2Samuel 4-8; Psalms 88 - Prayer Tents



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2Samuel 4-8; Psalms 88
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The Murder of Ishbosheth

4When Ishbosheth, Saul's son, heard about Abner's death at Hebron, he lost all courage, and all Israel became paralyzed with fear.H7586H1121H8085H74H4191H2275H3027H7503H3478H926 2Now there were two brothers, Baanah and Recab, who were captains of Ishbosheth's raiding parties. They were sons of Rimmon, a member of the tribe of Benjamin who lived in Beeroth. The town of Beeroth is now part of Benjamin's territoryH7586H1121H1961H8147H582H8269H1416H8034H259H1196H8034H8145H7394H1121H7417H886H1121H1144H881H2803H1144 3because the original people of Beeroth fled to Gittaim, where they still live as foreigners.H886H1272H1664H1481H3117 4(Saul's son Jonathan had a son named Mephibosheth, who was crippled as a child. He was five years old when the report came from Jezreel that Saul and Jonathan had been killed in battle. When the child's nurse heard the news, she picked him up and fled. But as she hurried away, she dropped him, and he became crippled.)H3083H7586H1121H1121H5223H7272H2568H8141H1121H8052H935H7586H3083H3157H539H5375H5127H2648H5127H5307H6452H8034H4648 5One day Recab and Baanah, the sons of Rimmon from Beeroth, went to Ishbosheth's house around noon as he was taking his midday rest.H1121H7417H886H7394H1196H3212H935H2527H3117H1004H378H7901H4904H6672 6The doorkeeper, who had been sifting wheat, became drowsy and fell asleep. So Recab and Baanah slipped past her.H935H8432H1004H3947H2406H5221H2570H7394H1196H251H4422 7They went into the house and found Ishbosheth sleeping on his bed. They struck and killed him and cut off his head. Then, taking his head with them, they fled across the Jordan Valley through the night.H935H1004H7901H4296H2315H4904H5221H4191H5493H3947H7218H3212H1870H6160H3915 8When they arrived at Hebron, they presented Ishbosheth's head to David. "Look!" they exclaimed to the king. "Here is the head of Ishbosheth, the son of your enemy Saul who tried to kill you. Today the LORD has given my lord the king revenge on Saul and his entire family!"H935H7218H378H1732H2275H559H4428H7218H378H1121H7586H341H1245H5315H3068H5414H5360H113H4428H3117H7586H2233 9But David said to Recab and Baanah, "The LORD, who saves me from all my enemies, is my witness.H1732H6030H7394H1196H251H1121H7417H886H559H3068H2416H6299H5315H6869 10Someone once told me, 'Saul is dead,' thinking he was bringing me good news. But I seized him and killed him at Ziklag. That's the reward I gave him for his news!H5046H559H7586H4191H5869H1319H270H2026H6860H5414H1309 11How much more should I reward evil men who have killed an innocent man in his own house and on his own bed? Shouldn't I hold you responsible for his blood and rid the earth of you?"H7563H582H2026H6662H376H1004H4904H1245H1818H3027H1197H776 12So David ordered his young men to kill them, and they did. They cut off their hands and feet and hung their bodies beside the pool in Hebron. Then they took Ishbosheth's head and buried it in Abner's tomb in Hebron.H1732H6680H5288H2026H7112H3027H7272H8518H1295H2275H3947H7218H378H6912H6913H74H2275

David Becomes King of All Israel

5Then all the tribes of Israel went to David at Hebron and told him, "We are your own flesh and blood.H935H7626H3478H1732H2275H559H559H6106H1320 2In the past, when Saul was our king, you were the one who really led the forces of Israel. And the LORD told you, 'You will be the shepherd of my people Israel. You will be Israel's leader.'"H865H8032H7586H4428H3318H935H3478H3068H559H7462H5971H3478H5057H3478 3So there at Hebron, King David made a covenant before the LORD with all the elders of Israel. And they anointed him king of Israel.H2205H3478H935H4428H2275H4428H1732H3772H1285H2275H6440H3068H4886H1732H4428H3478 4David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years in all.H1732H7970H8141H1121H4427H4427H705H8141 5He had reigned over Judah from Hebron for seven years and six months, and from Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah for thirty-three years.H2275H4427H3063H7651H8141H8337H2320H3389H4427H7970H7969H8141H3478H3063

David Captures Jerusalem

6David then led his men to Jerusalem to fight against the Jebusites, the original inhabitants of the land who were living there. The Jebusites taunted David, saying, "You'll never get in here! Even the blind and lame could keep you out!" For the Jebusites thought they were safe.H4428H582H3212H3389H2983H3427H776H559H1732H559H5493H5787H6455H935H559H1732H935 7But David captured the fortress of Zion, which is now called the City of David.H1732H3920H4686H6726H5892H1732 8On the day of the attack, David said to his troops, "I hate those 'lame' and 'blind' Jebusites. Whoever attacks them should strike by going into the city through the water tunnel." That is the origin of the saying, "The blind and the lame may not enter the house."H1732H559H3117H5060H6794H5221H2983H6455H5787H8130H1732H5315H559H5787H6455H935H1004 9So David made the fortress his home, and he called it the City of David. He extended the city, starting at the supporting terraces and working inward.H1732H3427H4686H7121H5892H1732H1732H1129H5439H4407H1004 10And David became more and more powerful, because the LORD God of Heaven's Armies was with him.H1732H3212H1980H1419H3068H430H6635 11Then King Hiram of Tyre sent messengers to David, along with cedar timber and carpenters and stonemasons, and they built David a palace.H2438H4428H6865H7971H4397H1732H730H6086H2796H7023H68H1129H1732H1004 12And David realized that the LORD had confirmed him as king over Israel and had blessed his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel.H1732H3045H3068H3559H4428H3478H5375H4467H5971H3478 13After moving from Hebron to Jerusalem, David married more concubines and wives, and they had more sons and daughters.H1732H3947H6370H802H3389H310H935H2275H1121H1323H3205H1732 14These are the names of David's sons who were born in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon,H8034H3209H3389H8051H7727H5416H8010 15Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia,H2984H474H5298H3309 16Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet.H476H450H467

David Conquers the Philistines

17When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king of Israel, they mobilized all their forces to capture him. But David was told they were coming, so he went into the stronghold.H6430H8085H4886H1732H4428H3478H6430H5927H1245H1732H1732H8085H3381H4686 18The Philistines arrived and spread out across the valley of Rephaim.H6430H935H5203H6010H7497 19So David asked the LORD, "Should I go out to fight the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?" The LORD replied to David, "Yes, go ahead. I will certainly hand them over to you."H1732H7592H3068H559H5927H6430H5414H3027H3068H559H1732H5927H5414H5414H6430H3027 20So David went to Baal-perazim and defeated the Philistines there. "The LORD did it!" David exclaimed. "He burst through my enemies like a raging flood!" So he named that place Baal-perazim (which means "the Lord who bursts through").H1732H935H1188H1732H5221H559H3068H6555H341H6440H6556H4325H7121H8034H4725H1188 21The Philistines had abandoned their idols there, so David and his men confiscated them.H5800H6091H1732H582H5375 22But after a while the Philistines returned and again spread out across the valley of Rephaim.H6430H5927H3254H5203H6010H7497 23And again David asked the LORD what to do. "Do not attack them straight on," the LORD replied. "Instead, circle around behind and attack them near the poplar trees.H1732H7592H3068H559H5927H5437H310H935H4136H1057 24When you hear a sound like marching feet in the tops of the poplar trees, be on the alert! That will be the signal that the LORD is moving ahead of you to strike down the Philistine army."H8085H6963H6807H7218H1057H2782H3068H3318H6440H5221H4264H6430 25So David did what the LORD commanded, and he struck down the Philistines all the way from Gibeon to Gezer.H1732H6213H3068H6680H5221H6430H1387H935H1507

Moving the Ark to Jerusalem

6Then David again gathered all the elite troops in Israel, 30,000 in all.H1732H622H3254H977H3478H7970H505 2He led them to Baalah of Judah to bring back the Ark of God, which bears the name of the LORD of Heaven's Armies, who is enthroned between the cherubim.H1732H6965H3212H5971H1184H5927H727H430H8034H7121H8034H3068H6635H3427H3742 3They placed the Ark of God on a new cart and brought it from Abinadab's house, which was on a hill. Uzzah and Ahio, Abinadab's sons, were guiding the cart as it left the house,H7392H727H430H2319H5699H5375H1004H41H1390H5798H283H1121H41H5090H2319H5699 4carrying the Ark of God. Ahio walked in front of the Ark.H5375H1004H41H1390H5973H727H430H283H1980H6440H727 5David and all the people of Israel were celebrating before the LORD, singing songs and playing all kinds of musical instruments—lyres, harps, tambourines, castanets, and cymbals.H1732H1004H3478H7832H6440H3068H1265H6086H3658H5035H8596H4517H6767 6But when they arrived at the threshing floor of Nacon, the oxen stumbled, and Uzzah reached out his hand and steadied the Ark of God.H935H5225H1637H5798H7971H727H430H270H1241H8058 7Then the LORD's anger was aroused against Uzzah, and God struck him dead because of this. So Uzzah died right there beside the Ark of God.H639H3068H2734H5798H430H5221H7944H4191H727H430 8David was angry because the LORD's anger had burst out against Uzzah. He named that place Perez-uzzah (which means "to burst out against Uzzah"), as it is still called today.H1732H2734H3068H6555H6556H5798H7121H4725H6560H3117 9David was now afraid of the LORD, and he asked, "How can I ever bring the Ark of the LORD back into my care?"H1732H3372H3068H3117H559H727H3068H935 10So David decided not to move the Ark of the LORD into the City of David. Instead, he took it to the house of Obed-edom of Gath.H1732H14H5493H727H3068H5892H1732H1732H5186H1004H5654H1663 11The Ark of the LORD remained there in Obed-edom's house for three months, and the LORD blessed Obed-edom and his entire household.H727H3068H3427H1004H5654H1663H7969H2320H3068H1288H5654H1004 12Then King David was told, "The LORD has blessed Obed-edom's household and everything he has because of the Ark of God." So David went there and brought the Ark of God from the house of Obed-edom to the City of David with a great celebration.H5046H4428H1732H559H3068H1288H1004H5654H727H430H1732H3212H5927H727H430H1004H5654H5892H1732H8057 13After the men who were carrying the Ark of the LORD had gone six steps, David sacrificed a bull and a fattened calf.H5375H727H3068H6805H8337H6806H2076H7794H4806 14And David danced before the LORD with all his might, wearing a priestly garment.H1732H3769H6440H3068H5797H1732H2296H906H646 15So David and all the people of Israel brought up the Ark of the LORD with shouts of joy and the blowing of rams' horns.H1732H1004H3478H5927H727H3068H8643H6963H7782

Michal’s Contempt for David

16But as the Ark of the LORD entered the City of David, Michal, the daughter of Saul, looked down from her window. When she saw King David leaping and dancing before the LORD, she was filled with contempt for him.H727H3068H935H5892H1732H4324H7586H1323H8259H2474H7200H4428H1732H6339H3769H6440H3068H959H3820 17They brought the Ark of the LORD and set it in its place inside the special tent David had prepared for it. And David sacrificed burnt offerings and peace offerings to the LORD.H935H727H3068H3322H4725H8432H168H1732H5186H1732H5927H5930H8002H6440H3068 18When he had finished his sacrifices, David blessed the people in the name of the LORD of Heaven's Armies.H1732H3615H5927H5930H8002H1288H5971H8034H3068H6635 19Then he gave to every Israelite man and woman in the crowd a loaf of bread, a cake of dates, and a cake of raisins. Then all the people returned to their homes.H2505H5971H1995H3478H802H376H376H259H2471H3899H829H809H5971H3212H376H1004 20When David returned home to bless his own family, Michal, the daughter of Saul, came out to meet him. She said in disgust, "How distinguished the king of Israel looked today, shamelessly exposing himself to the servant girls like any vulgar person might do!"H1732H7725H1288H1004H4324H1323H7586H3318H7125H1732H559H3513H4428H3478H3117H1540H3117H5869H519H5650H259H7386H1540H1540 21David retorted to Michal, "I was dancing before the LORD, who chose me above your father and all his family! He appointed me as the leader of Israel, the people of the LORD, so I celebrate before the LORD.H1732H559H4324H6440H3068H977H1H1004H6680H5057H5971H3068H3478H7832H6440H3068 22Yes, and I am willing to look even more foolish than this, even to be humiliated in my own eyes! But those servant girls you mentioned will indeed think I am distinguished!"H7043H2063H8217H5869H519H559H3513 23So Michal, the daughter of Saul, remained childless throughout her entire life.H4324H1323H7586H2056H3206H3117H4194

The Lord’s Covenant Promise to David

7When King David was settled in his palace and the LORD had given him rest from all the surrounding enemies,H4428H3427H1004H3068H5117H5439H341 2the king summoned Nathan the prophet. "Look," David said, "I am living in a beautiful cedar palace, but the Ark of God is out there in a tent!"H4428H559H5416H5030H7200H3427H1004H730H727H430H3427H8432H3407 3Nathan replied to the king, "Go ahead and do whatever you have in mind, for the LORD is with you."H5416H559H4428H3212H6213H3824H3068 4But that same night the LORD said to Nathan,H3915H1697H3068H5416H559 5"Go and tell my servant David, 'This is what the LORD has declared: Are you the one to build a house for me to live in?H3212H559H5650H1732H559H3068H1129H1004H3427 6I have never lived in a house, from the day I brought the Israelites out of Egypt until this very day. I have always moved from one place to another with a tent and a Tabernacle as my dwelling.H3427H1004H3117H5927H1121H3478H4714H3117H1980H168H4908 7Yet no matter where I have gone with the Israelites, I have never once complained to Israel's tribal leaders, the shepherds of my people Israel. I have never asked them, "Why haven't you built me a beautiful cedar house?"'H1980H1121H3478H1696H1697H259H7626H3478H6680H7462H5971H3478H559H1129H1004H730 8"Now go and say to my servant David, 'This is what the LORD of Heaven's Armies has declared: I took you from tending sheep in the pasture and selected you to be the leader of my people Israel.H559H5650H1732H559H3068H6635H3947H5116H310H6629H5057H5971H3478 9I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have destroyed all your enemies before your eyes. Now I will make your name as famous as anyone who has ever lived on the earth!H1980H3772H341H6440H6213H1419H8034H8034H1419H776 10And I will provide a homeland for my people Israel, planting them in a secure place where they will never be disturbed. Evil nations won't oppress them as they've done in the past,H7760H4725H5971H3478H5193H7931H7264H1121H5766H6031H3254H7223 11starting from the time I appointed judges to rule my people Israel. And I will give you rest from all your enemies."'Furthermore, the LORD declares that he will make a house for you—a dynasty of kings!H3117H6680H8199H5971H3478H5117H341H3068H5046H6213H1004 12For when you die and are buried with your ancestors, I will raise up one of your descendants, your own offspring, and I will make his kingdom strong.H3117H4390H7901H1H6965H2233H310H3318H4578H3559H4467 13He is the one who will build a house—a temple—for my name. And I will secure his royal throne forever.H1129H1004H8034H3559H3678H4467H5704H5769 14I will be his father, and he will be my son. If he sins, I will correct and discipline him with the rod, like any father would do.H1H1121H5753H3198H7626H582H5061H1121H120 15But my favor will not be taken from him as I took it from Saul, whom I removed from your sight.H2617H5493H5493H7586H5493H6440 16Your house and your kingdom will continue before me for all time, and your throne will be secure forever.'"H1004H4467H539H5704H5769H6440H3678H3559H5704H5769 17So Nathan went back to David and told him everything the LORD had said in this vision.H1697H2384H5416H1696H1732

David’s Prayer of Thanks

18Then King David went in and sat before the LORD and prayed, "Who am I, O Sovereign LORD, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far?H935H4428H1732H3427H6440H3068H559H136H3069H1004H935H1988 19And now, Sovereign LORD, in addition to everything else, you speak of giving your servant a lasting dynasty! Do you deal with everyone this way, O Sovereign LORD?H6994H5869H136H3069H1696H5650H1004H7350H8452H120H136H3069 20"What more can I say to you? You know what your servant is really like, Sovereign LORD.H3254H1732H1696H3254H136H3069H3045H5650 21Because of your promise and according to your will, you have done all these great things and have made them known to your servant.H1697H3820H6213H1420H5650H3045 22"How great you are, O Sovereign LORD! There is no one like you. We have never even heard of another God like you!H1431H3068H430H430H2108H8085H241 23What other nation on earth is like your people Israel? What other nation, O God, have you redeemed from slavery to be your own people? You made a great name for yourself when you redeemed your people from Egypt. You performed awesome miracles and drove out the nations and gods that stood in their way.H259H1471H776H5971H3478H430H1980H6299H5971H7760H8034H6213H1420H3372H776H6440H5971H6299H4714H1471H430 24You made Israel your very own people forever, and you, O LORD, became their God.H3559H5971H3478H5971H5704H5769H3068H1961H430 25"And now, O LORD God, I am your servant; do as you have promised concerning me and my family. Confirm it as a promise that will last forever.H3068H430H1697H1696H5650H1004H6965H5704H5769H6213H1696 26And may your name be honored forever so that everyone will say, 'The LORD of Heaven's Armies is God over Israel!' And may the house of your servant David continue before you forever.H8034H1431H5704H5769H559H3068H6635H430H3478H1004H5650H1732H3559H6440 27"O LORD of Heaven's Armies, God of Israel, I have been bold enough to pray this prayer to you because you have revealed all this to your servant, saying, 'I will build a house for you—a dynasty of kings!'H3068H6635H430H3478H1540H241H5650H559H1129H1004H5650H4672H3820H6419H8605 28For you are God, O Sovereign LORD. Your words are truth, and you have promised these good things to your servant.H136H3069H430H1697H571H1696H2896H5650 29And now, may it please you to bless the house of your servant, so that it may continue forever before you. For you have spoken, and when you grant a blessing to your servant, O Sovereign LORD, it is an eternal blessing!"H2974H1288H1004H5650H5769H6440H136H3069H1696H1293H1004H5650H1288H5769

David’s Military Victories

8After this, David defeated and subdued the Philistines by conquering Gath, their largest town.H310H1732H5221H6430H3665H1732H3947H4965H3027H6430 2David also conquered the land of Moab. He made the people lie down on the ground in a row, and he measured them off in groups with a length of rope. He measured off two groups to be executed for every one group to be spared. The Moabites who were spared became David's subjects and paid him tribute money.H5221H4124H4058H2256H7901H776H8147H2256H4058H4191H4393H2256H2421H4124H1732H5650H5375H4503 3David also destroyed the forces of Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah, when Hadadezer marched out to strengthen his control along the Euphrates River.H1732H5221H1909H1121H7340H4428H6678H3212H7725H3027H5104H6578 4David captured 1,000 chariots, 7,000 charioteers, and 20,000 foot soldiers. He crippled all the chariot horses except enough for 100 chariots.H1732H3920H505H7651H3967H6571H6242H505H376H7273H1732H6131H7393H3498H3967H7393 5When Arameans from Damascus arrived to help King Hadadezer, David killed 22,000 of them.H758H1834H935H5826H1909H4428H6678H1732H5221H758H8147H6242H505H376 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.H1732H7760H5333H758H1834H758H5650H1732H5375H4503H3068H3467H1732H1980 7David brought the gold shields of Hadadezer's officers to Jerusalem,H1732H3947H7982H2091H5650H1909H935H3389 8along with a large amount of bronze from Hadadezer's towns of Tebah and Berothai.H984H1268H5892H1909H4428H1732H3947H3966H7235H5178 9When King Toi of Hamath heard that David had destroyed the entire army of Hadadezer,H8583H4428H2574H8085H1732H5221H2428H1909 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 silver, gold, and bronze.H8583H7971H3141H1121H4428H1732H7592H7965H1288H3898H1909H5221H1909H376H4421H8583H3027H3627H3701H3627H2091H3627H5178 11King David dedicated all these gifts to the LORD, as he did with the silver and gold from the other nations he had defeated—H4428H1732H6942H3068H3701H2091H6942H1471H3533 12from Edom, Moab, Ammon, Philistia, and Amalek—and from Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah.H758H4124H1121H5983H6430H6002H7998H1909H1121H7340H4428H6678 13So David became even more famous when he returned from destroying 18,000 Edomites in the Valley of Salt.H1732H6213H8034H7725H5221H758H1516H4417H8083H6240H505 14He placed army garrisons throughout Edom, and all the Edomites became David's subjects. In fact, the LORD made David victorious wherever he went.H7760H5333H123H123H7760H5333H123H1732H5650H3068H3467H1732H1980 15So David reigned over all Israel and did what was just and right for all his people.H1732H4427H3478H1732H6213H4941H6666H5971 16Joab son of Zeruiah was commander of the army. Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the royal historian.H3097H1121H6870H6635H3092H1121H286H2142 17Zadok son of Ahitub and Ahimelech son of Abiathar were the priests. Seraiah was the court secretary.H6659H1121H285H288H1121H54H3548H8304H5608 18Benaiah son of Jehoiada was captain of the king's bodyguard. And David's sons served as priestly leaders.H1141H1121H3077H3774H6432H1732H1121H3548

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