Study Desk

The sons of Ammon saw that the Syrians ran away. So they ran away from Joab's brother Abishai, and went into the city. Then Joab came to Jerusalem.

The Syrians saw that they had lost the war with Israel. So they sent men with news, and brought out the Syrians who were on the other side of the Euphrates River. Shophach the captain of Hadadezer's army was leading them.

Hadadezer's servants saw that they had lost the war against Israel. So they made peace with David and worked for him. The Syrians were not willing to help the sons of Ammon any more.

So David said to Joab and the leaders of the people, "Go and number Israel from Beersheba to Dan. Then let me know how many people there are."

But the king's word was stronger than Joab. So Joab left and went through all of Israel, and returned to Jerusalem.

God was not pleased that Israel was numbered so He punished Israel.

So Gad came to David and said, "This is what the Lord says. ‘Choose one of these.

So the Lord sent a disease upon Israel. And 70,000 men of Israel died.

So David went up when he heard what Gad said in the name of the Lord.

Ornan looked and saw David coming. So he went out from the grain-floor and put his face to the ground showing respect to David.

So David gave Ornan 600 pieces of gold by weight for the place.

David said, "My son Solomon is young and does not yet have much learning. And the house that is to be built for the Lord must be very beautiful. It must be very great, and well-known in all lands. So I will get things ready for it to be built." David made many things ready for it before his death.

But the word of the Lord came to me, saying, ‘You have taken much blood, and have fought many wars. You are not to build a house to My name, because you have poured so much blood upon the earth before Me.

Of the gold and silver and brass and iron, there is more than enough. So get ready and work, and may the Lord be with you."

Jahath was the first, and Zizah the second. But Jeush and Beriah did not have many sons, so they were numbered together as one father's house.

Nadab and Abihu died before their father died. They had no sons, so Eleazar and Ithamar became the religious leaders.

More leaders were found from the sons of Eleazar than the sons of Ithamar. So they were divided in this way. There were sixteen heads of families of the sons of Eleazar. And there were eight heads of families of the sons of Ithamar.

Samuel the man of God had set apart gifts. So had Saul the son of Kish, Abner the son of Ner, and Joab the son of Zeruiah, and everyone who had set apart anything. All these holy gifts were in the care of Shelomoth and his brothers.

Joab the son of Zeruiah had begun to number them, but did not finish. Anger came upon Israel because of this. So the number was not put into the book of the chronicles of King David.

Then King David stood up and said, "Listen to me, my brothers and my people. I had wanted to build a house of rest for the special box with the Law of the Lord, a place for God to rest His feet, so I had made plans to build it.