2 Samuel 7; 2 Samuel 8; 2 Samuel 9; 2 Samuel 10

2 Samuel 7

1 King David was living in his palace, and the Lord had given him peace from all his enemies around him.

2 Then David said to Nathan the prophet, "Look, I am living in a palace made of cedar wood, but the Ark of God is in a tent!"

3 Nathan said to the king, "Go and do what you really want to do, because the Lord is with you."

4 But that night the Lord spoke his word to Nathan,

5 "Go and tell my servant David, 'This is what the Lord says: Will you build a house for me to live in?

6 From the time I brought the Israelites out of Egypt until now I have not lived in a house. I have been moving around all this time with a tent as my home.

7 As I have moved with the Israelites, I have never said to the tribes, whom I commanded to take care of my people Israel, "Why haven't you built me a house of cedar?"'

8 "You must tell my servant David, 'This is what the Lord All-Powerful says: I took you from the pasture and from tending the sheep and made you leader of my people Israel.

9 I have been with you everywhere you have gone and have defeated your enemies for you. I will make you as famous as any of the great people on the earth.

10 Also I will choose a place for my people Israel, and I will plant them so they can live in their own homes. They will not be bothered anymore. Wicked people will no longer bother them as they have in the past

11 when I chose judges for my people Israel. But I will give you peace from all your enemies. I also tell you that I will make your descendants kings of Israel after you.

12 "'When you die and join your ancestors, I will make one of your sons the next king, and I will set up his kingdom.

13 He will build a house for me, and I will let his kingdom rule always.

14 I will be his father, and he will be my son. When he sins, I will use other people to punish him. They will be my whips.

15 I took away my love from Saul, whom I removed before you, but I will never stop loving your son.

16 But your family and your kingdom will continue always before me. Your throne will last forever.'"

17 Nathan told David everything God had said in this vision.

18 Then King David went in and sat in front of the Lord. David said, "Lord God, who am I? What is my family? Why did you bring me to this point?

19 But even this is not enough for you, Lord God. You have also made promises about my future family. This is not normal, Lord God.

20 "What more can I say to you, Lord God, since you know me, your servant, so well!

21 You have done this great thing because you said you would and because you wanted to, and you have let me know about it.

22 This is why you are great, Lord God! There is no one like you. There is no God except you. We have heard all this ourselves!

23 There is no nation like your people Israel. They are the only people on earth that God chose to be his own. You made your name well known. You did great and wonderful miracles for them. You went ahead of them and forced other nations and their gods out of the land. You freed your people from slavery in Egypt.

24 You made the people of Israel your very own people forever, and, Lord, you are their God.

25 "Now, Lord God, keep the promise forever that you made about my family and me, your servant. Do what you have said.

26 Then you will be honored always, and people will say, 'The Lord All-Powerful is God over Israel!' And the family of your servant David will continue before you.

27 "Lord All-Powerful, the God of Israel, you have said to me, 'I will make your family great.' So I, your servant, am brave enough to pray to you.

28 Lord God, you are God, and your words are true. And you have promised these good things to me, your servant.

29 Please, bless my family. Let it continue before you always. Lord God, you have said so. With your blessing let my family always be blessed."

2 Samuel 8

1 Later, David defeated the Philistines, conquered them, and took the city of Metheg Ammah.

2 He also defeated the people of Moab. He made them lie on the ground, and then he used a rope to measure them. Those who were measured within two rope lengths were killed, but those who were within the next rope length were allowed to live. So the people of Moab became servants of David and gave him the payment he demanded.

3 David also defeated Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah, as he went to take control again at the Euphrates River.

4 David captured one thousand chariots, seven thousand men who rode in chariots, and twenty thousand foot soldiers. He crippled all but a hundred of the chariot horses.

5 Arameans from Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, but David killed twenty-two thousand of them.

6 Then David put groups of soldiers in Damascus in Aram. The Arameans became David's servants and gave him the payment he demanded. The Lord gave David victory everywhere he went.

7 David took the shields of gold that had belonged to Hadadezer's officers and brought them to Jerusalem.

8 David also took many things made of bronze from Tebah and Berothai, which had been cities under Hadadezer's control.

9 Toi king of Hamath heard that David had defeated all the army of Hadadezer.

10 So Toi sent his son Joram to greet and congratulate King David for defeating Hadadezer. (Hadadezer had been at war with Toi.) Joram brought items made of silver, gold, and bronze.

11 King David gave them to the Lord, along with the silver and gold he had taken from the other nations he had defeated.

12 These nations were Edom, Moab, Ammon, Philistia, and Amalek. David also gave the Lord what he had taken from Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah.

13 David was famous after he returned from defeating eighteen thousand Arameans in the Valley of Salt.

14 He put groups of soldiers all over Edom, and all the Edomites became his servants. The Lord gave David victory everywhere he went.

15 David was king over all Israel, and he did what was fair and right for all his people.

16 Joab son of Zeruiah was commander over the army. Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the recorder.

17 Zadok son of Ahitub and Abiathar son of Ahimelech were priests. Seraiah was the royal secretary.

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

2 Samuel 9

1 David asked, "Is anyone still left in Saul's family? I want to show kind- ness to that person for Jonathan's sake!"

2 Now there was a servant named Ziba from Saul's family. So David's servants called Ziba to him. King David said to him, "Are you Ziba?" He answered, "Yes, I am your servant."

3 The king asked, "Is anyone left in Saul's family? I want to show God's kindness to that person." Ziba answered the king, "Jonathan has a son still living who is crippled in both feet."

4 The king asked Ziba, "Where is this son?" Ziba answered, "He is at the house of Makir son of Ammiel in Lo Debar."

5 Then King David had servants bring Jonathan's son from the house of Makir son of Ammiel in Lo Debar.

6 Mephibosheth, Jonathan's son, came before David and bowed facedown on the floor. David said, "Mephibosheth!" Mephibosheth said, "I am your servant."

7 David said to him, "Don't be afraid. I will be kind to you for your father Jonathan's sake. I will give you back all the land of your grandfather Saul, and you will always eat at my table."

8 Mephibosheth bowed to David again and said, "You are being very kind to me, your servant! And I am no better than a dead dog!"

9 Then King David called Saul's servant Ziba. David said to him, "I have given your master's grandson everything that belonged to Saul and his family.

10 You, your sons, and your servants will farm the land and harvest the crops. Then your family will have food to eat. But Mephibosheth, your master's grandson, will always eat at my table." (Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.)

11 Ziba said to King David, "I, your servant, will do everything my master, the king, commands me." So Mephibosheth ate at David's table as if he were one of the king's sons.

12 Mephibosheth had a young son named Mica. Everyone in Ziba's family became Mephibosheth's servants.

13 Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, because he always ate at the king's table. And he was crippled in both feet.

2 Samuel 10

1 When Nahash king of the Ammonites died, his son Hanun became king after him.

2 David said, "Nahash was loyal to me, so I will be loyal to his son Hanun." So David sent his messengers to comfort Hanun about his father's death. David's officers went to the land of the Ammonites.

3 But the Ammonite leaders said to Hanun, their master, "Do you think David wants to honor your father by sending men to comfort you? No! David sent them to study the city and spy it out and capture it!"

4 So Hanun arrested David's officers. To shame them he shaved off half their beards and cut off their clothes at the hips. Then he sent them away.

5 When the people told David, he sent messengers to meet his officers because they were very ashamed. King David said, "Stay in Jericho until your beards have grown back. Then come home."

6 The Ammonites knew that they had insulted David. So they hired twenty thousand Aramean foot soldiers from Beth Rehob and Zobah. They also hired the king of Maacah with a thousand men and twelve thousand men from Tob.

7 When David heard about this, he sent Joab with the whole army.

8 The Ammonites came out and prepared for battle at the city gate. The Arameans from Zobah and Rehob and the men from Tob and Maacah were out in the field by themselves.

9 Joab saw that there were enemies both in front of him and behind him. So he chose some of the best soldiers of Israel and sent them out to fight the Arameans.

10 Joab put the rest of the army under the command of Abishai, his brother. Then he sent them out to fight the Ammonites.

11 Joab said to Abishai, "If the Arameans are too strong for me, you must help me. Or, if the Ammonites are too strong for you, I will help you.

12 Be strong. We must fight bravely for our people and the cities of our God. The Lord will do what he thinks is right."

13 Then Joab and the army with him went to attack the Arameans, and the Arameans ran away.

14 When the Ammonites saw that the Arameans were running away, they also ran away from Abishai and went back to their city. So Joab returned from the battle with the Ammonites and came to Jerusalem.

15 When the Arameans saw that Israel had defeated them, they came together into one big army.

16 Hadadezer sent messengers to bring the Arameans from east of the Euphrates River, and they went to Helam. Their leader was Shobach, the commander of Hadadezer's army.

17 When David heard about this, he gathered all the Israelites together. They crossed over the Jordan River and went to Helam. There the Arameans prepared for battle and attacked him.

18 But the Arameans ran away from the Israelites. David killed seven hundred Aramean chariot drivers and forty thousand Aramean horsemen. He also killed Shobach, the commander of the Aramean army.

19 When the kings who served Hadadezer saw that the Israelites had defeated them, they made peace with the Israelites and served them. And the Arameans were afraid to help the Ammonites again.