May 11
     1 Chronicles 14:1 — 16:43


14 And Hiram the king of Tyre proceeded to send messengers to David and cedar timbers and builders of walls and workers in wood to build him a house. 2 And David came to know that Jehovah had firmly established him as king over Israel, for his kingship was highly exalted on account of his people Israel.

3 And David went on to take more wives in Jerusalem, and David came to be father to more sons and daughters. 4 And these are the names of the children that became his 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.

8 And the Philistines got to hear that David had been anointed as king over all Israel. At that all the Philistines came up to look for David. When David heard of it, then he went out against them. 9 And the Philistines, for their part, came in and kept making raids in the low plain of Rephaim. 10 And David began to inquire of God, saying: “Shall I go up against the Philistines, and will you certainly give them into my hand?” At this Jehovah said to him: “Go up, and I shall certainly give them into your hand.” 11 So David went up to Baal-perazim and there got to strike them down. At that David said: “The [true] God has broken through my enemies by my hand like a gap made by waters.” That is why they called the name of that place Baal-perazim. 12 Consequently they left their gods there. Then David said [the word], and so they were burned in the fire.

13 Later the Philistines once again made a raid in the low plain. 14 At that David inquired again of God, and the [true] God now said to him: “You must not go up after them. Go around from directly against them, and you must come at them in front of the baca bushes. 15 And let it occur that, when you hear the sound of the marching in the tops of the baca bushes, then you go out into the fight, because the [true] God will have gone out before you to strike the camp of the Philistines down.” 16 So David did just as the [true] God had commanded him, and they went striking down the camp of the Philistines from Gibeon to Gezer. 17 And David’s fame began to go out into all the lands, and Jehovah himself put the dread of him upon all the nations.


15 And he continued building houses for himself in the City of David; and he went on to prepare a place for the ark of the [true] God and pitch a tent for it. 2 It was then that David said: “No one is to carry the ark of the [true] God but the Levites, for they are the ones whom Jehovah has chosen to carry the ark of Jehovah and to minister to him to time indefinite.” 3 Then David congregated all Israel at Jerusalem to bring the ark of Jehovah up to its place that he had prepared for it.

4 And David proceeded to gather the sons of Aaron and the Levites; 5 of the sons of Kohath, Uriel the chief and his brothers, a hundred and twenty; 6 of the sons of Merari, Asaiah the chief and his brothers, two hundred and twenty; 7 of the sons of Gershom, Joel the chief and his brothers, a hundred and thirty; 8 of the sons of Elizaphan, Shemaiah the chief and his brothers, two hundred; 9 of the sons of Hebron, Eliel the chief and his brothers, eighty; 10 of the sons of Uzziel, Amminadab the chief and his brothers, a hundred and twelve. 11 Furthermore, David called Zadok and Abiathar the priests, and the Levites Uriel, Asaiah and Joel, Shemaiah and Eliel and Amminadab, 12 and he went on to say to them: “YOU are the heads of the fathers of the Levites. Sanctify yourselves, YOU and YOUR brothers, and YOU must bring the ark of Jehovah the God of Israel up to the place that I have prepared for it. 13 Because at the first time YOU did not, Jehovah our God broke through against us, for we did not search after him according to the custom.” 14 So the priests and the Levites sanctified themselves to bring up the ark of Jehovah the God of Israel.

15 Then the sons of the Levites began to carry the ark of the [true] God, just as Moses had commanded by Jehovah’s word, upon their shoulders with the rods upon them. 16 David now said to the chiefs of the Levites to station their brothers the singers with the instruments of song, stringed instruments and harps and cymbals, playing aloud to cause a sound of rejoicing to arise.

17 Accordingly the Levites stationed Heman the son of Joel and, of his brothers, Asaph the son of Berechiah; and, of the sons of Merari their brothers, Ethan the son of Kushaiah; 18 and with them their brothers of the second division, Zechariah, Ben and Jaaziel and Shemiramoth and Jehiel and Unni, Eliab and Benaiah and Maaseiah and Mattithiah and Eliphelehu and Mikneiah, and Obed-edom and Jeiel the gatekeepers, 19 and the singers Heman, Asaph and Ethan, with the copper cymbals to play aloud; 20 and Zechariah and Aziel and Shemiramoth and Jehiel and Unni and Eliab and Maaseiah and Benaiah with stringed instruments tuned to Alamoth, 21 and Mattithiah and Eliphelehu and Mikneiah and Obed-edom and Jeiel and Azaziah with harps tuned to Sheminith, to act as directors; 22 and Chenaniah the chief of the Levites in carrying, he giving instruction in carrying, for he was expert; 23 and Berechiah and Elkanah the gatekeepers for the Ark; 24 and Shebaniah and Joshaphat and Nethanel and Amasai and Zechariah and Benaiah and Eliezer the priests loudly sounding the trumpets before the ark of the [true] God, and Obed-edom and Jehiah the gatekeepers for the Ark.

25 And David and the older men of Israel and the chiefs of the thousands came to be the ones walking along to bring up the ark of the covenant of Jehovah from the house of Obed-edom with rejoicing. 26 And it came about when the [true] God helped the Levites while carrying the ark of the covenant of Jehovah that they proceeded to sacrifice seven young bulls and seven rams. 27 And David was dressed in a sleeveless coat of fine fabric, and also all the Levites carrying the Ark and the singers and Chenaniah the chief of the carrying by the singers; but upon David there was an ephod of linen. 28 And all the Israelites were bringing up the ark of the covenant of Jehovah with joyful shouting and with the sounding of the horn and with trumpets and with cymbals, playing aloud on stringed instruments and harps.

29 And it came about that, when the ark of the covenant of Jehovah came as far as the City of David, Michal, Saul’s daughter, herself looked down through the window and got to see King David skipping about and celebrating; and she began to despise him in her heart.


16 Thus they brought the ark of the [true] God in and placed it inside the tent that David had pitched for it; and they began to present burnt offerings and communion sacrifices before the [true] God. 2 When David finished offering up the burnt offering and the communion sacrifices, he went on to bless the people in the name of Jehovah. 3 Further, he apportioned to all the Israelites, man as well as woman, to each one a round loaf of bread and a date cake and a raisin cake. 4 Then he put before the ark of Jehovah some of the Levites as ministers, both to call to remembrance and to thank and praise Jehovah the God of Israel, 5 Asaph the head, and second to him Zechariah, [and] Jeiel and Shemiramoth and Jehiel and Mattithiah and Eliab and Benaiah and Obed-edom and Jeiel, with instruments of the string type and with harps, and Asaph with the cymbals playing aloud, 6 and Benaiah and Jahaziel the priests with the trumpets constantly before the ark of the covenant of the [true] God.

7  It was then on that day that David made a contribution for the first time to thank Jehovah by means of Asaph and his brothers:

8 “Give thanks to Jehovah, YOU people; call upon his name,
     Make his deeds known among the peoples!
9 Sing to him, make melody to him,
     Concern yourselves with all his wonderful acts.
10 Make YOUR boast in his holy name,
     Let the heart of those seeking Jehovah rejoice.
11 Search after Jehovah and his strength,
     Seek his face constantly.
12 Remember his wonderful acts that he has performed,
     His miracles and the judicial decisions of his mouth,
13 O offspring of Israel his servant,
     YOU sons of Jacob, his chosen ones.

14 He is Jehovah our God; in all the earth are his judicial decisions.
15 Remember his covenant even to time indefinite,
     The word that he commanded, to a thousand generations,
16 Which [covenant] he concluded with Abraham,
     And his sworn statement to Isaac.
17 And which [statement] he kept standing as a regulation even to Jacob,
     As an indefinitely lasting covenant even to Israel,
18 Saying, ‘To you I shall give the land of Canaan,
     As the allotment of YOUR inheritance.’
19 [This was] when YOU happened to be few in number,
     Yes, very few, and alien residents in it.
20 And they kept walking about from nation to nation,
     And from one kingdom to another people.
21 He did not allow anyone to defraud them,
     But on their account he reproved kings,
22 [Saying,] ‘Do not YOU men touch my anointed ones,
     And to my prophets do nothing bad.’

23 Sing to Jehovah, all YOU of the earth!
     Announce from day to day the salvation he gives!
24 Relate among the nations his glory,
     Among all the peoples his wonderful acts.
25 For Jehovah is great and very much to be praised,
     And he is to be feared more than all [other] gods.
26 For all the gods of the peoples are valueless gods.
     As for Jehovah, he made the heavens.
27 Dignity and splendor are before him,
     Strength and joy are at his place.
28 Attribute to Jehovah, O families of peoples,
     Attribute to Jehovah glory and strength.
29 Attribute to Jehovah the glory of his name,
     Carry a gift and come in before him.
     Bow down to Jehovah in holy adornment.
30 Be in severe pains on account of him, all [YOU people of] the earth!
     Also the productive land is firmly established:
     Never will it be made to totter.

31 Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be joyful,
     And let them say among the nations, ‘Jehovah himself has become king!’
32 Let the sea thunder and also that which fills it,
     Let the field exult and all that is in it.
33 At the same time let the trees of the forest break out joyfully on account of Jehovah,
     For he has come to judge the earth.
34
 Give thanks to Jehovah, YOU people, for he is good,
     For to time indefinite is his loving-kindness.
35 And say, ‘Save us, O God of our salvation,
     And collect us together and deliver us from the nations,
     To give thanks to your holy name, to speak exultingly in your praise.
36 Blessed be Jehovah the God of Israel from time indefinite to time indefinite.’”

   
And all the people proceeded to say, “Amen!” and a praise to Jehovah.

37 Then he left there before the ark of the covenant of Jehovah Asaph and his brothers to minister before the Ark constantly, according to the requirement of each day; 38 and Obed-edom and his brothers, sixty-eight, and Obed-edom the son of Jeduthun and Hosah as gatekeepers; 39 and Zadok the priest and his brothers the priests before the tabernacle of Jehovah on the high place that was at Gibeon, 40 to offer up burnt offerings to Jehovah on the altar of burnt offering constantly morning and evening and for all that is written in the law of Jehovah that he laid in command upon Israel; 41 and with them Heman and Jeduthun and the rest of the select men that were designated by names to thank Jehovah, because “to time indefinite is his loving-kindness”; 42 and with them Heman and Jeduthun, to sound forth the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of the song of the [true] God; and the sons of Jeduthun at the gate. 43 And all the people proceeded to go each one to his own house. Accordingly David went around to bless his own house.