Daily Text and Bible Reading: Thursday, May 15 [Press play below]

21.1 Then Satan stood up against Israel and incited David to number Israel.
21.2 So David said to Joab and the chiefs of the people: “Go, count Israel from Beer-sheba to Dan; then report to me so that I may know their number.”
21.3 But Joab said: “May Jehovah multiply his people 100 times! My lord the king, are not all of them already servants of my lord? Why does my lord want to do this? Why should he become a cause of guilt to Israel?”
21.4 But the king’s word prevailed over Joab. So Joab went out and traveled throughout Israel, after which he came to Jerusalem.
21.5 Joab now gave to David the number of the people who were registered. All Israel amounted to 1,100,000 men armed with swords, and Judah, 470,000 men armed with swords.
21.6 But Levi and Benjamin were not registered among them, because the king’s word was detestable to Joab.
21.7 Now this was very displeasing to the true God, so he struck Israel.
21.8 David then said to the true God: “I have sinned greatly by doing this. And now, please, forgive your servant’s error, for I have acted very foolishly.”
21.9 Jehovah then spoke to Gad, David’s visionary, saying:
21.10 “Go and say to David, ‘This is what Jehovah says: “I am giving you three options. Choose the one that I should bring on you.”’”
21.11 So Gad came in to David and said to him: “This is what Jehovah says, ‘Take your pick
21.12 whether there should be three years of famine, or three months of being swept away by your adversaries while the sword of your enemies overtakes you, or three days of the sword of Jehovah—pestilence in the land—with Jehovah’s angel bringing destruction in all the territory of Israel.’ Now consider what I should reply to the One who sent me.”
21.13 So David said to Gad: “It is very distressing to me. Please, let me fall into the hand of Jehovah, for his mercy is very great; but do not let me fall into the hand of man.”
21.14 Then Jehovah sent a pestilence on Israel, so that 70,000 people out of Israel fell.
21.15 Moreover, the true God sent an angel to Jerusalem to destroy it; but as he was about to do so, Jehovah saw it and felt regret over the calamity, and he said to the angel bringing destruction: “It is enough! Now let your hand drop.” Jehovah’s angel was standing close to the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.
21.16 When David raised his eyes, he saw Jehovah’s angel standing between the earth and the heavens with a drawn sword in his hand extended toward Jerusalem. David and the elders, covered with sackcloth, at once threw themselves down with their faces to the ground.
21.17 David said to the true God: “Was it not I who said to number the people? I am the one who sinned, and I am the one who did wrong; but these sheep—what have they done? O Jehovah my God, let your hand, please, come against me and my father’s house; but do not bring this scourge on your people.”
21.18 Jehovah’s angel then told Gad to tell David to go up and erect an altar to Jehovah on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.
21.19 So David went up at the word of Gad, which he had spoken in the name of Jehovah.
21.20 Meanwhile, Ornan turned around and saw the angel, and his four sons who were with him hid themselves. Now Ornan had been threshing wheat.
21.21 When David came up to him, Ornan looked and saw David, and he immediately went out from the threshing floor and bowed down to David with his face to the ground.
21.22 David said to Ornan: “Sell me the site of the threshing floor, so that I may build an altar to Jehovah on it. Sell it to me for the full price, so that the scourge against the people may be halted.”
21.23 But Ornan said to David: “Take it as your own, and let my lord the king do what seems good to him. Here, I am providing the cattle for burnt offerings and the threshing sledge for the wood and the wheat as a grain offering. I give all of it.”
21.24 However, King David said to Ornan: “No, I must buy it for the full price, because I will not take what is yours and give it to Jehovah or offer up burnt sacrifices that cost me nothing.”
21.25 So David gave Ornan 600 gold shekels by weight for the site.
21.26 And David built an altar there to Jehovah and offered up burnt sacrifices and communion sacrifices, and he called on Jehovah, who now answered him with fire from the heavens on the altar of burnt offering.
21.27 Then Jehovah ordered the angel to return his sword to its sheath.
21.28 At that time, when David saw that Jehovah had answered him at the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite, he continued to sacrifice there.
21.29 However, the tabernacle of Jehovah that Moses had made in the wilderness and the altar of burnt offering were at that time on the high place at Gibeon.
21.30 But David had not been able to go before it to consult God, for he was terrified because of the sword of Jehovah’s angel.

22.1 David then said: “This is the house of Jehovah the true God, and this is an altar for burnt offering for Israel.”
22.2 David then gave orders to bring together the foreign residents who were in the land of Israel, and he assigned them to be stonecutters to cut and shape stones for building the house of the true God.
22.3 David also prepared iron in great quantity for nails for the doors of the gates and for clamps, and so much copper that it was beyond weighing,
22.4 and also cedar timbers without number, for the Sidonians and the Tyrians brought great quantities of cedar timbers to David.
22.5 And David said: “My son Solomon is young and inexperienced, and the house to be built for Jehovah is to be exceedingly magnificent, so that its fame and beauty will be known in all lands. Therefore, I will make preparation for him.” So David prepared materials in great quantity before his death.
22.6 Moreover, he summoned his son Solomon and instructed him to build a house for Jehovah the God of Israel.
22.7 David told his son Solomon: “As for me, it was my heart’s desire to build a house for the name of Jehovah my God.
22.8 But Jehovah’s word came to me, saying, ‘You have shed a great deal of blood, and you have fought great wars. You will not build a house for my name, for you have shed a great deal of blood on the earth before me.
22.9 Look! You will have a son who will be a man of peace, and I will give him rest from all his enemies who surround him, for Solomon will be his name and I will grant Israel peace and quiet in his days.
22.10 He is the one who will build a house for my name. He will become my son, and I will be his father. I will firmly establish the throne of his kingship over Israel forever.’
22.11 “Now, my son, may Jehovah be with you, and may you be successful and build the house of Jehovah your God, just as he has spoken concerning you.
22.12 Only may Jehovah give you discretion and understanding when he gives you authority over Israel, so that you may keep the law of Jehovah your God.
22.13 Then you will be successful if you carefully observe the regulations and the judgments that Jehovah ordered Moses to give Israel. Be courageous and strong. Do not be afraid or be terrified.
22.14 Here I have taken great pains to prepare for Jehovah’s house 100,000 talents of gold and 1,000,000 talents of silver and such great quantities of copper and iron that they cannot be weighed, and I have prepared timbers and stones, but you will add to them.
22.15 A great number of workmen are with you—stonecutters, stonemasons, woodworkers, and all kinds of skilled workers.
22.16 The gold, silver, copper, and iron are beyond measure. Get up and begin the work, and may Jehovah be with you.”
22.17 David then ordered all the princes of Israel to help his son Solomon:
22.18 “Is not Jehovah your God with you, and has he not given you rest on every side? For he handed over to me the inhabitants of the land, and the land has been subdued before Jehovah and before his people.
22.19 Now determine with all your heart and soul to seek Jehovah your God, and start building the sanctuary of Jehovah the true God, in order to bring the ark of the covenant of Jehovah and the holy utensils of the true God to the house built for the name of Jehovah.”

23.1 When David had grown old and was near the end of his life, he made his son Solomon king over Israel.
23.2 He then gathered all the princes of Israel, the priests, and the Levites.
23.3 The Levites who were 30 years old and up were numbered; their number, their head count man by man, was 38,000.
23.4 Of these, 24,000 served as supervisors over the work of Jehovah’s house, and there were 6,000 officers and judges,
23.5 and there were 4,000 gatekeepers, and 4,000 gave praise to Jehovah on the instruments about which David said, “I made them for giving praise.”
23.6 Then David organized them into divisions according to the sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
23.7 Of the Gershonites were Ladan and Shimei.
23.8 The sons of Ladan were Jehiel the headman, Zetham, and Joel, three.
23.9 The sons of Shimei were Shelomoth, Haziel, and Haran, three. These were the heads of the paternal houses for Ladan.
23.10 And the sons of Shimei were Jahath, Zina, Jeush, and Beriah. These four were the sons of Shimei.
23.11 Jahath was the head and Zizah, the second. But since Jeush and Beriah did not have many sons, they were counted as one paternal house with one area of responsibility.
23.12 The sons of Kohath were Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel, four.
23.13 The sons of Amram were Aaron and Moses. But Aaron was permanently set apart to sanctify the Most Holy, he and his sons, to offer sacrifices before Jehovah, to minister to him, and to pronounce blessings in his name always.
23.14 As for Moses the man of the true God, his sons were named among the tribe of the Levites.
23.15 The sons of Moses were Gershom and Eliezer.
23.16 Of the sons of Gershom, Shebuel was the head.
23.17 Of the descendants of Eliezer, Rehabiah was the head; Eliezer did not have other sons, but the sons of Rehabiah were very many.
23.18 Of the sons of Izhar, Shelomith was the headman.
23.19 The sons of Hebron were Jeriah the head, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, and Jekameam the fourth.
23.20 The sons of Uzziel were Micah the head and Isshiah the second.
23.21 The sons of Merari were Mahli and Mushi. The sons of Mahli were Eleazar and Kish.
23.22 Eleazar died, but he had no sons, only daughters. So the sons of Kish, their relatives, took them as wives.
23.23 The sons of Mushi were Mahli, Eder, and Jeremoth, three.
23.24 These were the sons of Levi according to their paternal houses, the heads of the paternal houses, by those registered who were counted and listed by their names and who carried out the work for the service of the house of Jehovah, from 20 years old and up.
23.25 For David had said: “Jehovah the God of Israel has given rest to his people, and he will reside in Jerusalem forever.
23.26 Also the Levites will not have to carry the tabernacle or any of its equipment for its service.”
23.27 For according to the last instructions of David, the Levites from 20 years old and up were numbered.
23.28 Their function was to assist the sons of Aaron for the service of the house of Jehovah, to be in charge of the courtyards, the dining rooms, the purification of every holy thing, and any work needed for the service of the house of the true God.
23.29 They assisted with the layer bread, the fine flour for the grain offering, the wafers of unleavened bread, the griddle cakes, the mixed dough, and all measures of quantity and size.
23.30 They were to stand morning by morning to thank and praise Jehovah and likewise in the evening.
23.31 They assisted whenever the burnt sacrifices were offered to Jehovah on the Sabbaths, the new moons, and during the festival seasons, according to the number required by the rules concerning them, doing so regularly before Jehovah.
23.32 They also took care of their responsibilities toward the tent of meeting, toward the holy place, and toward their brothers the sons of Aaron for the service of the house of Jehovah.