Rabbah besieged and taken.

CHAP. XX, XXI.

David numbers the people. saw that they were put to the worse before 5 ¶ And Joab gave the sum of the numIsrael, they made peace with David, and ber of the people unto David. And all became his servants: neither would the they of Israel were a thousand thousand Syrians help the children of Ammon any and a hundred thousand men that drew sword: and Judah was four hundred threescore and ten thousand men that drew sword.

more.

A

CHAP. XX.

ND it came to pass, that after the year was expired, at the time that kings go out to battle, Joab led forth the power of the army, and wasted the country of the children of Ammon, and came and besieged Rabbah. But David tarried at Jerusalem. And Joab smote Rabbah, and destroyed it.

6 But Levi and Benjamin counted he not among them: for the king's word was abominable to Joab.

7 And God was displeased with this thing, therefore he smote Israel.

8 And David said unto God, I have sinned greatly, because I have done this 2 And David took the crown of their thing: but now, I beseech thee, do away king from off his head, and found it to the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done weigh a talent of gold, and there were pre-very foolishly.

cious stones in it; and it was set upon 9 And the LORD spake unto Gad, DaDavid's head: and he brought also ex-vid's seer, saying, ceeding much spoil out of the city.

3 And he brought out the people that were in it, and cut them with saws, and with harrows of iron, and with axes. Even so dealt David with all the cities of the children of Ammon. And David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.

10 Go and tell David, saying, Thus saith the LORD, I offer thee three things choose thee one of them, that I may do it unto thee.

11 So Gad came to David, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Choose thee

12 Either three years' famine; or three 4¶ And it came to pass after this, that months to be destroyed before thy foes, there arose war at Gezer with the Philis- while that the sword of thine enemies overtines: at which time Sibbechai the Hu- taketh thee; or else three days the sword shathite slew Sippai, that was of the chil- of the LORD, even the pestilence, in the dren of the giant: and they were subdued. land, and the angel of the LORD destroying 5 And there was war again with the throughout all the coasts of Israel. Now Philistines; and Elhanan the son of Jair therefore advise thyself what word I shall slew Lahmi the brother of Goliath the bring again to him that sent me. Gittite, whose spear's staff was like a weav- 13 And David said unto Gad, I am in a er's beam. great strait: let me fall now into the hand of the LORD; for very great are his mercies: but let me not fall into the hand of man.

6 And yet again there was war at Gath, where was a man of great stature, whose fingers and toes were four and twenty, six on each hand, and six on each foot: and he also was the son of the giant.

7 But when he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimea, David's brother, slew him.

14 ¶ So the LORD sent pestilence upon Israel: and there fell of Israel seventy thousand men.

15 And God sent an angel unto Jerusalem to destroy it: and as he was destroy8 These were born unto the giant in ing, the LORD beheld, and he repented Gath; and they fell by the hand of David, him of the evil, and said to the angel that and by the hand of his servants. destroyed, It is enough, stay now thy hand. And the angel of the LORD stood by

CHAP. XXI.

AND Satan stood up against Israel, and the threshing-floor of Ornan the Jebusite

provoked David to number Israel.

16 And David lifted up his eyes, and 2 And David said to Joab and to the saw the angel of the LORD stand between rulers of the people, Go, number Israel the earth and the heaven, having a drawn from Beer-sheba even to Dan; and bring sword in his hand, stretched out over Jethe number of them to me, that I may rusalem. Then David and the elders of know it. Israel, who were clothed in sackcloth, fell

3 And Joab answered, The LORD make upon their faces. his people a hundred times so many more 17 And David said unto God, Is it not as they be: but, my lord the king, are they I that commanded the people to be num not all my lord's servants? why then doth bered? even I it is that have sinned and my lord require this thing? why will he done evil indeed; but as for these sheep, be a cause of trespass to Israel?

4 Nevertheless the king's word prevailed against Joab. Wherefore Joab departed, and went throughout all Israel, and came to Jerusalem.

what have they done? let thy hand, Ỉ pray thee, O LORD my God, be on me, and on my father's house; but not on thy people, that they should be plagued.

18 T Then the angel of the LORD com

David builds an altar.

I. CHRONICLES. Preparations for the temple. manded Gad to say to David, that David| 4 Also cedar-trees in abundance: for should go up, and set up an altar unto the the Zidonians and they of Tyre brought LORD in the threshing-floor of Ornan the much cedar-wood to David. 5 And David said, Solomon my son is

Jebusite.

19 And David went up at the saying of young and tender, and the house that is to Gad, which he spake in the name of the be builded for the LORD must be exceeding LORD. magnifical, of fame and of glory through20 And Ornan turned back, and saw out all countries: I will therefore now the angel; and his four sons with him hid make preparation for it. So David prethemselves. Now Ornan was threshing pared abundantly before his death. wheat.

21 And as David came to Ornan, Ornan looked, and saw David, and went out of the threshing floor, and bowed himself to David with his face to the ground.

22 Then David said to Ornan, Grant me the place of this threshing-floor, that I may build an altar therein unto the LORD: thou shalt grant it me for the full price that the plague may be stayed from the people.

6 T Then he called for Solomon bis son, and charged him to build a house for the LORD God of Israel.

7 And David said to Solomon, My son, as for me, it was in my mind to build a house unto the name of the LORD my God. 8 But the word of the LORD came to me, saying, Thou hast shed blood abundantly, and hast made great wars: thou shalt not build a house unto my name, because thou hast shed much blood upon the earth

23 And Ornan said unto David, Take it in my sight. to thee, and let my lord the king do that 9 Behold, a son shall be born to thee, which is good in his eyes: lo, I give thee the who shall be a man of rest; and I will oxen also for burnt-offerings, and the give him rest from all his enemies round threshing instruments for wood, and the about: for his name shall be Solomon, and wheat for the meat-offering; I give it all. I will give peace and quietness unto Israel 24 And king David said to Ornan, Nay; in his days.

cost.

but I will verily buy it for the full price: 10 He shall build a house for my name; for I will not take that which is thine for and he shall be my son, and I will be his the LORD, nor offer burnt-offerings without father; and I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel for ever. 25 So David gave to Ornan for the place 11 Now, my son, the LORD be with six hundred shekels of gold by weight. thee; and prosper thou, and build the house 26 And David built there an altar unto of the LORD thy God, as he hath said of the LORD, and offered burnt-offerings and thee. peace-offerings, and called upon the LORD; and he answered him from heaven by fire upon the altar of burnt-offering.

27 And the LORD commanded the angel; and he put up his sword again into the sheath thereof.

28 At that time when David saw that the LORD had answered him in the threshing-floor of Ornan the Jebusite, then he sacrificed there.

12 Only the LORD give thee wisdom and understanding, and give thee charge concerning Israel, that thou mayest keep the law of the LORD thy God.

13 Then shalt thou prosper, if thou takest heed to fulfil the statutes and judgments which the LORD charged Moses with concerning Israel: be strong, and of good courage; dread not, nor be dismayed.

14 Now behold, in my trouble I have 29 For the tabernacle of the LORD, prepared for the house of the LORD a which Moses made in the wilderness, and hundred thousand talents of gold, and a the altar of the burnt-offering, were at that season in the high place at Gibeon.

30 But David could not go before it to inquire of God: for he was afraid because of the sword of the angel of the LORD. CHAP. XXII.

THEN David said, This is the house of the LORD God, and this is the altar

of the burnt-offering for Israel.

thousand thousand talents of silver; and of brass and iron without weight; for it is in abundance: timber also and stone have I prepared; and thou mayest add thereto.

15 Moreover, there are workmen with thee in abundance, hewers and workers of

stone and timber, and all manner of cunaing men for every manner of work.

16 Of the gold, the silver, and the brass, 2 And David commanded to gather to- and the iron, there is no number. Arise, gether the strangers that were in the land therefore, and be doing, and the LORD be of Israel; and he set masons to hew with thee.

wrought stones to build the house of God. 17 David also commanded all the 3 And David prepared iron in abun- princes of Israel to help Solomon his son, dance for the nails for the doors of the saying, gates, and for the joinings; and brass in 18 is not the LORD your God with you? abundance without weight; and hath he not given you rest on every

Solomon made king.

CHAP. XXIII, XXIV. The families of the Levites.

18 Of the sons of Izhar; Shelomith the

side? for he hath given the inhabitants of the

land into my hand; and the land is subdu- chief.

ed before the LORD, and before his people. 19 Of the sons of Hebron; Jeriah the 19 Now set your heart and your soul to first, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the seek the LORD your God; arise therefore, third, and Jekameam the fourth.

and build ye the sanctuary of the LORD 20 Of the sons of Uzziel; Micah the God, to bring the ark of the covenant of first, and Jesiah the second.

the LORD, and the holy vessels of God, 21 T The sons of Merari; Mahli, and into the house that is to be built to the Mushi. The sons of Mahli; Eleazar, and name of the LORD. Kish. 22 And Eleazar died, and had no sons,

CHAP. XXIII.

So when David was old and full of days, but daughters; and their brethren the sons

he made Solomon his son king over of Kish took them. Israel.

2 And he gathered together all the princes of Israel, with the priests and the Levites.

23 The sons of Mushi ; Mahli, and Eder, and Jeremoth, three.

24 T These were the sons of Levi after the house of their fathers; even the chief 3 Now the Levites were numbered from of the fathers, as they were counted by the age of thirty years and upward: and number of names by their polls, that did their number by their polls, man by man, the work for the service of the house of the was thirty and eight thousand. LORD, from the age of twenty years and upward.

4 Of which, twenty and four thousand were to set forward the work of the house of the LORD; and six thousand were officers and judges:

5 Moreover, four thousand were porters; and four thousand praised the LORD with the instruments which I made, said David, to praise therewith.

6 And David divided them into courses among the sons of Levi, namely, Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

7 Of the Gershonites were Laadan and Shimei.

8 The sons of Laadan; the chief was Jehiel, and Zetham, and Joel, three.

9 The sons of Shimei; Shelomith, and Haziel, and Haran, three. These were the chief of the fathers of Laadan.

10 And the sons of Shimei were, Jahath, Zina, and Jeush, and Beriah. These four were the sons of Shimei.

25 For David said, The LORD God of Israel hath given rest unto his people, that they may dwell in Jerusalem for ever;

26 And also unto the Levites: they shall no more carry the tabernacle, nor any vessels of it for the service thereof.

27 For by the last words of David the Levites were numbered from twenty years old and above:

28 Because their office was to wait on the sons of Aaron for the service of the house of the LORD, in the courts, and in the chambers, and in the purifying of all holy things, and the work of the service of the house of God;

29 Both for the shew-bread, and for the fine flour for meat-offering, and for the unleavened cakes, and for that which is baked in the pan, and for that which is fried, and for all manner of measure and size;

11 And Jahath was the chief, and Zizah 30 And to stand every morning to thank the second: but Jeush and Beriah had not and praise the LORD, and likewise at many sons; therefore they were in one even; reckoning, according to their father's house.

31 And to offer all burnt-sacrifices unto 12 The sons of Kohath; Amram, Iz- the LORD in the sabbaths, in the new-moons, bar, Hebron, and Uzziel, four. and on the set feasts, by number, accord13 The sons of Amram; Aaron and Mo-ing to the order commanded unto them, ses: and Aaron was separated, that he continually before the LORD: should sanctify the most holy things, he 32 And that they should keep the charge and his sons for ever, to burn incense be- of the tabernacle of the congregation, and fore the LORD, to minister unto him, and the charge of the holy place, and the charge to bless in his name for ever. of the sons of Aaron their brethren, in the 14 Now concerning Moses the man of service of the house of the LORD. God, his sons were named of the tribe of Levi.

15 The sons of Moses

and Eliezer.

were, Gershom,

NOW

CHAP. XXIV.

TOW these are the divisions of the sons of Aaron. The sons of Aaron; Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

16 Of the sons of Gershom, Shebuel was 2 But Nadab and Abihu died before the chief. their father, and had no children: there17 And the sons of Eliezer were, Reha-fore Eleazar and Ithamar executed the biah the chief. And Eliezer had none priest's office. other sons; but the sons of Rehabiah were very many.

3 And David distributed them, both Zadok of the sons of Eleazar, and Ahimelech

The order of the priests.

I. CHRONICLES. The offices of the singers.

of the sons of Ithamar, according to their| offices in their service.

4 And there were more chief men found

26 The sons of Merari were Mahli, and Mushi: the sons of Jaaziah; Beno. 27 T The sons of Merari by Jaaziah;

of the sons of Eleazar than of the sons of Beno, and Shoham, and Zaccur, and Ibri. Ithamar; and thus were they divided. 28 Of Mahli came Eleazar, who had no

Among the sons of Eleazar there were six-sons. teen chief men of the house of their fathers, 29 Concerning Kish: the son of Kish and eight among the sons of Ithamar ac-was Jerahmeel. cording to the house of their fathers.

SO The sons also of Mushi; Mahli, and 5 Thus were they divided by lot, one Eder, and Jerimoth. These were the sons sort with another; for the governors of the ofthe Levites after the house of their fathers. sanctuary, and governors of the house of 31 These likewise cast lots over against God, were of the sons of Eleazar, and of their brethren the sons of Aaron in the prethe sons of Ithamar. sence of David the king, and Zadok, and 6 And Shemaiah the son of Nethaneel | Ahimelech, and the chief of the fathers of the scribe, one of the Levites, wrote them the priests and Levites, even the principal before the king, and the princes, and Za- fathers over against their younger brethren. dok the priest, and Ahimelech the son of CHAP. XXV. Abiathar, and before the chief of the fathers OREOVER David and the captains

M

household being taken for Eleazar, and of the sons of Asaph, and of Heman, and one taken for Ithamar. of Jeduthun, who should prophesy with

7 Now the first lot came forth to Jehoi-harps, with psalteries, and with cymbals: arib, the second to Jedaiah, and the number of the workmen according to their service was:

8 The third to Harim, the fourth to Seorim,

9 The fifth to Malchijah, the sixth to Mijamin,

10 The seventh to Hakkoz, the eighth to Abijah,

11 The ninth to Jeshuah, the tenth to Shecaniah,

12 The eleventh to Eliashib, the twelfth to Jakim,

2 Of the sons of Asaph; Zaccur, and Joseph, and Nethaniah, and Asarelah, the sons of Asaph under the hands of Asaph, which prophesied according to the order of the king.

3 Of Jeduthum: the sons of Jeduthun; Gedaliah, and Zeri, and Jeshaiah, Hashabiah, and Mattithiah, six, under the hands of their father Jeduthun, who prophesied 13 The thirteenth to Huppah, the four-with a harp, to give thanks and to praise teenth to Jeshebeab,

16 The nineteenth to Pethahiah, the twentieth to Jehezekel,

17 The one and twentieth to Jachin, the two and twentieth to Gamul,

18 The three and twentieth to Delaiah, the four and twentieth to Maaziah.

the LORD.

4 Of Heman: the sons of Heman; Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shebuel, and Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti, and Romamti-ezer, oshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, and Mahazioth:

5 All these were the sons of Heman the king's seer in the words of God, to lift up the horn. And God gave to Heman fourteen sons and three daughters.

6 All these were under the hands of their 19 These were the orderings of them in father for song in the house of the LORD, their service to come into the house of the with cymbals, psalteries, and harps, for LORD, according to their manner, under the service of the house of God, according Aaron their father, as the LORD God of to the king's order to Asaph, Jeduthun, Israel had commanded him. and Heman.

20 And the rest of the sons of Levi 7 So the number of them, with their were these: Of the sons of Amram; Shu- brethren that were instructed in the songs bael: of the sons of Shubael; Jehdeiah. of the LORD, even all that were cunning, 21 Concerning Rehabiah: of the sons of was two hundred fourscore and eight. Rehabiah, the first was Isshiah.

22 Of the Izharites; Shelomoth: of the sons of Shelomoth; Jahath.

23 And the sons of Hebron; Jeriah the first, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, Jekameam the fourth.

24 Of the sons of Uzziel; Michah: of the sons of Michah; Shamir.

25 The brother of Michah was Isshiah: of the sons of Isshiah; Zechariah.

8 T And they cast lots, ward against ward, as well the small as the great, the teacher as the scholar.

9 Now the first lot came forth for Asaph to Joseph: the second to Gedaliah, who, with his brethren and sons were twelve:

10 The third to Zaccur, ke, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:

11 The fourth to Izri, he, his sons, and This brethren, were twelve:

Division of the singers.

CHAP. XXVI.

12 The fifth to Nethaniah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:

13 The sixth to Bukkiah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:

14 The seventh to Jesharelah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: 15 The eighth to Jeshaiah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:

16 The ninth to Mattaniah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:

17 The tenth to Shimei, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:

18 The eleventh to Azareel, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: 19 The twelfth to Hashabiah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:

20 The thirteenth to Shubael, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: 21 The fourteenth to Mattithiah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:

22 The fifteenth to Jeremoth, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:

23 The sixteenth to Hananiah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:

24 The seventeenth to Joshbekashah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: 25 The eighteenth to Hanani, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:

26 The nineteenth to Mallotbi, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: 27 The twentieth to Eliathah, he, his sons, and his brethren were twelve:

Division of the porters.

8 All these of the sons of Obed-edom: they and their sons and their brethren, able men for strength for the service, were threescore and two of Obed-edom.

9 And Meshelemiah had sons and brethren, strong men, eighteen.

10 Also Hosah of the children of Merari, had sons; Simri the chief, (for though he was not the first-born, yet his father made him the chief;)

11 Hilkiah the second, Tebaliah the third, Zechariah the fourth all the sons and brethren of Hosah were thirteen.

12 Among these were the divisions of the porters, even among the chief men, having wards one against_another, to minister in the house of the LORD.

13 And they cast lots, as well the small as the great, according to the house of their fathers, for every gate.

14 And the lot eastward fell to Shelemiah. Then for Zechariah his son, a wise counsellor, they cast lots; and his lot came out northward.

15 To Obed-edom southward; and to his sons the house of Asuppim.

16 To Shuppim and Hosah the lot came forth westward, with the gate Shallecheth, by the causeway of the going up, ward against ward.

17 Eastward were six Levites, northward four a day, southward four a day, and toward Asuppim, two and two.

18 At Parbar westward, four at the causeway, and two at Parbar.

28 The one and twentieth to Hothir, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: 29 The two and twentieth to Giddalti, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: 19 These are the divisions of the por30 The three and twentieth to Maha-ters among the sons of Kore, and among zioth, he, his sons, and his brethren, were the sons of Merari. twelve:

31 The four and twentieth to Romamtiezer, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve.

C

20 And of the Levites, Ahijah was over the treasures of the house of God, and over the treasures of the dedicated things.

21 As concerning the sons of Laadan the sons of the Gershonite Laadan, chief fathers, even of Laadan the Gershonite, were Jehieli.

CHAP. XXVI. YONCERNING the divisions of the porters: Of the Korhites was Meshelemiah the son of Kore, of the sons of Asaph. 22 The sons of Jehieli; Zetham, and 2 And the sons of Mesheiemiah were, Joel his brother, which were over the treaZechariah the first-born, Jediael the se-sures of the house of the LORD. cond, Zebadiah the third, Jathniel the fourth,

3 Elam the fifth, Jehohanan the sixth, Elicenai the seventh.

23 Of the Amramites, and the Izharites, the Hebronites, and the Uzzielites:

24 And Shebuel the son of Gershom, the son of Moses, was ruler of the treasures. 4 Moreover the sons of Obed-edom 25 And his brethren by Eliezer; Rehawere, Shemaiah the first-born, Jehozabad biah his son, and Jeshaiah his son, and the second, Joah the third, and Sacar the Joram his son, and Zichri his son, and fourth, and Nethaneel the fifth, Shelomith his son.

5 Ammiel the sixth, Issachar the seventh, 25 Which Shelomith and his brethren Peulthai the eighth : for God blessed him. were over all the treasures of the dedicated 6 Also unto Shemaiah his son were sons things, which David the king, and the born, that ruled throughout the house of chief fathers, the captains over thousands their father: for they were mighty men of and hundreds, and the captains of the valour. host had dedicated.

7 The sons of Shemaiah; Othni, and Re- 27 Out of the spoils won in battles did phael, and Obed, Elzabad, whose brethren they dedicate to maintain the house of the were strong men, Elihu, and Semachiah. LORD.