Study Desk

From Manasseh some also defected to David when he was about to go to battle with the Philistines against Saul. But they did not help them, because the governors of the Philistines sent him away after consultation, saying, "At the cost of our heads he might defect to his master Saul."

But the anger of the LORD burned against Uzza, so He struck him because he had put out his hand toward the ark; and he died there before God.

So David did not take the ark with him to the city of David, but took it aside to the house of Obed-edom the Gittite.

For all the gods of the peoples are idols, But the LORD made the heavens.

And it came about, when David lived in his house, that David said to Nathan the prophet, "Look, I am living in a house of cedar, but the ark of the covenant of the LORD is under tent curtains."

But it happened that same night, that the word of God came to Nathan, saying,

for I have not dwelt in a house since the day that I brought up Israel to this day, but I have gone from tent to tent and from one dwelling place to another.

"But I will settle him in My house and in My kingdom forever, and his throne will be established forever."'"

"This was a small thing in Your eyes, God; but You have spoken of Your servant's house for a great while to come, and have viewed me according to the standard of a person of high degree, LORD God.

David took from him a thousand chariots and seven thousand horsemen and twenty thousand foot soldiers, and David hamstrung almost all the chariot horses, but left enough of them for a hundred chariots.

But the commanders among the sons of Ammon said to Hanun, "Do you think that David is honoring your father, in that he has sent comforters to you? Have his servants not come to you to search, to demolish, and to spy out the land?"

But the remainder of the people he placed under the command of Abshai his brother; and they lined up against the sons of Ammon.

He said, "If the Arameans are too strong for me, then you shall help me; but if the sons of Ammon are too strong for you, then I will help you.

Then it happened in the spring, at the time when kings go out to battle, that Joab led out the army and ravaged the land of the sons of Ammon, and came and besieged Rabbah. But David stayed in Jerusalem. And Joab struck Rabbah and overthrew it.

But Joab said, "May the LORD add to His people a hundred times as many as they are! My lord the king, are they not all my lord's servants? Why does my lord seek this thing? Why should he be a cause of guilt to Israel?"

But he did not count Levi and Benjamin among them, because the king's command was abhorrent to Joab.

David said to God, "I have sinned greatly, by doing this thing. But now, please overlook Your servant's guilt, for I have behaved very foolishly."

David said to Gad, "I am in great distress; please let me fall into the hand of the LORD, for His mercies are very great. But do not let me fall into human hands."

And God sent an angel to Jerusalem to destroy it; but as he was about to destroy it, the LORD saw and was sorry about the catastrophe, and said to the destroying angel, "It is enough; now relax your hand." And the angel of the LORD was standing by the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.

And David said to God, "Is it not I who commanded to count the people? Indeed, I am the one who has sinned and acted very wickedly, but these sheep, what have they done? LORD, my God, just let Your hand be against me and my father's household, and not against Your people as a plague."