35 I will raise up for myself a faithful priest,(A) who will do according to what is in my heart and mind. I will firmly establish his priestly house, and they will minister before my anointed(B) one always.

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When all the elders of Israel had come to King David at Hebron, the king made a covenant(A) with them at Hebron before the Lord, and they anointed(B) David king over Israel.

David was thirty years old(C) when he became king, and he reigned(D) forty(E) years. In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months,(F) and in Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah thirty-three years.

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Others Join David at Hebron

23 These are the numbers of the men armed for battle who came to David at Hebron(A) to turn(B) Saul’s kingdom over to him, as the Lord had said:(C)

24 from Judah, carrying shield and spear—6,800 armed for battle;

25 from Simeon, warriors ready for battle—7,100;

26 from Levi—4,600, 27 including Jehoiada, leader of the family of Aaron, with 3,700 men, 28 and Zadok,(D) a brave young warrior, with 22 officers from his family;

29 from Benjamin,(E) Saul’s tribe—3,000, most(F) of whom had remained loyal to Saul’s house until then;

30 from Ephraim, brave warriors, famous in their own clans—20,800;

31 from half the tribe of Manasseh, designated by name to come and make David king—18,000;

32 from Issachar, men who understood the times and knew what Israel should do(G)—200 chiefs, with all their relatives under their command;

33 from Zebulun, experienced soldiers prepared for battle with every type of weapon, to help David with undivided loyalty—50,000;

34 from Naphtali—1,000 officers, together with 37,000 men carrying shields and spears;

35 from Dan, ready for battle—28,600;

36 from Asher, experienced soldiers prepared for battle—40,000;

37 and from east of the Jordan, from Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh, armed with every type of weapon—120,000.

38 All these were fighting men who volunteered to serve in the ranks. They came to Hebron fully determined to make David king over all Israel.(H) All the rest of the Israelites were also of one mind to make David king. 39 The men spent three days there with David, eating and drinking,(I) for their families had supplied provisions for them. 40 Also, their neighbors from as far away as Issachar, Zebulun and Naphtali came bringing food on donkeys, camels, mules and oxen. There were plentiful supplies(J) of flour, fig cakes, raisin(K) cakes, wine, olive oil, cattle and sheep, for there was joy(L) in Israel.

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