2 Samuel 6; 2 Samuel 7; 2 Samuel 8; Luke 15:1-10

1 David again assembled all the best soldiers in Israel, 30,000 men.

2 He and all the people with him left Baalah in Judah to bring God's ark [to Jerusalem]. (The ark is called by the name of the LORD of Armies, who is enthroned over the angels. )

3 David and his men put God's ark on a new cart and brought it from Abinadab's home on the hill. Uzzah and Ahio, Abinadab's sons, were guiding the new cart.

4 They brought it from Abinadab's home, with Ahio walking ahead of the ark.

5 David and the entire nation of Israel were celebrating in the LORD's presence with all kinds of instruments made from cypress wood and with lyres, harps, tambourines, sistrums, and cymbals.

6 But when they came to Nacon's threshing floor, the oxen stumbled. So Uzzah reached out for the ark of God and grabbed it.

7 The LORD became angry with Uzzah, so God killed him there for his lack of respect. He died beside the ark of God.

8 David was angry because the LORD had struck Uzzah so violently. (That place is still called Perez Uzzah [The Striking of Uzzah] today.)

9 David was afraid of the LORD that day. "How can the ark of the LORD come to my [city]?" he asked.

10 So David wouldn't bring the ark of the LORD with him to the City of David. Instead, he rerouted it to the home of Obed Edom, who was from Gath.

11 The ark of the LORD stayed at the home of Obed Edom from Gath for three months, and the LORD blessed Obed Edom and his whole family.

12 King David was told, "The LORD has blessed Obed Edom's home and everything he owns because of the ark of God." Then David joyfully went to get the ark of God from Obed Edom's house and bring it to the City of David.

13 When those who carried the ark of the LORD had gone six steps, David sacrificed a bull and a fattened calf.

14 Wearing a linen ephod, David danced in the LORD's presence with all his might.

15 He and the entire nation of Israel brought the ark of the LORD with shouts of joy and the sounding of rams' horns.

16 When the ark of the LORD came to the City of David, Saul's daughter Michal looked out of a window and saw King David leaping and dancing in the LORD's presence, so she despised him.

17 The men carrying the ark set it in its place inside the tent David had put up for it. David sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings in the LORD's presence.

18 When David had finished sacrificing the burnt offerings and the fellowship offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD of Armies.

19 He also distributed to all the people--to the whole crowd of Israelites, both men and women--one loaf of bread, one date cake, and one raisin cake. Then all the people went home.

20 When David returned to bless his family, Saul's daughter Michal came out to meet him. "How dignified Israel's king was today! He was exposing himself before the eyes of the slave girls of his palace staff--like a mindless fool might expose himself!"

21 David answered Michal, "[I didn't dance in front of the slave girls but] in front of the LORD. He chose me rather than your father or anyone in your father's house, and he appointed me leader of Israel, the LORD's people. I will celebrate in the LORD's presence,

22 and I will degrade myself even more than this. Even if I am humiliated in your eyes, I will be honored by these slave girls you speak about."

23 So Saul's daughter Michal was childless her entire life.

1 While King David was living in his house, the LORD gave him peace with all his enemies around him.

2 So the king said to the prophet Nathan, "Look, I'm living in a house made of cedar, while the ark of God remains in the tent."

3 Nathan told the king, "Do everything you have in mind, because the LORD is with you."

4 But that same night the LORD spoke his word to Nathan:

5 "Say to my servant David, 'This is what the LORD says: Are you the one who will build me a house to live in?

6 I haven't lived in a house from the day I took Israel out of Egypt to this day. Instead, I moved around in a tent, the tent [of meeting].

7 In all the places I've moved with all the Israelites, did I ever ask any of the judges of Israel whom I ordered to be shepherds of my people Israel why they didn't build me a house of cedar?'

8 "Now this is what you will say to my servant David: 'This is what the LORD of Armies says: I took you from the pasture where you followed sheep so that you could be the leader of my people Israel.

9 I was with you wherever you went, and I destroyed all your enemies in front of you. I will make your name famous like the names of the greatest people on earth.

10 I will make a place for my people Israel and plant them there. They will live in their own place and not be troubled anymore. The wicked will no longer oppress them as they used to do

11 ever since I appointed judges to rule my people Israel. So I will give you peace with all your enemies. I, the LORD, tell you that I will make a house for you.

12 "'When the time comes for you to lie down in death with your ancestors, I will send one of your descendants, [one] who will come from you. I will establish his kingdom.

13 He will build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.

14 I will be his Father, and he will be my Son. If he sins, I will punish him with a rod and with blows inflicted by people.

15 But I will never stop showing him my love as I did to Saul, whom I took out of your way.

16 Your royal house will remain in my presence forever. Your throne will be established forever.'"

17 Nathan told David all these words and everything he had seen.

18 King David went into the tent and sat in front of the LORD. "Who am I, Almighty LORD," he asked, "and why is my house so important that you have brought me this far?

19 And even this you consider to be a small act, Almighty LORD. You've also spoken about the distant future of my house. Almighty LORD, this is the teaching about the man.

20 "What more can I, David, say to you, Almighty LORD, since you know me so well!

21 You've done this great thing because of your promise and your own desire. You made it known to me.

22 "That is why you are great, LORD God. There is no one like you, and there is no other god except you, as we have heard with our own ears.

23 Who is like your people Israel? It is the one nation on earth that God came to free in order to make its people his own, to make his name known, and to do great and wonderful things for them. You forced nations and their gods out of the way of your people, whom you freed from Egypt to be your own.

24 You created the people of Israel to be your people forever. And you, LORD, became their God.

25 "Now, LORD God, keep the promise you made to me and my house forever. Do as you promised.

26 Your name will be respected forever when [people] say, 'The LORD of Armies is God over Israel.' And the house of your servant David will be established in your presence.

27 You, LORD of Armies, God of Israel, have revealed it especially to me, saying, 'I will build a house for you.' That is why I have found the courage to offer this prayer to you.

28 "Almighty LORD, you are God, and your words are trustworthy. You promised me this good thing.

29 Now, please bless my house so that it may continue in your presence forever. Indeed, you, Almighty LORD, have promised it. With your blessing my house will be blessed forever."

1 After this, David defeated and crushed the Philistines. He took control of the main Philistine city from them.

2 He also defeated Moab, made the Moabites lie down on the ground, and measured them with a rope. He measured two lengths which were to be killed, and one length which was to be spared. So the Moabites became David's subjects and paid taxes [to him].

3 When David went to restore his control [over the territory] along the Euphrates River, he defeated Zobah's King Hadadezer, son of Rehob.

4 David took 1,700 horsemen and 20,000 foot soldiers from him. David also disabled all but 100 of their horses so that they couldn't pull chariots.

5 When the Arameans from Damascus came to help King Hadadezer of Zobah, David killed 22,000 of them.

6 David put troops in the Aramean kingdom of Damascus, and the Arameans became his subjects and paid taxes [to him]. Everywhere David went, the LORD gave him victories.

7 David took the gold shields that belonged to Hadadezer's servants, and he brought them to Jerusalem.

8 King David also took a large quantity of bronze from Betah and Berothai, Hadadezer's cities.

9 When King Toi of Hamath heard that David had defeated Hadadezer's whole army,

10 he sent his son Joram to greet King David and congratulate him for fighting and defeating Hadadezer. (There had often been war between Hadadezer and Toi.) Joram brought articles of gold, silver, and bronze with him.

11 King David dedicated these articles to the LORD, along with the silver and gold he had dedicated from all the nations he conquered--

12 from Edom, Moab, Ammon, the Philistines, Amalek, and from the goods taken from Zobah's King Hadadezer, son of Rehob.

13 David made a name for himself by killing 18,000 Edomites in the Dead Sea region as he returned [to Jerusalem].

14 He put troops everywhere in Edom, and all the Edomites were David's subjects. Everywhere David went, the LORD gave him victories.

15 So David ruled all Israel. He did what was fair and right for all his people.

16 Zeruiah's son Joab was in charge of the army. Ahilud's son Jehoshaphat was the royal historian.

17 Ahitub's son Zadok and Abiathar's son Ahimelech were priests. Seraiah was the royal scribe.

18 Jehoiada's son Benaiah was commander of the Cherethites and the Pelethites. And David's sons were priests.

1 All the tax collectors and sinners came to listen to Jesus.

2 But the Pharisees and the scribes complained, "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them."

3 Jesus spoke to them using this illustration:

4 "Suppose a man has 100 sheep and loses one of them. Doesn't he leave the 99 sheep grazing in the pasture and look for the lost sheep until he finds it?

5 When he finds it, he's happy. He puts that sheep on his shoulders and

6 goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says to them, 'Let's celebrate! I've found my lost sheep!'

7 I can guarantee that there will be more happiness in heaven over one person who turns to God and changes the way he thinks and acts than over 99 people who already have turned to God and have his approval."

8 "Suppose a woman has ten coins and loses one. Doesn't she light a lamp, sweep the house, and look for the coin carefully until she finds it?

9 When she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, 'Let's celebrate! I've found the coin that I lost.'

10 So I can guarantee that God's angels are happy about one person who turns to God and changes the way he thinks and acts."