The Ark Brought to Jerusalem
1After David had constructed buildings for himself in the City of David, he prepared a place for the ark of God and pitched a tent for it. 2Then David said, “No one but the Levites may carry the ark of God, because the Lord chose them to carry the ark of the Lord and to minister before him forever.”
3David assembled all Israel in Jerusalem to bring up the ark of the Lord to the place he had prepared for it. 4He called together the descendants of Aaron and the Levites:
5From the descendants of Kohath,
Uriel the leader and 120 relatives;
6from the descendants of Merari,
Asaiah the leader and 220 relatives;
7from the descendants of Gershon,15:7 Hebrew Gershom, a variant of Gershon
Joel the leader and 130 relatives;
8from the descendants of Elizaphan,
Shemaiah the leader and 200 relatives;
9from the descendants of Hebron,
Eliel the leader and 80 relatives;
10from the descendants of Uzziel,
Amminadab the leader and 112 relatives.
11Then David summoned Zadok and Abiathar the priests, and Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel and Amminadab the Levites. 12He said to them, “You are the heads of the Levitical families; you and your fellow Levites are to consecrate yourselves and bring up the ark of the Lord, the God of Israel, to the place I have prepared for it. 13It was because you, the Levites, did not bring it up the first time that the Lord our God broke out in anger against us. We did not inquire of him about how to do it in the prescribed way.” 14So the priests and Levites consecrated themselves in order to bring up the ark of the Lord, the God of Israel. 15And the Levites carried the ark of God with the poles on their shoulders, as Moses had commanded in accordance with the word of the Lord.
16David told the leaders of the Levites to appoint their fellow Levites as musicians to make a joyful sound with musical instruments: lyres, harps and cymbals.
17So the Levites appointed Heman son of Joel; from his relatives, Asaph son of Berekiah; and from their relatives the Merarites, Ethan son of Kushaiah; 18and with them their relatives next in rank: Zechariah,15:18 Three Hebrew manuscripts and most Septuagint manuscripts (see also verse 20 and 16:5); most Hebrew manuscripts Zechariah son and or Zechariah, Ben and Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom and Jeiel,15:18 Hebrew; Septuagint (see also verse 21) Jeiel and Azaziah the gatekeepers.
19The musicians Heman, Asaph and Ethan were to sound the bronze cymbals; 20Zechariah, Jaaziel,15:20 See verse 18; Hebrew Aziel, a variant of Jaaziel. Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah and Benaiah were to play the lyres according to alamoth,15:20 Probably a musical term 21and Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, Jeiel and Azaziah were to play the harps, directing according to sheminith.15:21 Probably a musical term 22Kenaniah the head Levite was in charge of the singing; that was his responsibility because he was skillful at it.
23Berekiah and Elkanah were to be doorkeepers for the ark. 24Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah and Eliezer the priests were to blow trumpets before the ark of God. Obed-Edom and Jehiah were also to be doorkeepers for the ark.
25So David and the elders of Israel and the commanders of units of a thousand went to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord from the house of Obed-Edom, with rejoicing. 26Because God had helped the Levites who were carrying the ark of the covenant of the Lord, seven bulls and seven rams were sacrificed. 27Now David was clothed in a robe of fine linen, as were all the Levites who were carrying the ark, and as were the musicians, and Kenaniah, who was in charge of the singing of the choirs. David also wore a linen ephod. 28So all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the Lord with shouts, with the sounding of rams’ horns and trumpets, and of cymbals, and the playing of lyres and harps.
29As the ark of the covenant of the Lord was entering the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King David dancing and celebrating, she despised him in her heart.
David fører arken til Jerusalem
2.Sam. 6,12-19
1Efter at David havde bygget et stort palads til sig selv i Davidsbyen, indrettede han et telt, hvor Guds Ark kunne stå. 2Derpå sagde han: „Kun levitterne må røre Guds Ark, for det er dem, Herren en gang for alle har udvalgt til at bære arken og gøre tjeneste for ham.”
3Derefter samlede David alle Israels ledere i Jerusalem, for at de skulle overvære højtideligheden, når arken blev ført ind i det telt, som var indrettet til den. 4Følgende præster og levitter var til stede: 5Fra Kehats slægt: 120 mænd anført af Uriel; 6fra Meraris slægt: 220 mænd anført af Asaja; 7fra Gershons slægt: 130 mænd anført af Joel; 8fra Elitzafans slægt: 200 mænd anført af Shemaja; 9fra Hebrons slægt: 80 mænd anført af Eliel; 10og fra Uzziels slægt: 112 mænd anført af Amminadab.
11David tilkaldte nu ypperstepræsterne Zadok og Ebjatar samt de levitiske ledere Uriel, Asaja, Joel, Shemaja, Eliel og Amminadab.
12„I er overhoveder for de levitiske slægter,” sagde han til dem. „Sørg nu for, at I selv og jeres folk gennemgår renselsesritualet, så I kan føre Herrens, Israels Guds, Ark ind i teltet. 13Sidste gang, da I ikke var med, straffede Herren os, fordi vi ikke rådførte os med ham om, hvordan arken skulle flyttes.”
14Derefter gennemgik præsterne og levitterne renselsesritualet, så de kunne flytte Israels Guds Ark på den rigtige måde. 15På den måde blev levitterne klar til at kunne løfte Guds Ark op i bærestængerne og bære den på skuldrene, sådan som Herren havde befalet Moses.
16David gav de levitiske ledere ordre til at organisere et orkester og et kor, som kunne synge af hjertens fryd og spille på lyrer, harper og bækkener. 17Levitternes ledere udpegede følgende musikere som ledere: Heman, Joels søn; Asaf, Berekjas søn; og Etan, Kushajas søn fra Meraris slægt.15,17 Fra 1.Krøn. 6,18-28 ved vi, at Heman var fra Kehat-slægten og Asaf fra Gershon-slægten. Alle tre grene af Levi-stammen er således repræsenteret.
18Følgende mænd blev udpeget som deres medhjælpere: Zekarja, Ja’aziel, Shemiramot, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaja, Ma’aseja, Mattitja, Elifelehu, Mikneja og tempelvagterne Obed-Edom og Jeiel.
19Heman, Asaf og Etan fik til opgave at slå på bronzebækkenerne. 20Zekarja, Aziel, Shemiramot, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Ma’aseja og Benaja skulle spille på harpe, 21og Mattitja, Elifelehu, Mikneja, Obed-Edom, Jeiel og Azazja skulle spille på lyre. 22Kenanja blev udpeget som instruktør for musikerne, for det var han særlig uddannet til.
23-24Berekja, Elkana, Obed-Edom og Jehija skulle holde vagt omkring arken, og præsterne Shebanja, Joshafat, Netanel, Amasaj, Zekarja, Benaja og Eliezer skulle blæse i trompet foran Guds Ark.
25Under stor jubel gik David nu i spidsen for Israels ledere og officerer til Obed-Edoms hus for at føre Herrens Pagts Ark til Jerusalem. 26Da levitterne nu kunne bære Herrens Pagts Ark uden problemer, ofrede man i taknemmelighed til Gud syv unge tyre og syv væddere. 27Både David, de levitter, der bar arken, deres leder, Kenanja, og sangerne var iført dragter af fintvævet linned. David bar desuden en efod af linned, den særlige præstedragt. 28Under stor festjubel førte Israels ledere derpå Herrens Pagts Ark til Jerusalem til akkompagnement af vædderhorn og trompeter, bækkener, harper og lyrer.
29Men da processionen nåede ind til Davidsbyen, og Davids kone Mikal, Sauls datter, fra sit vindue så kong David hoppe rundt og danse af glæde, følte hun foragt for ham.
