2 Samuel 5:11-25; 2 Samuel 6; 1 Chronicles 13; 1 Chronicles 14; 1 Chronicles 15; 1 Chronicles 16

2 Samuel 5:11-25

11 Hiram was king of Tyre. He sent messengers to David. He sent cedar logs along with them. He also sent skilled workers. They worked with wood and stone. They built a palace for David.

12 David knew that the LORD had made his position as king secure. He knew that he had made him king over the whole nation of Israel. He knew that the LORD had greatly honored his kingdom. The LORD had done it because the Israelites were his people.

13 After David left Hebron, he got more concubines and wives in Jerusalem. More sons and daughters were born to him there.

14 Here is a list of the children who were born to him in Jerusalem. Their names were Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon,

15 Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia,

16 Elishama, Eliada and Eliphelet.

17 The Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over Israel. So their whole army went to look for him. But David heard about it. He went down to his usual place of safety.

18 The Philistines had come and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim.

19 So David asked the LORD for advice. He said, "Should I go and attack the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?" The LORD answered him, "Go. You can be sure that I will hand the Philistines over to you."

20 So David went to Baal Perazim. There he won the battle over the Philistines. He said, "The LORD has broken through against my enemies when I've attacked them, just as water breaks through a dam." That's why the place was called Baal Perazim.

21 The Philistines left the statues of their gods there. So David and his men carried the statues off.

22 Once more the Philistines came up. They spread out in the Valley of Rephaim.

23 So David asked the LORD for advice. The LORD answered, "Do not go straight up. Instead, circle around behind them. Attack them in front of the balsam trees.

24 Listen for the sound of marching in the tops of the trees. Then move quickly. The sound will mean that I have gone out in front of you. I will strike down the Philistine army."

25 So David did just as the LORD had commanded him. He struck down the Philistines. He struck them down from Gibeon all the way to Gezer.

2 Samuel 6

1 Again David brought together the best soldiers in Israel. The total number was 30,000.

2 He and all of his men started out from Baalah in Judah. They wanted to bring the ark of God up to Jerusalem from there. The ark is named after the Lord. He is the LORD who rules over all. He sits on his throne between the cherubim that are on the ark.

3 The ark of God was placed on a new cart. Then it was brought from Abinadab's house, which was on a hill. Uzzah and Ahio were guiding the cart. They were the sons of Abinadab.

4 The ark of God was on the cart. Ahio was walking in front of it.

5 David was celebrating with all his might in the sight of the Lord. So was the whole community of Israel. All of them were singing songs. They were also playing harps, lyres, tambourines, rattles and cymbals.

6 They came to the threshing floor of Nacon. The oxen nearly fell there. So Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark of God.

7 Then the LORD's anger burned against Uzzah. That's because what Uzzah did showed that he didn't have any respect for the Lord. So God struck him down. He died there beside the ark of God.

8 David was angry because the LORD's burning anger had broken out against Uzzah. That's why the place is still called Perez Uzzah to this very day.

9 David was afraid of the LORD that day. He asked, "How can the ark of the LORD ever be brought to me?"

10 He didn't want to take the ark of the LORD to be with him in the City of David. Instead, he took it to the house of Obed-Edom. Obed-Edom was from Gath.

11 The ark of the LORD remained in Obed-Edom's house for three months. And the LORD blessed him and his whole family.

12 King David was told, "The LORD has blessed the family of Obed-Edom. He has also blessed everything that belongs to him. That's because the ark of God is in Obed-Edom's house." So David went down there and brought up the ark. With great joy he brought it up from the house of Obed-Edom. He took it to the City of David.

13 Those who were carrying the ark of the LORD took six steps forward. Then David sacrificed a bull and a fat calf.

14 David was wearing a sacred linen apron. He danced in the sight of the LORD with all his might.

15 He did it while he was bringing up the ark of the Lord. The whole community of Israel helped him bring it up. They shouted. They blew trumpets.

16 The ark of the LORD was brought into the City of David. Saul's daughter Michal was watching from a window. She saw King David leaping and dancing in the sight of the Lord. That made her hate him in her heart.

17 The ark of the LORD was brought into Jerusalem. It was put in its place in the tent David had set up for it. David sacrificed burnt offerings and friendship offerings to the Lord.

18 After he finished sacrificing those offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD who rules over all.

19 He gave to each Israelite man and woman a loaf of bread. He also gave each one a date cake and a raisin cake. Then all of the people went home.

20 David returned home to bless his family. Saul's daughter Michal came out to meet him. She said, "You are the king of Israel. You have really brought honor to yourself today, haven't you? You have taken off your royal robe right in front of the female slaves of your officials. You acted like someone who is very foolish!"

21 David said to Michal, "I did it to honor the Lord. He chose me instead of your father or anyone else in Saul's family. He appointed me ruler over his people Israel. I will celebrate in honor of the Lord.

22 And that's not all. I will bring even less honor to myself. I will bring even more shame on myself. But those female slaves you spoke about will honor me."

23 Saul's daughter Michal didn't have any children as long as she lived.

1 Chronicles 13

1 David talked with each of his officers. He wanted to get their advice. Some of them were commanders of thousands of men. Others were commanders of hundreds.

2 David spoke to the whole community of Israel. He said, "Let's send word to the rest of our people no matter how far away they live. They live in all of the territories of Israel. Let's also send word to the priests and Levites who are with them in their towns and grasslands. Let's invite everyone to come and join us. Let's do it if it seems good to you and if that's what the LORD our God wants.

3 Let's bring the ark of our God back here to us. We didn't use it to ask God for advice during the whole time Saul was king."

4 So that's what the whole community agreed to do. It seemed right to them.

5 David gathered all of the people together. They came from the area between the Shihor River in Egypt and Lebo Hamath. They came to bring the ark of God from Kiriath Jearim to Jerusalem.

6 David went to Baalah of Judah. The whole community of Israel went with him. Baalah is also called Kiriath Jearim. All of the people went there to get the ark of God the Lord. He sits on his throne between the cherubim. The ark is named after the Lord.

7 The ark of God was placed on a new cart. Then it was moved from Abinadab's house. Uzzah and Ahio were guiding it.

8 David was celebrating with all his might in the sight of God. So was the whole community of Israel. All of them were singing songs. They were also playing harps, lyres, tambourines, cymbals and trumpets.

9 They came to the threshing floor of Kidon. The oxen nearly fell there. So Uzzah reached out his hand to hold the ark steady.

10 Then the LORD's anger burned against Uzzah. He struck him down because he had put his hand on the ark. So Uzzah died there in front of God.

11 David was angry because the LORD's burning anger had broken out against Uzzah. That's why the place is still called Perez Uzzah to this very day.

12 David was afraid of God that day. He asked, "How can I ever bring the ark of God back here to me?"

13 So he didn't take the ark to be with him in the City of David. Instead, he took it to the house of Obed-Edom. Obed-Edom was from Gath.

14 The ark of God remained with the family of Obed-Edom. It stayed in his house for three months. And the LORD blessed his family. He also blessed everything that belonged to him.

1 Chronicles 14

1 Hiram was king of Tyre. He sent messengers to David. He sent cedar logs along with them. He also sent skilled workers to build a palace for David. They worked with stone and wood.

2 David knew that the LORD had made his position as king secure. He knew that he had made him king over the whole nation of Israel. He knew that the LORD had greatly honored his kingdom. The LORD had done it because the Israelites were his people.

3 In Jerusalem David got married to more women. He also became the father of more sons and daughters.

4 Here is a list of the children who were born to him in Jerusalem. Their names were Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon,

5 Ibhar, Elishua, Elpelet,

6 Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia,

7 Elishama, Beeliada and Eliphelet.

8 The Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over the entire nation of Israel. So their whole army went to look for him. But David heard about it. He went out to where they were.

9 The Philistines had come and attacked the people in the Valley of Rephaim.

10 So David asked God for advice. He said, "Should I go and attack the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?" The LORD answered him, "Go. I will hand them over to you."

11 So David and his men went up to Baal Perazim. There David won the battle over the Philistines. He said, "God has broken through against my enemies, just as water breaks through a dam." That's why the place was called Baal Perazim.

12 The Philistines had left the statues of their gods there. So David gave orders to burn them up.

13 Once more the Philistines attacked the people in the valley.

14 So David asked God for advice again. God answered him, "Do not go straight up. Instead, circle around them. Attack them in front of the balsam trees.

15 Listen for the sound of marching in the tops of the trees. Then move out to fight. The sound will mean that I have gone out in front of you. I will strike down the Philistine army."

16 So David did just as God had commanded him. He and his men struck down the Philistine army. They struck them down from Gibeon all the way to Gezer.

17 So David became famous in every land. The LORD made all of the nations afraid of him.

1 Chronicles 15

1 David constructed buildings for himself in the City of David. Then he prepared a place for the ark of God. He set up a tent for it.

2 He said, "Only Levites can carry the ark of God. That's because the LORD chose them to carry his ark. He chose them to serve him forever in front of the place where his throne is."

3 David gathered the whole community of Israel together in Jerusalem. He wanted to bring the ark of the LORD up to the place he had prepared for it.

4 He called together the members of the family line of Aaron. He also called the Levites together. Here are the men who came from the families of the Levites.

5 From the families of Kohath came the leader Uriel and 120 relatives.

6 From the families of Merari came the leader Asaiah and 220 relatives.

7 From the families of Gershon came the leader Joel and 130 relatives.

8 From the families of Elizaphan came the leader Shemaiah and 200 relatives.

9 From the families of Hebron came the leader Eliel and 80 relatives.

10 From the families of Uzziel came the leader Amminadab and 112 relatives.

11 David sent for the priests Zadok and Abiathar. He also sent for Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel and Amminadab. They were Levites.

12 He said to them, "You are the leaders of the families of Levi. You and the other Levites must set yourselves apart to serve the LORD and his people. You must bring up the ark of the Lord. He is the God of Israel. Put the ark in the place I've prepared for it.

13 "Remember when the anger of the LORD our God broke out against us? It was because you Levites didn't bring the ark up the first time. We didn't ask the LORD how to do it in the way the law requires."

14 So the priests and Levites set themselves apart. Then they brought up the ark of the Lord. He is the God of Israel.

15 This time the Levites used the poles to carry the ark of God on their shoulders. That's what Moses had commanded in keeping with the word of the Lord.

16 David told the Levite leaders to appoint their relatives as singers. He wanted them to sing joyful songs. He also wanted them to play lyres, harps and cymbals along with their singing.

17 So the Levites appointed Heman, the son of Joel. From his relatives they chose Asaph, the son of Berekiah. Other relatives were from the family of Merari. From them they chose Ethan, the son of Kushaiah.

18 Along with them they chose their relatives who were next in line. Their names were Zechariah, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom and Jeiel. They guarded the gates.

19 Heman, Asaph and Ethan played the bronze cymbals.

20 Zechariah, Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah and Benaiah played the high notes on the lyres.

21 Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, Jeiel and Azaziah played the low notes on the harps.

22 Kenaniah was the leader of the Levites. He was in charge of the singing because he was good at it.

23 Berekiah and Elkanah guarded the ark.

24 Some of the priests blew trumpets in front of the ark of God. Their names were Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah and Eliezer. Obed-Edom and Jehiah also helped guard the ark.

25 David and the elders of Israel went to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord. So did the commanders of companies of 1,000 men. With great joy they brought the ark up from the house of Obed-Edom.

26 God had helped the Levites who were carrying the ark of the covenant of the Lord. So seven bulls and seven rams were sacrificed.

27 David was wearing a robe that was made out of fine linen. So were all of the Levites who were carrying the ark. And so were the singers and the choir director Kenaniah. David was also wearing a sacred linen apron.

28 So the whole community of Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the Lord. They shouted. They blew rams' horns and trumpets. They played cymbals, lyres and harps.

29 The ark of the covenant of the LORD was brought into the City of David. Saul's daughter Michal was watching from a window. She saw King David dancing and celebrating. That made her hate him in her heart.

1 Chronicles 16

1 The ark of God was brought into Jerusalem. It was put in the tent David had set up for it. The priests brought burnt offerings and friendship offerings to God.

2 After David finished sacrificing those offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord.

3 He gave to each Israelite man and woman a loaf of bread. He also gave each one a date cake and a raisin cake.

4 He appointed some of the Levites to serve in front of the ark of the Lord. David wanted them to pray, give thanks and praise the Lord. He is the God of Israel.

5 Asaph was the leader of those Levites. Zechariah was next. Then came Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-Edom and Jeiel. They played the lyres and harps. Asaph played the cymbals.

6 The priests Benaiah and Jahaziel blew the trumpets. They blew them at regular times in front of the ark of the covenant of God.

7 That day was the first time David gave Asaph and his helpers this psalm of thanks to the Lord.

8 Give thanks to the Lord. Worship him. Tell the nations what he has done.

9 Sing to him. Sing praise to him. Tell about all of the wonderful things he has done.

10 Praise him, because his name is holy. Let the hearts of those who trust in the LORD be glad.

11 Look to the LORD and to his strength. Always look to him.

12 Remember the wonderful things he has done. Remember his miracles and how he judged our enemies.

13 Remember what he has done, you children of his servant Israel. Remember it, you people of Jacob. You are God's chosen ones.

14 He is the LORD our God. He judges the whole earth.

15 He will keep his covenant forever. He will keep his promise for all time to come.

16 He will keep the covenant he made with Abraham. He will keep the oath he took when he made his promise to Isaac.

17 He made it stand as a law for Jacob. He made it stand as a covenant for Israel. It will last forever.

18 He said, "I will give you the land of Canaan. It will belong to you."

19 At first there weren't very many of God's people. There were only a few. And they were strangers in the land.

20 They wandered from nation to nation. They wandered from one kingdom to another.

21 But God didn't allow anyone to beat them down. To keep them safe, he gave a command to kings.

22 He said to them, "Do not touch my anointed ones. Do not harm my prophets."

23 All you people of the earth, sing to the Lord. Day after day tell about how he saves us.

24 Tell the nations about his glory. Tell all people about the wonderful things he has done.

25 The LORD is great. He is really worthy of praise. People should have respect for him as the greatest God of all.

26 All of the gods of the nations are like their statues. They can't do anything. But the LORD made the heavens.

27 Glory and majesty are all around him. Strength and joy can be seen in the place where he lives.

28 Praise the Lord, all you nations. Praise the LORD for his glory and strength.

29 Praise the LORD for the glory that belongs to him. Bring an offering and come to him. Worship the LORD because of his beauty and holiness.

30 All you people of the earth, tremble when you are with him. The world is firmly set in place. It can't be moved.

31 Let the heavens be filled with joy. Let the earth be glad. Let them say among the nations, "The LORD rules!"

32 Let the ocean and everything in it roar. Let the fields and everything in them be glad.

33 Then the trees in the forest will sing with joy. They will sing to the Lord. He will judge the people of the world.

34 Give thanks to the Lord, because he is good. His faithful love continues forever.

35 Cry out, "Save us, God our Savior. Save us. Bring us back from among the nations. Then we will give thanks to you, because your name is holy. We will celebrate by praising you."

36 Give praise to the Lord, the God of Israel, for ever and ever. Then all of the people said, "Amen!" They also said, "Praise the Lord."

37 David left Asaph and his helpers to serve in front of the ark of the covenant of the Lord. They served there at regular times. They did it as they were required to do each day.

38 David also left Obed-Edom and his 68 helpers to serve with them. Obed-Edom and Hosah guarded the gates. Obed-Edom was the son of Jeduthun.

39 David left the priest Zadok and some other priests in front of the holy tent of the Lord. It was at the high place in Gibeon.

40 David left them there to sacrifice burnt offerings to the LORD on the altar every morning and evening. They did it in keeping with everything that is written in the Law of the Lord. That's the Law he had given to Israel.

41 Heman and Jeduthun were with the priests. So were the rest of those who had been chosen by name and appointed to serve. They had been chosen to give thanks to the Lord, "because his faithful love continues forever."

42 It was the duty of Heman and Jeduthun to blow the trumpets. They also had the duty of playing the cymbals and other instruments for the sacred songs. The sons of Jeduthun were stationed at one of the gates.

43 All of the people left. Everyone went home. And David returned home to bless his family.