Study Desk

There was a total of two hundred twelve guards, all of them listed in the family records in their towns. Their ancestors had been chosen by King David and by Samuel the prophet to be responsible for this work,

The four full-time guards were Levites, and they supervised the other guards and were responsible for the rooms in the temple and the supplies kept there.

Some of the Levites were responsible for the equipment used in worship at the temple, and they had to count everything before and after it was used.

Others were responsible for the temple furnishings and its sacred objects, as well as the flour, wine, olive oil, incense, and spices.

Mattithiah, Shallum's oldest son, was a member of the Levite clan of Korah, and he was in charge of baking the bread used for offerings.

The Levites from the Kohath clan were in charge of baking the sacred loaves of bread for each Sabbath.

some brave men went to get his body and the bodies of his three sons. The men brought the bodies back to Jabesh, where they buried them under an oak tree. Then for seven days, they went without eating to show their sorrow.

and said, "Drinking this water would be like drinking the blood of these men who risked their lives to get it for me." The Three Warriors did these brave deeds.

The kingdom of Israel had been taken away from Saul, and it now belonged to David. He was ruling from Hebron, and thousands of well-trained soldiers from each tribe went there to crown David king of all Israel, just as the Lord had promised. These soldiers, who were always prepared for battle, included: 6,800 from Judah, who were armed with shields and spears; 7,100 from Simeon; 4,600 from Levi, including Jehoiada, who was a leader from Aaron's descendants, and his 3,700 men, as well as Zadok, who was a brave soldier, and 22 of his relatives, who were also officers; 3,000 from Benjamin, because this was Saul's own tribe and most of the men had remained loyal to him; 20,800 from Ephraim, who were not only brave, but also famous in their clans; 18,000 from West Manasseh, who had been chosen to help make David king; 200 leaders from Issachar, along with troops under their command—these leaders knew the right time to do what needed to be done; 50,000 from Zebulun, who were not only loyal, but also trained to use any weapon; 1,000 officers from Naphtali and 37,000 soldiers armed with shields and spears; 28,600 from Dan; 40,000 from Asher; and 120,000 from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and East Manasseh, who were armed with all kinds of weapons.

The soldiers stayed in Hebron three days, eating and drinking what their relatives had prepared for them.

Other Israelites from as far away as the territories of Issachar, Zebulun, and Naphtali brought cattle and sheep to slaughter for food. They also brought donkeys, camels, mules, and oxen that were loaded down with flour, dried figs, wine, and olive oil. Everyone in Israel was very happy.

The Lord God was very angry at Uzzah for doing this, and he killed Uzzah right there beside the chest.

David then got angry at God for killing Uzzah. So he named that place "Attack on Uzzah," and it's been called that ever since.

The chest stayed there for three months, and the Lord blessed Obed-Edom, his family, and everything he owned.

David now knew that the Lord had made him a powerful king of Israel for the good of his people.

Next, David invited everyone to come to Jerusalem and watch the sacred chest being carried to the place he had set up for it.

He also sent for Aaron's descendants and for the Levites. The Levites that came were:

He said to them, "You are the leaders of the clans in the Levi tribe. You and your relatives must first go through the ceremony to make yourselves clean and acceptable to the Lord . Then you may carry the sacred chest that belongs to the Lord God of Israel and bring it to the place I have prepared for it.

They put the sacred chest inside the tent that David had set up for it, then they offered sacrifices to please the Lord and sacrifices to ask his blessing.

That same day, David instructed Asaph and his relatives for the first time to sing these praises to the Lord :