And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo, the Ahohite, who was one of the three mighties.


He was with David at Pas-dammim, and there the Philistines were gathered together to battle, where was a parcel of ground full of barley; and the people fled from before the Philistines.


And they set themselves in the midst of that parcel, and delivered it, and slew the Philistines; and the LORD saved them by a great deliverance.


Now three of the thirty captains went down to the rock to David, into the cave of Adullam; and the host of the Philistines encamped in the valley of Rephaim.


And David was then in the hold, and the Philistines' garrison was then at Bethlehem.


And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, that is at the gate!


And the three brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: but David would not drink of it, but poured it out to the LORD,


And said, My God forbid it me, that I should do this thing: shall I drink the blood of these men that have put their lives in jeopardy? for with the jeopardy of their lives they brought it. Therefore he would not drink it. These things did these three mightiest.


And Abishai the brother of Joab, he was chief of the three: for lifting up his spear against three hundred, he slew them, and had a name among the three.


Of the three, he was more honourable than the two; for he was their captain: howbeit he attained not to the first three.


Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man of Kabzeel, who had done many acts; he slew two lionlike men of Moab: also he went down and slew a lion in a pit in a snowy day.


And he slew an Egyptian, a man of great stature, five cubits high; and in the Egyptian's hand was a spear like a weaver's beam; and he went down to him with a staff, and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian's hand, and slew him with his own spear.


These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and had the name among the three mighties.


Behold, he was honourable among the thirty, but attained not to the first three: and David set him over his guard.


Also the valiant men of the armies were, Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem,


Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, Abi-ezer the Antothite,


Ithai the son of Ribai of Gibeah, that pertained to the children of Benjamin, Benaiah the Pirathonite,


The sons of Hashem the Gizonite, Jonathan the son of Shage the Hararite,


Joel the brother of Nathan, Mibhar the son of Haggeri,


Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Berothite, the armourbearer of Joab the son of Zeruiah,


Adina the son of Shiza the Reubenite, a captain of the Reubenites, and thirty with him,


Hanan the son of Maachah, and Joshaphat the Mithnite,


Uzzia the Ashterathite, Shama and Jehiel the sons of Hothan the Aroerite,


Eliel, and Obed, and Jasiel the Mesobaite.


Now these are they that came to David to Ziklag, while he yet kept himself close because of Saul the son of Kish: and they were among the mighty men, helpers of the war.


They were armed with bows, and could use both the right hand and the left in hurling stones and shooting arrows out of a bow, even of Saul's brethren of Benjamin.


The chief was Ahiezer, then Joash, the sons of Shemaah the Gibeathite; and Jeziel, and Pelet, the sons of Azmaveth; and Berachah, and Jehu the Antothite,


And Ismaiah the Gibeonite, a mighty man among the thirty, and over the thirty; and Jeremiah, and Jahaziel, and Johanan, and Josabad the Gederathite,


Elkanah, and Jesiah, and Azareel, and Joezer, and Jashobeam, the Korhites,


And Joelah, and Zebadiah, the sons of Jeroham of Gedor.


And of the Gadites there separated themselves unto David into the hold to the wilderness men of might, and men of war fit for the battle, that could handle shield and buckler, whose faces were like the faces of lions, and were as swift as the roes upon the mountains;


Ezer the first, Obadiah the second, Eliab the third,


Jeremiah the tenth, Machbanai the eleventh.


These were of the sons of Gad, captains of the host: one of the least was over an hundred, and the greatest over a thousand.


These are they that went over Jordan in the first month, when it had overflown all his banks; and they put to flight all them of the valleys, both toward the east, and toward the west.


And there came of the children of Benjamin and Judah to the hold unto David.


And David went out to meet them, and answered and said unto them, If ye be come peaceably unto me to help me, mine heart shall be knit unto you: but if ye be come to betray me to mine enemies, seeing there is no wrong in mine hands, the God of our fathers look thereon, and rebuke it.


Then the spirit came upon Amasai, who was chief of the captains, and he said, Thine are we, David, and on thy side, thou son of Jesse: peace, peace be unto thee, and peace be to thine helpers; for thy God helpeth thee. Then David received them, and made them captains of the band.


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 advisement sent him away, saying, He will fall to his master Saul to the jeopardy of our heads.


As he went 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.


And they helped David against the band of the rovers: for they were all mighty men of valour, and were captains in the host.


For at that time day by day there came to David to help him, until it was a great host, like the host of God.


And these are the numbers of the bands that were ready armed to the war, and came to David to Hebron, to turn the kingdom of Saul to him, according to the word of the LORD.


The children of Judah that bare shield and spear were six thousand and eight hundred, ready armed to the war.


Of the children of Simeon, mighty men of valour for the war, seven thousand and one hundred.


And Jehoiada was the leader of the Aaronites, and with him were three thousand and seven hundred;


And Zadok, a young man mighty of valour, and of his father's house twenty and two captains.


And of the children of Benjamin, the kindred of Saul, three thousand: for hitherto the greatest part of them had kept the ward of the house of Saul.


And of the children of Ephraim twenty thousand and eight hundred, mighty men of valour, famous throughout the house of their fathers.


And of the half tribe of Manasseh eighteen thousand, which were expressed by name, to come and make David king.


And of the children of Issachar, which were men that 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 commandment.


Of Zebulun, such as went forth to battle, expert in war, with all instruments of war, fifty thousand, which could keep rank: they were not of double heart.


And of Naphtali a thousand captains, and with them with shield and spear thirty and seven thousand.


And of the Danites expert in war twenty and eight thousand and six hundred.


And of Asher, such as went forth to battle, expert in war, forty thousand.


And on the other side of Jordan, of the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and of the half tribe of Manasseh, with all manner of instruments of war for the battle, an hundred and twenty thousand.


All these men of war, that could keep rank, 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.


And there they were with David three days, eating and drinking: for their brethren had prepared for them.


Moreover they that were nigh them, even unto Issachar and Zebulun and Naphtali, brought bread on asses, and on camels, and on mules, and on oxen, and meat, meal, cakes of figs, and bunches of raisins, and wine, and oil, and oxen, and sheep abundantly: for there was joy in Israel.


And David consulted with the captains of thousands and hundreds, and with every leader.


And David said unto all the congregation of Israel, If it seem good unto you, and that it be of the LORD our God, let us send abroad unto our brethren every where, that are left in all the land of Israel, and with them also to the priests and Levites which are in their cities and suburbs, that they may gather themselves unto us:


And let us bring again the ark of our God to us: for we inquired not at it in the days of Saul.


And all the congregation said that they would do so: for the thing was right in the eyes of all the people.


So David gathered all Israel together, from Shihor of Egypt even unto the entering of Hamath, to bring the ark of God from Kirjath-jearim.


And David went up, and all Israel, to Baalah, that is, to Kirjath-jearim, which belonged to Judah, to bring up thence the ark of God the LORD, that dwelleth between the cherubims, whose name is called on it.


And they carried the ark of God in a new cart out of the house of Abinadab: and Uzza and Ahio drave the cart.


And David and all Israel played before God with all their might, and with singing, and with harps, and with psalteries, and with timbrels, and with cymbals, and with trumpets.


And when they came unto the threshingfloor of Chidon, Uzza put forth his hand to hold the ark; for the oxen stumbled.


And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzza, and he smote him, because he put his hand to the ark: and there he died before God.


And David was displeased, because the LORD had made a breach upon Uzza: wherefore that place is called Perez-uzza to this day.


And David was afraid of God that day, saying, How shall I bring the ark of God home to me?


So David brought not the ark home to himself to the city of David, but carried it aside into the house of Obed-edom the Gittite.


And the ark of God remained with the family of Obed-edom in his house three months. And the LORD blessed the house of Obed-edom, and all that he had.


Now Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and timber of cedars, with masons and carpenters, to build him an house.


And David perceived that the LORD had confirmed him king over Israel, for his kingdom was lifted up on high, because of his people Israel.


And David took more wives at Jerusalem: and David begat more sons and daughters.


Now these are the names of his children which he had in Jerusalem; Shammua, and Shobab, Nathan, and Solomon,


And Ibhar, and Elishua, and Elpalet,


And Elishama, and Beeliada, and Eliphalet.


And when the Philistines heard that David was anointed king over all Israel, all the Philistines went up to seek David. And David heard of it, and went out against them.


And the Philistines came and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim.


And David inquired of God, saying, Shall I go up against the Philistines? and wilt thou deliver them into mine hand? And the LORD said unto him, Go up; for I will deliver them into thine hand.


So they came up to Baal-perazim; and David smote them there. Then David said, God hath broken in upon mine enemies by mine hand like the breaking forth of waters: therefore they called the name of that place Baal-perazim.


And when they had left their gods there, David gave a commandment, and they were burned with fire.


And the Philistines yet again spread themselves abroad in the valley.


Therefore David inquired again of God; and God said unto him, Go not up after them; turn away from them, and come upon them over against the mulberry trees.


And it shall be, when thou shalt hear a sound of going in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then thou shalt go out to battle: for God is gone forth before thee to smite the host of the Philistines.


David therefore did as God commanded him: and they smote the host of the Philistines from Gibeon even to Gazer.


And the fame of David went out into all lands; and the LORD brought the fear of him upon all nations.


And David made him houses in the city of David, and prepared a place for the ark of God, and pitched for it a tent.


Then David said, None ought to carry the ark of God but the Levites: for them hath the LORD chosen to carry the ark of God, and to minister unto him for ever.


And David gathered all Israel together to Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the LORD unto his place, which he had prepared for it.


And David assembled the children of Aaron, and the Levites:


Of the sons of Kohath; Uriel the chief, and his brethren an hundred and twenty:


Of the sons of Merari; Asaiah the chief, and his brethren two hundred and twenty:


Of the sons of Gershom; Joel the chief, and his brethren an hundred and thirty:


Of the sons of Elizaphan; Shemaiah the chief, and his brethren two hundred:


Of the sons of Hebron; Eliel the chief, and his brethren fourscore:


Of the sons of Uzziel; Amminadab the chief, and his brethren an hundred and twelve.


And David called for Zadok and Abiathar the priests, and for the Levites, for Uriel, Asaiah, and Joel, Shemaiah, and Eliel, and Amminadab,


And said unto them, Ye are the chief of the fathers of the Levites: sanctify yourselves, both ye and your brethren, that ye may bring up the ark of the LORD God of Israel unto the place that I have prepared for it.


For because ye did it not at the first, the LORD our God made a breach upon us, for that we sought him not after the due order.


So the priests and the Levites sanctified themselves to bring up the ark of the LORD God of Israel.


And the children of the Levites bare the ark of God upon their shoulders with the staves thereon, as Moses commanded according to the word of the LORD.


And David spake to the chief of the Levites to appoint their brethren to be the singers with instruments of musick, psalteries and harps and cymbals, sounding, by lifting up the voice with joy.


So the Levites appointed Heman the son of Joel; and of his brethren, Asaph the son of Berechiah; and of the sons of Merari their brethren, Ethan the son of Kushaiah;


And with them their brethren of the second degree, Zechariah, Ben, and Jaaziel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Unni, Eliab, and Benaiah, and Maaseiah, and Mattithiah, and Elipheleh, and Mikneiah, and Obed-edom, and Jeiel, the porters.


So the singers, Heman, Asaph, and Ethan, were appointed to sound with cymbals of brass;


And Zechariah, and Aziel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Unni, and Eliab, and Maaseiah, and Benaiah, with psalteries on Alamoth;


And Mattithiah, and Elipheleh, and Mikneiah, and Obed-edom, and Jeiel, and Azaziah, with harps on the Sheminith to excel.


And Chenaniah, chief of the Levites, was for song: he instructed about the song, because he was skilful.


And Berechiah and Elkanah were doorkeepers for the ark.


And Shebaniah, and Jehoshaphat, and Nethaneel, and Amasai, and Zechariah, and Benaiah, and Eliezer, the priests, did blow with the trumpets before the ark of God: and Obed-edom and Jehiah were doorkeepers for the ark.


So David, and the elders of Israel, and the captains over thousands, went to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of the house of Obed-edom with joy.


And it came to pass, when God helped the Levites that bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, that they offered seven bullocks and seven rams.


And David was clothed with a robe of fine linen, and all the Levites that bare the ark, and the singers, and Chenaniah the master of the song with the singers: David also had upon him an ephod of linen.


Thus all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the LORD with shouting, and with sound of the cornet, and with trumpets, and with cymbals, making a noise with psalteries and harps.


And it came to pass, as the ark of the covenant of the LORD came to the city of David, that Michal the daughter of Saul looking out at a window saw king David dancing and playing: and she despised him in her heart.


So they brought the ark of God, and set it in the midst of the tent that David had pitched for it: and they offered burnt sacrifices and peace offerings before God.


And when David had made an end of offering the burnt offerings and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD.


And he dealt to every one of Israel, both man and woman, to every one a loaf of bread, and a good piece of flesh, and a flagon of wine.


And he appointed certain of the Levites to minister before the ark of the LORD, and to record, and to thank and praise the LORD God of Israel:


Asaph the chief, and next to him Zechariah, Jeiel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Mattithiah, and Eliab, and Benaiah, and Obed-edom: and Jeiel with psalteries and with harps; but Asaph made a sound with cymbals;


Benaiah also and Jahaziel the priests with trumpets continually before the ark of the covenant of God.


Then on that day David delivered first this psalm to thank the LORD into the hand of Asaph and his brethren.


Give thanks unto the LORD, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the people.


Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him, talk ye of all his wondrous works.


Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the LORD.


Seek the LORD and his strength, seek his face continually.


Remember his marvellous works that he hath done, his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth;


O ye seed of Israel his servant, ye children of Jacob, his chosen ones.


He is the LORD our God; his judgments are in all the earth.


Be ye mindful always of his covenant; the word which he commanded to a thousand generations;


Even of the covenant which he made with Abraham, and of his oath unto Isaac;


And hath confirmed the same to Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant,


Saying, Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance;


When ye were but few, even a few, and strangers in it.


And when they went from nation to nation, and from one kingdom to another people;


He suffered no man to do them wrong: yea, he reproved kings for their sakes,


Saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm.


Sing unto the LORD, all the earth; shew forth from day to day his salvation.


Declare his glory among the heathen; his marvellous works among all nations.


For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised: he also is to be feared above all gods.


For all the gods of the people are idols: but the LORD made the heavens.


Glory and honour are in his presence; strength and gladness are in his place.


Give unto the LORD, ye kindreds of the people, give unto the LORD glory and strength.


Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.


Fear before him, all the earth: the world also shall be stable, that it be not moved.


Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice: and let men say among the nations, The LORD reigneth.


Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof: let the fields rejoice, and all that is therein.


Then shall the trees of the wood sing out at the presence of the LORD, because he cometh to judge the earth.


O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever.


And say ye, Save us, O God of our salvation, and gather us together, and deliver us from the heathen, that we may give thanks to thy holy name, and glory in thy praise.


Blessed be the LORD God of Israel for ever and ever. And all the people said, Amen, and praised the LORD.


So he left there before the ark of the covenant of the LORD Asaph and his brethren, to minister before the ark continually, as every day's work required:


And Obed-edom with their brethren, threescore and eight; Obed-edom also the son of Jeduthun and Hosah to be porters:


And Zadok the priest, and his brethren the priests, before the tabernacle of the LORD in the high place that was at Gibeon,


To offer burnt offerings unto the LORD upon the altar of the burnt offering continually morning and evening, and to do according to all that is written in the law of the LORD, which he commanded Israel;


And with them Heman and Jeduthun, and the rest that were chosen, who were expressed by name, to give thanks to the LORD, because his mercy endureth for ever;


And with them Heman and Jeduthun with trumpets and cymbals for those that should make a sound, and with musical instruments of God. And the sons of Jeduthun were porters.


And all the people departed every man to his house: and David returned to bless his house.


Now it came to pass, as David sat in his house, that David said to Nathan the prophet, Lo, I dwell in an house of cedars, but the ark of the covenant of the LORD remaineth under curtains.


Then Nathan said unto David, Do all that is in thine heart; for God is with thee.


And it came to pass the same night, that the word of God came to Nathan, saying,


Go and tell David my servant, Thus saith the LORD, Thou shalt not build me an house to dwell in:


For I have not dwelt in an house since the day that I brought up Israel unto this day; but have gone from tent to tent, and from one tabernacle to another.


Wheresoever I have walked with all Israel, spake I a word to any of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to feed my people, saying, Why have ye not built me an house of cedars?


Now therefore thus shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I took thee from the sheepcote, even from following the sheep, that thou shouldest be ruler over my people Israel:


And I have been with thee whithersoever thou hast walked, and have cut off all thine enemies from before thee, and have made thee a name like the name of the great men that are in the earth.


Also I will ordain a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, and they shall dwell in their place, and shall be moved no more; neither shall the children of wickedness waste them any more, as at the beginning,


And since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel. Moreover I will subdue all thine enemies. Furthermore I tell thee that the LORD will build thee an house.


And it shall come to pass, when thy days be expired that thou must go to be with thy fathers, that I will raise up thy seed after thee, which shall be of thy sons; and I will establish his kingdom.


He shall build me an house, and I will stablish his throne for ever.


I will be his father, and he shall be my son: and I will not take my mercy away from him, as I took it from him that was before thee:


But I will settle him in mine house and in my kingdom for ever: and his throne shall be established for evermore.


And David the king came and sat before the LORD, and said, Who am I, O LORD God, and what is mine house, that thou hast brought me hitherto?


And yet this was a small thing in thine eyes, O God; for thou hast also spoken of thy servant's house for a great while to come, and hast regarded me according to the estate of a man of high degree, O LORD God.


What can David speak more to thee for the honour of thy servant? for thou knowest thy servant.


O LORD, for thy servant's sake, and according to thine own heart, hast thou done all this greatness, in making known all these great things.


O LORD, there is none like thee, neither is there any God beside thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears.


And what one nation in the earth is like thy people Israel, whom God went to redeem to be his own people, to make thee a name of greatness and terribleness, by driving out nations from before thy people, whom thou hast redeemed out of Egypt?


For thy people Israel didst thou make thine own people for ever; and thou, LORD, becamest their God.


Therefore now, LORD, let the thing that thou hast spoken concerning thy servant and concerning his house be established for ever, and do as thou hast said.


Let it even be established, that thy name may be magnified for ever, saying, The LORD of hosts is the God of Israel, even a God to Israel: and let the house of David thy servant be established before thee.


For thou, O my God, hast told thy servant that thou wilt build him an house: therefore thy servant hath found in his heart to pray before thee.


And now, LORD, thou art God, and hast promised this goodness unto thy servant:


Now therefore let it please thee to bless the house of thy servant, that it may be before thee for ever: for thou blessest, O LORD, and it shall be blessed for ever.


Now after this it came to pass, that David smote the Philistines, and subdued them, and took Gath and her towns out of the hand of the Philistines.


And he smote Moab; and the Moabites became David's servants, and brought gifts.


And David smote Hadarezer king of Zobah unto Hamath, as he went to stablish his dominion by the river Euphrates.


And David took from him a thousand chariots, and seven thousand horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen: David also houghed all the chariot horses, but reserved of them an hundred chariots.


And when the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadarezer king of Zobah, David slew of the Syrians two and twenty thousand men.


Then David put garrisons in Syria-damascus; and the Syrians became David's servants, and brought gifts. Thus the LORD preserved David whithersoever he went.


And David took the shields of gold that were on the servants of Hadarezer, and brought them to Jerusalem.


Likewise from Tibhath, and from Chun, cities of Hadarezer, brought David very much brass, wherewith Solomon made the brasen sea, and the pillars, and the vessels of brass.


Now when Tou king of Hamath heard how David had smitten all the host of Hadarezer king of Zobah;


He sent Hadoram his son to king David, to inquire of his welfare, and to congratulate him, because he had fought against Hadarezer, and smitten him; (for Hadarezer had war with Tou;) and with him all manner of vessels of gold and silver and brass.


Them also king David dedicated unto the LORD, with the silver and the gold that he brought from all these nations; from Edom, and from Moab, and from the children of Ammon, and from the Philistines, and from Amalek.


Moreover Abishai the son of Zeruiah slew of the Edomites in the valley of salt eighteen thousand.


And he put garrisons in Edom; and all the Edomites became David's servants. Thus the LORD preserved David whithersoever he went.


So David reigned over all Israel, and executed judgment and justice among all his people.


And Joab the son Zeruiah was over the host; and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud, recorder.


And Zadok the son of Ahitub, and Abimelech the son of Abiathar, were the priests; and Shavsha was scribe;


And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethiten of Ahitub, and Abimelech the son of Abiathar, were the priests; and Shavsha was scribe;


Now it came to pass after this, that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon died, and his son reigned in his stead.


And David said, I will shew kindness unto Hanun the son of Nahash, because his father shewed kindness to me. And David sent messengers to comfort him concerning his fatthou that David doth honour thy father, that he hath sent comforters unto thee? are not his servants come unto thee for to search, and to overthrow, and to spy out the land?


Wherefore Hanun took David's servants, and shaved them, and cut off their garments in the midst hard by their buttocks, and sent them away.


Then there went certain, and told David how the men were served. And he sent to meet them: for the men were greatly ashamed. And the king said, Tarry at Jericho until your beards be grown, and then return.


And when the children of Ammon saw that they had made themselves odious to David, Hanun and the children of Ammon sent a thousand talents of silver to hire them chariots and horsemen out of Mesopotamia, and out of Syria-maachah, and out of Zobah.


So they hired thirty and two thousand chariots, and the king of Maachah and his people; who came and pitched before Medeba. And the children of Ammon gathered themselves together from their cities, and came to battle.


And the children of Ammon came out, and put the battle in array before the gate of the city: and the kings that were come were by themselves in the field.


Now when Joab saw that the battle was set against him before and behind, he chose out of all the choice of Israel, and put them in array against the Syrians.


And the rest of the people he delivered unto the hand of Abishai his brother, and they set themselves in array against the children of Ammon.


And he said, If the Syrians be too strong for me, then thou shalt help me: but if the children of Ammon be too strong for thee, then I will help thee.


Be of good courage, and let us behave ourselves valiantly for our people, and for the cities of our God: and let the LORD do that which is good in his sight.


So Joab and the people that were with him drew nigh before the Syrians unto the battle; and they fled before him.


And when the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians were fled, they likewise fled before Abishai his brother, and entered into the city. Then Joab came to Jerusalem.


And when the Syrians saw that they were put to the worse before Israel, they sent messengers, and drew forth the Syrians that were beyond the river: and Shophach the captain of the host of Hadarezer went before them.


And it was told David; and he gathered all Israel, and passed over Jordan, and came upon them, and set the battle in array against them. So when David had put the battle in array against the Syrians, they fought with him.


But the Syrians fled before Israel; and David slew of the Syrians seven thousand men which fought in chariots, and forty thousand footmen, and killed Shophach the captain of the host.


And when the servants of Hadarezer saw that they were put to the worse before Israel, they made peace with David, and became his servants: neither would the Syrians help the children of Ammon any more.


And 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.


And David took the crown of their king from off his head, and found it to weigh a talent of gold, and there were precious stones in it; and it was set upon David's head: and he brought also exceeding much spoil out of the city.


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.


And it came to pass after this, that there arose war at Gezer with the Philistines; at which time Sibbechai the Hushathite slew Sippai, that was of the children of the giant: and they were subdued.


And there was war again with the Philistines; and Elhanan the son of Jair slew Lahmi the brother of Goliath the Gittite, whose spear staff was like a weaver's beam.


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.


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


These were born unto the giant in Gath; and they fell by the hand of David, and by the hand of his servants.


And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel.


And David said to Joab and to the rulers of the people, Go, number Israel from Beer-sheba even to Dan; and bring the number of them to me, that I may know it.


And Joab answered, The LORD make his people an hundred times so many more as they be: but, my lord the king, are they not all my lord's servants? why then doth my lord require this thing? why will he be a cause of trespass to Israel?


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


And Joab gave the sum of the number of the people unto David. And all they of Israel were a thousand thousand and an hundred thousand men that drew sword: and Judah was four hundred threescore and ten thousand men that drew sword.


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


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


And David said unto God, I have sinned greatly, because I have done this thing: but now, I beseech thee, do away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly.


And the LORD spake unto Gad, David's seer, saying,


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.


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


Either three years' famine; or three months to be destroyed before thy foes, while that the sword of thine enemies overtaketh thee; or else three days the sword of the LORD, even the pestilence, in the land, and the angel of the LORD destroying throughout all the coasts of Israel. Now therefore advise thyself what word I shall bring again to him that sent me.


And David said unto Gad, I am in a 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.


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


And God sent an angel unto Jerusalem to destroy it: and as he was destroying, the LORD beheld, and he repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed, It is enough, stay now thine hand. And the angel of the LORD stood by the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite.


And David lifted up his eyes, and saw the angel of the LORD stand between the earth and the heaven, having a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders of Israel, who were clothed in sackcloth, fell upon their faces.


And David said unto God, Is it not I that commanded the people to be numbered? even I it is that have sinned and done evil indeed; but as for these sheep, what have they done? let thine hand, I 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.


Then the angel of the LORD commanded Gad to say to David, that David should go up, and set up an altar unto the LORD in the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite.


And David went up at the saying of Gad, which he spake in the name of the LORD.


And Ornan turned back, and saw the angel; and his four sons with him hid themselves. Now Ornan was threshing wheat.


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


Then David said to Ornan, Grant me the place of this threshingfloor, 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.


And Ornan said unto David, Take it to thee, and let my lord the king do that which is good in his eyes: lo,I give thee the oxen also for burnt offerings, and the threshing instruments for wood, and the wheat for the meat offering; I give it all.


And king David said to Ornan, Nay; but I will verily buy it for the full price: for I will not take that which is thine for the LORD, nor offer burnt offerings without cost.


So David gave to Ornan for the place six hundred shekels of gold by weight.


And David built there an altar unto the LORD, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings, and called upon the LORD; and he answered him from heaven by fire upon the altar of burnt offering.


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


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


For the tabernacle of the LORD, which Moses made in the wilderness, and the altar of the burnt offering, were at that season in the high place at Gibeon.


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.


Then David said, This is the house of the LORD God, and this is the altar of the burnt offering for Israel.


And David commanded to gather together the strangers that were in the land of Israel; and he set masons to hew wrought stones to build the house of God.


And David prepared iron in abundance for the nails for the doors of the gates, and for the joinings; and brass in abundance without weight;


Also cedar trees in abundance: for the Zidonians and they of Tyre brought much cedar wood to David.


And David said, Solomon my son is young and tender, and the house that is to be builded for the LORD must be exceeding magnifical, of fame and of glory throughout all countries: I will therefore now make preparation for it. So David prepared abundantly before his death.


Then he called for Solomon his son, and charged him to build an house for the LORD God of Israel.


And David said to Solomon, My son, as for me, it was in my mind to build an house unto the name of the LORD my God:


But the word of the LORD came to me, saying, Thou hast shed blood abundantly, and hast made great wars: thou shalt not build an house unto my name, because thou hast shed much blood upon the earth in my sight.


Behold, a son shall be born to thee, who shall be a man of rest; and I will give him rest from all his enemies round about: for his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quietness unto Israel in his days.


He shall build an house for my name; and he shall be my son, and I will be his father; and I will establish throne of his kingdom over Israel for ever.


Now, my son, the LORD be with thee; and prosper thou, and build the house of the LORD thy God, as he hath said of thee.


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.


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.


Now, behold, in my trouble I have prepared for the house of the LORD an hundred thousand talents of gold, and a 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.


Moreover there are workmen with thee in abundance, hewers and workers of stone and timber, and all manner of cunning men for every manner of work.


Of the gold, the silver, and the brass, and the iron, there is no number. Arise therefore, and be doing, and the LORD be with thee.


Is not the LORD your God with you? and hath he not given you rest on every side? for he hath given the inhabitants of the land into mine hand; and the land is subdued before the LORD, and before his people.


Now set your heart and your soul to seek the LORD your God; arise therefore, and build ye the sanctuary of the LORD God, to bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and the holy vessels of God, into the house that is to be built to the name of the LORD.


So when David was old and full of days, he made Solomon his son king over Israel.


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


Now the Levites were numbered from the age of thirty years and upward: and their number by their polls, man by man, was thirty and eight thousand.


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:


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


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


Of the Gershonites were, Laadan, and Shimei.


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


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


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


And Jahath was the chief, and Zizah the second: but Jeush and Beriah had not many sons; therefore they were in one reckoning, according to their father's house.


The sons of Kohath; Amram, Ishar, Hebron, and Uzziel, four.


The sons of Amram; Aaron and Moses: and Aaron was separated, that he should sanctify the most holy things, he and his sons for ever, to burn incense before the LORD, to minister unto him, and to bless in his name for ever.


Now concerning Moses the man of God, his sons were named of the tribe of Levi.


The sons of Moses were, Gershom, and Eliezer.


Of the sons of Gershom, Shebuel was the chief.


And the sons of Eliezer were, Rehabiah the chief. And Eliezer had none other sons; but the sons of Rehabiah were very many.


Of the sons of Izhar; Shelomith the chief.


Of the sons of Hebron; Jeriah the first, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, and Jekameam the fourth.


Of the sons of Uzziel; Michah the first, and Jesiah the second.


The sons of Merari; Mahli, and Mushi. The sons of Mahli; Eleazar, and Kish.


And Eleazar died, and had no sons, but daughters: and their brethren the sons of Kish took them.


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


These were the sons of Levi after the house of their fathers; even the chief of the fathers, as they were counted by number of names by their polls, that did the work for the service of the house of the LORD, from the age of twenty years and upward.


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


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


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


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;


Both for the shewbread, 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;


And to stand every morning to thank and praise the LORD, and likewise at even;


And to offer all burnt sacrifices unto the LORD in the sabbaths, in the new moons, and on the set feasts, by number, according to the order commanded unto them, continually before the LORD:


And that they should keep the charge of the tabernacle of the congregation, and the charge of the holy place, and the charge of the sons of Aaron their brethren, in the service of the house of the LORD.


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


But Nadab and Abihu died before their father, and had no children: therefore Elezar and Ithamar executed the priest's office.


And David distributed them, both Zadok of the sons of Eleazar, and Ahimelech of the sons of Ithamar, according to their offices in their service.


And there were more chief men found of the sons of Eleazar than of the sons of Ithamar; and thus were they divided. Among the sons of Eleazar there were sixteen chief men of the house of their fathers, and eight among the sons of Ithamar according to the house of their fathers.


Thus were they divided by lot, one sort with another; for the governors of the sanctuary, and governors of the house of God, were of the sons of Eleazar, and of the sons of Ithamar.


And Shemaiah the son of Nethaneel the scribe, one of the Levites, wrote them before the king, and the princes, and Zadok the priest, and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar, and before the chief of the fathers of the priests and Levites: one principal household being taken for Eleazar, and one taken for Ithamar.


The third to Harim, the fourth to Seorim,


The fifth to Malchijah, the sixth to Mijamin,


The seventh to Hakkoz, the eighth to Abijah,


The ninth to Jeshua, the tenth to Shecaniah,


The eleventh to Eliashib, the twelfth to Jakim,


The thirteenth to Huppah, the fourteenth to Jeshebeab,


The fifteenth to Bilgah, the sixteenth to Immer,


The seventeenth to Hezir, the eighteenth to Aphses,


The nineteenth to Pethahiah, the twentieth to Jehezekel,


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


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


These were the orderings of them in their service to come into the house of the LORD, according to their manner, under Aaron their father, as the LORD God of Israel had commanded him.


And the rest of the sons of Levi were these: Of the sons of Amram; Shubael: of the sons of Shubael; Jehdeiah.


Concerning Rehabiah: of the sons of Rehabiah, the first was Isshiah.


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


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


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


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


The sons of Merari were Mahli and Mushi: the sons of Jaaziah; Beno.


The sons of Merari by Jaaziah; Beno, and Shoham, and Zaccur, and Ibri.


Of Mahli came Eleazar, who had no sons.


Concerning Kish: the son of Kish was Jerahmeel.


The sons also of Mushi; Mahli, and Eder, and Jerimoth. These were the sons of the Levites after the house of their fathers.


These likewise cast lots over against their brethren the sons of Aaron in the presence of David the king, and Zadok, and Ahimelech, and the chief of the fathers of the priests and Levites, even the principal fathers over against their younger brethren.


Moreover David and the captains of the host separated to the service of the sons of Asaph, and of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who should prophesy with harps, with psalteries, and with cymbals: and the number of the workmen according to their service was:


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.


Of Jeduthun: the sons of Jeduthun; Gedaliah, and Zeri, and Jeshaiah, Hashabiah, and Mattithiah, six, under the hands of their father Jeduthun, who prophesied with a harp, to give thanks and to praise the LORD.


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


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.


All these were under the hands of their father for song in the house of the LORD, with cymbals, psalteries, and harps, for the service of the house of God, according to the king's order to Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman.


So the number of them, with their brethren that were instructed in the songs of the LORD, even all that were cunning, was two hundred fourscore and eight.


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


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


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


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


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


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


The seventh to Jesharelah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:


The eighth to Jeshaiah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:


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


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


The eleventh to Azareel, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:


The twelfth to Hashabiah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:


The thirteenth to Shubael, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:


The fourteenth to Mattithiah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:


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


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


The seventeenth to Joshbekashah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:


The eighteenth to Hanani, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:


The nineteenth to Mallothi, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:


The twentieth to Eliathah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:


The one and twentieth to Hothir, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:


The two and twentieth to Giddalti, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:


The three and twentieth to Mahazioth, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:


The four and twentieth to Romamti-ezer, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve.


Concerning the divisions of the porters: Of the Korhites was Meshelemiah the son of Kore, of the sons of Asaph.


And the sons of Meshelemiah were, Zechariah the firstborn, Jediael the second, Zebadiah the third, Jathniel the fourth,


Elam the fifth, Jehohanan the sixth, Elioenai the seventh.


Moreover the sons of Obed-edom were, Shemaiah the firstborn, Jehozabad the second, Joah the third, and Sacar the fourth, and Nethaneel the fifth,


Ammiel the sixth, Issachar the seventh, Peulthai the eighth: for God blessed him.


Also unto Shemaiah his son were sons born, that ruled throughout the house of their father: for they were mighty men of valour.


The sons of Shemaiah; Othni, and Rephael, and Obed, Elzabad, whose brethren were strong men, Elihu, and Semachiah.


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.


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


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


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


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.


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


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


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


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


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


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


These are the divisions of the porters among the sons of Kore, and among the sons of Merari.


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


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


The sons of Jehieli; Zetham, and Joel his brother, which were over the treasures of the house of the LORD.


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


And Shebuel the son of Gershom, the son of Moses, was ruler of the treasures.


And his brethren by Eliezer; Rehabiah his son, and Jeshaiah his son, and Joram his son, and Zichri his son, and Shelomith his son.


Which Shelomith and his brethren were over all the treasures of the dedicated things, which David the king, and the chief fathers, the captains over thousands and hundreds, and the captains of the host, had dedicated.


Out of the spoils won in battles did they dedicate to maintain the house of the LORD.


And all that Samuel the seer, and Saul the son of Kish, and Abner the son of Ner, and Joab the son of Zeruiah, had dedicated; and whosoever had dedicated any thing, it was under the hand of Shelomith, and of his brethren.


And of the Hebronites, Hashabiah and his brethren, men of valour, a thousand and seven hundred, were officers among them of Israel on this side Jordan westward in all the business of the LORD, and in the service of the king.


Among the Hebronites was Jerijah the chief, even among the Hebronites, according to the generations of his fathers. In the fortieth year of the reign of David they were sought for, and there were found among them mighty men of valour at Jazer of Gilead.


And his brethren, men of valour, were two thousand and seven hundred chief fathers, whom king David made rulers over the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh, for every matter pertaining to God, and affairs of the king.


Now the children of Israel after their number, to wit, the chief fathers and captains of thousands and hundreds, and their officers that served the king in any matter of the courses, which came in and went out month by month throughout all the months of the year, of every course were twenty and four thousand.


Over the first course for the first month was Jashobeam the son of Zabdiel: and in his course were twenty and four thousand.


Of the children of Perez was the chief of all the captains of the host for the first month.


And over the course of the second month was Dodai an Ahohite, and of his course was Mikloth also the ruler: in his course likewise were twenty and four thousand.


The third captain of the host for the third month was Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, a chief priest: and in his course were twenty and four thousand.


This is that Benaiah, who was mighty among the thirty, and above the thirty: and in his course was Ammizabad his son.


The fourth captain for the fourth month was Asahel the brother of Joab, and Zebadiah his son after him: and in his course were twenty and four thousand.


The fifth captain for the fifth month was Shamhuth the Izrahite: and in his course were twenty and four thousand.


The sixth captain for the sixth month was Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite: and in his course were twenty and four thousand.


The seventh captain for the seventh month was Helez the Pelonite, of the children of Ephraim: and in his course were twenty and four thousand.


The eighth captain for the eighth month was Sibbecai the Hushathite, of the Zarhites: and in his course were twenty and four thousand.


The ninth captain for the ninth month was Abiezer the Anetothite, of the Benjamites: and in his course were twenty and four thousand.


The tenth captain for the tenth month was Maharai the Netophathite, of the Zarhites: and in his course were twenty and four thousand.


The eleventh captain for the eleventh month was Benaiah the Pirathonite, of the children of Ephraim: and in his course were twenty and four thousand.


The twelfth captain for the twelfth month was Heldai the Netophathite, of Othniel: and in his course were twenty and four thousand.


Furthermore over the tribes of Israel: the ruler of the Reubenites was Eliezer the son of Zichri: of the Simeonites, Shephatiah the son of Maachah:


Of the Levites, Hashabiah the son of Kemuel: of the Aaronites, Zadok:


Of Judah, Elihu, one of the brethren of David: of Issachar, Omri the son of Michael:


Of Zebulun, Ishmaiah the son of Obadiah: of Naphtali, Jerimoth the son of Azriel:


Of the children of Ephraim, Hoshea the son of Azaziah: of the half tribe of Manasseh, Joel the son of Pedaiah:


Of the half tribe of Manasseh in Gilead, Iddo the son of Zechariah: of Benjamin, Jaasiel the son of Abner:


Of Dan, Azareel the son of Jeroham. These were the princes of the tribes of Israel.


But David took not the number of them from twenty years old and under: because the LORD had said he would increase Israel like to the stars of the heavens.


Joab the son of Zeruiah began to number, but he finished not, because there fell wrath for it against Israel; neither was the number put in the account of the chronicles of king David.


And over the king's treasures was Azmaveth the son of Adiel: and over the storehouses in the fields, in the cities, and in the villages, and in the castles, was Jehonathan the son of Uzziah:


And over them that did the work of the field for tillage of the ground was Ezri the son of Chelub:


And over the vineyards was Shimei the Ramathite: over the increase of the vineyards for the wine cellars was Zabdi the Shiphmite:


And over the olive trees and the sycomore trees that were in the low plains was Baal-hanan the Gederite: and over the cellars of oil was Joash:


And over the herds that fed in Sharon was Shitrai the Sharonite: and over the herds that were in the valleys was Shaphat the son of Adlai:


Over the camels also was Obil the Ishmaelite: and over the asses was Jehdeiah the Meronothite:


And over the flocks was Jaziz the Hagerite. All these were the rulers of the substance which was king David's.


Also Jonathan David's uncle was a counseller, a wise man, and a scribe: and Jehiel the son of Hachmoni was with the king's sons:


And Ahithophel was the king's counseller: and Hushai the Archite was the king's companion:


And after Ahithophel was Jehoiada the son of Benaiah, and Abiathar: and the general of the king's army was Joab.


And David assembled all the princes of Israel, the princes of the tribes, and the captains of the companies that ministered to the king by course, and the captains over the thousands, and captains over the hundreds, and the stewards over all the substance and possession of the king, and of his sons, with the officers, and with the mighty men, and with all the valiant men, unto Jerusalem.


Then David the king stood up upon his feet, and said, Hear me, my brethren, and my people: As for me, I had in mine heart to build an house of rest for the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and for the footstool of our God, and had made ready for the building:


But God said unto me, Thou shalt not build an house for my name, because thou hast been a man of war, and hast shed blood.


Howbeit the LORD God of Israel chose me before all the house of my father to be king over Israel for ever: for he hath chosen Judah to be the ruler; and of the house of Judah, the house of my father; and among the sons of my father he liked me to make me king over all Israel:


And of all my sons, (for the LORD hath given me many sons,) he hath chosen Solomon my son to sit upon the throne of the kingdom of the LORD over Israel.


And he said unto me, Solomon thy son, he shall build my house and my courts: for I have chosen him to be my son, and I will be his father.


Moreover I will establish his kingdom for ever, if he be constant to do my commandments and my judgments, as at this day.


Now therefore in the sight of all Israel the congregation of the LORD, and in the audience of our God, keep and seek for all the commandments of the LORD your God: that ye may possess this good land, and leave it for an inheritance for your children after you for ever.


And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever.


Take heed now; for the LORD hath chosen thee to build an house for the sanctuary: be strong, and do it.


Then David gave to Solomon his son the pattern of the porch, and of the houses thereof, and of the treasuries thereof, and of the upper chambers thereof, and of the inner parlours thereof, and of the place of the mercy seat,


And the pattern of all that he had by the spirit, of the courts of the house of the LORD, and of all the chambers round about, of the treasuries of the house of God, and of the treasuries of the dedicated things:


Also for the courses of the priests and the Levites, and for all the work of the service of the house of the LORD, and for all the vessels of service in the house of the LORD.


He gave of gold by weight for things of gold, for all instruments of all manner of service; silver also for all instruments of silver by weight, for all instruments of every kind of service:


Even the weight for the candlesticks of gold, and for their lamps of gold, by weight for every candlestick, and for the lamps thereof: and for the candlesticks of silver by weight, both for the candlestick, and also for the lamps thereof, according to the use of every candlestick.


And by weight he gave gold for the tables of shewbread, for every table; and likewise silver for the tables of silver:


Also pure gold for the fleshhooks, and the bowls, and the cups: and for the golden basons he gave gold by weight for every bason; and likewise silver by weight for every bason of silver:


And for the altar of incense refined gold by weight; and gold for the pattern of the chariot of the cherubims, that spread out their wings, and covered the ark of the covenant of the LORD.


All this, said David, the LORD made me understand in writing by his hand upon me, even all the works of this pattern.


And David said to Solomon his son, Be strong and of good courage, and do it: fear not, nor be dismayed: for the LORD God, even my God, will be with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the LORD.


And, behold, the courses of the priests and the Levites, even they shall be with thee for all the service of the house of God: and there shall be with thee for all manner of workmanship every willing skilful man, for any manner of service: also the princes and all the people will be wholly at thy commandment.


Furthermore David the king said unto all the congregation, Solomon my son, whom alone God hath chosen, is yet young and tender, and the work is great: for the palace is not for man, but for the LORD God.


Now I have prepared with all my might for the house of my God the gold for things to be made of gold, and the silver for things of silver, and the brass for things of brass, the iron for things of iron, and wood for things of wood; onyx stones, and stones to be set, glistering stones, and of divers colours, and all manner of precious stones, and marble stones in abundance.


Moreover, because I have set my affection to the house of my God, I have of mine own proper good, of gold and silver, which I have given to the house of my God, over and above all that I have prepared for the holy house,


Even three thousand talents of gold, of the gold of Ophir, and seven thousand talents of refined silver, to overlay the walls of the houses withal:


The gold for things of gold, and the silver for things of silver, and for all manner of work to be made by the hands of artificers. And who then is willing to consecrate his service this day unto the LORD?


Then the chief of the fathers and princes of the tribes of Israel, and the captains of thousands and of hundreds, with the rulers of the king's work, offered willingly,


And gave for the service of the house of God of gold five thousand talents and ten thousand drams, and of silver ten thousand talents, and of brass eighteen thousand talents, and one hundred thousand talents of iron.


And they with whom precious stones were found gave them to the treasure of the house of the LORD, by the hand of Jehiel the Gershonite.


Then the people rejoiced, for that they offered willingly, because with perfect heart they offered willingly to the LORD: and David the king also rejoiced with great joy.


Wherefore David blessed the LORD before all the congregation: and David said, Blessed be thou, LORD God of Israel our father, for ever and ever.


Thine, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all.


Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all.


Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name.


But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? for all things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee.


For we are strangers before thee, and sojourners, as were all our fathers: our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is none abiding.


O LORD our God, all this store that we have prepared to build thee an house for thine holy name cometh of thine hand, and is all thine own.


I know also, my God, that thou triest the heart, and hast pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of mine heart I have willingly offered all these things: and now have I seen with joy thy people, which are present here, to offer willingly unto thee.


O LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, our fathers, keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of thy people, and prepare their heart unto thee:


And give unto Solomon my son a perfect heart, to keep thy commandments, thy testimonies, and thy statutes, and to do all these things, and to build the palace, for the which I have made provision.


And David said to all the congregation, Now bless the LORD your God. And all the congregation blessed the LORD God of their fathers, and bowed down their heads, and worshipped the LORD, and the king.


And they sacrificed sacrifices unto the LORD, and offered burnt offerings unto the LORD, on the morrow after that day, even a thousand bullocks, a thousand rams, and a thousand lambs, with their drink offerings, and sacrifices in abundance for all Israel:


And did eat and drink before the LORD on that day with great gladness. And they made Solomon the son of David king the second time, and anointed him unto the LORD to be the chief governor, and Zadok to be priest.


Then Solomon sat on the throne of the LORD as king instead of David his father, and prospered; and all Israel obeyed him.


And all the princes, and the mighty men, and all the sons likewise of king David, submitted themselves unto Solomon the king.


And the LORD magnified Solomon exceedingly in the sight of all Israel, and bestowed upon him such royal majesty as had not been on any king before him in Israel.


Thus David the son of Jesse reigned over all Israel.


And the time that he reigned over Israel was forty years; seven years reigned he in Hebron, and thirty and three years reigned he in Jerusalem.


And he died in a good old age, full of days, riches, and honour: and Solomon his son reigned in his stead.


Now the acts of David the king, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of Samuel the seer, and in the book of Nathan the prophet, and in the book of Gad the seer,


With all his reign and his might, and the times that went over him, and over Israel, and over all the kingdoms of the countries.


And Solomon the son of David was strengthened in his kingdom, and the LORD his God was with him, and magnified him exceedingly.


Then Solomon spake unto all Israel, to the captains of thousands and of hundreds, and to the judges, and to every governor in all Israel, the chief of the fathers.


So Solomon, and all the congregation with him, went to the high place that was at Gibeon; for there was the tabernacle of the congregation of God, which Moses the servant of the LORD had made in the wilderness.


But the ark of God had David brought up from Kirjath-jearim to the place which David had prepared for it: for he had pitched a tent for it at Jerusalem.


Moreover the brasen altar, that Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, had made, he put before the tabernacle of the LORD: and Solomon and the congregation sought unto it.


And Solomon went up thither to the brasen altar before the LORD, which was at the tabernacle of the congregation, and offered a thousand burnt offerings upon it.


In that night did God appear unto Solomon, and said unto him, Ask what I shall give thee.


And Solomon said unto God, Thou hast shewed great mercy unto David my father, and hast made me to reign in his stead.


Now , O LORD God, let thy promise unto David my father be established: for thou hast made me king over a people like the dust of the earth in multitude.


Give me now wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people: for who can judge this thy people, that is so great?


And God said to Solomon, Because this was in thine heart, and thou hast not asked riches, wealth, or honour, nor the life of thine enemies, neither yet hast asked long life; but hast asked wisdom and knowledge for thyself, that thou mayest judge my people, over whom I have made thee king:


Wisdom and knowledge is granted unto thee; and I will give thee riches, and wealth, and honour, such as none of the kings have had that have been before thee, neither shall there any after thee have the like.


Then Solomon came from his journey to the high place that was at Gibeon to Jerusalem, from before the tabernacle of the congregation, and reigned over Israel.


And Solomon gathered chariots and horsemen: and he had a thousand and four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, which he placed in the chariot cities, and with the king at Jerusalem.


And the king made silver and gold at Jerusalem as plenteous as stones, and cedar trees made he as the sycomore trees that are in the vale for abundance.


And they fetched up, and brought forth out of Egypt a chariot for six hundred shekels of silver, and an horse for an hundred and fifty: and so brought they out horses for all the kings of the Hittites, and for the kings of Syria, by their means.


And Solomon determined to build an house for the name of the LORD, and an house for his kingdom.


And Solomon told out threescore and ten thousand men to bear burdens, and fourscore thousand to hew in the mountain, and three thousand and six hundred to oversee them.


And Solomon sent to Huram the king of Tyre, saying, As thou didst deal with David my father, and didst send him cedars to build him an house to dwell therein, even so deal with me.


Behold, I build an house to the name of the LORD my God, to dedicate it to him, and to burn before him sweet incense, and for the continual shewbread, and for the burnt offerings morning and evening, on the sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the solemn feasts of the LORD our God. This is an ordinance for ever to Israel.


And the house which I build is great: for great is our God above all gods.


But who is able to build him an house, seeing the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain him? who am I then, that I should build him an house, save only to burn sacrifice before him?


Send me now therefore a man cunning to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass, and in iron, and in purple, and crimson, and blue, and that can skill to grave with the cunning men that are with me in Judah and in Jerusalem, whom David my father did provide.


Send me also cedar trees, fir trees, and algum trees, out of Lebanon: for I know that thy servants can skill to cut timber in Lebanon; and, behold, my servants shall be with thy servants,


Even to prepare me timber in abundance: for the house which I am about to build shall be wonderful great.


And, behold, I will give to thy servants, the hewers that cut timber, twenty thousand measures of beaten wheat, and twenty thousand measures of barley, and twenty thousand baths of wine, and twenty thousand baths of oil.


Then Huram the king of Tyre answered in writing, which he sent to Solomon, Because the LORD hath loved his people, he hath made thee king over them.


Huram said moreover, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, that made heaven and earth, who hath given to David the king a wise son, endued with prudence and understanding, that might build an house for the LORD, and an house for his kingdom.


And now I have sent a cunning man, endued with understanding, of Huram my father's,


The son of a woman of the daughters of Dan, and his father was a man of Tyre, skilful to work in gold, and in silver, in brass, in iron, in stone, and in timber, in purple, in blue, and in fine linen, and in crimson; also to grave any manner of graving, and to find out every device which shall be put to him, with thy cunning men, and with the cunning men of my lord David thy father.


Now therefore the wheat, and the barley, the oil, and the wine, which my lord hath spoken of, let him send unto his servants:


And we will cut wood out of Lebanon, as much as thou shalt need: and we will bring it to thee in floats by sea to Joppa; and thou shall carry it up to Jerusalem.


And Solomon numbered all the strangers that were in the land of Israel, after the numbering wherewith David his father had numbered them; and they were found an hundred and fifty thousand and three thousand and six hundred.


And he set threescore and ten thousand of them to be bearers of burdens, and fourscore thousand to be hewers in the mountain, and three thousand and six hundred overseers to set the people a work.


Then Solomon began to build the house of the LORD at Jerusalem in mount Moriah, where the LORD appeared unto David his father, in the place that David had prepared in the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite.


And he began to build in the second day of the second month, in the fourth year of his reign.


Now these are the things wherein Solomon was instructed for the building of the house of God. The length by cubits after the first measure was threescore cubits, and the breadth twenty cubits.


And the porch that was in the front of the house, the length of it was according to the breadth of the house, twenty cubits, and the height was an hundred and twenty: and he overlaid it within with pure gold.


And the greater house he cieled with fir tree, which he overlaid with fine gold, and set thereon palm trees and chains.


And he garnished the house with precious stones for beauty: and the gold was gold of Parvaim.


He overlaid also the house, the beams, the posts, and the walls thereof, and the doors thereof, with gold; and graved cherubims on the walls.


And he made the most holy house, the length whereof was according to the breadth of the house, twenty cubits, and the breadth thereof twenty cubits: and he overlaid it with fine gold, amounting to six hundred talents.


And the weight of the nails was fifty shekels of gold. And he overlaid the upper chambers with gold.


And in the most holy house he made two cherubims of image work, and overlaid them with gold.


And the wings of the cherubims were twenty cubits long: one wing of the one cherub was five cubits, reaching to the wall of the house: and the other wing was likewise five cubits, reaching to the wing of the other cherub.


And one wing of the other cherub was five cubits, reaching to the wall of the house: and the other wing was five cubits also, joining to the wing of the other cherub.


The wings of these cherubims spread themselves forth twenty cubits: and they stood on their feet, and their faces were inward.


And he made the vail of blue, and purple, and crimson, and fine linen, and wrought cherubims thereon.


Also he made before the house two pillars of thirty and five cubits high, and the chapiter that was on the top of each of them was five cubits.


And he made chains, as in the oracle, and put them on the heads of the pillars; and made an hundred pomegranates, and put them on the chains.


And he reared up the pillars before the temple, one on the right hand, and the other on the left; and called the name of that on the right hand Jachin, and the name of that on the left Boaz.


Moreover he made an altar of brass, twenty cubits the length thereof, and twenty cubits the breadth thereof, and ten cubits the height thereof.


Also he made a molten sea of ten cubits from brim to brim, round in compass, and five cubits the height thereof; and a line of thirty cubits did compass it round about.


And under it was the similitude of oxen, which did compass it round about: ten in a cubit, compassing the sea round about. Two rows of oxen were cast, when it was cast.


And the thickness of it was an handbreadth, and the brim of it like the work of the brim of a cup, with flowers of lilies; and it received and held three thousand baths.


He made also ten lavers, and put five on the right hand,and five on the left, to wash in them: such things as they offered for the burnt offering they washed in them; but the sea was for the priests to wash in.


And he made ten candlesticks of gold according to their form, and set them in the temple, five on the right hand, and five on the left.


He made also ten tables, and placed them in the temple, five on the right side, and five on the left. And he made an hundred basons of gold.


Furthermore he made the court of the priests, and the great court, and doors for the court, and overlaid the doors of them with brass.


And he set the sea on the right side of the east end, over against the south.


And Huram made the pots, and the shovels, and the basons. And Huram finished the work that he was to make for king Solomon for the house of God;


To wit, the two pillars, and the pommels, and the chapiters which were on the top of the two pillars, and the two wreaths to cover the two pommels of the chapiters which were on the top of the pillars;


And four hundred pomegranates on the two wreaths; two rows of pomegranates on each wreath, to cover the two pommels of the chapiters which were upon the pillars.


He made also bases, and lavers made he upon the bases;


One sea, and twelve oxen under it.


The pots also, and the shovels, and the fleshhooks, and all their instruments, did Huram his father make to king Solomon for the house of the LORD of bright brass.


In the plain of Jordan did the king cast them, in the clay ground between Succoth and Zeredathah.


And Solomon made all the vessels that were for the house of God, the golden altar also, and the tables whereon the shewbread was set;


Moreover the candlesticks with their lamps, that they should burn after the manner before the oracle, of pure gold;


And the flowers, and the lamps, and the tongs, made he of gold, and that perfect gold;


And the snuffers, and the basons, and the spoons, and the censers, of pure gold: and the entry of the house, the inner doors thereof for the most holy place, and the doors of the house of the temple, were of gold.


Thus all the work that Solomon made for the house of the LORD was finished: and Solomon brought in all the things that David his father had dedicated; and the silver, and the gold, and all the instruments, put he among the treasures of the house of God.


Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, the chief of the fathers of the children of Israel, unto Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of the city of David, which is Zion.


Wherefore all the men of Israel assembled themselves unto the king in the feast which was in the seventh month.


And all the elders of Israel came; and the Levites took up the ark.


And they brought up the ark, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and all the holy vessels that were in the tabernacle, these did the priests and the Levites bring up.


Also king Solomon, and all the congregation of Israel that were assembled unto him before the ark, sacrificed sheep and oxen, which could not be told nor numbered for multitude.


And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the LORD unto his place, to the oracle of the house, into the most holy place, even under the wings of the cherubims:


For the cherubims spread forth their wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubims covered the ark and the staves thereof above.


And they drew out the staves of the ark, that the ends of the staves were seen from the ark before the oracle; but they were not seen without. And there it is unto this day.


There was nothing in the ark save the two tables which Moses put therein at Horeb, when the LORD made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of Egypt.


And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place: (for all the priests that were present were sanctified, and did not then wait by course:


Also the Levites which were the singers, all of them of Asaph, of Heman, of Jeduthun, with their sons and their brethren, being arrayed in white linen, having cymbals and psalteries and harps, stood at the east end of the altar, and with them an hundred and twenty priests sounding with trumpets:)


It came even to pass, as the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD; and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of musick, and praised the LORD, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of the LORD;


So that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of God.


Then said Solomon, The LORD hath said that he would dwell in the thick darkness.


But I have built an house of habitation for thee, and a place for thy dwelling for ever.


And the king turned his face, and blessed the whole congregation of Israel: and all the congregation of Israel stood.


And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, who hath with his hands fulfilled that which he spake with his mouth to my father David, saying,


Since the day that I brought forth my people out of the land of Egypt I chose no city among all the tribes of Israel to build an house in, that my name might be there; neither chose I any man to be a ruler over my people Israel:


But I have chosen Jerusalem, that my name might be there; and have chosen David to be over my people Israel.


Now it was in the heart of David my father to build an house for the name of the LORD God of Israel.


But the LORD said to David my father, Forasmuch as it was in thine heart to build an house for my name, thou didst well in that it was in thine heart:


Notwithstanding thou shalt not build the house; but thy son which shall come forth out of thy loins, he shall build the house for my name.


The LORD therefore hath performed his word that he hath spoken: for I am risen up in the room of David my father, and am set on the throne of Israel, as the LORD promised, and have built the house for the name of the LORD God of Israel.


And in it have I put the ark, wherein is the covenant of the LORD, that he made with the children of Israel.


And he stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands:


For Solomon had made a brasen scaffold, of five cubits long, and five cubits broad, and three cubits high, and had set it in the midst of the court: and upon it he stood, and kneeled down upon his knees before all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven,


And said, O LORD God of Israel, there is no God like thee in the heaven, nor in the earth; which keepest covenant, and shewest mercy unto thy servants, that walk before thee with all their hearts:


Thou which hast kept with thy servant David my father that which thou hast promised him; and spakest with thy mouth, and hast fulfilled it with thine hand, as it is this day.


Now therefore, O LORD God of Israel, keep with thy servant David my father that which thou hast promised him, saying, There shall not fail thee a man in my sight to sit upon the throne of Israel; yet so that thy children take heed to their way to walk in my law, as thou hast walked before me.


Now then, O LORD God of Israel, let thy word be verified, which thou hast spoken unto thy servant David.


But will God in very deed dwell with men on the earth? behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house which I have built!


Have respect therefore to the prayer of thy servant, and to his supplication, O LORD my God, to hearken unto the cry and the prayer which thy servant prayeth before thee:


That thine eyes may be open upon this house day and night, upon the place whereof thou hast said that thou wouldest put thy name there; to hearken unto the prayer which thy servant prayeth toward this place.


Hearken therefore unto the supplications of thy servant, and of thy people Israel, which they shall make toward this place: hear thou from thy dwelling place, even from heaven; and when thou hearest, forgive.


If a man sin against his neighbour, and an oath be laid upon him to make him swear, and the oath come before thine altar in this house;


Then hear thou from heaven, and do, and judge thy servants, by requiting the wicked, by recompensing his way upon his own head; and by justifying the righteous, by giving him according to his righteousness.


And if thy people Israel be put to the worse before the enemy, because they have sinned against thee; and shall return and confess thy name, and pray and make supplication before thee in this house;


Then hear thou from the heavens, and forgive the sin of thy people Israel, and bring them again unto the land which thou gavest to them and to their fathers.


When the heaven is shut up, and there is no rain, because they have sinned against thee; yet if they pray toward this place, and confess thy name, and turn from their sin, when thou dost afflict them;


Then hear thou from heaven, and forgive the sin of thy servants, and of thy people Israel, when thou hast taught them the good way, wherein they should walk; and send rain upon thy land, which thou hast given unto thy people for an inheritance.


If there be dearth in the land, if there be pestilence, if there be blasting, or mildew, locusts, or caterpillers; if their enemies besiege them in the cities of their land; whatsoever sore or whatsoever sickness there be:


Then what prayer or what supplication soever shall be made of any man, or of all thy people Israel, when every one shall know his own sore and his own grief, and shall spread forth his hands in this house:


Then hear thou from heaven thy dwelling place, and forgive, and render unto every man according unto all his ways, whose heart thou knowest; (for thou only knowest the hearts of the children of men:)


That they may fear thee, to walk in thy ways, so long as they live in the land which thou gavest unto our fathers.


Moreover concerning the stranger, which is not of thy people Israel, but is come from a far country for thy great name's sake, and thy mighty hand, and thy stretched out arm; if they come and pray in this house;


Then hear thou from the heavens, even from thy dwelling place, and do according to all that the stranger calleth to thee for; that all people of the earth may know thy name, and fear thee, as doth thy people Israel, and may know that this house which I have built is called by thy name.


If thy people go out to war against their enemies by the way that thou shalt send them, and they pray unto thee toward this city which thou hast chosen, and the house which I have built for thy name;


Then hear thou from the heavens their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their cause.


If they sin against thee, (for there is no man which sinneth not,) and thou be angry with them, and deliver them over before their enemies, and they carry them away captives unto a land far off or near;


Yet if they bethink themselves in the land whither they are carried captive, and turn and pray unto thee in the land of their captivity, saying, We have sinned, we have done amiss, and have dealt wickedly;


If they return to thee with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their captivity, whither they have carried them captives, and pray toward their land, which thou gavest unto their fathers, and toward the city which thou hast chosen, and toward the house which I have built for thy name:


Then hear thou from the heavens, even from thy dwelling place, their prayer and their supplications, and maintain their cause, and forgive thy people which have sinned against thee.


Now, my God, let, I beseech thee, thine eyes be open, and let thine ears be attent unto the prayer that is made in this place.


Now therefore arise, O LORD God, into thy resting place, thou, and the ark of thy strength: let thy priests, O LORD God, be clothed with salvation, and let thy saints rejoice in goodness.


O LORD God, turn not away the face of thine anointed: remember the mercies of David thy servant.


Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the LORD filled the house.


And the priests could not enter into the house of the LORD, because the glory of the LORD had filled the LORD's house.


And when all the children of Israel saw how the fire came down, and the glory of the LORD upon the house, they bowed themselves with their faces to the ground upon the pavement, and worshipped, and praised the LORD, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever.


Then the king and all the people offered sacrifices before the LORD.


And king Solomon offered a sacrifice of twenty and two thousand oxen, and an hundred and twenty thousand sheep: so the king and all the people dedicated the house of God.


And the priests waited on their offices: the Levites also with instruments of musick of the LORD, which David the king had made to praise the LORD, because his mercy endureth for ever, when David praised by their ministry; and the priests sounded trumpets before them, and all Israel stood.


Moreover Solomon hallowed the middle of the court that was before the house of the LORD: for there he offered burnt offerings, and the fat of the peace offerings, because the brasen altar which Solomon had made was not able to receive the burnt offerings, and the meat offerings, and the fat.


Also at the same time Solomon kept the feast seven days, and all Israel with him, a very great congregation, from the entering in of Hamath unto the river of Egypt.


And in the eighth day they made a solemn assembly: for they kept the dedication of the altar seven days, and the feast seven days.


And on the three and twentieth day of the seventh month he sent the people away into their tents, glad and merry in heart for the goodness that the LORD had shewed unto David, and to Solomon, and to Israel his people.


Thus Solomon finished the house of the LORD, and the king's house: and all that came into Solomon's heart to make in the house of the LORD, and in his own house, he prosperously effected.


And the LORD appeared to Solomon by night, and said unto him, I have heard thy prayer, and have chosen this place to myself for an house of sacrifice.


If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people;


If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.


Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent unto the prayer that is made in this place.


For now have I chosen and sanctified this house, that my name may be there for ever: and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually.


And as for thee, if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, and do according to all that I have commanded thee, and shalt observe my statues and my judgments;


Then will I stablish the throne of thy kingdom, according as I have covenanted with David thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee a man to be ruler in Israel.


But if ye turn away, and forsake my statutes and my commandments, which I have set before you, and shall go and serve other gods, and worship them;


Then will I pluck them up by the roots out of my land which I have given them; and this house, which I have sanctified for my name, will I cast out of my sight, and will make it to be a proverb and a byword among all nations.


And this house, which is high, shall be an astonishment to every one that passeth by it; so that he shall say, Why hath the LORD done thus unto this land, and unto this house?


And it shall be answered, Because they forsook the LORD God of their fathers, which brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, and laid hold on other gods, and worshipped them, and served them: therefore hath he brought all this evil upon them.


And it came to pass at the end of twenty years, wherein Solomon had built the house of the LORD, and his own house,


That the cities which Huram had restored to Solomon, Solomon built them, and caused the children of Israel to dwell there.


And Solomon went to Hamath-zobah, and prevailed against it.


And he built Tadmor in the wilderness, and all the store cities, which he built in Hamath.


Also he built Beth-horon the upper, and Beth-horon the nether, fenced cities, with walls, gates, and bars;


And Baalath, and all the store cities that Solomon had, and all the chariot cities, and the cities of the horsemen, and all that Solomon desired to build in Jerusalem, and in Lebanon, and throughout all the land of his dominion.


As for all the people that were left of the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, which were not of Israel,


But of their children, who were left after them in the land, whom the children of Israel consumed not, them did Solomon make to pay tribute until this day.


But of the children of Israel did Solomon make no servants for his work; but they were men of war, and chief of his captains, and captains of his chariots and horsemen.


And these were the chief of king Solomon's officers, even two hundred and fifty, that bare rule over the people.


And Solomon brought up the daughter of Pharaoh out of the city of David unto the house that he had built for her: for he said, My wife shall not dwell in the house of David king of Israel, because the places are holy, whereunto the ark of the LORD hath come.


Then Solomon offered burnt offerings unto the LORD on the altar of the LORD, which he had built before the porch,


Even after a certain rate every day, offering according to the commandment of Moses, on the sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the solemn feasts, three times in the year, even in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles.


And he appointed, according to the order of David his father, the courses of the priests to their service, and the Levites to their charges, to praise and minister before the priests, as the duty of every day required: the porters also by their courses at every gate: for so had David the man of God commanded.


And they departed not from the commandment of the king unto the priests and Levites concerning any matter, or concerning the treasures.


Now all the work of Solomon was prepared unto the day of the foundation of the house of the LORD, and until it was finished. So the house of the LORD was perfected.


Then went Solomon to Ezion-geber, and to Eloth, at the sea side in the land of Edom.


And Huram sent him by the hands of his servants ships, and servants that had knowledge of the sea; and they went with the servants of Solomon to Ophir, and took thence four hundred and fifty talents of gold, and brought them to king Solomon.


And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon, she came to prove Solomon with hard questions at Jerusalem, with a very great company, and camels that bare spices, and gold in abundance, and precious stones: and when she was come to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart.


And Solomon told her all her questions: and there was nothing hid from Solomon which he told her not.


And when the queen of Sheba had seen the wisdom of Solomon, and the house that he had built,


And the meat of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, and their apparel; his cupbearers also, and their apparel; and his ascent by which he went up into the house of the LORD; there was no more spirit in her.


And she said to the king, It was a true report which I heard in mine own land of thine acts, and of thy wisdom:


Howbeit I believed not their words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it: and, behold, the one half of the greatness of thy wisdom was not told me: for thou exceedest the fame that I heard.


Happy are thy men, and happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and hear thy wisdom.


Blessed be the LORD thy God, which delighted in thee to set thee on his throne, to be king for the LORD thy God: because thy God loved Israel, to establish them for ever, therefore made he thee king over them, to do judgment and justice.


And she gave the king an hundred and twenty talents of gold, and of spices great abundance, and precious stones: neither was there any such spice as the queen of Sheba gave king Solomon.


And the servants also of Huram, and the servants of Solomon, which brought gold from Ophir, brought algum trees and precious stones.


And the king made of the algum trees terraces to the house of the LORD, and to the king's palace, and harps and psalteries for singers: and there were none such seen before in the land of Judah.


And king Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatsoever she asked, beside that which she had brought unto the king. So she turned, and went away to her own land, she and her servants.


Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred and threescore and six talents of gold;


Beside that which chapmen and merchants brought. And all the kings of Arabia and governors of the country brought gold and silver to Solomon.


And king Solomon made two hundred targets of beaten gold: six hundred shekels of beaten gold went to one target.


And three hundred shields made he of beaten gold: three hundred shekels of gold went to one shield. And the king put them in the house of the forest of Lebanon.


And there were six steps to the throne, with a footstool of gold, which were fastened to the throne, and stays on each side of the sitting place, and two lions standing by the stays:


And twelve lions stood there on the one side and on the other upon the six steps. There was not the like made in any kingdom.


And all the drinking vessels of king Solomon were of gold, and all the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon were of pure gold: none were of silver; it was not any thing accounted of in the days of Solomon.


For the king's ships went to Tarshish with the servants of Huram: every three years once came the ships of Tarshish bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks.