2 Samuel 5-8

New International Version

David Becomes King Over Israel^(A)

5 All the tribes of Israel^(B) came to David at Hebron and said, “We are your own flesh and blood.^(C) ²In the past, while Saul was king over us, you were the one who led Israel on their military campaigns.^(D) And the Lord said^(E) to you, ‘You will shepherd^(F) my people Israel, and you will become their ruler.^(G)’”

³When all the elders of Israel had come to King David at Hebron, the king made a covenant^(H) with them at Hebron before the Lord, and they anointed^(I) David king over Israel.

⁴David was thirty years old^(J) when he became king, and he reigned^(K) forty^(L) years. ⁵In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months,^(M) and in Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah thirty-three years.

David Conquers Jerusalem^(N)^(O)

⁶The king and his men marched to Jerusalem^(P) to attack the Jebusites,^(Q) who lived there. The Jebusites said to David, “You will not get in here; even the blind and the lame can ward you off.” They thought, “David cannot get in here.” ⁷Nevertheless, David captured the fortress of Zion^(R)—which is the City of David.^(S)

⁸On that day David had said, “Anyone who conquers the Jebusites will have to use the water shaft^(T) to reach those ‘lame and blind’^(U) who are David’s enemies.^[a]” That is why they say, “The ‘blind and lame’ will not enter the palace.”

⁹David then took up residence in the fortress and called it the City of David. He built up the area around it, from the terraces^[b]^(V) inward. ¹⁰And he became more and more powerful,^(W) because the Lord God Almighty^(X) was with him.^(Y)

¹¹Now Hiram^(Z) king of Tyre sent envoys to David, along with cedar logs and carpenters and stonemasons, and they built a palace for David. ¹²Then David knew that the Lord had established him as king over Israel and had exalted his kingdom^(AA) for the sake of his people Israel.

¹³After he left Hebron, David took more concubines and wives^(AB) in Jerusalem, and more sons and daughters were born to him. ¹⁴These are the names of the children born to him there:^(AC) Shammua, Shobab, Nathan,^(AD) Solomon, ¹⁵Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia, ¹⁶Elishama, Eliada and Eliphelet.

David Defeats the Philistines^(AE)

¹⁷When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over Israel, they went up in full force to search for him, but David heard about it and went down to the stronghold.^(AF) ¹⁸Now the Philistines had come and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim;^(AG) ¹⁹so David inquired^(AH) of the Lord, “Shall I go and attack the Philistines? Will you deliver them into my hands?”

The Lord answered him, “Go, for I will surely deliver the Philistines into your hands.”

²⁰So David went to Baal Perazim, and there he defeated them. He said, “As waters break out, the Lord has broken out against my enemies before me.” So that place was called Baal Perazim.^[c]^(AI) ²¹The Philistines abandoned their idols there, and David and his men carried them off.^(AJ)

²²Once more the Philistines came up and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim; ²³so David inquired of the Lord, and he answered, “Do not go straight up, but circle around behind them and attack them in front of the poplar trees. ²⁴As soon as you hear the sound^(AK) of marching in the tops of the poplar trees, move quickly, because that will mean the Lord has gone out in front^(AL) of you to strike the Philistine army.” ²⁵So David did as the Lord commanded him, and he struck down the Philistines^(AM) all the way from Gibeon^[d]^(AN) to Gezer.^(AO)

The Ark Brought to Jerusalem^(AP)^(AQ)

6 David again brought together all the able young men of Israel—thirty thousand. ²He and all his men went to Baalah^[e]^(AR) in Judah to bring up from there the ark^(AS) of God, which is called by the Name,^[f]^(AT) the name of the Lord Almighty, who is enthroned^(AU) between the cherubim^(AV) on the ark. ³They set the ark of God on a new cart^(AW) and brought it from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill.^(AX) Uzzah and Ahio, sons of Abinadab, were guiding the new cart ⁴with the ark of God on it,^[g] and Ahio was walking in front of it. ⁵David and all Israel were celebrating^(AY) with all their might before the Lord, with castanets,^[h] harps, lyres, timbrels, sistrums and cymbals.^(AZ)

⁶When they came to the threshing floor of Nakon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of^(BA) the ark of God, because the oxen stumbled. ⁷The Lord’s anger burned against Uzzah because of his irreverent act;^(BB) therefore God struck him down,^(BC) and he died there beside the ark of God.

⁸Then David was angry because the Lord’s wrath^(BD) had broken out against Uzzah, and to this day that place is called Perez Uzzah.^[i]^(BE)

⁹David was afraid of the Lord that day and said, “How^(BF) can the ark of the Lord ever come to me?” ¹⁰He was not willing to take the ark of the Lord to be with him in the City of David. Instead, he took it to the house of Obed-Edom^(BG) the Gittite. ¹¹The ark of the Lord remained in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite for three months, and the Lord blessed him and his entire household.^(BH)

¹²Now King David^(BI) was told, “The Lord has blessed the household of Obed-Edom and everything he has, because of the ark of God.” So David went to bring up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David with rejoicing. ¹³When those who were carrying the ark of the Lord had taken six steps, he sacrificed^(BJ) a bull and a fattened calf. ¹⁴Wearing a linen ephod,^(BK) David was dancing^(BL) before the Lord with all his might, ¹⁵while he and all Israel were bringing up the ark of the Lord with shouts^(BM) and the sound of trumpets.^(BN)

¹⁶As the ark of the Lord was entering the City of David,^(BO) Michal^(BP) daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, she despised him in her heart.

¹⁷They brought the ark of the Lord and set it in its place inside the tent that David had pitched for it,^(BQ) and David sacrificed burnt offerings^(BR) and fellowship offerings before the Lord. ¹⁸After he had finished sacrificing^(BS) the burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, he blessed^(BT) the people in the name of the Lord Almighty. ¹⁹Then he gave a loaf of bread, a cake of dates and a cake of raisins^(BU) to each person in the whole crowd of Israelites, both men and women.^(BV) And all the people went to their homes.

²⁰When David returned home to bless his household, Michal daughter of Saul came out to meet him and said, “How the king of Israel has distinguished himself today, going around half-naked^(BW) in full view of the slave girls of his servants as any vulgar fellow would!”

²¹David said to Michal, “It was before the Lord, who chose me rather than your father or anyone from his house when he appointed^(BX) me ruler^(BY) over the Lord’s people Israel—I will celebrate before the Lord. ²²I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes. But by these slave girls you spoke of, I will be held in honor.”

²³And Michal daughter of Saul had no children to the day of her death.

God’s Promise to David^(BZ)

7 After the king was settled in his palace^(CA) and the Lord had given him rest from all his enemies^(CB) around him,^(CC) ²he said to Nathan^(CD) the prophet, “Here I am, living in a house^(CE) of cedar, while the ark of God remains in a tent.”^(CF)

³Nathan replied to the king, “Whatever you have in mind,^(CG) go ahead and do it, for the Lord is with you.”

⁴But that night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying:

⁵“Go and tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord says: Are you^(CH) the one to build me a house to dwell in?^(CI) ⁶I have not dwelt in a house from the day I brought the Israelites up out of Egypt to this day.^(CJ) I have been moving from place to place with a tent^(CK) as my dwelling.^(CL) ⁷Wherever I have moved with all the Israelites,^(CM) did I ever say to any of their rulers whom I commanded to shepherd^(CN) my people Israel, “Why have you not built me a house^(CO) of cedar?^(CP)”’

⁸“Now then, tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty says: I took you from the pasture, from tending the flock,^(CQ) and appointed you ruler^(CR) over my people Israel.^(CS) ⁹I have been with you wherever you have gone,^(CT) and I have cut off all your enemies from before you.^(CU) Now I will make your name great, like the names of the greatest men on earth.^(CV) ¹⁰And I will provide a place for my people Israel and will plant^(CW) them so that they can have a home of their own and no longer be disturbed.^(CX) Wicked^(CY) people will not oppress them anymore,^(CZ) as they did at the beginning ¹¹and have done ever since the time I appointed leaders^[j]^(DA) over my people Israel. I will also give you rest from all your enemies.^(DB)

“‘The Lord declares^(DC) to you that the Lord himself will establish^(DD) a house^(DE) for you: ¹²When your days are over and you rest^(DF) with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood,^(DG) and I will establish his kingdom.^(DH) ¹³He is the one who will build a house^(DI) for my Name,^(DJ) and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.^(DK) ¹⁴I will be his father, and he will be my son.^(DL) When he does wrong, I will punish him^(DM) with a rod^(DN) wielded by men, with floggings inflicted by human hands. ¹⁵But my love will never be taken away from him,^(DO) as I took it away from Saul,^(DP) whom I removed from before you. ¹⁶Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me^[k]; your throne^(DQ) will be established^(DR) forever.^(DS)’”

¹⁷Nathan reported to David all the words of this entire revelation.

David’s Prayer^(DT)

¹⁸Then King David went in and sat before the Lord, and he said:

“Who am I,^(DU) Sovereign Lord, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? ¹⁹And as if this were not enough in your sight, Sovereign Lord, you have also spoken about the future of the house of your servant—and this decree,^(DV) Sovereign Lord, is for a mere human!^[l]

²⁰“What more can David say^(DW) to you? For you know^(DX) your servant,^(DY) Sovereign Lord. ²¹For the sake of your word and according to your will, you have done this great thing and made it known to your servant.

²²“How great^(DZ) you are,^(EA) Sovereign Lord! There is no one like^(EB) you, and there is no God^(EC) but you, as we have heard with our own ears.^(ED) ²³And who is like your people Israel^(EE)—the one nation on earth that God went out to redeem as a people for himself, and to make a name^(EF) for himself, and to perform great and awesome wonders^(EG) by driving out nations and their gods from before your people, whom you redeemed^(EH) from Egypt?^[m] ²⁴You have established your people Israel as your very own^(EI) forever, and you, Lord, have become their God.^(EJ)

²⁵“And now, Lord God, keep forever the promise^(EK) you have made concerning your servant and his house. Do as you promised, ²⁶so that your name^(EL) will be great forever. Then people will say, ‘The Lord Almighty is God over Israel!’ And the house of your servant David will be established^(EM) in your sight.

²⁷“Lord Almighty, God of Israel, you have revealed this to your servant, saying, ‘I will build a house for you.’ So your servant has found courage to pray this prayer to you. ²⁸Sovereign Lord, you are God! Your covenant is trustworthy,^(EN) and you have promised these good things to your servant. ²⁹Now be pleased to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue forever in your sight; for you, Sovereign Lord, have spoken, and with your blessing^(EO) the house of your servant will be blessed forever.”

David’s Victories^(EP)

8 In the course of time, David defeated the Philistines^(EQ) and subdued^(ER) them, and he took Metheg Ammah from the control of the Philistines.

²David also defeated the Moabites.^(ES) He made them lie down on the ground and measured them off with a length of cord. Every two lengths of them were put to death, and the third length was allowed to live. So the Moabites became subject to David and brought him tribute.^(ET)

³Moreover, David defeated Hadadezer^(EU) son of Rehob, king of Zobah,^(EV) when he went to restore his monument at^[n] the Euphrates^(EW) River. ⁴David captured a thousand of his chariots, seven thousand charioteers^[o] and twenty thousand foot soldiers. He hamstrung^(EX) all but a hundred of the chariot horses.

⁵When the Arameans of Damascus^(EY) came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David struck down twenty-two thousand of them. ⁶He put garrisons^(EZ) in the Aramean kingdom of Damascus, and the Arameans became subject^(FA) to him and brought tribute. The Lord gave David victory wherever he went.^(FB)

⁷David took the gold shields^(FC) that belonged to the officers of Hadadezer and brought them to Jerusalem. ⁸From Tebah^[p] and Berothai,^(FD) towns that belonged to Hadadezer, King David took a great quantity of bronze.

⁹When Tou^[q] king of Hamath^(FE) heard that David had defeated the entire army of Hadadezer,^(FF) ¹⁰he sent his son Joram^[r] to King David to greet him and congratulate him on his victory in battle over Hadadezer, who had been at war with Tou. Joram brought with him articles of silver, of gold and of bronze.

¹¹King David dedicated^(FG) these articles to the Lord, as he had done with the silver and gold from all the nations he had subdued: ¹²Edom^[s]^(FH) and Moab,^(FI) the Ammonites^(FJ) and the Philistines,^(FK) and Amalek.^(FL) He also dedicated the plunder taken from Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah.

¹³And David became famous^(FM) after he returned from striking down eighteen thousand Edomites^[t] in the Valley of Salt.^(FN)

¹⁴He put garrisons throughout Edom, and all the Edomites^(FO) became subject to David.^(FP) The Lord gave David victory^(FQ) wherever he went.^(FR)

David’s Officials^(FS)

¹⁵David reigned over all Israel, doing what was just and right^(FT) for all his people. ¹⁶Joab^(FU) son of Zeruiah was over the army; Jehoshaphat^(FV) son of Ahilud was recorder;^(FW) ¹⁷Zadok^(FX) son of Ahitub and Ahimelek son of Abiathar^(FY) were priests; Seraiah was secretary;^(FZ) ¹⁸Benaiah^(GA) son of Jehoiada was over the Kerethites^(GB) and Pelethites; and David’s sons were priests.^[u]

Footnotes

2 Samuel 5:8 Or are hated by David
2 Samuel 5:9 Or the Millo
2 Samuel 5:20 Baal Perazim means the lord who breaks out.
2 Samuel 5:25 Septuagint (see also 1 Chron. 14:16); Hebrew Geba
2 Samuel 6:2 That is, Kiriath Jearim (see 1 Chron. 13:6)
2 Samuel 6:2 Hebrew; Septuagint and Vulgate do not have the Name.
2 Samuel 6:4 Dead Sea Scrolls and some Septuagint manuscripts; Masoretic Text cart ⁴and they brought it with the ark of God from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill
2 Samuel 6:5 Masoretic Text; Dead Sea Scrolls and Septuagint (see also 1 Chron. 13:8) songs
2 Samuel 6:8 Perez Uzzah means outbreak against Uzzah.
2 Samuel 7:11 Traditionally judges
2 Samuel 7:16 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint; most Hebrew manuscripts you
2 Samuel 7:19 Or for the human race
2 Samuel 7:23 See Septuagint and 1 Chron. 17:21; Hebrew wonders for your land and before your people, whom you redeemed from Egypt, from the nations and their gods.
2 Samuel 8:3 Or his control along
2 Samuel 8:4 Septuagint (see also Dead Sea Scrolls and 1 Chron. 18:4); Masoretic Text captured seventeen hundred of his charioteers
2 Samuel 8:8 See some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 1 Chron. 18:8); Hebrew Betah.
2 Samuel 8:9 Hebrew Toi, a variant of Tou; also in verse 10
2 Samuel 8:10 A variant of Hadoram
2 Samuel 8:12 Some Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint and Syriac (see also 1 Chron. 18:11); most Hebrew manuscripts Aram
2 Samuel 8:13 A few Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint and Syriac (see also 1 Chron. 18:12); most Hebrew manuscripts Aram (that is, Arameans)
2 Samuel 8:18 Or were chief officials (see Septuagint and Targum; see also 1 Chron. 18:17)

1 Chronicles 15-17

New International Version

The Ark Brought to Jerusalem^(A)

15 After David had constructed buildings for himself in the City of David, he prepared^(B) a place for the ark of God and pitched^(C) a tent for it. ²Then David said, “No one but the Levites^(D) may carry^(E) the ark of God, because the Lord chose them to carry the ark of the Lord and to minister^(F) before him forever.”

³David assembled all Israel^(G) in Jerusalem to bring up the ark of the Lord to the place he had prepared for it. ⁴He called together the descendants of Aaron and the Levites:^(H)

⁵From the descendants of Kohath,

Uriel^(I) the leader and 120 relatives;

⁶from the descendants of Merari,

Asaiah the leader and 220 relatives;

⁷from the descendants of Gershon,^[a]

Joel the leader and 130 relatives;

⁸from the descendants of Elizaphan,^(J)

Shemaiah the leader and 200 relatives;

⁹from the descendants of Hebron,^(K)

Eliel the leader and 80 relatives;

¹⁰from the descendants of Uzziel,

Amminadab the leader and 112 relatives.

¹¹Then David summoned Zadok^(L) and Abiathar^(M) the priests, and Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel and Amminadab the Levites. ¹²He said to them, “You are the heads of the Levitical families; you and your fellow Levites are to consecrate^(N) yourselves and bring up the ark of the Lord, the God of Israel, to the place I have prepared for it. ¹³It was because you, the Levites,^(O) did not bring it up the first time that the Lord our God broke out in anger against us.^(P) We did not inquire of him about how to do it in the prescribed way.^(Q)” ¹⁴So the priests and Levites consecrated themselves in order to bring up the ark of the Lord, the God of Israel. ¹⁵And the Levites carried the ark of God with the poles on their shoulders, as Moses had commanded^(R) in accordance with the word of the Lord.^(S)

¹⁶David^(T) told the leaders of the Levites^(U) to appoint their fellow Levites as musicians^(V) to make a joyful sound with musical instruments: lyres, harps and cymbals.^(W)

¹⁷So the Levites appointed Heman^(X) son of Joel; from his relatives, Asaph^(Y) son of Berekiah; and from their relatives the Merarites,^(Z) Ethan son of Kushaiah; ¹⁸and with them their relatives next in rank: Zechariah,^[b] Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom^(AA) and Jeiel,^[c] the gatekeepers.

¹⁹The musicians Heman,^(AB) Asaph and Ethan were to sound the bronze cymbals; ²⁰Zechariah, Jaaziel,^[d] Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah and Benaiah were to play the lyres according to alamoth,^[e] ²¹and Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, Jeiel and Azaziah were to play the harps, directing according to sheminith.^[f] ²²Kenaniah the head Levite was in charge of the singing; that was his responsibility because he was skillful at it.

²³Berekiah and Elkanah were to be doorkeepers for the ark. ²⁴Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah and Eliezer the priests were to blow trumpets^(AC) before the ark of God. Obed-Edom and Jehiah were also to be doorkeepers for the ark.

²⁵So David and the elders of Israel and the commanders of units of a thousand went to bring up the ark^(AD) of the covenant of the Lord from the house of Obed-Edom, with rejoicing. ²⁶Because God had helped the Levites who were carrying the ark of the covenant of the Lord, seven bulls and seven rams^(AE) were sacrificed. ²⁷Now David was clothed in a robe of fine linen, as were all the Levites who were carrying the ark, and as were the musicians, and Kenaniah, who was in charge of the singing of the choirs. David also wore a linen ephod.^(AF) ²⁸So all Israel^(AG) brought up the ark of the covenant of the Lord with shouts,^(AH) with the sounding of rams’ horns^(AI) and trumpets, and of cymbals, and the playing of lyres and harps.

²⁹As the ark of the covenant of the Lord was entering the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King David dancing and celebrating, she despised him in her heart.

Ministering Before the Ark^(AJ)^(AK)^(AL)

16 They brought the ark of God and set it inside the tent that David had pitched^(AM) for it, and they presented burnt offerings and fellowship offerings before God. ²After David had finished sacrificing the burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, he blessed^(AN) the people in the name of the Lord. ³Then he gave a loaf of bread, a cake of dates and a cake of raisins^(AO) to each Israelite man and woman.

⁴He appointed some of the Levites to minister^(AP) before the ark of the Lord, to extol,^[g] thank, and praise the Lord, the God of Israel: ⁵Asaph was the chief, and next to him in rank were Zechariah, then Jaaziel,^[h] Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-Edom and Jeiel. They were to play the lyres and harps, Asaph was to sound the cymbals, ⁶and Benaiah and Jahaziel the priests were to blow the trumpets regularly before the ark of the covenant of God.

⁷That day David first appointed Asaph and his associates to give praise^(AQ) to the Lord in this manner:

⁸Give praise^(AR) to the Lord, proclaim his name;
    make known among the nations^(AS) what he has done.
⁹Sing to him, sing praise^(AT) to him;
    tell of all his wonderful acts.
¹⁰Glory in his holy name;^(AU)
    let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.
¹¹Look to the Lord and his strength;
    seek^(AV) his face always.

¹²Remember^(AW) the wonders^(AX) he has done,
    his miracles,^(AY) and the judgments he pronounced,
¹³you his servants, the descendants of Israel,
    his chosen ones, the children of Jacob.
¹⁴He is the Lord our God;
    his judgments^(AZ) are in all the earth.

¹⁵He remembers^[i]^(BA) his covenant forever,
    the promise he made, for a thousand generations,
¹⁶the covenant^(BB) he made with Abraham,
    the oath he swore to Isaac.
¹⁷He confirmed it to Jacob^(BC) as a decree,
    to Israel as an everlasting covenant:
¹⁸“To you I will give the land of Canaan^(BD)
    as the portion you will inherit.”

¹⁹When they were but few in number,^(BE)
    few indeed, and strangers in it,
²⁰they^[j] wandered^(BF) from nation to nation,
    from one kingdom to another.
²¹He allowed no one to oppress them;
    for their sake he rebuked kings:^(BG)
²²“Do not touch my anointed ones;
    do my prophets^(BH) no harm.”

²³Sing to the Lord, all the earth;
proclaim his salvation day after day.
²⁴Declare his glory^(BI) among the nations,
his marvelous deeds among all peoples.

²⁵For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise;^(BJ)
    he is to be feared^(BK) above all gods.^(BL)
²⁶For all the gods of the nations are idols,
    but the Lord made the heavens.^(BM)
²⁷Splendor and majesty are before him;
    strength and joy are in his dwelling place.

²⁸Ascribe to the Lord, all you families of nations,
    ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.^(BN)
²⁹Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;^(BO)
    bring an offering and come before him.
Worship the Lord in the splendor of his^[k] holiness.^(BP)
³⁰    Tremble^(BQ) before him, all the earth!
    The world is firmly established; it cannot be moved.^(BR)

³¹Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad;^(BS)
    let them say among the nations, “The Lord reigns!^(BT)”
³²Let the sea resound, and all that is in it;^(BU)
    let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them!
³³Let the trees^(BV) of the forest sing,
    let them sing for joy before the Lord,
    for he comes to judge^(BW) the earth.

³⁴Give thanks^(BX) to the Lord, for he is good;^(BY)
    his love endures forever.^(BZ)
³⁵Cry out, “Save us, God our Savior;^(CA)
    gather us and deliver us from the nations,
that we may give thanks to your holy name,
    and glory in your praise.”
³⁶Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel,^(CB)
    from everlasting to everlasting.

Then all the people said “Amen” and “Praise the Lord.”

³⁷David left Asaph and his associates before the ark of the covenant of the Lord to minister there regularly, according to each day’s requirements.^(CC) ³⁸He also left Obed-Edom^(CD) and his sixty-eight associates to minister with them. Obed-Edom son of Jeduthun, and also Hosah,^(CE) were gatekeepers.

³⁹David left Zadok^(CF) the priest and his fellow priests before the tabernacle of the Lord at the high place in Gibeon^(CG) ⁴⁰to present burnt offerings to the Lord on the altar of burnt offering regularly, morning and evening, in accordance with everything written in the Law^(CH) of the Lord, which he had given Israel. ⁴¹With them were Heman^(CI) and Jeduthun and the rest of those chosen and designated by name to give thanks to the Lord, “for his love endures forever.” ⁴²Heman and Jeduthun were responsible for the sounding of the trumpets and cymbals and for the playing of the other instruments for sacred song.^(CJ) The sons of Jeduthun^(CK) were stationed at the gate.

⁴³Then all the people left, each for their own home, and David returned home to bless his family.

God’s Promise to David^(CL)

17 After David was settled in his palace, he said to Nathan the prophet, “Here I am, living in a house of cedar, while the ark of the covenant of the Lord is under a tent.^(CM)”

²Nathan replied to David, “Whatever you have in mind,^(CN) do it, for God is with you.”

³But that night the word of God came to Nathan, saying:

⁴“Go and tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord says: You^(CO) are not the one to build me a house to dwell in. ⁵I have not dwelt in a house from the day I brought Israel up out of Egypt to this day. I have moved from one tent site to another, from one dwelling place to another. ⁶Wherever I have moved with all the Israelites, did I ever say to any of their leaders^[l] whom I commanded to shepherd my people, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?^(CP)”’

⁷“Now then, tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty says: I took you from the pasture, from tending the flock, and appointed you ruler^(CQ) over my people Israel. ⁸I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have cut off all your enemies from before you. Now I will make your name like the names of the greatest men on earth. ⁹And I will provide a place for my people Israel and will plant them so that they can have a home of their own and no longer be disturbed. Wicked people will not oppress them anymore, as they did at the beginning ¹⁰and have done ever since the time I appointed leaders^(CR) over my people Israel. I will also subdue all your enemies.

“‘I declare to you that the Lord will build a house for you: ¹¹When your days are over and you go to be with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, one of your own sons, and I will establish his kingdom. ¹²He is the one who will build^(CS) a house for me, and I will establish his throne forever.^(CT) ¹³I will be his father,^(CU) and he will be my son.^(CV) I will never take my love away from him, as I took it away from your predecessor. ¹⁴I will set him over my house and my kingdom forever; his throne^(CW) will be established forever.^(CX)’”

¹⁵Nathan reported to David all the words of this entire revelation.

David’s Prayer^(CY)

¹⁶Then King David went in and sat before the Lord, and he said:

“Who am I, Lord God, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? ¹⁷And as if this were not enough in your sight, my God, you have spoken about the future of the house of your servant. You, Lord God, have looked on me as though I were the most exalted of men.

¹⁸“What more can David say to you for honoring your servant? For you know your servant, ¹⁹Lord. For the sake^(CZ) of your servant and according to your will, you have done this great thing and made known all these great promises.^(DA)

²⁰“There is no one like you, Lord, and there is no God but you,^(DB) as we have heard with our own ears. ²¹And who is like your people Israel—the one nation on earth whose God went out to redeem^(DC) a people for himself, and to make a name for yourself, and to perform great and awesome wonders by driving out nations from before your people, whom you redeemed from Egypt? ²²You made your people Israel your very own forever,^(DD) and you, Lord, have become their God.

²³“And now, Lord, let the promise^(DE) you have made concerning your servant and his house be established forever. Do as you promised, ²⁴so that it will be established and that your name will be great forever. Then people will say, ‘The Lord Almighty, the God over Israel, is Israel’s God!’ And the house of your servant David will be established before you.

²⁵“You, my God, have revealed to your servant that you will build a house for him. So your servant has found courage to pray to you. ²⁶You, Lord, are God! You have promised these good things to your servant. ²⁷Now you have been pleased to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue forever in your sight;^(DF) for you, Lord, have blessed it, and it will be blessed forever.”

Footnotes

1 Chronicles 15:7 Hebrew Gershom, a variant of Gershon
1 Chronicles 15:18 Three Hebrew manuscripts and most Septuagint manuscripts (see also verse 20 and 16:5); most Hebrew manuscripts Zechariah son and or Zechariah, Ben and
1 Chronicles 15:18 Hebrew; Septuagint (see also verse 21) Jeiel and Azaziah
1 Chronicles 15:20 See verse 18; Hebrew Aziel, a variant of Jaaziel.
1 Chronicles 15:20 Probably a musical term
1 Chronicles 15:21 Probably a musical term
1 Chronicles 16:4 Or petition; or invoke
1 Chronicles 16:5 See 15:18,20; Hebrew Jeiel, possibly another name for Jaaziel.
1 Chronicles 16:15 Some Septuagint manuscripts (see also Psalm 105:8); Hebrew Remember
1 Chronicles 16:20 One Hebrew manuscript, Septuagint and Vulgate (see also Psalm 105:12); most Hebrew manuscripts inherit, / ¹⁹though you are but few in number, / few indeed, and strangers in it.” / ²⁰They
1 Chronicles 16:29 Or Lord with the splendor of
1 Chronicles 17:6 Traditionally judges; also in verse 10

New International Version (NIV)

2 Samuel 5-8

New International Version

David Becomes King Over Israel^(A)

David Conquers Jerusalem^(N)^(O)

David Defeats the Philistines^(AE)

The Ark Brought to Jerusalem^(AP)^(AQ)

God’s Promise to David^(BZ)

David’s Prayer^(DT)

David’s Victories^(EP)

David’s Officials^(FS)

Footnotes

Cross references

1 Chronicles 15-17

New International Version

The Ark Brought to Jerusalem^(A)

Ministering Before the Ark^(AJ)^(AK)^(AL)

God’s Promise to David^(CL)

David’s Prayer^(CY)

Footnotes

Cross references

More on the NIV

Bible Gateway Recommends

2 Samuel 5-8 New International Version

David Becomes King Over Israel(A)

David Conquers Jerusalem(N)(O)

David Defeats the Philistines(AE)

The Ark Brought to Jerusalem(AP)(AQ)

God’s Promise to David(BZ)

David’s Prayer(DT)

David’s Victories(EP)

David’s Officials(FS)

Footnotes

Cross references

1 Chronicles 15-17 New International Version

The Ark Brought to Jerusalem(A)

Ministering Before the Ark(AJ)(AK)(AL)

God’s Promise to David(CL)

David’s Prayer(CY)

Footnotes

Cross references

More on the NIV

Bible Gateway Recommends

2 Samuel 5-8

New International Version

David Becomes King Over Israel^(A)

David Conquers Jerusalem^(N)^(O)

David Defeats the Philistines^(AE)

The Ark Brought to Jerusalem^(AP)^(AQ)

God’s Promise to David^(BZ)

David’s Prayer^(DT)

David’s Victories^(EP)

David’s Officials^(FS)

1 Chronicles 15-17

New International Version

The Ark Brought to Jerusalem^(A)

Ministering Before the Ark^(AJ)^(AK)^(AL)

God’s Promise to David^(CL)

David’s Prayer^(CY)