The First of Chronicles*

5 The sons of Jaʹpheth were Goʹmer and Maʹgog+ and Maʹda·i+ and Jaʹvan+ and Tuʹbal and Meʹshech+ and Tiʹras.+

6 And the sons of Goʹmer were Ashʹke·naz+ and Riʹphath*+ and To·garʹmah.+

7 And the sons of Jaʹvan were E·liʹshah+ and Tarʹshish,*+ Kitʹtim+ and Roʹda·nim.*+

8 The sons of Ham were Cush+ and Mizʹra·im,+ Put+ and Caʹnaan.+

9 And the sons of Cush were Seʹba+ and Havʹi·lah and Sabʹtah+ and Raʹa·mah+ and Sabʹte·ca.+

And the sons of Raʹa·mah were Sheʹba and Deʹdan.+

10 And Cush himself became father to Nimʹrod.+ He it was that made the start in becoming a mighty one in the earth.+

11 As for Mizʹra·im, he became father to Luʹdim+ and Anʹa·mim and Le·haʹbim and Naph·tuʹhim+ 12 and Path·ruʹsim+ and Cas·luʹhim+ (from among whom the Phi·lisʹtines+ went forth) and Caphʹto·rim.+

13 As for Caʹnaan, he became father to Siʹdon+ his firstborn and Heth+ 14 and the Jebʹu·site+ and the Amʹor·ite+ and the Girʹga·shite+ 15 and the Hiʹvite+ and the Arkʹite and the Siʹnite+ 16 and the Arʹvad·ite+ and the Zemʹa·rite+ and the Haʹmath·ite.+

17 The sons of Shem+ were Eʹlam+ and Asʹshur+ and Ar·pachʹshad+ and Lud+ and Aʹram,

And Uz* and Hul and Geʹther and Mash.*+

18 As for Ar·pachʹshad, he became father to Sheʹlah,+ and Sheʹlah himself became father to Eʹber.+

19 And to Eʹber two sons were born. The name of the one was Peʹleg,*+ because in his days the earth* was divided; and the name of his brother was Jokʹtan.

20 As for Jokʹtan, he became father to Al·moʹdad and Sheʹleph and Ha·zar·maʹveth and Jeʹrah+ 21 and Ha·doʹram and Uʹzal and Dikʹlah+ 22 and Oʹbal* and A·bimʹa·el and Sheʹba+ 23 and Oʹphir+ and Havʹi·lah+ and Joʹbab;+ all these were the sons of Jokʹtan.

28 The sons of Abraham were Isaac+ and Ishʹma·el.+

29 These are their family origins: Ishʹma·el’s firstborn Ne·baʹioth+ and Keʹdar+ and Adʹbe·el and Mibʹsam,+ 30 Mishʹma and Duʹmah,+ Masʹsa, Haʹdad+ and Teʹma, 31 Jeʹtur, Naʹphish and Kedʹe·mah.+ These were the sons of Ishʹma·el.

32 As for the sons of Ke·tuʹrah,+ Abraham’s concubine,+ she gave birth to Zimʹran and Jokʹshan and Meʹdan+ and Midʹi·an+ and Ishʹbak+ and Shuʹah.+

And the sons of Jokʹshan were Sheʹba and Deʹdan.+

33 And the sons of Midʹi·an were Eʹphah+ and Eʹpher and Haʹnoch and A·biʹda and El·daʹah.+

All these were the sons of Ke·tuʹrah.

34 And Abraham came to be father to Isaac.+ The sons of Isaac were Eʹsau+ and Israel.+

35 The sons of Eʹsau were Elʹi·phaz, Reuʹel+ and Jeʹush and Jaʹlam and Koʹrah.+

36 The sons of Elʹi·phaz were Teʹman+ and Oʹmar, Zeʹpho* and Gaʹtam, Keʹnaz+ and Timʹna+ and Amʹa·lek.+

37 The sons of Reuʹel were Naʹhath, Zeʹrah, Shamʹmah and Mizʹzah.+

38 And the sons of Seʹir+ were Loʹtan and Shoʹbal and Zibʹe·on and Aʹnah+ and Diʹshon and Eʹzer and Diʹshan.+

39 And the sons of Loʹtan were Hoʹri and Hoʹmam.* And Loʹtan’s sister was Timʹna.+

40 The sons of Shoʹbal were Alʹvan* and Manʹa·hath and Eʹbal, Sheʹpho* and Oʹnam.+

And the sons of Zibʹe·on were Aʹiah and Aʹnah.+

41 The sons of Aʹnah were Diʹshon.+

And the sons of Diʹshon were Hemʹdan* and Eshʹban and Ithʹran and Cheʹran.+

42 The sons of Eʹzer+ were Bilʹhan and Zaʹa·van and Aʹkan.*+

The sons of Diʹshan* were Uz and Aʹran.+

43 And these are the kings that reigned in the land of Eʹdom+ before any king+ reigned over the sons of Israel: Beʹla the son of Beʹor, the name of whose city was Dinʹha·bah.+ 44 Eventually Beʹla died, and Joʹbab the son of Zeʹrah+ from Bozʹrah+ began to reign in place of him. 45 Eventually Joʹbab died, and Huʹsham+ from the land of the Teʹman·ites+ began to reign in place of him. 46 Eventually Huʹsham died, and Haʹdad+ the son of Beʹdad, who defeated Midʹi·an+ in the field of Moʹab, began to reign in place of him. And the name of his city was Aʹvith.+ 47 Eventually Haʹdad died, and Samʹlah from Mas·reʹkah+ began to reign in place of him. 48 Eventually Samʹlah died, and Shaʹul from Re·hoʹboth+ by the River began to reign in place of him. 49 Eventually Shaʹul died, and Baʹal-haʹnan the son of Achʹbor+ began to reign in place of him. 50 Eventually Baʹal-haʹnan died, and Haʹdad* began to reign in place of him; and the name of his city was Paʹu,* and the name of his wife was Me·hetʹa·bel, the daughter of Maʹtred, the daughter of Meʹza·hab.+ 51 Eventually Haʹdad died.

And the sheiks of Eʹdom came to be sheik Timʹna, sheik Alʹvah,* sheik Jeʹtheth,+ 52 sheik O·hol·i·baʹmah, sheik Eʹlah, sheik Piʹnon,+ 53 sheik Keʹnaz, sheik Teʹman, sheik Mibʹzar,+ 54 sheik Magʹdi·el, sheik Iʹram.+ These were the sheiks+ of Eʹdom.

2 These were the sons of Israel:+ Reuʹben,+ Simʹe·on,+ Leʹvi+ and Judah,+ Isʹsa·char+ and Zebʹu·lun,+ 2 Dan,+ Joseph+ and Benjamin,+ Naphʹta·li,+ Gad+ and Ashʹer.+

3 The sons of Judah were Er+ and Oʹnan+ and Sheʹlah.+ The three were born to him from Shuʹa’s daughter, the Caʹnaan·it·ess. And Er the firstborn of Judah came to be bad in the eyes of Jehovah, so that he put him to death.+ 4 And Taʹmar+ his daughter-in-law it was that bore to him Peʹrez+ and Zeʹrah. All the sons of Judah were five.

5 The sons of Peʹrez were Hezʹron and Haʹmul.+

6 And the sons of Zeʹrah+ were Zimʹri and Eʹthan and Heʹman and Calʹcol and Daʹra.+ There were five of them in all.

7 And the sons of Carʹmi+ were Aʹchar* the bringer of ostracism* upon Israel,+ who committed an act of unfaithfulness respecting the thing devoted to destruction.+

8 And the sons of Eʹthan+ were Az·a·riʹah.

9 And the sons of Hezʹron+ that were born to him were Je·rahʹme·el+ and Ram+ and Che·luʹbai.*

10 As for Ram, he became father to Am·minʹa·dab.+ Am·minʹa·dab, in turn, became father to Nahʹshon+ the chieftain of the sons of Judah. 11 Nahʹshon, in turn, became father to Salʹma.+ Salʹma, in turn, became father to Boʹaz.+ 12 Boʹaz, in turn, became father to Oʹbed.+ Oʹbed, in turn, became father to Jesʹse.+ 13 Jesʹse, in turn, became father to his firstborn E·liʹab,+ and A·binʹa·dab+ the second, and Shimʹe·a+ the third, 14 Ne·thanʹel the fourth, Radʹdai the fifth, 15 Oʹzem the sixth, David+ the seventh. 16 And their sisters were Ze·ruʹiah and Abʹi·gail;+ and the sons of Ze·ruʹiah were A·bishʹai+ and Joʹab+ and Asʹa·hel,+ three. 17 As for Abʹi·gail, she gave birth to A·maʹsa;+ and the father of A·maʹsa was Jeʹther+ the Ishʹma·el·ite.

18 As for Caʹleb* the son of Hezʹron,+ he became father to sons by A·zuʹbah his wife and by Jerʹi·oth; and these were her sons: Jeʹsher and Shoʹbab and Arʹdon. 19 Eventually A·zuʹbah died. So Caʹleb took to himself Ephʹrath,+ who in time bore Hur+ to him. 20 Hur, in turn, became father to Uʹri.+ Uʹri, in turn, became father to Bezʹal·el.+

21 And afterward Hezʹron had relations with the daughter of Maʹchir+ the father of Gilʹe·ad.+ And he himself took her when he was sixty years old, but she bore Seʹgub to him. 22 Seʹgub, in turn, became father to Jaʹir,+ who came to have twenty-three cities+ in the land of Gilʹe·ad. 23 Later Geshʹur+ and Syria+ took Havʹvoth-jaʹir+ from them, with Keʹnath+ and its dependent towns,* sixty cities. All these were the sons of Maʹchir the father of Gilʹe·ad.

24 And after the death of Hezʹron+ in Caʹleb-ephʹra·thah, with A·biʹjah being the wife of Hezʹron, she then bore him Ashʹhur the father of Te·koʹa.+

25 And the sons of Je·rahʹme·el+ the firstborn of Hezʹron were Ram+ the firstborn and Buʹnah and Oʹren and Oʹzem, A·hiʹjah.* 26 And Je·rahʹme·el came to have another wife, whose name was Atʹa·rah. She was the mother of Oʹnam. 27 And the sons of Ram+ the firstborn of Je·rahʹme·el came to be Maʹaz and Jaʹmin and Eʹker. 28 And the sons of Oʹnam+ came to be Shamʹmai and Jaʹda. And the sons of Shamʹmai were Naʹdab and A·biʹshur. 29 And the name of A·biʹshur’s wife was Abʹi·ha·il, who in time bore him Ahʹban and Moʹlid. 30 And the sons of Naʹdab+ were Seʹled and Apʹpa·im. But Seʹled died without sons. 31 And the sons of Apʹpa·im were Ishʹi. And the sons of Ishʹi were Sheʹshan;+ and the sons of Sheʹshan, Ahʹlai. 32 And the sons of Jaʹda the brother of Shamʹmai were Jeʹther and Jonʹa·than. But Jeʹther died without sons. 33 And the sons of Jonʹa·than were Peʹleth and Zaʹza. These became the sons of Je·rahʹme·el.

34 And Sheʹshan+ came to have no sons, but daughters. Now Sheʹshan had an Egyptian servant+ whose name was Jarʹha. 35 So Sheʹshan gave his daughter to Jarʹha his servant as a wife, who in time bore him Atʹtai. 36 Atʹtai, in turn, became father to Nathan. Nathan, in turn, became father to Zaʹbad.+ 37 Zaʹbad, in turn, became father to Ephʹlal. Ephʹlal, in turn, became father to Oʹbed. 38 Oʹbed, in turn, became father to Jeʹhu. Jeʹhu, in turn, became father to Az·a·riʹah. 39 Az·a·riʹah, in turn, became father to Heʹlez. Heʹlez, in turn, became father to El·e·aʹsah. 40 El·e·aʹsah, in turn, became father to Sisʹmai. Sisʹmai, in turn, became father to Shalʹlum. 41 Shalʹlum, in turn, became father to Jek·a·miʹah. Jek·a·miʹah, in turn, became father to E·lishʹa·ma.

42 And the sons of Caʹleb*+ the brother of Je·rahʹme·el were Meʹsha his firstborn, who was the father of Ziph, and the sons of Ma·reʹshah the father of Heʹbron. 43 And the sons of Heʹbron were Koʹrah and Tapʹpu·ah and Reʹkem and Sheʹma. 44 Sheʹma, in turn, became father to Raʹham the father of Jorʹke·am. Reʹkem, in turn, became father to Shamʹmai. 45 And the son of Shamʹmai was Maʹon; and Maʹon was the father of Beth-zur.+ 46 As for Eʹphah the concubine of Caʹleb, she gave birth to Haʹran and Moʹza and Gaʹzez. As for Haʹran, he became father to Gaʹzez. 47 And the sons of Jahʹdai were Reʹgem and Joʹtham and Geʹshan and Pelʹet and Eʹphah and Shaʹaph. 48 As for Caʹleb’s concubine Maʹa·cah, she gave birth to Sheʹber and Tirʹha·nah. 49 In time she bore Shaʹaph the father of Mad·manʹnah,+ Sheʹva the father of Mach·beʹnah and the father of Gibʹe·a.+ And Caʹleb’s+ daughter was Achʹsah.+ 50 These became the sons of Caʹleb.

The sons of Hur+ the firstborn of Ephʹra·thah:+ Shoʹbal+ the father of Kirʹi·ath-jeʹa·rim,+ 51 Salʹma the father of Bethʹle·hem,+ Haʹreph the father of Beth-gaʹder. 52 And Shoʹbal+ the father of Kirʹi·ath-jeʹa·rim came to have sons: Ha·roʹeh, half of the Me·nuʹhoth. 53 And the families of Kirʹi·ath-jeʹa·rim were the Ithʹrites+ and the Puʹthites and the Shuʹmath·ites and the Mishʹra·ites. It was from these that the Zoʹrath·ites+ and the Eshʹta·ol·ites+ came out. 54 The sons of Salʹma were Bethʹle·hem+ and the Ne·tophʹa·thites,+ Atʹroth-beth-joʹab and half of the Man·a·haʹthites, the Zorʹites. 55 And the families of the scribes dwelling at Jaʹbez+ were the Tiʹrath·ites, the Shimʹe·ath·ites, the Suʹcath·ites. These were the Kenʹites+ that came from Hamʹmath the father of the house of Reʹchab.+

3 And these became the sons of David+ that were born to him in Heʹbron:+ the firstborn Amʹnon,+ of A·hinʹo·am+ the Jezʹre·el·i·tess,+ the second, Daniel, of Abʹi·gail+ the Carʹmel·it·ess,+ 2 the third, Abʹsa·lom+ the son of Maʹa·cah+ the daughter of Talʹmai+ the king of Geshʹur,+ the fourth, Ad·o·niʹjah+ the son of Hagʹgith,+ 3 the fifth, Sheph·a·tiʹah, of A·biʹtal,+ the sixth, Ithʹre·am, of Egʹlah+ his wife. 4 There were six born to him in Heʹbron; and he continued to reign there seven years and six months, and for thirty-three years he reigned in Jerusalem.+

5 And there were these born to him in Jerusalem:+ Shimʹe·a+ and Shoʹbab+ and Nathan+ and Solʹo·mon,+ four of Bath-sheʹba*+ the daughter of Amʹmi·el,+ 6 and Ibʹhar+ and E·lishʹa·ma*+ and E·liphʹe·let,+ 7 and Noʹgah and Neʹpheg and Ja·phiʹa,+ 8 and E·lishʹa·ma+ and E·liʹa·da and E·liphʹe·let,+ nine, 9 all the sons of David besides the sons of the concubines, and Taʹmar+ their sister.

10 And the son of Solʹo·mon was Re·ho·boʹam,+ A·biʹjah+ his son, Aʹsa+ his son, Je·hoshʹa·phat+ his son, 11 Je·hoʹram* his son,+ A·ha·ziʹah+ his son, Je·hoʹash*+ his son, 12 Am·a·ziʹah+ his son, Az·a·riʹah+ his son, Joʹtham+ his son, 13 Aʹhaz+ his son, Hez·e·kiʹah+ his son, Ma·nasʹseh+ his son, 14 Aʹmon+ his son, Jo·siʹah+ his son. 15 And the sons of Jo·siʹah were the firstborn Jo·haʹnan,* the second, Je·hoiʹa·kim,+ the third, Zed·e·kiʹah,+ the fourth, Shalʹlum. 16 And the sons of Je·hoiʹa·kim were Jec·o·niʹah+ his son, Zed·e·kiʹah his son. 17 And the sons of Jec·o·niʹah as prisoner were She·alʹti·el+ his son 18 and Mal·chiʹram and Pe·daiʹah and She·nazʹzar, Jek·a·miʹah, Hoshʹa·ma and Ned·a·biʹah. 19 And the sons of Pe·daiʹah were Ze·rubʹba·bel+ and Shimʹe·i; and the sons of Ze·rubʹba·bel were Me·shulʹlam and Han·a·niʹah (and She·loʹmith was their sister); 20 and Ha·shuʹbah and Oʹhel and Ber·e·chiʹah and Has·a·diʹah, Juʹshab-heʹsed, five. 21 And the sons of Han·a·niʹah were Pel·a·tiʹah+ and Je·shaʹiah, the sons of [Je·shaʹiah] Re·phaʹiah, the sons of [Re·phaʹiah] Arʹnan, the sons of [Arʹnan] O·ba·diʹah, the sons of [O·ba·diʹah] Shec·a·niʹah; 22 and the sons of Shec·a·niʹah, She·maiʹah, and the sons of She·maiʹah, Hatʹtush and Iʹgal and Ba·riʹah and Ne·a·riʹah and Shaʹphat, six. 23 And the sons of Ne·a·riʹah were Eli·o·eʹnai and Hiz·kiʹah and Az·riʹkam, three. 24 And the sons of Eli·o·eʹnai were Hod·a·viʹah and E·liʹa·shib and Pe·laʹiah and Akʹkub and Jo·haʹnan and De·laʹiah and A·naʹni, seven.

4 The sons of Judah were Peʹrez,+ Hezʹron+ and Carʹmi+ and Hur+ and Shoʹbal.+ 2 As for Re·aʹiah+ the son of Shoʹbal, he became father to Jaʹhath; Jaʹhath, in turn, became father to A·huʹmai and Laʹhad. These were the families of the Zoʹrath·ites.+ 3 And these were [the sons of] the father of Eʹtam:+ Jezʹre·el+ and Ishʹma and Idʹbash, (and the name of their sister was Haz·ze·lel·poʹni,) 4 and Pe·nuʹel the father of Geʹdor+ and Eʹzer the father of Huʹshah. These were the sons of Hur+ the firstborn of Ephʹra·thah the father of Bethʹle·hem.+ 5 And Ashʹhur+ the father of Te·koʹa+ came to have two wives, Heʹlah and Naʹa·rah. 6 In time Naʹa·rah bore to him A·huzʹzam and Heʹpher and Teʹme·ni and Ha·a·hashʹta·ri. These were the sons of Naʹa·rah. 7 And the sons of Heʹlah were Zeʹreth, Izʹhar* and Ethʹnan. 8 As for Koz, he became father to Aʹnub and Zo·beʹbah and the families of A·harʹhel the son of Haʹrum.

9 And Jaʹbez+ came to be more honorable+ than his brothers; and it was his mother that called his name Jaʹbez, saying: “I have given him birth in pain.”+ 10 And Jaʹbez began to call upon the God+ of Israel, saying: “If you will without fail bless+ me and actually enlarge my territory+ and your hand+ really proves to be with me, and you really preserve [me] from calamity,+ that it may not hurt me,+—” Accordingly God brought [to pass] what he had asked.+

11 As for Cheʹlub* the brother of Shuʹhah, he became father to Meʹhir, who was the father of Eshʹton. 12 Eshʹton, in turn, became father to Beth-raʹpha and Pa·seʹah and Te·hinʹnah the father of Ir-naʹhash. These were the men of Reʹcah. 13 And the sons of Keʹnaz+ were Othʹni·el+ and Se·raiʹah, and the sons of Othʹni·el, Haʹthath. 14 As for Me·oʹno·thai, he became father to Ophʹrah. As for Se·raiʹah, he became father to Joʹab the father of Ge-harʹa·shim;* for craftsmen+ are what they became.

15 And the sons of Caʹleb+ the son of Je·phunʹneh+ were Iʹru, Eʹlah and Naʹam; and the sons of Eʹlah, Keʹnaz. 16 And the sons of Je·halʹle·lel were Ziph and Ziʹphah, Tirʹi·a and Asʹa·rel. 17 And the sons of Ezʹrah were Jeʹther and Meʹred and Eʹpher and Jaʹlon; and she got to conceive Mirʹi·am and Shamʹmai and Ishʹbah the father of Esh·te·moʹa.+ 18 As for his Jewish wife, she gave birth to Jeʹred the father of Geʹdor and Heʹber the father of Soʹco and Je·kuʹthi·el the father of Za·noʹah. And these were the sons of Bi·thiʹah the daughter of Pharʹaoh, whom Meʹred took.

19 And the sons of Ho·diʹah’s wife, the sister of Naʹham, were the father of Keiʹlah+ the Garʹmite and Esh·te·moʹa the Ma·acʹa·thite. 20 And the sons of Shiʹmon were Amʹnon and Rinʹnah, Ben-haʹnan and Tiʹlon. And the sons of Ishʹi were Zoʹheth and Ben-zoʹheth.

21 The sons of Sheʹlah+ the son of Judah were Er the father of Leʹcah and Laʹa·dah the father of Ma·reʹshah and the families of the house of the workers of fine fabric+ of the house of Ash·beʹa; 22 and Joʹkim and the men of Co·zeʹba and Joʹash and Saʹraph, who became owners of Moʹab·ite wives,*+ and Jashʹu·bi-leʹhem. And the sayings are of old tradition.+ 23 They were the potters+ and the inhabitants of Ne·taʹim and Ge·deʹrah. It was with the king in his work that they dwelt there.+

24 The sons of Simʹe·on were Nemʹu·el+ and Jaʹmin,+ Jaʹrib, Zeʹrah, Shaʹul,+ 25 Shalʹlum his son, Mibʹsam his son, Mishʹma his son. 26 And the sons of Mishʹma were Hamʹmu·el his son, Zacʹcur his son, Shimʹe·i his son. 27 And Shimʹe·i had sixteen sons and six daughters; but his brothers did not have many sons, and none of their families had as many as the sons of Judah.+ 28 And they continued to dwell in Beʹer-sheʹba+ and Mo·laʹdah+ and Haʹzar-shuʹal+ 29 and in Bilʹhah+ and in Eʹzem+ and in Toʹlad+ 30 and in Be·thuʹel+ and in Horʹmah+ and in Zikʹlag+ 31 and in Beth-marʹca·both and in Haʹzar-suʹsim+ and in Beth-birʹi and in Shaʹa·raʹim.+ These were their cities down till David reigned.

32 And their settlements were Eʹtam and Aʹin, Rimʹmon and Toʹchen and Aʹshan,+ five cities. 33 And all their settlements that were all around these cities were as far as Baʹal.+ These were their dwelling places and their genealogical enrollments for them. 34 And Me·shoʹbab and Jamʹlech and Joʹshah the son of Am·a·ziʹah, 35 and Joel and Jeʹhu the son of Josh·i·biʹah the son of Se·raiʹah the son of Asʹi·el, 36 and Eli·o·eʹnai and Ja·a·koʹbah and Jesh·o·haiʹah and A·saiʹah and Adʹi·el and Je·simʹi·el and Be·naiʹah, 37 and Ziʹza the son of Shiʹphi the son of Alʹlon the son of Je·daʹiah the son of Shimʹri the son of She·maiʹah. 38 These who came in by names were the chieftains among their families,+ and the household itself of their forefathers increased in multitude. 39 And they proceeded to go to the entryway of Geʹdor, clear to the east of the valley, to look for pasturage for their flocks. 40 Eventually they found fat and good pasturage,+ and the land was quite wide* and having no disturbance+ but at ease; for those dwelling there in former times were of Ham.+ 41 And these written down by [their] names proceeded to come in in the days of Hez·e·kiʹah*+ the king of Judah and strike+ down the tents of the Hamʹites* and the Me·uʹnim that were to be found there, so that they devoted them to destruction+ down to this day; and they began to dwell in their place, because there was pasturage+ for their flocks there.

42 And from them there were some of the sons of Simʹe·on that went to Mount Seʹir,+ five hundred men, with Pel·a·tiʹah and Ne·a·riʹah and Re·phaʹiah and Uzʹzi·el the sons of Ishʹi at their head. 43 And they proceeded to strike down the remnant that had escaped of Amʹa·lek,+ and they continued to dwell there down to this day.

5 And the sons of Reuʹben+ the firstborn of Israel—for he was the firstborn;+ but for his profaning the lounge of his father+ his right as firstborn was given to the sons of Joseph+ the son of Israel, so that he was not to be enrolled genealogically for the right of the firstborn. 2 For Judah+ himself proved to be superior among his brothers, and the one for leader was from him;+ but the right as firstborn was Joseph’s+— 3 the sons of Reuʹben the firstborn of Israel were Haʹnoch+ and Palʹlu,+ Hezʹron and Carʹmi.+ 4 The sons of Joel were She·maiʹah his son, Gog his son, Shimʹe·i his son, 5 Miʹcah his son, Re·aʹiah his son, Baʹal his son, 6 Be·erʹah his son, whom Tilʹgath-pil·neʹser+ the king of As·syrʹi·a took into exile, he being a chieftain of the Reuʹben·ites. 7 And his brothers by their families in the genealogical+ enrollment by their descendants were, as the head, Je·iʹel, and Zech·a·riʹah, 8 and Beʹla the son of Aʹzaz the son of Sheʹma the son of Joel+—he was dwelling in A·roʹer+ and as far as Neʹbo+ and Baʹal-meʹon.+ 9 Even to the east he dwelt as far as where one enters the wilderness at the river Eu·phraʹtes,+ for their livestock itself had become numerous in the land of Gilʹe·ad.+ 10 And in the days of Saul they made war upon the Hagʹrites,+ who came to fall by their hand; and so they dwelt in their tents throughout all the country east* of Gilʹe·ad.

11 As for the sons of Gad+ in front of them, they dwelt in the land of Baʹshan+ as far as Salʹe·cah.+ 12 Joel was the head, and Shaʹpham the second, and Jaʹnai and Shaʹphat in Baʹshan. 13 And their brothers belonging to the house of their forefathers were Miʹcha·el and Me·shulʹlam and Sheʹba and Joʹrai and Jaʹcan and Ziʹa and Eʹber, seven. 14 These were the sons of Abʹi·ha·il the son of Huʹri, the son of Ja·roʹah, the son of Gilʹe·ad, the son of Miʹcha·el, the son of Je·shishʹai, the son of Jahʹdo, the son of Buz; 15 Aʹhi the son of Abʹdi·el, the son of Guʹni, head of the house of their forefathers. 16 And they continued to dwell in Gilʹe·ad,+ in Baʹshan+ and in its dependent towns+ and in all the pasture grounds of Sharʹon as far as their terminations. 17 They were all of them enrolled genealogically in the days of Joʹtham+ the king of Judah and in the days of Jer·o·boʹam*+ the king of Israel.

18 As for the sons of Reuʹben and the Gadʹites and the half tribe of Ma·nasʹseh; of those who were valiant+ fellows, men carrying shield and sword and bending the bow* and trained in war, there were forty-four thousand seven hundred and sixty going out to the army.+ 19 And they began to make war upon the Hagʹrites,+ and Jeʹtur+ and Naʹphish+ and Noʹdab. 20 And they came to be helped against them, so that the Hagʹrites and all those who were with them were given into their hand, for it was to God that they called for aid+ in the war, and he let himself be entreated in their favor because they trusted in him.+ 21 And they got to take captive their livestock,+ their camels fifty thousand, and sheep two hundred and fifty thousand, and asses two thousand, and human souls* a hundred thousand.+ 22 For there were many that had fallen slain, because it was on the part of the [true] God that the fighting was.+ And they continued to dwell in their place down to the time of the exile.+

23 As for the sons of the half tribe of Ma·nasʹseh,+ they dwelt in the land from Baʹshan+ to Baʹal-herʹmon+ and Seʹnir+ and Mount Herʹmon.+ They themselves became numerous. 24 And these were the heads of the house of their forefathers: Eʹpher and Ishʹi and Eʹli·el and Azʹri·el and Jeremiah and Hod·a·viʹah and Jahʹdi·el, men that were valiant, mighty fellows, men of fame,* heads of the house of their forefathers. 25 And they began to act unfaithfully toward the God of their forefathers and went having immoral intercourse+ with the gods+ of the peoples of the land, whom God had annihilated from before them. 26 Consequently the God of Israel stirred up the spirit+ of Pul+ the king of As·syrʹi·a+ even the spirit of Tilʹgath-pil·neʹser+ the king of As·syrʹi·a, so that he took into exile+ those of the Reuʹben·ites and of the Gadʹites and of the half tribe of Ma·nasʹseh and brought them to Haʹlah+ and Haʹbor and Haʹra and the river Goʹzan [to continue] until this day.*

6 The sons of Leʹvi+ were Gerʹshon,+ Koʹhath+ and Me·rarʹi.+ 2 And the sons of Koʹhath were Amʹram,+ Izʹhar+ and Heʹbron+ and Uzʹzi·el.+ 3 And the sons of Amʹram+ were Aaron+ and Moses,+ and there was Mirʹi·am.+ And the sons of Aaron were Naʹdab+ and A·biʹhu,+ El·e·aʹzar+ and Ithʹa·mar.+ 4 As for El·e·aʹzar,+ he became father to Phinʹe·has.+ Phinʹe·has himself became father to Ab·i·shuʹa.+ 5 Ab·i·shuʹa, in turn, became father to Bukʹki; Bukʹki, in turn, became father to Uzʹzi.+ 6 Uzʹzi, in turn, became father to Zer·a·hiʹah; Zer·a·hiʹah, in turn, became father to Me·raʹioth.+ 7 Me·raʹioth himself became father to Am·a·riʹah; Am·a·riʹah, in turn, became father to A·hiʹtub.+ 8 A·hiʹtub, in turn, became father to Zaʹdok;+ Zaʹdok, in turn, became father to A·himʹa·az.+ 9 A·himʹa·az, in turn, became father to Az·a·riʹah. Az·a·riʹah, in turn, became father to Jo·haʹnan. 10 Jo·haʹnan, in turn, became father to Az·a·riʹah.+ He was the one that acted as priest in the house that Solʹo·mon built in Jerusalem.

11 And Az·a·riʹah came to be father to Am·a·riʹah.+ Am·a·riʹah, in turn, became father to A·hiʹtub.+ 12 A·hiʹtub, in turn, became father to Zaʹdok.+ Zaʹdok, in turn, became father to Shalʹlum. 13 Shalʹlum, in turn, became father to Hil·kiʹah. Hil·kiʹah,+ in turn, became father to Az·a·riʹah. 14 Az·a·riʹah, in turn, became father to Se·raiʹah.+ Se·raiʹah, in turn, became father to Je·hozʹa·dak.+ 15 And Je·hozʹa·dak it was that went away when Jehovah took Judah and Jerusalem into exile by the hand of Neb·u·chad·nezʹzar.*

16 The sons of Leʹvi+ were Gerʹshom,* Koʹhath and Me·rarʹi. 17 And these are the names of the sons of Gerʹshom: Libʹni+ and Shimʹe·i.+ 18 And the sons of Koʹhath+ were Amʹram+ and Izʹhar and Heʹbron and Uzʹzi·el.+ 19 The sons of Me·rarʹi were Mahʹli and Muʹshi.+

And these were the families of the Levites by their forefathers:+ 20 Of Gerʹshom, Libʹni+ his son, Jaʹhath his son, Zimʹmah his son, 21 Joʹah+ his son, Idʹdo his son, Zeʹrah his son, Je·athʹe·rai his son. 22 The sons of Koʹhath were Am·minʹa·dab his son, Koʹrah+ his son, Asʹsir his son, 23 El·kaʹnah his son and E·biʹa·saph+ his son and Asʹsir his son; 24 Taʹhath his son, U·riʹel his son, Uz·ziʹah his son, and Shaʹul his son. 25 And the sons of El·kaʹnah+ were A·maʹsai and A·hiʹmoth. 26 As for El·kaʹnah, the sons of El·kaʹnah were Zoʹphai+ his son and Naʹhath his son, 27 E·liʹab+ his son, Je·roʹham his son, El·kaʹnah+ his son. 28 And the sons of Samuel+ were the firstborn [Joel] and the second A·biʹjah.*+ 29 The sons of Me·rarʹi were Mahʹli,+ Libʹni his son, Shimʹe·i his son, Uzʹzah his son, 30 Shimʹe·a his son, Hag·giʹah his son, A·saiʹah his son.

31 And these were the ones to whom David+ gave positions for the direction of the singing at the house of Jehovah after the Ark had a resting-place.+ 32 And they came to be ministers*+ in the singing+ before the tabernacle of the tent of meeting until Solʹo·mon built the house of Jehovah in Jerusalem;+ and they kept attending upon their service according to their commission.+ 33 And these were those in attendance and also their sons: Of the sons of the Koʹhath·ites Heʹman+ the singer, the son of Joel,+ the son of Samuel,+ 34 the son of El·kaʹnah,+ the son of Je·roʹham, the son of Eʹli·el,+ the son of Toʹah, 35 the son of Zuph,+ the son of El·kaʹnah, the son of Maʹhath, the son of A·maʹsai, 36 the son of El·kaʹnah, the son of Joel, the son of Az·a·riʹah, the son of Zeph·a·niʹah, 37 the son of Taʹhath, the son of Asʹsir, the son of E·biʹa·saph,+ the son of Koʹrah,+ 38 the son of Izʹhar,+ the son of Koʹhath, the son of Leʹvi, the son of Israel.

39 As for his brother Aʹsaph,+ who was attending at his right, Aʹsaph was the son of Ber·e·chiʹah,+ the son of Shimʹe·a, 40 the son of Miʹcha·el, the son of Ba·a·seʹiah, the son of Mal·chiʹjah, 41 the son of Ethʹni, the son of Zeʹrah, the son of A·daiʹah, 42 the son of Eʹthan, the son of Zimʹmah, the son of Shimʹe·i, 43 the son of Jaʹhath,+ the son of Gerʹshom,+ the son of Leʹvi.

44 As regards the sons of Me·rarʹi+ their brothers on the left hand, there was Eʹthan+ the son of Kishʹi,+ the son of Abʹdi, the son of Malʹluch, 45 the son of Hash·a·biʹah, the son of Am·a·ziʹah, the son of Hil·kiʹah, 46 the son of Amʹzi, the son of Baʹni, the son of Sheʹmer, 47 the son of Mahʹli, the son of Muʹshi,+ the son of Me·rarʹi,+ the son of Leʹvi.

48 And their brothers the Levites+ were the ones given for all the service+ of the tabernacle of the house of the [true] God. 49 And Aaron+ and his sons were making sacrificial smoke+ upon the altar of burnt offering+ and upon the altar of incense+ for all the work of the most holy things and to make atonement+ for Israel,+ according to all that Moses the servant of the [true] God had commanded. 50 And these were the sons of Aaron:+ El·e·aʹzar+ his son, Phinʹe·has+ his son, Ab·i·shuʹa+ his son, 51 Bukʹki his son, Uzʹzi his son, Zer·a·hiʹah+ his son, 52 Me·raʹioth+ his son, Am·a·riʹah his son, A·hiʹtub+ his son, 53 Zaʹdok+ his son, A·himʹa·az+ his son.

54 And these were their dwelling places by their walled camps in their territory,+ for the sons of Aaron belonging to the family of the Koʹhath·ites,+ for the lot had come to be theirs. 55 Accordingly they gave them Heʹbron+ in the land of Judah, with its pasture grounds all around it. 56 And the field of the city and its settlements+ they gave to Caʹleb+ the son of Je·phunʹneh.+ 57 And to the sons of Aaron they gave the cities of refuge,+ Heʹbron,+ and Libʹnah+ with its pasture grounds and Jatʹtir+ and Esh·te·moʹa+ with its pasture grounds, 58 and Hiʹlen+ with its pasture grounds, Deʹbir+ with its pasture grounds, 59 and Aʹshan+ with its pasture grounds and Beth-sheʹmesh+ with its pasture grounds; 60 and from the tribe of Benjamin Geʹba+ with its pasture grounds and Alʹe·meth+ with its pasture grounds and Anʹa·thoth+ with its pasture grounds. All their cities were thirteen+ cities among their families.

61 And to the sons of Koʹhath that were left over [they gave] from the family of the tribe, from the half tribe, the half of Ma·nasʹseh, by the lot ten+ cities.

62 And to the sons of Gerʹshom+ by their families [they gave] from the tribe of Isʹsa·char+ and from the tribe of Ashʹer+ and from the tribe of Naphʹta·li+ and from the tribe of Ma·nasʹseh+ in Baʹshan, thirteen cities.

63 To the sons of Me·rarʹi+ by their families [they gave] from the tribe of Reuʹben+ and from the tribe of Gad+ and from the tribe of Zebʹu·lun+ by the lot twelve cities.

64 Thus the sons of Israel gave the Levites+ the cities with their pasture grounds.+ 65 Furthermore, by the lot they gave from the tribe of the sons of Judah+ and from the tribe of the sons of Simʹe·on+ and from the tribe of the sons of Benjamin+ these cities, which they proceeded to call by names.

66 And some of the families of the sons of Koʹhath came to have the cities of their territory from the tribe of Eʹphra·im.+ 67 Accordingly they gave them the cities of refuge, Sheʹchem+ with its pasture grounds in the mountainous region of Eʹphra·im, and Geʹzer+ with its pasture grounds, 68 and Jokʹme·am+ with its pasture grounds and Beth-hoʹron+ with its pasture grounds, 69 and Aiʹja·lon+ with its pasture grounds and Gath-rimʹmon+ with its pasture grounds; 70 and from half of the tribe of Ma·nasʹseh, Aʹner+ with its pasture grounds and Bilʹe·am+ with its pasture grounds, to the family of the sons of Koʹhath that were left over.+

71 And to the sons of Gerʹshom+ [they gave] from the family of the half tribe of Ma·nasʹseh Goʹlan+ in Baʹshan with its pasture grounds and Ashʹta·roth+ with its pasture grounds; 72 and from the tribe of Isʹsa·char, Keʹdesh+ with its pasture grounds and Dabʹe·rath+ with its pasture grounds, 73 and Raʹmoth+ with its pasture grounds and Aʹnem+ with its pasture grounds; 74 and from the tribe of Ashʹer, Maʹshal with its pasture grounds and Abʹdon+ with its pasture grounds, 75 and Huʹkok+ with its pasture grounds and Reʹhob+ with its pasture grounds; 76 and from the tribe of Naphʹta·li,+ Keʹdesh+ in Galʹi·lee+ with its pasture grounds and Hamʹmon with its pasture grounds and Kir·i·a·thaʹim+ with its pasture grounds.

77 To the sons of Me·rarʹi that were left over [they gave] from the tribe of Zebʹu·lun+ Rimʹmo·no+ with its pasture grounds, Taʹbor with its pasture grounds, 78 and in the region of the Jordan at Jerʹi·cho to the east of the Jordan, from the tribe of Reuʹben,+ Beʹzer+ in the wilderness with its pasture grounds and Jaʹhaz*+ with its pasture grounds, 79 and Kedʹe·moth+ with its pasture grounds and Mephʹa·ath+ with its pasture grounds; 80 and from the tribe of Gad,+ Raʹmoth+ in Gilʹe·ad with its pasture grounds and Ma·ha·naʹim+ with its pasture grounds, 81 and Heshʹbon+ with its pasture grounds and Jaʹzer+ with its pasture grounds.

7 Now the sons of Isʹsa·char were Toʹla+ and Puʹah,+ Jaʹshub and Shimʹron,+ four. 2 And the sons of Toʹla were Uzʹzi and Re·phaʹiah and Jeʹri·el and Jahʹmai and Ibʹsam and She·muʹel, heads of the house of their forefathers. Of Toʹla there were valiant, mighty men, by their descendants. Their number in the days of David+ was twenty-two thousand six hundred. 3 And the sons of Uzʹzi were Iz·ra·hiʹah; and the sons of Iz·ra·hiʹah were Miʹcha·el and O·ba·diʹah and Joel, Is·shiʹah,     , five,* all of them being heads. 4 And with them by their descendants, according to the house of their forefathers, there were troops of the army for war, thirty-six thousand, for they had many* wives and sons.+ 5 And their brothers of all the families of Isʹsa·char were valiant, mighty men,+ eighty-seven thousand by the genealogical enrollment of them all.+

6 [The sons of] Benjamin+ were Beʹla+ and Beʹcher+ and Je·diʹa·el,+ three. 7 And the sons of Beʹla+ were Ezʹbon and Uzʹzi and Uzʹzi·el and Jerʹi·moth and Iʹri, five, heads of the house of their forefathers, valiant, mighty men; and their genealogical enrollment+ was twenty-two thousand and thirty-four. 8 And the sons of Beʹcher were Ze·miʹrah and Joʹash and E·li·eʹzer and Eli·o·eʹnai and Omʹri and Jerʹe·moth and A·biʹjah and Anʹa·thoth and Alʹe·meth, all these the sons of Beʹcher. 9 And their genealogical enrollment+ by their descendants as respects the heads of the house of their forefathers, valiant, mighty men, was twenty thousand two hundred. 10 And the sons of Je·diʹa·el+ were Bilʹhan; and the sons of Bilʹhan were Jeʹush and Benjamin and Eʹhud and Che·naʹa·nah and Zeʹthan and Tarʹshish and A·hishʹa·har. 11 All these were the sons of Je·diʹa·el, according to the heads of their forefathers, valiant, mighty men,+ seventeen thousand two hundred going out to the army for war.

12 And the Shupʹpim+ and the Hupʹpim+ were the sons of Ir;+ the Huʹshim were the sons of Aʹher.

13 The sons of Naphʹta·li+ were Jahʹzi·el+ and Guʹni+ and Jeʹzer and Shalʹlum,*+ the sons of Bilʹhah.+

14 The sons of Ma·nasʹseh+ were Asʹri·el, whom his Syrian concubine bore. (She bore Maʹchir+ the father of Gilʹe·ad. 15 And Maʹchir himself took a wife for Hupʹpim and for Shupʹpim, and the name of his sister was Maʹa·cah.) And the name of the second was Ze·loʹphe·had,+ but Ze·loʹphe·had came to have daughters.+ 16 In time Maʹa·cah, Maʹchir’s wife, bore a son and called his name Peʹresh; and the name of his brother was Sheʹresh; and his sons were Uʹlam and Reʹkem. 17 And the sons of Uʹlam were Beʹdan. These were the sons of Gilʹe·ad the son of Maʹchir the son of Ma·nasʹseh. 18 And his sister was Ham·moʹle·cheth. She gave birth to Ishʹhod and Abi-eʹzer+ and Mahʹlah. 19 And the sons of She·miʹda came to be A·hiʹan and Sheʹchem and Likʹhi and A·niʹam.

20 And the sons of Eʹphra·im+ were Shuʹthe·lah+ and Beʹred his son and Taʹhath his son and E·le·aʹdah his son and Taʹhath his son, 21 and Zaʹbad his son and Shuʹthe·lah his son and Eʹzer and Eʹle·ad. And the men of Gath+ that were born in the land killed them because they came down to take their livestock. 22 And Eʹphra·im their father carried on mourning for many days,+ and his brothers kept coming in to comfort him. 23 Afterward he had relations with his wife, so that she became pregnant+ and gave birth to a son. But he called his name* Be·riʹah, because it was with calamity+ that she happened to be in his house. 24 And his daughter was Sheʹe·rah, and she got to build Beth-hoʹron,+ the lower+ and the upper,+ and Uzʹzen-sheʹe·rah. 25 And there was Reʹphah his son, and Reʹsheph, and Teʹlah his son, and Taʹhan his son, 26 Laʹdan his son, Am·miʹhud his son, E·lishʹa·ma his son, 27 Nun*+ his son, Je·hoshʹu·a*+ his son.

28 And their possession and their dwelling places were Bethʹel+ and its dependent towns and, to the east, Naʹa·ran+ and, to the west, Geʹzer+ and its dependent towns, and Sheʹchem+ and its dependent towns clear to Gaʹza* and its dependent towns; 29 and by the side of the sons of Ma·nasʹseh Beth-sheʹan+ and its dependent towns, Taʹa·nach+ and its dependent towns, Me·gidʹdo+ and its dependent towns, Dor+ and its dependent towns. In these the sons of Joseph+ the son of Israel dwelt.

30 The sons of Ashʹer+ were Imʹnah+ and Ishʹvah and Ishʹvi+ and Be·riʹah;+ and Seʹrah was their sister. 31 And the sons of Be·riʹah were Heʹber and Malʹchi·el, who was the father of Birʹza·ith. 32 As for Heʹber, he became father to Japhʹlet and Shoʹmer and Hoʹtham, and to Shuʹa their sister. 33 And the sons of Japhʹlet were Paʹsach and Bimʹhal and Ashʹvath. These were the sons of Japhʹlet. 34 And the sons of Sheʹmer* were Aʹhi and Rohʹgah, Je·hubʹbah and Aʹram. 35 And the sons of Heʹlem his brother were Zoʹphah and Imʹna and Sheʹlesh and Aʹmal. 36 The sons of Zoʹphah were Suʹah and Harʹne·pher and Shuʹal and Beʹri and Imʹrah, 37 Beʹzer and Hod and Shamʹma and Shilʹshah and Ithʹran and Be·eʹra. 38 And the sons of Jeʹther were Je·phunʹneh and Pisʹpah and Aʹra. 39 And the sons of Ulʹla were Aʹrah and Hanʹni·el and Ri·ziʹa. 40 All these were the sons of Ashʹer, heads+ of the house of the forefathers, select, valiant,+ mighty men, heads of the chieftains; and their genealogical enrollment+ was in the army in the war. Their number was twenty-six thousand men.+

8 As for Benjamin,+ he became father to Beʹla+ his firstborn, Ashʹbel+ the second and A·harʹah+ the third, 2 Noʹhah+ the fourth and Raʹpha the fifth. 3 And Beʹla came to have sons, Adʹdar and Geʹra+ and A·biʹhud, 4 and Ab·i·shuʹa and Naʹa·man and A·hoʹah, 5 and Geʹra and She·phuʹphan+ and Huʹram.+ 6 And these were the sons of Eʹhud. These were the heads of [the houses of] forefathers belonging to the inhabitants of Geʹba,+ and they proceeded to take them into exile at Manʹa·hath. 7 And Naʹa·man and A·hiʹjah; and Geʹra—he was the one that took them into exile, and he became father to Uzʹza and A·hiʹhud. 8 As for Sha·ha·raʹim, he became father to [children] in the field+ of Moʹab after he sent them away. Huʹshim and Baʹa·ra were his wives. 9 And by Hoʹdesh his wife he came to be father to Joʹbab and Zibʹi·a and Meʹsha and Malʹcam, 10 and Jeʹuz and Sa·chiʹa and Mirʹmah. These were his sons, heads of [the houses of] forefathers.

11 And by Huʹshim he became father to A·biʹtub and El·paʹal. 12 And the sons of El·paʹal were Eʹber and Miʹsham and Sheʹmed, who built Oʹno+ and Lod+ and its dependent towns, 13 and Be·riʹah and Sheʹma. These were heads of [the houses of] forefathers, belonging to the inhabitants of Aiʹja·lon.+ These were the ones that chased away the inhabitants of Gath. 14 And [there were] A·hiʹo,* Shaʹshak and Jerʹe·moth, 15 and Zeb·a·diʹah and Aʹrad and Eʹder, 16 and Miʹcha·el and Ishʹpah and Joʹha, the sons of Be·riʹah,+ 17 and Zeb·a·diʹah and Me·shulʹlam and Hizʹki and Heʹber, 18 and Ishʹme·rai and Iz·liʹah and Joʹbab, the sons of El·paʹal, 19 and Jaʹkim and Zichʹri and Zabʹdi, 20 and E·li·eʹnai and Zilʹle·thai and Eʹli·el, 21 and A·daiʹah and Be·raʹiah and Shimʹrath, the sons of Shimʹe·i,+ 22 and Ishʹpan and Eʹber and Eʹli·el, 23 and Abʹdon and Zichʹri and Haʹnan, 24 and Han·a·niʹah and Eʹlam and An·tho·thiʹjah, 25 and Iph·deʹiah and Pe·nuʹel, the sons of Shaʹshak, 26 and Shamʹshe·rai and She·ha·riʹah and Ath·a·liʹah, 27 and Ja·a·re·shiʹah and E·liʹjah and Zichʹri, the sons of Je·roʹham. 28 These were heads of [the houses of] forefathers by their descendants, headmen. These were the ones that dwelt in Jerusalem.+

29 And it was in Gibʹe·on+ that the father of Gibʹe·on, [Je·iʹel,]* dwelt, and his wife’s name was Maʹa·cah.+ 30 And his son, the firstborn, was Abʹdon, and Zur and Kish and Baʹal and Naʹdab,+ 31 and Geʹdor and A·hiʹo and Zeʹcher.+ 32 As for Mikʹloth, he became father to Shimʹe·ah.+ And these really were the ones that dwelt in front of their brothers in Jerusalem along with brothers of theirs.

33 As for Ner,+ he became father to Kish;+ Kish, in turn, became father to Saul;+ Saul, in turn, became father to Jonʹa·than*+ and Malʹchi-shuʹa+ and A·binʹa·dab+ and Esh·baʹal.+ 34 And Jonʹa·than’s son was Merʹib-baʹal.+ As for Merʹib-baʹal, he became father to Miʹcah.+ 35 And the sons of Miʹcah were Piʹthon and Melʹech and Ta·reʹa+ and Aʹhaz. 36 As for Aʹhaz, he became father to Je·hoʹad·dah; Je·hoʹad·dah, in turn, became father to Alʹe·meth and Azʹma·veth and Zimʹri. Zimʹri, in turn, became father to Moʹza; 37 Moʹza, in turn, became father to Binʹe·a, Raʹphah+ his son, El·e·aʹsah his son, Aʹzel his son. 38 And Aʹzel had six sons, and these were their names: Az·riʹkam, Boʹche·ru and Ishʹma·el and She·a·riʹah and O·ba·diʹah and Haʹnan. All these were the sons of Aʹzel. 39 And the sons of Eʹshek his brother were Uʹlam his firstborn, Jeʹush the second and E·liphʹe·let the third. 40 And the sons of Uʹlam came to be valiant,+ mighty men, bending the bow,+ and having many sons+ and grandsons, a hundred and fifty. All these were from the sons of Benjamin.

9 As for all Israelites, they were enrolled genealogically;+ and there they are written in the Book of the Kings of Israel. And Judah itself was taken into exile+ at Babylon* for their unfaithfulness. 2 And the first inhabitants that were in their possession* in their cities were the Israelites,*+ the priests,+ the Levites+ and the Nethʹi·nim.*+ 3 And in Jerusalem+ there dwelt some of the sons of Judah+ and some of the sons of Benjamin+ and some of the sons of Eʹphra·im and of Ma·nasʹseh: 4 Uʹthai the son of Am·miʹhud the son of Omʹri the son of Imʹri the son of Baʹni, of the sons of Peʹrez*+ the son of Judah.+ 5 And of the Shiʹlo·nites,*+ A·saiʹah the firstborn and his sons. 6 And of the sons of Zeʹrah,+ Je·uʹel, and six hundred and ninety brothers of theirs.

7 And of the sons of Benjamin, Salʹlu the son of Me·shulʹlam the son of Hod·a·viʹah the son of Has·se·nuʹah, 8 and Ib·neʹiah the son of Je·roʹham, and Eʹlah the son of Uzʹzi the son of Michʹri, and Me·shulʹlam the son of Sheph·a·tiʹah the son of Reuʹel the son of Ib·niʹjah. 9 And the brothers of theirs by their descendants were nine hundred and fifty-six. All these were men that were heads of the fathers by the house of their forefathers.

10 And of the priests there were Je·daʹiah and Je·hoiʹa·rib and Jaʹchin,+ 11 and Az·a·riʹah+ the son of Hil·kiʹah the son of Me·shulʹlam the son of Zaʹdok the son of Me·raʹioth the son of A·hiʹtub, a leader* of the house of the [true] God, 12 and A·daiʹah the son of Je·roʹham the son of Pashʹhur the son of Mal·chiʹjah, and Maʹa·sai the son of Adʹi·el the son of Jahʹze·rah the son of Me·shulʹlam the son of Me·shilʹle·mith+ the son of Imʹmer, 13 and their brothers, heads of the house of their forefathers, a thousand seven hundred and sixty, mighty men of ability+ for the work of the service of the house of the [true] God.

14 And of the Levites there were She·maiʹah the son of Hasʹshub the son of Az·riʹkam the son of Hash·a·biʹah+ from the sons of Me·rarʹi; 15 and Bak·bakʹkar, Heʹresh and Gaʹlal, and Mat·ta·niʹah+ the son of Miʹca+ the son of Zichʹri+ the son of Aʹsaph,+ 16 and O·ba·diʹah the son of She·maiʹah+ the son of Gaʹlal the son of Je·duʹthun,+ and Ber·e·chiʹah the son of Aʹsa the son of El·kaʹnah, who was dwelling in the settlements of the Ne·tophʹa·thites.+

17 And the gatekeepers+ were Shalʹlum+ and Akʹkub and Talʹmon and A·hiʹman and their brother Shalʹlum the head, 18 and up till then he was in the king’s gate+ to the east. These were the gatekeepers of the camps of the sons of Leʹvi.+ 19 And Shalʹlum the son of Koʹre the son of E·biʹa·saph+ the son+ of Koʹrah+ and his brothers of the house of his father the Koʹrah·ites,+ over the work of the service, the doorkeepers+ of the tent, and their fathers over the camp of Jehovah, the keepers of the entryway. 20 And it was Phinʹe·has+ the son of El·e·aʹzar+ that happened to be leader* over them in the past. Jehovah was with him.+ 21 Zech·a·riʹah+ the son of Me·shel·e·miʹah was the gatekeeper of the entrance of the tent of meeting.

22 All of them who were selected as gatekeepers at the thresholds were two hundred and twelve. They were in their settlements+ by their genealogical+ enrollment. These David+ and Samuel the seer+ ordained* in their office of trust.+ 23 And they and their sons were over the gates of the house of Jehovah, even the house of the tent, for guard service.+ 24 It was to the four directions* that the gatekeepers came to be, to the east,+ to the west,+ to the north+ and to the south.+ 25 And their brothers in their settlements were to come in for seven+ days, from time to time, along with these. 26 For in office of trust there were four mighty men of the gatekeepers. They were Levites, and they proved to be in charge of the dining rooms+ and of the treasures+ of the house of the [true] God. 27 And all around the house of the [true] God they would spend the night; for guard+ service was upon them, and they were in charge of the key, even [to open up]* from morning to morning.+

28 And some of them were in charge of the utensils+ of the service, for it was by number that they would bring them in and it was by number that they would take them out. 29 And some of them were men appointed over the utensils and over all the holy+ utensils and over the fine flour+ and the wine+ and the oil+ and the frankincense+ and the balsam oil.+ 30 And some of the sons of the priests were makers of the ointment+ mixture of balsam oil. 31 And Mat·ti·thiʹah of the Levites, who was the firstborn of Shalʹlum+ the Koʹrah·ite, was in the office of trust over the things baked in pans.+ 32 And some of the sons of the Koʹhath·ites, their brothers, were in charge of the layer bread,+ to prepare it sabbath by sabbath.+

33 And these were the singers,+ the heads of the fathers of the Levites in the dining rooms,+ those set free from duty;+ for by day and by night it was their responsibility to be in the work.+ 34 These were the heads of the fathers of the Levites by their descendants, headmen. These were the ones that dwelt in Jerusalem.+

35 And in Gibʹe·on+ was where the father of Gibʹe·on, Je·iʹel, dwelt. And his wife’s name was Maʹa·cah. 36 And his son, the firstborn, was Abʹdon, and Zur and Kish and Baʹal and Ner and Naʹdab, 37 and Geʹdor and A·hiʹo and Zech·a·riʹah+ and Mikʹloth. 38 As for Mikʹloth, he became father to Shimʹe·am. And it was really they that dwelt in front of their brothers in Jerusalem along with brothers of theirs. 39 As for Ner,+ he became father to Kish;+ Kish, in turn, became father to Saul;+ Saul, in turn, became father to Jonʹa·than+ and Malʹchi-shuʹa+ and A·binʹa·dab+ and Esh·baʹal.+ 40 And the son of Jonʹa·than was Merʹib-baʹal.+ As for Merʹib-baʹal, he became father to Miʹcah.+ 41 And the sons of Miʹcah were Piʹthon and Melʹech and Tahrʹe·a [and Aʹhaz].*+ 42 As for Aʹhaz, he became father to Jaʹrah; Jaʹrah, in turn, became father to Alʹe·meth and Azʹma·veth and Zimʹri. Zimʹri, in turn, became father to Moʹza. 43 As for Moʹza, he became father to Binʹe·a and Re·phaʹiah+ his son, El·e·aʹsah his son, Aʹzel his son. 44 And Aʹzel had six sons, and these were their names: Az·riʹkam, Boʹche·ru and Ishʹma·el and She·a·riʹah and O·ba·diʹah and Haʹnan. These were the sons of Aʹzel.+

10 And the Phi·lisʹtines,+ for their part, made war upon Israel; and the men of Israel went fleeing from before the Phi·lisʹtines and kept falling slain in Mount Gil·boʹa.+ 2 And the Phi·lisʹtines kept in close range of Saul and his sons; and the Phi·lisʹtines got to strike down Jonʹa·than+ and A·binʹa·dab+ and Malʹchi-shuʹa,+ sons of Saul.+ 3 And the fighting became heavy against Saul; and those shooting with the bow finally found him, and he got wounded by the shooters.+ 4 Then Saul said to his armor-bearer:+ “Draw your sword+ and run me through with it, that these uncircumcised+ men may not come and certainly deal abusively+ with me.” And his armor-bearer was unwilling,+ because he was very much afraid. So Saul took the sword and fell upon it.+ 5 When his armor-bearer saw that Saul had died, then he too fell upon the sword and died.+ 6 Thus Saul and three sons of his died,+ and all those of his house died together. 7 When all the men of Israel that were in the low plain saw that they had fled and that Saul and his sons had died, then they began to leave their cities and flee;+ after which the Phi·lisʹtines came on in and took up dwelling in them.

8 And it came about the next day that, when the Phi·lisʹtines came to strip+ the slain, they got to find Saul and his sons fallen upon Mount Gil·boʹa.+ 9 And they proceeded to strip him and take off his head+ and his armor and send into the land of the Phi·lisʹtines all around to inform+ their idols+ and the people. 10 Finally they put his armor in the house of their god,*+ and his skull they fastened to the house of Daʹgon.+

11 And all those of Jaʹbesh+ in Gilʹe·ad got to hear of all that the Phi·lisʹtines had done to Saul.+ 12 So all the valiant men rose up and carried off the corpse of Saul and the corpses of his sons and brought them to Jaʹbesh and buried their bones under the big tree+ in Jaʹbesh;+ and they went fasting+ for seven days.

13 Thus Saul died for his unfaithfulness with which he had acted faithlessly+ against Jehovah concerning the word of Jehovah that he had not kept and also for asking of a spirit medium+ to make inquiry. 14 And he did not inquire of Jehovah.+ Consequently he put him to death and turned the kingship over to David the son of Jesʹse.+

11 In time all the Israelites+ collected themselves together to David at Heʹbron,+ saying: “Look! We are your bone and your flesh.+ 2 Both yesterday and previously, even while Saul happened to be king, you were the one leading Israel out and bringing it in;+ and Jehovah your God proceeded to say to you, ‘You yourself will shepherd+ my people Israel, and you yourself will become leader+ over my people Israel.’” 3 So all the older men* of Israel came to the king at Heʹbron and David concluded a covenant with them in Heʹbron before Jehovah; after which they anointed+ David as king over Israel, according to Jehovah’s word+ by means of Samuel.+

4 Later David and all Israel went to Jerusalem,+ that is to say, Jeʹbus,+ where the Jebʹu·sites+ were the inhabitants of the land. 5 And the inhabitants of Jeʹbus began to say to David: “You will not come in here.”+ Just the same, David proceeded to capture the stronghold of Zion,+ that is to say, the City of David.+ 6 So David said: “Anyone striking+ the Jebʹu·sites first, he will become head and prince.” And Joʹab+ the son of Ze·ruʹiah got to go up first, and he came to be head. 7 And David took up dwelling in the place difficult to approach.+ That is why they called it the City of David.+ 8 And he began to build the city all around, from the Mound even to the parts round about, but Joʹab himself brought to life+ the rest of the city. 9 And David went on getting greater and greater,+ for Jehovah of armies was with him.+

10 Now these are the heads of the mighty+ men that belonged to David, holding strongly with him in his kingship together with all Israel, to make him king according to Jehovah’s word+ concerning Israel. 11 And this is the list of the mighty men that belonged to David: Ja·shoʹbe·am+ the son of a Hachʹmon·ite, the head of the three.* He was brandishing his spear over three hundred slain at one time.+ 12 And after him there was El·e·aʹzar+ the son of Doʹdo the A·hoʹhite.+ He was among the three mighty men.+ 13 He it was that happened to be with David at Pas-damʹmim,+ where the Phi·lisʹtines had gathered themselves together for war. Now there happened to be a tract of the field full of barley, and the people, for their part, had fled because of the Phi·lisʹtines.+ 14 But he* took his stand in the middle of the tract and delivered it, and kept striking down the Phi·lisʹtines, so that Jehovah saved+ with a great salvation.+

15 And three of the thirty+ head ones proceeded to go down to the rock, to David at the cave of A·dulʹlam,+ while a camp of the Phi·lisʹtines was camping in the low plain of Rephʹa·im.+ 16 And David was then in the place hard to approach;+ and a garrison of the Phi·lisʹtines+ was then in Bethʹle·hem. 17 After a while David showed his craving and said: “O that I might have a drink+ of the water from the cistern of Bethʹle·hem,+ which is at the gate!” 18 At that the three forced their way into the camp of the Phi·lisʹtines and drew water from the cistern of Bethʹle·hem, which is at the gate, and came carrying and bringing it to David.+ And David did not consent to drink it, but poured it out to Jehovah.+ 19 And he went on to say: “It is unthinkable on my part, as regards my God, to do this! Is it the blood+ of these men that I should drink at the risk of their souls?* For it was at the risk of their souls that they brought it.” And he did not consent to drink it.+ These are the things that the three mighty men did.

20 As for A·bishʹai+ the brother of Joʹab,+ he himself became head of the three; and he was brandishing his spear over three hundred slain, and he had a reputation like the three.* 21 Of the three* he was more distinguished than the two others, and he came to be a chief to them; and yet he did not come+ up to the [first] three.

22 As for Be·naiʹah+ the son of Je·hoiʹa·da,+ the son of a valiant man, who did many deeds in Kabʹze·el,+ he himself struck down the two [sons] of Arʹi·el of Moʹab; and he himself descended and struck down a lion+ inside a waterpit in the day of snowfall. 23 And he it was that struck down the Egyptian man, a man of extraordinary size, of five cubits.*+ And in the hand of the Egyptian there was a spear+ like the beam of loom workers; yet he went on down to him with a rod and snatched the spear away from the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with his own spear.+ 24 These things Be·naiʹah the son of Je·hoiʹa·da did, and he had a name among the three mighty men. 25 Although he was more distinguished than the thirty, yet to the rank of the [first] three he did not come.+ However, David put him over his own bodyguard.+

26 As for the mighty men of the military forces, there were Asʹa·hel+ the brother of Joʹab, El·haʹnan+ the son of Doʹdo of Bethʹle·hem, 27 Shamʹmoth+ the Haʹro·rite, Heʹlez the Pelʹo·nite,+ 28 Iʹra+ the son of Ikʹkesh the Te·koʹite, Abi-eʹzer the Anʹa·thoth·ite,+ 29 Sibʹbe·cai+ the Huʹshath·ite, Iʹlai the A·hoʹhite,+ 30 Maʹha·rai+ the Ne·tophʹa·thite,+ Heʹled+ the son of Baʹa·nah the Ne·tophʹa·thite, 31 Iʹthai the son of Riʹbai+ of Gibʹe·ah+ of the sons of Benjamin,+ Be·naiʹah the Pirʹa·thon·ite,+ 32 Huʹrai from the torrent valleys of Gaʹash,+ A·biʹel the Arʹbath·ite, 33 Azʹma·veth the Ba·haʹrum·ite,+ E·liʹah·ba the Sha·alʹbo·nite, 34 the sons of Haʹshem the Giʹzo·nite, Jonʹa·than+ the son of Shaʹgee the Harʹa·rite, 35 A·hiʹam the son of Saʹcar+ the Harʹa·rite, E·liʹphal+ the son of Ur, 36 Heʹpher the Me·cheʹrath·ite, A·hiʹjah the Pelʹo·nite, 37 Hezʹro the Carʹmel·ite,+ Naʹa·rai the son of Ezʹbai, 38 Joel the brother of Nathan,+ Mibʹhar the son of Hagʹri, 39 Zeʹlek the Amʹmon·ite, Naʹha·rai the Be·rothʹite, the armor-bearer of Joʹab the son of Ze·ruʹiah, 40 Iʹra the Ithʹrite, Gaʹreb+ the Ithʹrite, 41 U·riʹah+ the Hitʹtite,+ Zaʹbad the son of Ahʹlai, 42 Adʹi·na the son of Shiʹza the Reuʹben·ite, a head of the Reuʹben·ites, by whom there were thirty; 43 Haʹnan the son of Maʹa·cah, and Joshʹa·phat the Mithʹnite, 44 Uz·ziʹa the Ashʹte·rath·ite, Shaʹma and Je·iʹel, the sons of Hoʹtham the A·roʹer·ite, 45 Je·diʹa·el the son of Shimʹri, and Joʹha his brother the Tiʹzite, 46 Eʹli·el the Maʹha·vite, and Jerʹi·bai and Josh·a·viʹah the sons of Elʹna·am, and Ithʹmah the Moʹab·ite. 47 Eʹli·el and Oʹbed and Ja·a·siʹel the Me·zoʹba·ite.

12 And these are the ones that came to David at Zikʹlag+ while he was still under restrictions because of Saul+ the son of Kish; and they were among the mighty men,+ the helpers in the warfare, 2 armed with the bow, using the right hand and using the left+ hand with stones+ or with arrows+ in the bow.+ They were of the brothers of Saul, of Benjamin. 3 There was the head A·hi·eʹzer and Joʹash the sons of She·maʹah the Gibʹe·ath·ite,+ and Jeʹzi·el and Pelʹet the sons of Azʹma·veth,+ and Berʹa·cah and Jeʹhu the Anʹa·thoth·ite,+ 4 and Ish·maʹiah the Gibʹe·on·ite,+ a mighty man among the thirty+ and over the thirty; and Jeremiah and Ja·ha·ziʹel and Jo·haʹnan and Joʹza·bad the Ge·deʹrath·ite,+ 5 E·luʹzai and Jerʹi·moth and Be·a·liʹah and Shem·a·riʹah and Sheph·a·tiʹah the Harʹi·phite, 6 El·kaʹnah and Is·shiʹah and Azʹar·el and Jo·eʹzer and Ja·shoʹbe·am, the Koʹrah·ites,+ 7 and Jo·eʹlah and Zeb·a·diʹah the sons of Je·roʹham of Geʹdor.

8 And there were some of the Gadʹites that separated themselves to David’s side at the place difficult to approach in the wilderness,+ valiant, mighty men, army men for the war, keeping the large shield and the lance ready,+ whose faces were the faces of lions,+ and they were like the gazelles upon the mountains for speed.+ 9 Eʹzer was the head, O·ba·diʹah the second, E·liʹab the third, 10 Mish·manʹnah the fourth, Jeremiah* the fifth, 11 Atʹtai the sixth, Eʹli·el the seventh, 12 Jo·haʹnan the eighth, El·zaʹbad the ninth, 13 Jeremiah* the tenth, Machʹban·nai the eleventh. 14 These were of the sons of Gad,+ heads of the army. The least one was equal to a hundred, and the greatest to a thousand.+ 15 These are the ones that crossed the Jordan+ in the first month when it was overflowing all its banks,+ and they then chased away all those of the low plains, to the east and to the west.

16 And some of the sons of Benjamin and Judah proceeded to come clear to the place difficult to approach,+ to David. 17 Then David went out before them and answered and said to them: “If it is for peace+ that YOU have come to me to help me, my own heart will become at unity with YOU.+ But if it is to betray me to my adversaries when there is no wrong on my palms,+ let the God+ of our forefathers see to it and set it in order.”+ 18 And spirit+ itself enveloped* A·maʹsai, the head of the thirty:

So David received them and put them among the heads of the troops.+

19 And there were some of Ma·nasʹseh that deserted* to David when he came with the Phi·lisʹtines+ against Saul for battle; but he* did not help them, for on counsel the axis+ lords of the Phi·lisʹtines sent him away, saying: “At the risk of our own heads he will desert to his lord* Saul.”+ 20 When he came to Zikʹlag+ there deserted to him from Ma·nasʹseh Adʹnah and Joʹza·bad and Je·diʹa·el and Miʹcha·el and Joʹza·bad and E·liʹhu and Zilʹle·thai, heads+ of the thousands that belonged to Ma·nasʹseh. 21 And they, for their part, were of help to David against the marauder band,+ because all of them were mighty men+ of valor, and they came to be chiefs in the army; 22 for day by day people kept coming+ to David to help him, until it was a great+ camp, like the camp of God.+

23 And these were the numbers of the heads of those equipped for the army that came to David at Heʹbron+ to turn the kingship+ of Saul over to him according to Jehovah’s order.+ 24 The sons of Judah carrying the large shield and the lance were six thousand eight hundred, equipped for the army. 25 Of the sons of Simʹe·on the mighty men of valor of the army were seven thousand one hundred.

26 Of the sons of the Levites four thousand six hundred. 27 And Je·hoiʹa·da was the leader+ [of the sons]* of Aaron,+ and with him there were three thousand seven hundred. 28 Also Zaʹdok+ a young man, mighty in valor, and the house of his forefathers, twenty-two chiefs.

29 And of the sons of Benjamin,+ the brothers of Saul,+ there were three thousand, and up till then the greater number of them were keeping strict watch of the house of Saul. 30 And of the sons of Eʹphra·im there were twenty thousand eight hundred, mighty men+ of valor, men of fame,* by the house of their forefathers.

31 And of the half tribe of Ma·nasʹseh+ there were eighteen thousand that had been designated by name to come to make David king. 32 And of the sons of Isʹsa·char+ having a knowledge of how to discern the times+ to know what Israel ought to do,+ there were two hundred head ones of theirs, and all their brothers were at their orders. 33 Of Zebʹu·lun+ those going out to the army, drawing up in battle formation with all the weapons of war, there were fifty thousand, and for flocking together [to David]* they were not of a double heart. 34 And of Naphʹta·li+ there were a thousand chiefs, and with them with the large shield and the spear there were thirty-seven thousand. 35 And of the Danʹites those drawing up in battle formation were twenty-eight thousand six hundred. 36 And of Ashʹer+ those going out to the army for drawing up in battle formation were forty thousand.

37 And from across the Jordan+ of the Reuʹben·ites and the Gadʹites and the half tribe of Ma·nasʹseh with all the weapons of the military army there were a hundred and twenty thousand. 38 All these were men of war, flocking together in battle line; with a complete heart+ they came to Heʹbron to make David king over all Israel; and also all the remainder of Israel were of one heart for making David king.+ 39 And they continued there with David three days, eating and drinking,+ for their brothers had made preparation for them. 40 And also those near to them, as far as Isʹsa·char+ and Zebʹu·lun+ and Naphʹta·li,+ were bringing food* upon asses+ and upon camels and upon mules and upon cattle, eatables of flour,+ cakes of pressed figs+ and cakes of raisins+ and wine+ and oil+ and cattle+ and sheep+ in great quantity, for there was rejoicing+ in Israel.

13 And David proceeded to consult with the chiefs of the thousands and of the hundreds and with every leader;+ 2 and David went on to say to all the congregation* of Israel: “If it seems good to YOU and it is acceptable with Jehovah our God, let us send to our brothers that are left over in all the lands of Israel+ and with them [to] the priests+ and the Levites+ in their cities+ with pasture grounds, that they may collect themselves together to us. 3 And let us bring the ark+ of our God around to ourselves.” For they had not cared for it in the days of Saul.+ 4 So all the congregation said to do that way, for the thing seemed right in the eyes of all the people.+ 5 Accordingly David congregated+ all Israel from the river of Egypt*+ as far as the entering of Haʹmath,*+ to bring the ark+ of the [true] God from Kirʹi·ath-jeʹa·rim.+

6 And David and all Israel proceeded to go up to Baʹal·ah,+ to Kirʹi·ath-jeʹa·rim, which belongs to Judah, to bring up from there the ark of the [true] God, Jehovah, sitting on the cherubs,+ where [his] name is called on. 7 However, they had the ark of the [true] God ride upon a new wagon+ from the house of A·binʹa·dab, and Uzʹzah and A·hiʹo+ were leading the wagon. 8 And David and all Israel were celebrating+ before the [true] God with full power and with songs+ and with harps+ and with stringed instruments+ and with tambourines+ and with cymbals and with trumpets.+ 9 And they came gradually as far as the threshing floor of Chiʹdon,+ and Uzʹzah now thrust his hand out to grab hold of the Ark,+ for the bulls nearly caused an upset. 10 At that Jehovah’s anger blazed against Uzʹzah, so that he struck him down because he had thrust his hand out upon the Ark,+ and he died there before God.+ 11 And David became angry+ because Jehovah had broken through in a rupture against Uzʹzah; and that place came to be called Peʹrez-uzʹzah* down to this day.

12 And David became afraid of the [true] God on that day,+ saying: “How shall I bring the ark of the [true] God to me?”+ 13 And David did not remove the Ark to himself at the City of David, but he carried it aside to the house of Oʹbed-eʹdom+ the Gitʹtite.+ 14 And the ark of the [true] God kept dwelling with the household of Oʹbed-eʹdom, at his house+ three months; and Jehovah kept blessing+ the household of Oʹbed-eʹdom and all that was his.

14 And Hiʹram+ the king of Tyre+ proceeded to send messengers to David and cedar timbers+ and builders of walls and workers in wood to build him a house.+ 2 And David came to know that Jehovah had firmly established+ him as king over Israel, for his kingship was highly exalted on account of his people Israel.+

3 And David went on to take more wives+ in Jerusalem, and David came to be father to more sons and daughters.+ 4 And these are the names of the children that became his in Jerusalem: Sham·muʹa+ and Shoʹbab,+ Nathan+ and Solʹo·mon,+ 5 and Ibʹhar+ and E·liʹshu·a and Elʹpe·let,+ 6 and Noʹgah and Neʹpheg+ and Ja·phiʹa, 7 and E·lishʹa·ma+ and Be·e·liʹa·da and E·liphʹe·let.+

8 And the Phi·lisʹtines got to hear that David had been anointed as king over all Israel.+ At that all the Phi·lisʹtines came up to look for David.+ When David heard of it, then he went out against them.* 9 And the Phi·lisʹtines, for their part, came in and kept making raids in the low plain of Rephʹa·im.+ 10 And David began to inquire of God,+ saying: “Shall I go up against the Phi·lisʹtines, and will you certainly give them into my hand?” At this Jehovah said to him: “Go up, and I shall certainly give them into your hand.” 11 So David went up to Baʹal-pe·raʹzim+ and there got to strike them down. At that David said: “The [true] God has broken through my enemies by my hand like a gap made by waters.” That is why they called the name of that place+ Baʹal-pe·raʹzim. 12 Consequently they left their gods* there.+ Then David said [the word], and so they were burned in the fire.+

13 Later the Phi·lisʹtines once again made a raid in the low plain.+ 14 At that David inquired+ again of God, and the [true] God now said to him: “You must not go up after them. Go around from directly against them, and you must come at them in front of the baʹca bushes.*+ 15 And let it occur that, when you hear the sound of the marching in the tops of the baʹca bushes,+ then you go out into the fight,+ because the [true] God will have gone out before you+ to strike the camp of the Phi·lisʹtines down.” 16 So David did just as the [true] God had commanded him,+ and they went striking down the camp of the Phi·lisʹtines from Gibʹe·on+ to Geʹzer.+ 17 And David’s fame*+ began to go out into all the lands, and Jehovah himself put the dread of him upon all the nations.+

15 And he continued building houses+ for himself in the City of David; and he went on to prepare a place+ for the ark of the [true] God and pitch a tent for it. 2 It was then that David said: “No one is to carry the ark of the [true] God but the Levites, for they are the ones whom Jehovah has chosen to carry the ark of Jehovah*+ and to minister+ to him to time indefinite.” 3 Then David congregated all Israel at Jerusalem+ to bring the ark+ of Jehovah up to its place that he had prepared for it.

4 And David proceeded to gather the sons of Aaron+ and the Levites; 5 of the sons of Koʹhath, U·riʹel+ the chief and his brothers, a hundred and twenty; 6 of the sons of Me·rarʹi,+ A·saiʹah+ the chief and his brothers, two hundred and twenty; 7 of the sons of Gerʹshom,+ Joel+ the chief and his brothers, a hundred and thirty; 8 of the sons of E·li·zaʹphan,+ She·maiʹah+ the chief and his brothers, two hundred; 9 of the sons of Heʹbron, Eʹli·el the chief and his brothers, eighty; 10 of the sons of Uzʹzi·el,+ Am·minʹa·dab the chief and his brothers, a hundred and twelve. 11 Furthermore, David called Zaʹdok+ and A·biʹa·thar+ the priests, and the Levites U·riʹel,+ A·saiʹah+ and Joel,+ She·maiʹah+ and Eʹli·el+ and Am·minʹa·dab, 12 and he went on to say to them: “YOU are the heads+ of the fathers of the Levites. Sanctify+ yourselves, YOU and YOUR brothers, and YOU must bring the ark of Jehovah the God of Israel up to the place that* I have prepared for it. 13 Because at the first time YOU did not,+ Jehovah our God broke through against us,+ for we did not search after him according to the custom.”+ 14 So the priests and the Levites sanctified+ themselves to bring up the ark of Jehovah the God of Israel.

15 Then the sons of the Levites began to carry+ the ark of the [true] God, just as Moses had commanded by Jehovah’s word, upon their shoulders with the rods upon them.+ 16 David now said to the chiefs of the Levites to station their brothers the singers+ with the instruments of song,+ stringed instruments+ and harps+ and cymbals,+ playing aloud to cause a sound of rejoicing to arise.

17 Accordingly the Levites stationed Heʹman+ the son of Joel and, of his brothers, Aʹsaph+ the son of Ber·e·chiʹah; and, of the sons of Me·rarʹi their brothers, Eʹthan+ the son of Kush·aʹiah; 18 and with them their brothers of the second division,+ Zech·a·riʹah,+ Ben and Ja·aʹzi·el and She·mirʹa·moth and Je·hiʹel and Unʹni, E·liʹab and Be·naiʹah and Ma·a·seiʹah and Mat·ti·thiʹah and E·liphʹe·le·hu and Mik·neʹiah, and Oʹbed-eʹdom+ and Je·iʹel the gatekeepers, 19 and the singers Heʹman,+ Aʹsaph+ and Eʹthan, with the copper cymbals to play aloud;+ 20 and Zech·a·riʹah and Aʹzi·el+ and She·mirʹa·moth and Je·hiʹel and Unʹni and E·liʹab and Ma·a·seiʹah and Be·naiʹah with stringed instruments tuned to Alʹa·moth,*+ 21 and Mat·ti·thiʹah+ and E·liphʹe·le·hu and Mik·neʹiah and Oʹbed-eʹdom and Je·iʹel and Az·a·ziʹah with harps+ tuned to Shemʹi·nith,*+ to act as directors; 22 and Chen·a·niʹah+ the chief of the Levites in carrying, he giving instruction* in carrying, for he was expert;+ 23 and Ber·e·chiʹah and El·kaʹnah the gatekeepers+ for the Ark; 24 and Sheb·a·niʹah and Joshʹa·phat and Ne·thanʹel and A·maʹsai and Zech·a·riʹah and Be·naiʹah and E·li·eʹzer the priests loudly sounding the trumpets+ before the ark of the [true] God, and Oʹbed-eʹdom and Je·hiʹah the gatekeepers for the Ark.

25 And David+ and the older men of Israel+ and the chiefs+ of the thousands came to be the ones walking along to bring up the ark of the covenant of Jehovah from the house of Oʹbed-eʹdom+ with rejoicing.+ 26 And it came about when the [true] God helped+ the Levites while carrying the ark of the covenant of Jehovah that they proceeded to sacrifice seven young bulls and seven rams.+ 27 And David was dressed in a sleeveless coat of fine fabric, and also all the Levites carrying the Ark and the singers and Chen·a·niʹah+ the chief of the carrying by the singers;+ but upon David there was an ephʹod+ of linen. 28 And all the Israelites were bringing up the ark of the covenant of Jehovah with joyful shouting+ and with the sounding of the horn+ and with trumpets+ and with cymbals,+ playing aloud on stringed instruments and harps.+

29 And it came about that, when the ark of the covenant+ of Jehovah came as far as the City of David, Miʹchal,+ Saul’s daughter, herself looked down through the window and got to see King David skipping about and celebrating;+ and she began to despise+ him in her heart.

16 Thus they brought the ark of the [true] God in+ and placed it inside the tent that David had pitched for it;+ and they began to present burnt offerings and communion sacrifices before the [true] God.*+ 2 When David finished offering up the burnt offering+ and the communion sacrifices,+ he went on to bless+ the people in the name of Jehovah.+ 3 Further, he apportioned+ to all the Israelites, man as well as woman, to each one a round loaf of bread and a date cake and a raisin cake. 4 Then he put before the ark of Jehovah some of the Levites+ as ministers,*+ both to call to remembrance+ and to thank+ and praise+ Jehovah the God of Israel, 5 Aʹsaph+ the head, and second to him Zech·a·riʹah, [and] Je·iʹel and She·mirʹa·moth and Je·hiʹel and Mat·ti·thiʹah and E·liʹab and Be·naiʹah and Oʹbed-eʹdom and Je·iʹel,+ with instruments of the string type and with harps,+ and Aʹsaph+ with the cymbals playing aloud,+ 6 and Be·naiʹah and Ja·ha·ziʹel the priests with the trumpets+ constantly before the ark of the covenant of the [true] God.

7 It was then on that day that David made a contribution+ for the first time to thank+ Jehovah by means of Aʹsaph+ and his brothers:

14 He is Jehovah our God;+ in all the earth are his judicial decisions.+

36 Blessed be Jehovah the God of Israel from time indefinite to time indefinite.’”+

And all the people proceeded to say, “Amen!” and a praise to Jehovah.*+

37 Then he left there before the ark of the covenant of Jehovah Aʹsaph+ and his brothers to minister+ before the Ark constantly, according to the requirement of each day;+ 38 and Oʹbed-eʹdom and his brothers, sixty-eight, and Oʹbed-eʹdom the son of Je·duʹthun and Hoʹsah as gatekeepers; 39 and Zaʹdok+ the priest and his brothers the priests before the tabernacle of Jehovah on the high place that was at Gibʹe·on,+ 40 to offer up burnt offerings to Jehovah on the altar of burnt offering constantly morning and evening and for all that is written in the law of Jehovah that he laid in command upon Israel;+ 41 and with them Heʹman+ and Je·duʹthun and the rest of the select men that were designated+ by names to thank Jehovah,+ because “to time indefinite is his loving-kindness”;+ 42 and with them Heʹman+ and Je·duʹthun,+ to sound forth the trumpets+ and cymbals and instruments of the song of the [true] God; and the sons+ of Je·duʹthun at the gate. 43 And all the people proceeded to go each one to his own house.+ Accordingly David went around to bless his own house.

17 And it came about that as soon as David had begun dwelling in his own house,+ David proceeded to say to Nathan+ the prophet: “Here I am dwelling in a house of cedars,+ but the ark+ of the covenant of Jehovah is under tent cloths.”+ 2 Upon that Nathan said to David: “Everything that is in your heart do,+ for the [true] God is with you.”+

3 And it came about on that night that the word+ of God came to Nathan, saying: 4 “Go, and you must say to David my servant, ‘This is what Jehovah has said: “It will not be you that will build me the house in which to dwell.+ 5 For I have not dwelt in a house from the day that I brought Israel up until this day,+ but I continued from tent to tent and from one tabernacle+ [to another].+ 6 During all the time that I walked+ about in all Israel, did I speak a single word with one of the judges of Israel whom I commanded to shepherd my people, saying, ‘Why have YOU men not built me a house of cedars?’”’+

7 “And now this is what you will say to my servant David, ‘This is what Jehovah of armies has said: “I myself took you from the pasture ground from following the flock+ to become a leader+ over my people Israel. 8 And I shall prove to be with you wherever you do walk,+ and I shall cut off all your enemies+ from before you, and I shall certainly make for you a name+ like the name of the great ones that are upon the earth.+ 9 And I shall certainly appoint a place for my people Israel and plant them,+ and they will indeed reside where they are and no more will they be disturbed; and the sons of unrighteousness+ will not wear them out again, just as they did at the first,+ 10 even since the days that I put judges+ in command over my people Israel. And I shall certainly humble all your enemies.+ And I tell you, ‘Also a house* Jehovah will build for you.’+

11 “‘“And it must occur that when your days have come to the full [for you] to go [to be] with your forefathers,+ I shall certainly raise up your seed after you that will come to be one of your sons,+ and I shall indeed firmly establish his kingship.+ 12 He is the one that will build me a house,+ and I shall certainly establish his throne firmly to time indefinite.+ 13 I myself shall become his father,+ and he himself will become my son;+ and my loving-kindness* I shall not remove from him+ the way I removed it from the one that happened to be prior to you.+ 14 And I will cause him to stand in my house+ and in my kingship+ to time indefinite, and his throne+ will itself become one lasting to time indefinite.”’”

15 According to all these words and according to all this vision was the way that Nathan spoke to David.+

16 After that King David came in and sat down before Jehovah+ and said: “Who am I,+ O Jehovah God, and what is my house+ that you have brought me thus far?+ 17 As though this should be something little in your eyes,+ O God,+ yet you speak concerning the house of your servant down to a distant future time,+ and you have looked on me according to the opportunity of the man in the ascendancy,+ O Jehovah God. 18 What more could David say* to you as to honoring your servant,+ when you yourself know your servant well?+ 19 O Jehovah, for the sake of your servant and in agreement with your own heart+ you have done all these great things by making all the great achievements known.+ 20 O Jehovah, there is none like you,+ and there is no God* except you+ in connection with all that we have heard with our ears. 21 And what other nation in the earth is like your people Israel,+ whom the [true] God went to redeem to himself as a people,+ to assign to yourself a name of great achievements+ and fear-inspiring things by driving out nations+ from before your people whom you have redeemed from Egypt? 22 And you proceeded to constitute your people Israel as your people+ to time indefinite, and you yourself, O Jehovah, became their God.+ 23 And now, O Jehovah, let the word that you have spoken concerning your servant and concerning his house prove faithful to time indefinite, and do just as you have spoken. 24 And let your name+ prove faithful and become great+ to time indefinite, saying, ‘Jehovah of armies,+ the God of Israel,+ is God to Israel,’+ and let the house of David your servant be one lasting before you.+ 25 For you yourself, my God, have revealed to your servant* the purpose to build him a house.+ That is why your servant has found occasion to pray before you. 26 And now, O Jehovah, you are the [true] God,+ and you promise this goodness concerning your servant.+ 27 And now you must take it upon yourself and bless the house of your servant [for it] to continue to time indefinite before you;+ for you yourself, O Jehovah, have blessed, and it is blessed to time indefinite.”+

18 And it came about afterward that David proceeded to strike down the Phi·lisʹtines+ and subdue them and take Gath+ and its dependent towns* out of the hand of the Phi·lisʹtines. 2 Then he struck Moʹab+ down, and the Moʹab·ites came to be David’s servants bearing tribute.*+

3 And David went on to strike down Had·ad·eʹzer+ the king of Zoʹbah+ at Haʹmath+ as he was going his way to set up his control* at the river Eu·phraʹtes.+ 4 Further, David captured from him a thousand chariots and seven thousand horsemen and twenty thousand men on foot.+ Then David hamstrung+ all the chariot horses,+ but he let a hundred chariot horses* of them remain. 5 When Syria* of Damascus came to help Had·ad·eʹzer the king of Zoʹbah,+ David went striking down among the Syrians twenty-two thousand men. 6 After that David put [garrisons]* in Syria of Damascus,+ and the Syrians came to be David’s servants bearing tribute.+ And Jehovah kept giving salvation to David wherever he went.+ 7 Moreover, David took the circular shields+ of gold that happened to be on the servants of Had·ad·eʹzer and brought them to Jerusalem.+ 8 And from Tibʹhath+ and Cun, cities of Had·ad·eʹzer, David took very much copper. With it Solʹo·mon made the copper sea+ and the pillars+ and the copper utensils.+

9 When Toʹu* the king of Haʹmath+ heard that David had struck down all the military force of Had·ad·eʹzer+ the king of Zoʹbah, 10 he immediately sent Ha·doʹram+ his son to King David to ask him about his welfare and congratulate* him over the fact that he had fought against Had·ad·eʹzer so that he struck him down, (for Had·ad·eʹzer had become trained in warfare against Toʹu,*) and [there were with him] all sorts of articles of gold and silver+ and copper. 11 These also King David sanctified+ to Jehovah together with the silver and the gold that he had carried off from all the nations,+ from Eʹdom and from Moʹab+ and from the sons of Amʹmon+ and from the Phi·lisʹtines+ and from Amʹa·lek.+

12 As for A·bishʹai+ the son of Ze·ruʹiah,+ he struck down the Eʹdom·ites in the Valley of Salt,+ eighteen thousand. 13 So he put garrisons in Eʹdom, and all the Eʹdom·ites came to be David’s servants.+ And Jehovah kept saving David wherever he went.+ 14 And David continued to reign over all Israel,+ and he was continually rendering judicial decision and righteousness for all his people.+ 15 And Joʹab the son of Ze·ruʹiah was over the army,+ and Je·hoshʹa·phat+ the son of A·hiʹlud was recorder.* 16 And Zaʹdok+ the son of A·hiʹtub and A·himʹe·lech*+ the son of A·biʹa·thar were priests, and Shavʹsha+ was secretary. 17 And Be·naiʹah+ the son of Je·hoiʹa·da+ was over the Cherʹe·thites+ and the Pelʹe·thites;+ and the sons of David were the first in position at the side of the king.+

19 And it came about afterward that Naʹhash+ the king of the sons of Amʹmon came to die, and his son began to reign in place of him.+ 2 At that David said: “I shall exercise loving-kindness+ toward Haʹnun the son of Naʹhash, because his father exercised loving-kindness toward me.”+ Accordingly David sent messengers to comfort him over his father, and the servants of David proceeded to come into the land of the sons of Amʹmon+ to Haʹnun to comfort him. 3 However, the princes of the sons of Amʹmon said to Haʹnun: “Is David honoring your father in your eyes in that he has sent comforters to you? Is it not for the sake of making a thorough search and causing an overthrow and for spying+ out the land that his servants have come in to you?”+ 4 So Haʹnun took the servants of David+ and shaved them+ and cut their garments in half to their buttocks+ and sent them away.+ 5 Later people went and told David about the men; and he at once sent to meet them, because they had become men very much humiliated; and the king went on to say: “Dwell in Jerʹi·cho+ until YOUR beards grow abundantly. Then YOU must return.”

6 In time the sons of Amʹmon saw that they had become foul-smelling+ to David, and Haʹnun+ and the sons of Amʹmon proceeded to send a thousand silver talents*+ to hire for themselves chariots+ and horsemen from Mes·o·po·taʹmi·a* and from Aʹram-maʹa·cah+ and from Zoʹbah.+ 7 Thus they hired for themselves thirty-two thousand chariots+ and the king of Maʹa·cah and his people.+ Then they came in and camped before Medʹe·ba;+ and as for the sons of Amʹmon, they gathered together from their cities and now came in for the war.

8 When David heard of it, he immediately sent Joʹab+ and all the army [and] the mighty men.*+ 9 And the sons of Amʹmon began to go out and draw up in battle formation at the entrance of the city, and the kings+ that had come were by themselves in the open field.

10 When Joʹab saw that the battle charges* had come to be against him from the front and from the rear, he at once chose some of all the choice men in Israel and drew them up in formation to meet the Syrians.+ 11 And the rest of the people he gave into the hand of A·bishʹai+ his brother, that they might draw up in formation to meet the sons of Amʹmon.+ 12 And he went on to say: “If the Syrians+ become too strong for me, you must also serve as a salvation for me;+ but if the sons of Amʹmon themselves become too strong for you, I must also save you.+ 13 Be strong,+ that we may show ourselves courageous in behalf of our people and in behalf of the cities of our God;+ and as for Jehovah, what is good in his own eyes he will do.”+

14 Then Joʹab and the people that were with him advanced before the Syrians to the battle,+ and they took to flight+ from before him. 15 As for the sons of Amʹmon, they saw that the Syrians had fled, and they themselves also took to flight+ from before A·bishʹai his brother and then came into the city.+ Later Joʹab came into Jerusalem.

16 When the Syrians saw that they had been defeated+ before Israel, they proceeded to send messengers and bring out the Syrians that were in the region of the River,*+ with Shoʹphach* the chief of the army of Had·ad·eʹzer before them.

17 When the report was made to David, he immediately gathered all Israel together and crossed the Jordan and came to them and drew up in formation against them.+ When David drew up in battle formation to meet the Syrians, they began to fight against him. 18 But the Syrians took to flight+ because of Israel; and David went killing of the Syrians seven thousand charioteers and forty thousand men on foot, and Shoʹphach the chief of the army himself he put to death.+ 19 When the servants of Had·ad·eʹzer saw that they had been defeated before Israel,+ they promptly made peace with David and began to serve him;+ and Syria did not want to try saving the sons of Amʹmon anymore.+

20 And it came about at the time of the year’s return,+ at the time that kings sally forth,+ that Joʹab proceeded to lead the combat force of the army+ and lay the land of the sons of Amʹmon in ruin and to come and besiege Rabʹbah,+ while David was dwelling in Jerusalem; and Joʹab went on to strike+ Rabʹbah and throw it down. 2 But David took the crown of Malʹcam* off its head,+ and found it to be a talent* of gold in weight, and in it there were precious stones;* and it came to be on David’s head. And the spoil of the city that he brought out was very much.+ 3 And the people that were in it he brought out, and he kept them employed+ at sawing stones and at sharp instruments of iron and at axes;*+ and that was the way David proceeded to do to all the cities of the sons of Amʹmon. Finally David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.

4 And it came about after this that war began breaking out at Geʹzer+ with the Phi·lisʹtines.+ It was then that Sibʹbe·cai+ the Huʹshath·ite struck down Sipʹpai* of those born of the Rephʹa·im,*+ so that they were subdued.

5 And there came to be war again with the Phi·lisʹtines; and El·haʹnan+ the son of Jaʹir got to strike down Lahʹmi the brother of Go·liʹath+ the Gitʹtite,* the shaft of whose spear was like the beam of loom workers.+

6 And there came to be war again at Gath,+ when there happened to be a man of extraordinary size+ whose fingers and toes were in sixes, twenty-four;+ and he, too, had been born to the Rephʹa·im.*+ 7 And he kept taunting+ Israel. Finally Jonʹa·than* the son of Shimʹe·a+ the brother of David struck him down.

8 These were the ones that had been born to the Rephʹa·im+ in Gath;+ and they came to fall+ by the hand of David and by the hand of his servants.

21 And Satan* proceeded to stand up against Israel and to incite+ David to number Israel. 2 So David said to Joʹab+ and the chiefs of the people: “Go, count+ Israel from Beʹer-sheʹba+ to Dan+ and bring it to me that I may know their number.”+ 3 But Joʹab said: “May Jehovah add to his people a hundred times as many as they are.+ Do they not, O my lord the king, all of them belong to my lord as servants? Why does my lord seek this?+ Why should he become a cause of guilt to Israel?”

4 The king’s word,+ however, prevailed over Joʹab, so that Joʹab went out+ and walked through all Israel, after which he came to Jerusalem.+ 5 Joʹab now gave the number of the registration of the people to David; and all Israel amounted to a million* one hundred thousand men drawing sword,+ and Judah four hundred and seventy thousand men drawing sword. 6 And Leʹvi+ and Benjamin he did not register in among them,+ because the king’s word had been detestable to Joʹab.

7 Now this thing was bad in the eyes of the [true] God,+ and so he struck down Israel. 8 Consequently David said to the [true] God: “I have sinned+ very much in that I have done this thing. And now, please, cause your servant’s error to pass away;+ for I have acted very foolishly.”+ 9 And Jehovah proceeded to speak to Gad,+ David’s visionary,+ saying: 10 “Go, and you must speak to David, saying, ‘This is what Jehovah has said: “There are three things that I am directing against you.+ Choose for yourself one of them, that I may do it to you.”’”+ 11 Accordingly Gad went in to David+ and said to him: “This is what Jehovah has said, ‘Take your pick, 12 whether for three years there is to be a famine;+ or for three months there is to be a sweeping away from before your adversaries+ and for the sword of your enemies to overtake [you], or for three days there is to be the sword of Jehovah,+ even pestilence,+ in the land, with Jehovah’s angel bringing ruin+ in all the territory of Israel.’ And now see what I should reply to the One sending me.” 13 So David said to Gad: “It is very distressing to me. Please, let me fall into the hand of Jehovah,+ for very many are his mercies;+ but into the hand of man do not let me fall.”+

14 Then Jehovah gave a pestilence+ in Israel, so that out of Israel seventy thousand persons fell.+ 15 Moreover, the [true] God sent an angel to Jerusalem to bring ruin to it;+ and as soon as he began bringing the ruin, Jehovah saw it and began to feel regret over the calamity;+ and so he said to the angel that was bringing the ruin: “It is enough!+ Now let your hand drop.” And Jehovah’s angel was standing close by the threshing floor of Orʹnan*+ the Jebʹu·site.+

16 When David raised his eyes, he got to see Jehovah’s angel+ standing between the earth and the heavens with his drawn sword+ in his hand extended toward Jerusalem; and David and the older men, covered with sackcloth,+ at once fell down upon their faces.+ 17 And David proceeded to say to the [true] God: “Was it not I that said to make a numbering of the people, and is it not I* that have sinned and have unquestionably done bad?+ As for these sheep,+ what have they done? O Jehovah my God, let your hand, please, come to be upon me and my father’s house; but not upon your people,+ for a scourge.”

18 And Jehovah’s angel, for his part, said to Gad+ to say to David that David should go up to erect an altar to Jehovah on the threshing floor of Orʹnan the Jebʹu·site.+ 19 Accordingly David went up at the word of Gad that he had spoken in the name of Jehovah.+ 20 Meantime, Orʹnan+ turned back and saw the angel; and his four sons with him were hiding themselves. Now Orʹnan had been threshing wheat. 21 So David came as far as Orʹnan. When Orʹnan looked and saw David,+ he immediately went out of the threshing floor and bowed down to David with his face to the earth. 22 Then David said to Orʹnan: “Do give me the place of the threshing floor, that I may build in it an altar to Jehovah. For the money+ in full give it to me,+ that the scourge+ may be halted from upon the people.” 23 But Orʹnan said to David: “Take it as your own,+ and let my lord the king do what is good in his own eyes. See, I do give the cattle+ for burnt offerings and the threshing+ sledge for the wood+ and the wheat as a grain offering. The whole I do give.”+

24 However, King David said to Orʹnan: “No, but without fail I shall make the purchase for the money in full,+ because I shall not carry what is yours to Jehovah to offer up burnt sacrifices without cost.” 25 So David gave Orʹnan for the place gold shekels* to the weight of six hundred.+ 26 Then David built there an altar+ to Jehovah and offered up burnt sacrifices and communion sacrifices, and he proceeded to call upon Jehovah,+ who now answered him with fire+ from the heavens upon the altar of burnt offering. 27 Moreover, Jehovah said the word to the angel,+ who accordingly returned his sword to its sheath. 28 At that time, when David saw that Jehovah had answered him at the threshing floor of Orʹnan the Jebʹu·site, he continued to sacrifice there.+ 29 But the tabernacle of Jehovah that Moses had made in the wilderness and the altar of burnt offering were at that time on the high place at Gibʹe·on.+ 30 And David had not been able to go before it to consult God,* for he had been terrified+ because of the sword of Jehovah’s angel.

22 Then David said: “This is the house+ of Jehovah the [true] God,* and this is an altar+ for burnt offering for Israel.”

2 David now said to bring together the alien residents*+ that were in the land of Israel, and then he set them as stone hewers+ to hew squared stones+ for building the house of the [true] God. 3 And iron in great quantity for nails for the doors of the gates and for clamps David prepared, and also copper in such quantity as to be beyond weighing,+ 4 and also cedar+ timbers without number; for the Si·doʹni·ans+ and the Tyrʹi·ans+ brought in cedar timbers in great quantity to David. 5 Accordingly David said: “Solʹo·mon my son is young and delicate,+ and the house to be built to Jehovah is to be surpassingly magnificent+ for beauteous+ distinction* to all the lands. Let me, then, make preparation for him.” So David made preparation in great quantities before his death.+

6 Moreover, he called Solʹo·mon his son that he might command him to build a house to Jehovah the God of Israel. 7 And David went on to say to Solʹo·mon his son: “As for myself, it became close to my heart+ to build a house to the name+ of Jehovah my God. 8 But Jehovah’s word came against me, saying, ‘Blood in great quantity you have spilled,+ and great wars you have waged.+ You will not build a house to my name,+ for a great deal of blood* you have spilled on the earth before me. 9 Look! There is a son+ being born to you. He himself will prove to be a restful man,* and I shall certainly give him rest from all his enemies all around;+ for Solʹo·mon*+ is what his name will become, and peace+ and quietness I shall bestow upon Israel in his days. 10 It is he that will build a house to my name,+ and he himself will become a son+ to me, and I a father+ to him. And I shall certainly establish the throne of his kingship+ firmly over Israel to time indefinite.’

11 “Now, my son, may Jehovah prove to be with you, and you must prove successful and build the house of Jehovah your God, just as he has spoken concerning you.+ 12 Only may Jehovah give you discretion and understanding,+ and may he give you commandment concerning Israel even to keep the law of Jehovah your God.+ 13 In that case you will prove successful+ if you take care to carry out the regulations+ and the judicial decisions+ that Jehovah commanded+ Moses respecting Israel. Be courageous and strong.+ Do not be afraid+ nor be terrified.+ 14 And here during my affliction+ I have prepared for Jehovah’s house a hundred thousand talents of gold*+ and a million* talents of silver,* and the copper+ and the iron+ there is no means of weighing because they have come to be in such quantity; and timbers and stones I have prepared, but to them you will make additions. 15 And with you there are in great number doers of work, stone hewers and workers in stone+ and wood and every one skillful in every sort of work.+ 16 The gold, the silver and the copper and the iron there is no means of numbering.+ Rise and act,+ and may Jehovah prove to be with you.”+

17 And David went on to command all the princes of Israel to help Solʹo·mon his son: 18 “Is not Jehovah YOUR God with YOU,+ and has he not given YOU rest all around?+ For he has given into my hand the inhabitants of the land, and the land has been subdued before Jehovah+ and before his people. 19 Now set YOUR heart and YOUR soul+ to inquire after Jehovah YOUR God,+ and rise and build the sanctuary+ of Jehovah the [true] God,+ to bring the ark+ of the covenant of Jehovah and the holy utensils of the [true] God to the house built to the name+ of Jehovah.”

23 And David himself had grown old+ and satisfied with days, and so he made Solʹo·mon+ his son king over Israel. 2 And he proceeded to gather all the princes+ of Israel and the priests+ and the Levites.+ 3 Accordingly the Levites were numbered from the age of thirty years upward;+ and their number, head by head of them, able-bodied man by able-bodied man, came to be thirty-eight thousand. 4 Of these for acting as supervisors over the work of the house of Jehovah there were twenty-four thousand; and as officers+ and judges+ six thousand; 5 and four thousand gatekeepers+ and four thousand givers of praise+ to Jehovah on the instruments+ that [David said] “I have made for giving praise.”

6 Then David distributed them in divisions+ to the sons of Leʹvi,+ to Gerʹshon, Koʹhath and Me·rarʹi. 7 To the Gerʹshon·ites, Laʹdan and Shimʹe·i. 8 The sons of Laʹdan were Je·hiʹel+ the headman and Zeʹtham and Joel,+ three. 9 The sons of Shimʹe·i were She·loʹmoth and Haʹzi·el and Haʹran, three. These were the heads of the fathers for Laʹdan. 10 And the sons of Shimʹe·i were Jaʹhath, Ziʹna* and Jeʹush and Be·riʹah. These four were the sons of Shimʹe·i. 11 And Jaʹhath came to be the head, and Ziʹzah the second. As for Jeʹush and Be·riʹah, they did not have many sons; so they became a paternal+ house for one official class.

12 The sons of Koʹhath+ were Amʹram, Izʹhar,+ Heʹbron+ and Uzʹzi·el,+ four. 13 The sons of Amʹram were Aaron+ and Moses.+ But Aaron was separated+ that he might sanctify* the Most Holy,+ he and his sons to time indefinite, to make sacrificial+ smoke before Jehovah, to minister to him+ and to pronounce blessing+ in his name to time indefinite. 14 As for Moses the man of the [true] God,*+ his sons themselves continued to be called among the tribe of the Levites.+ 15 The sons of Moses were Gerʹshom+ and E·li·eʹzer.+ 16 The sons of Gerʹshom were Shebʹu·el*+ the head. 17 And the sons of E·li·eʹzer came to be Re·ha·biʹah+ the head; and E·li·eʹzer did not come to have other sons, but the sons of Re·ha·biʹah did themselves become exceedingly many. 18 The sons of Izʹhar+ were She·loʹmith+ the headman. 19 The sons of Heʹbron were Je·riʹah the head, Am·a·riʹah the second, Ja·ha·ziʹel the third and Jek·a·meʹam+ the fourth. 20 The sons of Uzʹzi·el+ were Miʹcah the head and Is·shiʹah the second.

21 The sons of Me·rarʹi+ were Mahʹli and Muʹshi.+ The sons of Mahʹli were El·e·aʹzar+ and Kish. 22 But El·e·aʹzar died; and he had come to have, not sons, but daughters. So the sons of Kish their brothers took them [as wives].+ 23 The sons of Muʹshi were Mahʹli and Eʹder and Jerʹe·moth,+ three.

24 These were the sons of Leʹvi by the house of their fathers,+ the heads of the fathers, by their commissioned ones, in the number of the names, head by head* of them, the doers of the work for the service+ of the house of Jehovah, from the age of twenty years upward.+ 25 For David had said: “Jehovah the God of Israel has given rest to his people,+ and he will reside in Jerusalem to time indefinite.+ 26 And also the Levites will not have to carry the tabernacle or any of its utensils for its service.”+ 27 For by the last words+ of David these were the number of the sons of Leʹvi from the age of twenty years upward. 28 For their function was at the disposition* of the sons of Aaron+ for the service of the house of Jehovah over the courtyards+ and over the dining rooms+ and over the purification of every holy thing+ and the work of the service of the house of the [true] God, 29 even for the layer bread+ and for the fine flour+ for the grain offering and for the wafers+ of unfermented bread+ and for the griddle+ [cakes] and for the mixed+ dough and for all measures of quantity and size;+ 30 and for standing+ morning by morning+ to thank+ and praise+ Jehovah, and likewise at evening; 31 and for every offering up of the burnt sacrifices to Jehovah at the sabbaths,+ at the new moons+ and at the festival seasons,+ by number according to the rule concerning them, constantly before Jehovah. 32 And they took care of the guarding+ of the tent of meeting and the guarding of the holy place+ and the guarding of the sons of Aaron their brothers for the service of the house of Jehovah.+

24 Now the sons of Aaron had their divisions. The sons of Aaron were Naʹdab+ and A·biʹhu,+ El·e·aʹzar+ and Ithʹa·mar.+ 2 However, Naʹdab and A·biʹhu+ died before their father,+ and they did not happen to have any sons, but El·e·aʹzar+ and Ithʹa·mar continued to act as priests. 3 And David, and Zaʹdok+ from the sons of El·e·aʹzar, and A·himʹe·lech+ from the sons of Ithʹa·mar proceeded to make divisions of them for their office in their service.+ 4 But the sons of El·e·aʹzar were found to be more numerous in headmen than the sons of Ithʹa·mar. So they distributed them to the sons of El·e·aʹzar, as heads for [their]* paternal houses, sixteen, and to the sons of Ithʹa·mar, [as heads] for their paternal houses, eight.

5 Further, they distributed them by lots,+ these along with those, for there had to be chiefs of the holy place+ and chiefs of the [true] God from the sons of El·e·aʹzar and from the sons of Ithʹa·mar. 6 Then She·maiʹah the son of Ne·thanʹel the secretary+ of the Levites wrote them down before the king and the princes and Zaʹdok+ the priest and A·himʹe·lech+ the son of A·biʹa·thar+ and the heads of the fathers of the priests and of the Levites,+ one paternal house being picked out for El·e·aʹzar+ and one being picked out for Ithʹa·mar.*+

7 And the lot proceeded to come out: the first for Je·hoiʹa·rib;+ for Je·daʹiah the second, 8 for Haʹrim the third, for Se·oʹrim the fourth, 9 for Mal·chiʹjah the fifth, for Mijʹa·min the sixth, 10 for Hakʹkoz the seventh, for A·biʹjah+ the eighth, 11 for Jeshʹu·a the ninth, for Shec·a·niʹah the tenth, 12 for E·liʹa·shib the eleventh, for Jaʹkim the twelfth, 13 for Hupʹpah the thirteenth, for Je·shebʹe·ab the fourteenth, 14 for Bilʹgah the fifteenth, for Imʹmer the sixteenth, 15 for Heʹzir the seventeenth, for Hapʹpiz·zez the eighteenth, 16 for Peth·a·hiʹah the nineteenth, for Je·hezʹkel the twentieth, 17 for Jaʹchin the twenty-first, for Gaʹmul the twenty-second, 18 for De·laʹiah the twenty-third, for Ma·a·ziʹah the twenty-fourth.

19 These were their offices+ for their service,+ to come into the house of Jehovah according to their due right+ by the hand of Aaron their forefather, just as Jehovah the God of Israel had commanded him.

20 And of the sons of Leʹvi that were left over, of the sons of Amʹram+ there was Shuʹba·el;+ of the sons of Shuʹba·el, Jeh·deʹiah; 21 of Re·ha·biʹah:+ of the sons of Re·ha·biʹah, Is·shiʹah the head; 22 of the Izʹhar·ites,+ She·loʹmoth;+ of the sons of She·loʹmoth, Jaʹhath; 23 and the sons [of Heʹbron],+ Je·riʹah+ the head,* Am·a·riʹah the second, Ja·ha·ziʹel the third, Jek·a·meʹam the fourth. 24 The sons of Uzʹzi·el, Miʹcah; of the sons of Miʹcah,+ Shaʹmir. 25 The brother of Miʹcah was Is·shiʹah; of the sons of Is·shiʹah, Zech·a·riʹah.

26 The sons of Me·rarʹi+ were Mahʹli+ and Muʹshi;+ the sons of Ja·a·ziʹah,* Beʹno. 27 The sons of Me·rarʹi: Of Ja·a·ziʹah, Beʹno and Shoʹham and Zacʹcur and Ibʹri. 28 Of Mahʹli, El·e·aʹzar, who did not come to have any sons.+ 29 Of Kish: the sons of Kish were Je·rahʹme·el. 30 And the sons of Muʹshi were Mahʹli+ and Eʹder and Jerʹi·moth.+

These were the sons of the Levites by their paternal+ houses. 31 And they themselves also proceeded to cast lots+ exactly as their brothers the sons of Aaron did before David the king and Zaʹdok and A·himʹe·lech and the heads of the paternal houses of the priests and of the Levites. As respects paternal houses,+ the head one was exactly as his younger brother.

25 Further, David and the chiefs+ of the service groups+ separated for the service some of the sons of Aʹsaph, Heʹman+ and Je·duʹthun+ the ones prophesying with the harps,+ with the stringed instruments+ and with the cymbals.+ And from their number the official men for their service came to be. 2 Of the sons of Aʹsaph, Zacʹcur and Joseph+ and Neth·a·niʹah and Ash·a·reʹlah,+ the sons of Aʹsaph under the control of Aʹsaph+ the one prophesying under the control of the king. 3 Of Je·duʹthun:+ the sons of Je·duʹthun, Ged·a·liʹah+ and Zeʹri+ and Je·shaʹiah,+ [and Shimʹe·i,]* Hash·a·biʹah and Mat·ti·thiʹah,+ six, under the control of their father Je·duʹthun, who was prophesying with the harp for thanking and praising Jehovah.+ 4 Of Heʹman:+ the sons of Heʹman, Buk·kiʹah,+ Mat·ta·niʹah,+ Uzʹzi·el,+ Shebʹu·el* and Jerʹi·moth, Han·a·niʹah,+ Ha·naʹni, E·liʹa·thah,+ Gid·dalʹti+ and Ro·mamʹti-eʹzer,+ Josh·be·kashʹah,+ Mal·loʹthi,+ Hoʹthir,+ Ma·haʹzi·oth. 5 All these were sons of Heʹman, a visionary+ of the king in the things of the [true] God to raise up his horn; thus the [true] God proceeded to give Heʹman fourteen sons and three daughters.+ 6 All these were under the control of their father in song at the house of Jehovah, with cymbals,+ stringed instruments+ and harps+ for the service of the house of the [true] God.

Under the control of the king were Aʹsaph and Je·duʹthun and Heʹman.+

7 And the number of them together with their brothers trained in song to Jehovah,+ all experts,+ came to be two hundred and eighty-eight. 8 So they cast lots+ as to the things to be taken care of, the little being just the same as the great,+ the expert+ along with the learner.

9 And the lot proceeded to come out: the first belonging to Aʹsaph for Joseph,+ for Ged·a·liʹah+ the second (he and his brothers and his sons were twelve); 10 the third for Zacʹcur,+ his sons and his brothers, twelve; 11 the fourth for Izʹri,+ his sons and his brothers, twelve; 12 the fifth for Neth·a·niʹah,+ his sons and his brothers, twelve; 13 the sixth for Buk·kiʹah, his sons and his brothers, twelve; 14 the seventh for Jesh·a·reʹlah,+ his sons and his brothers, twelve; 15 the eighth for Je·shaʹiah, his sons and his brothers, twelve; 16 the ninth for Mat·ta·niʹah, his sons and his brothers, twelve; 17 the tenth for Shimʹe·i, his sons and his brothers, twelve; 18 the eleventh for Azʹar·el,+ his sons and his brothers, twelve; 19 the twelfth for Hash·a·biʹah, his sons and his brothers, twelve; 20 for the thirteenth, Shuʹba·el,+ his sons and his brothers, twelve; 21 for the fourteenth, Mat·ti·thiʹah, his sons and his brothers, twelve; 22 for the fifteenth, for Jerʹe·moth, his sons and his brothers, twelve; 23 for the sixteenth, for Han·a·niʹah, his sons and his brothers, twelve; 24 for the seventeenth, for Josh·be·kashʹah, his sons and his brothers, twelve; 25 for the eighteenth, for Ha·naʹni, his sons and his brothers, twelve; 26 for the nineteenth, for Mal·loʹthi, his sons and his brothers, twelve; 27 for the twentieth, for E·liʹa·thah, his sons and his brothers, twelve; 28 for the twenty-first, for Hoʹthir, his sons and his brothers, twelve; 29 for the twenty-second, for Gid·dalʹti, his sons and his brothers, twelve; 30 for the twenty-third, for Ma·haʹzi·oth,+ his sons and his brothers, twelve; 31 for the twenty-fourth, for Ro·mamʹti-eʹzer,+ his sons and his brothers, twelve.

26 For the divisions of gatekeepers:+ Of the Koʹrah·ites,+ Me·shel·e·miʹah+ the son of Koʹre of the sons of Aʹsaph. 2 And Me·shel·e·miʹah had sons: Zech·a·riʹah the firstborn, Je·diʹa·el the second, Zeb·a·diʹah the third, Jathʹni·el the fourth, 3 Eʹlam the fifth, Je·ho·haʹnan* the sixth, Elʹie·ho-eʹnai the seventh. 4 And Oʹbed-eʹdom+ had sons: She·maiʹah the firstborn, Je·hozʹa·bad the second, Joʹah the third and Saʹcar the fourth and Ne·thanʹel the fifth, 5 Amʹmi·el the sixth, Isʹsa·char the seventh, Pe·ulʹle·thai the eighth; for God had blessed him.+

6 And to She·maiʹah his son there were sons born that were rulers of the house of their father, for they were capable, mighty men. 7 The sons of She·maiʹah, Othʹni and Rephʹa·el and Oʹbed, El·zaʹbad, whose brothers were capable men, E·liʹhu and Sem·a·chiʹah. 8 All these were of the sons of Oʹbed-eʹdom, they and their sons and their brothers, capable men with the power for the service, sixty-two belonging to Oʹbed-eʹdom. 9 And Me·shel·e·miʹah+ had sons and brothers, capable men, eighteen. 10 And Hoʹsah of the sons of Me·rarʹi had sons. Shimʹri was the head, for he did not happen to be the firstborn+ but his father appointed him as head;+ 11 Hil·kiʹah the second, Teb·a·liʹah the third, Zech·a·riʹah the fourth. All the sons and brothers of Hoʹsah were thirteen.

12 Of these divisions of the gatekeepers, the headmen had duties exactly as their brothers did,+ to minister at the house of Jehovah. 13 So they cast lots+ for the small the same as for the great by their paternal houses,+ for the different gates. 14 Then the lot to the east fell to Shel·e·miʹah.+ For Zech·a·riʹah+ his son, a counselor+ with discretion, they cast the lots, and his lot got to come out to the north.+ 15 Oʹbed-eʹdom had his to the south, and his sons+ had the storehouses.+ 16 Shupʹpim and Hoʹsah+ had theirs to the west close by the Gate Shalʹlech·eth by the highway that goes up, guard group+ corresponding with guard group;+ 17 to the east there were six Levites; to the north for a day, four; to the south for a day,+ four; and for the stores,+ two by two; 18 for the portico to the west, four at the highway,+ two at the portico. 19 These were the divisions of the gatekeepers of the sons of the Koʹrah·ites+ and of the sons of Me·rarʹi.+

20 As regards the Levites, A·hiʹjah was over the treasures+ of the house of the [true] God and over the treasures of the things made holy.+ 21 The sons of Laʹdan,+ the sons of the Gerʹshon·ite belonging to Laʹdan; the heads of the paternal houses belonging to Laʹdan the Gerʹshon·ite, Je·hiʹe·li.+ 22 The sons of Je·hiʹe·li, Zeʹtham and Joel+ his brother, were over the treasures+ of the house of Jehovah. 23 For the Amʹram·ites, for the Izʹhar·ites, for the Heʹbron·ites, for the Uz·ziʹel·ites,+ 24 even Shebʹu·el*+ the son of Gerʹshom the son of Moses was a leader over the stores. 25 As regards his brothers, of E·li·eʹzer+ there was Re·ha·biʹah+ his son and Je·shaʹiah his son and Joʹram his son and Zichʹri his son and She·loʹmoth his son. 26 This She·loʹmoth and his brothers were over all the treasures of the things made holy,+ that David+ the king and the heads of the paternal houses,+ and the chiefs of the thousands and of the hundreds, and the chiefs of the army had made holy. 27 From the wars+ and from the spoil+ they had made [things] holy to maintain the house of Jehovah. 28 And also all that Samuel the seer+ and Saul the son of Kish and Abʹner+ the son of Ner and Joʹab+ the son of Ze·ruʹiah+ had made holy. What anyone made holy* was under the control of She·loʹmith* and his brothers.

29 Of the Izʹhar·ites,+ Chen·a·niʹah and his sons were for the outside+ business as officers and as judges+ over Israel.

30 Of the Heʹbron·ites,+ Hash·a·biʹah and his brothers, capable men,+ a thousand seven hundred, were over the administration of Israel in the region of the Jordan to the west for all the work of Jehovah and for the king’s service. 31 Of the Heʹbron·ites, Je·riʹjah+ was the head of the Heʹbron·ites by its generations by forefathers. In the fortieth+ year of David’s kingship they were sought out, and valiant, mighty men came to be found among them in Jaʹzer+ in Gilʹe·ad.+ 32 And his brothers, capable men,+ were two thousand seven hundred, heads of the paternal houses.+ So David the king assigned them over the Reuʹben·ites and the Gadʹites and the half tribe of the Ma·nasʹsites,+ for every matter of the [true] God and matter+ of the king.

27 As for the sons of Israel by their number, the heads of the paternal+ houses and the chiefs+ of the thousands and of the hundreds+ and their officers that were ministering+ to the king in every matter of the divisions of those that came in and that went out month by month for all the months of the year, each division was twenty-four thousand.

2 Over the first division of the first month there was Ja·shoʹbe·am+ the son of Zabʹdi·el, and in his division there were twenty-four thousand. 3 Some of the sons of Peʹrez+ the head of all the chiefs of the service groups were for the first month. 4 And over the division of the second month there was Doʹdai+ the A·hoʹhite+ with his division, and Mikʹloth was the leader, and in his division there were twenty-four thousand. 5 The chief of the third service group for the third month was Be·naiʹah+ the son of Je·hoiʹa·da+ the chief priest, and in his division there were twenty-four thousand. 6 This Be·naiʹah+ was a mighty man of the thirty+ and over the thirty; and [over] his division there was Am·mizʹa·bad his son. 7 The fourth for the fourth month was Asʹa·hel,+ Joʹab’s brother,+ and Zeb·a·diʹah his son after him, and in his division there were twenty-four thousand. 8 The fifth chief for the fifth month was Shamʹhuth+ the Izʹrah·ite, and in his division there were twenty-four thousand. 9 The sixth for the sixth month was Iʹra+ the son of Ikʹkesh+ the Te·koʹite,+ and in his division there were twenty-four thousand. 10 The seventh for the seventh month was Heʹlez+ the Pelʹo·nite+ of the sons of Eʹphra·im, and in his division there were twenty-four thousand. 11 The eighth for the eighth month was Sibʹbe·cai+ the Huʹshath·ite of the Zeʹrah·ites,+ and in his division there were twenty-four thousand. 12 The ninth for the ninth month was Abi-eʹzer+ the Anʹa·thoth·ite+ of the Benʹja·min·ites, and in his division there were twenty-four thousand. 13 The tenth for the tenth month was Maʹha·rai+ the Ne·tophʹa·thite of the Zeʹrah·ites,+ and in his division there were twenty-four thousand. 14 The eleventh for the eleventh month was Be·naiʹah+ the Pirʹa·thon·ite of the sons of Eʹphra·im,+ and in his division there were twenty-four thousand. 15 The twelfth for the twelfth month was Helʹdai+ the Ne·tophʹa·thite, of Othʹni·el, and in his division there were twenty-four thousand.

16 And over the tribes of Israel,+ of the Reuʹben·ites, E·li·eʹzer the son of Zichʹri was leader; of the Simʹe·on·ites, Sheph·a·tiʹah the son of Maʹa·cah; 17 of Leʹvi, Hash·a·biʹah the son of Kem·uʹel; of Aaron, Zaʹdok;+ 18 of Judah, E·liʹhu,+ one of David’s brothers;+ of Isʹsa·char, Omʹri the son of Miʹcha·el; 19 of Zebʹu·lun, Ish·maʹiah the son of O·ba·diʹah; of Naphʹta·li, Jerʹi·moth the son of Azʹri·el; 20 of the sons of Eʹphra·im, Ho·sheʹa the son of Az·a·ziʹah; of the half tribe of Ma·nasʹseh, Joel the son of Pe·daiʹah; 21 of the half tribe of Ma·nasʹseh in Gilʹe·ad, Idʹdo the son of Zech·a·riʹah; of Benjamin, Ja·a·siʹel the son of Abʹner;+ 22 of Dan, Azʹar·el the son of Je·roʹham. These were the princes+ of the tribes of Israel.

23 And David did not take the number of those from twenty years of age and under, because Jehovah had promised to make Israel as many as the stars of the heavens.+ 24 Joʹab+ the son of Ze·ruʹiah had himself started to take the count, but he did not finish;+ and for this there came to be indignation+ against Israel, and the number did not come up into the account of the affairs of the days of King David.

25 And over the treasures of the king+ there was Azʹma·veth the son of Adʹi·el. And over the treasures in the field,+ in the cities+ and in the villages and in the towers there was Jonʹa·than* the son of Uz·ziʹah. 26 And over the doers of work in the field,+ for the cultivation of the soil, there was Ezʹri the son of Cheʹlub. 27 And over the vineyards+ there was Shimʹe·i the Raʹmath·ite; and over that which was in the vineyards for the wine supplies there was Zabʹdi the Shiphʹmite. 28 And over the olive groves and the sycamore+ trees that were in the She·pheʹlah*+ there was Baʹal-haʹnan the Ge·deʹrite; and over the oil+ supplies there was Joʹash. 29 And over the herds that were grazing in Sharʹon+ there was Shitʹrai the Sharʹon·ite; and over the herds in the low plains there was Shaʹphat the son of Adʹlai. 30 And over the camels+ there was Oʹbil the Ishʹma·el·ite;+ and over the she-asses there was Jeh·deʹiah the Me·ronʹo·thite. 31 And over the flocks there was Jaʹziz the Hagʹrite. All these were the chiefs of the goods that belonged to King David.

32 And Jonʹa·than,+ David’s nephew,* was a counselor, a man of understanding,+ he being also a secretary; and Je·hiʹel the son of Hachʹmo·ni+ was with the king’s sons.+ 33 And A·hithʹo·phel+ was a counselor+ of the king; and Huʹshai+ the Arʹchite+ was the king’s companion.+ 34 And after A·hithʹo·phel there were Je·hoiʹa·da the son of Be·naiʹah+ and A·biʹa·thar;+ and Joʹab+ was chief of the army of the king.

28 And David proceeded to congregate all the princes+ of Israel, the princes+ of the tribes and the princes+ of the divisions of those ministering to the king and the chiefs* of thousands+ and the chiefs of hundreds+ and the chiefs of all the goods+ and livestock+ of the king and of his sons,+ together with the court officials+ and the mighty men,+ even every valiant, mighty man, to Jerusalem. 2 Then David the king rose to his feet and said:

“Hear me, my brothers and my people. As for me, it was close to my heart+ to build a resting house for the ark of the covenant of Jehovah and as the footstool+ of our God, and I had made preparation to build.+ 3 And the [true] God himself said to me, ‘You will not build a house to my name;+ for a man of wars you are, and blood you have spilled.’+ 4 Accordingly Jehovah the God of Israel chose me out of all the house of my father+ to become king+ over Israel to time indefinite; for it was Judah that he chose as leader,+ and in the house of Judah my father’s house,+ and among my father’s sons,+ I was the one whom he approved,+ to make me king over all Israel; 5 and out of all my sons (for many are the sons whom Jehovah has given me)+ he then chose Solʹo·mon+ my son to sit upon the throne+ of the kingship of Jehovah over Israel.

6 “Further, he said to me, ‘Solʹo·mon your son is the one that will build my house+ and my courtyards; for I have chosen him as my son,+ and I myself shall become his father.+ 7 And I shall certainly establish his kingship+ firmly to time indefinite if he will be strongly resolved to do my commandments+ and my judicial decisions,+ as at this day.’ 8 And now, before the eyes of all Israel, Jehovah’s congregation,*+ and in the ears of our God,+ take care and search for all the commandments of Jehovah YOUR God, in order that YOU may possess the good land+ and may certainly pass it on as an inheritance to YOUR sons after YOU to time indefinite.

9 “And you, Solʹo·mon my son, know+ the God of your father and serve+ him with a complete heart+ and with a delightful soul;+ for all hearts Jehovah is searching,+ and every inclination of the thoughts he is discerning.+ If you search for him, he will let himself be found by you;+ but if you leave him,+ he will cast you off forever.+ 10 See, now, for Jehovah himself has chosen you to build a house as a sanctuary. Be courageous and act.”+

11 And David proceeded to give Solʹo·mon his son the architectural plan+ of the porch+ and of its houses and its storerooms+ and its roof chambers+ and its dark inner rooms and the house of the propitiatory cover;*+ 12 even the architectural plan of everything that had come to be with him by inspiration*+ for the courtyards+ of Jehovah’s house and for all the dining rooms+ all around, for the treasures of the house of the [true] God and for the treasures of the things made holy;+ 13 and for the divisions+ of the priests and of the Levites and for all the work of the service of Jehovah’s house and for all the utensils of the service of Jehovah’s house; 14 for the gold by weight, the gold for all the utensils for the different services, for all the utensils of silver by weight, for all the utensils+ for the different services; 15 and the weight for the lampstands+ of gold and their lamps of gold, by weight of the different lampstands and their lamps, and for the lampstands of silver by weight for the lampstand and its lamps according to the service of the different lampstands; 16 and the gold by weight for the tables of the layer bread,+ for the different tables, and silver for the tables of silver; 17 and the forks and the bowls+ and the pitchers of pure gold, and for the small gold bowls+ by weight for the different small bowls, and for the small silver bowls by weight for the different small bowls; 18 and for the incense altar+ refined gold by weight and for the representation of the chariot,+ namely, the cherubs+ of gold for spreading [their wings] out and screening over the ark of the covenant of Jehovah. 19 “He gave insight for the entire thing in writing+ from the hand of Jehovah upon me, even for all the works of the architectural plan.”+

20 And David went on to say to Solʹo·mon his son: “Be courageous+ and strong and act. Do not be afraid+ nor be terrified,+ for Jehovah God, my God, is with you.+ He will not desert you+ or leave you until all the work of the service of Jehovah’s house is finished. 21 And here are the divisions of the priests+ and of the Levites+ for all the service of the house of the [true] God; and with you in all the work there is every willing+ one with skill for all the service,+ and also the princes+ and all the people, for all your words.”

29 David the king now said to all the congregation:+ “Solʹo·mon my son, the one [whom] God has chosen,+ is young+ and delicate, but the work is great; for the castle* is not for man,+ but for Jehovah God. 2 And according to all my power+ I have prepared+ for the house of my God the gold+ for the goldwork, and the silver for the silverwork, and the copper for the copperwork, the iron+ for the ironwork, and the timbers+ for the timberwork; onyx+ stones, and stones to be set with hard mortar, and mosaic pebbles, and every precious stone, and alabaster stones in great quantity. 3 And since I am taking pleasure+ in the house of my God, there is yet a special property of mine,+ gold and silver; I do give it to the house of my God over and above all that I have prepared for the holy house:+ 4 three thousand talents of gold of the gold of Oʹphir,+ and seven thousand talents of refined silver, for coating the walls of the houses; 5 of the gold for the goldwork, and of the silver for the silverwork and for all the work by the hand of the craftsmen. And who is there volunteering to fill his hand today [with a gift] for Jehovah?”+

6 And the princes+ of the paternal+ houses* and the princes+ of the tribes of Israel and the chiefs of thousands+ and of hundreds+ and the chiefs of the business+ of the king proceeded to volunteer. 7 Accordingly they gave to the service of the house of the [true] God gold worth five thousand talents* and ten thousand darics* and silver worth ten thousand talents and copper worth eighteen thousand talents and iron worth a hundred thousand talents.+ 8 And what stones were found with any persons they gave to the treasure of the house of Jehovah under the control of Je·hiʹel+ the Gerʹshon·ite.+ 9 And the people gave way to rejoicing over their making voluntary offerings, for it was with a complete heart that they made voluntary offerings to Jehovah;+ and even David the king himself rejoiced with great joy.+

10 Consequently David blessed+ Jehovah before the eyes of all the congregation+ and David said: “Blessed may you be,+ O Jehovah the God of Israel+ our father, from time indefinite even to time indefinite. 11 Yours, O Jehovah, are the greatness+ and the mightiness+ and the beauty+ and the excellency+ and the dignity;+ for everything in the heavens and in the earth is [yours].+ Yours is the kingdom,+ O Jehovah, the One also lifting yourself up as head over all.+ 12 The riches+ and the glory+ are on account of you, and you are dominating*+ everything; and in your hand there are power+ and mightiness,+ and in your hand is [ability] to make great+ and to give strength to all.+ 13 And now, O our God, we are thanking you+ and praising+ your beauteous+ name.

14 “And yet, who am I+ and who are my people, that we should retain power to make voluntary offerings like this?+ For everything is from you,+ and out of your own hand we have given to you. 15 For we are alien residents before you and settlers+ the same as all our forefathers. Like a shadow our days are upon the earth+ and there is no hope. 16 O Jehovah our God, all this abundance that we have prepared to build for you a house for your holy name, from your hand it is, and to you it all belongs.+ 17 And I well know, O my God, that you are an examiner of the heart,+ and that it is in rectitude that you take pleasure.+ I, for my part, in the uprightness of my heart have voluntarily offered all these things, and now your people who are on hand here I have enjoyed seeing make offerings voluntarily to you. 18 O Jehovah the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel our forefathers,+ do keep this to time indefinite as the inclination of the thoughts of the heart of your people,+ and direct their heart to you.+ 19 And to Solʹo·mon my son give a complete heart+ to keep your commandments,+ your testimonies*+ and your regulations,+ and to do everything, and to build the castle+ for which I have made preparation.”+

20 And David went on to say to all the congregation:+ “Bless,+ now, Jehovah YOUR God.” And all the congregation proceeded to bless Jehovah the God of their forefathers and bow low+ and prostrate+ themselves to Jehovah and to the king. 21 And they continued to sacrifice+ sacrifices to Jehovah and offer up burnt offerings+ to Jehovah on the day following that day, a thousand young bulls, a thousand rams, a thousand male lambs and their drink offerings,+ even sacrifices in great number for all Israel.+ 22 And they continued eating and drinking before Jehovah on that day with great rejoicing;+ and they proceeded a second time to make Solʹo·mon the son of David king+ and to anoint him to Jehovah as leader+ and also Zaʹdok+ as priest. 23 And Solʹo·mon began to sit upon Jehovah’s throne+ as king in place of David his father and to make a success of it,+ and all the Israelites were obedient to him. 24 As for all the princes+ and the mighty men+ and also all the sons of King David,+ they submitted themselves to Solʹo·mon the king.* 25 And Jehovah continued to make Solʹo·mon surpassingly great+ before the eyes of all Israel and to put upon him such royal dignity as had not come to be upon any king before him over Israel.+

26 As for David the son of Jesʹse, he reigned over all Israel;+ 27 and the days that he reigned over Israel were forty years.+ In Heʹbron he reigned for seven years,+ and in Jerusalem he reigned for thirty-three [years].+ 28 And gradually he died in a good old age,+ satisfied with days, riches+ and glory;+ and Solʹo·mon his son began to reign in place of him.+ 29 As for the affairs of David the king, the first ones and the last, there they are written among the words of Samuel the seer*+ and among the words of Nathan+ the prophet and among the words of Gad+ the visionary,* 30 together with all his kingship and his mightiness and the times+ that had passed over him and over Israel and over all the kingdoms of the lands.+