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10 And the Philistines fought against Israel; and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain on mount Gilboa.

And the Philistines followed hard after Saul and after his sons; and the Philistines smote Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchi-shua, Saul's sons.

And the battle went sore against Saul, and the archers came up with him, and he was terrified by the archers.

Then said Saul to his armour-bearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through with it; lest these uncircumcised come and abuse me. But his armour-bearer would not; for he was much afraid. So Saul took the sword and fell on it.

And when his armour-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell likewise on the sword, and died.

So Saul died, and his three sons, and all his house died together.

And when all the men of Israel that were in the valley saw that they fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead, they forsook their cities and fled; and the Philistines came and dwelt in them.

And it came to pass the next day, that the Philistines came to strip the slain, and they found Saul and his sons fallen on mount Gilboa.

And they stripped him, and took his head, and his armour, and sent [them] into the land of the Philistines round about, to announce the glad tidings to their idols, and to the people.

10 And they put his armour in the house of their god, and fastened his head in the house of Dagon.

11 And when all they of Jabesh-Gilead heard of all that the Philistines had done to Saul,

12 all the valiant men arose, and took up the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons, and brought them to Jabesh, and buried their bones under the terebinth of Jabesh, and fasted seven days.

13 And Saul died for his unfaithfulness which he committed against Jehovah, because of the word of Jehovah which he kept not, and also for having inquired of the spirit of Python, asking counsel of it;

14 and he asked not counsel of Jehovah; therefore he slew him, and transferred the kingdom to David the son of Jesse.

11 And all Israel assembled themselves to David to Hebron, saying, Behold, we are thy bone and thy flesh.

Even aforetime, even when Saul was king, thou wast he that leddest out and broughtest in Israel; and Jehovah thy God said to thee, Thou shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be prince over my people Israel.

And all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron; and David made a covenant with them in Hebron before Jehovah; and they anointed David king over Israel according to the word of Jehovah through Samuel.

And David and all Israel went to Jerusalem, which is Jebus; where the Jebusites were, the inhabitants of the land.

And the inhabitants of Jebus said to David, Thou shalt not come in hither. But David took the stronghold of Zion, which is the city of David.

And David said, Whoever smites the Jebusites first shall be chief and captain. And Joab the son of Zeruiah went first up, and was chief.

And David dwelt in the stronghold; therefore they called it the city of David.

And he built the city round about, even from the Millo round about; and Joab renewed the rest of the city.

And David became continually greater; and Jehovah of hosts was with him.

10 And these are the chief of the mighty men whom David had, who shewed themselves valiant with him in his kingdom, with all Israel, to make him king, according to the word of Jehovah concerning Israel.

11 And this is the number of the mighty men whom David had: Jashobeam, the son of Hachmoni, the chief of the captains; he brandished his spear against three hundred, slain [by him] at one time.

12 And after him, Eleazar the son of Dodo, the Ahohite; he was one of the three mighty men.

13 He was with David at Pas-dammim, where the Philistines were gathered together to battle; and there was [there] a plot of ground full of barley; and the people had fled from before the Philistines.

14 And they stood in the midst of the plot and delivered it, and smote the Philistines; and Jehovah wrought a great deliverance.

15 And three of the thirty chiefs went down to the rock to David, to the cave of Adullam, when the army of the Philistines was encamped in the valley of Rephaim.

16 And David was then in the stronghold; and the Philistines' garrison was then at Bethlehem.

17 And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me to drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, which is in the gate!

18 And the three broke through the camp of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, which is in the gate, and took it, and brought it to David; David however would not drink of it, but poured it out to Jehovah.

19 And he said, My God forbid it me, that I should do this thing! should I drink the blood of these men [who went] at the risk of their lives? for at the risk of their lives they brought it. Therefore he would not drink it. These things did the three mighty men.

20 And Abishai the brother of Joab, he was the chief of three; and he brandished his spear against three hundred and slew them; and he had a name among the three.

21 Of the three he was more honourable than the two, and he was their captain; but he did not attain to the [first] three.

22 Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man, great in exploits, of Kabzeel: he it was that smote two lions of Moab; and he went down and smote a lion in the midst of a pit on a snowy day.

23 He also smote the Egyptian, a man of stature, five cubits high: and in the Egyptian's hand was a spear like a weaver's beam; and he went down to him with a staff, and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian's hand, and slew him with his own spear.

24 These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and he had a name among the three mighty men.

25 Behold, he was honoured above the thirty, but he did not attain to the [first] three. And David set him in his council.

26 And the valiant men of the forces were: Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem,

27 Shammoth the Harorite, Helez the Pelonite,

28 Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, Abiezer the Anathothite,

29 Sibbechai the Hushathite, Ilai the Ahohite,

30 Maharai the Netophathite, Heled the son of Baanah the Netophathite,

31 Ittai the son of Ribai of Gibeah of the children of Benjamin, Benaiah the Pirathonite,

32 Hurai of the brooks of Gaash, Abiel the Arbathite,

33 Azmaveth the Baharumite, Eliahba the Shaalbonite,

34 Bene-Hashem the Gizonite, Jonathan the son of Shage the Hararite,

35 Ahiam the son of Sacar the Hararite, Eliphal the son of Ur,

36 Hepher the Mecherathite, Ahijah the Pelonite,

37 Hezro the Carmelite, Naarai the son of Ezbai,

38 Joel the brother of Nathan, Mibhar the son of Hagri,

39 Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Berothite, the armour-bearer of Joab the son of Zeruiah,

40 Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,

41 Uriah the Hittite, Zabad the son of Ahlai,

42 Adina the son of Shiza the Reubenite, a captain of the Reubenites, and thirty with him;

43 Hanan the son of Maachah, and Joshaphat the Mithnite,

44 Uzzia the Ashtarothite, Shama and Jeiel the sons of Hotham the Aroerite,

45 Jediael the son of Shimri, and Joha his brother, the Tizite,

46 Eliel of Mahavim, and Jeribai, and Joshaviah, the sons of Elnaam, and Jithmah the Moabite,

47 Eliel, and Obed, and Jaasiel the Mezobaite.

12 Now these are they that came to David to Ziklag, while he kept still close because of Saul the son of Kish; and they were among the mighty men who helped him in the conflict;

armed with bows, using both the right hand and the left with stones and with arrows on the bow; [they were] of Saul's brethren of Benjamin:

the chief Ahiezer, and Joash, the sons of Shemaah the Gibeathite; and Jeziel, and Pelet, the sons of Azmaveth; and Berachah, and Jehu the Anathothite,

and Jishmaiah the Gibeonite, a mighty man among the thirty, and over the thirty; and Jeremiah, and Jahaziel, and Johanan, and Jozabad the Gederathite.

Eluzai, and Jerimoth, and Bealiah, and Shemariah, and Shephatiah the Haruphite;

Elkanah, and Jishijah, and Azareel, and Joezer, and Jashobeam, the Korahites;

and Joelah, and Zebadiah, the sons of Jeroham of Gedor.

And of the Gadites, there separated themselves to David in the stronghold in the wilderness mighty men of valour, men fit for the service of war, armed with shield and spear; whose faces were [like] the faces of lions, and who were swift as the gazelles upon the mountains:

Ezer the first, Obadiah the second, Eliab the third,

10 Mishmannah the fourth, Jeremiah the fifth,

11 Attai the sixth, Eliel the seventh,

12 Johanan the eighth, Elzabad the ninth,

13 Jeremiah the tenth, Machbannai the eleventh.

14 These were of the sons of Gad, captains of the host: one of the least was over a hundred, and the greatest over a thousand.

15 These are they that went over Jordan in the first month, when it overflows all its banks, and they put to flight all [them] of the valleys, toward the east and toward the west.

16 And there came of the children of Benjamin and Judah to the stronghold to David.

17 And David went out to meet them, and answered and said to them, If ye come peaceably to me to help me, my heart shall be knit unto you; but if to betray me to mine enemies, seeing there is no wrong in my hands, the God of our fathers see [it] and rebuke [it].

18 And the Spirit came upon Amasai, the chief of the captains, [and he said,] Thine [are we], David, And with thee, thou son of Jesse: Peace, peace be to thee! And peace be to thy helpers! For thy God helps thee. And David received them, and made them chiefs of bands.

19 And there fell some of Manasseh to David, when he came with the Philistines against Saul to battle: but they helped them not; for the lords of the Philistines upon deliberation sent him away, saying, He will fall to his master Saul at the peril of our heads.

20 As he went away to Ziklag, there fell to him of Manasseh: Adnah, and Jozabad, and Jediael, and Michael, and Jozabad, and Elihu, and Zilthai, captains of the thousands that were of Manasseh.

21 And they helped David in his expeditions; for they were all mighty men of valour, and were captains in the host.

22 For day by day there came [men] to David to help him, until it was a great camp, like the camp of God.

23 And this is the number of the men equipped for military service, who came to David to Hebron, to transfer the kingdom of Saul to him, according to the word of Jehovah.

24 The children of Judah that bore shield and spear were six thousand eight hundred, equipped for military service.

25 Of the children of Simeon, mighty men of valour for war, seven thousand one hundred.

26 Of the children of Levi four thousand six hundred.

27 And Jehoiada the prince of Aaron, and with him were three thousand seven hundred;

28 and Zadok, a valiant young man, and his father's house two and twenty chief men.

29 And of the children of Benjamin, the brethren of Saul, three thousand; but hitherto the greater part of them had adhered to the house of Saul.

30 And of the children of Ephraim twenty thousand eight hundred, mighty men of valour, men of name in their fathers' houses.

31 And of the half tribe of Manasseh eighteen thousand, who were expressed by name, to come and make David king.

32 And of the children of Issachar, who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do, the heads of them were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their bidding.

33 Of Zebulun, such as went forth in the host, armed for war with all weapons of war, fifty thousand, keeping rank without double heart.

34 And of Naphtali a thousand captains, and with them thirty-seven thousand with shield and spear.

35 And of the Danites armed for war twenty-eight thousand six hundred.

36 And of Asher such as went forth in the host, to set themselves in battle array, forty thousand.

37 And from the other side of the Jordan, of the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and of the half tribe of Manasseh, with all manner of weapons of war for battle, a hundred and twenty thousand.

38 All of them men of war, keeping rank in battle array, came with a perfect heart to Hebron, to make David king over all Israel; and all the rest also of Israel were of one heart to make David king.

39 And there they were with David three days, eating and drinking; for their brethren had prepared for them;

40 and those too that were near them, as far as Issachar and Zebulun and Naphtali, brought food on asses, and on camels, and on mules, and on oxen; provisions of meal, fig-cakes and raisin-cakes, and wine and oil, and oxen and sheep, abundantly; for there was joy in Israel.

13 And David consulted with the captains of thousands and hundreds, with every prince.

And David said to all the congregation of Israel, If it seem good to you, and it be of Jehovah our God, let us send abroad to our brethren everywhere, that are left in all the lands of Israel, and with them to the priests and Levites in their cities and suburbs, that they may gather themselves to us;

and let us bring again the ark of our God to us; for we inquired not of it in the days of Saul.

And all the congregation said that they should do so; for the thing was right in the eyes of all the people.

And David assembled all Israel from the Shihor of Egypt unto the entrance of Hamath, to bring the ark of God from Kirjath-jearim.

And David went up, and all Israel, to Baalah, to Kirjath-jearim, which belonged to Judah, to bring up from thence the ark of God, of Jehovah, who sitteth between the cherubim, whose name is placed [there].

And they carried the ark of God on a new cart out of the house of Abinadab; and Uzza and Ahio drove the cart.

And David and all Israel played before God with all their might, and with singing, and with harps, and with lutes, and with tambours, and with cymbals, and with trumpets.

And when they came to the threshing-floor of Chidon, Uzza put forth his hand to hold the ark; for the oxen had stumbled.

10 And the anger of Jehovah was kindled against Uzza, and he smote him, because he had put forth his hand to the ark; and there he died before God.

11 And David was indignant; for Jehovah had made a breach upon Uzza; and he called that place Perez-Uzza to this day.

12 And David was afraid of God that day, saying, How shall I bring the ark of God to me?

13 And David brought not the ark home unto himself into the city of David, but he carried it aside into the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite.

14 And the ark of God remained with the family of Obed-Edom in his house three months. And Jehovah blessed the house of Obed-Edom, and all that he had.

Saul Takes His Life(A)

10 Now the Philistines fought against Israel; the Israelites fled before them, and many fell dead on Mount Gilboa. The Philistines were in hot pursuit of Saul and his sons, and they killed his sons Jonathan, Abinadab and Malki-Shua. The fighting grew fierce around Saul, and when the archers overtook him, they wounded him.

Saul said to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword and run me through, or these uncircumcised fellows will come and abuse me.”

But his armor-bearer was terrified and would not do it; so Saul took his own sword and fell on it. When the armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he too fell on his sword and died. So Saul and his three sons died, and all his house died together.

When all the Israelites in the valley saw that the army had fled and that Saul and his sons had died, they abandoned their towns and fled. And the Philistines came and occupied them.

The next day, when the Philistines came to strip the dead, they found Saul and his sons fallen on Mount Gilboa. They stripped him and took his head and his armor, and sent messengers throughout the land of the Philistines to proclaim the news among their idols and their people. 10 They put his armor in the temple of their gods and hung up his head in the temple of Dagon.(B)

11 When all the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead(C) heard what the Philistines had done to Saul, 12 all their valiant men went and took the bodies of Saul and his sons and brought them to Jabesh. Then they buried their bones under the great tree in Jabesh, and they fasted seven days.

13 Saul died(D) because he was unfaithful(E) to the Lord; he did not keep(F) the word of the Lord and even consulted a medium(G) for guidance, 14 and did not inquire of the Lord. So the Lord put him to death and turned(H) the kingdom(I) over to David son of Jesse.

David Becomes King Over Israel(J)

11 All Israel(K) came together to David at Hebron(L) and said, “We are your own flesh and blood. In the past, even while Saul was king, you were the one who led Israel on their military campaigns.(M) And the Lord your God said to you, ‘You will shepherd(N) my people Israel, and you will become their ruler.(O)’”

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

David Conquers Jerusalem(Q)

David and all the Israelites marched to Jerusalem (that is, Jebus). The Jebusites(R) who lived there said to David, “You will not get in here.” Nevertheless, David captured the fortress of Zion—which is the City of David.

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

David then took up residence in the fortress, and so it was called the City of David. He built up the city around it, from the terraces[a](T) to the surrounding wall, while Joab restored the rest of the city. And David became more and more powerful,(U) because the Lord Almighty was with him.

David’s Mighty Warriors(V)

10 These were the chiefs of David’s mighty warriors—they, together with all Israel,(W) gave his kingship strong support to extend it over the whole land, as the Lord had promised(X) 11 this is the list of David’s mighty warriors:(Y)

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

12 Next to him was Eleazar son of Dodai the Ahohite, one of the three mighty warriors. 13 He was with David at Pas Dammim when the Philistines gathered there for battle. At a place where there was a field full of barley, the troops fled from the Philistines. 14 But they took their stand in the middle of the field. They defended it and struck the Philistines down, and the Lord brought about a great victory.(Z)

15 Three of the thirty chiefs came down to David to the rock at the cave of Adullam, while a band of Philistines was encamped in the Valley(AA) of Rephaim. 16 At that time David was in the stronghold,(AB) and the Philistine garrison was at Bethlehem. 17 David longed for water and said, “Oh, that someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem!” 18 So the Three broke through the Philistine lines, drew water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem and carried it back to David. But he refused to drink it; instead, he poured(AC) it out to the Lord. 19 “God forbid that I should do this!” he said. “Should I drink the blood of these men who went at the risk of their lives?” Because they risked their lives to bring it back, David would not drink it.

Such were the exploits of the three mighty warriors.

20 Abishai(AD) the brother of Joab was chief of the Three. He raised his spear against three hundred men, whom he killed, and so he became as famous as the Three. 21 He was doubly honored above the Three and became their commander, even though he was not included among them.

22 Benaiah son of Jehoiada, a valiant fighter from Kabzeel,(AE) performed great exploits. He struck down Moab’s two mightiest warriors. He also went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion.(AF) 23 And he struck down an Egyptian who was five cubits[d] tall. Although the Egyptian had a spear like a weaver’s rod(AG) in his hand, Benaiah went against him with a club. He snatched the spear from the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with his own spear. 24 Such were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoiada; he too was as famous as the three mighty warriors. 25 He was held in greater honor than any of the Thirty, but he was not included among the Three. And David put him in charge of his bodyguard.

26 The mighty warriors were:

Asahel(AH) the brother of Joab,

Elhanan son of Dodo from Bethlehem,

27 Shammoth(AI) the Harorite,

Helez the Pelonite,

28 Ira son of Ikkesh from Tekoa,

Abiezer(AJ) from Anathoth,

29 Sibbekai(AK) the Hushathite,

Ilai the Ahohite,

30 Maharai the Netophathite,

Heled son of Baanah the Netophathite,

31 Ithai son of Ribai from Gibeah in Benjamin,

Benaiah(AL) the Pirathonite,(AM)

32 Hurai from the ravines of Gaash,

Abiel the Arbathite,

33 Azmaveth the Baharumite,

Eliahba the Shaalbonite,

34 the sons of Hashem the Gizonite,

Jonathan son of Shagee the Hararite,

35 Ahiam son of Sakar the Hararite,

Eliphal son of Ur,

36 Hepher the Mekerathite,

Ahijah the Pelonite,

37 Hezro the Carmelite,

Naarai son of Ezbai,

38 Joel the brother of Nathan,

Mibhar son of Hagri,

39 Zelek the Ammonite,

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

40 Ira the Ithrite,

Gareb the Ithrite,

41 Uriah(AN) the Hittite,

Zabad(AO) son of Ahlai,

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

43 Hanan son of Maakah,

Joshaphat the Mithnite,

44 Uzzia the Ashterathite,(AP)

Shama and Jeiel the sons of Hotham the Aroerite,

45 Jediael son of Shimri,

his brother Joha the Tizite,

46 Eliel the Mahavite,

Jeribai and Joshaviah the sons of Elnaam,

Ithmah the Moabite,

47 Eliel, Obed and Jaasiel the Mezobaite.

Warriors Join David

12 These were the men who came to David at Ziklag,(AQ) while he was banished from the presence of Saul son of Kish (they were among the warriors who helped him in battle; they were armed with bows and were able to shoot arrows or to sling stones right-handed or left-handed;(AR) they were relatives of Saul(AS) from the tribe of Benjamin):

Ahiezer their chief and Joash the sons of Shemaah the Gibeathite; Jeziel and Pelet the sons of Azmaveth; Berakah, Jehu the Anathothite, and Ishmaiah the Gibeonite, a mighty warrior among the Thirty, who was a leader of the Thirty; Jeremiah, Jahaziel, Johanan, Jozabad the Gederathite,[e](AT) Eluzai, Jerimoth, Bealiah, Shemariah and Shephatiah the Haruphite; Elkanah, Ishiah, Azarel, Joezer and Jashobeam the Korahites; and Joelah and Zebadiah the sons of Jeroham from Gedor.(AU)

Some Gadites(AV) defected to David at his stronghold in the wilderness. They were brave warriors, ready for battle and able to handle the shield and spear. Their faces were the faces of lions,(AW) and they were as swift as gazelles(AX) in the mountains.

Ezer was the chief,

Obadiah the second in command, Eliab the third,

10 Mishmannah the fourth, Jeremiah the fifth,

11 Attai the sixth, Eliel the seventh,

12 Johanan the eighth, Elzabad the ninth,

13 Jeremiah the tenth and Makbannai the eleventh.

14 These Gadites were army commanders; the least was a match for a hundred,(AY) and the greatest for a thousand.(AZ) 15 It was they who crossed the Jordan in the first month when it was overflowing all its banks,(BA) and they put to flight everyone living in the valleys, to the east and to the west.

16 Other Benjamites(BB) and some men from Judah also came to David in his stronghold. 17 David went out to meet them and said to them, “If you have come to me in peace to help me, I am ready for you to join me. But if you have come to betray me to my enemies when my hands are free from violence, may the God of our ancestors see it and judge you.”

18 Then the Spirit(BC) came on Amasai,(BD) chief of the Thirty, and he said:

“We are yours, David!
    We are with you, son of Jesse!
Success,(BE) success to you,
    and success to those who help you,
        for your God will help you.”

So David received them and made them leaders of his raiding bands.

19 Some of the tribe of Manasseh defected to David when he went with the Philistines to fight against Saul. (He and his men did not help the Philistines because, after consultation, their rulers sent him away. They said, “It will cost us our heads if he deserts to his master Saul.”)(BF) 20 When David went to Ziklag,(BG) these were the men of Manasseh who defected to him: Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu and Zillethai, leaders of units of a thousand in Manasseh. 21 They helped David against raiding bands, for all of them were brave warriors, and they were commanders in his army. 22 Day after day men came to help David, until he had a great army, like the army of God.[f]

Others Join David at Hebron

23 These are the numbers of the men armed for battle who came to David at Hebron(BH) to turn(BI) Saul’s kingdom over to him, as the Lord had said:(BJ)

24 from Judah, carrying shield and spear—6,800 armed for battle;

25 from Simeon, warriors ready for battle—7,100;

26 from Levi—4,600, 27 including Jehoiada, leader of the family of Aaron, with 3,700 men, 28 and Zadok,(BK) a brave young warrior, with 22 officers from his family;

29 from Benjamin,(BL) Saul’s tribe—3,000, most(BM) of whom had remained loyal to Saul’s house until then;

30 from Ephraim, brave warriors, famous in their own clans—20,800;

31 from half the tribe of Manasseh, designated by name to come and make David king—18,000;

32 from Issachar, men who understood the times and knew what Israel should do(BN)—200 chiefs, with all their relatives under their command;

33 from Zebulun, experienced soldiers prepared for battle with every type of weapon, to help David with undivided loyalty—50,000;

34 from Naphtali—1,000 officers, together with 37,000 men carrying shields and spears;

35 from Dan, ready for battle—28,600;

36 from Asher, experienced soldiers prepared for battle—40,000;

37 and from east of the Jordan, from Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh, armed with every type of weapon—120,000.

38 All these were fighting men who volunteered to serve in the ranks. They came to Hebron fully determined to make David king over all Israel.(BO) All the rest of the Israelites were also of one mind to make David king. 39 The men spent three days there with David, eating and drinking,(BP) for their families had supplied provisions for them. 40 Also, their neighbors from as far away as Issachar, Zebulun and Naphtali came bringing food on donkeys, camels, mules and oxen. There were plentiful supplies(BQ) of flour, fig cakes, raisin(BR) cakes, wine, olive oil, cattle and sheep, for there was joy(BS) in Israel.

Bringing Back the Ark(BT)

13 David conferred with each of his officers, the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds. He then said to the whole assembly of Israel, “If it seems good to you and if it is the will of the Lord our God, let us send word far and wide to the rest of our people throughout the territories of Israel, and also to the priests and Levites who are with them in their towns and pasturelands, to come and join us. Let us bring the ark of our God back to us,(BU) for we did not inquire(BV) of[g] it[h] during the reign of Saul.” The whole assembly agreed to do this, because it seemed right to all the people.

So David assembled all Israel,(BW) from the Shihor River(BX) in Egypt to Lebo Hamath,(BY) to bring the ark of God from Kiriath Jearim.(BZ) David and all Israel went to Baalah(CA) of Judah (Kiriath Jearim) to bring up from there the ark of God the Lord, who is enthroned between the cherubim(CB)—the ark that is called by the Name.

They moved the ark of God from Abinadab’s(CC) house on a new cart, with Uzzah and Ahio guiding it. David and all the Israelites were celebrating with all their might before God, with songs and with harps, lyres, timbrels, cymbals and trumpets.(CD)

When they came to the threshing floor of Kidon, Uzzah reached out his hand to steady the ark, because the oxen stumbled. 10 The Lord’s anger(CE) burned against Uzzah, and he struck him down(CF) because he had put his hand on the ark. So he died there before God.

11 Then David was angry because the Lord’s wrath had broken out against Uzzah, and to this day that place is called Perez Uzzah.[i](CG)

12 David was afraid of God that day and asked, “How can I ever bring the ark of God to me?” 13 He did not take the ark to be with him in the City of David. Instead, he took it to the house of Obed-Edom(CH) the Gittite. 14 The ark of God remained with the family of Obed-Edom in his house for three months, and the Lord blessed his household(CI) and everything he had.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Chronicles 11:8 Or the Millo
  2. 1 Chronicles 11:11 Possibly a variant of Jashob-Baal
  3. 1 Chronicles 11:11 Or Thirty; some Septuagint manuscripts Three (see also 2 Samuel 23:8)
  4. 1 Chronicles 11:23 That is, about 7 feet 6 inches or about 2.3 meters
  5. 1 Chronicles 12:4 In Hebrew texts the second half of this verse (Jeremiah … Gederathite) is numbered 12:5, and 12:5-40 is numbered 12:6-41.
  6. 1 Chronicles 12:22 Or a great and mighty army
  7. 1 Chronicles 13:3 Or we neglected
  8. 1 Chronicles 13:3 Or him
  9. 1 Chronicles 13:11 Perez Uzzah means outbreak against Uzzah.