2Samuel 4-8; Psalms 88 - Prayer Tents

2Samuel 4

The Murder of Ishbosheth

4When Ishbosheth, Saul's son, heard about Abner's death at Hebron, he lost all courage, and all Israel became paralyzed with fear.H7586H1121H8085H74H4191H2275H3027H7503H3478H9262Now there were two brothers, Baanah and Recab, who were captains of Ishbosheth's raiding parties. They were sons of Rimmon, a member of the tribe of Benjamin who lived in Beeroth. The town of Beeroth is now part of Benjamin's territoryH7586H1121H1961H8147H582H8269H1416H8034H259H1196H8034H8145H7394H1121H7417H886H1121H1144H881H2803H11443because the original people of Beeroth fled to Gittaim, where they still live as foreigners.H886H1272H1664H1481H31174(Saul's son Jonathan had a son named Mephibosheth, who was crippled as a child. He was five years old when the report came from Jezreel that Saul and Jonathan had been killed in battle. When the child's nurse heard the news, she picked him up and fled. But as she hurried away, she dropped him, and he became crippled.)H3083H7586H1121H1121H5223H7272H2568H8141H1121H8052H935H7586H3083H3157H539H5375H5127H2648H5127H5307H6452H8034H46485One day Recab and Baanah, the sons of Rimmon from Beeroth, went to Ishbosheth's house around noon as he was taking his midday rest.H1121H7417H886H7394H1196H3212H935H2527H3117H1004H378H7901H4904H66726The doorkeeper, who had been sifting wheat, became drowsy and fell asleep. So Recab and Baanah slipped past her.H935H8432H1004H3947H2406H5221H2570H7394H1196H251H44227They went into the house and found Ishbosheth sleeping on his bed. They struck and killed him and cut off his head. Then, taking his head with them, they fled across the Jordan Valley through the night.H935H1004H7901H4296H2315H4904H5221H4191H5493H3947H7218H3212H1870H6160H39158When they arrived at Hebron, they presented Ishbosheth's head to David. "Look!" they exclaimed to the king. "Here is the head of Ishbosheth, the son of your enemy Saul who tried to kill you. Today the LORD has given my lord the king revenge on Saul and his entire family!"H935H7218H378H1732H2275H559H4428H7218H378H1121H7586H341H1245H5315H3068H5414H5360H113H4428H3117H7586H22339But David said to Recab and Baanah, "The LORD, who saves me from all my enemies, is my witness.H1732H6030H7394H1196H251H1121H7417H886H559H3068H2416H6299H5315H686910Someone once told me, 'Saul is dead,' thinking he was bringing me good news. But I seized him and killed him at Ziklag. That's the reward I gave him for his news!H5046H559H7586H4191H5869H1319H270H2026H6860H5414H130911How much more should I reward evil men who have killed an innocent man in his own house and on his own bed? Shouldn't I hold you responsible for his blood and rid the earth of you?"H7563H582H2026H6662H376H1004H4904H1245H1818H3027H1197H77612So David ordered his young men to kill them, and they did. They cut off their hands and feet and hung their bodies beside the pool in Hebron. Then they took Ishbosheth's head and buried it in Abner's tomb in Hebron.H1732H6680H5288H2026H7112H3027H7272H8518H1295H2275H3947H7218H378H6912H6913H74H2275

2Samuel 5

David Becomes King of All Israel

5Then all the tribes of Israel went to David at Hebron and told him, "We are your own flesh and blood.H935H7626H3478H1732H2275H559H559H6106H1320 2In the past, when Saul was our king, you were the one who really led the forces of Israel. And the LORD told you, 'You will be the shepherd of my people Israel. You will be Israel's leader.'"H865H8032H7586H4428H3318H935H3478H3068H559H7462H5971H3478H5057H3478 3So there at Hebron, King David made a covenant before the LORD with all the elders of Israel. And they anointed him king of Israel.H2205H3478H935H4428H2275H4428H1732H3772H1285H2275H6440H3068H4886H1732H4428H3478 4David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years in all.H1732H7970H8141H1121H4427H4427H705H8141 5He had reigned over Judah from Hebron for seven years and six months, and from Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah for thirty-three years.H2275H4427H3063H7651H8141H8337H2320H3389H4427H7970H7969H8141H3478H3063

David Captures Jerusalem

6David then led his men to Jerusalem to fight against the Jebusites, the original inhabitants of the land who were living there. The Jebusites taunted David, saying, "You'll never get in here! Even the blind and lame could keep you out!" For the Jebusites thought they were safe.H4428H582H3212H3389H2983H3427H776H559H1732H559H5493H5787H6455H935H559H1732H935 7But David captured the fortress of Zion, which is now called the City of David.H1732H3920H4686H6726H5892H1732 8On the day of the attack, David said to his troops, "I hate those 'lame' and 'blind' Jebusites. Whoever attacks them should strike by going into the city through the water tunnel." That is the origin of the saying, "The blind and the lame may not enter the house."H1732H559H3117H5060H6794H5221H2983H6455H5787H8130H1732H5315H559H5787H6455H935H1004 9So David made the fortress his home, and he called it the City of David. He extended the city, starting at the supporting terraces and working inward.H1732H3427H4686H7121H5892H1732H1732H1129H5439H4407H1004 10And David became more and more powerful, because the LORD God of Heaven's Armies was with him.H1732H3212H1980H1419H3068H430H6635 11Then King Hiram of Tyre sent messengers to David, along with cedar timber and carpenters and stonemasons, and they built David a palace.H2438H4428H6865H7971H4397H1732H730H6086H2796H7023H68H1129H1732H1004 12And David realized that the LORD had confirmed him as king over Israel and had blessed his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel.H1732H3045H3068H3559H4428H3478H5375H4467H5971H3478 13After moving from Hebron to Jerusalem, David married more concubines and wives, and they had more sons and daughters.H1732H3947H6370H802H3389H310H935H2275H1121H1323H3205H1732 14These are the names of David's sons who were born in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon,H8034H3209H3389H8051H7727H5416H8010 15Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia,H2984H474H5298H3309 16Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet.H476H450H467

David Conquers the Philistines

17When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king of Israel, they mobilized all their forces to capture him. But David was told they were coming, so he went into the stronghold.H6430H8085H4886H1732H4428H3478H6430H5927H1245H1732H1732H8085H3381H4686 18The Philistines arrived and spread out across the valley of Rephaim.H6430H935H5203H6010H7497 19So David asked the LORD, "Should I go out to fight the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?" The LORD replied to David, "Yes, go ahead. I will certainly hand them over to you."H1732H7592H3068H559H5927H6430H5414H3027H3068H559H1732H5927H5414H5414H6430H3027 20So David went to Baal-perazim and defeated the Philistines there. "The LORD did it!" David exclaimed. "He burst through my enemies like a raging flood!" So he named that place Baal-perazim (which means "the Lord who bursts through").H1732H935H1188H1732H5221H559H3068H6555H341H6440H6556H4325H7121H8034H4725H1188 21The Philistines had abandoned their idols there, so David and his men confiscated them.H5800H6091H1732H582H5375 22But after a while the Philistines returned and again spread out across the valley of Rephaim.H6430H5927H3254H5203H6010H7497 23And again David asked the LORD what to do. "Do not attack them straight on," the LORD replied. "Instead, circle around behind and attack them near the poplar trees.H1732H7592H3068H559H5927H5437H310H935H4136H1057 24When you hear a sound like marching feet in the tops of the poplar trees, be on the alert! That will be the signal that the LORD is moving ahead of you to strike down the Philistine army."H8085H6963H6807H7218H1057H2782H3068H3318H6440H5221H4264H6430 25So David did what the LORD commanded, and he struck down the Philistines all the way from Gibeon to Gezer.H1732H6213H3068H6680H5221H6430H1387H935H1507

2Samuel 6

Moving the Ark to Jerusalem

6Then David again gathered all the elite troops in Israel, 30,000 in all.H1732H622H3254H977H3478H7970H5052He led them to Baalah of Judah to bring back the Ark of God, which bears the name of the LORD of Heaven's Armies, who is enthroned between the cherubim.H1732H6965H3212H5971H1184H5927H727H430H8034H7121H8034H3068H6635H3427H37423They placed the Ark of God on a new cart and brought it from Abinadab's house, which was on a hill. Uzzah and Ahio, Abinadab's sons, were guiding the cart as it left the house,H7392H727H430H2319H5699H5375H1004H41H1390H5798H283H1121H41H5090H2319H56994carrying the Ark of God. Ahio walked in front of the Ark.H5375H1004H41H1390H5973H727H430H283H1980H6440H7275David and all the people of Israel were celebrating before the LORD, singing songs and playing all kinds of musical instruments—lyres, harps, tambourines, castanets, and cymbals.H1732H1004H3478H7832H6440H3068H1265H6086H3658H5035H8596H4517H67676But when they arrived at the threshing floor of Nacon, the oxen stumbled, and Uzzah reached out his hand and steadied the Ark of God.H935H5225H1637H5798H7971H727H430H270H1241H80587Then the LORD's anger was aroused against Uzzah, and God struck him dead because of this. So Uzzah died right there beside the Ark of God.H639H3068H2734H5798H430H5221H7944H4191H727H4308David was angry because the LORD's anger had burst out against Uzzah. He named that place Perez-uzzah (which means "to burst out against Uzzah"), as it is still called today.H1732H2734H3068H6555H6556H5798H7121H4725H6560H31179David was now afraid of the LORD, and he asked, "How can I ever bring the Ark of the LORD back into my care?"H1732H3372H3068H3117H559H727H3068H93510So David decided not to move the Ark of the LORD into the City of David. Instead, he took it to the house of Obed-edom of Gath.H1732H14H5493H727H3068H5892H1732H1732H5186H1004H5654H166311The Ark of the LORD remained there in Obed-edom's house for three months, and the LORD blessed Obed-edom and his entire household.H727H3068H3427H1004H5654H1663H7969H2320H3068H1288H5654H100412Then King David was told, "The LORD has blessed Obed-edom's household and everything he has because of the Ark of God." So David went there and brought the Ark of God from the house of Obed-edom to the City of David with a great celebration.H5046H4428H1732H559H3068H1288H1004H5654H727H430H1732H3212H5927H727H430H1004H5654H5892H1732H805713After the men who were carrying the Ark of the LORD had gone six steps, David sacrificed a bull and a fattened calf.H5375H727H3068H6805H8337H6806H2076H7794H480614And David danced before the LORD with all his might, wearing a priestly garment.H1732H3769H6440H3068H5797H1732H2296H906H64615So David and all the people of Israel brought up the Ark of the LORD with shouts of joy and the blowing of rams' horns.H1732H1004H3478H5927H727H3068H8643H6963H7782

Michal’s Contempt for David

16But as the Ark of the LORD entered the City of David, Michal, the daughter of Saul, looked down from her window. When she saw King David leaping and dancing before the LORD, she was filled with contempt for him.H727H3068H935H5892H1732H4324H7586H1323H8259H2474H7200H4428H1732H6339H3769H6440H3068H959H382017They brought the Ark of the LORD and set it in its place inside the special tent David had prepared for it. And David sacrificed burnt offerings and peace offerings to the LORD.H935H727H3068H3322H4725H8432H168H1732H5186H1732H5927H5930H8002H6440H306818When he had finished his sacrifices, David blessed the people in the name of the LORD of Heaven's Armies.H1732H3615H5927H5930H8002H1288H5971H8034H3068H663519Then he gave to every Israelite man and woman in the crowd a loaf of bread, a cake of dates, and a cake of raisins. Then all the people returned to their homes.H2505H5971H1995H3478H802H376H376H259H2471H3899H829H809H5971H3212H376H100420When David returned home to bless his own family, Michal, the daughter of Saul, came out to meet him. She said in disgust, "How distinguished the king of Israel looked today, shamelessly exposing himself to the servant girls like any vulgar person might do!"H1732H7725H1288H1004H4324H1323H7586H3318H7125H1732H559H3513H4428H3478H3117H1540H3117H5869H519H5650H259H7386H1540H154021David retorted to Michal, "I was dancing before the LORD, who chose me above your father and all his family! He appointed me as the leader of Israel, the people of the LORD, so I celebrate before the LORD.H1732H559H4324H6440H3068H977H1H1004H6680H5057H5971H3068H3478H7832H6440H306822Yes, and I am willing to look even more foolish than this, even to be humiliated in my own eyes! But those servant girls you mentioned will indeed think I am distinguished!"H7043H2063H8217H5869H519H559H351323So Michal, the daughter of Saul, remained childless throughout her entire life.H4324H1323H7586H2056H3206H3117H4194

2Samuel 7

The Lord’s Covenant Promise to David

7When King David was settled in his palace and the LORD had given him rest from all the surrounding enemies,H4428H3427H1004H3068H5117H5439H3412the king summoned Nathan the prophet. "Look," David said, "I am living in a beautiful cedar palace, but the Ark of God is out there in a tent!"H4428H559H5416H5030H7200H3427H1004H730H727H430H3427H8432H34073Nathan replied to the king, "Go ahead and do whatever you have in mind, for the LORD is with you."H5416H559H4428H3212H6213H3824H30684But that same night the LORD said to Nathan,H3915H1697H3068H5416H5595"Go and tell my servant David, 'This is what the LORD has declared: Are you the one to build a house for me to live in?H3212H559H5650H1732H559H3068H1129H1004H34276I have never lived in a house, from the day I brought the Israelites out of Egypt until this very day. I have always moved from one place to another with a tent and a Tabernacle as my dwelling.H3427H1004H3117H5927H1121H3478H4714H3117H1980H168H49087Yet no matter where I have gone with the Israelites, I have never once complained to Israel's tribal leaders, the shepherds of my people Israel. I have never asked them, "Why haven't you built me a beautiful cedar house?"'H1980H1121H3478H1696H1697H259H7626H3478H6680H7462H5971H3478H559H1129H1004H7308"Now go and say to my servant David, 'This is what the LORD of Heaven's Armies has declared: I took you from tending sheep in the pasture and selected you to be the leader of my people Israel.H559H5650H1732H559H3068H6635H3947H5116H310H6629H5057H5971H34789I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have destroyed all your enemies before your eyes. Now I will make your name as famous as anyone who has ever lived on the earth!H1980H3772H341H6440H6213H1419H8034H8034H1419H77610And I will provide a homeland for my people Israel, planting them in a secure place where they will never be disturbed. Evil nations won't oppress them as they've done in the past,H7760H4725H5971H3478H5193H7931H7264H1121H5766H6031H3254H722311starting from the time I appointed judges to rule my people Israel. And I will give you rest from all your enemies."'Furthermore, the LORD declares that he will make a house for you—a dynasty of kings!H3117H6680H8199H5971H3478H5117H341H3068H5046H6213H100412For when you die and are buried with your ancestors, I will raise up one of your descendants, your own offspring, and I will make his kingdom strong.H3117H4390H7901H1H6965H2233H310H3318H4578H3559H446713He is the one who will build a house—a temple—for my name. And I will secure his royal throne forever.H1129H1004H8034H3559H3678H4467H5704H576914I will be his father, and he will be my son. If he sins, I will correct and discipline him with the rod, like any father would do.H1H1121H5753H3198H7626H582H5061H1121H12015But my favor will not be taken from him as I took it from Saul, whom I removed from your sight.H2617H5493H5493H7586H5493H644016Your house and your kingdom will continue before me for all time, and your throne will be secure forever.'"H1004H4467H539H5704H5769H6440H3678H3559H5704H576917So Nathan went back to David and told him everything the LORD had said in this vision.H1697H2384H5416H1696H1732

David’s Prayer of Thanks

18Then King David went in and sat before the LORD and prayed, "Who am I, O Sovereign LORD, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far?H935H4428H1732H3427H6440H3068H559H136H3069H1004H935H198819And now, Sovereign LORD, in addition to everything else, you speak of giving your servant a lasting dynasty! Do you deal with everyone this way, O Sovereign LORD?H6994H5869H136H3069H1696H5650H1004H7350H8452H120H136H306920"What more can I say to you? You know what your servant is really like, Sovereign LORD.H3254H1732H1696H3254H136H3069H3045H565021Because of your promise and according to your will, you have done all these great things and have made them known to your servant.H1697H3820H6213H1420H5650H304522"How great you are, O Sovereign LORD! There is no one like you. We have never even heard of another God like you!H1431H3068H430H430H2108H8085H24123What other nation on earth is like your people Israel? What other nation, O God, have you redeemed from slavery to be your own people? You made a great name for yourself when you redeemed your people from Egypt. You performed awesome miracles and drove out the nations and gods that stood in their way.H259H1471H776H5971H3478H430H1980H6299H5971H7760H8034H6213H1420H3372H776H6440H5971H6299H4714H1471H43024You made Israel your very own people forever, and you, O LORD, became their God.H3559H5971H3478H5971H5704H5769H3068H1961H43025"And now, O LORD God, I am your servant; do as you have promised concerning me and my family. Confirm it as a promise that will last forever.H3068H430H1697H1696H5650H1004H6965H5704H5769H6213H169626And may your name be honored forever so that everyone will say, 'The LORD of Heaven's Armies is God over Israel!' And may the house of your servant David continue before you forever.H8034H1431H5704H5769H559H3068H6635H430H3478H1004H5650H1732H3559H644027"O LORD of Heaven's Armies, God of Israel, I have been bold enough to pray this prayer to you because you have revealed all this to your servant, saying, 'I will build a house for you—a dynasty of kings!'H3068H6635H430H3478H1540H241H5650H559H1129H1004H5650H4672H3820H6419H860528For you are God, O Sovereign LORD. Your words are truth, and you have promised these good things to your servant.H136H3069H430H1697H571H1696H2896H565029And now, may it please you to bless the house of your servant, so that it may continue forever before you. For you have spoken, and when you grant a blessing to your servant, O Sovereign LORD, it is an eternal blessing!"H2974H1288H1004H5650H5769H6440H136H3069H1696H1293H1004H5650H1288H5769

2Samuel 8

David’s Military Victories

8After this, David defeated and subdued the Philistines by conquering Gath, their largest town.H310H1732H5221H6430H3665H1732H3947H4965H3027H64302David also conquered the land of Moab. He made the people lie down on the ground in a row, and he measured them off in groups with a length of rope. He measured off two groups to be executed for every one group to be spared. The Moabites who were spared became David's subjects and paid him tribute money.H5221H4124H4058H2256H7901H776H8147H2256H4058H4191H4393H2256H2421H4124H1732H5650H5375H45033David also destroyed the forces of Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah, when Hadadezer marched out to strengthen his control along the Euphrates River.H1732H5221H1909H1121H7340H4428H6678H3212H7725H3027H5104H65784David captured 1,000 chariots, 7,000 charioteers, and 20,000 foot soldiers. He crippled all the chariot horses except enough for 100 chariots.H1732H3920H505H7651H3967H6571H6242H505H376H7273H1732H6131H7393H3498H3967H73935When Arameans from Damascus arrived to help King Hadadezer, David killed 22,000 of them.H758H1834H935H5826H1909H4428H6678H1732H5221H758H8147H6242H505H3766Then he placed several army garrisons in Damascus, the Aramean capital, and the Arameans became David's subjects and paid him tribute money. So the LORD made David victorious wherever he went.H1732H7760H5333H758H1834H758H5650H1732H5375H4503H3068H3467H1732H19807David brought the gold shields of Hadadezer's officers to Jerusalem,H1732H3947H7982H2091H5650H1909H935H33898along with a large amount of bronze from Hadadezer's towns of Tebah and Berothai.H984H1268H5892H1909H4428H1732H3947H3966H7235H51789When King Toi of Hamath heard that David had destroyed the entire army of Hadadezer,H8583H4428H2574H8085H1732H5221H2428H190910he sent his son Joram to congratulate King David for his successful campaign. Hadadezer and Toi had been enemies and were often at war. Joram presented David with many gifts of silver, gold, and bronze.H8583H7971H3141H1121H4428H1732H7592H7965H1288H3898H1909H5221H1909H376H4421H8583H3027H3627H3701H3627H2091H3627H517811King David dedicated all these gifts to the LORD, as he did with the silver and gold from the other nations he had defeated—H4428H1732H6942H3068H3701H2091H6942H1471H353312from Edom, Moab, Ammon, Philistia, and Amalek—and from Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah.H758H4124H1121H5983H6430H6002H7998H1909H1121H7340H4428H667813So David became even more famous when he returned from destroying 18,000 Edomites in the Valley of Salt.H1732H6213H8034H7725H5221H758H1516H4417H8083H6240H50514He placed army garrisons throughout Edom, and all the Edomites became David's subjects. In fact, the LORD made David victorious wherever he went.H7760H5333H123H123H7760H5333H123H1732H5650H3068H3467H1732H198015So David reigned over all Israel and did what was just and right for all his people.H1732H4427H3478H1732H6213H4941H6666H597116Joab son of Zeruiah was commander of the army. Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the royal historian.H3097H1121H6870H6635H3092H1121H286H214217Zadok son of Ahitub and Ahimelech son of Abiathar were the priests. Seraiah was the court secretary.H6659H1121H285H288H1121H54H3548H8304H560818Benaiah son of Jehoiada was captain of the king's bodyguard. And David's sons served as priestly leaders.H1141H1121H3077H3774H6432H1732H1121H3548

Psalms 88

88[For the choir director: A psalm of the descendants of Korah. A song to be sung to the tune “The Suffering of Affliction.” A psalm of Heman the Ezrahite.] O Lord, God of my salvation, I cry out to you by day. I come to you at night.H7892H4210H1121H7141H5329H4257H6031H4905H1968H250H3068H430H3444H6817H3117H39152Now hear my prayer; listen to my cry.H8605H935H6440H5186H241H74403For my life is full of troubles, and death draws near.H5315H7646H7451H2416H5060H75854I am as good as dead, like a strong man with no strength left.H2803H3381H953H1397H3535They have left me among the dead, and I lie like a corpse in a grave. I am forgotten, cut off from your care.H2670H4191H2491H7901H6913H2142H1504H30276You have thrown me into the lowest pit, into the darkest depths.H7896H8482H953H4285H46887Your anger weighs me down; with wave after wave you have engulfed me. InterludeH2534H5564H6031H4867H55428You have driven my friends away by making me repulsive to them. I am in a trap with no way of escape.H7368H3045H7368H7896H8441H3607H33189My eyes are blinded by my tears. Each day I beg for your help, O Lord; I lift my hands to you for mercy.H5869H1669H6040H3068H7121H3117H7849H370910Are your wonderful deeds of any use to the dead? Do the dead rise up and praise you? InterludeH6213H6382H4191H7496H6965H3034H554211Can those in the grave declare your unfailing love? Can they proclaim your faithfulness in the place of destruction?H2617H5608H6913H530H1112Can the darkness speak of your wonderful deeds? Can anyone in the land of forgetfulness talk about your righteousness?H6382H3045H2822H6666H776H538813O Lord, I cry out to you. I will keep on pleading day by day.H7768H3068H1242H8605H692314O Lord, why do you reject me? Why do you turn your face from me?H3068H2186H5315H5641H644015I have been sick and close to death since my youth. I stand helpless and desperate before your terrors.H6041H1478H5290H5375H367H632316Your fierce anger has overwhelmed me. Your terrors have paralyzed me.H2740H5674H1161H678917They swirl around me like floodwaters all day long. They have engulfed me completely.H5437H3117H4325H5362H316218You have taken away my companions and loved ones. Darkness is my closest friend.H157H7453H7368H3045H4285