The Descendants of David

¹These were the sons of David who were born to him in Hebron:The firstborn was Amnon by Ahinoam of Jezreel;the second was Daniel by Abigail of Carmel;

²the third was Absalom the son of Maacah daughter of King Talmai of Geshur;the fourth was Adonijah the son of Haggith;

³the fifth was Shephatiah by Abital;and the sixth was Ithream by his wife Eglah.

⁴These six sons were born to David in Hebron, where he reigned seven years and six months.And David reigned in Jerusalem thirty-three years,

⁵and these sons were born to him in Jerusalem:Shimea,Shobab, Nathan, and Solomon. These four were born to him by Bathshebadaughter of Ammiel.

⁶David’s other sons were Ibhar,Elishua,Eliphelet,

⁷Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia,

⁸Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet—nine in all.

⁹These were all the sons of David, besides the sons by his concubines. And Tamar was their sister.

The Descendants of Solomon

¹⁰Solomon’s son was Rehoboam:Abijah was his son, Asa his son, Jehoshaphat his son,

¹¹Joramhis son, Ahaziah his son, Joash his son,

¹²Amaziah his son, Azariahhis son, Jotham his son,

¹³Ahaz his son, Hezekiah his son, Manasseh his son,

¹⁴Amon his son, and Josiah his son.

¹⁵The sons of Josiah:Johanan was the firstborn, Jehoiakim the second, Zedekiah the third, and Shallumthe fourth.

¹⁶The successors of Jehoiakim:Jeconiahhis son, and Zedekiah.

The Royal Line After the Exile

¹⁷The descendants of Jeconiah the captive:Shealtiel his son,

¹⁸Malchiram, Pedaiah, Shenazzar, Jekamiah, Hoshama, and Nedabiah.

¹⁹The sons of Pedaiah:Zerubbabel and Shimei.The children of Zerubbabel:Meshullam and Hananiah, their sister Shelomith,

²⁰and five others: Hashubah, Ohel, Berechiah, Hasadiah, and Jushab-hesed.

²¹The descendants of Hananiah:Pelatiah, Jeshaiah, and the sons of Rephaiah, of Arnan, of Obadiah, and of Shecaniah.

²²The six descendants of Shecaniah were Shemaiah and his sons:Hattush, Igal, Bariah, Neariah, and Shaphat.

²³The sons of Neariah:Elioenai, Hizkiah, and Azrikam—three in all.

²⁴The sons of Elioenai:Hodaviah, Eliashib, Pelaiah, Akkub, Johanan, Delaiah, and Anani—seven in all.

The House of David Strengthened

¹Now the war between the house of Saul and the house of David was protracted. And David grew stronger and stronger, while the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker.

²And sons were born to David in Hebron:His firstborn was Amnon, by Ahinoam of Jezreel;

³his second was Chileab,by Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel;his third was Absalom, the son of Maacah daughter of King Talmai of Geshur;

⁴his fourth was Adonijah, the son of Haggith;his fifth was Shephatiah, the son of Abital;

⁵and his sixth was Ithream, by David’s wife Eglah.These sons were born to David in Hebron.

Abner Joins David

⁶During the war between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner had continued to strengthen his position in the house of Saul.

⁷Now Saul had a concubine named Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah. So Ish-bosheth questioned Abner, “Why did you sleep with my father’s concubine?”

⁸Abner was furious over Ish-bosheth’s accusation. “Am I the head of a dog that belongs to Judah?” he asked. “All this time I have been loyal to the house of your father Saul, to his brothers, and to his friends. I have not delivered you into the hand of David, but now you accuse me of wrongdoing with this woman!

⁹May God punish Abner, and ever so severely, if I do not do for David what the LORD has sworn to him:

¹⁰to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul and to establish the throne of David over Israel and Judah, from Dan to Beersheba.”

¹¹And for fear of Abner, Ish-bosheth did not dare to say another word to him.

¹²Then Abner sent messengers on his behalf to say to David, “To whom does the land belong? Make your covenant with me, and surely my hand will be with you to bring all Israel over to you.”

¹³“Good,” replied David, “I will make a covenant with you. But there is one thing I require of you: Do not appear before me unless you bring Saul’s daughter Michal when you come to see me.”

¹⁴Then David sent messengers to say to Ish-bosheth son of Saul, “Give me back my wife, Michal, whom I betrothed to myself for a hundred Philistine foreskins.”

¹⁵So Ish-bosheth sent and took Michal from her husband Paltielson of Laish.

¹⁶Her husband followed her, weeping all the way to Bahurim. Then Abner said to him, “Go back.” So he returned home.

¹⁷Now Abner conferred with the elders of Israel and said, “In the past you sought David as your king.

¹⁸Now take action, because the LORD has said to David, ‘Through My servant David I will save My people Israel from the hands of the Philistines and of all their enemies.’”

¹⁹Abner also spoke to the Benjamites. Then he went to Hebron to tell David all that seemed good to Israel and to the whole house of Benjamin.

²⁰When Abner and twenty of his men came to David at Hebron, David held a feast for them.

²¹Then Abner said to David, “Let me go at once, and I will gather all Israel to my lord the king, that they may make a covenant with you, and that you may rule over all that your heart desires.”So David dismissed Abner, and he went in peace.

Joab Murders Abner

²²Just then David’s soldiers and Joab returned from a raid, bringing with them a great plunder. But Abner was not with David in Hebron, because David had sent him on his way in peace.

²³When Joab and all his troops arrived, he was informed, “Abner son of Ner came to see the king, who sent him on his way in peace.”

²⁴So Joab went to the king and said, “What have you done? Look, Abner came to you. Why did you dismiss him? Now he is getting away!

²⁵Surely you realize that Abner son of Ner came to deceive you and to track your movements and all that you are doing.”

²⁶As soon as Joab had left David, he sent messengers after Abner, who brought him back from the well of Sirah. But David was unaware of it.

²⁷When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab pulled him aside into the gateway, as if to speak to him privately, and there Joab stabbed him in the stomach. So Abner died on account of the blood of Joab’s brother Asahel.

²⁸Afterward, David heard about this and said, “I and my kingdom are forever guiltless before the LORD concerning the blood of Abner son of Ner.

²⁹May it whirl over the head of Joab and over the entire house of his father, and may the house of Joab never be without one having a discharge or skin disease, or one who leans on a staff or falls by the sword or lacks food.”

³⁰(Joab and his brother Abishai murdered Abner because he had killed their brother Asahel in the battle at Gibeon.)

David Mourns for Abner

³¹Then David ordered Joab and all the people with him, “Tear your clothes, put on sackcloth, and mourn before Abner.” And King David himself walked behind the funeral bier.

³²When they buried Abner in Hebron, the king wept aloud at Abner’s tomb, and all the people wept.

³³And the king sang this lament for Abner:“Should Abner diethe death of a fool?

³⁴Your hands were not bound,your feet were not fettered.As a man falls before the wicked,so also you fell.”And all the people wept over him even more.

³⁵Then all the people came and urged David to eat something while it was still day, but David took an oath, saying, “May God punish me, and ever so severely, if I taste bread or anything else before the sun sets!”

³⁶All the people took note and were pleased. In fact, everything the king did pleased them.

³⁷So on that day all the troops and all Israel were convinced that the king had no part in the murder of Abner son of Ner.

³⁸Then the king said to his servants, “Do you not realize that a great prince has fallen today in Israel?

³⁹And I am weak this day, though anointed as king, and these men, the sons of Zeruiah, are too fierce for me. May the LORD repay the evildoer according to his evil!”

The Vision of Joshua the High Priest

¹Then the angel showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angelof the LORD, with Satanstanding at his right hand to accuse him.

²And the LORD said to Satan: “The LORD rebukes you, Satan! Indeed, the LORD, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebukes you! Is not this man a firebrandsnatched from the fire?”

³Now Joshua was dressed in filthy garments as he stood before the angel.

⁴So the angel said to those standing before him, “Take off his filthy clothes!”Then he said to Joshua, “See, I have removed your iniquity, and I will clothe you with splendid robes.”

⁵Then I said, “Let them put a clean turban on his head.” So a clean turban was placed on his head, and they clothed him, as the angel of the LORD stood by.

⁶Then the angel of the LORD gave this charge to Joshua:

⁷“This is what the LORD of Hosts says: ‘If you walk in My ways and keep My instructions, then you will govern My house and will also have charge of My courts; and I will give you a place among these who are standing here.

⁸Hear now, O high priest Joshua, you and your companions seated before you, who are indeed a sign. For behold, I am going to bring My servant, the Branch.

⁹See the stone I have set before Joshua; on that one stone are seven eyes.Behold, I will engrave on it an inscription, declares the LORD of Hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of this land in a single day.

¹⁰On that day, declares the LORD of Hosts, you will each invite your neighbor to sit under your own vine and fig tree.’”

Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem

¹I was glad when they said to me,“Let us go to the house of the LORD.”

²Our feet are standing in your gates,O Jerusalem.

³Jerusalem is built upas a city united together,

⁴where the tribes go up,the tribes of the LORD,as a testimony for Israel,to give thanks to the name of the LORD.

⁵For there the thrones of judgment stand,the thrones of the house of David.

⁶Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:“May those who love you prosper.

⁷May there be peace within your walls,and prosperityinside your fortresses.”

⁸For the sake of my brothers and friends,I will say, “Peace be within you.”

⁹For the sake of the house of the LORD our God,I will seek your prosperity.