moreover, four thousand were porters; and four thousand praised the LORD with the instruments which I made, said David, to praise therewith.

6 And David divided them into courses among the sons of Levi, namely, Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

7¶ Of the Gershonites were Laadan and Shimei.

8 The sons of Laadan; the chief was Jehiel, and Zetham, and Joel, three.

9 The sons of Shimei; Shelomith, and Haziel, and Haran, three. These were the chief of the fathers of Laadan.

25 For David said, The LORD God of Israel hath given rest unto his people, that they may dwell in Jerusalem for ever;

26 And also unto the Levites: they shall no more carry the tabernacle, nor any vessels of it for the service thereof.

27 For by the last words of David the Levites were numbered from twenty years old and above:

28 Because their office was to wait on the sons of Aaron for the service of the house of the LORD, in the courts, and in the chambers, and in the purifying of all holy things, and the work of the service of the house of God;

29 Both for the shew-bread, and for the fine flour for meat-offering, and for the un10 And the sons of Shimei were, Jahath, leavened cakes, and for that which is baked Zina, and Jeush, and Beriah. These four in the pan, and for that which is fried, and were the sons of Shimei. for all manner of measure and size; 11 And Jahath was the chief, and Zizah 30 And to stand every morning to thank the second: but Jeush and Beriah had not and praise the LORD, and likewise at many sons; therefore they were in one even; reckoning, according to their father's house. 31 And to offer all burnt-sacrifices unto 12 T The sons of Kohath; Amram, Iz- the LORD in the sabbaths, in the new moons, har, Hebron, and Uzziel, four. and on the set feasts, by number, accord13 The sons of Amram; Aaron and Mo-ing to the order commanded unto them, ses: and Aaron was separated, that he continually before the LORD: should sanctify the most holy things, he 32 And that they should keep the charge and his sons for ever, to burn incense be- of the tabernacle of the congregation, and fore the LORD, to minister unto him, and the charge of the holy place, and the charge to bless in his name for ever. of the sons of Aaron their brethren, in the 14 Now concerning Moses the man of service of the house of the LORD. God, his sons were named of the tribe of CHAP. XXIV. Levi.

the divisions of the sons

15 The sons of Moses were, Gershom, NOW these are the sons of Aaron, Na

and Eliezer.

dab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. 16 Of the sons of Gershom, Shebuel was 2 But Nadab and Abihu died before the chief. their father, and had no children: there17 And the sons of Eliezer were, Reha- fore Eleazar and Ithamar executed the biah the chief. And Eliezer had none priest's office. other sons; but the sons of Rehabiah were very many.

3 And David distributed them, both Zadok of the sons of Eleazar, and Ahimelech