The Skeptics Annotated Bible (367 page)

11 So they came up to Baal-perazim; and
David smote them there. Then David said, God hath broken in upon mine enemies by mine hand like the breaking forth of waters
: therefore they called the name of that place Baal-perazim.

(14.11)
“David smote them there. Then David said, God hath broken in upon mine enemies by mine hand like the breaking forth of waters.”
God helps David slaughter his enemies.

12 And when they had left their gods there, David gave a commandment, and they were burned with fire.

(14.12)
“When they had left their gods there, David gave a commandment, and they were burned with fire.”

13 And the Philistines yet again spread themselves abroad in the valley.

14 Therefore
David enquired again of God; and God said unto him, Go not up after them; turn away from them, and come upon them over against the mulberry trees.

(14.14)
“David enquired again of God; and God said unto him, Go not up after them; turn away from them, and come upon them over against the mulberry trees.”

15 And it shall be,
when thou shalt hear a sound of going in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then thou shalt go out to battle: for God is gone forth before thee to smite the host of the Philistines.

(14.15)
“When thou shalt hear a sound of going in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then thou shalt go out to battle: for God is gone forth before thee to smite the host of the Philistines.”
God tells David to listen for a sound in the mulberry trees. That sound will mean that God has already killed the Philistines.

16
David
therefore
did as God commanded him: and they smote the host of the Philistines
from Gibeon even to Gazer.

(14.16)
“David … did as God commanded him: and they smote the host of the Philistines.”
God’s 76th Killing

17
And the fame of David went out into all lands; and the LORD brought the fear of him upon all nations.

(14.17)
“And the fame of David went out into all lands; and the LORD brought the fear of him upon all nations.”
(Even the Native Americans, Polynesians, and Chinese emperors feared David!)

15
And David made him houses in the city of David, and prepared a place for the ark of God, and pitched for it a tent.

2 Then David said, None ought to carry the ark of God but the Levites: for them hath the LORD chosen to carry the ark of God, and to minister unto him for ever.

3 And David gathered all Israel together to Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the LORD unto his place, which he had prepared for it.

4 And David assembled the children of Aaron, and the Levites:

5 Of the sons of Kohath; Uriel the chief, and his brethren an hundred and twenty:

6 Of the sons of Merari; Asaiah the chief, and his brethren two hundred and twenty:

7 Of the sons of Gershom; Joel the chief, and his brethren an hundred and thirty:

8 Of the sons of Elizaphan; Shemaiah the chief, and his brethren two hundred:

9 Of the sons of Hebron; Eliel the chief, and his brethren fourscore:

10 Of the sons of Uzziel; Amminadab the chief, and his brethren an hundred and twelve.

11 And David called for Zadok and Abiathar the priests, and for the Levites, for Uriel, Asaiah, and Joel, Shemaiah, and Eliel, and Amminadab,

12 And said unto them, Ye are the chief of the fathers of the Levites: sanctify yourselves, both ye and your brethren, that ye may bring up the ark of the LORD God of Israel unto the place that I have prepared for it.

13 For because ye did it not at the first, the LORD our God made a breach upon us, for that we sought him not after the due order.

14 So the priests and the Levites sanctified themselves to bring up the ark of the LORD God of Israel.

15 And the children of the Levites bare the ark of God upon their shoulders with the staves thereon, as Moses commanded according to the word of the LORD.

16 And David spake to the chief of the Levites to appoint their brethren to be the singers with instruments of musick, psalteries and harps and cymbals, sounding, by lifting up the voice with joy.

17 So the Levites appointed Heman the son of Joel; and of his brethren, Asaph the son of Berechiah; and of the sons of Merari their brethren, Ethan the son of Kushaiah;

(15.17) “Heman the son of Joel”
219 Who was Heman’s father?

18 And with them their brethren of the second degree, Zechariah, Ben, and Jaaziel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Unni, Eliab, and Benaiah, and Maaseiah, and Mattithiah, and Elipheleh, and Mikneiah, and Obed-edom, and Jeiel, the porters.

19 So the singers, Heman, Asaph, and Ethan, were appointed to sound with cymbals of brass;

20 And Zechariah, and Aziel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Unni, and Eliab, and Maaseiah, and Benaiah, with psalteries on Alamoth;

21 And Mattithiah, and Elipheleh, and Mikneiah, and Obed-edom, and Jeiel, and Azaziah, with harps on the Sheminith to excel.

22 And Chenaniah, chief of the Levites, was for song: he instructed about the song, because he was skilful.

23 And Berechiah and Elkanah were doorkeepers for the ark.

24 And Shebaniah, and Jehoshaphat, and Nethaneel, and Amasai, and Zechariah, and Benaiah, and Eliezer, the priests, did blow with the trumpets before the ark of God: and Obed-edom and Jehiah were doorkeepers for the ark.