The Daily Audio Bible

¹⁹ Some men from Manasseh came over to David’s side when he was about to go to battle with the Philistines against Saul. But they did not help him. For after talking it over, the Philistine leaders sent him away, saying, “He might go over to Saul’s side with our heads.” ²⁰ The men who came over to David’s side from Manasseh as he went to Ziklag were Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu and Zillethai. They were captains of thousands who belonged to Manasseh. ²¹ They helped David against the army of soldiers who came to fight him. For they were all powerful soldiers, and captains in the army. ²² Each day men came to David to help him. They came until there was a great army, like the army of God.

²³ These are the numbers of the armies who came to David at Hebron. They came to turn the nation of Saul to him, as the Word of the Lord had said. ²⁴ There were 6,800 sons of Judah who carried a battle-covering and spear, ready for war. ²⁵ There were 7,100 powerful soldiers from the sons of Simeon. ²⁶ There were 4,600 sons of Levi. ²⁷ Jehoiada was the leader of the house of Aaron. There were 3,700 men with him. ²⁸ And there was Zadok, a young, powerful soldier, and twenty-two captains from his own father’s house. ²⁹ There were 3,000 sons of Benjamin, Saul’s brothers. For until now most of them had stayed faithful to the house of Saul. ³⁰ There were 20,800 powerful soldiers from the sons of Ephraim. They were important men in their fathers’ houses. ³¹ There were 18,000 men of the half-family group of Manasseh. They were chosen by name to come and make David king. ³² There were 200 captains of the sons of Issachar. They understood the times and had much understanding of what Israel should do. And all their brothers obeyed them. ³³ There were 50,000 men of Zebulun who were soldiers. They could fight in battle with everything used in war. And they helped David as if they had one heart. ³⁴ There were 1,000 captains from Naphtali. With them were 37,000 men with battle-coverings and spears. ³⁵ There were 28,600 Danites ready for battle. ³⁶ There were 40,000 soldiers from Asher, ready for battle. ³⁷ And there were 120,000 sons of Reuben, Gad and the half-family group of Manasseh from the other side of the Jordan. They came with everything used in war.

³⁸ All these were men of war, ready for battle. They came to Hebron with one desire, to make David the king of all Israel. And all the rest of Israel were of one mind to make David king. ³⁹ They were there with David for three days, eating and drinking. For their brothers had made food ready for them. ⁴⁰ And their neighbors brought food, from as far as Issachar, Zebulun and Naphtali. They brought food on donkeys, camels, horses and cattle. They brought many loaves of bread and figs, many dried grapes, wine, oil, cattle and sheep. For there was joy in Israel.

The Special Box Brought from Kiriath-Jearim

13 Then David spoke with the captains of the thousands and the hundreds and with every leader about what should be done. ² David spoke to all the people of Israel. He said, “If you think it is good, and if it is from the Lord our God, let us send word to our brothers who are staying in all the land of Israel. Let us send word to the religious leaders and Levites who are with them in their cities that have fields. And let us ask them to meet with us. ³ Let us bring the special box with the Law of our God to us. For we did not think of it in the days of Saul.” ⁴ Then all the people said that they would do so. For it was right in the eyes of all the people.

⁵ So David gathered all Israel together, from the Shihor of Egypt to the gate of Hamath, to bring the special box of God from Kiriath-jearim. ⁶ David and all Israel went up to Baalah, that is, to Kiriath-jearim which belongs to Judah. They went to bring the special box of God. It is called by the name of the Lord Who sits on His throne above the cherubim. ⁷ They carried the special box of God on a new wagon from the house of Abinadab. And Uzza and Ahio drove the wagon. ⁸ David and all Israel were showing their joy before God with all their strength. They were singing and playing harps and timbrels, and blowing horns.

⁹ When they came to the grain-floor of Chidon, the cattle pulling the wagon tripped. And Uzza put out his hand to hold the special box of God. ¹⁰ Then the anger of the Lord burned against Uzza. So He killed him because Uzza had put out his hand to the special box of God, so before God he died. ¹¹ Then David became angry because the Lord had killed Uzza in His anger. That place is called Perez-uzza to this day. ¹² David was afraid of God that day, saying, “How can I bring the special box of God home to me?” ¹³ So David did not take the special box of God with him to the city of David. He took it aside to the house of Obed-edom the Gittite. ¹⁴ The special box of God stayed with the family of Obed-edom in his house for three months. The Lord brought good to Obed-edom’s family and all that he had.

David in Jerusalem

14 Now King Hiram of Tyre sent men with cedar trees to David. With them came men who worked with stone and wood. They came to build a house for him. ² David understood that the Lord had made him to be king of Israel. He knew that his nation was very honored because of God’s people Israel.

³ Then David took more wives at Jerusalem. He became the father of more sons and daughters. ⁴ The names of the children born to him in Jerusalem are Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, ⁵ Ibhar, Elishua, Elpelet, ⁶ Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia, ⁷ Elishama, Beeliada and Eliphelet.

Battle with the Philistines

⁸ The Philistines heard that David had been chosen as king of all Israel. So they went up to look for him. David heard of it and went out against them. ⁹ Now the Philistines had come to fight a surprise battle in the valley of Rephaim. ¹⁰ David asked God, “Should I go fight against the Philistines? Will You give them to me?” And the Lord said to him, “Go, for I will give them to you.” ¹¹ So they came up to Baal-perazim, and David won the battle against them there. David said, “By my hand God has broken through those who hate me, like the breaking through of a flood.” So they gave that place the name Baal-perazim. ¹² The Philistines left their gods there. So David had them burned with fire.

¹³ The Philistines fought another surprise battle in the valley. ¹⁴ So David asked God again what he should do. God said to him, “Do not go after them. Go around behind them, and come upon them in front of the balsam trees. ¹⁵ When you hear the sound of their steps in the tops of the balsam trees, then go out to battle. For God will have gone out before you to destroy the Philistine army.” ¹⁶ David did just as God had told him, and they destroyed the Philistine army from Gibeon as far as Gezer. ¹⁷ Then the name of David became known in all the lands. The Lord brought the fear of him upon all the nations.

1 This letter is from Paul. I am a servant owned by Jesus Christ and a missionary chosen by God to preach His Good News. ² The Good News was promised long ago by God’s early preachers in His Holy Writings. ³ It tells of His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, Who was born as a person in the flesh through the family of King David. ⁴ The Holy Spirit proved by a powerful act that Jesus our Lord is the Son of God because He was raised from the dead. ⁵ Jesus has given us His loving-favor and has made us His missionaries. We are to preach to the people of all nations that they should obey Him and put their trust in Him. ⁶ You have been chosen to belong to Jesus Christ also. ⁷ So I write to all of you in the city of Rome. God loves you and has chosen you to be set apart for Himself. May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you His loving-favor and peace.

⁸ First of all, I keep thanking my God, through Jesus Christ, for all of you. This is because the whole world knows of your faith in Christ. ⁹ God knows how I work for Him. He knows how I preach with all my heart the Good News about His Son. He knows how I always pray for you. ¹⁰ I pray that I might be able to visit you, if God wants me to. ¹¹ I want to see you so I can share some special gift of the Holy Spirit with you. It will make you strong. ¹² Both of us need help. I can help make your faith strong and you can do the same for me. We need each other.

¹³ Christian brothers, many times I have wanted to visit you. Something has kept me from going until now. I have wanted to lead some of you to Christ also, as I have done in other places where they did not know God. ¹⁴ I must help the people who have had a chance to hear the Good News and those who have not. I must help those with much learning and those who have never learned from books. ¹⁵ So I want to preach the Good News to you who live in Rome also.

¹⁶ I am not ashamed of the Good News. It is the power of God. It is the way He saves men from the punishment of their sins if they put their trust in Him. It is for the Jew first and for all other people also. ¹⁷ The Good News tells us we are made right with God by faith in Him. Then, by faith we live that new life through Him. The Holy Writings say, “A man right with God lives by faith.” ^(A)

¹³ Have pity on me, O Lord! See how I suffer from those who hate me, You Who have lifted me up from the gates of death, ¹⁴ that I may tell of all Your praises in the gates of the people of Zion. There I will be full of joy because You save.

¹⁵ The nations have fallen into the hole they have dug. Their own feet have been caught in the net they have hidden. ¹⁶ The Lord has made Himself known. He is fair in His Law. The sinful trap themselves by the work of their own hands. ¹⁷ The sinful, all the nations that forget God, will be turned back into the grave.

¹⁸ But those in need will not always be forgotten. The hope of the poor will not be lost forever. ¹⁹ Rise up, O Lord! Do not let man win the fight against You. Let the nations come to You and be judged. ²⁰ Make them afraid, O Lord. Let the nations know they are only men.

⁴ Riches add many friends, but a poor man is separated from his friend.

⁵ A man who tells lies about someone will be punished. He who tells lies will not get away.