Study Desk

All the brave men from Jabesh Gilead went to get the bodies of Saul and his sons. They brought them back to Jabesh Gilead. They buried the bones of Saul and his sons under the large tree in Jabesh. Then they showed their sadness and fasted for seven days.

Then David made his home in the fortress. That is why it is named the City of David.

This is a list of the leaders over David's special soldiers. These heroes became very powerful with David in his kingdom. They and all the Israelites supported David and made him king, just as the Lord had promised.

This is a list of David's special soldiers: Jashobeam the Hacmonite was the leader of the king's special forces. Jashobeam used his spear to kill 300 men at one time.

David was thirsty for some water from his hometown, so he said, "Oh, if only I could have some water from that well by the gate in Bethlehem."

Joab's brother, Abishai, was the leader of the Three Heroes. Abishai used his spear against 300 enemies and killed them. He was as famous as the Three Heroes.

And Benaiah killed a big Egyptian soldier. That man was about 7 1/2 feet tall. The Egyptian had a spear that was very large and heavy. It was as big as the pole on a weaver's loom. Benaiah had only a club. He grabbed the spear in the Egyptian's hands and took it away from him. Then Benaiah killed the Egyptian with his own spear.

Benaiah was even more famous than the Thirty Heroes, but he was not one of the Three Heroes. David made Benaiah the leader of his bodyguards.

Jediael son of Shimri and his brother Joha the Tizite;

Part of the tribe of Gad joined David at his fortress in the desert. They were brave soldiers trained for war and skilled with the shield and spear. They looked as fierce as lions, and they could run as fast as gazelles through the mountains.

Amasai was the leader of the Thirty Heroes. Then the Spirit came on Amasai, and he said, "We are yours, David! We are with you, son of Jesse. Peace, peace to you. Peace to those who help you, because your God helps you." So David welcomed these men into his group and put them in charge of the troops.

Some of the men from the tribe of Manasseh also joined David. They joined him when he went with the Philistines to fight Saul. But David and his men did not really help the Philistines. The Philistine leaders talked about David helping them, but then they decided to send him away. They said, "If David goes back to his master Saul, our heads will be cut off!"

Zadok was also in that group. He was a brave young soldier. He came with 22 officers from his family.

David talked with all the officers of his army.

David and all the Israelites with him went to Baalah of Judah. (Baalah is another name for Kiriath Jearim.) They went there to bring out the Holy Box of God the Lord , who sits above the Cherub angels. It is the Box that is called by his name.

They came to Kidon's threshing floor. The oxen pulling the wagon stumbled, and the Holy Box almost fell. Uzzah reached out with his hand to catch it.

And David was angry because the Lord had shown his anger in killing Uzzah. So that place has been called "Perez Uzzah" ever since then.

God's Holy Box stayed with Obed Edom's family in his house for three months. The Lord blessed Obed Edom's family and everything Obed Edom owned.

Then David understood that the Lord had really made him king of Israel. And he had made his kingdom large and powerful for the benefit of Israel, his people.

Then David and his men went up to the town of Baal Perazim. There David and his men defeated the Philistines. David said, "Waters break out from a broken dam. In the same way God has broken through my enemies! God has done this through me." That is why that place is named Baal Perazim.