Study Desk

"In times past, even when Saul was king, you were the one who led out and brought in Israel; and the LORD your God said to you, 'You shall shepherd My people Israel, and you shall be leader over My people Israel.'"

The inhabitants of Jebus said to David, "You shall not enter here." Nevertheless David took the mountain stronghold of Zion (that is, the city of David).

Now David had said, "Whoever is first to kill a Jebusite shall be chief and commander." Joab the son of Zeruiah went up first, so he became chief.

and he said, "Far be it from me before my God that I would do this. Shall I drink the blood of these men who went at the risk of their lives? For they brought it at the risk of their lives." Therefore he would not drink it. The three mighty men did these things.

David went out to meet them, and said to them, "If you come peacefully to help me, my heart shall be united with you; but if to betray me to my enemies, since there is no wrong in my hands, may the God of our fathers look on it and decide."

David inquired of God, saying, "Shall I go up against the Philistines? And will You hand them over to me?" Then the LORD said to him, "Go up, for I will hand them over to you."

David inquired again of God, and God said to him, "You shall not go up after them; circle around behind them and come at them in front of the baka-shrubs.

"When you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the baka-shrubs, then you shall go out to battle, for God will have gone out before you to strike the army of the Philistines."

"Go and tell David My servant, 'This is what the LORD says: "You shall not build a house for Me to dwell in;

"Now, therefore, this is what you shall say to My servant David: 'This is what the LORD of armies says: "I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, to be leader over My people Israel.

"He shall build for Me a house, and I will establish his throne forever.

"I will be his father and he shall be My son; and I will not take My favor away from him, as I took it from him who was before you.

He said, "If the Arameans are too strong for me, then you shall help me; but if the sons of Ammon are too strong for you, then I will help you.

three years of famine, or three months to be swept away before your foes while the sword of your enemies overtakes you, or else three days of the sword of the LORD: a plague in the land, and the angel of the LORD destroying throughout the territory of Israel.' Now, therefore, consider what answer I shall bring back to Him who sent me."

Then David said to Ornan, "Give me the site of this threshing floor, so that I may build on it an altar to the LORD; you shall give it to me for the full price, so that the plague may be brought to a halt from the people."

David said, "My son Solomon is young and inexperienced, and the house that is to be built for the LORD shall be exceedingly magnificent, famous, and glorious throughout the lands. Therefore I now will make preparations for it." So David made ample preparations before his death.

"But the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 'You have shed much blood and have waged great wars; you shall not build a house to My name, because you have shed so much blood on the earth before Me.

'Behold, a son will be born to you, who shall be a man of rest, and I will give him rest from all his enemies on every side; for his name will be Solomon, and I will give peace and quiet to Israel in his days.

'He shall build a house for My name, and he shall be My son and I will be his Father; and I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever.'

"But God said to me, 'You shall not build a house for My name, because you are a man of war and have shed blood.'