Study Desk

Benaiah son of Jehoiada, a valiant fighter from Kabzeel,^(v) performed great exploits. He struck down Moab's two mightiest warriors. He also went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion.^(w)

And he struck down an Egyptian who was five cubits^[d] tall. Although the Egyptian had a spear like a weaver's rod^(x) in his hand, Benaiah went against him with a club. He snatched the spear from the Egyptian's hand and killed him with his own spear.

Such were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoiada; he too was as famous as the three mighty warriors.

He was held in greater honor than any of the Thirty, but he was not included among the Three. And David put him in charge of his bodyguard.

The mighty warriors were: Asahel^(y) the brother of Joab, Elhanan son of Dodo from Bethlehem,

Shammoth^(z) the Harorite, Helez the Pelonite,

Ira son of Ikkesh from Tekoa, Abiezer^(aa) from Anathoth,

Sibbekai^(ab) the Hushathite, Ilai the Ahohite,

Maharai the Netophathite, Heled son of Baanah the Netophathite,

Ithai son of Ribai from Gibeah in Benjamin, Benaiah^(ac) the Pirathonite,^(ad)

Hurai from the ravines of Gaash, Abiel the Arbathite,

Azmaveth the Baharumite, Eliahba the Shaalbonite,

the sons of Hashem the Gizonite, Jonathan son of Shagee the Hararite,

Ahiam son of Sakar the Hararite, Eliphal son of Ur,

Hepher the Mekerathite, Ahijah the Pelonite,

Hezro the Carmelite, Naarai son of Ezbai,

Joel the brother of Nathan, Mibhar son of Hagri,

Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Berothite, the armor-bearer of Joab son of Zeruiah,

Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,

Uriah^(ae) the Hittite, Zabad^(af) son of Ahlai,

Adina son of Shiza the Reubenite, who was chief of the Reubenites, and the thirty with him,

Hanan son of Maakah, Joshaphat the Mithnite,

Uzzia the Ashterathite,^(ag) Shama and Jeiel the sons of Hotham the Aroerite,

Jediael son of Shimri, his brother Joha the Tizite,

Eliel the Mahavite, Jeribai and Joshaviah the sons of Elnaam, Ithmah the Moabite,

Eliel, Obed and Jaasiel the Mezobaite.

Warriors Join David

These were the men who came to David at Ziklag,^(a) while he was banished from the presence of Saul son of Kish (they were among the warriors who helped him in battle;

they were armed with bows and were able to shoot arrows or to sling stones right-handed or left-handed;^(b) they were relatives of Saul^(c) from the tribe of Benjamin):

Ahiezer their chief and Joash the sons of Shemaah the Gibeathite; Jeziel and Pelet the sons of Azmaveth; Berakah, Jehu the Anathothite,

and Ishmaiah the Gibeonite, a mighty warrior among the Thirty, who was a leader of the Thirty; Jeremiah, Jahaziel, Johanan, Jozabad the Gederathite,^[a](d)

Eluzai, Jerimoth, Bealiah, Shemariah and Shephatiah the Haruphite;

Elkanah, Ishiah, Azarel, Joezer and Jashobeam the Korahites;

and Joelah and Zebadiah the sons of Jeroham from Gedor.^(e)

Some Gadites^(f) defected to David at his stronghold in the wilderness. They were brave warriors, ready for battle and able to handle the shield and spear. Their faces were the faces of lions,^(g) and they were as swift as gazelles^(h) in the mountains.

Ezer was the chief, Obadiah the second in command, Eliab the third,

Mishmannah the fourth, Jeremiah the fifth,

Attai the sixth, Eliel the seventh,

Johanan the eighth, Elzabad the ninth,

Jeremiah the tenth and Makbannai the eleventh.

These Gadites were army commanders; the least was a match for a hundred,⁽ⁱ⁾ and the greatest for a thousand.^(j)

It was they who crossed the Jordan in the first month when it was overflowing all its banks,^(k) and they put to flight everyone living in the valleys, to the east and to the west.

Other Benjamites^(l) and some men from Judah also came to David in his stronghold.

David went out to meet them and said to them, "If you have come to me in peace to help me, I am ready for you to join me. But if you have come to betray me to my enemies when my hands are free from violence, may the God of our ancestors see it and judge you."

Then the Spirit^(m) came on Amasai,⁽ⁿ⁾ chief of the Thirty, and he said: "We are yours, David! We are with you, son of Jesse! Success,^(o) success to you, and success to those who help you, for your God will help you." So David received them and made them leaders of his raiding bands.

Some of the tribe of Manasseh defected to David when he went with the Philistines to fight against Saul. (He and his men did not help the Philistines because, after consultation, their rulers sent him away. They said, "It will cost us our heads if he deserts to his master Saul.")^(p)

When David went to Ziklag,^(q) these were the men of Manasseh who defected to him: Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu and Zillethai, leaders of units of a thousand in Manasseh.

They helped David against raiding bands, for all of them were brave warriors, and they were commanders in his army.

Day after day men came to help David, until he had a great army, like the army of God.^[b]

These are the numbers of the men armed for battle who came to David at Hebron^(r) to turn^(s) Saul's kingdom over to him, as the Lord had said:^(t)

from Judah, carrying shield and spear—6,800 armed for battle;

from Simeon, warriors ready for battle—7,100;

from Levi—4,600,

including Jehoiada, leader of the family of Aaron, with 3,700 men,

and Zadok,^(u) a brave young warrior, with 22 officers from his family;

from Benjamin,^(v) Saul's tribe—3,000, most^(w) of whom had remained loyal to Saul's house until then;

from Ephraim, brave warriors, famous in their own clans—20,800;

from half the tribe of Manasseh, designated by name to come and make David king—18,000;

from Issachar, men who understood the times and knew what Israel should do^(x)—200 chiefs, with all their relatives under their command;

from Zebulun, experienced soldiers prepared for battle with every type of weapon, to help David with undivided loyalty—50,000;

from Naphtali—1,000 officers, together with 37,000 men carrying shields and spears;

from Dan, ready for battle—28,600;

from Asher, experienced soldiers prepared for battle—40,000;

and from east of the Jordan, from Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh, armed with every type of weapon—120,000.

All these were fighting men who volunteered to serve in the ranks. They came to Hebron fully determined to make David king over all Israel.^(y) All the rest of the Israelites were also of one mind to make David king.

The men spent three days there with David, eating and drinking,^(z) for their families had supplied provisions for them.

Also, their neighbors from as far away as Issachar, Zebulun and Naphtali came bringing food on donkeys, camels, mules and oxen. There were plentiful supplies^(aa) of flour, fig cakes, raisin^(ab) cakes, wine, olive oil, cattle and sheep, for there was joy^(ac) in Israel.

Bringing Back the Ark^(a)

David conferred with each of his officers, the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds.

He then said to the whole assembly of Israel, "If it seems good to you and if it is the will of the Lord our God, let us send word far and wide to the rest of our people throughout the territories of Israel, and also to the priests and Levites who are with them in their towns and pasturelands, to come and join us.

Let us bring the ark of our God back to us,^(b) for we did not inquire^(c) of^[a] it^[b] during the reign of Saul."

The whole assembly agreed to do this, because it seemed right to all the people.

So David assembled all Israel,^(d) from the Shihor River^(e) in Egypt to Lebo Hamath,^(f) to bring the ark of God from Kiriath Jearim.^(g)

David and all Israel went to Baalah^(h) of Judah (Kiriath Jearim) to bring up from there the ark of God the Lord , who is enthroned between the cherubim⁽ⁱ⁾—the ark that is called by the Name.

They moved the ark of God from Abinadab's^(j) house on a new cart, with Uzzah and Ahio guiding it.

David and all the Israelites were celebrating with all their might before God, with songs and with harps, lyres, timbrels, cymbals and trumpets.^(k)

When they came to the threshing floor of Kidon, Uzzah reached out his hand to steady the ark, because the oxen stumbled.

The Lord 's anger^(l) burned against Uzzah, and he struck him down^(m) because he had put his hand on the ark. So he died there before God.

Then David was angry because the Lord 's wrath had broken out against Uzzah, and to this day that place is called Perez Uzzah.^[c](n)

David was afraid of God that day and asked, "How can I ever bring the ark of God to me?"

He did not take the ark to be with him in the City of David. Instead, he took it to the house of Obed-Edom^(o) the Gittite.

The ark of God remained with the family of Obed-Edom in his house for three months, and the Lord blessed his household^(p) and everything he had.

David's House and Family^(a)

Now Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, along with cedar logs,^(b) stonemasons and carpenters to build a palace for him.

And David knew that the Lord had established him as king over Israel and that his kingdom had been highly exalted^(c) for the sake of his people Israel.

In Jerusalem David took more wives and became the father of more sons^(d) and daughters.

These are the names of the children born to him there:^(e) Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon,

Ibhar, Elishua, Elpelet,

Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia,

Elishama, Beeliada^[a] and Eliphelet.

When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over all Israel,^(g) they went up in full force to search for him, but David heard about it and went out to meet them.

Now the Philistines had come and raided the Valley^(h) of Rephaim;

so David inquired of God: "Shall I go and attack the Philistines? Will you deliver them into my hands?" The Lord answered him, "Go, I will deliver them into your hands."

So David and his men went up to Baal Perazim,⁽ⁱ⁾ and there he defeated them. He said, "As waters break out, God has broken out against my enemies by my hand." So that place was called Baal Perazim.^[b]

The Philistines had abandoned their gods there, and David gave orders to burn^(j) them in the fire.^(k)

Once more the Philistines raided the valley;^(l)

so David inquired of God again, and God answered him, "Do not go directly after them, but circle around them and attack them in front of the poplar trees.

As soon as you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the poplar trees, move out to battle, because that will mean God has gone out in front of you to strike the Philistine army."

So David did as God commanded him, and they struck down the Philistine army, all the way from Gibeon^(m) to Gezer.⁽ⁿ⁾

So David's fame^(o) spread throughout every land, and the Lord made all the nations fear^(p) him.

The Ark Brought to Jerusalem^(a)

After David had constructed buildings for himself in the City of David, he prepared^(b) a place for the ark of God and pitched^(c) a tent for it.

Then David said, "No one but the Levites^(d) may carry^(e) the ark of God, because the Lord chose them to carry the ark of the Lord and to minister^(f) before him forever."

David assembled all Israel^(g) in Jerusalem to bring up the ark of the Lord to the place he had prepared for it.

He called together the descendants of Aaron and the Levites:^(h)

From the descendants of Kohath, Uriel⁽ⁱ⁾ the leader and 120 relatives;

from the descendants of Merari, Asaiah the leader and 220 relatives;

from the descendants of Gershon,^[a] Joel the leader and 130 relatives;

from the descendants of Elizaphan,^(j) Shemaiah the leader and 200 relatives;

from the descendants of Hebron,^(k) Eliel the leader and 80 relatives;

from the descendants of Uzziel, Amminadab the leader and 112 relatives.

Then David summoned Zadok^(l) and Abiathar^(m) the priests, and Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel and Amminadab the Levites.

He said to them, "You are the heads of the Levitical families; you and your fellow Levites are to consecrate⁽ⁿ⁾ yourselves and bring up the ark of the Lord , the God of Israel, to the place I have prepared for it.

It was because you, the Levites,^(o) did not bring it up the first time that the Lord our God broke out in anger against us.^(p) We did not inquire of him about how to do it in the prescribed way.^(q)"

So the priests and Levites consecrated themselves in order to bring up the ark of the Lord , the God of Israel.

And the Levites carried the ark of God with the poles on their shoulders, as Moses had commanded^(r) in accordance with the word of the Lord .^(s)

David^(t) told the leaders of the Levites^(u) to appoint their fellow Levites as musicians^(v) to make a joyful sound with musical instruments: lyres, harps and cymbals.^(w)

So the Levites appointed Heman^(x) son of Joel; from his relatives, Asaph^(y) son of Berekiah; and from their relatives the Merarites,^(z) Ethan son of Kushaiah;

and with them their relatives next in rank: Zechariah,^[b] Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom^(aa) and Jeiel,^[c] the gatekeepers.

The musicians Heman,^(ab) Asaph and Ethan were to sound the bronze cymbals;

Zechariah, Jaaziel,^[d] Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah and Benaiah were to play the lyres according to alamoth,^[e]

and Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, Jeiel and Azaziah were to play the harps, directing according to sheminith.^[f]

Kenaniah the head Levite was in charge of the singing; that was his responsibility because he was skillful at it.

Berekiah and Elkanah were to be doorkeepers for the ark.

Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah and Eliezer the priests were to blow trumpets^(ac) before the ark of God. Obed-Edom and Jehiah were also to be doorkeepers for the ark.

So David and the elders of Israel and the commanders of units of a thousand went to bring up the ark^(ad) of the covenant of the Lord from the house of Obed-Edom, with rejoicing.

Because God had helped the Levites who were carrying the ark of the covenant of the Lord , seven bulls and seven rams^(ae) were sacrificed.

Now David was clothed in a robe of fine linen, as were all the Levites who were carrying the ark, and as were the musicians, and Kenaniah, who was in charge of the singing of the choirs. David also wore a linen ephod.^(af)

So all Israel^(ag) brought up the ark of the covenant of the Lord with shouts,^(ah) with the sounding of rams' horns^(ai) and trumpets, and of cymbals, and the playing of lyres and harps.

As the ark of the covenant of the Lord was entering the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King David dancing and celebrating, she despised him in her heart.