1 Chronicles 15

1 David built houses for himself in the city of David. He prepared a place for the ark of God and set up 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, “Only the Levites may carry the ark of God, for they had been chosen by Yahweh to carry the ark of Yahweh, and to serve 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 Then David assembled all Israel at Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of Yahweh to the place 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 Aaron's descendants and the Levites.

And David got together the sons of Aaron, and the Levites;

5 From the descendants of Kohath, there was Uriel the leader and his relatives, 120 men.

Of the sons of Kohath: Uriel the chief, and his brothers, a hundred and twenty;

6 From the descendants of Merari, there was Asaiah the leader and his relatives, 220 men.

Of the sons of Merari: Asaiah the chief, and his brothers, two hundred and twenty;

7 From the descendants of Gershom, there was Joel the leader and his relatives, 130 men.

Of the sons of Gershom: Joel the chief, and his brothers, a hundred and thirty;

8 From the descendants of Elizaphan, there was Shemaiah the leader and his relatives, 200 men.

Of the sons of Elizaphan: Shemaiah the chief, and his brothers, two hundred;

9 From the descendants of Hebron, there was Eliel the leader and his relatives, eighty men.

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

10 From the descendants of Uzziel, there was Amminadab the leader and his relatives, 112 men.

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 the Levites 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 He said to them, “You are the leaders of the Levite families. Consecrate yourselves, both you and your brothers, so that you may bring up the ark of Yahweh, the God of Israel, 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 You did not carry it the first time. That is why Yahweh our God broke out against us, for we did not seek him or obey his decree.”

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 consecrated themselves so they could bring up the ark of Yahweh, 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 So the Levites carried the ark of God on their shoulders with the poles, as Moses had commanded—following the rules given by the word of Yahweh.

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 leaders of the Levites to assign their brothers to be musicians with musical instruments, stringed instruments, harps and cymbals, playing loudly and joyfully lifting up their voices.

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 son of Joel and one of his brothers, Asaph son of Berechiah. They also appointed kinsmen from Merari's descendants and 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 With them were their kinsmen of second rank: Zechariah, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed Edom, and Jeiel, the gatekeepers.

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 The musicians Heman, Asaph, and Ethan were appointed to play loud bronze cymbals.

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

20 Zechariah, Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah, and Benaiah played the 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 Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed Edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah led the way with harps set to the Sheminith.

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 Kenaniah, leader of the Levites, was the director of the singing because he was a teacher of music.

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 guards for the ark.

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

24 Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah, and Eliezer, the priests, were to blow the trumpets before the ark of God. Obed Edom and Jehiah were guards 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 commanders over thousands went to bring up the ark of the covenant of Yahweh out of Obed Edom's house with rejoicing.

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 While God helped the Levites who carried the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, 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 the Levites who carried the ark, the singers, and Kenaniah, the leader of the song with the singers. David was wearing a linen ephod.

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 brought up the ark of the covenant of Yahweh with joyful shouting, and with the sound of horns and trumpets, with cymbals, and 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 But as the ark of the covenant of Yahweh came to the city of David, Michal daughter of Saul, looked out the window. She saw King David dancing and celebrating. Then 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.