Study Desk

Saul told his armor bearer, "Draw your sword and stab me with it. Otherwise these uncircumcised people will come and torture me." But his armor bearer refused to do it, because he was very afraid. So Saul took the sword and fell on it.

So Saul and his three sons died; his whole household died together.

So Saul died because he was unfaithful to the Lord and did not obey the Lord 's instructions; he even tried to conjure up underworld spirits.

He did not seek the Lord 's guidance, so the Lord killed him and transferred the kingdom to David son of Jesse.

David said, "Whoever attacks the Jebusites first will become commanding general!" So Joab son of Zeruiah attacked first and became commander.

So the three elite warriors broke through the Philistine forces and drew some water from the cistern in Bethlehem near the city gate. They carried it back to David, but David refused to drink it. He poured it out as a drink offering to the Lord

But a spirit empowered Amasai, the leader of the thirty warriors, and he said: "We are yours, O David! We support you, O son of Jesse! May you greatly prosper! May those who help you prosper! Indeed your God helps you!" So David accepted them and made them leaders of raiding bands.

David said to the whole Israelite assembly, "If you so desire and the Lord our God approves, let's spread the word to our brothers who remain in all the regions of Israel, and to the priests and Levites in their cities, so they may join us.

So David assembled all Israel from the Shihor River in Egypt to Lebo Hamath, to bring the ark of God from Kiriath Jearim.

The Lord was so furious with Uzzah, he killed him, because he reached out his hand and touched the ark. He died right there before God.

David was angry because the Lord attacked Uzzah; so he called that place Perez Uzzah, which remains its name to this very day.

So David did not move the ark to the City of David; he left it in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite.

So they marched against Baal Perazim and David defeated them there. David said, "Using me as his instrument, God has burst out against my enemies like water bursts out." So that place is called Baal Perazim.

The Philistines left their idols there, so David ordered that they be burned.

So David again asked God what he should do. This time God told him, "Don't march up after them; circle around them and come against them in front of the trees.

So David became famous in all the lands; the Lord caused all the nations to fear him.

The priests and Levites consecrated themselves so they could bring up the ark of the Lord God of Israel.

So the Levites appointed Heman son of Joel; one of his relatives, Asaph son of Berechiah; one of the descendants of Merari, Ethan son of Kushaiah;

So David, the leaders of Israel, and the commanders of units of a thousand went to bring up the ark of the Lord 's covenant from the house of Obed-Edom with celebration.

"So now, say this to my servant David: ‘This is what the Lord who commands armies says: "I took you from the pasture and from your work as a shepherd to make you a leader of my people Israel.