New International Version (NIV)

David Becomes King Over Israel

1 All Israel came together to David at Hebron and said, “We are your own flesh and blood.

2 In the past, even while Saul was king, you were the one who led Israel on their military campaigns. And theLordyour God said to you, ‘You will shepherd my people Israel, and you will become their ruler.’ ”

3 When all the elders of Israel had come to King David at Hebron, he made a covenant with them at Hebron before theLord, and they anointed David king over Israel, as theLordhad promised through Samuel.

David Conquers Jerusalem

4 David and all the Israelites marched to Jerusalem (that is, Jebus). The Jebusites who lived there

5 said to David, “You will not get in here.” Nevertheless, David captured the fortress of Zion—which is the City of David.

6 David had said, “Whoever leads the attack on the Jebusites will become commander in chief.” Joab son of Zeruiah went up first, and so he received the command.

7 David then took up residence in the fortress, and so it was called the City of David.

8 He built up the city around it, from the terracesto the surrounding wall, while Joab restored the rest of the city.

9 And David became more and more powerful, because theLordAlmighty was with him.

David’s Mighty Warriors

10 These were the chiefs of David’s mighty warriors—they, together with all Israel, gave his kingship strong support to extend it over the whole land, as theLordhad promised—

11 this is the list of David’s mighty warriors:

# Jashobeam,a Hakmonite, was chief of the officers; he raised his spear against three hundred men, whom he killed in one encounter.

12 Next to him was Eleazar son of Dodai the Ahohite, one of the three mighty warriors.

13 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.

14 But they took their stand in the middle of the field. They defended it and struck the Philistines down, and theLordbrought about a great victory.

15 Three of the thirty chiefs came down to David to the rock at the cave of Adullam, while a band of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim.

16 At that time David was in the stronghold, and the Philistine garrison was at Bethlehem.

17 David longed for water and said, “Oh, that someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem!”

18 So the Three broke through the Philistine lines, drew water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem and carried it back to David. But he refused to drink it; instead, he poured it out to theLord.

19 “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.

Such were the exploits of the three mighty warriors.

20 Abishai the brother of Joab was chief of the Three. He raised his spear against three hundred men, whom he killed, and so he became as famous as the Three.

21 He was doubly honored above the Three and became their commander, even though he was not included among them.

22 Benaiah son of Jehoiada, a valiant fighter from Kabzeel, performed great exploits. He struck down Moab’s two mightiest warriors. He also went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion.

23 And he struck down an Egyptian who was five cubitstall. 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.

24 Such were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoiada; he too was as famous as the three mighty warriors.

25 He was held in greater honor than any of the Thirty, but he was not included among the Three. And David put him in charge of his bodyguard.

26 The mighty warriors were:

Asahel the brother of Joab,

Elhanan son of Dodo from Bethlehem,

27 Shammoth the Harorite,

Helez the Pelonite,

28 Ira son of Ikkesh from Tekoa,

Abiezer from Anathoth,

29 Sibbekai the Hushathite,

Ilai the Ahohite,

30 Maharai the Netophathite,

Heled son of Baanah the Netophathite,

31 Ithai son of Ribai from Gibeah in Benjamin,

Benaiah the Pirathonite,

32 Hurai from the ravines of Gaash,

Abiel the Arbathite,

33 Azmaveth the Baharumite,

Eliahba the Shaalbonite,

34 the sons of Hashem the Gizonite,

Jonathan son of Shagee the Hararite,

35 Ahiam son of Sakar the Hararite,

Eliphal son of Ur,

36 Hepher the Mekerathite,

Ahijah the Pelonite,

37 Hezro the Carmelite,

Naarai son of Ezbai,

38 Joel the brother of Nathan,

Mibhar son of Hagri,

39 Zelek the Ammonite,

Naharai the Berothite, the armor-bearer of Joab son of Zeruiah,

40 Ira the Ithrite,

Gareb the Ithrite,

41 Uriah the Hittite,

Zabad son of Ahlai,

42 Adina son of Shiza the Reubenite, who was chief of the Reubenites, and the thirty with him,

43 Hanan son of Maakah,

Joshaphat the Mithnite,

44 Uzzia the Ashterathite,

Shama and Jeiel the sons of Hotham the Aroerite,

45 Jediael son of Shimri,

his brother Joha the Tizite,

46 Eliel the Mahavite,

Jeribai and Joshaviah the sons of Elnaam,

Ithmah the Moabite,

47 Eliel, Obed and Jaasiel the Mezobaite.

—https://d1b84921e69nmq.cloudfront.net/3/32k/1CH/11-a4d69bf6e0b7e25b161b4aee5a8a5c19.mp3?version_id=111—

David’s House and Family

1 Now Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, along with cedar logs, stonemasons and carpenters to build a palace for him.

2 And David knew that theLordhad established him as king over Israel and that his kingdom had been highly exalted for the sake of his people Israel.

3 In Jerusalem David took more wives and became the father of more sons and daughters.

4 These are the names of the children born to him there: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon,

5 Ibhar, Elishua, Elpelet,

6 Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia,

7 Elishama, Beeliadaand Eliphelet.

David Defeats the Philistines

8 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.

9 Now the Philistines had come and raided the Valley of Rephaim;

10 so David inquired of God: “Shall I go and attack the Philistines? Will you deliver them into my hands?”

TheLordanswered him, “Go, I will deliver them into your hands.”

11 So David and 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.

12 The Philistines had abandoned their gods there, and David gave orders to burn them in the fire.

13 Once more the Philistines raided the valley;

14 so David inquired of God again, and God answered him, “Do not go directly after them, but circle around them and attack them in front of the poplar trees.

15 As soon as you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the poplar trees, move out to battle, because that will mean God has gone out in front of you to strike the Philistine army.”

16 So David did as God commanded him, and they struck down the Philistine army, all the way from Gibeon to Gezer.

17 So David’s fame spread throughout every land, and theLordmade all the nations fear him.

—https://d1b84921e69nmq.cloudfront.net/3/32k/1CH/14-db64e8783add00b845b91dd6b20123f2.mp3?version_id=111—

The Ark Brought to Jerusalem

1 After David had constructed buildings for himself in the City of David, he prepared a place for the ark of God and pitched a tent for it.

2 Then David said, “No one but the Levites may carry the ark of God, because theLordchose them to carry the ark of theLordand to minister before him forever.”

3 David assembled all Israel in Jerusalem to bring up the ark of theLordto the place he had prepared for it.

4 He called together the descendants of Aaron and the Levites:

5 From the descendants of Kohath,

Uriel the leader and 120 relatives;

6 from the descendants of Merari,

Asaiah the leader and 220 relatives;

7 from the descendants of Gershon,

Joel the leader and 130 relatives;

8 from the descendants of Elizaphan,

Shemaiah the leader and 200 relatives;

9 from the descendants of Hebron,

Eliel the leader and 80 relatives;

10 from the descendants of Uzziel,

Amminadab the leader and 112 relatives.

11 Then David summoned Zadok and Abiathar the priests, and Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel and Amminadab the Levites.

12 He said to them, “You are the heads of the Levitical families; you and your fellow Levites are to consecrate yourselves and bring up the ark of theLord, the God of Israel, to the place I have prepared for it.

13 It was because you, the Levites, did not bring it up the first time that theLordour God broke out in anger against us. We did not inquire of him about how to do it in the prescribed way.”

14 So the priests and Levites consecrated themselves in order to bring up the ark of theLord, the God of Israel.

15 And the Levites carried the ark of God with the poles on their shoulders, as Moses had commanded in accordance with the word of theLord.

16 David told the leaders of the Levites to appoint their fellow Levites as musicians to make a joyful sound with musical instruments: lyres, harps and cymbals.

17 So the Levites appointed Heman son of Joel; from his relatives, Asaph son of Berekiah; and from their relatives the Merarites, Ethan son of Kushaiah;

18 and with them their relatives next in rank: Zechariah,Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom and Jeiel,the gatekeepers.

19 The musicians Heman, Asaph and Ethan were to sound the bronze cymbals;

20 Zechariah, Jaaziel,Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah and Benaiah were to play the lyres according toalamoth,

21 and Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, Jeiel and Azaziah were to play the harps, directing according tosheminith.

22 Kenaniah the head Levite was in charge of the singing; that was his responsibility because he was skillful at it.

23 Berekiah and Elkanah were to be doorkeepers for the ark.

24 Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah and Eliezer the priests were to blow trumpets before the ark of God. Obed-Edom and Jehiah were also to be doorkeepers for the ark.

25 So David and the elders of Israel and the commanders of units of a thousand went to bring up the ark of the covenant of theLordfrom the house of Obed-Edom, with rejoicing.

26 Because God had helped the Levites who were carrying the ark of the covenant of theLord, seven bulls and seven rams were sacrificed.

27 Now David was clothed in a robe of fine linen, as were all the Levites who were carrying the ark, and as were the musicians, and Kenaniah, who was in charge of the singing of the choirs. David also wore a linen ephod.

28 So all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of theLordwith shouts, with the sounding of rams’ horns and trumpets, and of cymbals, and the playing of lyres and harps.

29 As the ark of the covenant of theLordwas 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.

—https://d1b84921e69nmq.cloudfront.net/3/32k/1CH/15-075a3bec27f8efda6e0d335f5a4b5efa.mp3?version_id=111—

Ministering Before the Ark

1 They brought the ark of God and set it inside the tent that David had pitched for it, and they presented burnt offerings and fellowship offerings before God.

2 After David had finished sacrificing the burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, he blessed the people in the name of theLord.

3 Then he gave a loaf of bread, a cake of dates and a cake of raisins to each Israelite man and woman.

4 He appointed some of the Levites to minister before the ark of theLord, to extol,thank, and praise theLord, the God of Israel:

5 Asaph was the chief, and next to him in rank were Zechariah, then Jaaziel,Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-Edom and Jeiel. They were to play the lyres and harps, Asaph was to sound the cymbals,

6 and Benaiah and Jahaziel the priests were to blow the trumpets regularly before the ark of the covenant of God.

7 That day David first appointed Asaph and his associates to give praise to theLordin this manner:

8 Give praise to theLord, proclaim his name;

make known among the nations what he has done.

9 Sing to him, sing praise to him;

tell of all his wonderful acts.

10 Glory in his holy name;

let the hearts of those who seek theLordrejoice.

11 Look to theLordand his strength;

seek his face always.

12 Remember the wonders he has done,

his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced,

13 you his servants, the descendants of Israel,

his chosen ones, the children of Jacob.

14 He is theLordour God;

his judgments are in all the earth.

15 He remembershis covenant forever,

the promise he made, for a thousand generations,

16 the covenant he made with Abraham,

the oath he swore to Isaac.

17 He confirmed it to Jacob as a decree,

to Israel as an everlasting covenant:

18 “To you I will give the land of Canaan

as the portion you will inherit.”

19 When they were but few in number,

few indeed, and strangers in it,

20 theywandered from nation to nation,

from one kingdom to another.

21 He allowed no one to oppress them;

for their sake he rebuked kings:

22 “Do not touch my anointed ones;

do my prophets no harm.”

23 Sing to theLord, all the earth;

proclaim his salvation day after day.

24 Declare his glory among the nations,

his marvelous deeds among all peoples.

25 For great is theLordand most worthy of praise;

he is to be feared above all gods.

26 For all the gods of the nations are idols,

but theLordmade the heavens.

27 Splendor and majesty are before him;

strength and joy are in his dwelling place.

28 Ascribe to theLord, all you families of nations,

ascribe to theLordglory and strength.

29 Ascribe to theLordthe glory due his name;

bring an offering and come before him.

# Worship theLordin the splendor of hisholiness.

30 Tremble before him, all the earth!

The world is firmly established; it cannot be moved.

31 Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad;

let them say among the nations, “TheLordreigns!”

32 Let the sea resound, and all that is in it;

let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them!

33 Let the trees of the forest sing,

let them sing for joy before theLord,

for he comes to judge the earth.

34 Give thanks to theLord, for he is good;

his love endures forever.

35 Cry out, “Save us, God our Savior;

gather us and deliver us from the nations,

that we may give thanks to your holy name,

and glory in your praise.”

36 Praise be to theLord, the God of Israel,

from everlasting to everlasting.

Then all the people said “Amen” and “Praise theLord.”

37 David left Asaph and his associates before the ark of the covenant of theLordto minister there regularly, according to each day’s requirements.

38 He also left Obed-Edom and his sixty-eight associates to minister with them. Obed-Edom son of Jeduthun, and also Hosah, were gatekeepers.

39 David left Zadok the priest and his fellow priests before the tabernacle of theLordat the high place in Gibeon

40 to present burnt offerings to theLordon the altar of burnt offering regularly, morning and evening, in accordance with everything written in the Law of theLord, which he had given Israel.

41 With them were Heman and Jeduthun and the rest of those chosen and designated by name to give thanks to theLord, “for his love endures forever.”

42 Heman and Jeduthun were responsible for the sounding of the trumpets and cymbals and for the playing of the other instruments for sacred song. The sons of Jeduthun were stationed at the gate.

43 Then all the people left, each for their own home, and David returned home to bless his family.

—https://d1b84921e69nmq.cloudfront.net/3/32k/1CH/16-31480aaa82f09c16c883b5b5e8533d95.mp3?version_id=111—

God’s Promise to David

1 After David was settled in his palace, he said to Nathan the prophet, “Here I am, living in a house of cedar, while the ark of the covenant of theLordis under a tent.”

2 Nathan replied to David, “Whatever you have in mind, do it, for God is with you.”

3 But that night the word of God came to Nathan, saying:

4 “Go and tell my servant David, ‘This is what theLordsays: You are not the one to build me a house to dwell in.

5 I have not dwelt in a house from the day I brought Israel up out of Egypt to this day. I have moved from one tent site to another, from one dwelling place to another.

6 Wherever I have moved with all the Israelites, did I ever say to any of their leaderswhom I commanded to shepherd my people, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?” ’

7 “Now then, tell my servant David, ‘This is what theLordAlmighty says: I took you from the pasture, from tending the flock, and appointed you ruler over my people Israel.

8 I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have cut off all your enemies from before you. Now I will make your name like the names of the greatest men on earth.

9 And I will provide a place for my people Israel and will plant them so that they can have a home of their own and no longer be disturbed. Wicked people will not oppress them anymore, as they did at the beginning

10 and have done ever since the time I appointed leaders over my people Israel. I will also subdue all your enemies.

“ ‘I declare to you that theLordwill build a house for you:

11 When your days are over and you go to be with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, one of your own sons, and I will establish his kingdom.

12 He is the one who will build a house for me, and I will establish his throne forever.

13 I will be his father, and he will be my son. I will never take my love away from him, as I took it away from your predecessor.

14 I will set him over my house and my kingdom forever; his throne will be established forever.’ ”

15 Nathan reported to David all the words of this entire revelation.

David’s Prayer

16 Then King David went in and sat before theLord, and he said:

“Who am I,LordGod, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far?

17 And as if this were not enough in your sight, my God, you have spoken about the future of the house of your servant. You,LordGod, have looked on me as though I were the most exalted of men.

18 “What more can David say to you for honoring your servant? For you know your servant,

19 Lord. For the sake of your servant and according to your will, you have done this great thing and made known all these great promises.

20 “There is no one like you,Lord, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears.

21 And who is like your people Israel—the one nation on earth whose God went out to redeem a people for himself, and to make a name for yourself, and to perform great and awesome wonders by driving out nations from before your people, whom you redeemed from Egypt?

22 You made your people Israel your very own forever, and you,Lord, have become their God.

23 “And now,Lord, let the promise you have made concerning your servant and his house be established forever. Do as you promised,

24 so that it will be established and that your name will be great forever. Then people will say, ‘TheLordAlmighty, the God over Israel, is Israel’s God!’ And the house of your servant David will be established before you.

25 “You, my God, have revealed to your servant that you will build a house for him. So your servant has found courage to pray to you.

26 You,Lord, are God! You have promised these good things to your servant.

27 Now you have been pleased to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue forever in your sight; for you,Lord, have blessed it, and it will be blessed forever.”

—https://d1b84921e69nmq.cloudfront.net/3/32k/1CH/17-e1432485bf04e990388d1dcb94b42bf1.mp3?version_id=111—

David’s Victories

1 In the course of time, David defeated the Philistines and subdued them, and he took Gath and its surrounding villages from the control of the Philistines.

2 David also defeated the Moabites, and they became subject to him and brought him tribute.

3 Moreover, David defeated Hadadezer king of Zobah, in the vicinity of Hamath, when he went to set up his monument atthe Euphrates River.

4 David captured a thousand of his chariots, seven thousand charioteers and twenty thousand foot soldiers. He hamstrung all but a hundred of the chariot horses.

5 When the Arameans of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David struck down twenty-two thousand of them.

6 He put garrisons in the Aramean kingdom of Damascus, and the Arameans became subject to him and brought him tribute. TheLordgave David victory wherever he went.

7 David took the gold shields carried by the officers of Hadadezer and brought them to Jerusalem.

8 From Tebahand Kun, towns that belonged to Hadadezer, David took a great quantity of bronze, which Solomon used to make the bronze Sea, the pillars and various bronze articles.

9 When Tou king of Hamath heard that David had defeated the entire army of Hadadezer king of Zobah,

10 he sent his son Hadoram to King David to greet him and congratulate him on his victory in battle over Hadadezer, who had been at war with Tou. Hadoram brought all kinds of articles of gold, of silver and of bronze.

11 King David dedicated these articles to theLord, as he had done with the silver and gold he had taken from all these nations: Edom and Moab, the Ammonites and the Philistines, and Amalek.

12 Abishai son of Zeruiah struck down eighteen thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt.

13 He put garrisons in Edom, and all the Edomites became subject to David. TheLordgave David victory wherever he went.

David’s Officials

14 David reigned over all Israel, doing what was just and right for all his people.

15 Joab son of Zeruiah was over the army; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was recorder;

16 Zadok son of Ahitub and Ahimelekson of Abiathar were priests; Shavsha was secretary;

17 Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Kerethites and Pelethites; and David’s sons were chief officials at the king’s side.

—https://d1b84921e69nmq.cloudfront.net/3/32k/1CH/18-8f90b679d8f2e67dd1608ea91fb55376.mp3?version_id=111—

David Defeats the Ammonites

1 In the course of time, Nahash king of the Ammonites died, and his son succeeded him as king.

2 David thought, “I will show kindness to Hanun son of Nahash, because his father showed kindness to me.” So David sent a delegation to express his sympathy to Hanun concerning his father.

When David’s envoys came to Hanun in the land of the Ammonites to express sympathy to him,

3 the Ammonite commanders said to Hanun, “Do you think David is honoring your father by sending envoys to you to express sympathy? Haven’t his envoys come to you only to explore and spy out the country and overthrow it?”

4 So Hanun seized David’s envoys, shaved them, cut off their garments at the buttocks, and sent them away.

5 When someone came and told David about the men, he sent messengers to meet them, for they were greatly humiliated. The king said, “Stay at Jericho till your beards have grown, and then come back.”

6 When the Ammonites realized that they had become obnoxious to David, Hanun and the Ammonites sent a thousand talentsof silver to hire chariots and charioteers from Aram Naharaim,Aram Maakah and Zobah.

7 They hired thirty-two thousand chariots and charioteers, as well as the king of Maakah with his troops, who came and camped near Medeba, while the Ammonites were mustered from their towns and moved out for battle.

8 On hearing this, David sent Joab out with the entire army of fighting men.

9 The Ammonites came out and drew up in battle formation at the entrance to their city, while the kings who had come were by themselves in the open country.

10 Joab saw that there were battle lines in front of him and behind him; so he selected some of the best troops in Israel and deployed them against the Arameans.

11 He put the rest of the men under the command of Abishai his brother, and they were deployed against the Ammonites.

12 Joab said, “If the Arameans are too strong for me, then you are to rescue me; but if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will rescue you.

13 Be strong, and let us fight bravely for our people and the cities of our God. TheLordwill do what is good in his sight.”

14 Then Joab and the troops with him advanced to fight the Arameans, and they fled before him.

15 When the Ammonites realized that the Arameans were fleeing, they too fled before his brother Abishai and went inside the city. So Joab went back to Jerusalem.

16 After the Arameans saw that they had been routed by Israel, they sent messengers and had Arameans brought from beyond the Euphrates River, with Shophak the commander of Hadadezer’s army leading them.

17 When David was told of this, he gathered all Israel and crossed the Jordan; he advanced against them and formed his battle lines opposite them. David formed his lines to meet the Arameans in battle, and they fought against him.

18 But they fled before Israel, and David killed seven thousand of their charioteers and forty thousand of their foot soldiers. He also killed Shophak the commander of their army.

19 When the vassals of Hadadezer saw that they had been routed by Israel, they made peace with David and became subject to him.

So the Arameans were not willing to help the Ammonites anymore.

—https://d1b84921e69nmq.cloudfront.net/3/32k/1CH/19-d6c98591683da5ca6ea4f4930dc09fb5.mp3?version_id=111—

The Capture of Rabbah

1 In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, Joab led out the armed forces. He laid waste the land of the Ammonites and went to Rabbah and besieged it, but David remained in Jerusalem. Joab attacked Rabbah and left it in ruins.

2 David took the crown from the head of their king—its weight was found to be a talentof gold, and it was set with precious stones—and it was placed on David’s head. He took a great quantity of plunder from the city

3 and brought out the people who were there, consigning them to labor with saws and with iron picks and axes. David did this to all the Ammonite towns. Then David and his entire army returned to Jerusalem.

War With the Philistines

4 In the course of time, war broke out with the Philistines, at Gezer. At that time Sibbekai the Hushathite killed Sippai, one of the descendants of the Rephaites, and the Philistines were subjugated.

5 In another battle with the Philistines, Elhanan son of Jair killed Lahmi the brother of Goliath the Gittite, who had a spear with a shaft like a weaver’s rod.

6 In still another battle, which took place at Gath, there was a huge man with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot—twenty-four in all. He also was descended from Rapha.

7 When he taunted Israel, Jonathan son of Shimea, David’s brother, killed him.

8 These were descendants of Rapha in Gath, and they fell at the hands of David and his men.

—https://d1b84921e69nmq.cloudfront.net/3/32k/1CH/20-0e8d9f6b0343eb255f92e627ba44ca69.mp3?version_id=111—

David Counts the Fighting Men

1 Satan rose up against Israel and incited David to take a census of Israel.

2 So David said to Joab and the commanders of the troops, “Go and count the Israelites from Beersheba to Dan. Then report back to me so that I may know how many there are.”

3 But Joab replied, “May theLordmultiply his troops a hundred times over. My lord the king, are they not all my lord’s subjects? Why does my lord want to do this? Why should he bring guilt on Israel?”

4 The king’s word, however, overruled Joab; so Joab left and went throughout Israel and then came back to Jerusalem.

5 Joab reported the number of the fighting men to David: In all Israel there were one million one hundred thousand men who could handle a sword, including four hundred and seventy thousand in Judah.

6 But Joab did not include Levi and Benjamin in the numbering, because the king’s command was repulsive to him.

7 This command was also evil in the sight of God; so he punished Israel.

8 Then David said to God, “I have sinned greatly by doing this. Now, I beg you, take away the guilt of your servant. I have done a very foolish thing.”

9 TheLordsaid to Gad, David’s seer,

10 “Go and tell David, ‘This is what theLordsays: I am giving you three options. Choose one of them for me to carry out against you.’ ”

11 So Gad went to David and said to him, “This is what theLordsays: ‘Take your choice:

12 three years of famine, three months of being swept awaybefore your enemies, with their swords overtaking you, or three days of the sword of theLord—days of plague in the land, with the angel of theLordravaging every part of Israel.’ Now then, decide how I should answer the one who sent me.”

13 David said to Gad, “I am in deep distress. Let me fall into the hands of theLord, for his mercy is very great; but do not let me fall into human hands.”

14 So theLordsent a plague on Israel, and seventy thousand men of Israel fell dead.

15 And God sent an angel to destroy Jerusalem. But as the angel was doing so, theLordsaw it and relented concerning the disaster and said to the angel who was destroying the people, “Enough! Withdraw your hand.” The angel of theLordwas then standing at the threshing floor of Araunahthe Jebusite.

16 David looked up and saw the angel of theLordstanding between heaven and earth, with a drawn sword in his hand extended over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders, clothed in sackcloth, fell facedown.

17 David said to God, “Was it not I who ordered the fighting men to be counted? I, the shepherd,have sinned and done wrong. These are but sheep. What have they done?Lordmy God, let your hand fall on me and my family, but do not let this plague remain on your people.”

David Builds an Altar

18 Then the angel of theLordordered Gad to tell David to go up and build an altar to theLordon the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.

19 So David went up in obedience to the word that Gad had spoken in the name of theLord.

20 While Araunah was threshing wheat, he turned and saw the angel; his four sons who were with him hid themselves.

21 Then David approached, and when Araunah looked and saw him, he left the threshing floor and bowed down before David with his face to the ground.

22 David said to him, “Let me have the site of your threshing floor so I can build an altar to theLord, that the plague on the people may be stopped. Sell it to me at the full price.”

23 Araunah said to David, “Take it! Let my lord the king do whatever pleases him. Look, I will give the oxen for the burnt offerings, the threshing sledges for the wood, and the wheat for the grain offering. I will give all this.”

24 But King David replied to Araunah, “No, I insist on paying the full price. I will not take for theLordwhat is yours, or sacrifice a burnt offering that costs me nothing.”

25 So David paid Araunah six hundred shekelsof gold for the site.

26 David built an altar to theLordthere and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. He called on theLord, and theLordanswered him with fire from heaven on the altar of burnt offering.

27 Then theLordspoke to the angel, and he put his sword back into its sheath.

28 At that time, when David saw that theLordhad answered him on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite, he offered sacrifices there.

29 The tabernacle of theLord, which Moses had made in the wilderness, and the altar of burnt offering were at that time on the high place at Gibeon.

30 But David could not go before it to inquire of God, because he was afraid of the sword of the angel of theLord.

—https://d1b84921e69nmq.cloudfront.net/3/32k/1CH/21-648ffcb64382e20f70fa542a39b4f274.mp3?version_id=111—

1 Then David said, “The house of theLordGod is to be here, and also the altar of burnt offering for Israel.”

Preparations for the Temple

2 So David gave orders to assemble the foreigners residing in Israel, and from among them he appointed stonecutters to prepare dressed stone for building the house of God.

3 He provided a large amount of iron to make nails for the doors of the gateways and for the fittings, and more bronze than could be weighed.

4 He also provided more cedar logs than could be counted, for the Sidonians and Tyrians had brought large numbers of them to David.

5 David said, “My son Solomon is young and inexperienced, and the house to be built for theLordshould be of great magnificence and fame and splendor in the sight of all the nations. Therefore I will make preparations for it.” So David made extensive preparations before his death.

6 Then he called for his son Solomon and charged him to build a house for theLord, the God of Israel.

7 David said to Solomon: “My son, I had it in my heart to build a house for the Name of theLordmy God.

8 But this word of theLordcame to me: ‘You have shed much blood and have fought many wars. You are not to build a house for my Name, because you have shed much blood on the earth in my sight.

9 But you will have a son who will be a man of peace and rest, and I will give him rest from all his enemies on every side. His name will be Solomon,and I will grant Israel peace and quiet during his reign.

10 He is the one who will build a house for my Name. He will be my son, and I will be his father. And I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever.’

11 “Now, my son, theLordbe with you, and may you have success and build the house of theLordyour God, as he said you would.

12 May theLordgive you discretion and understanding when he puts you in command over Israel, so that you may keep the law of theLordyour God.

13 Then you will have success if you are careful to observe the decrees and laws that theLordgave Moses for Israel. Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged.

14 “I have taken great pains to provide for the temple of theLorda hundred thousand talentsof gold, a million talentsof silver, quantities of bronze and iron too great to be weighed, and wood and stone. And you may add to them.

15 You have many workers: stonecutters, masons and carpenters, as well as those skilled in every kind of work

16 in gold and silver, bronze and iron—craftsmen beyond number. Now begin the work, and theLordbe with you.”

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

18 He said to them, “Is not theLordyour God with you? And has he not granted you rest on every side? For he has given the inhabitants of the land into my hands, and the land is subject to theLordand to his people.

19 Now devote your heart and soul to seeking theLordyour God. Begin to build the sanctuary of theLordGod, so that you may bring the ark of the covenant of theLordand the sacred articles belonging to God into the temple that will be built for the Name of theLord.”

—https://d1b84921e69nmq.cloudfront.net/3/32k/1CH/22-9858568ec2cac10e211e795394b7476a.mp3?version_id=111—