< 1 Chronicles 15 >

1 David made himself houses in David’s city; and he prepared a place for God’s ark, and pitched a tent for it.
And David made houses for himself in the town of David; and he got ready a place for the ark of God, and put up a tent for it.
2 Then David said, “No one ought to carry God’s ark but the Levites. For the LORD has chosen them to carry God’s ark, and to minister to him forever.”
Then David said, The ark of God may not be moved by any but the Levites, for they have been marked out by God to take the ark of God, and to do his work for ever.
3 David assembled all Israel at Jerusalem, to bring up the LORD’s ark to its place, which he had prepared for it.
And David made all Israel come together at Jerusalem, to take the ark of the Lord to its place, which he had got ready for it.
4 David gathered together the sons of Aaron and the Levites:
And David got together the sons of Aaron, and the Levites;
5 of the sons of Kohath, Uriel the chief, and his brothers one hundred twenty;
Of the sons of Kohath: Uriel the chief, and his brothers, a hundred and twenty;
6 of the sons of Merari, Asaiah the chief, and his brothers two hundred twenty;
Of the sons of Merari: Asaiah the chief, and his brothers, two hundred and twenty;
7 of the sons of Gershom, Joel the chief, and his brothers one hundred thirty;
Of the sons of Gershom: Joel the chief, and his brothers, a hundred and thirty;
8 of the sons of Elizaphan, Shemaiah the chief, and his brothers two hundred;
Of the sons of Elizaphan: Shemaiah the chief, and his brothers, two hundred;
9 of the sons of Hebron, Eliel the chief, and his brothers eighty;
Of the sons of Hebron: Eliel the chief, and his brothers, eighty;
10 of the sons of Uzziel, Amminadab the chief, and his brothers one hundred twelve.
Of the sons of Uzziel: Amminadab the chief, and his brothers, a hundred and twelve.
11 David called for Zadok and Abiathar the priests, and for the Levites: for Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel, and Amminadab,
And David sent for Zadok and Abiathar the priests, and for the Levites, Uriel, Asaiah and Joel, Shemaiah and Eliel and Amminadab,
12 and said to them, “You are the heads of the fathers’ households of the Levites. Sanctify yourselves, both you and your brothers, that you may bring the ark of the LORD, the God of Israel, up to the place that I have prepared for it.
And said to them, You are the heads of the families of the Levites: make yourselves holy, you and your brothers, so that you may take the ark of the Lord, the God of Israel, to the place which I have made ready for it.
13 For because you did not carry it at first, the LORD our God broke out in anger against us, because we did not seek him according to the ordinance.”
For because you did not take it at the first, the Lord our God sent punishment on us, because we did not get directions from him in the right way.
14 So the priests and the Levites sanctified themselves to bring up the ark of the LORD, the God of Israel.
So the priests and the Levites made themselves holy to take up the ark of the Lord, the God of Israel.
15 The children of the Levites bore God’s ark on their shoulders with its poles, as Moses commanded according to the LORD’s word.
And the sons of the Levites took up the ark of God, lifting it by its rods, as the Lord had said to Moses.
16 David spoke to the chief of the Levites to appoint their brothers as singers with instruments of music, stringed instruments, harps, and cymbals, sounding aloud and lifting up their voices with joy.
And David gave orders to the chief of the Levites to put their brothers the music-makers in position, with instruments of music, corded instruments and brass, with glad voices making sounds of joy.
17 So the Levites appointed Heman the son of Joel; and of his brothers, Asaph the son of Berechiah; and of the sons of Merari their brothers, Ethan the son of Kushaiah;
So Heman, the son of Joel, and, of his brothers, Asaph, the son of Berechiah; and of the sons of Merari their brothers, Ethan, the son of Kushaiah, were put in position by the Levites;
18 and with them their brothers of the second rank: Zechariah, Ben, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, and Jeiel, the doorkeepers.
And with them their brothers of the second order, Zechariah, Bani and Jaaziel and Shemiramoth and Jehiel and Unni, Eliab and Benaiah and Maaseiah and Mattithiah and Eliphelehu and Mikneiah, and Obed-edom and Jeiel, the door-keepers.
19 So the singers, Heman, Asaph, and Ethan, were given cymbals of bronze to sound aloud;
So those who made melody, Heman, Asaph, and Ethan, were put in position, with brass instruments, sounding loudly;
20 and Zechariah, Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah, and Benaiah, with stringed instruments set to Alamoth;
And Zechariah and Aziel and Shemiramoth and Jehiel, Unni and Eliab and Maaseiah and Benaiah, with corded instruments put to Alamoth.
21 and Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah, with harps tuned to the eight-stringed lyre, to lead.
And Mattithiah and Eliphelehu and Mikneiah and Obed-edom and Jeiel and Azaziah, with corded instruments on the octave, to give the first note of the song.
22 Chenaniah, chief of the Levites, was over the singing. He taught the singers, because he was skillful.
And Chenaniah, chief of the Levites, was master of the music: he gave directions about the song, because he was expert.
23 Berechiah and Elkanah were doorkeepers for the ark.
And Berechiah and Elkanah were door-keepers for the ark.
24 Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah, and Eliezer, the priests, blew the trumpets before God’s ark; and Obed-Edom and Jehiah were doorkeepers for the ark.
And Shebaniah and Joshaphat and Nethanel and Amasai and Zechariah and Benaiah and Eliezer, the priests, made music on the horns before the ark of God; and Obed-edom and Jehiah were door-keepers for the ark.
25 So David, the elders of Israel, and the captains over thousands went to bring the ark of the LORD’s covenant up out of the house of Obed-Edom with joy.
So David, and the responsible men of Israel, and the captains over thousands, went with joy to get the ark of the agreement of the Lord out of the house of Obed-edom.
26 When God helped the Levites who bore the ark of the LORD’s covenant, they sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams.
And when God gave help to the Levites who were lifting up the ark of the agreement of the Lord, they made an offering of seven oxen and seven sheep.
27 David was clothed with a robe of fine linen, as were all the Levites who bore the ark, the singers, and Chenaniah the choir master with the singers; and David had an ephod of linen on him.
And David was clothed with a robe of fair linen, as were all the Levites who took up the ark, and those who made melody, and Chenaniah the master of those who made melody; and David had on a linen ephod;
28 Thus all Israel brought the ark of the LORD’s covenant up with shouting, with sound of the cornet, with trumpets, and with cymbals, sounding aloud with stringed instruments and harps.
So all Israel took up the ark of the agreement of the Lord, with loud cries and with horns and brass and corded instruments sounding loudly.
29 As the ark of the LORD’s covenant came to David’s city, Michal the daughter of Saul looked out at the window, and saw king David dancing and playing; and she despised him in her heart.
And when the ark of the agreement of the Lord came into the town of David, Michal, the daughter of Saul, looking out of the window, saw King David dancing and playing; and to her mind he seemed foolish.

< 1 Chronicles 15 >