Study Desk

And again he slept with his wife, and she conceived and gave birth to a son. So he named him Beriah, because tragedy had come upon his house.

So all Israel was recorded in the genealogies written in the Book of the Kings of Israel. But Judah was exiled to Babylon because of their unfaithfulness.

They would spend the night stationed around the house of God, because they were responsible for guarding it and opening it every morning.

Those who were musicians, the heads of Levite families, stayed in the temple chambers and were exempt from other duties because they were on duty day and night.

Then Saul said to his armor-bearer, "Draw your sword and run it through me, or these uncircumcised men will come and torture me!" But his armor-bearer refused, because he was terrified. So Saul took his own sword and fell on it.

So Saul died for his unfaithfulness to the LORD, because he did not keep the word of the LORD and even consulted a medium for guidance,

saying, "Far be it from me, my God, to do this! How can I drink the blood of these men who risked their lives?" Because they had brought it at the risk of their lives, David refused to drink it. Such were the exploits of the three mighty men.

Some from Manasseh defected to David when he went with the Philistines to fight against Saul. (They did not help the Philistines because the Philistine rulers consulted and sent David away, saying, "It will cost us our heads if he defects to his master Saul.")

And because this proposal seemed right to all the people, the whole assembly agreed to do it.

When they came to the threshing floor of Kidon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark, because the oxen had stumbled.

And the anger of the LORD burned against Uzzah, and He struck him down because he had put his hand on the ark. So he died there before God.

Then David became angry because the LORD had burst forth against Uzzah; so he named that place Perez-uzza, as it is called to this day.

As soon as you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, then move out to battle, because this will mean that God has marched out before you to strike the camp of the Philistines."

Then David said, "No one but the Levites may carry the ark of God, because the LORD has chosen them to carry the ark of the LORD and to minister before Him forever."

It was because you Levites were not with us the first time that the LORD our God burst forth in anger against us. For we did not consult Him about the proper order."

Chenaniah the head Levite was the director of the music because he was highly skilled.

And because God had helped the Levites who were carrying the ark of the covenant of the LORD, they sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams.

And David said, "I will show kindness to Hanun son of Nahash, because his father showed kindness to me." So David sent messengers to console Hanun concerning his father. But when David's servants arrived in the land of the Ammonites to console him,

the princes of the Ammonites said to Hanun, "Just because David has sent you comforters, do you really believe he is showing respect for your father? Have not his servants come to you to explore the land, spy it out, and overthrow it?"

But Joab did not include Levi and Benjamin in the count, because the king's command was detestable to him.