Joshua’s Charge to Leaders

¹A long time after the LORD had given Israel rest from all the enemies around them, when Joshua was old and well along in years,

²he summoned all Israel, including its elders, leaders, judges, and officers. “I am old and well along in years,” he said,

³“and you have seen everything that the LORD your God has done to all these nations for your sake, because it was the LORD your God who fought for you.

⁴See, I have allotted as an inheritance to your tribes these remaining nations, including all the nations I have already cut off, from the Jordan westward to the Great Sea.

⁵The LORD your God will push them out of your way and drive them out before you, so that you can take possession of their land, as the LORD your God promised you.

⁶Be very strong, then, so that you can keep and obey all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, not turning aside from it to the right or to the left.

⁷So you are not to associate with these nations that remain among you. You must not call on the names of their gods or swear by them, and you must not serve them or bow down to them.

⁸Instead, you shall hold fast to the LORD your God, as you have done to this day.

⁹The LORD has driven out great and powerful nations before you, and to this day no one can stand against you.

¹⁰One of you can put a thousand to flight, because the LORD your God fights for you, just as He promised.

¹¹Therefore watch yourselves carefully, that you love the LORD your God.

¹²For if you turn away and cling to the rest of these nations that remain among you, and if you intermarry and associate with them,

¹³know for sure that the LORD your God will no longer drive out these nations before you. Instead, they will become for you a snare and a trap, a scourge in your sides and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from this good land that the LORD your God has given you.

¹⁴Now behold, today I am going the way of all the earth, and you know with all your heart and soul that not one of the good promises the LORD your God made to you has failed. Everything was fulfilled for you; not one promise has failed.

¹⁵But just as every good thing the LORD your God promised you has come to pass, likewise the LORD will bring upon you the calamity He has threatened, until He has destroyed you from this good land He has given you.

¹⁶If you transgress the covenant of the LORD your God, which He commanded you, and go and serve other gods and bow down to them, then the anger of the LORD will burn against you, and you will quickly perish from this good land He has given you.”

David’s Triumphs

¹Some time later, David defeated the Philistines, subdued them, and took Gath and its villages from the hand of the Philistines.

²David also defeated the Moabites, and they became subject to David and brought him tribute.

³As far as Hamath, David also defeated King Hadadezer of Zobah, who had marched out to establish his dominionalong the Euphrates River.

⁴David captured from him a thousand chariots, seven thousand charioteers, and twenty thousand foot soldiers, and he hamstrung all the horses except a hundred he kept for the chariots.

⁵When the Arameans of Damascus came to help King Hadadezer of Zobah, David struck down twenty-two thousand of their men.

⁶Then he placed garrisonsin Aram of Damascus, and the Arameans became subject to David and brought him tribute. So the LORD made David victoriouswherever he went.

⁷And David took the gold shields that belonged to the officers of Hadadezer and brought them to Jerusalem.

⁸And from Tibhathand Cun, cities of Hadadezer, David took a large amount of bronze, with which Solomon made the bronze Sea, the pillars, and various bronze articles.

⁹When King Touof Hamath heard that David had defeated the entire army of Hadadezer king of Zobah,

¹⁰he sent his son Hadoramto greet King David and bless him for fighting and defeating Hadadezer, who had been at war with Tou. Hadoram brought all kinds of articles of gold and silver and bronze,

¹¹and King David dedicated these to the LORD, along with the silver and gold he had carried off from all these nations—from Edom and Moab, and from the Ammonites, Philistines, and Amalekites.

¹²Moreover, Abishai son of Zeruiah struck down eighteen thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt.

¹³He placed garrisons in Edom, and all the Edomites were subject to David. So the LORD made David victorious wherever he went.

David’s Officers

¹⁴Thus David reigned over all Israel and administered justice and righteousness for all his people:

¹⁵Joab son of Zeruiah was over the army;Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the recorder;

¹⁶Zadok son of Ahitub and Ahimelechson of Abiathar were priests;Shavshawas the scribe;

¹⁷Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and Pelethites;and David’s sons were chief officials at the king’s side.

David’s Triumphs

¹Some time later, David defeated the Philistines, subdued them, and took Metheg-ammahfrom the hand of the Philistines.

²David also defeated the Moabites, made them lie down on the ground, and measured them off with a cord. He measured off with two lengths those to be put to death, and with one length those to be spared. So the Moabites became subject to David and brought him tribute.

³David also defeated Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah, who had marched out to restore his dominion along the Euphrates River.

⁴David captured from him a thousand chariots, seven thousand charioteers,and twenty thousand foot soldiers, and he hamstrung all the horses except a hundred he kept for the chariots.

⁵When the Arameans of Damascus came to help King Hadadezer of Zobah, David struck down twenty-two thousand of their men.

⁶Then he placed garrisons in Aram of Damascus, and the Arameans became subject to David and brought him tribute. So the LORD made David victorious wherever he went.

⁷And David took the gold shields that belonged to the officers of Hadadezer and brought them to Jerusalem.

⁸And from Betahand Berothai, cities of Hadadezer, King David took a large amount of bronze.

⁹When King Toiof Hamath heard that David had defeated the entire army of Hadadezer,

¹⁰he sent his son Joramto greet King David and bless him for fighting and defeating Hadadezer, who had been at war with Toi. Joram brought with him articles of silver and gold and bronze,

¹¹and King David dedicated these to the LORD, along with the silver and gold he had dedicated from all the nations he had subdued—

¹²from Edomand Moab, from the Ammonites and Philistines and Amalekites, and from the spoil of Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah.

¹³And David made a name for himself when he returned from striking down eighteen thousand Edomitesin the Valley of Salt.

¹⁴He placed garrisons throughout Edom, and all the Edomites were subject to David. So the LORD made David victorious wherever he went.

David’s Officers

¹⁵Thus David reigned over all Israel and administered justice and righteousness for all his people:

¹⁶Joab son of Zeruiah was over the army;Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the recorder;

¹⁷Zadok son of Ahitub and Ahimelech son of Abiathar were priests;Seraiahwas the scribe;

¹⁸Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and Pelethites;and David’s sons were priestly leaders.

Sing for Joy to God Our Strength

¹Sing for joy to God our strength;make a joyful noise to the God of Jacob.

²Lift up a song, strike the tambourine,play the sweet-sounding harp and lyre.

³Sound the ram’s horn at the New Moon,and at the full moon on the day of our Feast.

⁴For this is a statute for Israel,an ordinance of the God of Jacob.

⁵He ordained it as a testimony for Josephwhen he went out over the land of Egypt,where I heard an unfamiliar language:

⁶“I relieved his shoulder of the burden;his hands were freed from the basket.

⁷You called out in distress, and I rescued you;I answered you from the cloud of thunder;I tested you at the waters of Meribah.Selah

⁸Hear, O My people, and I will warn you:O Israel, if only you would listen to Me!

⁹There must be no strange god among you,nor shall you bow to a foreign god.

¹⁰I am the LORD your God,who brought you up out of Egypt.Open wide your mouth,and I will fill it.

¹¹But My people would not listen to Me,and Israel would not obey Me.

¹²So I gave them up to their stubborn heartsto follow their own devices.

¹³If only My people would listen to Me,if Israel would follow My ways,

¹⁴how soon I would subdue their enemiesand turn My hand against their foes!

¹⁵Those who hate the LORD would feign obedience,and their doom would last forever.

¹⁶But I would feed you the finest wheat;with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”