CHAPTER 11
1. And all of Israel gathered together to Dawid at Hevron to say, “Look! We are your own bone and flesh!
2. “And yesterday and the day before, even when Sha’ul was king, you were the one who led Israel out and who brought them in, and YHWH your Elohim told you, ‘You will shepherd My people Israel, and you will be leader over My people Israel.’”
3. Therefore all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hevron and Dawid cut a covenant with them at Hevron in the presence of YHWH, and they anointed Dawid as king over Israel, according to the word of YHWH through Shmu’el.
4. Then Dawid and all Israel went to Yerusahalayim—that is Y’vus, where the Y’vusites were inhabitants of the Land.
5. And the inhabuitants of Y’vus told Dawid, “You won’t come in here!” Yet Dawid captured the stronghold of Tzion (that is, the City of Dawid).
6. And Dawid said, “Whoever is first to attack the Y’vusite will become chief and captain!” So Yo’av, son of Tz’ruyah, went up first, and became the [military] leader.
Tz’ruyah was Dawid’s sister. (2:16)
7. And Dawid settled in the stronghold; that is why they called it the City of Dawid,
8. and he built the city around it, from the Millo to the surrounding area, and Yo’av restored the rest of the city.
9. And Dawid went on to become greater and greater, and YHWH [Master] of Armies was with him.
10. Now these were the heads of the brave men who were for Dawid—who had put forth [all] their tenacious effort with him in his kingship, along with all Israel, to make him king according to the word of YHWH concerning Israel,
11. and these are the accounts of the heroic men who were for Dawid: Yashawv’am son of a Hakhmonite, the head of thirty, who had awakened his spear against 300 [whom he] mortally wounded at one time;
12. and after him, El’azar the son of Dodo the Ahohite; he was one of the three heroes.
13. He was with Dawid at Pas Dammim, when the Filishtines had gathered for battle and there was a section of a field full of barley and the people had fled from the presence of the Filishtines,
14. but they stood their ground in the middle of that section and saved it, and struck down the Filishtines, and thus YHWH brought about a great deliverance.
15. And three of the thirty chief [men] came down onto the Rock—to Dawid in the Cave of Adullam when the army of the Filishtines was camped in the Valley of R’fa’im,
16. and at that time Dawid was in the Stronghold while the garrison of the Filistines was in Beyth Lehem,
17. and Dawid had a [nostalgic] longing, and said, “Who could give me a drink of water from the cistern of Beyth Lehem, which is by the gate?”
18. And the three [heroes] broke through the camp of the Filistines and drew [some] water from the cistern of Beyth Lehem which is at the gate, and they carried it out and brought it to Dawid, and he refused to drink it, but poured it out [as a libation offering] to YHWH,
This was how far their loyalty to him extended! He was just voicing a wish he thought could not come true at that time, but they took him seriously, and he recognized the significance of what they had done, possibly better than they did!
19. and said, “My Elohim forbid that I should do this; I would be drinking the blood of these men who [put] their lives [in jeopardy]! Because at [the risk of] their lives they brought it!” And he was not willing to drink it. These are [the kind of things] the three heroes did.
20. And Avishai the brother of Yo’av (who was the chief of the three)—he awakened his spear again 300 men and mortally wounded [them], so he gained a reputation among the three.
21. He was honored by two of the three, so he became their chief, though he did not attain to the [exploits of] the three.
22. Benayah the son of Y’hoyada was the son of a man from Qavtze’el who was capable of many accomplishments: He attacked two of the “Great Lions of Mo’av”, and he went down inside a pit and killed a lion on a snowy day.
23. He also attacked “The man of Egypt”—a man of great stature (five cubits tall!), and in the Egyptian’s hand there was a spear like the beam of a weaver, and he went down to him with a club and forced the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand and killed him.
Five cubits is about 7.5 feet. Beam: i.e., on a loom.
24. Benayah the son of Y’hoyada did these things, and gained a reputation among the three heroes.
25. He was indeed honored more than the thirty, but he did not attain to the [exploits of] the three; still, Dawid appointed him [to be] over his bodyguards.
26. Now the heroes of the armies were Asah-El the brother of Yo’av, Elkhanan the son of Dodo from Beyth Lehem,
27. Shamoth the Harorite, Kheletz the Pelonite,
28. ‘Iyra the son of ‘Iqqesh the Theqoite, Aviezer the Anathothite,
29. Sibbekhai the Khushathite, ‘Ilai the Akhokhite,
30. Maharai the Netofathite, Kheled the son of Baanah the N’tofathite,
31. Ithai the son of Rivai from Giv’ah of the Sons of Binyamin, Benayah the Pir’athonite,
32. Khurai of the streambeds of Gaash, Avi’el the ‘Arbathite,
Gaash is where Y’hoshua was buried, and being from there may have influenced Khurai to regard Y’hoshua as a special role model, helping him become an accomplished warrior.
33. ‘Azmaweth theBakharumite, Elyakhba the Shaalbonite,
34. the sons of Hashem the Gizonite, Yonathan the son of Shawgeh the Hararite,
35. Akhi’am the son of Sawkhar the Hararite, Elifal the son of Ur,
36. Khefer the Mekherathite, Akiyah the Pelonite,
37. Khetzro the Karmelite, Naarai the son of Ezbai,
38. Yo’el the brother of Nawthawn, Mibkhar the son of Hagri,
39. Tzeleq the Ammonite, Nakharai the Berothite, Yo’av the son of Tzeruyah’s armor-carrier.
40. ‘Iyra the Yithrite, Garebv the Yithrite,
41. Uriyah the Khithite, Zavad the sn of Akhlai,
Uriyah is famous for his bravery and loyalty to Dawid even when Dawid was treacherous toward him. (2 Shmu’el 11)
42. ‘Adina the son of Shiza the Re’uvenite, a chief to the Re’uvenites, and thirty in addition to him,
43. Khawnawn the son of Maakhah, and Y’hoshafat the Mithnite,
44. Uziaw’ the Ashtrathite, Shawmaw’ and Y’iel, the sons of Khothawm the ‘Aroerite,
45. Y’dia’el the son of Shimri, and Yokha’ the Thitzite, his brother,
46. Eli’el the Makhawim, and Y’rivai and Yoshavyah, the sons of Elnaam, and Yithman the Mo’avite,
47. Eli’el and ‘Oved, and Yaasi’el the M’tzovawyah.
CHAPTER 12
1. Now these are [the ones who] came to Dawid at Tziqlag while he was still a fugitive from the presence of Sha’ul the son of Qish, and they were among the heroes who helped with the war.
2. Equipped with bows in the right hand and the left, with both stones and shooting arrows with the bow, [they came] from among the relatives of Sha’ul—from Binyamin.
Interestingly, some of these “sons of the right hand” were left-handed bowmen!
3. The chief was Akhiezer, then Yoash—[both] sons of Shemaah the Giv’athite, then Y’zi’el and Felet, sons of ‘Azmaweth, and B’rakhah and Yehu the ‘Anathothite.
4. And Yishma’yah the Giv’onite, among the 30 and over the 30.
5. Then Yirm’yah and Yakhazi’el and Yokhanan and Yozavad the G’derathite,
6. El’uzai and Y’rimoth and B’alyah and Sh’maryahu and Shafatyahu the Kharufite,
7. Elqanah and Yishiyahu and ‘Azar’el and Yoezer and Yashawv’am the Qorakhite,
8. and Yo’elah and Z’vadyah, sons of Y’rokhawm from the G’dor,
9. and some of the Gadites separated themselves out to Dawid at the stronghold in the wilderness, capable heroes, men of the army [trained] for battle who could handle a shield and spear, whose faces were like lions’ faces yet like ibexes on the mountains for swiftness!
10. Ezer was the head, and Ovadyah the second, Eliav the third,
11. Mishmannah the fourth, Yirm’yah the fifth,
12. Athai the sixth, Eli’el the seventh,
13. Yochanan the eighth, Elzavawd the ninth,
14. Yirm’yahu the tenth, Makhbanai eleventh;
15. these were the captains of the army from [smog] the tribe of Gad.
16. These are the ones who crossed the Yarden in the first month, when it had overflowed all its banks, and put to flight all [who lived] in the valleys toward the sunrise and the sunset.
17. And some from the sons of Binyamin and Yehudah came as far as the stronghold for Dawid,
18. and Dawid went out ahead of them and answered and told them, “If you have come to me peaceably to help me, I will have a united heart in regard to you, but if [you come] to betray me to those who oppress me when there is no violence in my hands, may the Elohim of our ancestors inspect and prove me [to be in the] right!”
19. And a spirit clothed Amawsai, head of the thirty, [and he said], “[We are] for you, Dawid, and with you, son of Yishai! Peace, peace to you, and peace to those who are helping you, because your Elohim helps you!” So Dawid welcomed them and made them heads of the raiding band.
20. And [some] from M’nasheh defected to Dawid when he was going with the Filishtines into battle against Sha’ul, but they did not help them, because they were advised by the lords of the Filistines to send them away, saying, “At [the cost of] our heads he may fall to his master Sha’ul!”
21. When he was walking to Tziqlag, [those who] defected to him from M’nasheh were ‘AdnaH, and Yozavawd, and Y’dia’El, and Mikha’El, and Yozavawd, and Elihu, and Tzillethai—heads of the thousands who belonged to M’nasheh.
22. And they helped with Dawid against the raiding bands because they were all capable heroes and they were all captains in the army,
23. because [up] to that time they had been coming to Dawid day by day to help him until it [had become] a large encampment, like the camp of Elohim.
24. Now these are the counts of the heads of those prepared for the armed force. They came to Dawid at Hevron to turn the kingdom of Sha’ul over to him, as the mouth of YHWH [had said].
25. The sons of Yehudah who carried shield and spear [were] 6,800 equipped for warfare.
26. Of the sons of Shim’on, [there were] 7,100 capable heroes for the army.
27. From the sons of the Levite [there were] 4,600,
This is an anomaly, as the Levites were never before counted in regard to army service. (Num. 1:47; 2:33) Some were apparently so convinced that Dawid was YHWH’s man that they temporarily left their Levitical duties to fight alongside him. We know King Sha’ul had not had the highest regard for the priesthood (1 Shmu’el 22:18), so he may have even reduced the number of Levites on duty.
28. and Y’hoyada was the captain of Aharon, and with him [there were] 3,700,
29. and Tzadoq, a capable, heroic youth, along with his father’s household, 22 leaders.
The book of 1 Kings says much about two priests with the names of Y’hoyada and Tzadoq when Dawid was king.
30. And from the sons of Binyamin, relatives of Sha’ul, 3,000, though until this time the majority of them [had been] guards in the service of the household of Sha’ul.
31. And from the sons of Efrayim, 20,800 capable heroes, men of renown belonging to the household of their ancestors.
32. Then from the half-tribe of M’nasheh, 18,000 specified by name to come make Dawid reign.
This is the half that dwelt west of the Yarden. Specified: literally, pierced or pricked; the reason for this idiom is not clear.
33. Now among the sons of Yissakhar [were those who] recognized [how to] discern the times, to distinguish what Israel ought to do. Their heads were 200, and all their brothers were at their command.
34. From Z’vulun there went out to the army, prepared for battle with all [kinds of] weapons of war, 50,000, and they could keep rank and not be double-minded.
Double-minded: literally, “heart and heart”, as being divided in their loyalties or motivations.
35. And from Nafthali, 1,000 captains, and with them 37,000 with shield and spear.
36. Then from the Danites, 28,600 who could [line up in] battle formation.
37. And from Asher there went out to the army 40,000 to [line up in] battle formation.
38. And from across the Yarden, of the Re’uvenites, Gadites, and half the tribe of M’nasheh, with every kind of weapon, an armed force of 120,000.
This is the half of M’nasheh who had always been war heroes since the time of Y’hoshua.
39. All of these men of war arranged in ranks, came to Hevron with a whole heart to make Dawid king over all Israel, and the rest of Israel were likewise of one mind to have Dawid reign.
40. And they ended up being there with Dawid [for] three days, eating and drinking since their relatives as well as those who were near them had prepared [a feast] for them—[from] as [far away] as Yissakhar, Z’vulun, and Nafthali, bringing food to them on donkeys, camels, mules, and oxen—food [made from] flour, cakes of figs and raisins, wine, oil, and cattle and sheep in abundance, because [there was] joy in Israel!
CHAPTER 13
1. Then Dawid consulted with the rulers of thousands and hundreds and with leaders [in other capacities],
2. and Dawid said to the whole assembly of Israel, “If it [seems] good in regard to you, and if [it is] from YHWH our Elohim, let’s send out and spread [the word] to our brothers who are left in all the territories of Israel, and the priests and Levites who are with them in their cities and their environs, so they may be gathered together to us,
Assembly: not the whole congregation, but the leadership gathered for this purpose.
3. “and let’s bring the Ark of our Elohim back to ourselves, because we have not inquired [at] it during the days of Sha’ul.”
4. And the whole assembly said that they would do so, because the matter was right in the eyes of all the people.
5. So Dawid assembled all of Israel from ShiHor, Egypt as far as the entry to Hamath, to bring the Ark of Elohim from Kiryath-Y’arim.
ShiHor: a canal or stream on the border between Egypt and Israel. Kiryath-Y’arim: a town between Beth-Shemesh and Yerushalayim (west of the city) where it had remained since the Filistines brought it back after the battle in which High Priest Eli’s sons had died, while Shmu’El was still a young man. (1 Shmu’El 7) As Shmu’El had passed away when Dawid was still young, it may have been there close to 100 years.
6. So Dawid and all of Israel went up to Baalah—to Kiryath-Y’arim, which belongs to Yehudah—to bring up from there the Ark of YHWH, who dwells [between] the Kh’ruvim, where His name is proclaimed.
Baalah: an older (Kanaanite) name for Kiryath-Y’arim. (Y’hoshua 15:9)
7. So they mounted the Ark of Elohim onto a new cart, [and transported it] from the house of Avinadav, with Uzza and Akhio guiding the cart.
8. And Dawid and all of Israel were celebrating before the presence of the Elohim with all [their] might—with songs and harps and stringed instruments, and tambourines.
Celebrating: literally, laughing, joking, playing, making sport. Tambourines: or possibly drums.
9. But when they came to Kidon’s threshing floor, Uzza’ stretched out his hand to get a firm grip on the Ark, because the oxen had slipped [out of the yoke and let the cart drop].
10. And the anger of YHWH grew hot against Uzza’ and struck him down because he had put out his hand onto the Ark, and he died there before Elohim.
Some have suggested that the ark was constructed in such a way as it acted like a radio-wave transceiver that packed a powerful shock if anyone or anything that was not grounded touched it.
11. And Dawid became upset because of YHWH’s outburst—the outburst against Uzza’. That is why that places is called Peretz-Uzza’ [outburst of Uzza’] until this day.
12. And Dawid became afraid of the Elohim that day, saying, “How can I bring the Ark of Elohim to [be with] me?”
13. So Dawid would not take the Ark with him to the City of Dawid, but took it aside to the house of Oved-Edom the Githite.
14.And the Ark remained with the household of Oved-Edom, at his house, for three months, and YHWH blessed the household of Oved-Edom and all that was his.
CHAPTER 14
1. Then Khiram, king of Tzor, sent messengers to Dawid, along with cedar trees, stone masons, and carpenters to build him a house.
Tzor: often called Tyre, a Canaanite city in Phoenicia proper, on the Mediterranean coast just north of Israel, so they could bring the trees in ships a good portion of the distance. Stone masons: literally “wall artisans”.
2. Thus Dawid knew that YHWH had firmly established him as king, because his kingdom was raised up higher for the sake of His people, Israel.
Prosperity does not always mean YHWH is blessing, but Dawid had not manipulated any of this into occurring.
3. So Dawid took yet [more] wives in Yerushalayim, and he continued fathering sons and daughters,
So…took wives: as king, he could afford to be even more fruitful and multiply beyond what he initially may have thought possible.
4. and these are the names of the children who were born to him in Yerushalayim:
Shammua [“renowned”] and Shovav [“turning back”], Nathawn [“He gave”] and Shlomoh [“peaceful”],
5. and Yivhar [“He chooses”], and Elishua [“My Elohim is salvation”], and Elpawlet [“Elohim delivers”],
6. and Nogah [“dawning”] and Nefeg [“springing forth”], and Yafia [“shining brightly”],
7. and Elishama [“My Elohim has heard”], and Beelyada [“the Lord knows”], and Elifelet [“my Elohim is deliverance”].
Beelyada: named at a time when the Baals were not yet widely worshipped in Israel, and the term had a more generic meaning. Elsewhere (2 Shmu’El 5:16) he is known as Elyada, highlighting the more specific “Lord”, El (a short version of Eloah or Elohim).
8. Now when [some] Filishtines heard that Dawid had been anointed to reign over all Israel, all the Filishtines went up to search for him. But wen Dawid heard [it], he went out ahead of them.
He beat them to the punch. The Filishtines had been both allies of Dawid and his enemies at various times, and they may have felt like they knew his weaknesses and wanted to nip his kingship in the bud lest he become too strong for them. He would be the one instead who would decimate their power and make them a small, unthreatening nation.
9. Then the Filishtines came and made a raid in the Valley of [the] Refaim
The Refaim were a race of giants, and the Filishtines had some giants before Dawid killed them, so they may have felt this was an appropriate place to invade in revenge for that incident. He had also fought them at this location before. (11:15)
10. And Dawid inquired of Elohim, saying, “Should I go up against the Filishtines? And will You deliver them into my hand?” And YHWH said, “Go up, for I have given them into your hand!”
He asked more generically of the Elohim, but YHWH in particular answered, and said the battle had essentially already been won.
11. So they went up at [what is now] Baal-Pratzim, and Dawid struck them down there. So Dawid said, “The Elohim has broken through my enemies through my hand like an outburst of water!” That is why they called the name of that place “Baal-Pratzim”.
Baal-Pratzim means “Lord of the breaches” or “breakthroughs”. “Outburst” here is the singular form and “broken through” is the verb form.
12. So they abandoned their [other] elohim there, and Dawid gave the order and they were burned with fire.
13. But still the Filishtines made yet another raid on the valley.
14. So Dawid again inquired of the Elohim, but the Elohim said to him, “Do not go up after them. Circle around to above them and come at them from in front of the balsam shrubs.
15. “Then what must take place [is that] as you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam shrubs, that is when you should go out to battle, because the Elohim has gone out ahead of you to strike down the camp of the Filishtines.”
16. So Dawid did just as the Elohim had ordered him, and they beat back the Filishtine camp from Giv’on to as far as Gazer.
Giv’on is 5.6 miles northwest of Yerushalayim, still in the mountains. They came that close to his capital city. Gazer: or Gezer, near the bottom of the foothills, just outside of the region of the Five Filishtine Cities on the coastal plain, to their north. So he drove them back into their own territory.
17. And Dawid’s fame went out into all the lands, and YHWH put the dread of him on all the nations.
CHAPTER 15
1. Then Dawid made houses for himself in he City of Dawid, and he prepared a place for the Ark of Elohim and pitched a tent for it.
2. At that time Dawid said not to pick up the Ark of Elohim, except for the Lewites, because YHWH had chose them to carry the Ark of YHWH.
3. Then Dawid assembled all of Israel to Yerushalayim for the purpose of bringing the Ark of YHWH to its place, which he had prepared for it.
4. And Dawid gathered the sons of Aharon and the Lewites--
5. for the sons of Q’hath, Uri’el [El is my light] [was] the chief, with 120 of his relatives;
6. for the sons of Merari, ‘Asayah [Yah has done it] [was] the chief, with 220 of his relatives;
7. for the sons of Gershom, Yo’el [YHWH is Elohim] [was] the chief, with 130 of his relatives;
8. for the sons of Elitzafawn [my Elohim has hidden], Sh’ma’yah [YHWH has heard] [was] the chief, with 200 of his relatives;
9. for the sons of Hevron [great friend], Eli’el [My El is Elohim] [was] the chief, with 80 of his relatives;
10. for the sons of Uzzi’el [El is my strength], ‘Amminadav [my people are willing] [was] the chief, with 112 of his relatives.
11. And Dawid called for Tzadoq [righteous] and Evyathar [father of abundance], the priests, and for the Lewites, Uri’el, ‘Asayah, and Yo’el, Sh’ma’yah, Eli’el, and ‘Amminadav,
12. and he told them, “You are the heads of ancestral [households] belonging to the Lewites, so consecrate yourselves, so that you may bring the Ark of YHWH, Elohim of Israel, up to [the place] I have prepared for it,
13. “because the first time [it was] not you [who carried it], and YHWH our Elohim broke out against us, because we did not consult Him [about the] proper procedure.”
14. So the priests and Lewites consecrated themselves to bring the Ark of YHWH, Elohim of Israel, up.
15. And the sons of the Lewites carried the Ark of Elohim in the way that Moshe had commanded, according to what YHWH said: by their shoulders, with poles on them.
16. And Dawid told the leaders of the Lewites to appoint their relatives as the singers with instruments of song—lutes and harps and resounding cymbals—to raise [the people] to joy with [their] sound.
17. So the Lewites appointed Heymawn [faithful] the son of Yo’el and from among his brothers, Asaf [the one who adds] the son of Berekhyahu [YHWH blesses], and from among their relatives the sons of Merari, Eythan [reliable] the son of Qushawyahu [YHWH’s bow],
18. and with them, their secondary brothers, Z’kharyahu [YHWH remembers], Ben [son], and Yaazi’el [Elohim strengthens], then Sh’miramoth [my name is lifted to the heights] and Y’khi’el [Elohim as alive] and ‘Unni [afflicted], Eli’av [My Elohim is a father], and B’nawyahu [YHWH has built], and Maaseyahu [work of YHWH] and Mattithyahu [gift of YHWH] and Eliflehu [Elohim makes him distinguished] and Miqneyahu [possession of Elohim], with Oved-Edom [servant of Esau] and Y’iel [Elohim sweeps away] [as] the gatekeepers.
Ben: possibly a shorter version of another name, or there is a name missing—Z’kharyahu’s father, if we are meant to read “Z’kharyahu son of…” Oved-Edom was the one whose house the ark had stayed at for three months, bringing him great blessing (13:13-14), but now he was given the added blessing of being allowed to help bring all of Israel together to worship.
19. And the singers, Heymawn, Asaf, and Eythan [were] to sound the double brass cymbals.
20. And Z’kharyahu and ‘Azi’el and Sh’miramoth and Y’khi’el and ‘Unni and Eli’av and Maaseyahu and B’nawyahu, with lutes on [behalf] of the young soprano women.
21. And Mattithyahu and Eliflehu and Miqneyahu and Oved-Edom and Y’hi’el and Azazyahu [YHWH is mighty] to direct with the eight-stringed harps.
Eight-stringed harps: or possibly, to direct the octaves or eight-part harmony.
22. And Kh’nanyahu [YHWH has established], leader of the Lewites who carried, gave instruction regarding the carrying, because he understood [it well].
23. And Berekhyah and Elqanah [Elohim has taken possession] were gatekeepers for the Ark.
Gatekeepers: possibly to open the gates for the Ark on its way into the city, or to guard the tent in which it was placed.
24. And the priests Sh’banyahu [increased by YHWH] and Yoshafat [YHWH has judged] and N’than’el [given by Elohim] and ‘Amasay [burdensome] and Z’kharyahu and B’nawyahu and Eliezer [my Elohim has helped] were to blow the trumpets before the Ark, and Oved-Edom and Y’khiyah [YHWH is alive] were gatekeepers for the Ark.
25. So it came about that Dawid and the elders of Israel and the leaders of thousands went with joy to bring the Ark of the Covenant of YHWH up from the house of Oved-Edom.
26. And so it was, with the help of Elohim, the Lewites carried the Ark of the Covenant of YHWH, and they slaughtered seven bulls and seven rams.
27. And Dawid was dressed in a robe of fine [white] linen, as were the Lewites who were carrying the Ark, and those who were singing, and Kh’nanyah, the one responsible to direct the singers. And David also had a linen efod on.
Efod: a garment similar to the one the high priest wore over his robe, but of a different material.
28. Thus all of Israel ascended with the Ark of the Covenant of YHWH, with shouts and the sound of the shofar and with trumpets and resounding cymbals and with lutes and harps
29. But what occurred as the Ark of the Covenant of YHWH arrived at the City of Dawid, was that Mikhal, the daughter of Sha’ul, looked down through the window and saw Dawid the king dancing and laughing, and she regarded hi with contempt in her heart.
CHAPTER 16
1. So they brought the Ark of Elohim and set it inside the tent that Dawid had pitched for it, and they came near before Elohim with ascending and peace [offering]s.
2. And when Dawid had finished [offering] up the ascending and peace [offering]s, he blessed the people in the name of YHWH,
3. Then to everyone in Israel, from man to woman, he distributed a roll of bread, a portion [of the meat], and a raisin cake to each [of them].
4. And he appointed some of the Lewites to minister in front of the Ark of YHWH and to commemorate and thank and praise YHWH, the Elohim of Israel:
5. Asaf, the head, then hi second, Z’kharyah, [then] Y’i’el and Sh’miramoth, and Y’khi’el and Mattithyah, and Eliav and B’nawyah, and Oved-Edom, and Y’i’el, with the stringed instruments and harps, but Asaf [was] on the resounding cymbals.
6. And B’nawyah and Y’khazi’el [beheld by Elohim] the priests [blew] the trumpets regularly in front of the Ark of the Covenant of Elohim.
7. Then, on that [very] day, Dawid, as the head, delivered this psalm of thanks to YHWH into the hands of Asaf and his brothers:
This psalm: nearly identical to Psalm 105 through its verse 15 (verse 22 here), with a few nuanced differences of tense, number, or spelling, then it takes a different turn. This also includes elements from Psalms 48:1 and 96:3-13, which is regularly quoted at the beginning of the Sabbath, because it is a foreshadowing of the Kingdom when Dawid’s anointed descendant, like Dawid here will begin to reign, representing YHWH visibly. The verses are in a slightly different order, possibly indicating that he later reworked it to better suit a different melody. He concludes (v. 34) with a refrain common to him, used in Psalms 107, 118, and 136.
8. “Give thanks to YHWH! Call on His name!
Make known His deeds among the peoples!
9. “Sing to Him! Make music to Him!
Have a discussion about all His marvelous acts!
10. “Make [your] boast in His holy name!
Let those who seek out YHWH be joyful of heart!
11. “Consult YHWH, [ask for] His strength;
always seek His face!
12. “Remember the extraordinary works that He has done—
His signs and the judgments of His mouth,
13. “O seed of Israel, His servant!
O descendants of Yaaqov, His chosen ones:
14. “He, YHWH, is our Elohim;
His decisions [prevail] throughout the whole earth.
15. “Remember His covenant forever,
the word He commanded to the thousandth generation!
16. “[the covenant] which He cut with Avraham,
and His oath to Yitz’haq.
17. “He also continued to make it stand for Yaaqov,
As a prescribed ordinance for Israel, an eternal covenant,
Eternal: It was not cancelled when renewed, only adapted slightly for a broader context.
18. “saying, ‘To you I will give the land of Kanaan,
Marked off as the territory of your inheritance.’
19. “When you were [but] few in number,
Of little account, and strangers in it,
20. “and when they went from nation to nation,
from [one] kingdom to another people,
21. “He did not let any man do them wrong;
He even reproved kings for their sakes:
22. “‘Do not touch My anointed ones,
and do not harm my prophets!’
23. “Sing to YHWH, all the earth!
Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day!
24. “Recount His weightiness among the nations,
His extraordinary acts among all peoples,
25. “because YHWH is great, and very much to be praised,
and to be revered above all gods,
26. “since all the gods of the peoples are feeble,
but YHWH made heavens!
27. “Majesty and splendor [go] before Him;
strength and rejoicing are in His place!
28. “Ascribe to YHWH, O families of the peoples—
ascribe to YHWH importance and might!
29. “Ascribe to YHWH the weightiness [due to] His reputation.
Bring a tribute and come into His presence.
Worship YHWH with the splendor of holiness!
30. “Whirl before Him, all the earth!
Come on! The world is firmly established; it won’t be dislodged!
Note the contrasts in worship between solemn and lively. Here he anticipates some Gentiles being afraid to whirl (alternately, dance, writhe, tremble, twist) because they might “break the stage”!
31. “Let the skies be joyful and the earth be glad!
Let them say among the nations, ‘YHWH reigns!’
32. “Let the sea thunder, along with all that fills it!
Let the field and all that is in it be triumphant!
33. “At that time, the trees of the forest will be overcome with joy,
[giving a ringing shout],
because He is coming to judge the earth!
34. “Give thanks to YHWH, because [He is] good;
Because His lovingkindness is forever!
35. “Say also, ‘Save us, O Elohim of our salvation,
then gather us together and rescue us from the Gentiles,
[so we can] give thanks to Your holy Name,
and calm ourselves with praises [to] You!
Calm: or soothe, still—no longer having any fear, because He has acted on our behalf.
36. “Blessed by YHWH, the Elohim of Israel from [one] age into the [next] age!”
And all the people said, “Amen!” and raved about YHWH.
37. So he left Asaf and his brothers there before the Ark of the Covenant of YHWH, to serve constantly before the Ark as an attendant, carrying out each day’s business on its [proper] day
38. along with Oved-Edom and his 68 relatives. Now Oved-Edom the son of Y’dithun and Khosah [refuge] served [as] gatekeepers.
39. But Tzadoq the priest and his fellow priests [ministered] before the Dwelling-place of YHWH on the platform that was at Giv’on
Giv’on: the city not destroyed by Y’hoshua because its residents persuaded him that they were from far away. (Y’hoshua 9:3-21) They were spared but made manual laborers, but later became the Nethinim (“given ones”) dedicated as servants to the priesthood, and it appears that the Tabernacle was stationed at their own city for a significant amount of time.
40. to offer up to YHWH ascendings atop the altar of ascending regularly, morning and evening, and according to all that is written in the Torah of YHWH, which He imposed on Israel.
41. And with them [were] Heymawn, Y’duthun, and the rest of those selected, who were designated by name to “give thanks to YHWH because His lovingkindness is forever”
42. (and along with them, Heymawn and Y’duthun), [using] trumpets and resounding cymbals and [other] instruments of song [to] Elohim, and the sons of Y’duthun for the gate.
43. When all the people departed, each for his own house, Dawid also turned to bless his household.
CHAPTER 17
1. Then it came about that, when Dawid had settled into his house, Dawid said to Nathawn the prophet, “Look! I am living in a house of cedar [beam]s, while the Ark of YHWH’s Covenant is beneath [mere] curtains!”
He considered this flimsy structure insubstantial compared to his own solid, permanent edifice.
2. So Nathawn said to Dawid, “Do whatever is in your heart, because Elohim is with you.”
3. But what transpired that night [was] that the word of Elohim came to Nathawn to say,
4. “Go and tell my servant Dawid, ‘Thus says YHWH: “You are not [the one] to build me a house to dwell in,
5. “‘“because since the day I brought Israel up until this [very] day, I have never lived in a house, but have gone from tent to tent or tabernacle.
6. “‘“Wherever at all I went with all of Israel, have I ever said a word to one of the judges of Israel whom I commanded to shepherd My people, saying, ‘Why haven’t you built Me a house of cedar [beam]s?’”’
It seems He actually prefers the ephemeral to what appears solid, wanting to be in the flexible place, which has more of a spiritual character, for “the things that are seen are temporary, whereas the things that are unseen are eternal.” (2 Cor. 4:18)
7. “So now, this is what you must say to My servant Dawid: ‘Thus says YHWH, [Master] of Armies: “I took you from the meadow, from [following] behind the sheep, to become a ruler over My people Israel,
8. “‘“and I have been with you wherever you have gone, and have cut off all your enemies from in front of your face, and have achieved for you a reputation like the reputation of the great [men] of the earth.
9. “‘“What’s more, I have established a place for My people Israel and planted them [there] so that they may settle down in a place of their own and no longer be disquieted, and so the sons of injustice will not wear them down anymore like they used to
10. “‘“since the days when I put judges in charge over My people and have subdued all your enemies. And I am announcing to you that YHWH will build a house for you!
He uses exactly the same terminology by which He described what Dawid wanted to do for Him, saying that this was more appropriate. But in the context of a royal throne, “house” is used in Hebrew to mean an ongoing dynasty. The way the southern kingdom was described at Dan, the site of one of the norther kingdom’s worship complexes, was “the House of Dawid”. In the north, there were only short-lived dynasties and often only single-generation reigns, but in Yehudah, until the Babylonian captivity, Dawid’s descendants continued to reign the whole time. and the prophet and even an angelic messenger (Yeshayahu 9:7; Luke 1:32) describe that exile as not the end but only a pause in the existence of the throne of Dawid, which will resume after a long hiatus:
11. “‘“Moreover, what will occur when your days are completed [and you have] to go [to walk] with your ancestors, [is that] I will raise up your seed after you who will come from among your sons, and I will make his kingdom stable
12. “‘“He will build a house for me, and I will establish his throne all the way through the Age!
The Age: that is, the age to come, the “time of the restoration of all things”. (Acts 3:21)
13. “‘“I will come to be as a Father to him, and he will be as a son to me, and I will not turn My lovingkindness away from [being] with him, as I turned it from the one who came before you.
Thus “Son of Elohim” is thus a descriptive term for the kings in the line of Dawid. All of them would be “anointed” (messiahs), but there is one special, quintessential Son who will in the most complete sense build the House of YHWH, made of “living stones”, and not made with human hands.
14. “‘“And I will cause him to retain [his] standing in My Household and in My Kingdom all the way into the Age, and his throne will be established into eternity.”’”
15. According to all these words and according to everything in this vision, Nathawn spoke the same [things] to Dawid.
16. So Dawid the king came in and sat before YHWH and said, “Who am I, O YHWH, Elohim, and who is my household, that You have brought me this far?
Came in: The narrator speaks as if from YHWH’s point of view. This far: literally, up to this point.
17. “Yet it was [but] a small thing in Your eyes, O Elohim. You have also spoken about Your servant’s house as from afar off, and have regarded me according to the manner of the human of high elevation, O YHWH [my] Elohim!
As from afar off: or, from a great distance, or for a great while to come. Manner: or rank, custom. High elevation: literally, high on a staircase, having highly ascended. Human: Heb., adam. The definite article is here, so he is speaking of a particular highly-ascended man, one Daniel would refer to as the Son of Adam (7:13), who would be brought before the Ancient of Days and granted a kingdom that would never pass away. This man would indeed be from among Dawid’s seed.
18. “What more could Dawid ever [say] to You for the honor of Your servant? Because You have acknowledged Your servant!
19. “O YHWH, for the sake of Your servant and according to Your heart You have put all of this largesse into effect, in making all these great things known!
20. “O YHWH, in everything we have heard with our ears, there is nothing like You, and there is no Elohim except You!
Except: or beside, from a word meaning “to remove” or “set aside”.
21. “And who is like Your people Israel, [the] one nation on earth which the Elohim went [after] to redeem, to be a people of His own, to make for Yourself a reputation [though] great and awesome [deed]s, driving out nations from before Your people, whom You ransomed from Mitzrayim!
Mitzrayim: Egypt.
22. “And You have made Your people Israel Your own people forever, and You, O YHWH, have come to be an Elohim to them.
23. “So now, O YHWH, let the word You have spoken concerning Your servant and concerning his household, be confirmed all the way into the Age, and may You do just what You have said!
24. “May Your reputation thus be firmly upheld and magnified forever, to declare, “YHWH [the Master] of Armies is the Elohim of Israel—an Elohim to Israel—and may the household of Dawid Your servant be established [and endure] in Your presence!”
To Israel: or, for Israel. I.e., personally chosen to be our own Elohim, not just acknowledged as the greatest of many.
25. “Because You, my Elohim, have uncovered the ear of Your servant [in promising] to build him a house! Based on the same, Your servant has found it in his heart to pray before You.
26. “So now, O YHWH, You are He—the [one and only] Elohim, and You have promised this good [thing] to Your servant!
27. “Even now You have been willing to [stoop down to] bless the household of Your servant, so that it may come to [remain] before You forever, because You, O YHWH, have blessed it, so it will be blessed forever!”
CHAPTER 18
1. Then what occurred after the same was tat Dawid attacked the Filishtines and subdued them, and he took Gath and its daughters from the hand of the Filishtines.
2. He also struck down Moav, and Moav became servants to Dawid, bringing tribute.
3. Then Dawid conquered Hadad’ezer, king of Tzovah, at Hamath, as he went to establish his hand at the Ferath River.
Hand: a idiom for power and authority. Ferath: the better-known Greek name is Euphrates—“the good Ferath”!
4. And Dawid captured from him 1,000 chariots, 7,000 horsemen, and 20,000 footmen, and Dawid hamstrung all the chariot [horses], except that he spared [enough] of them [for] 100 chariots.
5. When the Arameans [from] Dameseq came to help Hadad’ezer, king of Tzovah, Dawid struck down 22,000 men in Aram.
Aram: the area of Syria today.
6. And Dawid set up [garrisons] in Aram of Dameseq, and Aram became servants to Dawid, bringing tribute.
7. And Dawid took [possession of] the golden shields that were on Hadad’ezer’s servants and brought them to Yerushalayim.
Shields: small ones, or possibly quivers; the meaning is uncertain.
8. Both from Tib’hath and from Kun, Hadad’ezer’s cities, Dawid brought a very large amount of bronze, from which Shlomoh [later] made the “sea” of bronze, as well as the pillars and the utensils of bronze.
9. And when Tho’u, king of Hamath, heard that Dawid had struck down the whole army of Hadad’ezer, king of Tzovah,
10. then he sent his son Hadoram to Dawid to ask him about his welfare and to bend the knee to him on account of [the fact that] he had fought against Hadad’ezer and defeated him, because Hadad’ezer had been a man of wars [to] Tho’u, and [had taken from him] all [of his] articles of gold, silver, and bronze.
Articles: the meaning of the word ranges from containers to weapons.
11. These, too, Dawid dedicated to YHWH, along with the gold and silver he had brought from all the nations [he conquered]—from Edom and from Moav and from the sons of Ammon and from the Filishtines and from ‘Amaleq.
12. Then Av’shai the son of Tz’ruyah struck down Edom in the Valley of Salt—18,000!
Tz’ruyah was Dawid’s sister. Valley of Salt: the remnant of the S’dom and ‘Amorah catastrophe, possibly before the crater filled in and became the Dead Sea.
13. And he set up guardposts in Edom, and all of Edom became servants of Dawid. Thus YHWH made Dawid victorious everywhere he went.
14. So Dawid reigned over all of Israel, and he began administering judgment and justice for all the people.
All of Israel: not just his own tribe of Yehudah, a foreshadowing of his descendant, Yeshua the Messiah.
15. And Yo’av the son of Tz’ruyah was over the army, and Y’hoshafat the son of Akhilud was the record-keeper.
Record-keeper: or historian, from the word for “remember”.
16. And Tzadoq, son of Akhituv, and Avimelekh, son of Evyathar, were the priests, and Shausha’ was the scribe.
Priests: or officiators. Scribe: from a word for counting or recounting, thus possibly “enumerator” or “recorder of numbers”, possibly like an accountant.
17. And B’nawyahu the son of Y’hoyada was over the Kerethites and the Pelethites, and Dawid’s sons were the prime [minister]s at the king’s hand.
Kerethites and Pelethites: mercenary troops, some of whom had come from the Negev. (1 Shmu’el 30:14)
CHAPTER 19
1. Now what took place after this is that Nakhash, the king of the sons of Ammon, died, and his son began to reign in his place.
2. And Dawid said, “I will show kindness to Hanun, the son of Nakhash, because his father showed kindness to me.” So Dawid sent messengers to comfort him concerning his father. When Dawid’s servants came to Hanun in the land of the sons of Ammon to comfort him,
3. the leaders of the sons of Ammon said to Hanun, “Do you think that Dawid is [really] honoring your father [just] because he has sent comforters to you? Isn’t it [rather] to search out and overthrow, to spy out the land, that his servants have come to you?”
Evil people do not understand good motives, and assume that every kind gesture must be a façade to cover up a covert operation. Because that is what they would do, they cannot believe anyone else would do things any differently. But who could really live that way? How sad it must make YHWH, whose goodwill extends even to those who would spoil His beautiful world like this!
4. So Hanun took Dawid’s servants and shaved them and cut off their garments in the middle—all the way to their hip-joints—and sent them away!
Hip-joints: literally, the stepping-point, i.e., where their legs bent from their torsos, thus exposing their pudenda. In the culture of that day also, having their beards shaved off would be considered almost as shameful:
5. Then [some people] went and told Dawid, and he sent [messengers] to meet them, because the men were greatly humiliated. And the king said, “Remain in Y’rikho until your beards grow, then come back.”
He sent changed of clothing to them at the border so they would not have to enter their own country in such a state of undress.
6. And when the children of Ammon saw that they had made a stench of themselves with Dawid, Hanun and the children of Ammon sent a thousand talents of silver to hire chariots and horse[men] for themselves from Mesopotamia and from Aram Maakhah and from Tzovah.
Mesopotamia: literally, Aram of the Two Rivers.
7. And they hired for themselves 32,000 chariots, and came with the king of Maakhah and his people and encamped in front of Meydeva, and the sons of Ammon gathered together from their cities and came to the battle.
8. When Dawid heard [about it], he sent Yo’av and the whole army of the [most] heroic [men]
9. and the sons of Ammon came out and arranged themselves in battle order [at the] entrance of the city, while the kings who had come were by themselves in the field.
10. And when Yo’av saw that the battle-front had come before him [both] in front and back, he chose some of the best of Israel and they got in position to meet Aram.
11. And the rest of the people he put under the authority of his brother Avishai, and they got in position to meet the sons of Aram.
12. And they said, “If Aram is too strong for me, you can come to my rescue, but if Aram is too strong for you, then I will rescue you.
13. “Get a firm grip and hold on tight for the sake of our people and for the sake of the cities of our Elohim, and YHWH will do what is good in His eyes.”
This was the key to their victory.
14. So Yo’av and the people who were with him stepped forward in front of Aram to the battle, and they ran away from his face.
15. When the sons of Ammon saw that Aram was fleeing, they ran away from the face of his brother Avishai too, and came into the city. So Yo’av went to Yerusahalayim.
16. When Aram saw that they had been defeated before Israel, they sent messengers and brought [the part of[ Aram that was beyond the river, with Shofakh the leader of Hadad’ezer’s army at their front.
17. When Dawid was told, he gathered all of Israel, crossed the Yarden, and came at them, getting into formation against them; that is, Dawid drew up into battle formation to meet Aram, and they went to war with it.
18. And Aram fled from the face of Israel, and Dawid killed 7,000 charioteers and 40,000 footmen from Aram, and he had Shofakh, the commander of the army, put to death.
19. And when the servants of Hadad’ezer saw that they had been struck down before the face of Israel, they made peace with Dawid and became his servants, and Aram was no longer willing to come to the rescue of the sons of Ammon.
More coming soon.
THE FIRST BOOK OF
Chronicles
("Words of the Days")
INTRODUCTION: The chronicles parallel the books of the Kings, but from the perspective of a different scribe, as different types of details, possibly from a different political viewpoint, are given. While the books of Kings seem to be more from Yehudah’s perspective, the Chronicles tend to favor the Northern Kingdom of Israel. (Eli Lizorkin-Eyzenberg) The Chronicles are the final book set in the Jewish order of the Hebrew Scriptures.
Remains of the City of Dawid
Two views of Kiryath-Y'arim (BiblePlaces.com)
Ruins of a gate at Gezer built by Dawid's son Shlomoh
Tzor (Tyre) looking toward Israel.
(Honor Frost Archive)
The City of Dawid is in the foreground.
Giv'on from Ramah (bibleplaces.com)
