19 Some from Manasseh defected to David when he went with the Philistines to fight against Saul. (They did not help the Philistines because the Philistine rulers consulted and sent David away, saying, “It will cost us our heads if he defects to his master Saul.”) 20When David went to Ziklag, these men of Manasseh defected to him:

21 They helped David against the raiders, for they were all mighty men of valor and commanders in the army.

22 For at that time men came to David day after day to help him, until he had a great army, like the army of God.

23 Now these are the numbers of men armed for battle who came to David at Hebron to turn Saul’s kingdom over to him, in accordance with the word of the Lord:

38 All these men of war, arrayed for battle, came to Hebron fully determined to make David king over all Israel. And all the rest of the Israelites were of one mind to make David king.

39 They spent three days there eating and drinking with David, for their relatives had provided for them. 40And their neighbors from as far away as Issachar, Zebulun, and Naphtali came bringing food on donkeys, camels, mules, and oxen— abundant supplies of flour, fig cakes and raisin cakes, wine and oil, oxen and sheep. Indeed, there was joy in Israel.

1 Then David conferred with all his leaders, the commanders of thousands and of hundreds. 2And he said to the whole assembly of Israel, “If it seems good to you, and if this is of the Lord our God, let us send word far and wide to the rest of our brothers in all the land of Israel, and also to the priests and Levites in their cities and pasturelands, so that they may join us. 3Then let us bring back the ark of our God, for we did not inquire of Him in the days of Saul.”

4 And because this proposal seemed right to all the people, the whole assembly agreed to it. 5So David assembled all Israel, from the River Shihor in Egypt to Lebo-hamath, to bring the ark of God from Kiriath-jearim.

6 David and all Israel went up to Baalah of Judah (that is, Kiriath-jearim) to bring up from there the ark of God the Lord, who is enthroned between the cherubim — the ark that is called by the Name. 7So they carried the ark of God from the house of Abinadab on a new cart, with Uzzah and Ahio guiding the cart.

8 David and all the Israelites were celebrating before God with all their might, with songs and on harps and lyres, with tambourines, cymbals, and trumpets.

9 When they came to the threshing floor of Chidon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark, because the oxen had stumbled. 10And the anger of the Lord burned against Uzzah, and He struck him down because he had put his hand on the ark. So he died there before God.

11 Then David became angry because the Lord had burst forth against Uzzah. So he named that place Perez-uzzah, as it is called to this day.

12 That day David feared God and asked, “How can I ever bring the ark of God to me?” 13So he did not move the ark with him to the City of David; instead, he took it aside to the house of Obed-edom the Gittite. 14Thus the ark of God remained with the family of Obed-edom in his house for three months, and the Lord blessed his household and everythinghe owned.

1 Now Hiram king of Tyre sent envoys to David, along with cedar logs, stonemasons, and carpenters, to build a palace for him. 2And David realized that the Lord had established him as king over Israel and had highly exalted his kingdom for the sake of His people Israel.

3 And David took more wives in Jerusalem and became the father of more sons and daughters. 4These are the names of the children born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, 5Ibhar, Elishua, Elpelet, 6Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia, 7Elishama, Beeliada, and Eliphelet.

8 When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over all Israel, they all went in search of him; but David learned of this and went out to face them.

9 Now the Philistines had come and raided the Valley of Rephaim. 10So David inquired of God, “Should I go up against the Philistines? Will You deliver them into my hand?”

“Go,” replied the Lord, “for I will deliver them into your hand.”

11 So David and his men went up to Baal-perazim, where he defeated the Philistines and said, “Like a bursting flood, God has burst out against my enemies by my hand.” So they called that place Baal-perazim. 12There the Philistines abandoned their gods, and David ordered that they be burned in the fire.

13 Once again the Philistines raided the valley. 14So David again inquired of God, who answered him, “Do not march up after them, but circle around them and attack them in front of the balsam trees. 15As soon as you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, move out to battle, because this will mean that God has gone out before you to strike the camp of the Philistines.”

16 So David did as God had commanded him, and they struck down the army of the Philistines all the way from Gibeon to Gezer. 17And David’s fame went out into every land, and the Lord caused all nations to fear him.

1 Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, and set apart for the gospel of God— 2the gospel He promised beforehand through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures, 3regarding His Son, who was a descendant of David according to the flesh, 4and who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by His resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.

5 Through Him and on behalf of His name, we received grace and apostleship to call all those among the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith. 6And you also are among those who are called to belong to Jesus Christ.

7 To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints:

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being proclaimed all over the world. 9God, whom I serve with my spirit in preaching the gospel of His Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you 10in my prayers at all times, asking that now at last by God’s will I may succeed in coming to you. 11For I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you, 12that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith.

13 I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, how often I planned to come to you(but have been prevented from visiting until now), in order that I might have a harvest among you, just as I have had among the other Gentiles. 14I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish. 15That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are in Rome.

16 I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, then to the Greek. 17For the gospel reveals the righteousness of God that comes by faith from start to finish, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”