Study Desk

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.^(a)

Then David said, "No one but the Levites may carry the ark of God, because the Lord has chosen them to carry the ark of the Lord and to minister before Him forever."^(b)

David assembled all Israel at Jerusalem^(c) to bring the ark of the Lord to the place he had prepared for it.^(d)

Then he gathered together the descendants of Aaron and the Levites:

From the Kohathites, Uriel the leader and 120 of his relatives;

from the Merarites, Asaiah the leader and 220 of his relatives;

from the Gershomites,^[a] Joel the leader and 130 of his relatives;

from the Elizaphanites, Shemaiah the leader and 200 of his relatives;

from the Hebronites, Eliel the leader and 80 of his relatives;

from the Uzzielites, Amminadab the leader and 112 of his relatives.

David summoned the priests Zadok^(e) and Abiathar^(f) and the Levites Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel, and Amminadab.

He said to them, "You are the heads of the Levite families. You and your relatives must consecrate yourselves^(g) so that you may bring the ark of the Lord God of Israel to the place I have prepared for it.^(h)

For the Lord our God burst out in anger against us because you Levites were not with us the first time, for we didn't inquire of Him about the proper procedures."⁽ⁱ⁾

So the priests and the Levites consecrated themselves to bring up the ark of the Lord God of Israel.

Then the Levites carried the ark of God the way Moses had commanded according to the word of the Lord : on their shoulders with the poles.^(j)

Then David told the leaders of the Levites to appoint their relatives as singers and to have them raise their voices with joy accompanied by musical instruments—harps, lyres, and cymbals.^(k)

So the Levites appointed Heman son of Joel; from his relatives, Asaph son of Berechiah; and from their relatives the Merarites, Ethan son of Kushaiah.

With them were their relatives second in rank: Zechariah, Jaaziel,^[b] Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, and the gatekeepers Obed-edom and Jeiel.

The singers Heman, Asaph, and Ethan were to sound the bronze cymbals;

Zechariah, Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah, and Benaiah were to play harps according to Alamoth;^[c]

and Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah were to lead the music with lyres according to the Sheminith.

Chenaniah, the leader of the Levites in music, was to direct the music because he was skillful.

Berechiah and Elkanah were to be gatekeepers for the ark.

The priests, Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah, and Eliezer, were to blow trumpets^(l) before the ark of God. Obed-edom and Jehiah were also to be gatekeepers for the ark.

David,^(m) the elders of Israel, and the commanders of thousands went with rejoicing to bring the ark of the covenant of the Lord from the house of Obed-edom.⁽ⁿ⁾

While the Levites were carrying the ark of the covenant of the Lord , with God's help, they sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams.^(o)

Now David was dressed in a robe of fine linen, as were all the Levites who were carrying the ark, as well as the singers and Chenaniah, the music leader of the singers. David also wore a linen ephod.

So all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the Lord with shouts, the sound of the ram's horn, trumpets, and cymbals, and the playing of harps and lyres.

As the ark of the covenant of the Lord was entering the city of David, Saul's daughter Michal looked down from the window and saw King David dancing^[d] and celebrating, and she despised him in her heart.

They^(a) brought the ark of God and placed it inside the tent David had pitched for it.^(b) Then they offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings in God's presence.

When David had finished offering the burnt offerings and the fellowship offerings, he blessed the people in the name of Yahweh.

Then he distributed to each and every Israelite, both men and women, a loaf of bread, a date cake, and a raisin cake.

David appointed some of the Levites to be ministers before the ark of the Lord , to celebrate the Lord God of Israel, and to give thanks and praise to Him.

Asaph was the chief and Zechariah was second to him. Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-edom, and Jeiel played the harps and lyres, while Asaph sounded the cymbals

and the priests Benaiah and Jahaziel blew the trumpets regularly before the ark of the covenant of God.

On that day David decreed for the first time that thanks be given to the Lord by Asaph and his relatives:

Give thanks^(c) to Yahweh; call on His name; proclaim His deeds among the peoples.^(d)

Sing to Him; sing praise to Him; tell about all His wonderful works!

Honor His holy name; let the hearts of those who seek Yahweh rejoice.

Search for the Lord and for His strength; seek His face always.^(e)

Remember the wonderful works He has done,^(f) His wonders, and the judgments He has pronounced,^[a](g)

you offspring of Israel His servant, Jacob's descendants—His chosen ones.

He is the Lord our God; His judgments govern the whole earth.^(h)

Remember His covenant forever— the promise He ordained for a thousand generations,

the covenant He made with Abraham, swore^[b] to Isaac,⁽ⁱ⁾

and confirmed to Jacob as a decree, and to Israel as an everlasting covenant:^(j)

"I will give the land of Canaan to you as your inherited portion."^(k)

When they^[c] were few in number, very few indeed,^(l) and temporary residents in Canaan

wandering from nation to nation and from one kingdom to another,

He allowed no one to oppress them; He rebuked kings on their behalf:^(m)

"Do not touch My anointed ones or harm My prophets."⁽ⁿ⁾

Sing^(o) to the Lord , all the earth. Proclaim His salvation from day to day.

Declare His glory among the nations, His wonderful works among all peoples.

For the Lord is great and highly praised;^(p) He is feared above all gods.^(q)

For all the gods of the peoples are idols,^(r) but the Lord made the heavens.^(s)

Splendor and majesty are before Him; strength and joy are in His place.

Ascribe to the Lord , families of the peoples, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.

Ascribe to Yahweh the glory of His name; bring an offering and come before Him. Worship the Lord in the splendor of His holiness;^(t)

tremble^(u) before Him, all the earth. The world is firmly established; it cannot be shaken.

Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice,^(v) and let them say among the nations, "The Lord is King!"

Let the sea and everything in it resound; let the fields and all that is in them exult.^(w)

Then the trees of the forest will shout for joy before the Lord , for He is coming to judge the earth.

Give thanks to the Lord , for He is good; His faithful love endures forever.^(x)

And say:^(y) "Save us, God of our salvation; gather us and rescue us from the nations so that we may give thanks to Your holy name and rejoice in Your praise.

May Yahweh, the God of Israel, be praised^(z) from everlasting to everlasting." Then all the people said, "Amen" and "Praise the Lord ."

So David left Asaph and his relatives there before the ark of the Lord 's covenant to minister regularly^(aa) before the ark according to the daily requirements.^(ab)

He assigned Obed-edom^(ac) and his^[d] 68 relatives. Obed-edom son of Jeduthun and Hosah^(ad) were to be gatekeepers.

David left Zadok the priest and his fellow priests before the tabernacle of the Lord at the high place in Gibeon^(ae)

to offer burnt offerings regularly, morning and evening, to the Lord on the altar of burnt offerings and to do everything that was written in the law of the Lord , which He had commanded Israel to keep.^(af)

With them were Heman,^(ag) Jeduthun, and the rest who were chosen and designated by name^(ah) to give thanks to the Lord —for His faithful love endures forever.^(ai)

Heman and Jeduthun had with them trumpets and cymbals to play and musical instruments of God.^(aj) Jeduthun's sons were at the gate.

Then all the people left for their homes, and David returned home to bless his household.^(ak)

When David^(a) had settled into his palace, he said to Nathan the prophet, "Look! I am living in a cedar house while the ark of the Lord 's covenant is under tent curtains."^(b)

So Nathan told David, "Do all that is on your heart, for God is with you."

But that night^(c) the word of God came to Nathan:

"Go to David My servant and say, ‘This is what the Lord says: You are not the one to build Me a house to dwell in.^(d)

From the time I brought Israel out of Egypt until today I have not lived in a house; instead, I have moved from tent to tent and from tabernacle to tabernacle.^(e)

In all My travels throughout Israel, have I ever spoken a word to even one of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd My people, asking: Why haven't you built Me a house of cedar?'^(f)

"Now this is what you will say to My servant David: ‘This is what the Lord of Hosts says: I took you from the pasture and from following the sheep to be ruler over My people Israel.^(g)

I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have destroyed all your enemies before you. I will make a name for you like that of the greatest in the land.

I will establish a place for My people Israel and plant them,^(h) so that they may live there and not be disturbed again. Evildoers will not continue to oppress them as they formerly have

ever since the day I ordered judges to be over My people Israel. I will also subdue all your enemies. "‘Furthermore, I declare to you that the Lord Himself will build a house for you.

When your time comes to be with your fathers, I will raise up after you your descendant, who is one of your own sons, and I will establish his kingdom.

He will build a house for Me,⁽ⁱ⁾ and I will establish his throne forever.

I will be a father to him, and he will be a son to Me.^(j) I will not take away My faithful love from him as I took it from the one who was before you.^(k)

I will appoint him over My house and My kingdom forever, and his throne will be established forever.'"^(l)

Nathan reported all these words and this entire vision to David.

Then^(m) King David went in, sat in the Lord 's presence, and said, Who am I, Lord God, and what is my house that You have brought me this far?

This was a little thing to You,^[a] God, for You have spoken about Your servant's house in the distant future. You regard me as a man of distinction,^[b] Lord God.

What more can David say to You for honoring Your servant? You know Your servant.

Lord , You have done all this greatness, making known all these great promises because of Your servant and according to Your will.⁽ⁿ⁾

Lord , there is no one like You, and there is no God besides You, as all we have heard confirms.

And who is like Your people Israel? God, You came to one nation on earth to redeem a people for Yourself, to make a name for Yourself through great and awesome works by driving out nations before Your people You redeemed from Egypt.^(o)

You made Your people Israel Your own people forever, and You, Lord , have become their God.^(p)

Now, Lord , let the word that You have spoken concerning Your servant and his house be confirmed forever, and do as You have promised.

Let Your name be confirmed and magnified forever in the saying, "Yahweh of Hosts, the God of Israel, is God over Israel." May the house of Your servant David be established before You.

Since You, my God, have revealed to^[c](q) Your servant that You will build him a house, Your servant has found courage to pray in Your presence.

Yahweh, You indeed are God, and You have promised this good thing to Your servant.

So now, You have been pleased to bless Your servant's house that it may continue before You forever. For You, Lord , have blessed it, and it is blessed forever.

After this,^(a) David defeated the Philistines, subdued them, and took Gath and its villages from Philistine control.

He also defeated the Moabites, and they became David's subjects and brought tribute.

David also defeated King Hadadezer of Zobah at Hamath when he went to establish his control at the Euphrates River.

David captured 1,000 chariots, 7,000 horsemen, and 20,000 foot soldiers from him, hamstrung all the horses, and kept 100 chariots.^[a]

When the Arameans of Damascus came to assist King Hadadezer of Zobah,^(b) David struck down 22,000 Aramean men.

Then he placed garrisons^[b](c) in Aram of Damascus, and the Arameans became David's subjects and brought tribute. The Lord made David victorious wherever he went.

David took the gold shields carried by Hadadezer's officers and brought them to Jerusalem.

From Tibhath and Cun, Hadadezer's cities, David also took huge quantities of bronze, from which Solomon made the bronze reservoir, the pillars, and the bronze articles.^(d)

When King Tou of Hamath heard that David had defeated the entire army of King Hadadezer of Zobah,

he sent his son Hadoram to King David to greet him and to congratulate him because David had fought against Hadadezer and defeated him, for Tou and Hadadezer had fought many wars. Hadoram brought all kinds of gold, silver, and bronze items.

King David also dedicated these to the Lord , along with the silver and gold he had carried off from all the nations—from Edom, Moab, the Ammonites, the Philistines, and the Amalekites.

Abishai son of Zeruiah struck down 18,000 Edomites in the Valley of Salt.

He put garrisons in Edom, and all the Edomites were subject to David. The Lord made David victorious wherever he went.

So David reigned over all Israel,^(e) administering justice and righteousness for all his people.

Joab^(f) son of Zeruiah was over the army; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was court historian;

Zadok son of Ahitub and Ahimelech^[c](g) son of Abiathar were priests; Shavsha was court secretary;

Benaiah son of Jehoiada^(h) was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and David's sons were the chief officials at the king's side.

Some time later,^(a) King Nahash of the Ammonites died, and his son became king in his place.

Then David said, "I'll show kindness to Hanun son of Nahash, because his father showed kindness to me." So David sent messengers to console him concerning his father. However, when David's emissaries arrived in the land of the Ammonites to console him,

the Ammonite leaders said to Hanun, "Just because David has sent men with condolences for you, do you really believe he's showing respect for your father? Instead, hasn't David sent his emissaries in order to scout out, overthrow, and spy on the land?"

So Hanun took David's emissaries, shaved them, cut their clothes in half at the hips, and sent them away.^(b)

It was reported to David about his men, so he sent messengers to meet them, since the men were deeply humiliated. The king said, "Stay in Jericho until your beards grow back; then return."

When the Ammonites realized^(c) they had made themselves repulsive to David, Hanun and the Ammonites sent 38 tons^[a] of silver to hire chariots and horsemen from Aram-naharaim, Aram-maacah, and Zobah.^(d)

They hired 32,000 chariots and the king of Maacah with his army, who came and camped near Medeba.^(e) The Ammonites also came together from their cities for the battle.

David heard about this and sent Joab and the entire army of warriors.

The Ammonites marched out and lined up in battle formation at the entrance of the city while the kings who had come were in the field by themselves.

When Joab saw that there was a battle line in front of him and another behind him, he chose some men out of all the elite troops^[b](f) of Israel and lined up in battle formation to engage the Arameans.

He placed the rest of the forces under the command of his brother Abishai, and they lined up in battle formation to engage the Ammonites.

"If the Arameans are too strong for me," Joab said, "then you'll be my help. However, if the Ammonites are too strong for you, I'll help you.

Be strong! We must prove ourselves strong for our people and for the cities of our God.^(g) May the Lord 's will be done."^[c]

Joab and the people with him approached the Arameans for battle, and they fled before him.

When the Ammonites saw that the Arameans had fled, they likewise fled before Joab's brother Abishai and entered the city. Then Joab went to Jerusalem.

When the Arameans realized that they had been defeated by Israel, they sent messengers to summon the Arameans who were across the Euphrates. They were led by Shophach, the commander of Hadadezer's army.

When this was reported to David, he gathered all Israel and crossed the Jordan. He came up to the Arameans and lined up in battle formation against them. When David lined up to engage them in battle, they fought against him.

But the Arameans fled before Israel, and David killed 7,000 of their charioteers and 40,000 foot soldiers. He also killed Shophach, commander of the army.

When Hadadezer's subjects saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they made peace with David and became his subjects. After this, the Arameans were never willing to help the Ammonites again.