David's Army

121 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; 2 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: 3 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, 4 and Jishmaiah the Gibeonite, a mighty man among the thirty, and over the thirty; and Jeremiah, and Jahaziel, and Johanan, and Jozabad the Gederathite. 5 Eluzai, and Jerimoth, and Bealiah, and Shemariah, and Shephatiah the Haruphite; 6 Elkanah, and Jishijah, and Azareel, and Joezer, and Jashobeam, the Korahites; 7 and Joelah, and Zebadiah, the sons of Jeroham of Gedor. 8 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: 9 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.

David Proposes to Bring the Ark to Jerusalem

131 And David consulted with the captains of thousands and hundreds, with every prince. 2 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; 3 and let us bring again the ark of our God to us; for we inquired not of it in the days of Saul. 4 And all the congregation said that they should do so; for the thing was right in the eyes of all the people.

David Goes to Get the Ark

5 And David assembled all Israel from the Shihor of Egypt unto the entrance of Hamath, to bring the ark of God from Kirjath-jearim. 6 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]. 7 And they carried the ark of God on a new cart out of the house of Abinadab; and Uzza and Ahio drove the cart. 8 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.

9 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.

Hiram's Recognition of David

141 And Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and timber of cedars, with masons and carpenters, to build him a house. 2 And David perceived that Jehovah had established him king over Israel, for his kingdom was highly exalted, because of his people Israel.

David's Children Born at Jerusalem

3 And David took more wives at Jerusalem: and David begot more sons and daughters. 4 And these are the names of the children which he had in Jerusalem: Shammua, and Shobab, Nathan, and Solomon, 5 and Ibhar, and Elishua, and Elpelet, 6 and Nogah, and Nepheg, and Japhia, 7 and Elishama, and Beeliada, and Eliphelet.

David Defeats the Philistines

8 And the Philistines heard that David was anointed king over all Israel, and all the Philistines went up to seek David; and David heard [of it], and went out against them. 9 And the Philistines came and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim. 10 And David inquired of God saying, Shall I go up against the Philistines, and wilt thou give them into my hand? And Jehovah said to him, Go up; and I will give them into thy hand. 11 And they came up to Baal-perazim, and David smote them there; and David said, God has broken in upon mine enemies by my hand, as the breaking forth of waters. Therefore they called the name of that place Baal-perazim. 12 And they left their gods there; and David commanded, and they were burned with fire. 13 And the Philistines yet again spread themselves in the valley. 14 And David inquired again of God; and God said to him, Go not up after them; turn round them and come upon them opposite the mulberry-trees. 15 And it shall be, when thou hearest the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry-trees, that then thou shalt go out to battle; for God will have gone forth before thee to smite the army of the Philistines. 16 And David did as God commanded him; and they smote the army of the Philistines from Gibeon even to Gezer. 17 And the fame of David went out into all lands; and Jehovah brought the fear of him upon all the nations.