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19 Some men from Manasseh joined[a] David when he went with the Philistines to fight against Saul. (But in the end they did not help the Philistines because, after taking counsel, the Philistine lords sent David away, saying, “It would be disastrous for us if he deserts to his master Saul.”)[b] 20 When David[c] went to Ziklag, the men of Manasseh who joined him were Adnach, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu, and Zillethai, leaders of 1,000 soldiers each in the tribe of Manasseh. 21 They helped David fight against raiding bands, for all of them were warriors and leaders in the army. 22 Each day men came to help David until his army became very large.[d]
Support for David in Hebron
23 The following is a record of the armed warriors who came with their leaders and joined David in Hebron in order to make David king in Saul’s place, in accordance with the Lord’s decree:[e]
24 From Judah came 6,800 trained warriors carrying shields and spears.[f]
25 From Simeon there were 7,100 warriors.
26 From Levi there were 4,600. 27 Jehoiada, the leader of Aaron’s descendants, brought 3,700 men with him, 28 along with Zadok, a young warrior, and 22 leaders from his family.
29 From Benjamin, Saul’s tribe,[g] there were 3,000, most of whom, up to that time, had been loyal to Saul.[h]
30 From Ephraim there were 20,800 warriors, who had brought fame to their families.[i]
31 From the half-tribe of Manasseh there were 18,000 who had been designated by name to come and make David king.
32 From Issachar there were 200 leaders and all their relatives at their command—they understood the times and knew what Israel should do.[j]
33 From Zebulun there were 50,000 warriors who were prepared for battle, equipped with all kinds of weapons, and ready to give their undivided loyalty.[k]
34 From Naphtali there were 1,000 officers, along with 37,000 men carrying shields and spears.
35 From Dan there were 28,600 men prepared for battle.
36 From Asher there were 40,000 warriors prepared for battle.
37 From the other side of the Jordan, from Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, there were 120,000 men armed with all kinds of weapons.
38 All these men were warriors who were ready to march.[l] They came to Hebron to make David king over all Israel by acclamation;[m] all the rest of the Israelites also were in agreement that David should become king.[n] 39 They spent three days feasting[o] there with David, for their relatives had given them provisions. 40 Also their neighbors, from as far away as Issachar, Zebulun, and Naphtali, were bringing food on donkeys, camels, mules, and oxen. There were large supplies of flour, fig cakes, raisins, wine, olive oil, beef, and lamb,[p] for Israel was celebrating.[q]
Uzzah Meets Disaster
13 David consulted with his military officers, including those who led groups of a thousand and those who led groups of a hundred.[r] 2 David said to the whole Israelite assembly, “If you so desire and the Lord our God approves,[s] let’s spread the word[t] to our brothers who remain in all the regions of Israel, and to the priests and Levites in their cities,[u] so they may join us. 3 Let’s move the ark of our God back here,[v] for we did not seek his will[w] throughout Saul’s reign.”[x] 4 The whole assembly agreed to do this,[y] for the proposal seemed right to all the people.[z] 5 So David assembled all Israel from the Shihor River[aa] in Egypt to Lebo Hamath,[ab] to bring the ark of God from Kiriath Jearim. 6 David and all Israel went up to Baalah (that is, Kiriath Jearim) in Judah to bring up from there the ark of God the Lord, who sits enthroned between the cherubim—the ark that is called by his Name.[ac]
7 They transported the ark of God on a new cart from the house of Abinadab; Uzzah and Ahio were guiding the cart, 8 while David and all Israel were energetically[ad] celebrating before God, singing and playing various stringed instruments,[ae] tambourines, cymbals, and trumpets. 9 When they arrived at the threshing floor of Kidon, Uzzah reached out his hand to take hold of[af] the ark, because the oxen stumbled. 10 The Lord was so furious with Uzzah,[ag] he killed him, because he reached out his hand and touched the ark.[ah] He died right there before God.[ai]
11 David was angry because the Lord attacked Uzzah;[aj] so he called that place Perez Uzzah,[ak] which remains its name to this very day. 12 David was afraid of God that day and said, “How will I ever be able to bring the ark of God up here?” 13 So David did not move the ark to the City of David;[al] he left it in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite. 14 The ark of God remained in Obed-Edom’s house for three months; the Lord blessed Obed-Edom’s family and everything that belonged to him.
David’s Prestige Grows
14 King Hiram of Tyre sent messengers to David, along with cedar logs, stonemasons,[am] and carpenters to build a palace for him. 2 David realized that the Lord had established him as king over Israel and that he had elevated[an] his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel.
3 In Jerusalem David married[ao] more wives and fathered more sons and daughters. 4 These are the names of children born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, 5 Ibhar, Elishua, Elpelet, 6 Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia, 7 Elishama, Beeliada,[ap] and Eliphelet.
8 When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed[aq] king of all Israel, all the Philistines marched up to confront him.[ar] When David heard about it, he marched out against[as] them. 9 Now the Philistines had come and raided[at] the Valley of Rephaim. 10 David asked God, “Should I march up against the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?” The Lord said to him, “March up! I will hand them over to you!” 11 So they marched against Baal Perazim and David defeated them there. David said, “Using me as his instrument,[au] God has burst out against my enemies like water bursts out.” So that place is called Baal Perazim.[av] 12 The Philistines left[aw] their idols[ax] there, so David ordered that they be burned.
13 The Philistines again raided the valley. 14 So David again asked God what he should do.[ay] This time[az] God told him, “Don’t march up after them; circle around them and come against them in front of the trees.[ba] 15 When you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the trees, then attack.[bb] For at that moment God is going before you to strike down the army[bc] of the Philistines.” 16 David did just as God commanded him, and they struck down the Philistine army from Gibeon to Gezer.
17 So David became famous[bd] in all the lands; the Lord caused all the nations to fear him.[be]
Salutation
1 From Paul,[a] a slave[b] of Christ Jesus,[c] called to be an apostle,[d] set apart for the gospel of God.[e] 2 This gospel[f] he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy scriptures, 3 concerning his Son who was a descendant[g] of David with reference to the flesh,[h] 4 who was appointed the Son-of-God-in-power[i] according to the Holy Spirit[j] by the resurrection[k] from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord. 5 Through him[l] we have received grace and our apostleship[m] to bring about the obedience[n] of faith[o] among all the Gentiles on behalf of his name. 6 You also are among them,[p] called to belong to Jesus Christ.[q] 7 To all those loved by God in Rome, called to be saints:[r] Grace and peace to you[s] from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!
Paul’s Desire to Visit Rome
8 First of all,[t] I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed throughout the whole world. 9 For God, whom I serve in my spirit in the gospel[u] of his Son, is my witness that[v] I continually remember you 10 and I always ask[w] in my prayers, if perhaps now at last I may succeed in visiting you according to the will of God.[x] 11 For I long to see you, so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift[y] to strengthen you, 12 that is, that we may be mutually comforted by one another’s faith,[z] both yours and mine. 13 I do not want you to be unaware,[aa] brothers and sisters,[ab] that I often intended to come to you (and was prevented until now), so that I may have some fruit even among you, just as I already have among the rest of the Gentiles.[ac] 14 I am a debtor[ad] both to the Greeks and to the barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. 15 Thus I am eager[ae] also to preach the gospel to you who are in Rome.
The Power of the Gospel
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is God’s power for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.[af] 17 For the righteousness[ag] of God is revealed in the gospel[ah] from faith to faith,[ai] just as it is written, “The righteous by faith will live.”[aj]
13 when they prayed:[a]
“Have mercy on me,[b] Lord!
See how I am oppressed by those who hate me,[c]
O one who can snatch me away[d] from the gates of death!
14 Then I will[e] tell about all your praiseworthy acts;[f]
in the gates of Daughter Zion[g] I will rejoice because of your deliverance.”[h]
15 The nations fell[i] into the pit they had made;
their feet were caught in the net they had hidden.[j]
16 The Lord revealed himself;
he accomplished justice.
The wicked were ensnared by their own actions.[k] (Higgaion.[l] Selah)
17 The wicked are turned back and sent to Sheol;[m]
this is the destiny of[n] all the nations that ignore[o] God,
18 for the needy are not permanently ignored,[p]
the hopes of the oppressed are not forever dashed.[q]
19 Rise up, Lord![r]
Don’t let men be defiant.[s]
May the nations be judged in your presence.
20 Terrify them, Lord.[t]
Let the nations know they are mere mortals.[u] (Selah)
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