1 Chronicles 19-23

New King James Version

The Ammonites and Syrians Defeated^(A)

19 It^(B) happened after this that Nahash the king of the people of Ammon died, and his son reigned in his place. ² Then David said, “I will show kindness to Hanun the son of Nahash, because his father showed kindness to me.” So David sent messengers to comfort him concerning his father. And David’s servants came to Hanun in the land of the people of Ammon to comfort him.

³ And the princes of the people of Ammon said to Hanun, ^[a]“Do you think that David really honors your father because he has sent comforters to you? Did his servants not come to you to search and to overthrow and to spy out the land?”

⁴ Therefore Hanun took David’s servants, shaved them, and cut off their garments ^[b]in the middle, at their ^(C)buttocks, and sent them away. ⁵ Then some went and told David about the men; and he sent to meet them, because the men were greatly ashamed. And the king said, “Wait at Jericho until your beards have grown, and then return.”

⁶ When the people of Ammon saw that they had made themselves repulsive to David, Hanun and the people of Ammon sent a thousand talents of silver to hire for themselves chariots and horsemen from ^[c]Mesopotamia, from Syrian Maacah, ^(D)and from ^[d]Zobah. ⁷ So they hired for themselves thirty-two thousand chariots, with the king of Maacah and his people, who came and encamped before Medeba. Also the people of Ammon gathered together from their cities, and came to battle.

⁸ Now when David heard of it, he sent Joab and all the army of the mighty men. ⁹ Then the people of Ammon came out and put themselves in battle array before the gate of the city, and the kings who had come were by themselves in the field.

¹⁰ When Joab saw that the battle line was against him before and behind, he chose some of Israel’s best and put them in battle array against the Syrians. ¹¹ And the rest of the people he put under the command of Abishai his brother, and they set themselves in battle array against the people of Ammon. ¹² Then he said, “If the Syrians are too strong for me, then you shall help me; but if the people of Ammon are too strong for you, then I will help you. ¹³ Be of good courage, and let us be strong for our people and for the cities of our God. And may the Lord do what is good in His sight.”

¹⁴ So Joab and the people who were with him drew near for the battle against the Syrians, and they fled before him. ¹⁵ When the people of Ammon saw that the Syrians were fleeing, they also fled before Abishai his brother, and entered the city. So Joab went to Jerusalem.

¹⁶ Now when the Syrians saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they sent messengers and brought the Syrians who were beyond ^[e]the River, and ^[f]Shophach the commander of Hadadezer’s army went before them. ¹⁷ When it was told David, he gathered all Israel, crossed over the Jordan and came upon them, and set up in battle array against them. So when David had set up in battle array against the Syrians, they fought with him. ¹⁸ Then the Syrians fled before Israel; and David killed ^[g]seven thousand charioteers and forty thousand ^[h]foot soldiers of the Syrians, and killed Shophach the commander of the army. ¹⁹ And when the servants of Hadadezer saw that they were defeated by Israel, they made peace with David and became his servants. So the Syrians were not willing to help the people of Ammon anymore.

Rabbah Is Conquered^(E)

20 It^(F) happened ^[i]in the spring of the year, at the time kings go out to battle, that Joab led out the armed forces and ravaged the country of the people of Ammon, and came and besieged Rabbah. But ^(G)David stayed at Jerusalem. And ^(H)Joab defeated Rabbah and overthrew it. ² Then David ^(I)took their king’s crown from his head, and found it to weigh a talent of gold, and there were precious stones in it. And it was set on David’s head. Also he brought out the ^[j]spoil of the city in great abundance. ³ And he brought out the people who were in it, and ^[k]put them to work with saws, with iron picks, and with axes. So David did to all the cities of the people of Ammon. Then David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.

Philistine Giants Destroyed^(J)

⁴ Now it happened afterward ^(K)that war broke out at ^[l]Gezer with the Philistines, at which time ^(L)Sibbechai the Hushathite killed ^[m]Sippai, who was one of the sons of ^[n]the giant. And they were subdued.

⁵ Again there was war with the Philistines, and Elhanan the son of ^[o]Jair killed Lahmi the brother of Goliath the Gittite, the shaft of whose spear was like a weaver’s ^(M)beam.

⁶ Yet again ^(N)there was war at Gath, where there was a man of great stature, with twenty-four fingers and toes, six on each hand and six on each foot; and he also was born to ^[p]the giant. ⁷ So when he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of ^[q]Shimea, David’s brother, killed him.

⁸ These were born to the giant in Gath, and they fell by the hand of David and by the hand of his servants.

The Census of Israel and Judah^(O)

21 Now ^(P)Satan stood up against Israel, and moved David to ^[r]number Israel. ² So David said to Joab and to the leaders of the people, “Go, number Israel from Beersheba to Dan, ^(Q)and bring the number of them to me that I may know it.”

³ And Joab answered, “May the Lord make His people a hundred times more than they are. But, my lord the king, are they not all my lord’s servants? Why then does my lord require this thing? Why should he be a cause of guilt in Israel?”

⁴ Nevertheless the king’s word prevailed against Joab. Therefore Joab departed and went throughout all Israel and came to Jerusalem. ⁵ Then Joab gave the sum of the number of the people to David. All Israel had one million one hundred thousand men who drew the sword, and Judah had four hundred and seventy thousand men who drew the sword. ^6 (R)But he did not count Levi and Benjamin among them, for the king’s ^[s]word was abominable to Joab.

⁷ And ^[t]God was displeased with this thing; therefore He struck Israel. ⁸ So David said to God, ^(S)“I have sinned greatly, because I have done this thing; ^(T)but now, I pray, take away the iniquity of Your servant, for I have done very foolishly.”

⁹ Then the Lord spoke to Gad, David’s ^(U)seer, saying, ¹⁰ “Go and tell David, ^(V)saying, ‘Thus says the Lord: “I offer you three things; choose one of them for yourself, that I may do it to you.” ’ ”

¹¹ So Gad came to David and said to him, “Thus says the Lord: ‘Choose for yourself, ^12 (W)either ^[u]three years of famine, or three months to be defeated by your foes with the sword of your enemies overtaking you, or else for three days the sword of the Lord—the plague in the land, with the ^[v]angel of the Lord destroying throughout all the territory of Israel.’ Now consider what answer I should take back to Him who sent me.”

¹³ And David said to Gad, “I am in great distress. Please let me fall into the hand of the Lord, for His ^(X)mercies are very great; but do not let me fall into the hand of man.”

¹⁴ So the Lord sent a ^(Y)plague upon Israel, and seventy thousand men of Israel fell. ¹⁵ And God sent ^[w]an ^(Z)angel to Jerusalem to destroy it. As ^[x]he was destroying, the Lord looked and ^(AA)relented of the disaster, and said to the angel who was destroying, “It is enough; now restrain ^[y]your hand.” And the angel of the Lord stood by the ^(AB)threshing floor of ^[z]Ornan the Jebusite.

¹⁶ Then David lifted his eyes and ^(AC)saw the angel of the Lord standing between earth and heaven, having in his hand a drawn sword stretched out over Jerusalem. So David and the elders, clothed in sackcloth, fell on their faces. ¹⁷ And David said to God, “Was it not I who commanded the people to be numbered? I am the one who has sinned and done evil indeed; but these ^(AD)sheep, what have they done? Let Your hand, I pray, O Lord my God, be against me and my father’s house, but not against Your people that they should be plagued.”

¹⁸ Therefore, the ^(AE)angel of the Lord commanded Gad to say to David that David should go and erect an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite. ¹⁹ So David went up at the word of Gad, which he had spoken in the name of the Lord. ²⁰ Now Ornan turned and saw the angel; and his four sons who were with him hid themselves, but Ornan continued threshing wheat. ²¹ So David came to Ornan, and Ornan looked and saw David. And he went out from the threshing floor, and bowed before David with his face to the ground. ²² Then David said to Ornan, ^[aa]“Grant me the place of this threshing floor, that I may build an altar on it to the Lord. You shall grant it to me at the full price, that the plague may be withdrawn from the people.”

²³ But Ornan said to David, “Take it to yourself, and let my lord the king do what is good in his eyes. Look, I also give you the oxen for burnt offerings, the threshing implements for wood, and the wheat for the grain offering; I give it all.”

²⁴ Then King David said to Ornan, “No, but I will surely buy it for the full price, for I will not take what is yours for the Lord, nor offer burnt offerings with that which costs me nothing.” ²⁵ So ^(AF)David gave Ornan six hundred shekels of gold by weight for the place. ²⁶ And David built there an altar to the Lord, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings, and called on the Lord; and ^(AG)He answered him from heaven by fire on the altar of burnt offering.

²⁷ So the Lord commanded the angel, and he returned his sword to its sheath.

²⁸ At that time, when David saw that the Lord had answered him on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite, he sacrificed there. ^29 (AH)For the tabernacle of the Lord and the altar of the burnt offering, which Moses had made in the wilderness, were at that time at the high place in ^(AI)Gibeon. ³⁰ But David could not go before it to inquire of God, for he was afraid of the sword of the angel of the Lord.

David Prepares to Build the Temple

22 Then David said, ^(AJ)“This is the house of the Lord God, and this is the altar of burnt offering for Israel.” ² So David commanded to gather the ^(AK)aliens who were in the land of Israel; and he appointed masons to ^(AL)cut hewn stones to build the house of God. ³ And David prepared iron in abundance for the nails of the doors of the gates and for the joints, and bronze in abundance ^(AM)beyond measure, ⁴ and cedar trees in abundance; for the ^(AN)Sidonians and those from Tyre brought much cedar wood to David.

⁵ Now David said, ^(AO)“Solomon my son is young and inexperienced, and the house to be built for the Lord must be exceedingly magnificent, famous and glorious throughout all countries. I will now make preparation for it.” So David made abundant preparations before his death.

⁶ Then he called for his son Solomon, and ^[ab]charged him to build a house for the Lord God of Israel. ⁷ And David said to Solomon: “My son, as for me, ^(AP)it was in my mind to build a house ^(AQ)to the name of the Lord my God; ⁸ but the word of the Lord came to me, saying, ^(AR)‘You have shed much blood and have made great wars; you shall not build a house for My name, because you have shed much blood on the earth in My sight. ^9 (AS)Behold, a son shall be born to you, who shall be a man of rest; and I will give him ^(AT)rest from all his enemies all around. His name shall be ^[ac]Solomon, for I will give peace and quietness to Israel in his days. ^10 (AU)He shall build a house for My name, and ^(AV)he shall be My son, and I will be his Father; and I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever.’ ¹¹ Now, my son, may ^(AW)the Lord be with you; and may you prosper, and build the house of the Lord your God, as He has said to you. ¹² Only may the Lord ^(AX)give you wisdom and understanding, and give you charge concerning Israel, that you may keep the law of the Lord your God. ^13 (AY)Then you will prosper, if you take care to fulfill the statutes and judgments with which the Lord ^[ad]charged Moses concerning Israel. ^(AZ)Be strong and of good courage; do not fear nor be dismayed. ¹⁴ Indeed I have taken much trouble to prepare for the house of the Lord one hundred thousand talents of gold and one million talents of silver, and bronze and iron ^(BA)beyond measure, for it is so abundant. I have prepared timber and stone also, and you may add to them. ¹⁵ Moreover there are workmen with you in abundance: woodsmen and stonecutters, and all types of skillful men for every kind of work. ¹⁶ Of gold and silver and bronze and iron there is no limit. Arise and begin working, and ^(BB)the Lord be with you.”

¹⁷ David also commanded all the ^(BC)leaders of Israel to help Solomon his son, saying, ¹⁸ “Is not the Lord your God with you? ^(BD)And has He not given you rest on every side? For He has given the inhabitants of the land into my hand, and the land is subdued before the Lord and before His people. ¹⁹ Now set your heart and your soul to seek the Lord your God. Therefore arise and build the sanctuary of the Lord God, to ^(BE)bring the ark of the covenant of the Lord and the holy articles of God into the house that is to be built ^(BF)for the name of the Lord.”

The Divisions of the Levites

23 So when David was old and full of days, he made his son ^(BG)Solomon king over Israel.

² And he gathered together all the leaders of Israel, with the priests and the Levites. ³ Now the Levites were numbered from the age of ^(BH)thirty years and above; and the number of individual males was thirty-eight thousand. ⁴ Of these, twenty-four thousand were to ^(BI)look after the work of the house of the Lord, six thousand were ^(BJ)officers and judges, ⁵ four thousand were gatekeepers, and four thousand ^(BK)praised the Lord with musical instruments, ^(BL)“which I made,” said David, “for giving praise.”

⁶ Also ^(BM)David separated them into ^[ae]divisions among the sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

⁷ Of the ^(BN)Gershonites: ^[af]Laadan and Shimei. ⁸ The sons of Laadan: the first Jehiel, then Zetham and Joel—three in all. ⁹ The sons of Shimei: Shelomith, Haziel, and Haran—three in all. These were the heads of the fathers’ houses of Laadan. ¹⁰ And the sons of Shimei: Jahath, ^[ag]Zina, Jeush, and Beriah. These were the four sons of Shimei. ¹¹ Jahath was the first and Zizah the second. But Jeush and Beriah did not have many sons; therefore they were assigned as one father’s house.

^12 (BO)The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel—four in all. ¹³ The sons of ^(BP)Amram: Aaron and Moses; and ^(BQ)Aaron was set apart, he and his sons forever, that he should ^[ah]sanctify the most holy things, ^(BR)to burn incense before the Lord, ^(BS)to minister to Him, and ^(BT)to give the blessing in His name forever. ¹⁴ Now ^(BU)the sons of Moses the man of God were reckoned to the tribe of Levi. ^15 (BV)The sons of Moses were ^[ai]Gershon and Eliezer. ¹⁶ Of the sons of Gershon, ^(BW)Shebuel^[aj] was the first. ¹⁷ Of the descendants of Eliezer, ^(BX)Rehabiah was the first. And Eliezer had no other sons, but the sons of Rehabiah were very many. ¹⁸ Of the sons of Izhar, ^(BY)Shelomith was the first. ^19 (BZ)Of the sons of Hebron, Jeriah was the first, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, and Jekameam the fourth. ²⁰ Of the sons of Uzziel, Michah was the first and Jesshiah the second.

^21 (CA)The sons of Merari were Mahli and Mushi. The sons of Mahli were Eleazar and ^(CB)Kish. ²² And Eleazar died, and ^(CC)had no sons, but only daughters; and their ^[ak]brethren, the sons of Kish, ^(CD)took them as wives. ^23 (CE)The sons of Mushi were Mahli, Eder, and Jeremoth—three in all.

²⁴ These were the sons of ^(CF)Levi by their fathers’ houses—the heads of the fathers’ houses as they were counted individually by the number of their names, who did the work for the service of the house of the Lord, from the age of ^(CG)twenty years and above.

²⁵ For David said, “The Lord God of Israel ^(CH)has given rest to His people, that they may dwell in Jerusalem forever”; ²⁶ and also to the Levites, “They shall no longer ^(CI)carry the tabernacle, or any of the articles for its service.” ²⁷ For by the ^(CJ)last words of David the Levites were numbered from twenty years old and above; ²⁸ because their duty was to help the sons of Aaron in the service of the house of the Lord, in the courts and in the chambers, in the purifying of all holy things and the work of the service of the house of God, ²⁹ both with ^(CK)the showbread and ^(CL)the fine flour for the grain offering, with ^(CM)the unleavened cakes and ^(CN)what is baked in the pan, with what is mixed and with all kinds of ^(CO)measures and sizes; ³⁰ to stand every morning to thank and praise the Lord, and likewise at evening; ³¹ and at every presentation of a burnt offering to the Lord ^(CP)on the Sabbaths and on the New Moons and on the ^(CQ)set^[al] feasts, by number according to the ordinance governing them, regularly before the Lord; ³² and that they should ^(CR)attend to the ^(CS)needs of the tabernacle of meeting, the needs of the holy place, and the ^(CT)needs of the sons of Aaron their brethren in the work of the house of the Lord.