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.
1And David made him houses in the city of David, and prepared a place for the ark of God, and pitched for it a tent. 2Then 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.15.2 None…: Heb. It is not to carry the ark of God, but for the Levites 3And David gathered all Israel together to Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the LORD unto his place, which he had prepared for it. 4And David assembled the children of Aaron, and the Levites: 5Of the sons of Kohath; Uriel the chief, and his brethren an hundred and twenty:15.5 brethren: or, kinsmen 6Of the sons of Merari; Asaiah the chief, and his brethren two hundred and twenty: 7Of the sons of Gershom; Joel the chief, and his brethren an hundred and thirty: 8Of the sons of Elizaphan; Shemaiah the chief, and his brethren two hundred: 9Of the sons of Hebron; Eliel the chief, and his brethren fourscore: 10Of the sons of Uzziel; Amminadab the chief, and his brethren an hundred and twelve. 11And David called for Zadok and Abiathar the priests, and for the Levites, for Uriel, Asaiah, and Joel, Shemaiah, and Eliel, and Amminadab, 12And 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. 13For 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. 14So the priests and the Levites sanctified themselves to bring up the ark of the LORD God of Israel. 15And 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. 16And 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. 17So 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; 18And 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. 19So the singers, Heman, Asaph, and Ethan, were appointed to sound with cymbals of brass; 20And Zechariah, and Aziel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Unni, and Eliab, and Maaseiah, and Benaiah, with psalteries on Alamoth; 21And Mattithiah, and Elipheleh, and Mikneiah, and Obed-edom, and Jeiel, and Azaziah, with harps on the Sheminith to excel.15.21 on the…: or, on the eighth to oversee 22And Chenaniah, chief of the Levites, was for song: he instructed about the song, because he was skilful.15.22 was for…: or, was for the carriage: he instructed about the carriage15.22 song: Heb. lifting up 23And Berechiah and Elkanah were doorkeepers for the ark. 24And 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.
25¶ So David, and the elders of Israel, and the captains over thousands, went to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of the house of Obed-edom with joy. 26And it came to pass, when God helped the Levites that bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, that they offered seven bullocks and seven rams. 27And David was clothed with a robe of fine linen, and all the Levites that bare the ark, and the singers, and Chenaniah the master of the song with the singers: David also had upon him an ephod of linen.15.27 song: or, carriage 28Thus all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the LORD with shouting, and with sound of the cornet, and with trumpets, and with cymbals, making a noise with psalteries and harps.
29¶ And it came to pass, as the ark of the covenant of the LORD came to the city of David, that Michal the daughter of Saul looking out at a window saw king David dancing and playing: and she despised him in her heart.
