1Chronicles 18-21; Psalms 68

David’s Military Victories

18After this, David defeated and subdued the Philistines by conquering Gath and its surrounding towns.H310H1732H5221H6430H3665H3947H1661H1323H3027H6430

2David also conquered the land of Moab, and the Moabites who were spared became David's subjects and paid him tribute money.H5221H4124H4124H1732H5650H5375H4503

3David also destroyed the forces of Hadadezer, king of Zobah, as far as Hamath

, when Hadadezer marched out to strengthen his control along the Euphrates River.H1732H5221H1928H4428H6678H2574H3212H5324H3027H5104H6578

4David captured 1,000 chariots, 7,000 charioteers, and 20,000 foot soldiers. He crippled all the chariot horses except enough for 100 chariots.H1732H3920H505H7393H7651H505H6571H6242H505H376H7273H1732H6131H7393H3498H3967H7393

5When Arameans from Damascus arrived to help King Hadadezer, David killed 22,000 of them.H758H1834H935H5826H1928H4428H6678H1732H5221H758H8147H6242H505H376

6Then he placed several army garrisons

in Damascus, the Aramean capital, and the Arameans became David's subjects and paid him tribute money. So the LORD made David victorious wherever he went.H1732H7760H758H1834H758H1732H5650H5375H4503H3068H3467H1732H1980

7David brought the gold shields of Hadadezer's officers to Jerusalem,H1732H3947H7982H2091H5650H1928H935H3389

8along with a large amount of bronze from Hadadezer's towns of Tebah

and Cun. Later Solomon melted the bronze and molded it into the great bronze basin called the Sea, the pillars, and the various bronze articles used at the Temple.H2880H3560H5892H1928H3947H1732H3966H7227H5178H8010H6213H5178H3220H5982H3627H5178

9When King Toi

of Hamath heard that David had destroyed the entire army of King Hadadezer of Zobah,H8583H4428H2574H8085H1732H5221H2428H1928H4428H6678

10he sent his son Joram

to congratulate King David for his successful campaign. Hadadezer and Toi had been enemies and were often at war. Joram presented David with many gifts of gold, silver, and bronze.H7971H1913H1121H4428H1732H7592H7965H1288H3898H1928H5221H1928H376H4421H8583H3627H2091H3701H5178

11King David dedicated all these gifts to the LORD, along with the silver and gold he had taken from the other nations—from Edom, Moab, Ammon, Philistia, and Amalek.H4428H1732H6942H3068H3701H2091H5375H1471H123H4124H1121H5983H6430H6002

12Abishai son of Zeruiah destroyed 18,000 Edomites in the Valley of Salt.H52H1121H6870H5221H123H1516H4417H8083H6240H505

13He placed army garrisons in Edom, and all the Edomites became David's subjects. In fact, the LORD made David victorious wherever he went.H7760H5333H123H123H1732H5650H3068H3467H1732H1980

14So David reigned over all Israel and did what was just and right for all his people.H1732H4427H3478H6213H4941H6666H5971

15Joab son of Zeruiah was commander of the army. Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the royal historian.H3097H1121H6870H6635H3092H1121H286H2142

16Zadok son of Ahitub and Ahimelech

son of Abiathar were the priests. Seraiah was the court secretary.H6659H1121H285H40H1121H54H3548H7798H5608

17Benaiah son of Jehoiada was captain of the king's bodyguard

. And David's sons served as the king's chief assistants.H1141H1121H3077H3774H6432H1121H1732H7223H3027H4428

David Defeats the Ammonites

19Some time after this, King Nahash of the Ammonites died, and his son Hanun

became king.H310H5176H4428H1121H5983H4191H1121H4427 2David said, "I am going to show loyalty to Hanun because his father, Nahash, was always loyal to me." So David sent messengers to express sympathy to Hanun about his father's death. But when David's ambassadors arrived in the land of Ammon,H1732H559H6213H2617H2586H1121H5176H1H6213H2617H1732H7971H4397H5162H1H5650H1732H935H776H1121H5983H2586H5162 3the Ammonite commanders said to Hanun, "Do you really think these men are coming here to honor your father? No! David has sent them to spy out the land so they can come in and conquer it!"H8269H1121H5983H559H2586H5869H1732H3513H1H7971H5162H5650H935H2713H2015H7270H776 4So Hanun seized David's ambassadors and shaved them, cut off their robes at the buttocks, and sent them back to David in shame.H2586H3947H1732H5650H1548H3772H4063H2677H4667H7971 5When David heard what had happened to the men, he sent messengers to tell them, "Stay at Jericho until your beards grow out, and then come back." For they felt deep shame because of their appearance.H3212H5046H1732H582H7971H7125H582H3966H3637H4428H559H3427H3405H2206H6779H7725 6When the people of Ammon realized how seriously they had angered David, Hanun and the Ammonites sent 75,000 pounds

of silver to hire chariots and charioteers from Aram-naharaim, Aram-maacah, and Zobah.H1121H5983H7200H887H1732H2586H1121H5983H7971H505H3603H3701H7936H7393H6571H763H758H4601H6678 7They also hired 32,000 chariots and secured the support of the king of Maacah and his army. These forces camped at Medeba, where they were joined by the Ammonite troops that Hanun had recruited from his own towns.H7936H7970H8147H505H7393H4428H4601H5971H935H2583H6440H4311H1121H5983H622H5892H935H4421 8When David heard about this, he sent Joab and all his warriors to fight them.H1732H8085H7971H3097H6635H1368 9The Ammonite troops came out and drew up their battle lines at the entrance of the city, while the other kings positioned themselves to fight in the open fields.H1121H5983H3318H4421H6186H6607H5892H4428H935H7704 10When Joab saw that he would have to fight on both the front and the rear, he chose some of Israel's elite troops and placed them under his personal command to fight the Arameans in the fields.H3097H7200H4421H6440H268H977H977H3478H6186H7125H758 11He left the rest of the army under the command of his brother Abishai, who was to attack the Ammonites.H3499H5971H5414H3027H52H251H6186H7125H1121H5983 12"If the Arameans are too strong for me, then come over and help me," Joab told his brother. "And if the Ammonites are too strong for you, I will help you.H559H758H2388H8668H1121H5983H2388H3467 13Be courageous! Let us fight bravely for our people and the cities of our God. May the LORD's will be done."H2388H2388H5971H5892H430H3068H6213H2896H5869 14When Joab and his troops attacked, the Arameans began to run away.H3097H5971H5066H6440H758H4421H5127H6440 15And when the Ammonites saw the Arameans running, they also ran from Abishai and retreated into the city. Then Joab returned to Jerusalem.H1121H5983H7200H758H5127H5127H6440H52H251H935H5892H3097H935H3389 16The Arameans now realized that they were no match for Israel, so they sent messengers and summoned additional Aramean troops from the other side of the Euphrates River

. These troops were under the command of Shobach, the commander of Hadadezer's forces.H758H7200H5062H6440H3478H7971H4397H3318H758H5676H5104H7780H8269H6635H1928H6440 17When David heard what was happening, he mobilized all Israel, crossed the Jordan River, and positioned his troops in battle formation. Then David engaged the Arameans in battle, and they fought against him.H5046H1732H622H3478H5674H3383H935H6186H1732H4421H6186H7125H758H3898 18But again the Arameans fled from the Israelites. This time David's forces killed 7,000 charioteers and 40,000 foot soldiers, including Shobach, the commander of their army.H758H5127H6440H3478H1732H2026H758H7651H505H7393H705H505H376H7273H4191H7780H8269H6635 19When Hadadezer's allies saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they surrendered to David and became his subjects. After that, the Arameans were no longer willing to help the Ammonites.H5650H1928H7200H5062H6440H3478H7999H1732H5647H14H758H3467H1121H5983

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

68[For the choir director: A song. A psalm of David.] Rise up, O God, and scatter your enemies. Let those who hate God run for their lives.H5329H4210H7892H1732H430H6965H341H6327H8130H5127H6440

2Blow them away like smoke. Melt them like wax in a fire. Let the wicked perish in the presence of God.H6227H5086H5086H1749H4549H6440H784H7563H6H6440H430

3But let the godly rejoice. Let them be glad in God’s presence. Let them be filled with joy.H6662H8055H5970H6440H430H8057H7797

4Sing praises to God and to his name! Sing loud praises to him who rides the clouds. His name is the Lord—rejoice in his presence!H7891H430H2167H8034H5549H7392H6160H8034H3050H5937H6440

5Father to the fatherless, defender of widows—this is God, whose dwelling is holy.H1H3490H1781H490H430H6944H4583

6God places the lonely in families; he sets the prisoners free and gives them joy. But he makes the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.H430H3427H3173H1004H3318H615H3574H5637H7931H6707

7O God, when you led your people out from Egypt, when you marched through the dry wasteland, InterludeH430H3318H6440H5971H6805H3452H5542

8the earth trembled, and the heavens poured down rain before you, the God of Sinai, before God, the God of Israel.H776H7493H8064H5197H6440H430H5514H2088H6440H430H430H3478

9You sent abundant rain, O God, to refresh the weary land.H430H5130H5071H1653H3559H5159H3811

10There your people finally settled, and with a bountiful harvest, O God, you provided for your needy people.H2416H3427H430H3559H2896H6041

11The Lord gives the word, and a great army

brings the good news.H136H5414H562H7227H6635H1319

12Enemy kings and their armies flee, while the women of Israel divide the plunder.H4428H6635H5074H5074H5116H1004H2505H7998

13Even those who lived among the sheepfolds found treasures—doves with wings of silver and feathers of gold.H7901H8240H3671H3123H2645H3701H84H3422H2742

14The Almighty scattered the enemy kings like a blowing snowstorm on Mount Zalmon.H7706H6566H4428H7949H6756

15The mountains of Bashan are majestic, with many peaks stretching high into the sky.H2022H430H2022H1316H1386H2022H2022H1316

16Why do you look with envy, O rugged mountains, at Mount Zion, where God has chosen to live, where the Lord himself will live forever?H7520H1386H2022H2022H430H2530H3427H3068H7931H5331

17Surrounded by unnumbered thousands of chariots, the Lord came from Mount Sinai into his sanctuary.H7393H430H7239H505H8136H136H5514H6944

18When you ascended to the heights, you led a crowd of captives. You received gifts from the people, even from those who rebelled against you. Now the Lord God will live among us there.H5927H4791H7628H7617H3947H4979H120H5637H3050H430H7931

19Praise the Lord; praise God our savior! For each day he carries us in his arms. InterludeH1288H136H3117H3117H6006H410H3444H5542

20Our God is a God who saves! The Sovereign Lord rescues us from death.H410H410H4190H3069H136H8444H4194

21But God will smash the heads of his enemies, crushing the skulls of those who love their guilty ways.H430H4272H7218H341H8181H6936H1980H817

22The Lord says, “I will bring my enemies down from Bashan; I will bring them up from the depths of the sea.H136H559H7725H1316H7725H4688H3220

23You, my people, will wash your feet in their blood, and even your dogs will get their share!”H7272H4272H1818H341H3956H3611

24Your procession has come into view, O God—the procession of my God and King as he goes into the sanctuary.H7200H1979H430H1979H410H4428H6944

25Singers are in front, musicians behind; between them are young women playing tambourines.H7891H6923H5059H310H8432H5959H8608

26Praise God, all you people of Israel; praise the Lord, the source of Israel’s life.H1288H430H4721H136H4726H3478

27Look, the little tribe of Benjamin leads the way. Then comes a great throng of rulers from Judah and all the rulers of Zebulun and Naphtali.H6810H1144H7287H8269H3063H7277H8269H2074H8269H5321

28Summon your might, O God. Display your power, O God, as you have in the past.H430H6680H5797H5810H430H2098H6466

29The kings of the earth are bringing tribute to your Temple in Jerusalem.H1964H3389H4428H2986H7862

30Rebuke these enemy nations—these wild animals lurking in the reeds, this herd of bulls among the weaker calves. Make them bring bars of silver in humble tribute. Scatter the nations that delight in war.H1605H2416H7070H5712H47H5695H5971H7511H7518H3701H967H5971H2654H7128

31Let Egypt come with gifts of precious metals

; let Ethiopia bow in submission to God.H2831H857H4714H3568H7323H3027H430

32Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth. Sing praises to the Lord. InterludeH7891H430H4467H776H2167H136H5542

33Sing to the one who rides across the ancient heavens, his mighty voice thundering from the sky.H7392H8064H8064H6924H5414H6963H5797H6963

34Tell everyone about God’s power. His majesty shines down on Israel; his strength is mighty in the heavens.H5414H5797H430H1346H3478H5797H7834

35God is awesome in his sanctuary. The God of Israel gives power and strength to his people. Praise be to God!H430H3372H4720H410H3478H5414H5797H8592H5971H1288H430