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.
约柜被运到耶路撒冷
1大卫在大卫城为自己建造宫殿，并为上帝的约柜预备地方，支搭帐篷。 2大卫说：“除了利未人以外，谁也不可抬上帝的约柜，因为耶和华只拣选他们抬上帝的约柜，永远事奉祂。”
3大卫召集以色列人到耶路撒冷，要把耶和华的约柜抬到他所预备的地方。 4大卫又召集了亚伦的子孙和利未人： 5哥辖的后代乌列族长和他的一百二十个族人； 6米拉利的后代亚帅雅族长和他的二百二十个族人； 7革顺的后代约珥族长和他的一百三十个族人； 8以利撒番的后代示玛雅族长和他的二百个族人； 9希伯仑的后代以列族长和他的八十个族人； 10乌薛的后代亚米拿达族长和他的一百一十二个族人。
11大卫召来撒督和亚比亚他两位祭司以及利未人乌列、亚帅雅、约珥、示玛雅、以列、亚米拿达， 12对他们说：“你们是利未人的族长，你们和你们的族人都要洁净自己，好将以色列的上帝耶和华的约柜抬到我所预备的地方。 13先前你们没有抬约柜，我们也没有按规矩求问我们的上帝耶和华，以致祂向我们发怒。” 14于是祭司和利未人就洁净自己，好将以色列的上帝耶和华的约柜抬上来。 15利未人按照耶和华借摩西颁布的命令，用杠把上帝的约柜抬在肩上。
16大卫又吩咐利未人的族长去派他们的族人做歌乐手，伴着琴瑟和钹的乐声欢唱。 17于是，利未人指派约珥的儿子希幔和他的亲族比利迦的儿子亚萨，以及他的亲族米拉利的后代古沙雅的儿子以探。 18协助他们的亲族有撒迦利雅、雅薛、示米拉末、耶歇、乌尼、以利押、比拿雅、玛西雅、玛他提雅、以利斐利户、弥克尼雅，以及守门的俄别·以东和耶利。
19歌乐手希幔、亚萨和以探负责敲铜钹， 20撒迦利雅、雅薛、示米拉末、耶歇、乌尼、以利押、玛西雅、比拿雅负责鼓瑟，调用高音。 21玛他提雅、以利斐利户、弥克尼雅、俄别·以东、耶利、亚撒西雅负责带领弹琴，调用低音。 22利未人的族长基拿尼雅善于歌唱，是歌乐手的领班。 23比利迦和以利加拿负责看守约柜。 24祭司示巴尼、约沙法、拿坦业、亚玛赛、撒迦利雅、比拿亚和以利以谢负责在上帝的约柜前吹号，俄别·以东和耶希亚也负责看守约柜。
25大卫和以色列的长老以及千夫长去俄别·以东家，高高兴兴地将耶和华的约柜抬上来。 26耶和华上帝恩待抬约柜的利未人，他们就献上七头公牛和七只公羊为祭物。 27大卫和抬约柜的利未人、歌乐手及其领班基拿尼雅都穿上细麻衣，大卫还穿上细麻布的以弗得。 28以色列人把耶和华的约柜抬了上来，一路上欢呼吹角、鸣号、敲钹、鼓瑟、弹琴，大声奏乐。 29耶和华的约柜进大卫城的时候，扫罗的女儿米甲从窗户往外看，看见大卫王在兴高采烈地跳舞，心里就轻视他。
