約櫃被運到耶路撒冷
1大衛在大衛城為自己建造宮殿，並為上帝的約櫃預備地方，支搭帳篷。 2大衛說：「除了利未人以外，誰也不可抬上帝的約櫃，因為耶和華只揀選他們抬上帝的約櫃，永遠事奉祂。」
3大衛召集以色列人到耶路撒冷，要把耶和華的約櫃抬到他所預備的地方。 4大衛又召集了亞倫的子孫和利未人： 5哥轄的後代烏列族長和他的一百二十個族人； 6米拉利的後代亞帥雅族長和他的二百二十個族人； 7革順的後代約珥族長和他的一百三十個族人； 8以利撒番的後代示瑪雅族長和他的二百個族人； 9希伯崙的後代以列族長和他的八十個族人； 10烏薛的後代亞米拿達族長和他的一百一十二個族人。
11大衛召來撒督和亞比亞他兩位祭司以及利未人烏列、亞帥雅、約珥、示瑪雅、以列、亞米拿達， 12對他們說：「你們是利未人的族長，你們和你們的族人都要潔淨自己，好將以色列的上帝耶和華的約櫃抬到我所預備的地方。 13先前你們沒有抬約櫃，我們也沒有按規矩求問我們的上帝耶和華，以致祂向我們發怒。」 14於是祭司和利未人就潔淨自己，好將以色列的上帝耶和華的約櫃抬上來。 15利未人按照耶和華藉摩西頒佈的命令，用杠把上帝的約櫃抬在肩上。
16大衛又吩咐利未人的族長去派他們的族人做歌樂手，伴著琴瑟和鈸的樂聲歡唱。 17於是，利未人指派約珥的兒子希幔和他的親族比利迦的兒子亞薩，以及他的親族米拉利的後代古沙雅的兒子以探。 18協助他們的親族有撒迦利雅、雅薛、示米拉末、耶歇、烏尼、以利押、比拿雅、瑪西雅、瑪他提雅、以利斐利戶、彌克尼雅，以及守門的俄別·以東和耶利。
19歌樂手希幔、亞薩和以探負責敲銅鈸， 20撒迦利雅、雅薛、示米拉末、耶歇、烏尼、以利押、瑪西雅、比拿雅負責鼓瑟，調用高音。 21瑪他提雅、以利斐利戶、彌克尼雅、俄別·以東、耶利、亞撒西雅負責帶領彈琴，調用低音。 22利未人的族長基拿尼雅善於歌唱，是歌樂手的領班。 23比利迦和以利加拿負責看守約櫃。 24祭司示巴尼、約沙法、拿坦業、亞瑪賽、撒迦利雅、比拿亞和以利以謝負責在上帝的約櫃前吹號，俄別·以東和耶希亞也負責看守約櫃。
25大衛和以色列的長老以及千夫長去俄別·以東家，高高興興地將耶和華的約櫃抬上來。 26耶和華上帝恩待抬約櫃的利未人，他們就獻上七頭公牛和七隻公羊為祭物。 27大衛和抬約櫃的利未人、歌樂手及其領班基拿尼雅都穿上細麻衣，大衛還穿上細麻布的以弗得。 28以色列人把耶和華的約櫃抬了上來，一路上歡呼吹角、鳴號、敲鈸、鼓瑟、彈琴，大聲奏樂。 29耶和華的約櫃進大衛城的時候，掃羅的女兒米甲從窗戶往外看，看見大衛王在興高采烈地跳舞，心裡就輕視他。
David Brings the Ark to Jerusalem
1David constructed buildings for himself in the City of David. Then he prepared a place for the ark of God. He set up a tent for it. 2He said, “Only Levites can carry the ark of God. That’s because the Lord chose them to carry his ark. He chose them to serve him forever in front of the place where his throne is.”
3David gathered the whole community of Israel together in Jerusalem. He wanted to carry up the ark of the Lord to the place he had prepared for it.
4He called together the members of the family line of Aaron. He also called the Levites together. Here are the men who came from the families of the Levites.
5From the families of Kohath
came the leader Uriel and 120 relatives.
6From the families of Merari
came the leader Asaiah and 220 relatives.
7From the families of Gershon
came the leader Joel and 130 relatives.
8From the families of Elizaphan
came the leader Shemaiah and 200 relatives.
9From the families of Hebron
came the leader Eliel and 80 relatives.
10From the families of Uzziel
came the leader Amminadab and 112 relatives.
11David sent for Zadok and Abiathar, the priests. He also sent for Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel and Amminadab. They were Levites. 12He said to them, “You are the leaders of the families of Levi. You and the other Levites must set yourselves apart to serve the Lord and his people. You must carry up the ark of the Lord. He is the God of Israel. Put the ark in the place I’ve prepared for it. 13Remember when the anger of the Lord our God broke out against us? That’s because it wasn’t you Levites who tried to carry up the ark the first time. We didn’t ask the Lord how to do it in the way the law requires.” 14So the priests and Levites set themselves apart. Then they carried up the ark of the Lord. He is the God of Israel. 15This time the Levites used the poles to carry on their shoulders the ark of God. That’s what Moses had commanded in keeping with the word of the Lord.
16David told the Levite leaders to appoint other Levites as musicians. He wanted them to make a joyful sound with lyres, harps and cymbals.
17So the Levites appointed Heman, the son of Joel. From his relatives they chose Asaph, the son of Berekiah. Other relatives were from the family of Merari. From them they chose Ethan, the son of Kushaiah. 18Along with them they chose their relatives who were next in rank. Their names were Zechariah, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom and Jeiel. They guarded the gates.
19Heman, Asaph and Ethan played the bronze cymbals. 20Zechariah, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah and Benaiah played the lyres according to alamoth. 21Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, Jeiel and Azaziah played the harps according to sheminith. 22Kenaniah was the leader of the Levites. He was in charge of the singing because he was good at it.
23Berekiah and Elkanah guarded the ark. 24Some of the priests blew trumpets in front of the ark of God. Their names were Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah and Eliezer. Obed-Edom and Jehiah also helped guard the ark.
25David and the elders of Israel went to carry up the ark of the covenant of the Lord. So did the commanders of military groups of 1,000 men. With great joy they carried up the ark from the house of Obed-Edom. 26God had helped the Levites who were carrying the ark of the covenant of the Lord. So seven bulls and seven rams were sacrificed. 27David was wearing a robe made out of fine linen. So were all the Levites who were carrying the ark. And so were the musicians and the choir director Kenaniah. David was also wearing a sacred linen apron. 28So the whole community of Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the Lord. They shouted. They blew rams’ horns and trumpets. They played cymbals, lyres and harps.
29The ark of the covenant of the Lord was brought into the City of David. Saul’s daughter Michal was watching from a window. She saw King David dancing and celebrating. That made her hate him in her heart.
