1 Chronicles 21; 1 Chronicles 22; 1 Chronicles 23

1 Chronicles 21

1 Satan attempted to attack Israel by provoking David to count the Israelites.

2 David said to Joab and the leaders of the people, "Go, count Israel from Beersheba to Dan. Bring me [the results] so that I may know how many [people] there are."

3 Joab responded, "May the LORD multiply his people a hundred times over. But, Your Majesty, aren't they all your servants? Why are you trying to do this? Why do you wish to make Israel guilty of [this] sin?"

4 However, the king overruled Joab. So Joab left, went throughout Israel, and returned to Jerusalem.

5 Joab reported the census figures to David: In Israel there were 1,100,000 men who could serve in the army, and in Judah there were 470,000 who could serve in the army.

6 Joab didn't include Levi and Benjamin in the number because he was disgusted with the king's order.

7 God considered the census to be sinful, so he struck Israel [with a plague].

8 David said to God, "I have committed a terrible sin by doing this thing. Forgive me because I have acted very foolishly."

9 The LORD spoke to Gad, David's seer.

10 "Go and tell David, 'This is what the LORD says: I'm offering you three choices. Choose the one you want me to do to you.'"

11 When Gad came to David, he said, "This is what the LORD says: 'Take your pick:

12 either three years of famine, or three months during which your enemies will chase you away when their swords catch up to you, or three days of the LORD's sword--a plague in the land with the Messenger of the LORD destroying the whole country of Israel.' Decide what answer I should give the one who sent me."

13 "I'm in a desperate situation," David told Gad. "Please let me fall into the LORD's hands because he is extremely merciful. But don't let me fall into human hands."

14 So the LORD sent a plague on Israel, and 70,000 Israelites died.

15 God also sent a Messenger to Jerusalem to destroy it, but as he was destroying it, the LORD reconsidered and changed his mind about the disaster. "Enough!" he said to the destroying Messenger. "Put down your weapon." The Messenger of the LORD was standing by the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.

16 When David looked up, he saw the Messenger of the LORD standing between heaven and earth. The Messenger had a sword in his hand and stretched it over Jerusalem. David and the leaders were dressed in sackcloth. They bowed down with their faces touching the ground.

17 David said to God, "I'm the one who ordered the people to be counted. I am the one who sinned and did wrong. What have these sheep done? LORD my God, let your punishment be against me and my father's family, but don't punish your people with a plague."

18 The LORD's Messenger told Gad to tell David to go and set up an altar for the LORD at Ornan the Jebusite's threshing floor.

19 David went as Gad had told him in the LORD's name.

20 Now, Ornan had turned around and seen the Messenger. Ornan's four sons who were with him hid, but Ornan kept on threshing the wheat.

21 When David arrived, Ornan looked up and saw him. So he left the threshing floor and bowed down with his face touching the ground in front of David.

22 David said to Ornan, "Let me have the land this threshing floor is on. I'll build an altar for the LORD on it. Sell it to me for the full price. Then the plague on the people will stop."

23 Ornan said to David, "Take it, Your Majesty, and do whatever you think is right. I'll give you oxen for the burnt offering, threshers for firewood, and wheat for the grain offering. I'll give you everything."

24 "No," King David told Ornan, "I insist on buying it for the full price. I won't take what is yours for the LORD and offer burnt sacrifices that cost me nothing."

25 So David gave Ornan 15 pounds of gold for that place.

26 David built an altar for the LORD there and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. He called on the LORD, and the LORD answered him by [sending] fire from heaven on the altar for burnt offerings.

27 So the LORD spoke to the Messenger, and he put his sword back in its scabbard.

28 At that time, when David saw the LORD had answered him at the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite, he offered sacrifices there.

29 The LORD's tent that Moses made in the desert and the altar for burnt offerings were at the worship site at Gibeon.

30 However, David couldn't go there to consult God because he was frightened by the sword of the LORD's Messenger.

1 Chronicles 22

1 Then David said, "This is where the LORD God's temple will be. Israel's altar for burnt offerings will also be here."

2 David ordered the foreigners living in Israel to gather. He appointed some of them to cut stones to build God's temple.

3 David prepared a large quantity of iron for nails and fittings on the doors of the gates. He also prepared so much bronze that it couldn't be weighed.

4 The men of Sidon and Tyre brought David so many cedar logs that the logs couldn't be counted.

5 David thought, "My son Solomon is young and inexperienced, and the temple that will be built for the LORD must be magnificent, large, famous, praised, and honored in all other countries. I'll prepare [the building materials] for him." So David prepared many materials [for Solomon] before he died.

6 He summoned his son Solomon and commanded him to build a temple for the LORD God of Israel.

7 David told his son Solomon, "I had my heart set on building a temple for the name of the LORD, my God.

8 But the LORD spoke his word to me by saying, 'You have caused a lot of bloodshed and fought in a lot of wars. You must not build a temple for my name because you have caused so much bloodshed in my presence.

9 You will have a son who will be a peaceful man. I will give him peace from all the enemies around him. His name will be Solomon [Peace], and in his time I will give Israel peace and quiet.

10 He will build a temple for my name. He will be my son, and I will be his father. I will establish the throne of his kingdom permanently over Israel.'"

11 [David continued,] "Now, son, the LORD will be with you. You will be successful, and you will build the temple of the LORD your God as he predicted you would.

12 The LORD will give you insight and understanding as he commands you to take charge of Israel and to follow the Teachings of the LORD your God.

13 Then you will succeed if you will carefully obey the laws and decrees the LORD commanded Moses to give to Israel. Be strong and courageous. Don't be afraid or terrified.

14 "Despite my troubles I've made preparations for the LORD's temple. There are 7,500,000 pounds of gold, 75,000,000 pounds of silver, and so much bronze and iron that it can't be weighed. I've also prepared wood and stones, and you may add to them.

15 You have many kinds of workers: stonecutters, masons, carpenters, and men skilled in every kind of work.

16 The gold, silver, bronze, and iron are more than can be counted. So get to work! May the LORD be with you."

17 David ordered all the leaders of Israel to help his son Solomon.

18 [David said,] "Isn't the LORD your God with you? Hasn't he given you peace with all your neighbors? He put the people who live in this country under my power, and the country has been conquered by the LORD and his people.

19 So dedicate your hearts and lives to serving the LORD your God. Start building the holy place of the LORD God so that you can bring the ark of the LORD's promise and God's holy utensils into the temple that will be built for the LORD's name."

1 Chronicles 23

1 When David had grown old and had lived out his years, he made his son Solomon king of Israel.

2 He gathered all the officials of Israel and the priests and Levites.

3 Every male Levite who was at least 30 years old was counted. There were 38,000.

4 Of these, 24,000 were appointed to supervise the work on the LORD's temple, 6,000 were appointed to be officers and judges,

5 4,000 were appointed to be gatekeepers, and 4,000 were appointed to praise the LORD with the instruments David had made for praising God.

6 David organized the Levites into divisions based on which of Levi's sons (Gershon, Kohath, or Merari) they were descended from.

7 Ladan and Shimei were Gershon's descendants.

8 Ladan had three sons: Jehiel was the first, then Zetham, and Joel.

9 Shimei had three sons: Shelomith, Haziel, and Haran. They were the heads of Ladan's families.

10 Shimei's sons were Jahath, Zina, Jeush, and Beriah. They were Shimei's four sons.

11 Jahath was the first, and Ziza was the second. Jeush and Beriah didn't have many sons, so they were given an assignment as one family.

12 Kohath had four sons: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel.

13 Amram's sons were Aaron and Moses. Aaron and his sons were forever designated to dedicate the most holy things [to God], to offer sacrifices to the LORD, to serve him, and always give the blessing in his name.

14 The sons of Moses, the man of God, were counted with the tribe of Levi.

15 Moses' sons were Gershom and Eliezer.

16 Gershom's only son was Shebuel.

17 Eliezer's only son was Rehabiah. Eliezer had no other sons, but Rehabiah had many sons.

18 Izhar's only son was Shelomith.

19 Hebron's first son was Jeriah; his second was Amariah; his third was Jahaziel; his fourth was Jekameam.

20 Uzziel's first son was Micah; his second was Isshiah.

21 Merari's sons were Mahli and Mushi. Mahli's sons were Eleazar and Kish.

22 Eleazar died without having any sons. He only had daughters. Their cousins, the sons of Kish, married them.

23 Mushi had three sons: Mahli, Eder, and Jeremoth.

24 These were Levi's descendants, who were grouped according to their families. The heads of their families were registered by name as they were counted. Everyone who served in the LORD's temple was at least 20 years old.

25 David had said, "The LORD God of Israel has given his people rest. He will now live in Jerusalem forever.

26 The Levites will no longer have to carry the tent and all the utensils used in worship."

27 David's last instructions were to count the Levites who were at least 20 years old.

28 They were appointed to stand beside Aaron's descendants to serve in the LORD's temple. They were appointed to be in charge of the courtyards and the temple rooms, to ensure that all the holy things were clean, and to serve in God's temple.

29 They were also responsible for the rows of bread, the flour for the grain offerings, the unleavened bread wafers, and the bread made in frying pans. In addition, they were responsible for mixing the ingredients and keeping track of all weights and measures.

30 They were appointed to stand to give thanks and praise to the LORD every morning. They were appointed to do the same thing in the evening.

31 They were appointed to stand in front of the LORD in the required numbers whenever burnt offerings were made--on weekly worship days, at New Moon Festivals, and on appointed annual festivals.

32 They were appointed to follow the regulations for the tent of meeting and the holy place and to help their relatives, Aaron's descendants, as they served in the LORD's temple.