All Israel came together to David at Hebron and said."We are your own flesh and blood.
In the past, even while Saul was king, you were the one who led Israel on their military camnpaigns . And the LORD your God said to you. You will shepherd my people Israel, and you will become their ruler."
When all the elders of Isarael had come to King David at Hebron. he made a compact with thema t Hebron before the LORD, and they anointed David king over Israel, as the LORD had promised through Samuel.
David and all the Israelites marched to Jerusalem(that is, Jebus). The Jebusites who lived there
said to David,"You will not get in here," Neveertheless. David captured the fortress of Zion, the City of David.
David had said."Whoever leads teha ttack on the Jebusites will become commander-in-chief."Joab son of Zeruiah went up first, and so he received teh command.
David then took up residence in the fortress, and so it was called the City of David.
He built up thje city around it, from the supporting terraces to the surrounding wall, while Joab restored ther est of the city.
And David became more and more powerful, because the LORD Almighty was with him.
These were thec hiefs of David's mighty men-they, togehter with all Israel gave his kingship strong support to extend it over the whole land, as the LORD had promised-
this is the list of David's mighty men:Jashobeam a Hacmonite ,was chief of the officers; he raised his spear against three hundred men, whom he killed in one encounter.
Next to him was Eleazar son of Dodai the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men.
He was with David at Pas Dammim when the Philistines gathered there for battle. At a place where there was a field full of barley, the troops fled from the Philistines.But they took their stand in the middle of the field. They defended it and struck the Philistiness down, and the LORD brought about a great victory.
Three of thet hirtu cchiefs came down to David to the rock at tehc ave of Adullam, while a band of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim.
Three of the thirty chiefs came down to David to the rock at tehc ave of Adullam, while a hand of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim.
At that time David was in the stronghold, and the Philistine garrison was at Bethlehem.
David longed for water and said,"Oh, that someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of Brthlehem."
So the Three broke through the Philistine linesm drew water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem and carried it back to David, But he refused tod rinj it; instead, he poured it out before the LORD.
"God forbid that I should do this!" he said," Should I drink the blood of these men who went at the risk of their lives?" Because they risked their lives to bring it back, David would not drink it. Sich were thee xploits of the three mighty men.
Abishai the brouther of Joab was chief of the Three. He raised his spear against three hundred me, whom he killed, and so he became as famous as the Three.
He was doubly honored above the Three and became their commander even though he was not included among them.
Benaiah son of Jehoiada was a valiant fighter from Kabzeel, who performed great exploits. He struck down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion.
And he struck down an Egyptian who was seven and a jalf feet tall. Although the Egyptian had a spear like a weaver's rod in his hand, Benaiah went against him with a club . He snatched the spear from the Egyptian's hand and killed him with his own spear.
Such were the exploits of Benaiag son of Jehoiada; he too was as famous as the three mighty men.
He was held in greater honor than any of the the Thirty, but he was not included among the the Thirty, but he was not included among the Three. And David put him in charge of his bodyguard.
The mighty men were: Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan son of Dodo from Bethlehem.
Shammoth the Harorite, Helez the Pelonite,
Ira son of Ikkesh from Tekoa, Abiezer from Anathoth.
Sibbecai the Hushite. Hai the Ahohite.
Maharai the Netophathite. Heled son of Baanah the Netophathite.
Ithai son of Ribai from Gibeah in Benjamin, Benaiah the Pirathonite
Hurai from ther avines of Gaash. Abiel the Arbathite
Azmaveth the Baharumite, Eliahba the Shaalbonite
the sons of Hashem the Gizonite. Jonathan son of Shagee the Hararite.
Ahiam son of Sacar the Hararite, Eliphal son of Ur.
Hepher the Mekerathite, Ahijah the Pelonite,
Hezro the Carmelite, Naarai son of Ezbai.
Joel the brother of Nathan, Mibhar son of Hagri
Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Berothite, the armor=bearer of Joab son of Zeruiah.
Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite
Uriah the Hittite, Zabad son of Ablai,
Adina son of Shiza the Reubenite, who was chief of the Reubenites, and the thirty with him.
Hanan son of Maacah, Joshaphat the Mithnite,
Uzzia the Ashterathite,Shama and Jeiel the sons of Hotham the Aroerite.
Jediael son of Shimri, his brother Joha the Tizite,
Eliel the Majavite , Jeribai and Joshaviah the sons of Elnaam, Ithmah the Moabite
Eliel, Obed and Jaasiel the Mezobaite.
1 Chronicles 12
.These were the men who came to David at Ziklag, white he was banished from the presence of Saul son of Kish Ithey were among the warriors who helped him in battle)
they were anned with bows and were able to ahoot arrows of to sling stones right handed or left handed; they were kinsmen of Saul from the tribe of Benjamin)
Abiezer their chief and Joash the sons of Shemaah the Gibeathite; Jeziel and Pelet the sons of Azmaveth, Beracah, Jehu the Anathothite,
and Ishmaiah the Gibeonite, a mighty man among the Thirty, who was a leader of the Thirty, Jeremiah, Jahaziel, Johanan. Jozabad the Gederathite,
Eluzai, Jerimoth, Bealiah, Shemariah and Shephatiah the Hamphite,
Elkanah, Isshiah, Azarel, Joezer anmd Jashobeam the Korahites;
and Joelah and Zebadoah the sons of Jeroham from Gedor.
Some Gadites defected to David at his strong hold in tje desert. They were brave warriors ready for battle and able to handle the shield and spear. Their faces were the faces pof lions, and they were as swift as gazelles in the mountains.
Ezer was the chief, Obadiah teh second in command, Eliab the third,
Mishmannaah the fourth, Jeremiah the fifth,
Aftai the sixth, Eliel thes eventh,
Johanan the eighth, Elzabad the ninth,
Jeremiah the tenth and Macbabbai the eleventh.
These Gadites were army commanders ,the least was a match for a hundred, and the greatest for a thousand.
It was they who crossed the Jordan in the first month when it was overflowing all its banks, and they put to flight everyone living in the valleys, to the east and to the west.
Other Benjamites and some men from Judah also came to David in his stronghold,
David went out to meet them and said to them."If you have come to me in peace, to help me, I am ready to have you unite with me. But if you have come to betray me to my enemies when my hands are free from violence, may the God of our fathers see it and judge you."
Then the Spirit came upon Amassai, chief of the Thirty, and he said: "Wr are yours, O David! We are with you, O son of Jesse! Success, success to you, and success to those who help you,for your God will help you," So David received them andd made them leaders of his raiding bands.
Some of the men of Manasseh defected to David when he went with the Philistines to fight against Saul,(He and his men did not help the Philistines because, after consultation, their rulers sent him away. They said, "It will cost us our heads if he deserts to his master Saul,")
When David went to Ziklag, these were the men of Manasseh who defected to him; Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu and Zillethai, leaders of units of a thousand in Manasseh.
They helped David against raiding bands, for all of them were brave warriors, and they were commanders in his army
Day after day men came to help David, until he had a great army, like the army of God.
These are the numners of the men armed for battle who came to David at Hebron to turn Saul's kingdom over to him, as the LORD had said'
men of Judah, carrying shield and spear-6,800 armed for battle
men of Simeon, warriors ready for battle -7,100;
men of Levi-4,6--.
including Jehoiada ,reader of the family of Aaron, with 3,700 men
and Zadok, a brave young warrior, with 22 officers from his family;
men of Benjamin, Saul's kinsmen-3,000, most of whom had remained loyal to Saul's house until then;
men of Ephraim, brave warriors, famous in their own clans-20.800.
men of halp the tribe of Manasseh, designated by name to come and make David king-18.000;
men of Issachar, who understood the times and knew what Israel should do-200 chiefs, with all their relatives under their command;
men of Zebulum,e xperienced soldiers prepared for battle with every type of weapon, to help David with undivded loyally0 50.000
maen of Baphtali-1.000 officers, together witj 17.000 menc arrying shields and spears;
men if Dan, ready for battle-28.000
men of Asher, expenrienced solidiers prepared for battle-10.000;
and from east of the Jordan. men of Reuben, Gad adn the half-tribe of Manasseh, armed with every type of weapon-120.000
All these were fighting men who voluntered to serve in the ranks. They came to Hebron fully determined to make David King over all Israel. All the rest of the Isralites were also of one mind to make David King.
The men spent three days there with David, eating and drinking for their families had supplied provisions for them.
Also, their neighbors from as far away as Issachar, Zebulum and Naphtali came bringing food on donkeys. camels, mules and oxen. There were plentiful supplies of flour, fig cakes raisin cakes, wine, oil, cattle and sheep, for there was joy in Israel.
1Chronicles 13
David conferred with each of his officers, the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds.
He then said to the whole assembly of Israel,"If it seems good to you and if it is the will of the LORD our God, let us send word far and wide to the rest of our brothers throughout the territories of Israel, and also to the priests and Levites who are with them in their towns and pasturelandsm to come and join us.
Let us bring the ark of our Hod back to us, for we did not inquire of it during the reign of Saul.
The whole assembly agreed to do this, because it seemed right to all the people.
So David assembled all the Isralites, from the Shihor River in Egypt to Lebo Hamath. to bring the ark of God from Kiriath Jearim,
David and all the Isralites with him went to Baalah of Judah(Kiriath Jearim) ,to bring up from there the ark of God the LORD ,who is enthroned between the cherubim- the ark that is called by the Name.
They moved the ark of God from Abinadab's house on anew cart. with Uzzah and Ahio guiding it.
David and all the Isralites were celenrating with all their might before God, with songs and with harps. Iyres,tambourines, cymbals and trumpets.
When they came to the threshing floor of Kidon, Uzzah reached out his hand to steady the ark, because the oxen stumbled.
The LORD's anger nurmed against Uzzah. and hes truck him down because he had put his hand on the ark, So he died there before God.
Then David was angry because the LORD's wrath had broken out against Uzzah, and to this day that place is called Perez Uzzah.
David was afraid of God that day and asked,"How can I ever bring the ark of God to me?"
He did not take the ark to be with him in the City of David, Insead, he took it aside to the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite.
The ark of God remained with the family of Obed-Edom in his house for three months, and the LORD blessed his household and everything he had.
1Chronicles 14.
Now Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, along with cedarlogs stonemasons and carpemters to build a palace for him.
And David knew that the LORD had established him as king over Israe;l and that his kingdom had been highly exalted for thes ake of his people Israel.
In Jerusalem David took more wives and became thef ather of more sons andd aughters.
These are the names of the children born to him there; Shammua, Shobabm Nathan, Solomon,
Ibhar, Elishua, Elpelet,
Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia,
Elishama, Beeliaa and Etiphelet.
When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over all Israel. they went up in full force to search for him, but David heard about it and went out to meet them.
Now the Philistines had come and raided the Valley of Rephaim;
so David inquired of God: "Shall I go anda ttack the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?" The LORD answered him, "Go, I will hand them over to you."
So David anmd his men went up to Baal Perazim, and there he defeated them. He said," As waters break out. God has broken out against my enemies by my hand," So that place was called Baal Perazim.
The Philistines had abandoned their gods there, and David gave orders to burn them in the fire.
Once more the Philistines raided the valley;
so David inquired of God again, and God answered him;"Do not gos traight up, but circle around them and attack them in front of the balsam trees.
As soon as you hear the sound of marcjing in the tops of the balsam threes, move out to battle, because that will mean God has gone out in front of you to strike the Philistine army,:
So David did as God commanded him, and they struck down the Philistine army, all the way from Gibeon to Gezer.
So David's fame spread throughout every land and the LORD made all the nations fear him.
1Chronicles 15
After David had constructed buildings for himself in the City of David, jhe prepared a place for thea rk of God and pitched a tent for it.
Then David said."No one but the Levites may carry the ark of God, because the LORD chose them to carry teh ark of the LORD and to minister before him forever."
David assembled all Israel in Jerusalem to bring up tje ark of the LORD to the place he had prepared for it.
He called together the descendants of Aaron and the Levites:
From the descendants of Kohath, Uriel the leader and 120 relatives.
from tehd escendants of Merari, Asaiah the leader and 220 relatives.
from the descendants of Gershon .Joel the leader and 130 relatives
from the descendants of Elizaphan, Shemaiah the leader and 200 relatives
from thed escendants of Hebron, Eliel the leader and 80 relatives.
from the descendants of Uzziel, Amminadab the leader and 112 relatives.
Then David summoned Zadok abd Abiathar the priests, and Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel and Amminadab the Levites.
He said to them, "You are the heads of the Levitical families; you and your fellow Levities are to consecrate yourselves and bring up the ark of the LORD, the God of Israel, to the place I have prepared for it.
It was because you, the Levites, did not bring it up the first time that the LORD our God broke out in anger against us. We did not inquire of him about how to do it in the prescribed way."
So the preists and Levites consecrated themselves in order to bring up the ark of the LORDm the God of Israel.
And the Levites carried the ark of God with the poles on their shoulders, as Moses had commanded in accordance with the word of the LORD.
David told the leaders of the Levites to appoint their brothers as singers to sing joyful songs, accompanied by musical instruments: Iyres, harps and cymbals.
So the Levites appointed Heman son of Joel: from his brothers, Asaph son of Berekiah; and from their brothers the Merarites, Ethan son of Kushaiah;
and with them their brothers next in rank; Zechariah, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Masseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom and Jeiel, the gatekeepers.
The musicians Heman, Asaph and Ethan were to sound the bronze cymbals;
Zechariah, Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni,Eliab, Maaseiah abd Benaiah were to play the Iyres accordinf to alamoth,
and Mattithiah, Eliphelehy, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, Jeiel and Azaziah were to play the harps, directing according to sheminith
Kenaniah the head Levite was in charge of the singing that was his responsibility because he was skillful at it.
Berekiah and Eljanah were to be doorkeepers for the ark,
Shebaniah Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechriah, Benaiah and Eliezer the preists were to blow trumpets before the ark of God, Obed- Edom and Jehiah were also to be doorkeepers for the ark.
So David and the elders of Israel and the commanders of units of a tjousand went to bring up the ark of the covenant of tje LORD from the house of Obed- Edom, with rejoicing.
Because God had heiped the Levites who were carrying the ark of the covenant of the LORD. seven bulls and seven rams were sacrificed.
Now David was clothed in a robe of fine linen, as were all the Levites who were carrying the ark, and as were teh singlers, and Kenaniah, who was in charge of the singing of thec hoirs. David also wore a linen ephod.
So all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the LORD with shouts, with the sounding of rams horns and trumpets, and of cymbals, and the lpaying of Iyres and harps.
As the ark of the covenant of the LORD was entering the City of David. Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King David dancing and celebrating, she despised him in her heart.