<t /><p class="bodytext">David went in, sat before the <sc>Lordsc>, and said: &#8220;Who am I, O <sc>Lordsc> God, and what is my family,<n id="1" /> that you should have brought me to this point?

so<n id="1" /> it may become a reality<n id="2" /> and you may gain lasting fame,<n id="3" /> as people say,<n id="4" /> &#8216;The <sc>Lordsc> who commands armies is the God of Israel.&#8217;<n id="5" /> David&#8217;s dynasty<n id="6" /> will be established before you,

<t /><p class="bodytext">Later David defeated the Philistines and subdued them. He took Gath and its surrounding towns<n id="1" /> away from the Philistines.<n id="2" />p>

The Arameans of Damascus came to help King Hadadezer of Zobah, but David killed 22,000 of the Arameans.

<p class="bodytext">When King Tou<n id="1" /> of Hamath heard that David had defeated the entire army of King Hadadezer of Zobah,

So Hanun seized David&#8217;s servants and shaved their beards off.<n id="1" /> He cut off the lower part of their robes so that their buttocks were exposed<n id="2" /> and then sent them away.

&#8220;Go, tell David, &#8216;This is what the <sc>Lordsc> says: &#8220;I am offering you three forms of judgment from which to choose. Pick one of them.&#8221;&#8217;&#8221;<n id="1" />

David built there an altar to the <sc>Lordsc> and offered burnt sacrifices and peace offerings.<n id="1" /> He called out to the <sc>Lordsc>, and the <sc>Lordsc><n id="2" /> responded by sending fire from the sky and consuming the burnt sacrifice on the altar.

But David could not go before it to seek God&#8217;s will, for he was afraid of the sword of the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s messenger.

<t /><p class="bodytext">David ordered the resident foreigners in the land of Israel to be called together. He appointed some of them to be stonecutters to chisel stones for the building of God&#8217;s temple.

David said to Solomon: &#8220;My son, I really wanted<n id="1" /> to build a temple to honor<n id="2" /> the <sc>Lordsc> my God.

<t /><p class="bodytext">David and the army officers selected some of the sons of Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun to prophesy as they played stringed instruments and cymbals.<n id="1" /> The following men were assigned this responsibility:<n id="2" />p>

Shelomith<n id="1" /> and his relatives were in charge of all the storehouses containing the consecrated items dedicated by King David, the family leaders who led units of a thousand and a hundred, and the army officers.

<p class="bodytext">As for the Hebronites: Jeriah was the leader of the Hebronites according to the genealogical records. In the fortieth year of David&#8217;s reign, they examined the records and discovered<n id="1" /> there were highly respected men in Jazer in Gilead.

<p class="bodytext">David did not count the males twenty years old and under, for the <sc>Lordsc> had promised to make Israel as numerous as the stars in the sky.

<p class="bodytext">Jonathan, David&#8217;s uncle, was a wise adviser and scribe;<n id="1" />p> <p class="bodytext">Jehiel son of Hacmoni cared for<n id="2" /> the king&#8217;s sons.p>

<p class="bodytext">David gave to his son Solomon the blueprints for the temple porch,<n id="1" /> its buildings, its treasuries,<n id="2" /> its upper areas, its inner rooms, and the room<n id="3" /> for atonement.

The people were delighted with their donations, for they contributed to the <sc>Lordsc> with a willing attitude;<n id="1" /> King David was also very happy.<n id="2" />p>

They held a feast<n id="1" /> before the <sc>Lordsc> that day and celebrated.<n id="2" />p> <p class="bodytext">Then they designated Solomon, David&#8217;s son, as king a second time;<n id="3" /> before the <sc>Lordsc> they anointed him as ruler and Zadok as priest.

Solomon sat on the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s throne as king in place of his father David; he was successful and all Israel was loyal to him.<n id="1" />