Study Desk

The sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel (for he was the firstborn, but when he defiled the couch of his father, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph, the son of Israel, so that he was not enrolled in the genealogy as the firstborn,

though Judah became strong among his brothers and a chief came from him, but the birthright belonged to Joseph).

But they transgressed against the God of their ancestors and prostituted themselves after the gods of the peoples of the land, whom God had destroyed before them.

But Aaron and his sons made offerings on the altar of burnt offering and on the altar of incense for all the work of the most holy place, and to make atonement for Israel, according to all that Moses the servant of God had commanded.

but the fields of the city and its villages they gave to Caleb the son of Jephunneh.

And Saul said to his armor-bearer, "Draw your sword and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised come and deal harshly with me." But he was very afraid. Then Saul took the sword and fell upon it.

But he did not seek Yahweh. So Yahweh put him to death and turned over the kingship to David, the son of Jesse.

And the inhabitants of Jebus said to David, "You will not enter here." But David captured the stronghold of Zion; that is, the city of David.

But they took their stand in the middle of the plot and defended it. And they killed the Philistines. And Yahweh saved them with a great victory.

Then the three broke through into the camp of the Philistines and drew water from the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate and brought it and came to David. But David would not drink it and poured it out before Yahweh.

He was twice as renowned among the three and was their commander. But he did not attain to the three.

And he himself struck down an Egyptian man, a large man five cubits tall. And in the hand of the Egyptian was a spear like a weaver's beam. But he went down to him with a club and seized the spear from the hand of the Egyptian and killed him with his own spear.

He himself was certainly distinguished among the thirty, but he did not attain to the three. And David appointed him over his bodyguard.

And David went out to meet them and answered and said to them, "If you come in peace to me, to help me, my heart will be joined with you, but if you come to betray me to my adversaries, although there is no wrong on my hands, may the God of our fathers see and pass judgment."

And some Manassites deserted to David when he came with the Philistines to the battle against Saul, but he did not help them, for the rulers of the Philistines sent him away upon counsel, saying, "He will desert to his master Saul at the cost of our heads."

So David did not move the ark to himself into the city of David but diverted it to the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite.

When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed as king over all Israel, all the Philistines went up to search for David. But David heard and went out from before them.

For all the gods of the nations are idols, but Yahweh made the heavens.

And as David lived in his house, David said to Nathan the prophet, "Look, I live in a house of cedar, but the ark of the covenant of Yahweh is under tent curtains."

And David captured from him one thousand chariots, seven thousand horsemen, and twenty thousand foot soldiers. And David hamstrung all the chariot horses but left one hundred of them to remain for chariots.