David asked God, “Should I march up against the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?” The Lord said to him, “March up! I will hand them over to you!”

Say this prayer: “Deliver us, O God who delivers us! Gather us! Rescue us from the nations! Then we will give thanks to your holy name, and boast about your praiseworthy deeds.”

David looked up and saw the Lord’s messenger standing between the earth and sky with his sword drawn and in his hand, stretched out over Jerusalem. David and the leaders, covered with sackcloth, threw themselves down with their faces to the ground.

They divided them by lots, for there were officials of the holy place and officials designated by God among the descendants of both Eleazar and Ithamar.

They held a feast before the Lord that day and celebrated. Then they designated Solomon, David’s son, as king a second time; before the Lord they anointed him as ruler and Zadok as priest.

Tamar, Judah’s daughter-in-law, bore to him Perez and Zerah. Judah had five sons in all.

Jabez was more respected than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez, for she said, “I experienced pain when I gave birth to him.”

These who are named above were the leaders of their clans. Their extended families increased greatly in numbers.

They went to the entrance of Gedor, to the east of the valley, looking for pasture for their sheep.

Because God fought for them, they killed many of the enemy. They dispossessed the Hagrites and lived in their land until the exile.

The next day, when the Philistines came to strip loot from the corpses, they discovered Saul and his sons lying dead on Mount Gilboa.

David’s power steadily grew, for the Lord who commands armies was with him.

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

For the Lord is great and certainly worthy of praise, he is more awesome than all gods.

May the Lord God of Israel be praised, in the future and forevermore. Then all the people said, “We agree! Praise the Lord!”

When he taunted Israel, Jonathan son of Shimea, David’s brother, killed him.

Now Joab did not number Levi and Benjamin, for the king’s edict disgusted him.

in using gold, silver, bronze, and iron. Get up and begin the work! May the Lord be with you!”

Eleazar died without having sons; he had only daughters. The sons of Kish, their cousins, married them.

According to David’s final instructions, the Levites twenty years old and up were counted.