David’s Wives and Children

14 tAnd Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, also masons and carpenters to build a house for him. 2 And David knew that the Lord had established him as king over Israel, and that his kingdom was highly exalted for the sake of his people Israel.

3 And David took more wives in Jerusalem, and David fathered more sons and daughters. 4 uThese are the names of the children born to him in Jerusalem: vShammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, 5 Ibhar, Elishua, Elpelet, 6 Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia, 7 Elishama, wBeeliada and xEliphelet.

Philistines Defeated

8 When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over all Israel, all the Philistines went up to search for David. But David heard of it and went out against them. 9 Now the Philistines had come and ymade a raid in the zValley of Rephaim. 10 And David inquired of God, “Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will you give them into my hand?” And the Lord said to him, “Go up, and I will give them into your hand.” 11 And he went up to Baal-perazim, and David struck them down there. And David said, “God has broken through1 my enemies by my hand, like a bursting flood.” Therefore the name of that place is called Baal-perazim. 12 And they left their gods there, and David gave command, and they were burned.

13 And the Philistines yet again amade a raid in the valley. 14 And when David again inquired of God, bGod said to him, “You shall not go up after them; go around and come against them opposite the balsam trees. 15 And when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, then go out to battle, for God has gone out before you to strike down the army of the Philistines.” 16 And David did as God commanded him, and they struck down the Philistine army from Gibeon to Gezer. 17 And the fame of David went out into all lands, and the Lord brought the cfear of him upon all nations.

The Ark Brought to Jerusalem

15 David1 built houses for himself in the city of David. And he prepared a place for the ark of God and dpitched a tent for it. 2 Then David said that no one but the Levites may carry ethe ark of God, for the Lord had chosen them to carry the ark of the Lord and to minister to him forever. 3 fAnd David assembled all Israel at Jerusalem to bring up the ark of the Lord gto its place, which he had prepared for it. 4 And David gathered together the sons of Aaron and hthe Levites: 5 of the sons of Kohath, Uriel the chief, with 120 of his brothers; 6 of the sons of Merari, Asaiah the chief, with 220 of his brothers; 7 of the sons of Gershom, Joel the chief, with 130 of his brothers; 8 of the sons of Elizaphan, Shemaiah the chief, with 200 of his brothers; 9 of the sons of Hebron, Eliel the chief, with 80 of his brothers; 10 of the sons of Uzziel, Amminadab the chief, with 112 of his brothers. 11 Then David summoned the priests iZadok and jAbiathar, and the Levites Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel, and Amminadab, 12 and said to them, “You are the heads of the fathers’ houses of the Levites. kConsecrate yourselves, you and your brothers, so that you may bring up the ark of the Lord, the God of Israel, lto the place that I have prepared for it. 13 mBecause you did not carry it the first time, the Lord our God broke out against us, because we did not seek him according to the rule.” 14 So the priests and the Levites consecrated themselves to bring up the ark of the Lord, the God of Israel. 15 And the Levites carried the ark of God on their shoulders nwith the poles, oas Moses had commanded according to the word of the Lord.

16 David also commanded the chiefs of the Levites to appoint their brothers as the singers who should play loudly on pmusical instruments, on harps and lyres and cymbals, to raise sounds of joy. 17 So the Levites appointed qHeman the son of Joel; and of his brothers rAsaph the son of Berechiah; and of the sons of Merari, their brothers, sEthan the son of Kushaiah; 18 and with them their brothers of the second order, Zechariah, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, and Mikneiah, and the gatekeepers Obed-edom and Jeiel. 19 The singers, Heman, Asaph, and Ethan, were to sound bronze cymbals; 20 Zechariah, tAziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah, and Benaiah were to play harps according to uAlamoth; 21 but Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, vObed-edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah were to lead with lyres according to wthe Sheminith. 22 Chenaniah, leader of the Levites in music, should direct the music, for he understood it. 23 Berechiah and Elkanah were to be gatekeepers for the ark. 24 Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah, and Eliezer, the priests, should xblow the trumpets before the ark of God. vObed-edom and Jehiah were to be gatekeepers for the ark.

25 ySo David and the elders of Israel and the commanders of thousands went to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord from the house of vObed-edom with rejoicing. 26 And because God helped the Levites who were carrying the ark of the covenant of the Lord, they sacrificed zseven bulls and seven rams. 27 David was clothed with a robe of fine linen, as also were all the Levites who were carrying the ark, and the singers and Chenaniah the leader of the music of the singers. And David wore a linen ephod. 28 So all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the Lord with shouting, to the sound of the horn, atrumpets, and cymbals, and made loud music on bharps and lyres.

29 And as the ark of the covenant of the Lord came to the city of David, Michal the daughter of Saul looked out of the window and saw King David dancing and celebrating, and she despised him in her heart.

The Ark Placed in a Tent

16 And they brought in the ark of God and set it inside cthe tent that David had pitched for it, and they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before God. 2 And when David had finished offering the burnt offerings and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord 3 and distributed to all Israel, both men and women, to each a loaf of bread, a portion of meat,1 and a cake of raisins.

4 Then he appointed some of the Levites as ministers before the ark of the Lord, to invoke, to thank, and to praise the Lord, the God of Israel. 5 dAsaph was the chief, and second to him were Zechariah, Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-edom, and Jeiel, who were to play harps and lyres; Asaph was to sound the cymbals, 6 and Benaiah and Jahaziel the priests were to blow trumpets regularly before the ark of the covenant of God. 7 Then on that day eDavid first appointed that thanksgiving be sung to the Lord by Asaph and his brothers.

David’s Song of Thanks

8  fOh give thanks to the Lord; gcall upon his name;

hmake known his deeds among the peoples!

9  Sing to him, sing praises to him;

tell of all his wondrous works!

10  Glory in his holy name;

let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice!

11  iSeek the Lord and his strength;

seek his presence continually!

12  jRemember the wondrous works that he has done,

khis miracles and the judgments he uttered,

13  O offspring of Israel his servant,

children of Jacob, his chosen ones!

14  He is the Lord our God;

lhis judgments are in all the earth.

15  Remember his covenant forever,

the word that he commanded, for a thousand generations,

16  the covenant mthat he made with Abraham,

his sworn promise to Isaac,

17  which nhe confirmed to Jacob as a statute,

to Israel as an everlasting covenant,

18  saying, o“To you I will give the land of Canaan,

as your portion for an inheritance.”

19  When you were pfew in number,

of little account, and qsojourners in it,

20  wandering from nation to nation,

from one kingdom to another people,

21  he allowed no one to oppress them;

he rrebuked kings on their account,

22  saying, “Touch not my anointed ones,

do my sprophets no harm!”

23  tSing to the Lord, all the earth!

Tell of his salvation from day to day.

24  Declare his glory among the nations,

his marvelous works among all the peoples!

25  For ugreat is the Lord, and greatly to be praised,

and he is to be feared vabove all gods.

26  For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols,

wbut the Lord made the heavens.

27  Splendor and majesty are before him;

strength and joy are in his place.

28  Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples,

xascribe to the Lord glory and strength!

29  Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;

bring an offering and come before him!

yWorship the Lord in the splendor of holiness;2

30  tremble before him, all the earth;

yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved.

31  zLet the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice,

and let them say among the nations, a“The Lord reigns!”

32  bLet the sea roar, and all that fills it;

let the field exult, and everything in it!

33  Then shall the trees of the forest sing for joy

before the Lord, for he comes to judge the earth.

34  Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;

for his steadfast love endures forever!

35 cSay also:

“Save us, O God of our salvation,

and gather and deliver us from among the nations,

that we may give thanks to your holy name

and glory in your praise.

36  dBlessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,

from everlasting to everlasting!”

eThen all the people said, “Amen!” and praised the Lord.

Worship Before the Ark

37 So David left Asaph and his brothers there fbefore the ark of the covenant of the Lord to minister regularly before the ark gas each day required, 38 and also hObed-edom and his3 sixty-eight brothers, while hObed-edom, the son of Jeduthun, and iHosah were to be gatekeepers. 39 And he left jZadok the priest and his brothers the priests before the tabernacle of the Lord kin the high place that was at Gibeon 40 to offer burnt offerings to the Lord lon the altar of burnt offering mregularly morning and evening, to do all that is written in the Law of the Lord that he commanded Israel. 41 With them were nHeman and Jeduthun oand the rest of those chosen …