<t /><n id="1" /><p class="bodytext">The Philistines gathered their troops<n id="2" /> for battle. They assembled at Socoh in Judah. They camped in Ephes Dammim, between Socoh and Azekah.

So now assemble the rest of the army<n id="1" /> and besiege the city and capture it. Otherwise I will capture the city and it will be named for me.&#8221;p>

<p class="bodytext">At the time of<n id="1" /> the harvest three<n id="2" /> of the thirty leaders went down to<n id="3" /> David at the cave of Adullam. A band of Philistines was camped in the valley of Rephaim.

<p class="bodytext">They crossed the Jordan and camped at Aroer, on the south side of the city, at<n id="1" /> the wadi of Gad, near Jazer.

<t /><p class="bodytext">In the twenty-seventh year of Asa&#8217;s reign over Judah, Zimri became king over Israel; he ruled for seven days in Tirzah. Zimri&#8217;s revolt took place while the army was deployed<n id="1" /> in Gibbethon, which was in Philistine territory.

When the Israelites had mustered and had received their supplies, they marched out to face them in battle. When the Israelites deployed opposite them, they were like two small flocks<n id="1" /> of goats, but the Syrians filled the land.

<p class="bodytext">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.

<t /><p class="bodytext">After these faithful deeds were accomplished, King Sennacherib of Assyria invaded Judah. He besieged the fortified cities, intending to seize them.<n id="1" />

<t /><p class="bodytext">I had them assemble<n id="1" /> at the canal<n id="2" /> that flows toward Ahava, and we camped there for three days. I observed that the people and the priests were present, but I found no Levites there.

Zanoah, Adullam and their settlements, in Lachish and its fields, and in Azekah and its villages. So they were encamped from Beer Sheba to the Valley of Hinnom.p>

<p class="poetry">Even when an army is deployed against me,p> <p class="poetry">I do not fear.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">Even when war is imminent,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">I remain confident.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">They are absolutely terrified,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">even by things that do not normally cause fear.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">For God annihilates<n id="3" /> those who attack you.<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">You are able to humiliate them because God has rejected them.<n id="5" />p>

<p class="poetry">Your courtiers<n id="1" /> are like locusts,p> <p class="poetry">your officials<n id="2" /> are like a swarm of locusts!p> <p class="poetry">They encamp in the walls on a cold day,p> <p class="poetry">yet when the sun rises, they<n id="3" /> fly away;<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">and no one knows where they<n id="5" /> are.<n id="6" />p>

Then I will surround my temple<n id="1" /> to protect it like a guard<n id="2" /> from anyone crossing back and forth; so no one will cross over against them anymore as an oppressor, for now I myself have seen it.p>

The Egyptians chased after them, and all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh and his horsemen and his army overtook them camping by the sea, beside Pi-hahiroth, before Baal-Zephon.

But appoint<n id="1" /> the Levites over the tabernacle of the testimony,<n id="2" /> over all its furnishings and over everything in it. They must carry<n id="3" /> the tabernacle and all its furnishings; and they<n id="4" /> must attend to it and camp around it.<n id="5" />

<p class="bodytext">So the Israelites did according to all that the <sc>Lordsc> commanded Moses; that is the way<n id="1" /> they camped under their standards, and that is the way they traveled, each with his clan and family.p>

<p class="bodytext">But those who were to camp in front of the tabernacle on the east, in front of the tent of meeting, were Moses, Aaron,<n id="1" /> and his sons. They were responsible for the needs<n id="2" /> of the sanctuary and for the needs of the Israelites, but the unauthorized person who approached was to be put to death.

Whenever the cloud was taken up<n id="1" /> from the tabernacle, then after that the Israelites would begin their journey; and in whatever place<n id="2" /> the cloud settled, there the Israelites would make camp.

Whether it was for two days, or a month, or a year,<n id="1" /> that the cloud prolonged its stay<n id="2" /> over the tabernacle, the Israelites remained camped without traveling;<n id="3" /> but when it was taken up, they traveled on.