1 Chronicles 15

1 And he made him houses, in the city of David, —and prepared a place for the ark of God, and pitched for it a tent.

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, said David, None must carry the ark of God, save the Levites, —for, of them, did Yahweh make choice, to bear the ark of Yahweh, and to attend it, unto times age-abiding.

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 So David convoked all Israel, unto Jerusalem, —to bring up the ark of Yahweh, unto the place thereof, 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 And 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 brethren, one hundred and 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 brethren, two hundred and 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 brethren, one hundred and 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 brethren, 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 brethren, eighty;

Of the sons of Hebron: Eliel the chief, and his brothers, eighty;

10 of the son of Uzziel, Amminadab the chief, and his brethren, a hundred and twelve.

Of the sons of Uzziel: Amminadab the chief, and his brothers, a hundred and twelve.

11 Then called David, for Zadok and for Abiathar, the priests, —and for the Levites, for Uriel, Asaiah and Joel, Shemaiah and 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 unto them, Ye, are the chiefs of the fathers of the Levites, —Hallow yourselves, ye and your brethren, so shall ye bring up the ark of Yahweh—God of Israel, into [the place] 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 Because, at the first, ye, did not [bring it], Yahweh our God brake forth against us, because we sought him not in the appointed way.

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 hallowed themselves, —to bring up the ark of Yahweh, 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 And the sons of the Levites bare the ark of God, just as Moses commanded, according to the word of Yahweh, —on their shoulder, with the staves upon them.

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 And David spake to the chiefs of the Levites, to station their brethren the singers, with instruments of song, harps and lyres, and cymbals, —sounding aloud at the lifting up of the voice, for 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 caused to stand, Heman son of Joel, and, of his brethren, Asaph, son of Berechiah, —and, of the sons of Merari their brethren, Ethan, 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 brethren of the second degree, —Zechariah, Ben, and Jaaziel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel and Unni, Eliab, and Benaiah, and Maaseiah, and Mattithiah, and Eliphelehu, and Mickneiah, and Obed-edom and Jeiel, the door-keepers.

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 And, the singers, Heman, Asaph and Ethan, with cymbals of bronze, were to sound aloud;

So those who made melody, Heman, Asaph, and Ethan, were put in position, with brass instruments, sounding loudly;

20 and Zechariah, and Aziel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Unni, and Eliab, and Maaseiah and Benaiah, —with harps, over the trebles;

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, and Mikneiah, and Obed-edom, and Jeiel and Azaziah, —with lyres over the bass, to take the 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 And, Chenaniah the leader of the Levites, in the service, used to give instructions in the service, because skilful was he.

And Chenaniah, chief of the Levites, was master of the music: he gave directions about the song, because he was expert.

23 And, Berechiah and Elkanah, were door-keepers to the ark.

And Berechiah and Elkanah were door-keepers for the ark.

24 And, Shebaniah, and Joshaphat, and Nethanel, and Amasai, and Zechariah, and Benaiah, and Eliezer, the priests, were blowing with the trumpets, before the ark of God, —and, Obed-edom and Jehiah, were door-keepers, to 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 Thus, it was, David and the elders of Israel, and the rulers of thousands, who were going, to bring up the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, 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 And so it was that, when God helped the Levites, who were bearing the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, they sacrificed seven bullocks 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 Now, David, was wrapped about with a robe of byssus, with all the Levites who were bearing the ark, and the singers, and Chenaniah the leader of the service rendered by the singers, —but, upon David, was an ephod of white linen.

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 So, all Israel, were bringing up the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, with shouting, and with sound of the horn, and with trumpets, and with cymbals, —sounding aloud, with harps, and lyres.

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 And so it was that, when the ark of the covenant of Yahweh came in as far as the city of David, —and Michal daughter of Saul looked forth through the window, and saw King David, dancing and playing, that 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.