“We are yours, David,
On your side, son of Jesse;
At peace, at peace with you,
And at peace with him who supports you,
For your God supports you.”
So David accepted them, and placed them at the head of his band.
20Some Manassites went over to David’s side when he came with the Philistines to make war against Saul, but they were of no help to them, because the lords of the Philistines in council dismissed him, saying, “He will go over to the side of his lord, Saul, and it will cost us our heads”; 21when he went to Ziklag, these Manassites went over to his side—Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu, and Zillethai, chiefs of the clans of Manasseh.
22It was they who gave support to David against the band,b for all were valiant men; and they were officers of the force.
23Day in day out, people came to David to give him support, until there was an army as vast as the army of God.
24These are the numbers of the [men of the] armed bands who joined David at Hebron to transfer Saul’s kingdom to him, in accordance with the word of the LORD:
25Judahites, equipped with shield and spear—6,800 armed men; 26Simeonites, valiant men, fighting troops—7,100; 27of the Levites—4,600; 28Jehoiada, chief officer of the Aaronides; with him, 3,700; 29Zadok, a young valiant man, with his clan—22 officers; 30of the Benjaminites, kinsmen of Saul, 3,000 in their great numbers, hitherto protecting the interests of the house of Saul; 31of the Ephraimites, 20,800 valiant men, famous in their clans; 32of the half-tribe of Manasseh, 18,000, who were designated by name to come and make David king; 33of the Issacharites, men who knew how to interpret the signs of the times, to determine how Israel should act; their chiefs were 200, and all their kinsmen followed them; 34of Zebulun, those ready for service, able to man a battle line with all kinds of weapons, 50,000, giving support wholeheartedly; 35of Naphtali, 1,000 chieftains with their shields and lances—37,000; 36Of the Danites, able to man the battle line—28,600; 37of Asher, those ready for service to man the battle line—40,000; 38from beyond the Jordan, of the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, together with all kinds of military weapons—120,000.
39All these, fighting men, manning the battle line with whole heart, came to Hebron to make David king over all Israel. Likewise, all the rest of Israel was of one mind to make David king.
40They were there with David three days, eating and drinking, for their kinsmen had provided for them.
41And also, their relatives as far away as Issachar, Zebulun, and Naphtali brought food by ass, camel, mule, and ox—provisions of flour, cakes of figs, raisin cakes, wine, oil, cattle, and sheep in abundance, for there was joy in Israel.
13 Then David consulted with the officers of the thousands and the hundreds, with every chief officer. 2David said to the entire assembly of Israel, “If you approve, and if the LORD our God concurs,a let us send far and wide to our remaining kinsmen throughout the territories of Israel, including the priests and Levites in the towns where they have pasturelands, that they should gather together to us 3in order to transfer the Ark of our God to us, for throughout the days of Saul we paid no regard to it.” 4The entire assembly agreed to do so, for the proposal pleased all the people. 5David then assembled all Israel from Shihor of Egypt to Lebohamath, in order to bring the Ark of God from Kiriath-jearim. 6bDavid and all Israel went up to Baalah, Kiriath-jearim of Judah, to bring up from there the Ark of God, the LORD, Enthroned on the Cherubim, to which the Name was attached. 7They transported the Ark of God on a new cart from the house of Abinadab; Uzza and Ahio guided the cart, 8and David and all Israel danced before God with all their might—with songs, lyres, harps, timbrels, cymbals, and trumpets. 9But when they came to the threshing floor of Chidon, Uzza put out his hand to hold the Ark of God because the oxen had stumbled.a 10The LORD was incensed at Uzza, and struck him down, because he laid a hand on the Ark; and so he died there before God. 11David was distressed because the LORD c-had burst out-c against Uzza; and that place was named Perez-uzzah, as it is still called.
12David was afraid of God that day; he said, “How can I bring the Ark of God here?” 13So David did not remove the Ark to his place in the City of David; instead, he diverted it to the house of Obed-edom the Gittite. 14The Ark of God remained in the house of Obed-edom, in its own abode, three months, and the LORD blessed the house of Obed-edom and all he had.
14 aKing Hiram of Tyre sent envoys to David with cedar logs, stonemasons, and carpenters to build a palace for him. 2Thus David knew that the LORD had established him as king over Israel, and that his kingship was highly exalted for the sake of His people Israel.
3David took more wives in Jerusalem, and David begot more sons and daughters. 4These are the names of the children born to him in Jerusalem:b Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, and Solomon; 5Ibhar, Elishua, and Elpelet; 6Nogah, Nepheg, and Japhia; 7Elishama, Beeliada, and Eliphelet.
8When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over all Israel, all the Philistines went up in search of David; but David heard of it, and he went out to them. 9The Philistines came and raided the Valley of Rephaim. 10David inquired of God, “Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will You deliver them into my hands?” And the LORD answered him, “Go up, and I will deliver them into your hands.” 11Thereupon David ascended Baal-perazim, and David defeated them there. David said, “God c-burst out-c against my enemies by my hands as waters burst out.” That is why that place was named Baal-perazim. 12They abandoned their gods there, and David ordered these to be burned.
13Once again the Philistines raided the valley. 14David inquired of God once more, and God answered, “Do not go up after them, but circle around them and confront them at the bacad trees. 15And when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the baca trees, then go out to battle, for God will be going in front of you to attack the Philistine forces.” 16David did as God had commanded him; and they routed the Philistines from Gibeon all the way to Gezer. 17David became famous throughout the lands, and the LORD put the fear of him in all the nations.
15 He had houses made for himself in the City of David, and he prepared a place for the Ark of God, and pitched a tent for it. 2Then David gave orders that none 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. 3David assembled all Israel in Jerusalem to bring up the Ark of the LORD to its place, which he had prepared for it. 4Then David gathered together the Aaronides and the Levites: 5the sons of Kohath: Uriel the officer and his kinsmen—120; 6the sons of Merari: Asaiah the officer and his kinsmen—220; 7the sons of Gershom: Joel the officer and his kinsmen—130; 8the sons of Elizaphan: Shemaiah the officer and his kinsmen—200; 9the sons of Hebron: Eliel the officer and his kinsmen—80; 10the sons of Uzziel: Amminadab the officer and his kinsmen—112.
11David sent for Zadok and Abiathar the priests, and for the Levites: Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel, and Amminadab. 12He said to them, “You are the heads of the clans of the Levites; sanctify yourselves, you and your kinsmen, and bring up the Ark of the LORD God of Israel to [the place] I have prepared for it. 13a-Because you were not there the first time,-a the LORD our God burst out against us, for we did not show due regard for Him.”
14The priests and Levites sanctified themselves in order to bring up the Ark of the LORD God of Israel. 15The Levites carried the Ark of God by means of poles on their shoulders, as Moses had commanded in accordance
