Study Desk

Then the spirit came upon Amasai, chief of the Thirty, and he said, "We are yours, O David; and with you, O son of Jesse! Peace, peace to you, and peace to the one who helps you! For your God is the one who helps you." Then David received them, and made them officers of his troops.

Some of the Manassites deserted to David when he came with the Philistines for the battle against Saul. (Yet he did not help them, for the rulers of the Philistines took counsel and sent him away, saying, "He will desert to his master Saul at the cost of our heads.")

They helped David against the band of raiders, for they were all warriors and commanders in the army.

Of Zebulun, fifty thousand seasoned troops, equipped for battle with all the weapons of war, to help David with singleness of purpose.

Of the Danites, twenty-eight thousand six hundred equipped for battle.

Of Asher, forty thousand seasoned troops ready for battle.

They were there with David for three days, eating and drinking, for their kindred had provided for them.

And also their neighbors, from as far away as Issachar and Zebulun and Naphtali, came bringing food on donkeys, camels, mules, and oxen—abundant provisions of meal, cakes of figs, clusters of raisins, wine, oil, oxen, and sheep, for there was joy in Israel.

Then let us bring again the ark of our God to us; for we did not turn to it in the days of Saul."

The whole assembly agreed to do so, for the thing pleased all the people.

When they came to the threshing floor of Chidon, Uzzah put out his hand to hold the ark, for the oxen shook it.

King Hiram of Tyre sent messengers to David, along with cedar logs, and masons and carpenters to build a house for him.

David then perceived that the Lord had established him as king over Israel, and that his kingdom was highly exalted for the sake of his people Israel.

When you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, then go out to battle; for God has gone out before you to strike down the army of the Philistines."

David built houses for himself in the city of David, and he prepared a place for the ark of God and pitched a tent for it.

Then David commanded that no one but the Levites were to carry the ark of God, for the Lord had chosen them to carry the ark of the Lord and to minister to him forever.

David assembled all Israel in Jerusalem to bring up the ark of the Lord to its place, which he had prepared for it.

He said to them, "You are the heads of families of the Levites; sanctify yourselves, you and your kindred, so that you may bring up the ark of the Lord , the God of Israel, to the place that I have prepared for it.

Chenaniah, leader of the Levites in music, was to direct the music, for he understood it.

Berechiah and Elkanah were to be gatekeepers for the ark.