1Chronicles 20-23 - Prayer Tents

David Captures Rabbah

20In the spring of the year, when kings normally go out to war, Joab led the Israelite army in successful attacks against the land of the Ammonites. In the process he laid siege to the city of Rabbah. However, David stayed behind in Jerusalem.H6256H8141H8666H6256H4428H3318H3097H5090H2428H6635H7843H776H1121H5983H935H6696H7237H1732H3427H3389H3097H5221H7237H2040 2When David arrived at Rabbah, he removed the crown from the king's head, and it was placed on his own head. The crown was made of gold and set with gems, and he found that it weighed seventy-five pounds. David took a vast amount of plunder from the city.H1732H3947H5850H4428H7218H4672H4948H3603H2091H3368H68H1732H7218H3318H3966H7235H7998H5892 3He also made slaves of the people of Rabbah and forced them to labor with saws, iron picks, and iron axes. That is how David dealt with the people of all the Ammonite towns. Then David and all the army returned to Jerusalem.H3318H5971H7787H4050H2757H1270H4050H6213H1732H5892H1121H5983H1732H5971H7725H3389

Battles against Philistine Giants

4After this, war broke out with the Philistines at Gezer. As they fought, Sibbecai from Hushah killed Saph, a descendant of the giants, and so the Philistines were subdued.H310H5975H4421H1507H6430H227H5444H2843H5221H5598H3211H7497H3665 5During another battle with the Philistines, Elhanan son of Jair killed Lahmi, the brother of Goliath of Gath. The handle of Lahmi's spear was as thick as a weaver's beam!H4421H6430H445H1121H3265H5221H3902H251H1555H1663H2595H6086H707H4500 6In another battle with the Philistines at Gath, they encountered a huge man with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot, twenty-four in all, who was also a descendant of the giants.H4421H1661H376H4060H676H676H702H6242H8337H8337H3205H7497 7But when he defied and taunted Israel, he was killed by Jonathan, the son of David's brother Shimea.H2778H3478H3083H1121H8092H1732H251H5221 8These Philistines were descendants of the giants of Gath, but David and his warriors killed them.H411H3205H7497H1661H5307H3027H1732H3027H5650

David Takes a Census

21Satan rose up against Israel and caused David to take a census of the people of Israel.H7854H5975H3478H5496H1732H4487H3478 2So David said to Joab and the commanders of the army, "Take a census of all the people of Israel—from Beersheba in the south to Dan in the north—and bring me a report so I may know how many there are."H1732H559H3097H8269H5971H3212H5608H3478H884H1835H935H4557H3045 3But Joab replied, "May the LORD increase the number of his people a hundred times over! But why, my lord the king, do you want to do this? Are they not all your servants? Why must you cause Israel to sin?"H3097H559H3068H5971H3967H6471H3254H1992H113H4428H113H5650H113H1245H819H3478 4But the king insisted that they take the census, so Joab traveled throughout all Israel to count the people. Then he returned to JerusalemH4428H1697H2388H3097H3097H3318H1980H3478H935H3389 5and reported the number of people to David. There were 1,100,000 warriors in all Israel who could handle a sword, and 470,000 in Judah.H3097H5414H4557H4662H5971H1732H3478H505H505H3967H505H376H8025H2719H3063H702H3967H7657H505H376H8025H2719 6But Joab did not include the tribes of Levi and Benjamin in the census because he was so distressed at what the king had made him do.H3878H1144H6485H8432H4428H1697H8581H3097

Judgment for David’s Sin

7God was very displeased with the census, and he punished Israel for it.H430H3415H5869H1697H5221H3478 8Then David said to God, "I have sinned greatly by taking this census. Please forgive my guilt for doing this foolish thing."H1732H559H430H2398H3966H6213H1697H5674H5771H5650H3966H5528 9Then the LORD spoke to Gad, David's seer. This was the message.H3068H1696H1410H1732H2374H559 10"Go and say to David, 'This is what the LORD says: I will give you three choices. Choose one of these punishments, and I will inflict it on you.'"H3212H1696H1732H559H559H3068H5186H7969H977H259H2007H6213 11So Gad came to David and said, "These are the choices the LORD has given you.H1410H935H1732H559H559H3068H6901 12You may choose three years of famine, three months of destruction by the sword of your enemies, or three days of severe plague as the angel of the LORD brings devastation throughout the land of Israel. Decide what answer I should give the LORD who sent me."H7969H8141H7458H7969H2320H5595H6440H6862H2719H341H5381H518H7969H3117H2719H3068H1698H776H4397H3068H7843H1366H3478H7200H1697H7725H7971 13"I'm in a desperate situation!" David replied to Gad. "But let me fall into the hands of the LORD, for his mercy is very great. Do not let me fall into human hands."H1732H559H1410H3966H6887H5307H3027H3068H3966H7227H7356H5307H3027H120 14So the LORD sent a plague upon Israel, and 70,000 people died as a result.H3068H5414H1698H3478H5307H3478H7657H505H376 15And God sent an angel to destroy Jerusalem. But just as the angel was preparing to destroy it, the LORD relented and said to the death angel, "Stop! That is enough!" At that moment the angel of the LORD was standing by the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.H430H7971H4397H3389H7843H7843H3068H7200H5162H7451H559H4397H7843H7227H7503H3027H4397H3068H5975H1637H771H2983 16David looked up and saw the angel of the LORD standing between heaven and earth with his sword drawn, reaching out over Jerusalem. So David and the leaders of Israel put on burlap to show their deep distress and fell face down on the ground.H1732H5375H5869H7200H4397H3068H5975H776H8064H8025H2719H3027H5186H3389H1732H2205H3680H8242H5307H6440 17And David said to God, "I am the one who called for the census! I am the one who has sinned and done wrong! But these people are as innocent as sheep—what have they done? O LORD my God, let your anger fall against me and my family, but do not destroy your people."H1732H559H430H559H5971H4487H2398H7489H7489H6629H6213H3027H3068H430H1H1004H5971H4046

David Builds an Altar

18Then the angel of the LORD told Gad to instruct David to go up and build an altar to the LORD on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.H4397H3068H559H1410H559H1732H1732H5927H6965H4196H3068H1637H771H2983 19So David went up to do what the LORD had commanded him through Gad.H1732H5927H1697H1410H1696H8034H3068 20Araunah, who was busy threshing wheat at the time, turned and saw the angel there. His four sons, who were with him, ran away and hid.H771H7725H7200H4397H702H1121H2244H771H1758H2406 21When Araunah saw David approaching, he left his threshing floor and bowed before David with his face to the ground.H1732H935H771H771H5027H7200H1732H3318H1637H7812H1732H639H776 22David said to Araunah, "Let me buy this threshing floor from you at its full price. Then I will build an altar to the LORD there, so that he will stop the plague."H1732H559H771H5414H4725H1637H1129H4196H3068H5414H4392H3701H4046H6113H5971 23"Take it, my lord the king, and use it as you wish," Araunah said to David. "I will give the oxen for the burnt offerings, and the threshing boards for wood to build a fire on the altar, and the wheat for the grain offering. I will give it all to you."H771H559H1732H3947H113H4428H6213H2896H5869H7200H5414H1241H5930H4173H6086H2406H4503H5414 24But King David replied to Araunah, "No, I insist on buying it for the full price. I will not take what is yours and give it to the LORD. I will not present burnt offerings that have cost me nothing!"H4428H1732H559H771H7069H7069H4392H3701H5375H3068H5927H5930H2600 25So David gave Araunah 600 pieces of gold in payment for the threshing floor.H1732H5414H771H4725H8337H3967H8255H2091H4948 26David built an altar there to the LORD and sacrificed burnt offerings and peace offerings. And when David prayed, the LORD answered him by sending fire from heaven to burn up the offering on the altar.H1732H1129H4196H3068H5927H5930H8002H7121H3068H6030H8064H784H4196H5930 27Then the LORD spoke to the angel, who put the sword back into its sheath.H3068H559H4397H7725H2719H7725H5084 28When David saw that the LORD had answered his prayer, he offered sacrifices there at Araunah's threshing floor.H6256H1732H7200H3068H6030H1637H771H2983H2076 29At that time the Tabernacle of the LORD and the altar of burnt offering that Moses had made in the wilderness were located at the place of worship in Gibeon.H4908H3068H4872H6213H4057H4196H5930H6256H1116H1391 30But David was not able to go there to inquire of God, because he was terrified by the drawn sword of the angel of the LORD.H1732H3201H3212H6440H1875H430H1204H6440H2719H4397H3068

22Then David said, "This will be the location for the Temple of the LORD God and the place of the altar for Israel's burnt offerings!"H1732H559H1004H3068H430H4196H5930H3478

Preparations for the Temple

2So David gave orders to call together the foreigners living in Israel, and he assigned them the task of preparing finished stone for building the Temple of God.H1732H559H3664H1616H776H3478H5975H2672H2672H1496H68H1129H1004H430 3David provided large amounts of iron for the nails that would be needed for the doors in the gates and for the clamps, and he gave more bronze than could be weighed.H1732H3559H1270H7230H4548H1817H8179H4226H5178H7230H4948 4He also provided innumerable cedar logs, for the men of Tyre and Sidon had brought vast amounts of cedar to David.H730H6086H369H4557H6722H6876H935H7230H730H6086H1732 5David said, "My son Solomon is still young and inexperienced. And since the Temple to be built for the LORD must be a magnificent structure, famous and glorious throughout the world, I will begin making preparations for it now." So David collected vast amounts of building materials before his death.H1732H559H8010H1121H5288H7390H1004H1129H3068H4605H1431H8034H8597H776H3559H1732H3559H7230H6440H4194 6Then David sent for his son Solomon and instructed him to build a Temple for the LORD, the God of Israel.H7121H8010H1121H6680H1129H1004H3068H430H3478 7"My son, I wanted to build a Temple to honor the name of the LORD my God," David told him.H1732H559H8010H1121H3824H1129H1004H8034H3068H430 8"But the LORD said to me, 'You have killed many men in the battles you have fought. And since you have shed so much blood in my sight, you will not be the one to build a Temple to honor my name.H1697H3068H559H8210H1818H7230H6213H1419H4421H1129H1004H8034H8210H7227H1818H776H6440 9But you will have a son who will be a man of peace. I will give him peace with his enemies in all the surrounding lands. His name will be Solomon, and I will give peace and quiet to Israel during his reign.H1121H3205H376H4496H5117H341H5439H8034H8010H5414H7965H8253H3478H3117 10He is the one who will build a Temple to honor my name. He will be my son, and I will be his father. And I will secure the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever.'H1129H1004H8034H1121H1H3559H3678H4438H3478H5704H5769 11"Now, my son, may the LORD be with you and give you success as you follow his directions in building the Temple of the LORD your God.H1121H3068H6743H1129H1004H3068H430H1696 12And may the LORD give you wisdom and understanding, that you may obey the Law of the LORD your God as you rule over Israel.H3068H5414H7922H998H6680H3478H8104H8451H3068H430 13For you will be successful if you carefully obey the decrees and regulations that the LORD gave to Israel through Moses. Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid or lose heart!H6743H8104H6213H2706H4941H3068H6680H4872H3478H2388H553H3372H2865 14"I have worked hard to provide materials for building the Temple of the LORD—nearly 4,000 tons of gold, 40,000 tons of silver, and so much iron and bronze that it cannot be weighed. I have also gathered timber and stone for the walls, though you may need to add more.H6040H3559H1004H3068H3967H505H3603H2091H505H505H3603H3701H5178H1270H4948H7230H6086H68H3559H3254 15You have a large number of skilled stonemasons and carpenters and craftsmen of every kind.H6213H4399H7230H2672H2796H68H6086H2450H4399 16You have expert goldsmiths and silversmiths and workers of bronze and iron. Now begin the work, and may the LORD be with you!"H2091H3701H5178H1270H4557H6965H6213H3068 17Then David ordered all the leaders of Israel to assist Solomon in this project.H1732H6680H8269H3478H5826H8010H1121 18"The LORD your God is with you," he declared. "He has given you peace with the surrounding nations. He has handed them over to me, and they are now subject to the LORD and his people.H3068H430H5117H5439H5414H3427H776H3027H776H3533H6440H3068H6440H5971 19Now seek the LORD your God with all your heart and soul. Build the sanctuary of the LORD God so that you can bring the Ark of the LORD's Covenant and the holy vessels of God into the Temple built to honor the LORD's name."H5414H3824H5315H1875H3068H430H6965H1129H4720H3068H430H935H727H1285H3068H6944H3627H430H1004H1129H8034H3068

Duties of the Levites

23When David was an old man, he appointed his son Solomon to be king over Israel.H1732H2204H7646H3117H8010H1121H4427H3478 2David summoned all the leaders of Israel, together with the priests and Levites.H622H8269H3478H3548H3881 3All the Levites who were thirty years old or older were counted, and the total came to 38,000.H3881H5608H1121H7970H8141H4605H4557H1538H1397H7970H8083H505 4Then David said, "From all the Levites, 24,000 will supervise the work at the Temple of the LORD. Another 6,000 will serve as officials and judges.H428H6242H702H505H5329H4399H1004H3068H8337H505H7860H8199 5Another 4,000 will work as gatekeepers, and 4,000 will praise the LORD with the musical instruments I have made."H702H505H7778H702H505H1984H3068H3627H6213H1984 6Then David divided the Levites into divisions named after the clans descended from the three sons of Levi—Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.H1732H2505H4256H1121H3878H1648H6955H4847

The Gershonites

7The Gershonite family units were defined by their lines of descent from Libni and Shimei, the sons of Gershon.H1649H3936H8096 8Three of the descendants of Libni were Jehiel (the family leader), Zetham, and Joel.H1121H3936H7218H3171H2241H3100H7969 9These were the leaders of the family of Libni. Three of the descendants of Shimei were Shelomoth, Haziel, and Haran.H1121H8096H8019H8013H2381H2039H7969H7218H1H3936 10Four other descendants of Shimei were Jahath, Ziza, Jeush, and Beriah.H1121H8096H3189H2126H3266H1283H702H1121H8096 11Jahath was the family leader, and Ziza was next. Jeush and Beriah were counted as a single family because neither had many sons.H3189H7218H2125H8145H3266H1283H7235H1121H259H6486H1H1004

The Kohathites

12Four of the descendants of Kohath were Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel.H1121H6955H6019H3324H2275H5816H702 13The sons of Amram were Aaron and Moses. Aaron and his descendants were set apart to dedicate the most holy things, to offer sacrifices in the LORD's presence, to serve the LORD, and to pronounce blessings in his name forever.H1121H6019H175H4872H175H914H6942H6944H6944H1121H5704H5769H6999H6440H3068H8334H1288H8034H5704H5769 14As for Moses, the man of God, his sons were included with the tribe of Levi.H4872H376H430H1121H7121H7626H3878 15The sons of Moses were Gershom and Eliezer.H1121H4872H1647H461 16The descendants of Gershom included Shebuel, the family leader.H1121H1647H7619H7218 17Eliezer had only one son, Rehabiah, the family leader. Rehabiah had numerous descendants.H1121H461H7345H7218H461H312H1121H1121H7345H4605H7235 18The descendants of Izhar included Shelomith, the family leader.H1121H3324H8019H7218 19The descendants of Hebron included Jeriah (the family leader), Amariah (the second), Jahaziel (the third), and Jekameam (the fourth).H1121H2275H3404H7218H568H8145H3166H7992H3360H7243 20The descendants of Uzziel included Micah (the family leader) and Isshiah (the second).H1121H5816H4318H7218H3449H8145

The Merarites

21The descendants of Merari included Mahli and Mushi. The sons of Mahli were Eleazar and Kish.H1121H4847H4249H4187H1121H4249H499H7027 22Eleazar died with no sons, only daughters. His daughters married their cousins, the sons of Kish.H499H4191H1121H1323H251H1121H7027H5375 23Three of the descendants of Mushi were Mahli, Eder, and Jerimoth.H1121H4187H4249H5740H3406H7969 24These were the descendants of Levi by clans, the leaders of their family groups, registered carefully by name. Each had to be twenty years old or older to qualify for service in the house of the LORD.H1121H3878H1004H1H7218H1H6485H4557H8034H1538H6213H4399H5656H1004H3068H1121H6242H8141H4605 25For David said, "The LORD, the God of Israel, has given us peace, and he will always live in Jerusalem.H1732H559H3068H430H3478H5117H5971H7931H3389H5769 26Now the Levites will no longer need to carry the Tabernacle and its furnishings from place to place."H3881H5375H4908H3627H5656 27In accordance with David's final instructions, all the Levites twenty years old or older were registered for service.H314H1697H1732H3881H4557H6242H8141H1121H4605 28The work of the Levites was to assist the priests, the descendants of Aaron, as they served at the house of the LORD. They also took care of the courtyards and side rooms, helped perform the ceremonies of purification, and served in many other ways in the house of God.H4612H3027H1121H175H5656H1004H3068H2691H3957H2893H6944H4639H5656H1004H430 29They were in charge of the sacred bread that was set out on the table, the choice flour for the grain offerings, the wafers made without yeast, the cakes cooked in olive oil, and the other mixed breads. They were also responsible to check all the weights and measures.H3899H4635H5560H4503H4682H7550H4227H7246H4884H4060 30And each morning and evening they stood before the LORD to sing songs of thanks and praise to him.H5975H1242H3034H1984H3068H6153 31They assisted with the burnt offerings that were presented to the LORD on Sabbath days, at new moon celebrations, and at all the appointed festivals. The required number of Levites served in the LORD's presence at all times, following all the procedures they had been given.H5927H5930H3068H7676H2320H4150H4557H4941H8548H6440H3068 32And so, under the supervision of the priests, the Levites watched over the Tabernacle and the Temple and faithfully carried out their duties of service at the house of the LORD.H8104H4931H168H4150H4931H6944H4931H1121H175H251H5656H1004H3068