Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for sixteen years in Jerusalem. He did not do what pleased the Lord his God, in contrast to his ancestor David.

Ahaz passed away and was buried with his ancestors in the city of David. His son Hezekiah replaced him as king.

He did what the Lord approved and followed in his ancestor David’s footsteps; he did not deviate to the right or the left.

These were the sons of David who were born to him in Hebron: The firstborn was Amnon, whose mother was Ahinoam from Jezreel; the second was Daniel, whose mother was Abigail from Carmel;

All those selected to be gatekeepers at the entrances numbered 212. Their names were recorded in the genealogical records of their settlements. David and Samuel the prophet had appointed them to their positions.

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

These were the leaders of David’s warriors who helped establish and stabilize his rule over all Israel, in accordance with the Lord’s word.

Three of the thirty leaders went down to David at the rocky cliff at the cave of Adullam, while a Philistine force was camped in the Valley of Rephaim.

He received honor from the thirty warriors, though he was not one of the three elite warriors. David put him in charge of his bodyguard.

These were the men who joined David in Ziklag, when he was banished from the presence of Saul son of Kish. (They were among the warriors who assisted him in battle.

They helped David fight against raiding bands, for all of them were warriors and leaders in the army.

Each day men came to help David until his army became very large.

The following is a record of the armed warriors who came with their leaders and joined David in Hebron in order to make David king in Saul’s place, in accordance with the Lord’s decree:

From the half tribe of Manasseh there were 18,000 who had been designated by name to come and make David king.

They spent three days feasting there with David, for their relatives had given them provisions.

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

while David and all Israel were energetically celebrating before God, singing and playing various stringed instruments, tambourines, cymbals, and trumpets.

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

David was afraid of God that day and said, “How will I ever be able to bring the ark of God up here?”

King Hiram of Tyre sent messengers to David, along with cedar logs, stonemasons, and carpenters to build a palace for him.