Study Desk

"Is it not my family God has chosen? Yes, he has made an everlasting covenant with me. His agreement is arranged and guaranteed in every detail. He will ensure my safety and success.

These are the names of David's mightiest warriors. The first was Jashobeam the Hacmonite, who was leader of the Three—the three mightiest warriors among David's men. He once used his spear to kill 800 enemy warriors in a single battle.

He killed Philistines until his hand was too tired to lift his sword, and the Lord gave him a great victory that day. The rest of the army did not return until it was time to collect the plunder!

but Shammah held his ground in the middle of the field and beat back the Philistines. So the Lord brought about a great victory.

David remarked longingly to his men, "Oh, how I would love some of that good water from the well by the gate in Bethlehem."

Abishai son of Zeruiah, the brother of Joab, was the leader of the Thirty. He once used his spear to kill 300 enemy warriors in a single battle. It was by such feats that he became as famous as the Three.

He was more honored than the other members of the Thirty, though he was not one of the Three. And David made him captain of his bodyguard.

"I'm in a desperate situation!" David replied to Gad. "But let us fall into the hands of the Lord , for his mercy is great. Do not let me fall into human hands."

When Araunah saw the king and his men coming toward him, he came and bowed before the king with his face to the ground.

David built an altar there to the Lord and sacrificed burnt offerings and peace offerings. And the Lord answered his prayer for the land, and the plague on Israel was stopped.

So his advisers told him, "Let us find a young virgin to wait on you and look after you, my lord. She will lie in your arms and keep you warm."

Now his father, King David, had never disciplined him at any time, even by asking, "Why are you doing that?" Adonijah had been born next after Absalom, and he was very handsome.

Adonijah took Joab son of Zeruiah and Abiathar the priest into his confidence, and they agreed to help him become king.

Adonijah went to the Stone of Zoheleth near the spring of En-rogel, where he sacrificed sheep, cattle, and fattened calves. He invited all his brothers—the other sons of King David—and all the royal officials of Judah.

But he did not invite Nathan the prophet or Benaiah or the king's bodyguard or his brother Solomon.

The king's officials told him, "Nathan the prophet is here to see you." Nathan went in and bowed before the king with his face to the ground.

Has my lord the king really done this without letting any of his officials know who should be the next king?"

And the king repeated his vow: "As surely as the Lord lives, who has rescued me from every danger,

Adonijah and his guests heard the celebrating and shouting just as they were finishing their banquet. When Joab heard the sound of the ram's horn, he asked, "What's going on? Why is the city in such an uproar?"

And all the royal officials have gone to King David and congratulated him, saying, ‘May your God make Solomon's fame even greater than your own, and may Solomon's reign be even greater than yours!' Then the king bowed his head in worship as he lay in his bed,