Study Desk

God's spirit took control of one of them, Amasai, who later became the commander of "The Thirty," and he called out, "David son of Jesse, we are yours! Success to you and those who help you! God is on your side." David welcomed them and made them officers in his army.

Then he announced to all the people of Israel, "If you give your approval and if it is the will of the Lord our God, let us send messengers to the rest of our people and to the priests and Levites in their towns, and tell them to assemble here with us.

David and the people went to the city of Baalah, that is, to Kiriath Jearim, in the territory of Judah, to get the Covenant Box of God, which bears the name of the Lord enthroned above the winged creatures.

while David and all the people danced with all their might to honor God. They sang and played musical instruments—harps, drums, cymbals, and trumpets.

Then David was afraid of God and said, "How can I take the Covenant Box with me now?"

David asked God, "Shall I attack the Philistines? Will you give me the victory?" The Lord answered, "Yes, attack! I will give you the victory!"

So David attacked them at Baal Perazim and defeated them. He said, "God has used me to break through the enemy army like a flood." So that place is called Baal Perazim.

Once more David consulted God, who answered, "Don't attack them from here, but go around and get ready to attack them from the other side, near the balsam trees.

David did what God had commanded, and so he drove the Philistines back from Gibeon all the way to Gezer.

He said to the Levites, "You are the leaders of the Levite clans. Purify yourselves and your fellow Levites, so that you can bring the Covenant Box of the Lord God of Israel to the place I have prepared for it.

Because you were not there to carry it the first time, the Lord our God punished us for not worshiping him as we should have done."

Then the priests and the Levites purified themselves in order to move the Covenant Box of the Lord God of Israel.

They sacrificed seven bulls and seven sheep, to make sure that God would help the Levites who were carrying the Covenant Box.

They took the Covenant Box to the tent which David had prepared for it and put it inside. Then they offered sacrifices and fellowship offerings to God.

David appointed some of the Levites to lead the worship of the Lord , the God of Israel, in front of the Covenant Box, by singing and praising him.

You descendants of Jacob, God's servant, descendants of Israel, whom God chose, remember the miracles that God performed and the judgments that he gave. <

The Lord is our God; his commands are for all the world.

But God let no one oppress them; to protect them, he warned the kings:

Say to him, "Save us, O God our Savior; gather us together; rescue us from the nations, so that we may be thankful and praise your holy name."

Praise the Lord , the God of Israel! Praise him now and forever! Then all the people said, "Amen," and praised the Lord .