Tremble before him, all the earth! The world is established, it cannot be moved.

When David was old and approaching the end of his life, ¹  he made his son Solomon king over Israel.

When David was informed, he gathered all Israel, crossed the Jordan River, ¹  and marched against them. ²  David deployed his army against the Arameans for battle and they fought against him. ³ 

They were in charge of the meeting tent and the holy place, and helped their relatives, the descendants of Aaron, in the service of the Lord’s temple. ¹ 

He told them: “You are the leaders of the Levites’ families. You and your relatives must consecrate yourselves and bring the ark of the Lord God of Israel up to the place I have prepared for it.

The Lord ordered the messenger ¹  to put his sword back into its sheath.

Now, our God, we give thanks to you and praise your majestic name!

The descendants of Aaron were also allotted as cities ¹  of refuge Hebron, Libnah and its pasturelands, Jattir, Eshtemoa and its pasturelands,

but then they made a stand in the middle of that area. They defended it ¹  and defeated the Philistines; the Lord gave them a great victory. ² 

for you, my God, have revealed to your servant that you will build a dynasty ¹  for him. That is why your servant has had the courage to pray to you. ² 

David placed garrisons in the territory of the Arameans of Damascus; ¹  the Arameans became David’s subjects and brought tribute. The Lord protected ²  David wherever he campaigned. ³ 

When the Ammonites saw the Arameans flee, they fled before Joab’s ¹  brother Abishai and withdrew into the city. Joab went back to Jerusalem. ² 

“Go, tell David, ‘This is what the Lord says: “I am offering you three forms of judgment from which to choose. Pick one of them.”’” ¹ 

“Now, my son, may the Lord be with you! May you succeed and build a temple for the Lord your God, just as he announced you would. ¹ 

David praised the Lord before the entire assembly: ¹  “O Lord God of our father Israel, you deserve praise forevermore!

The Lord greatly magnified Solomon before all Israel and bestowed on him greater majesty than any king of Israel before him. ¹ 

and said, “God forbid that I should do this! ¹  Should I drink the blood of these men who risked their lives?” ²  Because they risked their lives to bring it to him, he refused to drink it. Such were the exploits of the three elite warriors. ³ 

He removed the city’s residents and made them do hard labor with saws, iron picks, and axes. ¹  This was his policy ²  with all the Ammonite cities. Then David and all the army returned to Jerusalem.

They received divine help in fighting them, and the Hagrites and all their allies were handed over to them. They cried out to God during the battle; he responded to their prayers because they trusted in him. ¹ 

They stripped his corpse, and then carried off his head and his armor. They sent messengers throughout the land of the Philistines proclaiming the news to their idols and their people.