Historical
Adonai’s Promise to David
7 Now it came about when the king lived in his palace and Adonai had granted him rest from all his enemies around him, 2 that the king said to the prophet Nathan, “See now, I am living in a house of cedar, yet the ark of God remains within curtains.”
3 “Go, do all that is in your heart,” Nathan said to the king, “for Adonai is with you.”
4 But it came to pass the same night that the word of Adonai came to Nathan saying: 5 “Go, tell My servant David: Thus says Adonai: Are you to build Me a house for Me to dwell in? 6 Since the day that I brought up the children of Israel from Egypt to this day I have not dwelt in a house, but have been moving about in a tent, even in a tabernacle. 7 In all My journeying among all the children of Israel, did I ever speak a word to any of the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd My people Israel, saying, ‘Why have you not built Me a house of cedar?’ 8 So now, thus you shall say to My servant David: Thus says Adonai-Tzva’ot: I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, to be ruler over My people, over Israel. 9 I have been with you wherever you went, and have cut off all your enemies from before you; and I will make your name as great as the greatest on earth. 10 I will also set up a place for My people Israel and will plant them, so they may dwell in their own place and not be disturbed again. Nor will the children of wickedness afflict them anymore as in the past, 11 since the day that I commanded judges to be over My people Israel. So I will give you rest from all your enemies.
“Moreover, Adonai declares to you that Adonai will make a house for you. 12 When your days are done and you sleep with your fathers, I will raise up your seed, who will come forth from you after you, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He will build a house for My Name, and I will establish his royal throne forever. [a] 14 I will be a father to him, and he will be a son to Me.[b] If he commits iniquity, I will correct him with the rod of men and with the strokes from sons of men. 15 Yet My lovingkindness will not be withdrawn from him as I withdrew it from Saul, whom I removed from before you. 16 So your house and your kingship will be secure forever before you; your throne will be established forever.” [c] 17 Just so Nathan spoke all these words and all this vision to David.
18 Then King David went in and sat before Adonai and said, “Who am I, my Lord Adonai, and what is my family, that You have brought me this far? 19 Yet this was a small thing in Your eyes, my Lord Adonai—for You have spoken also of Your servant’s house for the distant future. This is a revelation[d] for humanity, my Lord Adonai. 20 What more can David add in speaking to You? For You already know Your servant, my Lord Adonai. 21 For the sake of Your word and according to Your own heart, You have done everything great, revealing this to Your servant. 22 Therefore You are great, my Lord Adonai! For there is none like You, and there is no other God besides You, as we all have heard with our ears. 23 What one nation on earth is like Your people, like Israel, whom God went to redeem for Himself as a people, to make for Himself a Name, to do for You a great thing and awesome deeds for Your land, before Your people whom You redeemed for Yourself from Egypt—driving out nations and their gods? 24 So You established for Yourself Your people Israel as Your very own people forever, and You, Adonai, have become their God.
25 “So now, my Lord Adonai, confirm the word that You have spoken concerning Your servant and his house forever, and do as You have promised. 26 Let Your Name be magnified forever by saying, ‘Adonai-Tzva’ot is God over Israel!’ May the house of Your servant David be established before You. 27 For You, Adonai-Tzva’ot God of Israel, have made a revelation to Your servant saying, ‘I will build you a house.’ Therefore Your servant has found his heart to pray this prayer to You. 28 So now, my Lord Adonai, You alone are God, and Your words are truth, and You have promised Your servant this good thing. 29 So now let it please You to bless the house of Your servant, to continue forever before You. For You, my Lord Adonai, have spoken, and with Your blessing Your servant’s house will be blessed forever.”
David’s Kingdom Expands
8 Now afterward David attacked the Philistines and subdued them, and took Metheg-ammah[e] from the hand of the Philistines. 2 He also defeated Moab. He made them lie down on the ground and measured them with a cord. Every two measures of them were put to death, and the third measure was kept alive. So the Moabites became vassals to David, bringing tribute.
3 David also defeated King Hadadezer son of Rehob of Zobah, as he went to restore his dominion along the River[f]. 4 David captured from him 1700 horsemen and 20,000 foot soldiers, and David hamstrung all the chariot horses, while reserving 100 of them for chariots. 5 When the Arameans of Damascus came to the aid of King Hadadezer of Zobah, David struck down 22,000 Aramean men. 6 Then David stationed garrisons in Aram of Damascus, and the Arameans became vassals to David, bringing tribute. So Adonai gave victory to David wherever he went 7 David also took the golden shields of Hadadezer’s officers and brought them to Jerusalem. 8 From Betah and Berothai, towns of Hadadezer, King David took a vast amount of bronze.
9 Now when King Toi of Hamath heard that David had defeated the entire army of Hadadezer, 10 Toi sent his son Joram to King David to greet him and congratulate him on his victory in battle over Hadadezer—for Hadadezer had been at war with Toi. Joram brought with him articles of silver, gold and bronze. 11 These too King David consecrated to Adonai, along with the silver and gold that he had consecrated from all the nations that he had subdued: 12 from Aram, Moab, the Ammonites, the Philistines, Amalek, and from the spoil of Hadadezer, son of Rehob, king of Zobah.
13 Then David made a name for himself when he returned from striking 18,000 down from Edom in the Valley of Salt. 14 Then he stationed garrisons in Edom. Throughout all Edom he stationed garrisons, so that all the Edomites became vassals to David. So Adonai gave victory to David wherever he went.
15 David reigned over all Israel, and David executed justice and righteousness for all his people. 16 Joab son of Zeruiah was commander over the army; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was recorder; 17 Zadok son of Ahitub and Ahimelech son of Abiathar were kohanim; Seraiah was scribe; 18 Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites, and David’s sons were chief ministers.
Covenant Loyalty to Mephibosheth
9 Then David inquired, “Is there anyone still left from the house of Saul, so that I may show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” 2 Now there was a servant from Saul’s house whose name was Ziba, so they summoned him to David. The king asked him, “Are you Ziba?”
“Your servant,” he said.
3 The king asked him, “Is there still anyone from the house of Saul to whom I may show the kindness of God?”
“There is still a son of Jonathan,” Ziba said to the king, “with crippled legs.”
4 “Where is he?” the king said to him.
Ziba said to the king, “He’s there, in the house of Machir son of Ammiel, in Lo-debar.” 5 So King David sent word and brought him from the house of Machir son of Ammiel, from Lo-debar.
6 Then Mephibosheth, son of Jonathan son of Saul, came to David, fell on his face and prostrated himself. “Mephibosheth!” David said.
“Behold your servant!” he answered.
“Don’t be afraid,” 7 David said to him, “for I will surely show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan. I will restore to you all the land of your grandfather Saul, and you will always eat bread at my table.”
8 Then he bowed down and said, “What is your servant, that you should turn to look at such a dead dog like me?”
9 Then the king summoned Ziba, Saul’s servant, and said to him, “All that belonged to Saul and to all his household I have given to your master’s son. 10 So you, you and your sons and your servants will till the land for him, and you will bring in the yield so that your master’s son may have food to eat. But Mephibosheth your master’s son will always eat bread at my table.” Now Ziba had 15 sons and 20 servants. 11 Then Ziba said to the king, “According to all that my lord the king commands his servant, so will your servant do.” Thus Mephibosheth used to eat at the table just like one of the king’s sons. 12 Mephibosheth had a young son, whose name was Mica. All the members of Ziba’s household were servants to Mephibosheth. 13 But Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, for he ate at the king’s table regularly, though he was crippled in both his legs.
Aram Vanquished
10 It came about after this that the king of the children of Ammon died, and his son Hanun reigned in his place. 2 Then David thought, “Let me show kindness to Hanun son of Nahash, just as his father showed kindness to me.” So David sent word by the hand of his servants to comfort him concerning his father. But when David’s servants arrived at the land of the children of Ammon, 3 the princes of the children of Ammon said to Hanun their lord, “Do you think that David is really honoring your father because he has sent consolers to you? Has not David sent his servants to you in order to explore the city, to spy it out, and to overthrow it?” 4 So Hanun seized David’s servants, shaved off one side of their beards, cut off their garments in the middle at their buttocks, and sent them away.
5 When they informed David, he sent word to meet them, for the men were greatly humiliated. The king said, “Stay in Jericho until your beards grow, then return.” 6 Now when the children of Ammon saw that they had become a stench to David, the children of Ammon sent and hired the Arameans of Beth-Rehob and the Arameans of Zobah, 20,000 foot soldiers, and the king of Maacah with 1,000 men, plus 12,000 men from Tob.
7 When David heard about it, he sent Joab and the whole army—the mighty warriors. 8 The children of Ammon came out and lined up in battle array at the entrance of the gate, while the Arameans of Zobah and Rehob and the men of Tob and Maacah were by themselves in the field. 9 When Joab saw that there was a battle line against him front and rear, he chose of all the best troops of Israel and arrayed them against the Arameans, 10 but the rest of the troops he committed to the command of his brother Abishai, and he arrayed them against the children of Ammon. 11 Then he said, “If the Arameans are too strong for me, then you will help me, but if the children of Ammon are too strong for you, then I will come to help you. 12 Chazak! And let us take courage for the sake of our people and for the cities of our God, and may Adonai do what is good in His eyes.”
13 So Joab and the troops with him advanced to battle against the Arameans—and they fled before him. 14 When the children of Ammon saw that the Arameans had fled, they likewise fled before Abishai and withdrew into the city. Then Joab returned from assaulting the children of Ammon, and went to Jerusalem.
15 When the Arameans saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they regrouped. 16 Hadadezer sent word and brought out the Arameans from across the River[g], and they came to Helam, with Hadadezer’s army commander Shobach before them. 17 When David was told, he gathered all Israel together, crossed the Jordan and went to Helam. The Arameans arrayed their lines against David and fought him. 18 But the Arameans fled before Israel—David killed 700 charioteers of the Arameans and 40,000 horsemen, and struck down Shobach the commander of their army, so he died there.
19 When the vassal kings of Hadadezer saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they made peace with Israel and became servants to them. Then the Arameans were afraid to help the children of Ammon anymore.
Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.