David's Last Words

¹David son of Jesse was the man whom God made great, whom the God of Jacob chose to be king, and who was the composer of beautiful songs for Israel. These are David's last words:

²The spirit of the Lord speaks through me; his message is on my lips.

³The God of Israel has spoken; the protector of Israel said to me: “The king who rules with justice, who rules in obedience to God,

⁴is like the sun shining on a cloudless dawn, the sun that makes the grass sparkle after rain.”

⁵And that is how God will bless my descendants, because he has made an eternal covenant with me, an agreement that will not be broken, a promise that will not be changed. That is all I desire; that will be my victory, and God will surely bring it about.

⁶But godless people are like thorns that are thrown away; no one can touch them barehanded.

⁷You must use an iron tool or a spear; they will be burned completely.

David's Famous Soldiers

⁸These are the names of David's famous soldiers: the first was Josheb Basshebeth from Tachemon, who was the leader of “The Three”; he fought with his spear against eight hundred men and killed them all in one battle.

⁹The second of the famous three was Eleazar son of Dodo, of the clan of Ahoh. One day he and David challenged the Philistines who had gathered for battle. The Israelites fell back,

¹⁰but he stood his ground and fought the Philistines until his hand was so cramped that he could not let go of his sword. The Lord won a great victory that day. After it was over, the Israelites returned to where Eleazar was and stripped the armor from the dead.

¹¹The third of the famous three was Shammah son of Agee from Harar. The Philistines had gathered at Lehi, where there was a field of peas. The Israelites fled from the Philistines,

¹²but Shammah stood his ground in the field, defended it, and killed the Philistines. The Lord won a great victory that day.

¹³Near the beginning of harvest time three of “The Thirty” went down to Adullam Cave, where David was, while a band of Philistines was camping in Rephaim Valley.

¹⁴At that time David was on a fortified hill, and a group of Philistines had occupied Bethlehem.

¹⁵David grew homesick and said, “How I wish someone would bring me a drink of water from the well by the gate at Bethlehem!”

¹⁶The three famous soldiers forced their way through the Philistine camp, drew some water from the well, and brought it back to David. But he would not drink it; instead he poured it out as an offering to the Lord

¹⁷and said, “Lord, I could never drink this! It would be like drinking the blood of these men who risked their lives!” So he refused to drink it. Those were the brave deeds of the three famous soldiers.

¹⁸Joab's brother Abishai (their mother was Zeruiah) was the leader of “The Famous Thirty.” He fought with his spear against three hundred men and killed them, and became famous among “The Thirty.”

¹⁹He was the most famous of “The Thirty” and became their leader, but he was not as famous as “The Three.”

²⁰Benaiah son of Jehoiada from Kabzeel was another famous soldier; he did many brave deeds, including killing two great Moabite warriors. He once went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion.

²¹He also killed an Egyptian, a huge man who was armed with a spear. Benaiah attacked him with his club, snatched the spear from the Egyptian's hand, and killed him with it.

²²Those were the brave deeds of Benaiah, who was one of “The Thirty.”

²³He was outstanding among them, but was not as famous as “The Three.” David put him in charge of his bodyguard.

^24-39Other members of “The Thirty” included: Asahel, Joab's brother Elhanan son of Dodo from Bethlehem Shammah and Elika from Harod Helez from Pelet Ira son of Ikkesh from Tekoa Abiezer from Anathoth Mebunnai from Hushah Zalmon from Ahoh Maharai from Netophah Heleb son of Baanah from Netophah Ittai son of Ribai from Gibeah in Benjamin Benaiah from Pirathon Hiddai from the valleys near Gaash Abialbon from Arabah Azmaveth from Bahurim Eliahba from Shaalbon The sons of Jashen Jonathan Shammah from Harar Ahiam son of Sharar from Harar Eliphelet son of Ahasbai from Maacah Eliam son of Ahithophel from Gilo Hezro from Carmel Paarai from Arab Igal son of Nathan from Zobah Bani from Gad Zelek from Ammon Naharai from Beeroth, Joab's armorbearer Ira and Gareb from Jattir Uriah the Hittite. There were thirty-seven famous soldiers in all.

David's Instructions for the Temple

¹King David commanded all the officials of Israel to assemble in Jerusalem. So all the officials of the tribes, the officials who administered the work of the kingdom, the leaders of the clans, the supervisors of the property and livestock that belonged to the king and his sons—indeed all the palace officials, leading soldiers, and important men—gathered in Jerusalem.

²David stood before them and addressed them: “My friends, listen to me. I wanted to build a permanent home for the Covenant Box, the footstool of the Lord our God. I have made preparations for building a temple to honor him,

³but he has forbidden me to do it, because I am a soldier and have shed too much blood.

⁴The Lord, the God of Israel, chose me and my descendants to rule Israel forever. He chose the tribe of Judah to provide leadership, and out of Judah he chose my father's family. From all that family it was his pleasure to take me and make me king over all Israel.

⁵He gave me many sons, and out of them all he chose Solomon to rule over Israel, the Lord's kingdom.

⁶“The Lord said to me, ‘Your son Solomon is the one who will build my Temple. I have chosen him to be my son, and I will be his father.

⁷I will make his kingdom last forever if he continues to obey carefully all my laws and commands as he does now.’

⁸“So now, my people, in the presence of our God and of this assembly of all Israel, the Lord's people, I charge you to obey carefully everything that the Lord our God has commanded us, so that you may continue to possess this good land and so that you may hand it on to succeeding generations forever.”

⁹And to Solomon he said, “My son, I charge you to acknowledge your father's God and to serve him with an undivided heart and a willing mind. He knows all our thoughts and desires. If you go to him, he will accept you; but if you turn away from him, he will abandon you forever.

¹⁰You must realize that the Lord has chosen you to build his holy Temple. Now do it—and do it with determination.”

¹¹David gave Solomon the plans for all the Temple buildings, for the storerooms and all the other rooms, and for the Most Holy Place, where sins are forgiven.

¹²He also gave him the plans for all he had in mind for the courtyards and the rooms around them, and for the storerooms for the Temple equipment and the gifts dedicated to the Lord.

¹³David also gave him the plans for organizing the priests and Levites to perform their duties, to do the work of the Temple, and to take care of all the Temple utensils.

¹⁴He gave instructions as to how much silver and gold was to be used for making the utensils,

¹⁵for each lamp and lampstand,

¹⁶for the silver tables, and for each gold table on which were placed the loaves of bread offered to God.

¹⁷He also gave instructions as to how much pure gold was to be used in making forks, bowls, and jars, how much silver and gold in making dishes,

¹⁸and how much pure gold in making the altar on which incense was burned and in making the chariot for the winged creatures that spread their wings over the Lord's Covenant Box.

¹⁹King David said, “All this is contained in the plan written according to the instructions which the Lord himself gave me to carry out.”

²⁰King David said to his son Solomon, “Be confident and determined. Start the work and don't let anything stop you. The Lord God, whom I serve, will be with you. He will not abandon you, but he will stay with you until you finish the work to be done on his Temple.

²¹The priests and the Levites have been assigned duties to perform in the Temple. Workers with every kind of skill are eager to help you, and all the people and their leaders are at your command.”

The Prayer of Someone in Exile

¹As a deer longs for a stream of cool water, so I long for you, O God.

²I thirst for you, the living God. When can I go and worship in your presence?

³Day and night I cry, and tears are my only food; all the time my enemies ask me, “Where is your God?”

⁴My heart breaks when I remember the past, when I went with the crowds to the house of God and led them as they walked along, a happy crowd, singing and shouting praise to God.

⁵Why am I so sad? Why am I so troubled? I will put my hope in God, and once again I will praise him, my savior and my God.

^6-7Here in exile my heart is breaking, and so I turn my thoughts to him. He has sent waves of sorrow over my soul; chaos roars at me like a flood, like waterfalls thundering down to the Jordan from Mount Hermon and Mount Mizar.

⁸May the Lord show his constant love during the day, so that I may have a song at night, a prayer to the God of my life.

⁹To God, my defender, I say, “Why have you forgotten me? Why must I go on suffering from the cruelty of my enemies?”

¹⁰I am crushed by their insults, as they keep on asking me, “Where is your God?”

¹¹Why am I so sad? Why am I so troubled? I will put my hope in God, and once again I will praise him, my savior and my God.