David sang psalms or songs. This is a song that David sang late in his life. These were his last words. David's father's name was Jesse. God chose David to be the king of Jacob's descendants, the Israelites.
[1] Now these be the last words of David. David the son of Jesse said, and the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel, said,
 

David said what God's spirit told him to say.
[2] The Spirit of the LORD spake by me, and his word was in my tongue.


God said that the leader of Israel must be a fair person. He must obey God.
[3] The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God.


Israel's leader must be like the light on a clear morning when the sun is coming up. He should be like new grass growing up out of the earth after the rain has stopped.
[4] And he shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds; as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain.
 

David said that his family has not always obeyed God. But God made a covenant (promise) with David.  He will protect David and his descendants forever. He can't see it all now, but David feels peaceful because he knows this will happen in the future.
[5] Although my house be not so with God; yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure: for this is all my salvation, and all my desire, although he make it not to grow.

 

People can't touch thorns because they hurt their hands. Bad men will be sent away like people throw thorns away.
[6] But the sons of Belial shall be all of them as thorns thrust away, because they cannot be taken with hands:


People who do bad things with bad people will have wars with weapons. They will be destroyed like the thorns are destroyed.
[7] But the man that shall touch them must be fenced with iron and the staff of a spear; and they shall be utterly burned with fire in the same place.


 

David's soldiers--his Mighty (strong) Men

The Three

Adino (the Eznite, also called the Tachmonite)--he killed 800 men at one time 
[8] These be the names of the mighty men whom David had: The Tachmonite that sat in the seat, chief among the captains; the same was Adino the Eznite: he lift up his spear against eight hundred, whom he slew at one time.


Eleazar (his father's name was Dodo who was an Ahohite)--he fought the Philistines with David after the other soldiers ran away. He fought the Philistines so long that his hand was stuck to the sword. The other soldiers who ran away came back later. Then they took valuable things from the dead soldiers.
[9] And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David, when they defied the Philistines that were there gathered together to battle, and the men of Israel were gone away:
[10] He arose, and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clave unto the sword: and the LORD wrought a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to spoil.


Shammah (his father's name was Agee who was a Hararite)--the Philistines were ready to attack the Israelites in a field of lentils (a plant to eat).  The Israelites ran away but Shammah fought the Philistines so that they couldn't get the lentils.
[11] And after him was Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. And the Philistines were gathered together into a troop, where was a piece of ground full of lentiles: and the people fled from the Philistines.
[12] But he stood in the midst of the ground, and defended it, and slew the Philistines: and the LORD wrought a great victory.

 

From http://breadsite.org

One time, David was fighting a war with the Philistines. The Three Mighty Men helped David when he was at the cave at the place named Adullam. There were Philistine soldiers camping nearby in the valley named Rephaim.
[13] And three of the thirty chief went down, and came to David in the harvest time unto the cave of Adullam: and the troop of the Philistines pitched in the valley of Rephaim.


The Philistines were in the town of Bethlehem, and David was hiding in the cave. David was very thirsty. He wished that he could have water from the well by the gate at Bethlehem.
[14] And David was then in an hold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem.
[15] And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!


The Three Mighty Men sneaked into Bethlehem.  They got some water out of the well and took it to David. But David would not drink the water. He poured it as an offering to God.  He said the men risked their lives to get the water.  That made the water very valuable.  
[16] And the three mighty men brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: nevertheless he would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto the LORD.
[17] And he said, Be it far from me, O LORD, that I should do this: is not this the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives? therefore he would not drink it. These things did these three mighty men.

 

Other men who were leaders, but not equal to The Three
 

Abishai was also a leader of the Mighty Men. He was David's nephew (the son of David's sister Zeruiah). He killed 300 men. He was an honorable man, but he was not one of The Three Mighty Men.
[18] And Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief among three. And he lifted up his spear against three hundred, and slew them, and had the name among three.
[19] Was he not most honourable of three? therefore he was their captain: howbeit he attained not unto the first three.


Another one of the Mighty Men was Benaiah. His father's name was Jehoiada. He was from the place named Kabzeel.  Benaiah did many good things. He killed 2 strong Moabite men. When it was snowing, he killed a lion that was down in a pit. 
[20] And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man, of Kabzeel, who had done many acts, he slew two lionlike men of Moab: he went down also and slew a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow:


Benaiah killed a strong Egyptian man. The Egyptian man was holding a spear. Benaiah had only a staff (stick). He got the Egyptian man's spear and killed him with it.  Benaiah was a very good and honorable man. He was in charge of David's bodyguards. But he wasn't one of the Three Mighty Men.
[21] And he slew an Egyptian, a goodly man: and the Egyptian had a spear in his hand; but he went down to him with a staff, and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian's hand, and slew him with his own spear.
[22] These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and had the name among three mighty men.
[23] He was more honourable than the thirty, but he attained not to the first three. And David set him over his guard.

 

The Thirty Mighty Men

This is a list of the Thirty Mighty Men. It is also a list of the family groups that each man belonged to.


Asahel (Joab's brother)
Elhanan (his father's name was Dodo who lived in Bethlehem)
Shammah (he was a Harodite)
Elika (he was a Harodite)
Helez (he was a Paltite)
Ira (his father was Ikkesh and he was a Tekoite)
Abiezer (he was a Anethothite)
Mebunnai (he was a Hushathite)
Zalmon (he was a Ahohite)
Maharai (he was a Netophathite)
Heleb (his father was Baanah and his father was a Netophathite)
Ittai (his father was Ribai who was from the city of Gibeah in the tribe of Benjamin's land)
Benaiah (he was a Pirathonite)
Hiddai (he was from the area of the waters of Gaash near Mt. Ephraim)
Abi-albon (he was an Arbathite)
Azmaveth (he was a Barhumite)
Eliahba (he was a Shaalbonite)
Jonathan (his father was Jashen)
Shammah (he was a Hararite)
Ahiam (his father was Sharar and his father was a Hararite)
Eliphelet (his father was Ahasbai and his father's father was Maachathite)
Eliam (his father was Ahithophel and his father was a Gilonite)
Hezrai (he was a Carmelite)
Paarai (he was an Arbite)
Igal (his father was Nathan, and Nathan was from the place named Zobah)
Bani (he was a Gadite)
Zelek (he was an Ammonite)
Naharai (he was a Beerothite, and he carried the armour for Joab--David's nephew)
Ira (he was an Ithrite)
Gareb (he was an Ithrite)
Uriah (he was a Hittite)
 

There were 37 total.  *****Note:  there are only 36 names here, but in 1 Chronicles 11, there is another name. In that book, there are 37 men listed as David's Mighty Men.

[24] Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem,
[25] Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite,
[26] Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite,
[27] Abiezer the Anethothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite,
[28] Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,
[29] Heleb the son of Baanah, a Netophathite, Ittai the son of Ribai out of Gibeah of the children of Benjamin,
[30] Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash,
[31] Abi-albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite,
[32] Eliahba the Shaalbonite, of the sons of Jashen, Jonathan,
[33] Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Hararite,
[34] Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the Maachathite, Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite,
[35] Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,
[36] Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite,
[37] Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, armourbearer to Joab the son of Zeruiah,
[38] Ira an Ithrite, Gareb an Ithrite,
[39] Uriah the Hittite: thirty and seven in all.
 

---

2 Samuel 24


David counts the Israelites.

God was angry with the Israelites. He allowed Satan to make David think about counting the Israelites. David decided to take a census and count the Israelites.
[1] And again the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them to say, Go, number Israel and Judah.


David told Joab (the leader of his army) to go count the Israelites.  He should travel through all of Israel from the tribe of Dan's land in the north to the place named Beer-sheba in the south.
[2] For the king said to Joab the captain of the host, which was with him, Go now through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, and number ye the people, that I may know the number of the people.


Joab did not understand why David wanted to count the Israelites. He said that he hoped God would continue to bless the Israelites and make them increase. He hoped that David would live long enough to see that. But he asks why David wants to count the Israelites now.
[3] And Joab said unto the king, Now the LORD thy God add unto the people, how many soever they be, an hundredfold, and that the eyes of my lord the king may see it: but why doth my lord the king delight in this thing?


David did not listen to Joab. He continued with his plan to count the Israelites. Joab and his soldiers left and traveled through Israel to count the Israelites.
[4] Notwithstanding the king's word prevailed against Joab, and against the captains of the host. And Joab and the captains of the host went out from the presence of the king, to number the people of Israel.
 

Joab and his men crossed over the Jordan River and camped in Aroer.  Aroer was on the eastern side of the Jordan River. They continued to travel to the city of Jazer.
[5] And they passed over Jordan, and pitched in Aroer, on the right side of the city that lieth in the midst of the river of Gad, and toward Jazer:


Then they went to the area of Gilead and the areas named Tahtim-hodshi, Dan-jaan, and Zidon.
[6] Then they came to Gilead, and to the land of Tahtim-hodshi; and they came to Dan-jaan, and about to Zidon,


They went to the area of Tyre, the cities of the people named the Hibites, and the area of the Canaanites. They went to the southern part of Judah and the city named Beer-sheba.
[7] And came to the strong hold of Tyre, and to all the cities of the Hibites, and of the Canaanites: and they went out to the south of Judah, even to Beer-sheba.


They traveled for 9 months and 20 days. When they finished, they went back to Jerusalem.
[8] So when they had gone through all the land, they came to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days.


Joab told David the numbers they counted. There were 800,000 soldiers in Israel and 500,000 soldiers in the tribe of Judah.
[9] And Joab gave up the sum of the number of the people unto the king: and there were in Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men that drew the sword; and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand men.

After David finished counting the Israelites, he became upset. He knew that he should not have done that. David prayed to God. He told God that he had sinned and behaved foolishly. He asked God to forgive him.
[10] And David's heart smote him after that he had numbered the people. And David said unto the LORD, I have sinned greatly in that I have done: and now, I beseech thee, O LORD, take away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly.


God sent the prophet named Gad to see David in the morning. God told Gad what to say.  God would punish David. He gave him three choices for a punishment.
[11] For when David was up in the morning, the word of the LORD came unto the prophet Gad, David's seer, saying,
[12] Go and say unto David, Thus saith the LORD, I offer thee three things; choose thee one of them, that I may do it unto thee.


Gad gave David 3 choices.
1.  There could be 7 years of famine (little food) in Israel.
2.  David's enemies could chase him for 3 months.
3.  There could be 3 days of pestilence (something that destroys) in Israel.
 

David should choose, and then Gad will tell God what David chose to do.
[13] So Gad came to David, and told him, and said unto him, Shall seven years of famine come unto thee in thy land? or wilt thou flee three months before thine enemies, while they pursue thee? or that there be three days' pestilence in thy land? now advise, and see what answer I shall return to him that sent me.


David felt much worry and stress. But he knew it was better for God to punish him than for another man to punish him. David said that God was merciful.
[14] And David said unto Gad, I am in a great strait: let us fall now into the hand of the LORD; for his mercies are great: and let me not fall into the hand of man.


God sent a pestilence for 3 days and killed 70,000 Israelites. Israelites died in all parts of Israel.
[15] So the LORD sent a pestilence upon Israel from the morning even to the time appointed: and there died of the people from Dan even to Beer-sheba seventy thousand men.


 

From The Project Gutenberg EBook of Hebrew Life and Times, by Harold B. Hunting

A threshing floor The oxen walk on the wheat. Then the food part (looks like seeds) comes off the wheat.

God's angel was destroying the Israelites. When he got ready to destroy Jerusalem, God told him to stop. God said that he had destroyed enough people. The angel was near a place that was owned by a Jebusite man named Araunah. The place was used for threshing grain (beating the wheat so that the part used for food comes out).
[16] And when the angel stretched out his hand upon Jerusalem to destroy it, the LORD repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed the people, It is enough: stay now thine hand. And the angel of the LORD was by the threshingplace of Araunah the Jebusite.


When David saw the angel destroying Israelites, he prayed to God. He told God that he had sinned and behaved badly. He said the Israelites had not done anything wrong. He prayed for God to punish him and his family instead of the Israelites.
[17] And David spake unto the LORD when he saw the angel that smote the people, and said, Lo, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly: but these sheep, what have they done? let thine hand, I pray thee, be against me, and against my father's house.


Gad the prophet came and talked to David. He told him to build an altar to worship God. He should build the altar on the floor of the threshing place.
[18] And Gad came that day to David, and said unto him, Go up, rear an altar unto the LORD in the threshingfloor of Araunah the Jebusite.
 

David obeyed God. He did what Gad the prophet told him to do. He went to Araunah's threshing floor.
[19] And David, according to the saying of Gad, went up as the LORD commanded.


Araunah saw David and his servants coming toward him. He went out. He bowed down in front of David and put his face on the ground.
[20] And Araunah looked, and saw the king and his servants coming on toward him: and Araunah went out, and bowed himself before the king on his face upon the ground.
 

Araunah asked David why he came to see him.  David said he wanted to buy Araunah's threshing floor. He said he wanted to build an altar there so that no more Israelites would be destroyed.
[21] And Araunah said, Wherefore is my lord the king come to his servant? And David said, To buy the threshingfloor of thee, to build an altar unto the LORD, that the plague may be stayed from the people.


Araunah wanted to give David some oxen to use for a sacrifice. He also wanted to give him some tools they used for threshing and tools they used with the oxen.
[22] And Araunah said unto David, Let my lord the king take and offer up what seemeth good unto him: behold, here be oxen for burnt sacrifice, and threshing instruments and other instruments of the oxen for wood.


Araunah offered all of these things to King David. He wanted God to accept these things. But David said no. He wanted to buy the things from Araunah. He did not want to accept them as gifts. David didn't want to sacrifice things that he didn't pay for.  David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for 50 shekels of silver (coins).
[23] All these things did Araunah, as a king, give unto the king. And Araunah said unto the king, The LORD thy God accept thee.
[24] And the king said unto Araunah, Nay; but I will surely buy it of thee at a price: neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the LORD my God of that which doth cost me nothing. So David bought the threshingfloor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.


David built an altar to God there. He offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. God accepted the offerings. Then no more Israelites were destroyed.
[25] And David built there an altar unto the LORD, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. So the LORD was intreated for the land, and the plague was stayed from Israel.