Study Desk

David also defeated Hadadezer king of Zobah all the way to the town of Hamath as he tried to spread his kingdom to the Euphrates River.

David captured one thousand of his chariots, seven thousand men who rode in chariots, and twenty thousand foot soldiers. He crippled all but a hundred of the chariot horses.

So Toi sent his son Hadoram to greet and congratulate King David for defeating Hadadezer. (Hadadezer had been at war with Toi.) Hadoram brought items made of gold, silver, and bronze.

David put groups of soldiers in Edom, and all the Edomites became his servants. The Lord gave David victory everywhere he went.

David was king over all of Israel, and he did what was fair and right for all his people.

Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Kerethites and Pelethites. And David's sons were important officers who served at his side.

When Nahash king of the Ammonites died, his son became king after him.

David said, "Nahash was loyal to me, so I will be loyal to his son Hanun." So David sent messengers to comfort Hanun about his father's death. David's officers went to the land of the Ammonites to comfort Hanun.

When the people told David what had happened to his officers, he sent messengers to meet them, because they were very ashamed. King David said, "Stay in Jericho until your beards have grown back. Then come home."

The Ammonites hired thirty-two thousand chariots and the king of Maacah and his army. So they came and set up camp near the town of Medeba. The Ammonites themselves came out of their towns and got ready for battle.

Joab put the rest of the army under the command of Abishai, his brother. Then they went out to fight the Ammonites.

David took the crown off the head of their king, and had it placed on his own head. That gold crown weighed about seventy-five pounds, and it had valuable gems in it. And David took many valuable things from the city.

He also brought out the people of the city and forced them to work with saws, iron picks, and axes. David did this to all the Ammonite cities. Then David and all his army returned to Jerusalem.

Later, there was another battle with the Philistines. Elhanan son of Jair killed Lahmi, the brother of Goliath, who was from the town of Gath. His spear was as large as a weaver's rod.

These descendants of Rapha from Gath were killed by David and his men.

David looked up and saw the angel of the Lord in the sky, holding his sword drawn and pointed at Jerusalem. Then David and the elders bowed facedown on the ground. They were wearing rough cloth to show their grief.

Then the Lord commanded the angel to put his sword back into its holder.

But David could not go to the Holy Tent to speak with God, because he was afraid of the angel of the Lord and his sword.

Then David called for his son Solomon and told him to build the Temple for the Lord , the God of Israel.

But the Lord spoke his word to me, ‘David, you have killed many people. You have fought many wars. You cannot build a temple for worship to me, because you have killed many people.