Then he said to the whole assembly of Israel,“ If it seems good to you, and if this is from the LORD our God, let’s spread out and send the message to the rest of our relatives in all the districts of Israel, including the priests and Levites in their cities with pasturelands, that they should gather together with us.

大卫对以色列全会众说：“你们若以为美，见这事是出于耶和华我们的神，我们就差遣人走遍以色列地，见我们未来的弟兄，又见住在有郊野之城的祭司利未人，使他们都到这里来聚集。

大卫对以色列全会众说：“你们若以为好，见这事是出于耶和华—我们的上帝，我们就派人到远近各处去见仍留在以色列各地我们的弟兄，以及住在有郊野之城的祭司和利未人，使他们都到我们这里来聚集。

大卫对以色列全会众说：“你们若以为好，见这事是出于耶和华—我们的神，我们就派人到远近各处去见仍留在以色列各地我们的弟兄，以及住在有郊野之城的祭司和利未人，使他们都到我们这里来聚集。

然后对以色列全体会众说：“如果你们赞成，而且这是我们上帝耶和华的旨意，我们就派人到以色列各地把其他同胞，包括住在城邑及草场的祭司和利未人召集来。

然后大卫对以色列全体会众说：“你们如果认为好，认为这事是出于耶和华我们的神，我们就差遣人走遍各地，去见留在以色列各地的兄弟，以及和他们在一起住在那些有草场的城的祭司和利未人，叫他们都聚集到我们这里来。

大衛對以色列全會眾說：「你們若以為美，見這事是出於耶和華－我們的神，我們就差遣人走遍以色列地，見我們未來的弟兄，又見住在有郊野之城的祭司利未人，使他們都到這裏來聚集。

大衛對以色列全會眾說：「你們若以為好，見這事是出於耶和華－我們的上帝，我們就派人到遠近各處去見仍留在以色列各地我們的弟兄，以及住在有郊野之城的祭司和利未人，使他們都到我們這裏來聚集。

大衛對以色列全會眾說：「你們若以為好，見這事是出於耶和華－我們的神，我們就派人到遠近各處去見仍留在以色列各地我們的弟兄，以及住在有郊野之城的祭司和利未人，使他們都到我們這裏來聚集。

然後對以色列全體會眾說：「如果你們贊成，而且這是我們上帝耶和華的旨意，我們就派人到以色列各地把其他同胞，包括住在城邑及草場的祭司和利未人召集來。

然後大衛對以色列全體會眾說：“你們如果認為好，認為這事是出於耶和華我們的神，我們就差遣人走遍各地，去見留在以色列各地的兄弟，以及和他們在一起住在那些有草場的城的祭司和利未人，叫他們都聚集到我們這裡來。

大衛對以色列全體大眾說：『你們若以為好，若以為是出於永恆主我們的上帝，那麼我們就發急令，差遣人去見我們的族弟兄、那些在以色列各地其餘之民、連同祭司和利未人、那些在有牧場之城的，叫他們集合到我們這裏來。

謂以色列會眾曰、爾曹若以為善、此事由於我上帝耶和華、則可遣人往以色列全地、請我儕其餘之昆弟、及居邑郊之祭司利未人、使之咸集於此、

告以色列族會眾、曰、如蒙我上帝耶和華祐、俾爾樂為、則遣人召以色列族地未至之同宗、及諸邑之祭司、利未人、群集於此、

謂以色列會眾曰、如爾以為善、且以為出乎主我之天主、則我儕遣人往以色列遍地、見所有未至之同族、又見祭司及利未人、即居於其邑與其郊者、使咸集於此、

He then said to the whole assembly of Israel,“ If it seems good to you and if it is the will of the Lord our God, let us send word far and wide to the rest of our people throughout the territories of Israel, and also to the priests and Levites who are with them in their towns and pasturelands, to come and join us.

David spoke to the whole community of Israel. He said,“ Let’s send word to the rest of our people no matter how far away they live. They live in all the territories of Israel. Let’s also send word to the priests and Levites who are with them in their towns and on their grasslands. Let’s invite everyone to come and join us. Let’s do it if it seems good to you and if that’s what the Lord our God wants.

And David said to all the assembly of Israel,“ If it seems good to you and from the Lord our God, let us send abroad to our brothers who remain in all the lands of Israel, as well as to the priests and Levites in the cities that have pasturelands, that they may be gathered to us.

Then he addressed the entire assembly of Israel as follows:“ If you approve and if it is the will of the Lord our God, let us send messages to all the Israelites throughout the land, including the priests and Levites in their towns and pasturelands. Let us invite them to come and join us.

David said to all the assembly of Israel,“ If it seems good to you, and if it is from the Lord our God, let us send word everywhere to our kinsmen who remain in all the land of Israel, and to the priests and Levites who are with them in their cities with pasture lands, that they meet with us;

And David said to all the assembly of Israel,“ If it seems good to you, and if it is of the Lord our God, let us send out to our brethren everywhere who are left in all the land of Israel, and with them to the priests and Levites who are in their cities and their common-lands, that they may gather together to us;

And David said unto all the assembly of Israel, If it seem good unto you, and if it be of Jehovah our God, let us send abroad every where unto our brethren that are left in all the land of Israel, with whom the priests and Levites are in their cities that have suburbs, that they may gather themselves unto us;

Then he said to the whole assembly of Israel,“ If it seems good to you, and if this is from the Lord our God, let us spread out and send the message to the rest of our relatives in all the districts of Israel, including the priests and Levites in their cities with pasturelands, that they should gather together with us.

And David said unto all the congregation of Israel, If[ it seem] good unto you, and[ that it be] of the LORD our God, let us send abroad unto our brethren every where,[ that are] left in all the land of Israel, and with them[ also] to the priests and Levites[ which are] in their cities[ and] suburbs, that they may gather themselves unto us:

David said to the whole Israelite assembly,“ If you so desire and the LORD our God approves, let’s spread the word to our brothers who remain in all the regions of Israel, and to the priests and Levites in their cities, so they may join us.

David said to all the assembly of Israel,“ If it seems good to you, and if it is of Yahweh our God, let’s send word everywhere to our brothers who are left in all the land of Israel, with whom the priests and Levites are in their cities that have pasture lands, that they may gather themselves to us.

The Philistines fought against Israel, and Israel’s men fled from them and were killed on Mount Gilboa.

When all the men of Israel in the valley saw that the army had fled and that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned their cities and fled. So the Philistines came and settled in them.

For this reason, although I have great boldness in Christ to command you to do what is right,I appeal to you, instead, on the basis of love. I, Paul, as an elderly man and now also as a prisoner of Christ Jesus,

Perhaps the LORD your God will hear all the words of the royal spokesman, whom his master the king of Assyria sent to mock the living God, and will rebuke him for the words that the LORD your God has heard. Therefore offer a prayer for the surviving remnant.’”

If you do this, and God so directs you, you will be able to endure, and also all these people will be able to go home satisfied.”

Then David said,“ No one but the Levites may carry the ark of God, because the LORD has chosen them to carry the ark of the LORD and to minister before him forever.”David assembled all Israel at Jerusalem to bring the ark of the LORD to the place he had prepared for it.Then he gathered together the descendants of Aaron and the Levites:From the Kohathites, Uriel the leader and 120 of his relatives;from the Merarites, Asaiah the leader and 220 of his relatives;from the Gershomites, Joel the leader and 130 of his relatives;from the Elizaphanites, Shemaiah the leader and 200 of his relatives;from the Hebronites, Eliel the leader and 80 of his relatives;from the Uzzielites, Amminadab the leader and 112 of his relatives.David summoned the priests Zadok and Abiathar and the Levites Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel, and Amminadab.He said to them,“ You are the heads of the Levite families. You and your relatives must consecrate yourselves so that you may bring the ark of the LORD God of Israel to the place I have prepared for it.For the LORD our God burst out in anger against us because you Levites were not with us the first time, for we didn’t inquire of him about the proper procedures.”So the priests and the Levites consecrated themselves to bring up the ark of the LORD God of Israel.

“ Command the Israelites to give cities out of their hereditary property for the Levites to live in and pastureland around the cities.The cities will be for them to live in, and their pasturelands will be for their herds, flocks, and all their other animals.The pasturelands of the cities you are to give the Levites will extend from the city wall five hundred yards on every side.Measure a thousand yards outside the city for the east side, a thousand yards for the south side, a thousand yards for the west side, and a thousand yards for the north side, with the city in the center. This will belong to them as pasturelands for the cities.“ The cities you give the Levites will include six cities of refuge, which you will provide so that the one who kills someone may flee there; in addition to these, give forty-two other cities.The total number of cities you give the Levites will be forty-eight, along with their pasturelands.Of the cities that you give from the Israelites’ territory, you should take more from a larger tribe and less from a smaller one. Each tribe is to give some of its cities to the Levites in proportion to the inheritance it receives.”The LORD said to Moses,

He told the people who lived in Jerusalem to give a contribution for the priests and Levites so that they could devote their energy to the law of the LORD.When the word spread, the Israelites gave liberally of the best of the grain, new wine, fresh oil, honey, and of all the produce of the field, and they brought in an abundance, a tenth of everything.As for the Israelites and Judahites who lived in the cities of Judah, they also brought a tenth of the herds and flocks, and a tenth of the dedicated things that were consecrated to the LORD their God. They gathered them into large piles.In the third month they began building up the piles, and they finished in the seventh month.When Hezekiah and his officials came and viewed the piles, they blessed the LORD and his people Israel.Hezekiah asked the priests and Levites about the piles.The chief priest Azariah, of the household of Zadok, answered him,“ Since they began bringing the offering to the LORD’s temple, we have been eating and are satisfied and there is plenty left over because the LORD has blessed his people; this abundance is what is left over.”Hezekiah told them to prepare chambers in the LORD’s temple, and they prepared them.The offering, the tenth, and the dedicated things were brought faithfully. Conaniah the Levite was the officer in charge of them, and his brother Shimei was second.Jehiel, Azaziah, Nahath, Asahel, Jerimoth, Jozabad, Eliel, Ismachiah, Mahath, and Benaiah were deputies under the authority of Conaniah and his brother Shimei by appointment of King Hezekiah and of Azariah the chief official of God’s temple.Kore son of Imnah the Levite, the keeper of the East Gate, was over the freewill offerings to God to distribute the contribution to the LORD and the consecrated things.Eden, Miniamin, Jeshua, Shemaiah, Amariah, and Shecaniah in the cities of the priests were to distribute it faithfully under his authority to their brothers by divisions, whether large or small.In addition, they distributed it to males registered by genealogy three years old and above; to all who would enter the LORD’s temple for their daily duty, for their service in their responsibilities according to their divisions.They distributed also to those recorded by genealogy of the priests by their ancestral families and the Levites twenty years old and above, by their responsibilities in their divisions;to those registered by genealogy— with all their dependents, wives, sons, and daughters— of the whole assembly( for they had faithfully consecrated themselves as holy);and to the descendants of Aaron, the priests, in the common fields of their cities, in each and every city. There were men who were registered by name to distribute a portion to every male among the priests and to every Levite recorded by genealogy.Hezekiah did this throughout all Judah. He did what was good and upright and true before the LORD his God.He was diligent in every deed that he began in the service of God’s temple, in the instruction and the commands, in order to seek his God, and he prospered.

They replied,“ Today if you will be a servant to this people and serve them, and if you respond to them by speaking kind words to them, they will be your servants forever.”

These were the places assigned to Aaron’s descendants from the Kohathite family for their settlements in their territory, because the first lot was for them.They were given Hebron in the land of Judah and its surrounding pasturelands,but the fields and settlements around the city were given to Caleb son of Jephunneh.Aaron’s descendants were given: Hebron( a city of refuge), Libnah and its pasturelands, Jattir, Eshtemoa and its pasturelands,Hilen and its pasturelands, Debir and its pasturelands,Ashan and its pasturelands, and Beth-shemesh and its pasturelands.From the tribe of Benjamin they were given Geba and its pasturelands, Alemeth and its pasturelands, and Anathoth and its pasturelands. They had thirteen towns in all among their families.To the rest of the Kohathites, ten towns from half the tribe of Manasseh were assigned by lot.The Gershomites were assigned thirteen towns from the tribes of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and Manasseh in Bashan according to their families.The Merarites were assigned by lot twelve towns from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun according to their families.So the Israelites gave these towns and their pasturelands to the Levites.They assigned by lot the towns named above from the tribes of the descendants of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin.Some of the families of the Kohathites were given towns from the tribe of Ephraim for their territory:Shechem( a city of refuge) with its pasturelands in the hill country of Ephraim, Gezer and its pasturelands,Jokmeam and its pasturelands, Beth-horon and its pasturelands,Aijalon and its pasturelands, and Gath-rimmon and its pasturelands.From half the tribe of Manasseh, Aner and its pasturelands, and Bileam and its pasturelands were given to the rest of the families of the Kohathites.The Gershomites received: Golan in Bashan and its pasturelands, and Ashtaroth and its pasturelands from the families of half the tribe of Manasseh.From the tribe of Issachar they received Kedesh and its pasturelands, Daberath and its pasturelands,Ramoth and its pasturelands, and Anem and its pasturelands.From the tribe of Asher they received Mashal and its pasturelands, Abdon and its pasturelands,Hukok and its pasturelands, and Rehob and its pasturelands.From the tribe of Naphtali they received Kedesh in Galilee and its pasturelands, Hammon and its pasturelands, and Kiriathaim and its pasturelands.The rest of the Merarites received: From the tribe of Zebulun they received Rimmono and its pasturelands and Tabor and its pasturelands.From the tribe of Reuben across the Jordan at Jericho, to the east of the Jordan, they received Bezer in the desert and its pasturelands, Jahzah and its pasturelands,Kedemoth and its pasturelands, and Mephaath and its pasturelands.From the tribe of Gad they received Ramoth in Gilead and its pasturelands, Mahanaim and its pasturelands,Heshbon and its pasturelands, and Jazer and its pasturelands.

“ The service of the Kohathites at the tent of meeting concerns the most holy objects.Whenever the camp is about to move on, Aaron and his sons are to go in, take down the screening curtain, and cover the ark of the testimony with it.They are to place over this a covering made of fine leather, spread a solid blue cloth on top, and insert its poles.“ They are to spread a blue cloth over the table of the Presence and place the plates and cups on it, as well as the bowls and pitchers for the drink offering. The regular bread offering is to be on it.They are to spread a scarlet cloth over them, cover them with a covering made of fine leather, and insert the poles in the table.“ They are to take a blue cloth and cover the lampstand used for light, with its lamps, snuffers, and firepans, as well as its jars of oil by which they service it.Then they are to place it with all its utensils inside a covering made of fine leather and put them on the carrying frame.“ They are to spread a blue cloth over the gold altar, cover it with a covering made of fine leather, and insert its poles.They are to take all the serving utensils they use in the sanctuary, place them in a blue cloth, cover them with a covering made of fine leather, and put them on a carrying frame.“ They are to remove the ashes from the bronze altar, spread a purple cloth over it,and place all the equipment on it that they use in serving: the firepans, meat forks, shovels, and basins— all the equipment of the altar. They are to spread a covering made of fine leather over it and insert its poles.“ Aaron and his sons are to finish covering the holy objects and all their equipment whenever the camp is to move on. The Kohathites will come and carry them, but they are not to touch the holy objects or they will die. These are the transportation duties of the Kohathites regarding the tent of meeting.“ Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, has oversight of the lamp oil, the fragrant incense, the daily grain offering, and the anointing oil. He has oversight of the entire tabernacle and everything in it, the holy objects and their utensils.”Then the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron:“ Do not allow the Kohathite tribal clans to be wiped out from the Levites.Do this for them so that they may live and not die when they come near the most holy objects: Aaron and his sons are to go in and assign each man his task and transportation duty.The Kohathites are not to go in and look at the holy objects as they are covered or they will die.”

But King Joram had returned to Jezreel to recover from the wounds that the Arameans had inflicted on him when he fought against Aram’s King Hazael. Jehu said,“ If you commanders wish to make me king, then don’t let anyone escape from the city to go tell about it in Jezreel.”

the king said to the prophet Nathan,“ Look, I am living in a cedar house while the ark of God sits inside tent curtains.”So Nathan told the king,“ Go and do all that is on your mind, for the LORD is with you.”But that night the word of the LORD came to Nathan:“ Go to my servant David and say,‘ This is what the LORD says: Are you to build me a house to dwell in?

Plans fail when there is no counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.