I Chronicles דברי הימים א The Rashi Ketuvim by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein http://www.sefaria.org/shraga-silverstein I Chronicles Chapter 1 [The son of] Adam: Sheth, [and the son of Sheth:] Enosh. [And the son of Enosh:] Kenan, [and the son of Kenan:] Mahalalel, [and the son of Mahalalel:] Yared. [And the son of Yared:] Chanoch, [and the son of Chanoch:] Methuselah, [and the son of Methuselah:] Lamech. [And the son of Lamech:] Noach, [and the sons of Noach:] Shem, Cham, and Yafeth. [And the sons of Yefeth:] Gomer, Magog, Maddai, Yavan, Tuval, Meshech, and Tiras. And the sons of Gomer: Ashkenaz, Difath, and Togarmah. And the sons of Yavan: Elishah, Tarshishah, Kittim, and Rodanim. The sons of Cham: Kush, Mitzrayim, Put, and Canaan. And the sons of Kush: Seva, Chavilah, Savtah, Ra'amah, and Savtecha. And the sons of Ra'amah: Sheva and Dedan. And Kush begot Nimrod. He began to be a mighty one in the earth [to cause all to rebel (nimrod = "Let us rebel") against the Holy One Blessed be He (in the counsel of the Tower of Babel)]. And Mitzrayim begot Ludim and Anamim and Lehavim and Naftuchim. And Pathrusim and Kasluchim, whence came forth Plishtim and Kaftorim [(Pathrusim and Kasluchim "exchanging" their wives, and "between both" begetting Plishtim and Kaftorim)]. And Canaan begot Tziddon, his first-born, and Cheth. And the Yevussi and the Emori and the Girgashi. And the Chivi and the Arki and the Sini. And the Arvadi and the Tzemari and the Chamathi. The sons of Shem: Eilam, Ashur, Arpachshad, Lud, and Aram. [And the sons of Aram:] Utz, Chul, Gether, and Meshech. And Arpachshad begot Shalach, and Shelach begot Ever. And to Ever was born two sons; the name of the first Peleg, for in his days the earth was divided (niflegah) [Languages were confounded and men "divided themselves" throughout the earth], and the name of his brother was Yaktan. [(Because he "humbled" (hiktin) himself, he merited the many families (which follow).] And Yaktan begot Almodad and Shalef and Chatzarmaveth, and Yarach. And Hadoram and Uzzah and Diklah. And Eival and Avimael and Sheva. And Ofir and Chavilah and Yovav — all these are the sons of Yaktan. Shem, Arpachshad, Shalach, Ever, Peleg, Re'u, Serug, Nachor, Tarach, Avram — this is Abraham. The sons of Abraham: Isaac and Ishmael. These are their progeny: the first-born of Ishmael: Nevayoth — and Kedar and Adbe'el and Mivsam, Mishma and Duma and Massa, Chadad and Tema, Yetur, Nafish and Kedman — these are the sons of Ishmael. And the sons of Keturah, the concubine of Abraham: She bore Zimran and Yakshan and Medan and Midyan and Yishbak and Shuach. And the sons of Yakshan were Sheva and Dedan. And the sons of Midyan: Eifah and Efer and Chanoch and Avida and Elda'ah — all these the sons of Keturah. And Abraham begot Isaac. The sons of Isaac: Esav and Israel. The sons of Esav: Elifaz and Reuel and Yeush and Ya'alam and Orach. The sons of Elifaz: Teman and Omar and Tzefi and Ga'atam, Kenaz, Timna and Amalek. The sons of Reuel: Nachath and Zerach, Shammah and Mizzah. And the sons of Seir [see Genesis 36:20]: Lotan and Shoval and Tzivon and Anah and Dishon and Etzer and Dishan. And the sons of Lotan: Chori and Homan. And the sister of Lotan [(by his mother, but not by his father, Seir)] was Timna. The sons of Shoval: Alyan and Manachath and Eval, Shefi and Onam. And the sons of Tzivon: Ayah and Anah [viz. Rashi on Genesis 36:24]. The sons of Anah: Dishon. And the sons of Dishon: Chamran and Eshban and Yithran and Ch'ran. The sons of Etzer: Bilhan and Za'avan [and] Ya'akan. The sons of Dishon: Utz and Aran. And these are the kings that reigned in the land of Edom before a king reigned over the children of Israel: Bela the son of Be'or. And the name of his city was Dinhava. And Bala died, and there reigned in his stead Yovav the son of Zerach from Batzrah [(a Moavite city)]. And Yovav died, and there reigned in his stead Chusham from the land of the Temani. And Chusham died, and there reigned in his stead Haddad the son of Bedad, who smote Midian in the field of Moav, [(Edom joining forces with Moav against Midian)]. And the name of his city was Avith. And Haddad died, and there reigned in his stead Samlah from Masrekah. And Samlah died, and there reigned in his stead Shaul from Rechovoth Hanahar. And Shaul died, and there reigned in his stead Bal Chanan the son of Achbor. And Bal Chanan died, and there reigned in his stead Haddad. And the name of his city was Pa'i, and the name of his wife was Mehatavel the daughter of Matred the daughter of Mei Zahav. And Haddad died. And the chiefs of Edom were: the chief of Timna, the chief of Alyah, the chief of Yetheth, the chief of Ahalivamah, the chief of Elah, the chief of Pinon, the chief of Kenaz, the chief of Teman, the chief of Mivtzar. the chief of Magdiel, the chief of Iram. These are the chiefs of Edom. Chapter 2 These are the sons of Israel: Reuven, Shimon, Levi and Judah, Issachar and Zevulun, Dan, Joseph, and Benjamin, Naftali, Gad, and Asher. The sons of Judah: Er and Onan and Shelah. Three were born to him of the daughter of Shua, the Canaanite. And Er, the first-born of Judah was evil in the eyes of the L-rd [viz. Rashi on Genesis 38:7], and He killed him. And Tamar, his daughter-in-law, bore to him Peretz and Zarach. All the sons of Judah were five. The sons of Peretz: Chetzron and Chamul. And the sons of Zerach: Zimri and Eithan and Heiman and Chalkol and Dara, five in all. And the sons of Karmi [(the son of Zimri)]: Achar, the sullier of Israel, who was faithless with the consecrated thing [viz. Joshua 7]. And the sons of Eithan: Azaryah. And the sons of Chetzron, who were born to him: Yerachme'el, Ram, and Kluvai. And Ram begot Aminadav, and Aminadav begot Nachshon, the prince of the children of Judah. And Nachshon begot Salma, and Salma begot Boaz. And Boaz begot Oved, and Oved begot Yishai. And Ishai begot his first-born, Eliav, and Avinadav, the second, and Shima, the third. Nethanel, the fourth, Radai, the fifth, Otzem, the sixth, David, the seventh. And their sisters: Tzeruyah and Avigayil. And the sons of Tzeruyah: Avshai, and Yoav, and Asa'el, three. And Avigayil bore Amassa. And the father of Amassa was Yether the Ishmaelite. And Calev the son of Chetzron begot Azuvah-Ishah and Yerioth. And these are her [(Azuvah-Ishah's)] sons: Yosher and Shovav and Ardon. And Azuvah died, and Calev took Ephrath for himself, and she bore Chur to him. And Chur begot Uri, and Uri begot Betzalel. And afterwards, Chetzron came to the daughter of Machir, the father of Gilead, and took her. And she was sixty years old, and she bore Seguv to him. And Seguv begot Yair, and he had twenty-three cities in the land of Gilead. And Geshur and Aram took Chavoth Yair from them, Kenath and its villages. All these (belonged to) the sons of Machir, the father of Gilead. And after the death of Chetzron, when Calev [his son took] Efrath, the wife of Chetzron, Aviyah, bore him Ashchur, the father of Tekoa. And the sons of Yerachmel had another wife, whose name was Atarah. She was the mother of Onam. And the sons of Ram, the fist-born of Yerachmel: Ma'atz and Yamin and Eker. And the sons of Onam: Shammai and Yada. And the sons of Shammai: Nadav and Avishur. And the name of the wife of Avishur was Avichayil. And she bore him Achban and Molid. And the sons of Nadav: Seled and Appayim. And Seled died without sons. And the sons of Appayim: Yish'i. And the sons of Yish'i: Sheshan. And the sons of Sheshan: Achlai. And the sons of Yada, the brother of Shammai: Yether and Yonathan. And Yether died without sons. And the sons of Yonathan: Peleth and Zaza. These were the sons of Yerachmel. And Sheshan had no sons, but daughters. And Sheshan had an Egyptian slave whose name was Yarcha. And Sheshan gave his daughter to Yarcha his slave as a wife, and she bore him Attai. And Attai begot Nathan. And Nathan begot Zavad. And Zavad begot Eflal. And Eflal begot Oved. And Oved begot Yehu. And Yehu begot Azaryah. And Azaryah begot Chaletz. And Cheletz begot Elassah. And Elassa begot Sismi. And Sismi begot Shalum. And Shalum begot Yekamyah. And Yekamyah begot Elishama. And the sons of Calev the brother of Yerachmel: Mesha, his first-born. He was the father of Ziph. And the sons [of Ziph:] Maresha, the father of Chevron. And the sons of Chevron: Korach and Tappuach and Rekem and Shama. And Shema begot Racham, the father of Yarke'am. And Rekem begot Shammai. And the son of Shammai: Maon. And Maon was the father of Beth-Tzur. And Eifah, the concubine of Calev, bore Charan and Motza and Gazez. And the sons of Yehdai [(one of the above sons of Calev)]: Regem and Yotham and Geshan and Phalet and Eifah and Sha'af. [By this] concubine Ma'achah, Calev begot Shever and Tirchanah. And she bore Sha'af, the father of Madmanah, Sheva, the father of Machbena and the father of Giv'a. And the daughter of Calev was Achsah. These were the sons of Calev, the son of Chur, the first-born of Efrathah: Shoval, the father of Kiryath-Yearim. Salma the father of Beth-Lachem, Charef, the father of Beth-Gader. And there were sons to Shoval, the father of Kiryath-Yearim, who ruled over half the Menuchoth. And the families of Kiryath-Yearim: the Yithri, the Puthi, the Shumathi, the Mishra'i. From these issued the Tzarathi and the Eshtauli. The sons of Salma [inhabited] Bethlehem and Netofoth (and) half of Atroth-beth-Yoav; and half the (province of the) Manachti [was taken over by] the Tzar'i. And the families of scribes, the company of Yabetz [viz. 4:9]: Tirathim, Shimathim, Suchathim. They are the Kinites, who descended from Chamath, the father of the house of Rechav. Chapter 3 And these were the sons of David which were born to him in Chevron: the first-born, Amnon, to Achinoam, the Yizre'elitess; the second, Daniel, to Avigayil, the Carmelitess. the third, Avshalom the son of Ma'achah, the daughter of Talmi, the king of Geshur; the fourth, Adoniyah, the son of Chaggith. the fifth, Shefatyah, to Avital; the sixth, Yithram, to Eglah [i.e., Michal], his [especially beloved] wife. Six were born to him in Chevron. And he reigned there for seven years and six months. And for thirty-three years he reigned in Jerusalem. And these were born to him in Jerusalem: Shim'a and Shovav and Nathan and Solomon — four to Bathshua, the daughter of Amiel. And Yivchar and Elishama and Eliphalet, and Nogah and Nefeg and Yafia, and Elishama and Elyada and Eliphelet — nine. All the sons of David, aside from the sons of the concubines, and Tamar, their sister. And the son of Solomon: Rechavam. Aviyah, his [(Rechavam's)] son; Assa, his [(Aviyam's)] son; Yehoshafat, his son. Yoram, his son; Achazyahu, his son; Yoash, his son. Amatzyahu, his son; Azaryah, his son; Yotham, his son. Achaz, his son; Chizkiyahu, his son; Menasheh, his son. Ammon, his son; Yoshiyahu, his son. And the sons of Yoshiyahu: the first-born, Yochanan; the second, Yehoyakim; the third, Tzidkiyahu; the fourth, Shalum. And the sons of Yehoyakim: Yechanyah, his son; Tzidkiyah, his [(Yechanyah's)] son. And the [other] sons of Yechanyah: Assir; She'altiel, his [(Assir's)] son. And [(the sons of She'altiel:)] Malkiram and Fedayah and Shenatzar, Yekamyah, Hushama, and Nedavyah. And the sons of Fedaya: Zerubavel and Shim'i. And the son(s) of Zerubavel, Meshulam and Chananiah; and Shlomith, their sister. And Chashuvah and Ohel and Berechiah and Chasadyah (and) Yushav-Chesed — five. And the son(s) of Chananiah: Pelatyah and Yeshayah. His [(Yeshaya's)] son, Refayah; his [(Refayah's)] son, Arnan; his son, Ovadyah; his son, Shechanyah. And the sons of Shechanyah: Shemayah. And the sons of Shemayah: Chatush and Yigal and Bariach and N'aryah and Shafat — six. And the son(s) of N'aryah: Elyo'einai and Chizkiyah and Azrikam — three. And the sons of Elyoeinai: Hodoyahu and Elyashiv and Felayah and Akuv and Yochanan and Delayah and Anani — seven. Chapter 4 The sons of Judah: Peretz, Chetzron [(the son of Peretz)], Karmi [(the son of Zimri, the son of Zarach, the son of Judah)], Chur [(the son of Calev, the son of Chetzron)], and Shoval [(the son of Calev, the son of Chur)]. And Re'ayah the son of Shoval begot Yachath. And Yachath begot Achumai and Lahad. These are the families of the Tzarati. And these [are the sons of Chur:] Avi-Eitam, Yizre'el, and Yishma and Yidbash. And the name of their sister: Hatzlelponi. And Penuel, the father of Gedor, and Ezer, the father of Chushah. These are the sons of Chur, the first-born of Efrathah, the father of Beth-Lachem. And Ashchur [(the son of Chetzron)] had two wives: Chelah and Na'arah. And Na'arah bore him: Achuzam and Chefer and Temni and Ha'achashtari. These are the sons of Na'arah. And the sons of Chelah: Tzereth and Tzochar and Ethnan. And Kotz begot Anuv and Hatzovevah and the families of Acharchel the son of Harum. And Yabetz was more esteemed than his brothers. His mother called him "Yabetz," saying: "For I have borne (him) in sadness [etzev]." And Yabetz called to the G-d of Israel, saying: If You bless me, and expand my border, and Your hand be with me and save (me) from evil, not to sadden me, [(then I will offer, etc.)]. And G-d brought to pass what he had asked. And Keluv the brother of Shuchah begot Mechir; he is the father of Eshton. And Eshton begot the house of Rafa and Paseach and Techinah the father of Ir-Nachash. These are the men of Rechah. And the sons of Kenaz: Othniel and Serayah. And the sons of Othniel: Chathath. And Meonothai begot Ofrah. And Serayah begot Yoav, the father of Gei-Charashim (for they were craftsmen [charashim]). And the sons of Calev the son of Yefuneh: Iru, Elah, and Na'am. And the sons of Elah: Kenaz. And the sons of Yehalelel: Ziph and Ziphah, Tirya and Asrael. And the son of Ezrah: Yether and Mered and Efer and Yalon. And she [(Mered's wife)] begot Miryam [(a male)] and Shammai and Yishbach the father of Eshtemoa. And his Jewish wife [(as opposed to the aforementioned, Bithyah, the daughter of Pharaoh)] begot Yered the father of Gedor and Chever the father of Sochoh and Yekuthiel the father of Zanoach. These [(Miryam, etc.)] are the sons of Bithyah the daughter of Pharaoh whom Mered took (as a wife). And the sons of the wife of Hodiyah, the sister of Nacham: the father of Ke'ilah the Garmite and Eshtemoa the Ma'achathite. And the sons of Shiymon: Amnon and Rinah, Ben-Chanan and Tilon. And the sons of Yish'i: Zocheth and Ben-Zocheth. The sons of Shelah the son of Judah: Er the father of Lechah and Laddah the father of Mareshah and the families of the linen workers of the house of Ashbea. And Yokim and the men of Cozeva and Yoash and Saraf, who intermarried with Moav, and Yashuvi-Lacham. These things are ancient [i.e., received tradition]. They were the potters and the dwellers by the plantings and the fences. With the king, (when employed) in his work, they dwelt there. The sons of Shimon: Nemuel and Yamin, Yariv, Zerach, Shaul. Shalum, his [(Shaul's)] son; Mivsam, his son; Mishma, his son. And the sons of Mishma: Chamuel, his son; Zakkur, his son; Shim'i, his son. And Shim'i had sixteen sons and six daughters, but his brothers did not have many children. And their whole family [(that of Shimon)] was not so large as that of Judah. And they dwelt in Beersheva and Moladah and Chatzar-Shaul. And in Bilhah and in Etzem and in Tolad. And in Bethuel and in Charmah and in Tziklag. And in Beth-markavoth and in Chatzar-susim and in Beth-bir'i and in Sha'arayim. These were their cities until the reign of David [(when he expelled them from the territory of Judah)]. And their villages: Eitam and Ayin, Rimon, Tochen and Ashan — five cities — and all their villages roundabout these cities [(Eitam, etc.)] until Ba'al. This [area] comprised their dwelling and they [(these places) were ascribed to them. And Meshovav and Yamlech and Yoshah the son of Amatzyah, And Yoel and Yehu the son of Yoshivyah, the son of Serayah, the son of Asiel, And Elyoeinai, and Yaakovah, and Yeshochayah, and Asayah, and Adiel, and Yesimiel, and Benayah, And Ziza the son of Shif'i, the son of Alon, the son of Yedayah, the son of Shimri, the son of Shemayah — these, the aforementioned were princes in their families, and the house of their fathers proliferated greatly [(and the aforementioned area could not contain them)]. And they went to Mevo-Gedor, to the east of the valley, to seek pasture for their flocks. And they found pasture, fat and good, and the land, far-reaching, and [its settlers] quiet and tranquil [(and unprepared for war)], being of Cham who had settled there of yore. And these, the aforementioned, came, in the days of Yechizkiyahu, king of Judah, and they smote their tents and the abodes found there, and razed them until this day, and they dwelt in their places, finding pasture for their flocks there. And of them, of the sons of Shimon, five hundred men went to the mountain of Seir, Felatyah, Na'arayah, Refayah, and Uziel, the sons of Yish'i, at their head. And they smote the remnant of Amalek, and they dwelt there until this day. Chapter 5 And the sons of Reuven, the "bechor" of Israel," ([Reuven] being his first-born. But when he profaned his father's sheets [viz. Genesis 49:4], his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph, the son of Israel — but not [for Joseph] to be reckoned as the first-born [for kingship]; for Judah was preeminent among his brothers [(in that respect)], and the prince [(for kingship, was to be)] from him, and the birthright [(for inheritance)] to revert to Joseph) — the sons of Reuven, the bechor of Israel: Chanoch and Falu, Chetzron and Carmi. The sons of Yoel: Shemayah, his son; Gog, his [(Shemayah's)] son; Shim'i, his son. Michan, his son; Reayah, his son; Ba'al, his son. Be'erah, his son, who, when Tiglath-Pilnesser exiled (them), was Prince of the Reuvenites. And his fellows, by their families, relative to their kin — the heads: Ye'iel, and Zecharyahu, and Bela the son of Azaz the son of Shema the son of Yoel, who dwelt in Aroer, until Nevo and Ba'al-meon, and who dwelt in the east until the approach to the desert from the Euphrates River, their herds having multiplied in the land of Gilead. And in the days of Saul they made war with the Hagarites, who fell into their hands. And they dwelt in their [(the Hagarites')] tents on the entire eastern face of Gilead. And the children of Gad dwelt opposite them in the land of the Bashan until Salchah. Yoel, the head, and Shapham, the second, and Yannai and Shafat in Bashan. And their fellows by the house of their fathers: Michael and Meshulam and Sheva and Yorai and Ya'akan and Yezia and Ever — seven. These are the sons of Avichayil, the son of Chori, the son of Yaroach, the son of Gilead, the son of Michael, the son of Yeshishai, the son of Yachdo, the son of Buz. Achi the son of Avdiel the son of Guni was the head of the house of their fathers. And they dwelt in Gilead, in Bashan and its villages, and in all the suburbs of Sharon until their outer limits. All adduced their genealogies in the days of Yotham, king of Judah, and in the days of Yeravam, king of Israel. The sons of Reuven, and the Gadites, and half the tribe of Menasheh. Sons of valor, bearers of shield and sword and taught for war. Forty-four thousand and seven hundred and sixty going out for war. And they made war with the Hagarites and with Yetur and Nafish and Nodav. And they were helped [(by G-d)] against them, and they were delivered into their hands — the Hagarites and all who were with them. For they cried out unto G-d in the war. And He was importuned of them, for they trusted in Him. And they captured their herds: their camels — fifty thousand; their sheep — two hundred and fifty thousand; and human souls — one hundred thousand. For many fell slain, for the battle was from G-d. And they dwelt in their places until the exile. And half the tribe of Menasheh dwelt in the land, from Bashan until Ba'al-chermon and S'nir and Mount Hermon, in their multitude. And these are the heads of their houses: Epher and Yish'i and Eliel and Azriel and Yirmiyah and Hodavyah and Yachdiel, men of valor, men of [great] name, heads of the house of their fathers. But they were faithless to the G-d of their fathers, and they strayed after the gods of the people of the land that G-d had destroyed before them. And the G-d of Israel roused the spirit of Pul the king of Ashur and the spirit of Tiglath-Pilnesser the king of Ashur, and they exiled the Reuvenites and the Gadites and the half-tribe of Menasheh, and He brought them to Chalach and Chavor and Hara and the river Gozan until this day. The sons of Levi: Gershon, Kehoth and Merari. And the sons of Kehath: Amram, Yitzhar, Chevron and Uziel. And the children of Amram: Aaron, Moses, and Miriam. And the sons of Aaron: Nadav, Avihu, Elazar and Ithamar. Elazar begot Pinchas; Pinchas begot Avishua. And Avishua begot Bukki, and Bukki begot Uzzi. And Uzzi begot Zerachyah, and Zerachyah begot Merayoth. Merayoth begot Amaryah, and Amaryah begot Achituv. And Achituv begot Tzaddok and Tzaddok begot Achima'atz. And Achima'atz begot Azaryah, and Azaryah begot Yochanan. And Yochanan begot Azaryah. It was he who officiated in the Temple that Solomon built in Jerusalem. And Azaryah begot Amaryah, and Amaryah begot Achituv. And Achituz begot Tzaddok, and Tzaddok begot Shalum. And Shalum begot Chilkiyah, and Chilkiyah begot Azaryah. And Azaryah begot Serayah, and Serayah begot Yehotzadak. And Yehotzadak went [in exile to Bavel] when the L-rd exiled Judah and Jerusalem by the hand of Nevuchadnezzar. Chapter 6 The sons of Levi: Gershon, Kehoth, and Merari. And these are the names of the sons of Gershom: Livni and Shim'i. And the sons of Kehoth: Amram and Yitzhar and Chevron and Uziel. The sons of Merari: Machli and Mushi. And these are the families of the Levites (according) to their fathers: To Gershom: Livni, his son; Yachath, his [(Livni's)] son; Zimah, his son. Yoah, his son; Iddo, his son; Zerach, his son; Ye'athrai, his son. The sons of Kehoth: Aminadav, his son; Korach, his son; Assir, his son. Elkanah, his [(Korach's)] son; and Evyasaf, his [(Korach's)] son; and Assir, his [(Evyasaf's)] son. Tachath, his son; Uriel, his son; Uzziyah, his son; and Shaul, his son. And the sons of Elkanah [(the son of Shaul)]: Amassai, and [(Amassai's son)] Achimoth. Elkanah, his [(Achimoth's)] son. [And these are] the sons of Elkanah: Tzofai, his son; and Nachath, his [(Tzofai's)] son. Eliav, his son; Yerocham, his son; Elkanah, his son. And the sons of Samuel [(the prophet, Elkanah's son)] Vashni [(the same as Yoel [18])] and Aviyah. The sons of Merari: Machli; Livni, his son; Shim'i, his son; Uzzah, his son. Shim'a, his son; Chagiyah, his son; Assayah, his son. And these are the ones that David appointed to sing in the house of the L-rd from [the time that] the ark came to rest [in Jerusalem]. And they ministered before the tabernacle of the tent of meeting with song until Solomon built the house of the L-rd in Jerusalem. And they stood according to their charge [(by David)] at their service [(of song)]. And these are the ones who stood [(at their service)] and their sons: Of the sons of the Kehothites: Heman the singer, the son of Yoel, the son of Samuel, the son of Elkanah, the son of Yerocham, the son of Eliel, the son of Toach, the son of Tzuph, the son of Elkanah, the son of Machath, the son of Amassai, the son of Elkanah, the son of Yoel, the son of Azaryah, the son of Tzephaniah, the son of Tachath, the son of Assir, the son of Evyasaph, the son of Korach, the son of Yitzhar, the son of Kehoth, the son of Levi, the son of Israel. And his [(Heman's)] brother, standing on his right: Assaf, the son of Berechyahu, the son of Shim'a, the son of Michael, the son of Asseyah, the son of Malkiyah, the son of Ethni, the son of Zerach, the son of Adayah, the son of Ethan, the son of Zimah, the son of Shim'i, the son of Yachath, the son of Gershom, the son of Levi. And the sons of Merari, their brother, on the left: Ethan, the son of Kishi, the son of Avdi, the son of Maluch, the son of Amtzi, the son of Bani, the son of Shamer, the son of Machli, the son of Mushi, the son of Merari, the son of Levi. And their brother Levites were relegated to all the [other] work of the tabernacle of the house of the L-rd. And Aaron and his sons offered on the altar of the burnt-offering and on the altar of the incense for all the work of the holy of holies, and to atone for Israel, according to all that the L-rd had commanded Moses, the servant of G-d. And these are the sons of Aaron: Elazar, his son; Pinchas, his son; Avishua, his son; Bukki, his son; Uzzi, his son; Zerachyah, his son; Merayoth, his son; Amaryah, his son; Achituv, his son; Tzaddok, his son; Achima'at, his son [(the high-priest in the days of Rechavam)]. And these are their dwelling places [(those of the Cohanim and the Levites)] for their cities within their borders: For the sons of Aaron, of the family of the Kohothites, for theirs was the [first] lot: They gave to them Chevron in the land of Judah and its open land roundabout. And the field of the city and its courts [(unwalled cities)] they gave to Calev the son of Yefuneh. And to the sons of Aaron, they gave the cities of refuge: Chevron and Livnah and its open land, Devir and its open land, Ashan and its open land, and Beth-shemesh and its open land. And [they received] from the tribe of Benjamin, [(the aforementioned land having come from Judah and Shimon)]: Geva and its open land and Ameleth and its open land and Anathoth and its open land. All of their cities, thirteen cities, [divided] according to their families. And for the sons of Kehoth who were left from the family of the tribe, they [were given land] from the half-tribe of Menasheh, by lot, ten cities. And for the sons of Gershom according to their families: from the tribe of Issachar and from the tribe of Asher and from the tribe of Naftali and from the tribe of Menasheh in the Bashan, thirteen cities. For the sons of Merari according to their families: from the tribe of Reuven and from the tribe of Gad and from the tribe of Zevulun, by lot, twelve cities. And the children of Israel gave to the Levites the cities and their open land. And they gave by lot from the tribe of the children of Judah and from the tribe of the children of Shimon and from the tribe of the children of Benjamin, these cities, which were mentioned by name. And (some) of the families of the children of Kohoth, the cities of their border were from the tribe of Ephraim. And they gave them the cities of refuge: Shechem and its open land in the mountain of Ephraim, and Gezer and its open land, And Yakm'am and its open land and Beth-Choron and its open land, And Ayalon and its open land and Gath-rimon and its open land. And from the half-tribe of Menasheh, Aner and its open land and Bilam and its open land, for those remaining of the family of the sons of Kohoth. For the sons of Gershom: from the family of the half-tribe of Menasheh, Golan in the Bashan and its open land and Ashtaroth and its open land. And from the tribe of Issacher, Kedesh and its open land and Davrath and its open land. And Ra'amoth and its open land and Aneim and its open land. And from the tribe of Asher: Mashal and its open land and Avdon and its open land. And Chukok and its open land and Rechov and its open land. And from the tribe of Naftali: Kedesh in the Galil and its open land and Chamon and its open land and Kiryathayim and its open land. For the remainder of the sons of Merari: from the tribe of Zevulun, Rimono and its open land and Tavor and its open land. And across the Jordan near Jericho, east of the Jordan: from the tribe of Reuven, Betzer in the desert and its open land and Yahtzah and its open land, And Kedemoth and its open land and Meifa'ath and its open land. And from the tribe of Gad: Ra'amoth in the Gilead and its open land and Machanayim and its open land. And Cheshbon and its open land and Yazer and its open land. Chapter 7 The sons of Issachar: Tola and Puah, Yashuv and Shimron — four. And the sons of Tolah: Uzzi and Refaya and Yeriel and Yachmai and Yivsam and Shmuel, heads of the house of their fathers. From Tola there issued men of valor, in their genderings. Their numbers in the days of David were twenty-two thousand and six hundred. And the sons of Uzzi: Yizrachyah. And the sons of Yizrachyah: Michael and Ovadyah and Yoel (and) Yeshiya — five heads, all, [(the father and the sons)]. And among them, in their genderings, by the house of their fathers, ranks for war, thirty-six thousand, for they multiplied wives and sons. And their brothers, of all the families of Issachar, men of valor, eighty-seven thousand, all (confirmed) in their lineage. Benjamin: Bela and Becher and Yedia'el — three. And the sons of Bela: Etzbon and Uzzi and Uziel and Yerimoth and Iri — five heads of a father's house, men of valor, twenty-two thousand and thirty-four in their lineage. And the sons of Becher: Zimrah and Yoash and Eliezer and Elyoenai and Omri and Yeremoth and Aviyah and Anathoth and Alemeth — all these, the sons of Bacher. And their lineage by their birth according to the heads of the house of their fathers, men of valor, twenty thousand and two hundred. And the sons of Yediel, Bilhan. And the sons of Bilhan: Yeush and Binyamin and Ehud and Kena'anah and Zeithan and Tarshish and Achishachar. All these, the sons of Yediel, for the heads of the fathers, men of valor, seventeen thousand and two hundred, going out in the army for war. And Shupim and Chupim, the sons of Ir, (and) Chushim, the sons of Acher. The sons of Naftali: Yachtziel and Guni and Yetzer and Shalum, the sons of Bilhah. The sons of Menasheh: Asriel, whom she [(his wife)] bore. His Aramite concubine bore Machir, the father of Gilead. And Machir took to wife [the sister of] Chupim and Shupim, the name of whose sister was Ma'achah. And the name of the second [generation to Asriel] was Tzelafchad [(the son of Chefer, Asriel's brother [viz. Numbers 26:29-33])]. And Tzelafchad had daughters [(but no sons)]. And Ma'achah, the wife of Machir, begot a son, and she called his name Peresh, and his brother's name was Sharesh, and his [Peresh's] sons were Ulam and Rakem. And the sons of Ulam: Bedan. These are the sons of Gilead the son of Machir the son of Menasheh. And his sister, who reigned [in Gilead], bore Ashihod and Aviezer and Machlah. And the sons of Sh'mida [(the son of Gilead)]: Achyan and Shechem and Likchi and Aniam. And the sons of Ephraim: Shuthalach, and Vered his son and Tachath his son and Elada his son and Tachath his son. And Zavad his son and Shuthelach his son and Ezer and Elad. And the men of Gath, who were born in the land, killed them, for they went down to take their cattle. And Ephraim their father mourned many days and his brothers came to console him. And he came to [i.e., cohabited with] his wife and she conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Beriyah, for evil (ra'ah) was in his house [(at the time of his birth)]. And his daughter was She'erah, and she built the lower Beth-choron and the upper, and Uzen-she'erah. And Refach was his [(Beriyah's)] son, and Reshef and Telach his [(Refach's)] sons and Tachan his [(Telach's)] son. La'adan his son; Amihud, his son; Elishama, his son. Nun, his son; Joshua, his son. And their holding and dwelling was Beth-el and its villages, and, to the east, Na'aran, and, to the west, Gezer and its villages, and Shechem and its villages, until Ayah and its villages, and near the sons of Menasheh: Beth-shean and its villages, Ta'anach and its villages, Megiddo and its villages, Dor and its villages. In these dwelt the sons of Joseph, the son of Israel. The sons of Asher: Yimnah and Yishvah and Yishvi and Beriyah and Serach, their sister. And the sons of Beriyah: Chever and Malkiel. He is the father of Birzayith. And Chever begot Yaflet and Shomer and Chotham and Shua, their sister. And the sons of Yaflet: Pasach and Bimhal and Ashvath. These are the sons of Yaflet. And the sons of Shamer, the brother of Verahgah, Vechubah and Aram. And the sons of Helem, his brother: Tzofach and Yimnah and Shelesh and Amal. The sons of Tzofach: Suach and Charnefer and Shual and Beri and Yimrah, Betzer and Hod and Shama and Shlishah and Yithran and Be'erah. And the sons of Yether: Yefuneh and Pispah and Ara. And the sons of Ulla: Arach and Chaniel and Ritzya. All these, the sons of Asher, chosen heads of the father's houses, men of valor, heads of the princes confirmed in their lineage in the army in war; their number, twenty-six thousand men. Chapter 8 And Benjamin begot Bela, his first-born; Ashbel, the second; Achrath, the third; Nochah, the fourth; and Rafa, the fifth. And Bela had sons: Adar and Gera and Avihud, and Avishua and Na'aman and Achoach, and Gera and Shefufan and Churam. And these are the sons of Echud. They are the heads of the fathers' [houses] of the dwellers of Geva, and they [(Na'aman, etc.)] exiled them [(the dwellers of Geva)] to Manachath. Na'aman and Achiyah and Gera, he [(Gera)] exiled them, and he begot Uzza and Achichud. And Shacharayim begot in the field of Moav, when he exiled them, (from) Chushim and Ba'ara, his wives. And he begot from Chodesh, his wife: Yovav and Tzivya and Mesha and Malkam, and Ye'utz and Sachya and Mirma. These are his sons, heads of fathers' [houses]. And from Chushim he begot Avituv and Elpa'al. And the sons of Elpa'al: Ever and Misham and Shamed (He [(Shamed)] built Ono and Lod and its villages), and [(Elpa'al begot)] Beriah and Shema. They are the heads of the fathers' [houses] of the dwellers of Ayalon. They drove out the dwellers of Gath. And Achyo and Shashak and Yeremoth, and Zevadyah and Arad and Ader, and Michael and Yishpah and Yochah — the sons of Beriah. And Zevadyah and Meshulam and Chizki and Chaver, and Yishmerai and Yizliah and Yovav — the sons of Elpa'al. And Yakim and Zichri and Zavdi, and Elienai and Tzilthai and Eliel, and Adaya and Berayah and Shimrath — the sons of Shim'i. And Yishpan and Ever and Eliel, and Avdon and Zichri and Chanan, and Chananiah and Elam and Antothiah, and Yifdeyah and Penuel — the sons of Shashak. And Shamsherai and Shecharyah and Atalyah, and Yarasheyah and Eliyah and Zichri — the sons of Yerocham. These are the heads of the fathers' [houses] by their genderings — these dwelt in Jerusalem. And in Giveon there dwelt Avi-Giveon (his wife's name was Ma'achah), and his first-born son, Avdon, and Tzur and Kish and Ba'al and Nadav, and Gedor and Achyo and Zacher. And Mikloth begot Shim'ah. And they, too — opposite their brothers — dwelt in Jerusalem with their brothers. And Ner begot Kish, and Kish begot Saul, and Saul begot Jonathan, and Malkishua and Avinadav and Eshba'al. And the son of Jonathan was Meriv-ba'al. And Meriv-ba'al begot Michah. And the sons of Michah: Pithon and Melech and Tarea and Achaz. And Achaz begot Yehoadah, and Yehoadah begot Alemeth and Azmaveth and Zimri. And Zimri begot Motza. And Motza begot Binah; Rafa, his [(Binah's)] son; Elassah, his son; Atzel, his son. Atzel had six sons, and these are their names: Azrikam, Bochru, and Yishmael and She'aryah and Ovadyah and Chanan — all these, the sons of Atzel. And the sons of Eshek, his brother: Ullam, his first-born; Yeush, the second; and Elifelet, the third. And the sons of Ullam were mighty men of valor, drawers of he bow, and multiplying sons and sons of sons, one hundred and fifty. All these of the sons of Benjamin. Chapter 9 And all of Israel [(as opposed to Judah)] traced themselves [(to their fathers' houses)] and they are recorded in the book of the kings of Israel [(which is found with them in exile)], and Judah was exiled to Bavel for its faithlessness, [(their genealogical records with them, from which I ([Ezra, one of the exiles]) have copied what is recorded herein.)] And the first settlers [(to return from exile with Zerubavel, settling)] in their holdings in their cities, were the Israelites [i.e., those from all the tribes of Israel who had mixed with Judah)], the priests, the Levites, and the Nethinites [i.e., the Giveonites (viz. Joshua 9:27)]. And in Jerusalem there settled [(only those)] from the sons of Judah, from the sons of Benjamin, and from the sons of Ephraim and Menasheh: Uthai the son of Amihud, the son of Omri, the son of Imri, the son of Bani, of the sons of Peretz, the son of Judah. And from the Shilonites, [(from the sons of Shelah, the son of Judah)]: Assayah, the first-born, and his sons. And from the sons of Zerach, Yeuel, and their [Yeuel and Assaya's] brothers, six hundred and ninety (men). And from the sons of Benjamin: Salu the son of Meshullam the son of Hodavyah the son of Hassnuah, and Yivneyah the son of Yerocham and Elah the son of Uzzi the son of Michri and Meshullam the son of Shefatyah the son of Reuel the son of Yivniyah. And their brothers, by their genderings, nine hundred and fifty-six. All these, men [of note], heads of fathers, of their fathers' houses. And from the Cohanim: Yedayah and Yehoyariv and Yachin. And Azaryah the son of Shilkiyah the son of Meshullam the son of Tzaddok the son of Merayoth the son of Achituv was appointed over the house of G-d. And Adayah the son of Yerocham the son of Pashchur the son of Malkiah, and Ma'assai the son of Adiel the son of Yachzerah the son of Meshullam the son of Meshilemith the son of Imar, and their brothers, heads of their fathers' houses, one thousand and seven hundred strong, (performed) the work of the service of the house of G-d. And from the Levites: Shmayah the son of Chashuv the son of Azrikam the son of Chashavyah, of the sons of Merari. And Bakbakar, Cheresh, and Galal and Matanyah the son of Micha, the son of Zichri the son of Asaf. And Ovadyah the son of Shemayah the son of Galal the son of Yeduthun, and Berechyah the son of Assa the son of Elkanah, who dwelt in the towns of the Netophathites. And the gatekeepers: Shalum and Akuv and Talmon and Achiman and their brothers, Shalum the head. And from here to the king's gate in the east. They were the gatekeepers of the camps of the sons of Levi. And Shalum the son of Korei the son of Evyasaf the son of Korach and his brothers of his father's house, the Korchites, over the work of the service, keepers of the thresholds of the tent, and their fathers over the camp of the L-rd, keepers of the entry. And Pinchas the son of Elazar was appointed over them of yore, the L-rd being with him. Zecharyah the son of Meshulamyah was the gatekeeper of the entry of the tent of meeting. All chosen as gatekeepers of the thresholds. Two hundred and twelve were they, in their towns, by their lineage, these [watches] being instituted by David and Samuel the seer, in perpetuity. And they and their sons were (appointed) over the gates of the house of the L-rd, of the house of the tent, by watches. At four sides were the gatekeepers: east, west, north, and south. And their brothers in their towns, were (to come, alternately) at (the end of) seven days, from time to time [i.e., from week to week], with these. For they were a fixed (institution), the four stalwarts of the gates, the Levites. And they were (appointed) over the chambers and the treasuries of the house of G-d. And roundabout the house of G-d did they reside, the watch being theirs. And they were (appointed) over the opening (of the gates) each morning. And some of them were over the service vessels, bringing them out [for their service] by number and taking them back by number. And some of them were appointed over the [other] vessels and over all the holy implements, and over the fine flour and the wine and the oil and the frankincense and the spices. And from the sons of the priests were the spice compounders [(for the incense)]. And Matithyah of the Levites, the first-born of Shalum the Korchite, was entrusted over the making of the pan-cakes [viz. Leviticus 6:13]. And (also) from the sons of the Kehothites, from their brothers [of the sons of Korach], over the showbread, to prepare (it) every Sabbath. But these singers [viz. 6:16], the heads of the fathers' [houses] of the Levites, in the chambers, are exempt [from any other work], for day and night the work [(entailed by singing)] is upon them. These [(those mentioned above)] are the heads of the fathers of the Levites, heads of their [(their fathers')] genderings. These dwelt in Jerusalem. [reversion to 8:29-38 (in leading up to the account of the Davidic dynasty)] And in Giveon there dwelt Avi-Gideon, Yeiel (his wife's name was Ma'achah), and his first-born son, Avdon, and Tzur and Kish and Ba'al and Ner and Nadav, and Gedor and Achyo and Zecharyah and Mikloth. And Mikloth begot Shim'am. And they, too — opposite their brothers — dwelt in Jerusalem with their brothers. And Ner begot Kish, and Kish begot Saul, and Saul begot Jonathan, and Malkishua and Avinadav and Eshba'al. And the son of Jonathan was Meriv-ba'al. And Meriv-ba'al begot Michah. And the sons of Michah: Pithon and Melech and Tachrea. And Achaz begot Ya'arah, and Ya'arah begot Alemeth and Azmaveth and Zimri. And Zimri begot Motza. And Motza begot Binah; Rafa, his [(Binah's)] son; Elassah, his son. Atzel had six sons, and these are their names: Azrikam, Bochru, and Yishmael and She'aryah and Ovadyah and Chanan — (all) these, the sons of Atzel. Chapter 10 [viz. I Samuel 31] And the Philistines warred with Israel, and the men of Israel fled before the Philistines, and they fell slain on Mount Gilboa. And the Philistines overtook Saul and his sons, and the Philistines smote Jonathan and Avinadav and Malkishua, the sons of Saul. And the battle pressed hard on Saul, and he was found by archers, and he was sorely wounded by the archers. And Saul said to his weapon bearer: Draw your sword and run me through with it, lest these uncircumcised ones come and run me through and abuse me. But his weapon bearer would not, for he feared greatly. And Saul took the sword and he fell upon it. And when his weapon bearer saw that Saul had died, he, too, fell on his sword and died. And Saul died, and his three sons, and all his household; together they died. And all the men of Israel in the valley saw that they had fled and that Saul and his sons had died, and they left their cities and fled, and the Philistines came and dwelt in them. And it was on the morrow that the Philistines came to strip the slain, and they found Saul and his sons fallen on Mount Gilboa. And they stripped him, and they took up his head and his armor, and they sent [them by messenger] in the land of the Philistines roundabout to apprise [the men of] their [houses of] idolatry and the people. And they put his armor in the house of their god, and they stuck his skull in the house of Dagon. And all of Yavesh-gilead heard of all that the Philistines had done to Saul. And all the men of valor arose and took up Saul's body and the bodies of his sons and brought them to Yavesh, and they buried their bones under the oak in Yavesh, and they fasted seven days. And Saul died because of his faithlessness, wherein he was faithless to the L-rd, not having kept the word of the L-rd, and, also, having inquired of the ov [viz. I Samuel 28:7]. And he did not inquire of the L-rd, and He slew him, and He transferred the reign to David the son of Yishai. Chapter 11 And all of Israel gathered together to David, to Chevron, saying: Behold, we are your bone and flesh. Also of yore, also when Saul was king, it was you who led Israel out and brought them in. And the L-rd said to you: You shall graze My people Israel, and you shall be a leader over Israel. And all the elders of Israel came to the king in Chevron and David made a covenant with them in Chevron before the L-rd. And they anointed David as king over Israel, according to the word of the L-rd by Samuel. And David and all of Israel went to Jerusalem — Yevus — where the Yevusites were, the inhabitants of the land. And the inhabitants of Yevus said to David: You will not come here. And David took [(Yevus)] Metzudath Tziyon [("the stronghold of Zion")], which is the city of David. And David said: Whoever smites the Yevusites, [going up] first, will be chief and head. And Yoav the son of Tzeruyah went up first, and he became the head. And David dwelt in the stronghold, wherefore they called it "the city of David." And he built the city roundabout the milo [(a low-walled enclosure encircling the stronghold)] and within it. And Yoav restored the rest of the city. And David grew ever greater, and the L-rd of hosts was with him. And these are the heads of David's stalwarts, who championed his kingdom, to make him king, according to the word of the L-rd concerning Israel. And these are the number of David's stalwarts [viz. II Samuel 23:8-39]: Yashavam the son of Chachmoni, head of the three. He would brandish his spear [(to fight further)] over three hundred that he had slain at one time. And after him, Elazar the son of Dodo the Achohite, among the three [choicest] of the mighty. He was with David in Pas-damim when the Philistines were gathered there for war. And there was a field-plot (there) full of barley. (And the people had fled from the Philistines). And they [(he and his men)] stood in the midst of the plot and they saved it and they smote the Philistines. And the L-rd wrought a great salvation. And there went down three of the chief officers upon the rock to David, to the cave of Adulam. And a troop of Philistines were encamped in the valley of Refaim. And David was then in the stronghold, and a garrison of the Philistines was then in Beth-lechem [(having been sent there from the valley of Refaim)]. And David lusted [to drink] and he said: Would that someone gave me water to drink from the well of Beth-lechem near the gate! And the three broke through the camp of the Philistines and drew water from the well of Beth-lechem near the gate. And they carried it and brought it to David. And David did not want to drink it, and he poured it out before the L-rd. And he said: G d forbid that I should do this. Shall I drink [the blood] of these men with their lives? For at [the risk of] their lives did they bring it! And he did not want to drink it. These (things) were done by the three warriors. And Avishai the brother of Yoav was the head of the three. He would brandish his spear [(to fight further)] over three hundred that he had slain, and he had a name among the three. Of the three he was more honored than the two (others), and he was their leader, but to the [first] three [viz. 11] he did not approach. (And) Benayah the son of Yehoyada, a man of valor, of many feats, of Kavtze'el. He smote the two heroes of Moav. And he went down and smote the lion in the midst of the pit on a day of snow. And he smote the Egyptian, a man of (great) stature, five [cubits] by the [royal] cubit. And in the Egyptian's hand was a spear like a weaver's beam. And he went down to him with a staff, snatched the spear from the Egyptian's hand, and slew him with his (own) spear. These (things) were done by Benayahu the son of Yehoyada, and he had a name among the three warriors. Of the officers he was most honored, but he did not approach the three. And David placed him at his command. The chief of the soldiers: Asahel the brother of Yoav, Elchanan the son of Dodo of Beth-lechem, Shamoth the Harorite, Cheletz the Plonite, Ira the son of Ikesh the Teko'ite, Aviezer the Anthothite, Sivchai the Chushathite, Illai the Achochite, Ithai the son of Rivai of Giveah of the sons of Benjamin, Benayah the Pirathonite, Churai of Nachalei-ga'ash, Aviel the Arvathite, Azmaveth the Bacharumite, Elyachba the Sha'alvonite, the sons of Hashem the Gizonite, Jonathan the son of Shageh the Hararite, Achiam the son of Sachar the Hararite, Elifal the son of Ur, Chefer the Mecherathite, Achiyah the Plonite, Chetzro the Carmelite, Na'arai the son of Ezbi, Yoel the brother of Nathan, Mivchar the son of Hagri, Tzelek the Ammonite, Nachrai the Berothite, the weapon bearer of Yoav, the son of Tzeruyah, Ira the Yithrite, Garev the Yithrite, Uriah the Hittite, Zavad the son of Achlai, Adina the son of Shiza the Reuvenite, the head of the Reuvenites and officers with him, Chanan the son of Ma'achah and Yoshafat the Mithnite, Uzzia the Ashterathite, Shama and Yeiel the sons of Chotham the Aroerite, Yediel the son of Shimri and Yoav his brother, the Titzite, Eliel the Machavite and Yerivai and Yoshvayah, the sons of Elna'am and Yithma the Moavite, Eliel and Oved and Ya'asiel the Metzovayite. Chapter 12 And these are the ones who came to David to Tziklag, while he was still hiding from Saul the son of Kish. And they were among the stalwarts, aiding (him) in the war, wielding the bow with the right hand or the left hand, with stones or arrows in the bow, of the brothers [i.e., the kin] of Saul, of Benjamin. The chief, Achiezer, and Yoash the son of Hashma'ah the Giveathite, and Yeziel and Pelet the sons of Azmaveth, and Berachah and Yehu the Anthothite. And Yishmayah the Giveonite, the strongest of the officers and over the officers. And Yirmiyah and Yachaziel and Yochanan, and Yozavad the Gederathite, Eluzai and Yirimoth and Bealiah and Shmaryahu and Shefatyahu the Charufite, Elkanah and Yishiyahu and Azarel and Yoezer and Yashavam the Korchites. And Yoela and Zevadyah the sons of Yerocham of Gedor. And from the Gadites there parted [from Saul] to David to (his) stronghold in the desert, men of valor, men of battle, wielders of shield and spear; their faces like the faces of lions, and like mountain gazelles for swiftness: Ezer, the chief; Ovadiah, the second; Eliav, the third; Mishmanah, the fourth; Yirmiah, the fifth; Attai, the sixth; Eliel, the seventh, Yochanan, the eighth; Elzavad, the ninth; Yirmiyahu, the tenth; Machbanai, the eleventh. These were of the sons of Gad, the heads of the army. The least one (of them could pursue) a hundred, and the greatest, a thousand. These are the ones who crossed the Jordan in the first month, when it was overflowing all its banks, and they drove out all the valley (-dwellers) to the east and to the west. And there came, of the sons of Benjamin and Judah to the stronghold, to David. And David went out before them and said to them: If for peace you have come to me, to aid me, may my heart be upon you as one (heart); but if to deceive me (and hand me over) to my foes, with no wrong in my hands, may the G-d of our fathers see (it) and exact payment. And a spirit invested Amassai, the chief of the officers (and he said:) [We are] for you, David, and with you, son of Yishai: Peace, peace unto you and peace to your helpers, for the L-rd has helped you! And David received them and placed them at the heads of the battalions. And from Menasheh there went over (men) to David, when he came with the Philistines against Saul for war (But he did not help them [the Philistines], for in counsel the chiefs of the Philistines sent him away, saying: "With our heads [as a bribe], he will go over to his master, Saul" [who will thereby pardon him]). When he went (back) to Tziklag, there went over to him of Menasheh: Adnach and Yozavad and Yedia'el and Michael and Yozavad and Elihu and Tzilathai, chiefs of the thousands of Menasheh. And they aided David against the band [of Amalekites (viz. I Samuel 30:17)], for they were all men of valor, and they were officers in the army. And these are the numbers of the heads of the vanguards of the army (who) came to David to Chevron to transfer Saul's kingdom to him according to the (word of) the L rd. And these are the numbers of the heads of the vanguards of the army (who) came to David to Chevron to transfer Saul's kingdom to him according to the (word of) the L-rd. The sons of Judah, bearers of shield and spear, six thousand and eight hundred warriors. Of the sons of Shimon, warriors for the host, seven thousand and one hundred. Of the sons of the Levites, four thousand and six hundred. And Yehoyadah [(the father of Benayahu)], the prince of Aaron, and with him, three thousand and seven hundred. And Tzaddok, a youth, a man of valor, and his father's house, officers, twenty-two. And of the sons of Benjamin, the brothers [i.e., the kin] of Saul, three thousand, most of them, heretofore, keepers of the house of Saul. And of the sons of Ephraim, twenty thousand and eight hundred warriors, men of repute in the house of their fathers. And of the half-tribe of Menasheh, eighteen thousand, designated by name, to come to crown David. And of the sons of Issachar, knowers of understanding for the [intercalation of the] times, to know what Israel should do [(vis-à-vis festival designation)], their heads, two hundred, and all their brothers (abiding) by their word. From Zevulun, going out in the host, and waging war with all kinds of weapons, fifty-thousand, of undivided heart. And from Naftali, a thousand officers, and with them, (men of) shield and spear, thirty-seven thousand. And from the Danites, wagers of war, twenty-eight thousand and six hundred. And from Asher, going out in the host to wage war, forty thousand. And from across the Jordan, from the Reuvenites and the Gadites and the half-tribe of Menasheh, with all weapons of the host of war, one hundred and twenty thousand. All these, men of war, in battle array, with whole heart, came to Chevron to make David king over all of Israel. And all the rest of Israel were of one heart to crown David. And they were there with David for three days, eating and drinking, their kinsmen having prepared (a repast) for them. And also those in proximity to them, until (the territory of) Issachar and Zevulun and Naftali, brought provisions on asses, camels, mules, and cattle — food of flour, dried figs, and raisins and wine and oil, and cattle and sheep in abundance, for there was joy in Israel. Chapter 13 And David took counsel with the officers of the thousands and the hundreds, by all the leaders. And David said to the entire congregation of Israel: If it is acceptable to you, and it has gone forth from the L-rd our G-d, let us send to our brothers remaining in all the lands of Israel, and with them, the Cohanim and the Levites in the cities of their open lands, and let them gather themselves unto us. And let us return the ark of our G-d to us, for we did not solicit Him in the days of Saul. And the entire congregation said to do so, for the thing was right in the eyes of all the people. And David gathered all of Israel, from Shichor of Egypt until Levo-chamath, to bring the ark of G-d from Kiryath-yearim. And David went up, and all of Israel, to Ba'alah, to Kiryath-yearim of Judah, to bring up from there the ark of G-d, the L-rd, who dwells upon the cherubs, which was called by the Name. And they placed the ark of G-d on a new wagon (and they took it) from the house of Avinadav, Uzza and Achyo [(the sons of Avinadav)], leading the wagon. And David and all of Israel disported themselves before G-d with all (their) might, and with song and with harps and with psalteries and with timbrels, and with cymbals and with trumpets. And they came to Goren-Kiddon, and Uzza sent forth his hand to take hold of the ark, for the oxen had caused (it) to sway. And the L-rd was wroth with Uzza, and He smote him for having sent forth his hand to the ark [viz. II Samuel 6:7], and he died there before G-d. And David grieved over the L-rd's having made a breach (peretz) in Uzza. And he called that place Peretz-Uzza until this day. And David feared G-d on that day, saying: How will I bring to me the ark of G-d? And David did not turn the ark to himself to the city of David, and he diverted it to the house of Oved-edom, the Gittite [(a Levite gatekeeper)]. And the ark of G-d stayed in the house of Oved-edom the Gittite for three months. And the L-rd blessed the house of Oved-edom and all that was his. Chapter 14 And Chiram, the king of Tyre, sent messengers to David, with cedar wood, and [stone-] wall masons and carpenters to build him a house. And David knew [(when he saw everything that he did prospering and the kings of the heathens sending him gifts)] that the L-rd had established him as a king over Israel (and) that He had exalted his kingdom for the sake of His people, Israel. And David took more wives in Jerusalem, and David begot more sons and daughters. And these are the names of those born to him in Jerusalem: Shamua and Shovav, Nathan and Solomon. And Yivchar and Elishua and Elpalet. And Nogah and Nefeg and Yafia. And Elishama and Belyada and Elifalet. And the Philistines heard that they had anointed David as a king over all of Israel, and all the Philistines went up to seek out David. And David heard and he went out before them. And the Philistines came and spread out in the valley of Rephaim. And David inquired of G-d, saying: Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will You deliver them into my hand? And the L-rd said to him: Go up, and I will deliver them into your hand. And they went up in the plain of Peratzim and David smote them there. And David said: G-d has breached my foes in my hand as a "breach" [peretz] of water [i.e., as water that breaches its banks], wherefore he called the name of that place "the plain of Peratzim." And they left their gods there, and David commanded and they were burnt in fire. And the Philistines ventured again and they spread out in the valley. And David inquired of G-d again, and G-d said to him: Do not go up after them. Circle behind them and come against them opposite the mulberry trees. And it shall be, when you hear the sound of steps [(of angels that I am sending to your aid)] in the tops of the mulberry trees, then you shall attack, for (then) the L-rd has gone out before you to smite the camp of the Philistines. And David did as G-d had commanded him, and they smote the camp of the Philistines from Giveon until Gazrah. And David's name went forth throughout all the lands, and the L-rd set his fear upon all of the nations. Chapter 15 And he made for himself houses in the city of David, and he prepared a place for the ark of G-d, and he pitched a tent over it. Then David said: The ark of G-d should be borne only by the Levites; for them did the L-rd choose to bear the ark of G-d and to minister unto Him forever. And David congregated all of Israel into Jerusalem to bring up the ark of the L-rd to its place that he had prepared for it. And David gathered the sons of Aaron and the Levites. Of the sons of Kehoth, Uriel, the head, and his brothers, one hundred and twenty. Of the sons of Merari, Assayah, the head, and his brothers, two hundred and twenty. Of the sons of Gershom, Yoel, the head, and his brothers, one hundred and thirty. Of the sons of Elitzafan, Shemayah, the head, and his brothers, two hundred. Of the sons of Chevron, Eliel, the head, and his brothers, eighty. Of the sons of Uziel, Aminadav, and head, and his brothers, one hundred and twelve. And David called to Tzaddok and to Evyathar the Cohanim, and to the Levites: to Uriel, Assayah, and Yoel, Shemayah, Eliel and Aminadav. And he said to them: You are the heads of the fathers' [houses] of the Levites. Ready yourselves and your brothers, and you shall bring up the ark of the L-rd, the G-d of Israel to [the place that] I have prepared for it. For in the beginning [(when the ark was brought up from Kiryath-yearim)], it was not you [(who were the bearers, wherefore)] the L-rd our G-d made a breach in us, for we did not solicit Him as prescribed [(by having the ark borne by the Levites)]. And the Cohanim and the Levites readied themselves to bring up the ark of the L-rd, the G-d of Israel. And the sons of the Levites bore the ark of G-d as Moses had commanded by word of the L-rd, on their shoulders, with staves upon them. And David charged the heads of the Levites to post their brothers, the singers, with instruments of song, psalteries, harps, and cymbals, heightening the voice in joy. And the Levites posted Heiman the son of Yoel, and, of his brothers, Asaf the son of Berechyahu, and, of the sons of Merari, their brother, Eithan the son of Kushayahu. And with them, their brothers, seconding them, Zecharyahu, Bein and Ya'aziel, and Shmiramoth, and Yechiel, and Uni, and Eliav, and Benayahu, and Ma'aseyahu, and Matithyahu, and Eliflehu, and Mikneyahu, and Oved-edom, and Ye'iel, the gatekeepers. And the singers: Heiman, Asaf and Eithan, with resounding brass cymbals. And Zecharyah and Aziel and Shmiramoth and Yechiel and Uni and Eliav and Ma'aseyahu and Benayahu, with psalteries-al-alamoth. And Matithyahu and Eliflehu and Mikneyahu and Oved-edom and Yeiel and Azazyahu with harps-al-hashminith to conduct. And Kenanyahu, the leader of the Levites in song, presiding over song, in which he was expert. And Berachyah and Elkanah, ark sentries. And Shevanyahu and Yoshafat and Nethanel and Amassai and Zecharyahu and Benayahu and Eliezer the priests sounding trumpets before the ark of G-d, and Oved-edom and Yichyah, ark sentries. And David and the elders of Israel and the heads of the thousands who went to bring up the ark of the covenant of the L-rd from the house of Oved-edom rejoiced. And it was, G-d abetting the Levites, the bearers of the ark of the covenant of the L-rd, that they sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams. And David was enwrapped in a linen robe, and [i.e., as were] all the Levites bearing the ark, and the singers, and Kenanyah, the leader, presiding over the singers. And on David was a linen ephod. And all of Israel bringing up the ark of the covenant of the L-rd with shouting and with the sound of the shofar and with trumpets and with cymbals, sounding on psalteries and harps. And the ark of the covenant of the L-rd came until the city of David, and Michal the daughter of Saul looked out the window and saw King David dancing and disporting himself, and she despised him in her heart. Chapter 16 And they brought the ark of G-d and set it in the midst of the tent that David had pitched for it. And they sacrificed burnt-offerings and peace-offerings before G-d. And David finished sacrificing the burnt-offering and the peace-offerings and he blessed the people in the name of the L-rd. And he distributed to every one of Israel — from man to woman — to each, a loaf of bread, and a portion of meat and a flask of wine. And he placed before the ark of the L-rd (some) of the Levites, to minister, and to bring to remembrance and to thank and to praise the L-rd, the G-d of Israel: Asaf, the head, and his second, Zecharyah (and) Yeiel and Shmiramoth and Yechiel and Matithyah and Eliav and Benayahu and Oved-edom and Yeiel, with psalteries and harps, and Asaf clashing the cymbals. And Benayahu and Yachaziel the priests, with trumpets, always, before the ark of the covenant of the L-rd. On that day, then David relegated, in the beginning, to give thanks to the L-rd, Asaf and his brothers: [viz. Psalms 105:1-14] "Give thanks to the L-rd, call out in His name. Proclaim His deeds among the peoples. Sing to Him; play to Him. Recount all of His wonders. Glory in [the stronghold of] His holy name; let the heart of the seekers of the L-rd rejoice. Search out the L-rd and His strength; seek His face always. Remember the wonders which He wrought, His signs and the judgments of His mouth. O seed of Israel, His servant; sons of Jacob, His chosen ones — He is the L-rd our G-d; His judgments are in all the earth. He remembers His covenant forever, the thing which He commanded [and promised to observe for them] unto the thousandth generation [viz. Deuteronomy 7:9], whereon He made a covenant with Abraham, [and sealed] His oath with Isaac. And He set it up for Jacob as a statute; for Israel, as an eternal covenant, saying [(this being the covenant)]: To you shall I give the land of Canaan, the portion of your inheritance. When they were yet few in number, sparse, and sojourning in it, and they [(the patriarchs)] went around from one nation to another; from one kingdom to a different people. He allowed no man to despoil them and He chastised kings over them. [viz. Genesis 12:17] Touch not My anointed ones [i.e., My great ones], and harm not My prophets. [viz. Psalms 96] Sing to the L-rd all the earth; relate from day to day His salvation. Tell of His glory among the nations; among all the peoples, (tell) of His wonders. For great is the L-rd and greatly praised; He is awesome above all in heaven. For all the gods of the peoples are vain, and the L-rd created the heavens. Majesty and glory [go] before Him; might and joy, in His place. Accord to the L-rd, you families of the peoples, accord to the L-rd glory and might. Accord to the L-rd the glory of His name; raise an offering and come before Him; bow down to the L-rd in the splendor of holiness. Tremble before Him, all the earth! You have also founded the world that it not give way. The heavens will rejoice and the earth regale, and they will say among the nations: 'The L-rd reigns!' The sea will thunder and the fulness thereof [(It will reverberate His praise)]. The field will rejoice and all that is in it. Then, the trees of the forest [(the rulers of the nations)] will sing before the L-rd. For He has come to judge the earth. [viz. Psalms 106:1, 47-48] Give thanks to the L-rd, for He is good; for His lovingkindness endures forever. And say: Save us, O L-rd our G-d, and gather us and rescue us from the nations, to give thanks to Your holy name, to glory in Your praise. Blessed is the L-rd, the G-d of Israel, from the world [i.e., from this world] until the world [to come]." And all the people said "Amen" and [gave] praise to the L-rd. And he left there, before the ark of the covenant of the L-rd, Asaf and his brothers, to minister before the ark continually, the service of each day in its day, and Oved-Edom and their brethren, sixty-eight; and Oved-edom the son of Yedithun and Chosah as sentries. And Tzaddok the priest and his brothers the priests (he placed) before the tabernacle of the L-rd in the high place in Giveon, to offer up burnt-offerings to the L-rd on the altar of the burnt-offering, continually, morning and evening, and for all that is written in the Torah of the L-rd, which He commanded to Israel. And with them, Heiman and Yeduthun and the rest of the chosen ones singled out by name to give thanks to the L-rd — "for His lovingkindness endures forever!" And with them, (with) Heiman and Yeduthun, (were) trumpets and cymbals for sounding, and (other) instruments (for the service) of G-d. And the sons of Yeduthun (were appointed) for the (keeping of) the gate. And all the people went, each to his house, and David returned to bless his household. Chapter 17 [viz. II Samuel 7] And it was, when David dwelt in his house, that David said to Nathan the prophet: Behold, I dwell in a house of cedars, and the ark of the L-rd under curtains [of the tent]! And Nathan said to David: All that is in your heart, go and do, for G-d is with you. And it was in that night that the word of G-d came to Nathan, saying: Go and say to David, My servant: Thus has the L-rd said: You will not build Me a house to dwell in. For I have not dwelt in a house from the day that I brought up the children of Israel [from Egypt] until this day, and I was [i.e., went] from tent to tent and from tabernacle [to tabernacle]. Wherever I walked with all [the children of] Israel, did I ever speak this thing with any of the tribes [i.e., judges] of Israel whom I commanded to graze My people, saying: Why did you not build for Me a house of cedars? And now, thus shall you say to My servant David: Thus said the L-rd of hosts: I took you from the sheep-cote, from following the sheep, to be a leader over My people Israel. And I was with you wherever you went, and I cut off all your foes before you, [(wherefore [as per Deuteronomy 12:10] it entered your mind to build Me a temple)], and I made you a [great] name [i.e., "the Shield of David"], like the name of the great ones in the land [i.e., "the Shield of Avraham"]. [(But I desire even more peace before the Temple is built.)] I shall make a place for My people Israel, and I shall plant it. And it [Israel] shall dwell in its place and be vexed no more. And wicked men will no more afflict them as at first [(before the establishment of the judges)] and [(as they have been afflicting them)] from the days that I ordained judges over My people Israel. And I will humble all of your foes. And I tell you that the L-rd will build a house for you. And it will be, when your days have been filled to go with your fathers, and I raise up your seed after you, who will be of your sons, and I establish his kingdom — he will build Me a house, and I will establish his throne forever. I will be a Father to him and he will be a son to Me. And I will not remove My lovingkindness from him, as I removed it from [Saul] who was before you. And I will plant him in My house and in My kingdom forever, and his throne will be established forever. According to all of these words and according to all of this vision did Nathan speak with David. And King David came and he sat before the L-rd [i.e., before the ark], and he said: Who am I, O L-rd, and who [are those of] my house that You have brought me thus far [i.e., to kingdom]? And if this were too little in Your eyes, O G-d, You have [also] spoken of the house of Your servant from afar [i.e., to enthrone my son after me]. And You have seen me as a man of high degree, O L-rd G-d. What more can David [speak] to You [i.e., What more can I ask] whereby You can honor Your servant, when You know Your servant [i.e., when You know my needs and have filled all of them]? O L-rd, for the sake of Your servant and for [the doing of] Your will [(and not for my worthiness)] have You wrought all of this greatness, to apprise [Your servant] of all of these great things. O L-rd, there is none like You and there is no god beside You, as all that we have heard with our ears. And who is like Your people Israel, one nation in the land, before whom G-d walked to redeem (them) for Himself as a people, to make for Yourself a name of grandeurs and awesomenesses, to drive from before Your people, whom You redeemed from Egypt — nations. And You established Your people Israel for Yourself as a people forever. And You, O L-rd, were a G-d for them. And now, O L-rd G-d, the thing that You spoke for Your servant and for his house, establish (it) forever. And do as You have spoken. And let Your name be established and exalted forever, [(men)] saying: The L-rd of hosts, the G-d of Israel, is G-d to Israel, and may the house of David Your servant be established before You. For You, my G-d, have revealed to Your servant's ear that You would build him a house. Therefore, Your servant found [it in his heart] to pray before You. And now, O L-rd, You are G-d [(the Ruler, and You have the power to fulfill)], and You have spoken this good to Your servant. And now, deign to bless Your servant's house to be forever before You. For You, O L-rd, have blessed, and [it will be] blessed forever. Chapter 18 [viz. II Samuel 8] And it was after this that David smote the Philistines and humbled them, and he took Gath and its villages from the hand of the Philistines. And he smote Moav, and Moav became servants for David for the bearing of gifts. And David smote Hadadezer the king of Tzovah in Chamath, when he [(Hadadezer)] went to extend his border to the Euphrates River. And David took from him one thousand chariots and seven thousand riders and twenty thousand footmen. And David hamstrung all of the chariot [-horses (because of the interdict against a king's multiplying horses [viz. Deuteronomy 17:16])], and he left over of them [(for his personal use)] one hundred chariot [-teams of horses, i.e., four hundred horses]. And [the men of] Aram-darmesek came to aid Hadadezer, king of Tzovah, and David smote of Aram twenty-two thousand men. And David placed tax collectors in Aram-darmesek, and (the men of) Aram were servants for David to bear gifts. And the L-rd helped David in all that he undertook. And David took the golden quivers which were on the servants of Hadadezer and he brought them to Jerusalem. And from Tivchath and Kun, cities of Hadadezer, David took very much copper, with which Solomon made the copper Sea and the pillars and the copper vessels. And To'i, the king of Chamath, heard that David had defeated the entire army of Hadadezer, king of Tzovah. And he sent Hadoram his son to King David to greet him and to bless him for having warred with and smitten Hadadezer (Hadadezer having been Toi's (arch) war rival); and [Hadoram brought] all [manner of] vessels of gold and silver and copper. These, too, did King David dedicate to the [(temple of the) L-rd with the silver and the gold that he had taken from all the nations [that he had conquered]: from Edom and from Moav and from the sons of Ammon and from the Philistines and from Amalek. And Avshai the son of Tzeruyah smote Edom in the valley of Salt, eighteen thousand (men). And he placed tax collectors in Edom. And all (the men of) Edom were servants to David. And the L-rd helped David in all that he undertook. And David ruled over all of Israel. And David dispensed justice and charity for all of his people. And Yoav the son of Tzeruyah was over the army [i.e., Because David dispensed justice and charity, Yoav succeeded as a commander; and because Yoav succeeded in the implementation of justice, David succeeded in its administration], and Yehoshafat the son of Achilud was recorder [(of the order of judgments to come before David)]. And Tzaddok the son of Achituv and Avimelech the son of Evyathar were priests [(in official capacities)], and Shavsha was the scribe. And Benayahu the son of Yehoyada was (over) the archers and the slingers. And the sons of David were the first at the hand of the king. Chapter 19 [viz. II Samuel 10] And it was after this that Nachash, the king of the children of Ammon died, and his son reigned after him. And David said: I will do lovingkindness with Chanun the son of Nachash, for his father did lovingkindness with me [viz. I Samuel 22:4 (The king of Moav killed David's family, except one who was granted asylum by Nachash)]. And David sent messengers to console him for [the loss of] his father. And the servants of David came to the land of the children of Ammon. And the officers of the children of Ammon said to Chanun: Is David honoring your father in your eyes by sending you consolers? [(Israel is exhorted (Deuteronomy 23:7): "Do not seek their (Ammon and Moav's) peace." And he is seeking your peace!)] Is it not to search out and to turn over and to spy out the land that his servants have come to you? And Chanun took the servants of David and shaved [half of their beards] and cut off half their garments until the buttocks and sent them away. And they went and told David about the men. And he sent to them (for the men were greatly ashamed) and the king said: Remain in Jericho until your beards grow and then return. And the children of Ammon saw that they had become odious to David, and Chanun and the sons of Ammon sent a thousand talents of silver to hire for themselves, from Aram-naharayim and from Aram-ma'achah and from Tzovah, chariots and riders. And they hired for themselves thirty-two thousand chariots and the king of Ma'achah and his people. And they came and encamped before Medva, and the sons of Ammon gathered from their cities and came to war. And David heard and he sent Yoav and all the mighty men of the army. And the sons of Ammon went out and they arrayed themselves for battle at the entrance of the city. And the kings who had come were by themselves in the field. And when Yoav saw that the battlefront was before him and behind him, he chose all the picked ones of Israel and arrayed (them) against Aram. And the rest of the people he gave to Avishai his brother, and he arrayed (them) against the sons of Ammon. And he said: If Aram are too strong for me, then you come to my aid; and if the sons of Ammon are too strong for you, then I will help you. Strengthen (yourself) and we will be strong for our people and for the cities of our G-d, and the L-rd will do what is good in His eyes. And Yoav and the people who were with him drew forward to battle with Aram, and they fled before him. And when the sons of Ammon saw that Aram had fled, they, too, fled before Avishai, his brother, and they came to the city. And Yoav came to Jerusalem. And when Aram saw that they had been beaten by Israel, they sent messengers and brought out Aram (who were) on the other side of the river, with Shofach, the commander of Hadarezer's army before them. And it was told to David, and he gathered all of Israel, and he crossed the Jordan and came to them. And David arrayed himself against Aram for battle and they fought with him. And Aram fled before Israel. And David slew of Aram [the riders of] seven hundred chariots and forty thousand footmen. And Shofach, the commander, he put to death. And when the servants of Hadarezer saw that they were smitten before Israel, they made peace with David and served him. And Aram no longer wished to aid the sons of Ammon. Chapter 20 And it was, at the return of the (day of the) year of the kings' having gone out [to war against Israel] that Yoav led the army, and he destroyed the land of the children of Ammon, and he came and besieged Rabbah; but David stayed in Jerusalem. And Yoav smote Rabbah and destroyed it. And David took the crown of Malkam [(Molech, the abomination of Ammon)] off its head (it was found to weigh a talent of gold and in it was a precious stone), and [(its idolatrous status having been nullified by Ittai the Gittite)], it was (set) on David's head. And he brought out the spoils of the city in great abundance. And the people in it he took out and put them under saws and under sledges of iron and under axes. And thus did David do with all the cities of the children of Ammon. And David and all of the people returned to Jerusalem. And it was after this that war broke out in Gezer with the Philistines. Then Sivchai the Chushathite smote Sippai, of those begotten by the Refaim, and they were humbled. And there was another war with the Philistines, in which Elchanan the son of Yair smote Lachmi, the brother of Goliath the Gittite, the haft of whose spear was as (thick as) a weaver's beam. And there was anther war in Gath where there was a man of great stature, his fingers [(the fingers of his hands and the toes of his feet)] being six and six [(i.e., six on each of the four limbs)], twenty-four (all together). And he, too, had been born to the Raphah. And he taunted Israel. And he was smitten by Jonathan the son of Shima, the brother of David. These were born to the Raphah in Gath. And they fell by the hand of David and by the hand of his servants. Chapter 21 [viz. II Samuel 24] And Satan rose against Israel and incited David to count Israel. And David said to Yoav and to the officers of the people: Go and count Israel from Beersheva until Dan that I may know their number. And Yoav said: May the L-rd add to His people, like them, one hundred times. Are they not, my lord the king, all servants of my lord? Why does my lord desire this [(to number the people)], for the guilt of Israel? But the word of the king prevailed against Yoav. And Yoav went, and he traversed all of Israel, and he came to Jerusalem. And Yoav gave the count of the people to the king. And all of Israel were a thousand thousands and one hundred thousand men that drew the sword; and Judah, five hundred thousand men that drew the sword. And Levi and Benjamin he did not count among them, for the word of the king [(to count the people)] was repugnant to Yoav. And this thing [(the count)] was evil in the eyes of the L-rd, and He smote Israel. And David said to G-d: I have sinned greatly in having done this thing. And now, remove, I pray You, the sin of Your servant, for I have been very foolish. And the L-rd spoke to Gad, David's seer, saying: Go and speak to David: Thus has the L-rd said: I give you three [choices (corresponding to those you "gave" Saul [viz. I Samuel 26:10])]. Pick one of them and I will do it to you. And Gad came to David and said to him: Thus has the L-rd said; take it upon you: Either three years of famine, or three months in which you perish at the hand of your foes, the sword of your foes overtaking (you), or three days of the sword of the L-rd, pestilence in the land, and the angel of the L-rd destroying in all the border of Israel. And now, see, what answer shall I return to my Sender? And David said to Gad: I am sorely oppressed. Let me fall now into the hand of the L-rd [(i.e., pestilence, which is entirely in the hand of the L-rd, but not sword or famine, which, to a certain extent, is mediated by man)], for His mercies are very many, but let me not fall into the hand of man. And the L-rd sent a pestilence upon Israel. And there died of Israel seventy thousand men. And G-d sent an angel to Jerusalem to destroy it. And, as he destroyed, the L-rd saw and He bethought Himself of the evil. And He said to the angel devastating the people: "Enough! Now stay your hand!" And the angel of the L-rd was standing by the threshing floor of Arnan the Yevusite. And David lifted his eyes, and he saw the angel of the L-rd standing between earth and heaven with his sword drawn in his hand, stretched over Jerusalem. And David and the elders fell, covered with sackcloth, on their faces. And David said to G-d: Was it not I who said to count the people? It is I, then, who have sinned and who have done the evil. And these sheep, what did they do? Let Your hand be against me and against my father's house, but not against Your people, for plague! And an angel of the L-rd said to Gad to tell David that David should go up to erect an altar to the L-rd in the threshing floor of Arnan the Yevusite. And David went up by the word of Gad that he had spoken in the name of the L-rd. And Arnan returned, and he saw the angel. And his four sons, with him, hid themselves. (And Arnan had been threshing wheat.) And David came towards Arnan. And Arnan looked and he saw David. And he went out from the threshing floor and he bowed down to David with his face to the ground. And David said to Arnan: Give me the place of the threshing floor, and I will build in it an altar to the L-rd. Give it to me for its full price, and the plague will cease from the people. And Arnan said to David: Take it for yourself, and let my lord the king do what is good in his eyes. See, I have given the oxen for burnt-offerings and the threshing tools for [fire-] wood, and the wheat for the meal-offering. I have given all. And King David said to Arnan: No, but I will buy (it from you) at full price. For I will not take what is yours for the L-rd and offer up a burnt-offering for nothing. And David gave to Arnan for the place shekels of gold, six hundred by weight. And David built there an altar to the L-rd, and he offered up burnt-offerings and peace-offerings. And he called to the L-rd, and He answered him with fire from heaven on the altar of the burnt-offering. And the L-rd spoke to the angel, and he returned his sword to its sheath. At that time, when David saw that the L-rd had answered him in the threshing floor of Arnan the Yevusite, he sacrificed (i.e., he continued to sacrifice) there. And the tabernacle of the L-rd, which Moses had made in the desert, and the altar of the burnt-offering, at that time, were at the high place in Giveon. But David could not go before it to solicit G-d, for he feared the sword of the angel of the L-rd. Chapter 22 And David said: This is the house of the L-rd G-d and this is the altar for the burnt-offering of Israel. And David ordered to gather the strangers who were in Eretz Yisrael, and he set up hewers to hew wrought stone to build the house of G-d. And David prepared iron in abundance for the nails for the doors of the gates and for the couplings, and copper in abundance, without weight [i.e., beggaring weight]. And cedar trees without numbers; for the Tziddonites and the Tzorites brought cedar trees in abundance to David. And David said: Solomon my son is young and untried and the house must be built for the L-rd, to be greatly exalted for fame and glory through all the lands. I shall prepare it for him. And David prepared (it) abundantly before his death. And David called to Solomon his son and commanded him to build a house to the L-rd, the G-d of Israel. And David said to Solomon his son: I — it was in my heart to build a house for the name of the L-rd my G-d. And the word of the L-rd came to me, saying: "Blood in abundance did you spill, and great wars did you wage. You will not build a house for My name, for blood in abundance did you spill to the ground before Me. Behold, a son will be born to you. He will be a man of repose, and I will give him rest from all of his foes roundabout. For Shlomoh will be his name. and peace [(shalom)] and quiet will I give to Israel in his days. He will build a house in My name, and he will be a son to Me, and I [(will be)] to him a Father. And I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever." Now, my son, the L-rd will be with you, and you will succeed. And you will build the house of the L-rd your G-d as He spoke of you. But the L-rd will give you intelligence and understanding, and He will command you over Israel and (He will command you) to heed the Torah of the L-rd your G-d. Then you will succeed, if you take heed to do the statutes and the judgments which the L-rd commanded Moses for Israel. Be strong and firm. Do not fear and do not break. Behold, in my [(relative)] poverty, I have prepared for the house of the L-rd, gold, one hundred thousand talents, and silver, a thousand thousand talents, and copper and iron without weight, for it was (available) in abundance. And wood and stones did I prepare, and you shall add to them. And with you in abundance are doers of work: hewers and stone masons and wood masons, and all artisans in all (kinds of) work, for gold and silver and copper and iron, without number. Arise and do, and may the L-rd be with you. And David charged all the officers of Israel to help Solomon his son, [(saying:)] Is the L-rd your G-d not with you? And He will give you rest roundabout. For the L-rd has delivered the dwellers of the land into my hand. And the land has been conquered before the L-rd and before His people. Now, set your hearts and your souls to soliciting the L-rd your G-d. And arise and build the sanctuary of the L-rd G-d, to bring the ark of the covenant of the L-rd and the holy vessels of G-d to the house to be built in the name of the L-rd. Chapter 23 And David was old and sated of days and he made Solomon his son king over Israel. And he gathered together all the officers of Israel and the priests and the Levites. And the Levites were counted from thirty years old and above, and their number by their heads was thirty-three thousand men. Of these [(I, David, appointed)] to officiate at the service of the house of the L-rd, twenty-four thousand; and officers and judges, six thousand. And four thousand gatekeepers and four thousand praising the L-rd with instruments that I made for (such) praise. And David made divisions of the sons of Levi: Gershom, Kehoth and Merari: Of the Gershunites: La'adan and Shim'i. The sons of La'adan: the head, Yechiel, and Zetham and Yoel, three. The sons of Shim'i: Shlomith, Chaziel and Haran. These three were heads of the fathers' houses of La'adan. And the sons of Shim'i [(the son of Gershon)]: Yachath, Zina, and Yeush and Beriah. These, the sons of Shim'i, were four. And Yachath was the head, and Zizah, the second. And Yeush and Beriah did not have many children and they were a father's house as one. The sons of Kehoth: Amram, Yitzhar, Chevron and Uziel, four. The sons of Amram: Aaron and Moses. And Aaron was set apart to be sanctified as holy of holies, he and his sons forever, to burn incense before the L-rd, to minister before the L-rd and to bless [(Israel)] in His name, forever. And Moses, the man of G-d — his sons were ascribed to the tribe of Levi. The sons of Moses: Gershom and Eliezer. The sons of Gershom: Shevuel, the head. And the sons of Eliezer: Rechaviah, the head. And Eliezer had no other sons. And the sons of Rechaviah multiplied exceedingly. The sons of Yitzhar: Shlomith, the head. The sons of Chevron: Yeriyahu, the head; Amaryahu, the second; Yachaziel, the third; and Yekamam, the fourth. The sons of Uziel: Michah, the head, and Yishiyah, the second. The sons of Merari: Machli and Mushi. The sons of Machli: Elazar and Kish. And Elazar died, and he did not have sons, but daughters, and the sons of Kish, their brethren, wed them. The sons of Mushi: Machli and Eder and Yeremoth: three. These are the sons of Levi by their fathers' houses, the heads of the fathers' [houses] by their count, by the number of names according to head (count), doing the work for the service of the house of the L-rd, from twenty years and above. For David said: The L-rd G-d has given rest to His people Israel, and He has made Jerusalem His abode forever. And, also, the Levites need not bear the tabernacle and all its vessels for its service. For, in the latter words of David [(as opposed to the former [verse 3])], they are the number of the sons of Levi, from twenty years old and above. For their posts were alongside the sons of Aaron for the service of the house of the L-rd, for the [(Temple)] courts and for the chambers and for the purity of all sacred (objects) and (for) performance of the service of the house of G-d. And for the showbread and for the fine flour for the meal-offering, and for unleavened wafers and for griddle [meal-offerings] and for soaked [fine flour meal-offerings] and for all liquid measures and dry measures. And to stand every morning [(to sing at the daily offerings)] to give thanks and praise to the L-rd, and so in the evening. And for all the burnt-offering sacrifices to the L-rd, on Sabbaths, New Moons and festivals, according to their ordained number, always, before the L-rd. And they shall keep the watch of the tent of meeting and the watch of the sacred (objects) and the watch of the sons of Aaron their brothers for the service of the house of the L-rd. Chapter 24 And of the sons of Aaron, their divisions: The sons of Aaron: Nadav and Avihu, Elazar and Ithamar. And Nadav and Avihu died before their father. And they did not have sons, and Elazar and Ithamar served [(in their stead)]. And David divided them. And Tzaddok, of the sons of Elazar; and Achimelech, of the sons of Ithamar, were (appointed) by their numbers in their work. And the sons of Elazar were found to be more, according to the heads of the men, than the sons of Ithamar, and they divided them: Of the sons of Elazar, heads of fathers' houses, sixteen; and of the sons of Ithamar, by their fathers' houses, eight. And they divided them by lots [(Who would serve first; who next, etc.)], these with these. For they were (all) princes of the sanctuary and princes of G-d, of the sons of Elazar and of the sons of Ithamar. And Shemayah the son of Nethanel the scribe, of the Levites, wrote them [(the names of the heads of houses, on ballots)] before the king and the officers and Tzaddok the priest and Achimelech the son of Evyathar, and the heads of the houses of the priests and the Levites; (every) father's house receiving an additional (father's house) for Elazar; and what was (already) held, (continuing to be) held by Ithamar. And the first lot fell out for Yehoyariv. For Yedayah, the second; for Charim, the third; for Se'orin, the fourth; for Malkiyah, the fifth; for Miyamin, the sixth; for Hakhots, the seventh; for Aviyah, the eighth; for Yeshua, the ninth; for Shechanyahu, the tenth; for Elyashiv, the eleventh; for Yakim, the twelfth; for Chuppah, the thirteenth; for Yeshevav, the fourteenth; for Bilgah, the fifteenth; for Immer, the sixteenth; for Chezir, the seventeenth; for Hapitzetz, the eighteenth; for Petachyah, the nineteenth; for Yechezkel, the twentieth; for Yachin, the twenty-first; for Gamul, the twenty-second; for Delayahu, the twenty-third; for Ma'azyahu, the twenty-fourth. These are their numbers [i.e., the numbers of their watches] for their service, to come to the house of the L-rd as ordained, by the hand of Aaron their father, as the L-rd, the G-d of Israel, commanded him. And, of the remaining sons of Levi [(aside from the priests and the sons of Gershon)]: Of the sons of Amram, [(the head of the house, previously called)] Shuviel, [(now,)] of the sons of Shuviel — Yechdeyahu. Of Rechavyahu, of the sons of Rechavyahu, the head — Yishiyah. Of the Yitzharites, Shlomoth; of the sons of Shlomoth — Yachath. And the sons of Yeriyahu [i.e., the father's house called by that name, combined with] Amaryahu, its second, [(to be called Amaryahu)]; Yachaziel, the third; Yekamam, the fourth. The sons of Uziel, Michah; of the sons of Michah — Shamir. The brother of Michah, Yishiyah; of the sons of Yishiyah — Zecharyahu. [(There were now joined to what were previously the fathers' houses of)] the sons of Merari — Machli and Mushi — [the fathers' houses of] the sons of Ya'aziyahu, his [(Merari's)] son. [(The fathers' houses of)] the sons of Merari from Ya'aziyahu, his son: Shoham and Zakkur and Ivri. Of Machli, Elazar; and he [(Elazar)] had no sons. Of Kish, of the sons of Kish — Yerachme'el. And the sons of Mushi: Machli and Eder and Yerimoth [i.e., their fathers' houses remained the same] These are the sons of the Levites by their fathers' houses [(twenty-four, corresponding to the twenty-four of the Cohanim)]. And they, too, cast lots [(for order of service)] alongside their brothers, the sons of Aaron, before King David and Tzaddok and Achimelech and the heads of the houses of the priests and the Levites — Avoth, the head [(of all the fathers' houses)] alongside his brother, the minor [i.e. no precedence in serving order being granted him because of his superior status] Chapter 25 And David and the officers of the host for the [sacred] service set apart [from the rest of the Levites, for service of song] the [(four)] sons of Asaph and [(the fourteen sons of)] Heiman, and [(the six sons of)] Yeduthun [(all together, twenty-four, corresponding to the twenty-four priestly watches)], who prophesied [(by the Holy Spirit)], with harps, lyres, and cymbals. And their number, skilled in their service: Of the sons of Asaph: Zakkur and Yosef and Netanyah and Asarela, the sons of Asaph, (taught in song) by Asaph, who prophesied [(at their head)] by [mandate of] the king. Of Yeduthun, the sons of Yeduthun: Gedalyahu and Tz'ri and Yeshayahu, Chashavyahu and Matithyahu — [(ultimately)] six, [taught] by their father Yeduthun, in the harp, who prophesied in thanks and praise to the L-rd. Of Heiman, the sons of Heiman: Bukiyahu, Matanyahu, Uziel, Shevual, Yerimoth, Chananiah, Chanani, Eliathah, Gidalti and Romamti-Ezer, Yoshbekashah, Malothi, Hothir, Machaziyoth. All these, sons of Heiman, the king's seer by word of G-d, to exalt the horn [of David's kingdom]. And G-d gave to Heiman fourteen sons and three daughters. All these (taught) by their father in song, in the house of the L-rd, with cymbals, psalteries, and harps, for the service of the house of the L-rd, (as mandated) by the king — Asaph, Yeduthun, and Heiman. And their number was, with their brethren, taught in song to the L-rd, all who knew [(this service)], two hundred and twenty-eight. And they cast lots [(for priority in order of service)], watch for watch, small and great alike, master and disciple. And the first lot fell out for Asaph, for Yosef [(his son)]. Gedalyahu [(the son of Yeduthun)], the second; he and his brethren and his sons — twelve [(twelve Levites for each of the twenty-four watches, giving a total of two hundred and twenty-eight [viz. 7])] The third, Zakkur [(the son of Asaph)]; his sons and his brethren, twelve. The fourth, for Yitzri [(Tz'ri, the son of Yeduthun)]; his sons and his brethren, twelve. The fifth, Netanyahu; his sons and his brethren, twelve. The sixth, Bukiyahu; his sons and his brethren, twelve. The seventh, Yesarelah; his sons and his brethren, twelve. The eighth, Yeshayahu; his sons and his brethren, twelve. The ninth, Matanyahu; his sons and his brethren, twelve. The tenth, Shim'i; his sons and his brethren, twelve. The eleventh, Azarel; his sons and his brethren, twelve. The twelfth, for Chashavyah; his sons and his brethren, twelve. The thirteenth, Shuvael; his sons and his brethren, twelve. The fourteenth, Matithyahu; his sons and his brethren, twelve. The fifteenth, Yeremoth; his sons and his brethren, twelve. The sixteenth, for Chananyahu; his sons and his brethren, twelve. The seventeenth, Yoshbekashah; his sons and his brethren, twelve. The eighteenth, for Chanani; his sons and his brethren, twelve. The nineteenth, for Malothi; his sons and his brethren, twelve. The twentieth, for Eliathah; his sons and his brethren, twelve. The twenty-first, for Hothir; his sons and his brethren, twelve. The twenty-second, for Gidalti; his sons and his brethren, twelve. The twenty-third, for Machaziyoth; his sons and his brethren, twelve. The twenty-fourth, for Romamti-azer; his sons and his brethren, twelve. Chapter 26 The divisions of the gatekeepers: Of the Korchites: Meshelemyahu the son of Korei of the sons of Asaph. And the sons of Meshelemyahu: Zecharyahu, the first-born; Yedia'el, the second; Zevadyahu, the third; Yathniel, the fourth; Eilam, the fifth; Yehochanan, the sixth; Elyehoeinai, the seventh; And the sons of Oved-edom: Shemayah, the first-born; Yehozavad, the second; Yoach, the third; Sachar, the fourth; Nethanel, the fifth; Amiel, the sixth; Issachar, the seventh; Peulathai, the eighth; for G-d had blessed him [(Oved-edom)]. And to Shemayah his son were born sons who ruled over their father's house, for they were men of valor. The sons of Shemayah: Othni, Refael, Oved, Elzavad; his brethren, men of valor, Elihu and Semachyahu. All of these, of the sons of Oved-edom, they, their sons and their brethren, each, strong in the service [(of keeping the gates)] — sixty-two, of Oved-edom. And, of Meshelemyahu, sons and brethren, men of valor, eighteen. And of Chosah of the sons of Merari, sons: Shimri, the head (although not a first-born); his father made him the head. Chilkiyahu, the second; Tevalyahu, the third; Zecharyahu, the fourth. All the sons and brethren of Chosah, thirteen. To these [(as heads)] were the divisions of the gatekeepers, to the heads of the men, watches [viz. 18] alongside their brethren [(the singers)], to serve in the house of the L-rd. And they cast lots for small and great alike, by the house of their fathers, for each gate. And the lot for the east [gate] fell for Shelemyahu. And (for) Zecharyahu his son, a counselor in wisdom, they cast lots, and his lot fell for the north. [The lot fell] for Oved-edom, for the south, and for his sons, (for) the house of Asuppim. For Shupim and Chosah, for the west, near the Shalecheth gate on the ascending road, in rotating watches. In the east, the Levites were six [groups]; in the north, four for the day; in the south, four for the day; and for Asuppim, two [for one gate] and two [for the other]. For the Parbar in the west, four [groups] on the road [(to the Parbar)] and two for the Parbar [itself (twenty-four watches all together)]. These are the divisions of the gatekeepers for the Korchites and for the sons of Merari. And (of) the Levites, Achiyah (was appointed) over the treasuries [for the maintenance] of the house of G-d and over the treasuries of the holy things [i.e., the sacrifices]. The sons of La'adan, the sons of the Gershonites: Of La'adan, the heads of the fathers' [houses] of La'adan, the Gershonite — Yechieli. The sons of Yechieli: Zeitham and Yoel his brother, over the treasuries of the house of the L-rd. [(And there were also treasurers)] of the Amramites, the Yitzharites, the Chevronites, and the Uzielites. And Shevuel the son of Gershom the son of Moses was the head of the treasuries. And his [Shevuel's] brothers of [the seed of] Eliezer: Rechavyahu, his [Eliezer's] son and Yeshayahu, his [Rechavyahu's] son, and Yoram, his son, and Zichri, his son and Shelomith, his son. This is Shelomoth and his brothers (who were) over all the treasuries of the holy things that were consecrated by King David and the heads of the fathers' [houses] of the officers of the thousands and the hundreds and the commanders of the army. From the wars and from the spoils they consecrated [(these things)] to strengthen the house of the L-rd. And [(there was deposited in these treasuries)] all that was consecrated by Samuel the seer and Saul the son of Kish and Avner the son of Ner and Yoav the son of Tzeruyah. All that was consecrated was [reposited in the treasuries] through Shelomith and his brethren. Of the Yitzharites, Kenanyahu and his sons, for the work outside [the city for Temple needs], over Israel, as officers and judges. Of the Chevronites, Chashavyahu and his brethren, one thousand and seven hundred for the overseeing of Israel from across the Jordan westwards for all the work of the [house of the] L-rd and for the service of the king. Of the Chevronites, Yeriah the head of the Chevronites, by its genderings, by [fathers'] houses. In the fortieth year of David's reign they were inquired after, and there were found among them men of valor in Yazer-gilead. And his [(Yeriah's)] brethren, valiant men, two thousand and seven hundred, (among them) heads of fathers' [houses]. And King David appointed them over the Reuvenites and the Gadites and the half-tribe of Menasheh for every matter of [the house of] G-d and for (every) matter of the king. Chapter 27 And the children of Israel, by their number, [(among them)] heads of the fathers' houses and officers of thousands and hundreds, and their supervisors, who ministered before the king for all functions of the divisions, one coming in, the other going out, month by month for all the months of the year — one division, twenty-four thousand (men). Over the first division, for the first month, Yashavam the son of Zavdiel, and his division, twenty-four thousand. [(Yashavam was)] of the sons of Peretz (and he was) the head of all the officers of the host, [(and he was specifically designated)] for the first month. And over the division of the second month, Dodai the Achochite, and his division adjutant, Umikloth the leader, and, his division, twenty-four thousand. The third officer of the host for the third month, Benayahu the son of Yehoyada the priest, the head; and his division, twenty-four thousand. He, Benayahu, was the stalwart of the officers. And, over the officers, and his division adjutant, was Amizavad, his son. The fourth, for the fourth month, Asahel, the brother of Yoav, and Zevadyah his son after him; and his division, twenty-four thousand. The fifth, for the fifth month, the chief, Shamhuth the Yizrachite; and his division, twenty-four thousand. The sixth, for the sixth month, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite; and his division, twenty-four thousand. The seventh, for the seventh month, Cheletz the Plonite of the sons of Ephraim; and his division, twenty-four thousand. the eighth, for the eighth month, Sibchai and Chushathite of the Zarchites; and his division, twenty-four thousand. The ninth, for the ninth month, Aviezer the Anthothite of the Benjamites, and his division, twenty-four thousand. The tenth, for the tenth month, Maharai the Netofathite of the Zarchites; and his division, twenty-four thousand. The eleventh, for the eleventh month, Benayah the Pirathonite of the sons of Ephraim, and his division, twenty-four thousand. The twelfth, for the twelfth month, Cheldai the Netofathite of [(the sons of)] Othniel; and his division, twenty-four thousand. And over the tribes of Israel: of the Reuvenites, the leader, Eliezer the son of Zichri; of the Shimonites, Shefatyahu the son of Ma'achah; of the Levites, Chashavyah the son of Kemuel; of Aaron. Tzaddok; of Judah, Elihu of the brothers of David; of Issachar, Omri the son of Michael; of Zevulun, Yishmayahu the son of Ovadyahu; of Naftali, Yerimoth the son of Azriel; of the sons of Ephraim, Hoshea the son of Azazyahu; of the half-tribe of Menasheh, Yoel the son of Pedayahu; of the half (tribe) of Menasheh in Gilead, Yiddo the son of Zecharyahu; of Benjamin, Ya'asiel the son of Avner; of Dan, Azarel the son of Yerocham. These are the officers of the tribes of Israel. And David did not count their number from twenty years and below, for the L-rd had spoken to multiply Israel like the stars of the heavens [(which cannot be counted)]. Yoav the son of Tzeruyah began to count, but he did not finish. And there was, because of this, wrath over Israel. And the number [(that he counted)] did not amount to the number in the chronicles of King David. And over the treasuries of the king, Azmaveth the son of Adiel. And over the stores in the field, in the cities, in the villages and in the towers, Yehonathan the son of Uziyahu. And over the field workers for the work of the soil, Ezri the son of K'luv. And over the vineyards, Shim'i the Ramathite. And over the vineyards for the wine stores, Zavdi the Shifmite. And over the olive trees and the sycamore trees in the lowland, Ba'al Chagan the Gederite. And over the oil stores, Yoash. And over the cattle grazing in Sharon, Shitrai the Sharonite. And over the cattle in the valleys, Shafat the son of Adlai. And over the camels, Ovil the Ishmaelite. And over the she-asses, Yechdahu the Meronothite. And over the flocks, Yaziz the Hagarite. All these, the property officers of King David. And Jonathan, David's uncle, counselor, a man of understanding and a scribe. And Yechiel the son of Chachmoni, with the sons of the king [(to teach them)]. And Achitofel, counselor to the king. And Chushai the Arkite, the king's companion. And after [(the death of)] Achitofel, Yehoyada the son of Benayahu and Evyathar. And the king's commander in chief, Yoav. Chapter 28 And David assembled all the officers of Israel: the officers of the tribes and the officers of the divisions ministering unto the king, and the officers of the thousands, and the officers of the hundreds and the officers of all the property and the livestock of the king and his sons, with the eunuchs and the stalwarts and all the men of valor, in Jerusalem. And King David rose to his feet and said: Hear me, my brothers and my people. It is in my heart to build a house of rest for the ark of the L-rd and for the footstool of our G-d, and I have prepared [all that is needed] to build (it). But G-d said to me: Do not build a house to My name, for you are a man of war and you have spilled blood. And the L-rd G-d of Israel chose me of all of my father's house to be king over Israel forever. For in Judah He chose a leader; and in the house of Judah, my father's house; and of the sons of my father, me did He want to make king over Israel. And of all of my sons (for many sons did the L-rd give me) He chose Solomon my son to sit on the throne of the kingdom of the L-rd over Israel. And He said to me: Solomon your son, he will build My house and My courts. For I have chosen him for Me as a son, and I shall be to him as a Father. And I have established his kingdom forever if he will strengthen himself to do My mitzvoth and My judgments as of this day. And now, before the eyes of all of Israel, the congregation of the L-rd [(I exhort you:)] Keep and seek all the mitzvoth of the L-rd your G-d so that you inherit the good land and so that you bequeath it to your sons after you forever. And you, Solomon, my son, know the G-d of your father and serve Him with a whole heart and with a willing spirit. For the L-rd seeks out all hearts and He understands the inclination of all thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found for you; and if you leave Him, He will forsake you forever. See, now, that the L-rd has chosen you to build a house as a sanctuary [for Him]. Be strong and do! And David gave to Solomon his son the plans for the Ulam [(the entrance hall)] and its houses and its treasuries and its upper stories and its inner chambers and the house of the ark cover [i.e., the holy of holies]. And the plans of all that was with him by the [Holy] Spirit, for the courts of the house of the L-rd and for all the chambers roundabout, for the treasuries of the house of G-d [(for Temple maintenance)] and for the treasuries of the holies [i.e., for communal sacrifices]. And for the divisions of the priests and the Levites and for the work of the service of the house of the L-rd and for all the vessels of the service of the house of the L-rd. For gold: the weight of the gold for all of the vessels by their respective service. For all of the silver vessels, by weight, for all of the vessels by their respective service. And the weight [of gold] for the golden candelabra and their golden lamps, by the weight of each candelabrum and its lamps. And for the silver candelabra, by weight, for the candelabrum and its lamps, according to the respective service of each candelabrum. And the gold, the weight for the showbread tables for each table and silver for the silver tables. And (for) the forks and the basins and the staves, of pure gold. And for the golden cups, by weight, for each cup; and for the silver cups, by weight, for each cup. And for the incense altar, refined gold, by weight. And for the design of the chariot, the cherubs of gold, spreading out (their wings) and covering the ark of the covenant of the L-rd, all the works of the plan. All in writing, imparted to me by the hand of the L-rd, all the works of the plan. And David said to Solomon his son: Be strong and firm and do. Do not fear and do not break. For the L-rd G-d, my G-d is with you. He will not let go of you and will not leave you until the completion of all the work of the service of the house of the L-rd. And, behold, the divisions of the priests and the Levites for all the service of the house of G-d. And with you, in every (kind of) work, all who volunteer (their services) in wisdom for every (kind of) service. And the officers and the whole people (are at your service) for all that you bid. Chapter 29 And King David said to the entire congregation: Solomon my son is [only] one. G-d has chosen him, young and untried. And the work is great. For the palace [i.e., the Temple] is not for man, but for the L-rd G-d. And with all my strength I prepared for the house of my G-d. Gold for the (things of) gold, silver for the silver, copper for the copper, iron for the iron, wood for the wood, onyx stones and (stones) for setting, carbuncle stones and embroidery, and all precious stones, and marble stones in abundance. And more, in my desire for the house of my G-d — I have a treasure of gold and silver — I gave (it) for the house of my G-d, over and above all that I prepared for the holy house. Three thousand talents of gold of the gold of Ophir. And seven thousand talents of refined silver to overlay the walls of the houses. The gold for the gold and the silver for the silver and (materials) for all the work, in the hands of the craftsmen. And who [(of you the people)] will volunteer to fill his hand today for the [house of] the L-rd? And there volunteered, the officers of the fathers' [houses] and the officers of the tribes of Israel and the officers of the thousands and the hundreds and the officers of the king's service. And they gave for the service of the house of G-d: gold, five thousand talents, and ten thousand drachmas; silver, ten thousand talents; and copper, eighteen thousand talents; and iron, a hundred thousand talents. And those with whom stones were found gave (them) to the treasury of the house of the L-rd by the hand of Yechiel the Gershunite. And the people rejoiced in their giving, for they gave with a full heart to the L-rd. And King David, too, rejoiced greatly. And David blessed the L-rd before the eyes of the entire congregation, and David said: Blessed are You, O L-rd, G-d of Israel, our Father, forever and ever. Yours, O L-rd, is the greatness and the strength and the glory and the triumph and the majesty. For all in heaven and earth (is Yours). Yours, O L-rd, is the kingdom and the exaltation over every head. And wealth and honor (come) from before You. And You rule over all. And in Your hand is power and strength. And in Your hand (is the power) to exalt and strengthen all. And now, our G-d, we thank You, and we praise the name of Your glory. For who am I and who are my people that we summon strength to give like this? For all is from You, and from Your hand have we given to You. For strangers are we before You, and sojourners like all of our fathers. Like a shadow are our days upon the earth, and there is no hope [(against death)]. O L-rd our G-d, all this store which we have brought forward to build to You a house for Your holy name — it is from Your hand, and all is Yours. And I know, my G-d, that You sound the heart and desire what is just. I, in the justness of my heart, have donated all these (things). And now, Your people who are found here, I have seen in joy donating to You. O L-rd, G-d of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, our fathers, preserve this forever, the inclination of the thoughts of the hearts of Your people, and ready their hearts unto You. And to Solomon my son give a whole heart to keep Your mitzvoth, Your testimonies, and Your statutes, and to do all (that is needed), and to build the palace [i.e., the Temple] that I have readied. And David said to all the congregation: Bless the L-rd your G-d. And all the congregation blessed the L-rd, the G-d of their fathers. And they knelt and prostrated themselves to the L-rd and to the king. And they sacrificed peace-offerings to the L-rd, and they offered up burnt-offerings to the L-rd on the morrow of that day: a thousand bulls, a thousand rams, a thousand lambs, and their libations. And peace-offerings in abundance (were offered) by all of Israel. And they ate and they drank before the L-rd on that day with great joy. And they crowned Solomon the son of David as king a second time [viz. I Kings 1:39], and they anointed him to the L-rd as leader, and (they anointed) Tzaddok as [high-] priest. And Solomon sat on the throne of the L-rd as king in place of David, his father. And he prospered, and all of Israel heeded him. And all the officers and the stalwarts and also all the sons of King David granted obeisance to King Solomon. And the L-rd aggrandized Solomon before the eyes of all of Israel and He conferred upon him royal majesty, (the likes of) which had been accorded no other king over Israel before him. And David the son of Yishai reigned over all of Israel. And the days that he reigned over Israel were forty years. In Chevron he reigned for seven years and in Jerusalem he reigned for thirty-three years. And he died in a good old age, sated with days, wealth, and honor. And Solomon his son reigned in his place. And the events of (the reign of) King David, the earlier and the later, are recorded in the words of Samuel the seer and in the words of Nathan the prophet and in the words of Gad the seer, with (an account of) all his kingdom and his might and of the times that passed over him and over Israel and over all the kingdoms of the lands.