1 Chronicles 15
15
David Brings the Ark to Jerusalem
(2 Samuel 6:12–19a)
1After David constructed buildings for himself in the City of David, he prepared a place for God’s ark and set up a tent for it. 2Then David insisted that only the Levites carry God’s ark because the Lord had chosen them to carry his ark and to serve him forever.
3David called together all Israel at Jerusalem to bring the Lord’s ark to the place he had prepared for it. 4David also called together Aaron’s descendants and the Levites. 5Leading Kohath’s descendants was Uriel, who came with 120 of his relatives. 6Leading Merari’s descendants was Asaiah, who came with 220 of his relatives. 7Leading Gershom’s descendants was Joel, who came with 130 of his relatives. 8Leading Elizaphan’s descendants was Shemaiah, who came with 200 of his relatives. 9Leading Hebron’s descendants was Eliel, who came with 80 of his relatives. 10Leading Uzziel’s descendants was Amminadab, who came with 112 of his relatives.
11David called for the priests Zadok and Abiathar and for the Levites Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel, and Amminadab. 12He said to them, “You are the heads of the Levite families. You and your relatives must perform the ceremonies to make yourselves holy. Then bring the ark of the Lord God of Israel to the place I prepared for it. 13Because you weren’t there the first time, the Lord our God struck us. We hadn’t dedicated our lives to serving him in the way ⌞he⌟ designated.”
14So the priests and the Levites made themselves holy in order to move the ark of the Lord God of Israel. 15The Levites carried God’s ark on their shoulders. They used poles as Moses had commanded according to the Lord’s instructions.
16David told the Levite leaders to appoint some of their relatives to serve as musicians. They were expected to play music on harps, lyres, and cymbals to produce joyful music for singing. 17So the Levites appointed Heman, son of Joel, and from his relatives they appointed Asaph, Berechiah’s son. From their own relatives, Merari’s descendants, they appointed Ethan, son of Kushaiah. 18In addition, they appointed their relatives from the second division: Zechariah,#15:18 Greek; Masoretic Text adds “Ben,” or “son.” Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, and Mikneiah. Obed Edom and Jeiel were appointed gatekeepers. 19The musicians Heman, Asaph, and Ethan were appointed to play bronze cymbals. 20Zechariah, Jaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah, and Benaiah were appointed to play harps according to alamoth.#15:20 Unknown musical term. 21Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed Edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah were appointed to play lyres and to conduct the sheminith.#15:21 Unknown musical term. 22Chenaniah, a Levite leader, instructed others how to sing prophetic songs because he was skilled at it. 23Berechiah and Elkanah were gatekeepers for the ark. 24The priests Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah, and Eliezer blew trumpets in front of God’s ark. Obed Edom and Jehiah were doorkeepers for the ark.
25So David, the leaders of Israel, and the army’s commanders joyfully went to get the ark of the Lord’s promise from Obed Edom’s house. 26Because God helped the Levites who carried the ark of the Lord’s promise, they sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams. 27David was dressed in a fine linen robe, as were all the Levites who carried the ark, the ⌞Levites who were⌟ singers, and Chenaniah, the leader of the musicians’ prophetic songs. David also wore a linen ephod.#15:27 Ephod is a technical term for a part of the priest’s clothing. Its exact usage and shape are unknown.
28All Israel brought the ark of the Lord’s promise with shouts of joy and the sounding of rams’ horns, trumpets, cymbals, harps, and lyres. 29When the ark of the Lord’s promise came to the City of David, Saul’s daughter Michal looked out of a window and saw King David dancing and celebrating, so she despised him.
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1 Chronicles 15
15
David Gets Ready To Bring the Sacred Chest to Jerusalem
1David had several buildings built in Jerusalem, and he had a tent set up where the sacred chest would be kept. 2#Dt 10.8. He said, “Only Levites will be allowed to carry the chest, because the Lord has chosen them to do that work and to serve him forever.”
3Next, David invited everyone to come to Jerusalem and watch the sacred chest being carried to the place he had set up for it. 4He also sent for Aaron's descendants and for the Levites. The Levites that came were: 5Uriel, the leader of the Kohath clan, and 120 of his relatives; 6Asaiah, the leader of the Merari clan, and 220 of his relatives; 7Joel, the leader of the Gershon clan, and 130 of his relatives; 8Shemaiah, the leader of the Elizaphan clan, and 200 of his relatives; 9Eliel, the leader of the Hebron clan, and 80 of his relatives; and 10Amminadab, the leader of the Uzziel clan, with 112 of his relatives.
11David called together these six Levites and the two priests, Zadok and Abiathar. 12He said to them, “You are the leaders of the clans in the Levi tribe. You and your relatives must first go through the ceremony to make yourselves clean and acceptable to the Lord. Then you may carry the sacred chest that belongs to the Lord God of Israel and bring it to the place I have prepared for it. 13The first time we tried to bring the chest to Jerusalem, we didn't ask the Lord what he wanted us to do. He was angry with us, because you Levites weren't there to carry the chest.”
14The priests and the Levites made themselves clean. They were now ready to carry the sacred chest 15#Ex 25.14. on poles that rested on their shoulders, just as the Lord had told Moses to do.
16David then told the leaders to choose some Levites to sing and play music on small harps, other stringed instruments, and cymbals. 17-21The men chosen to play the cymbals were Heman the son of Joel, his relative Asaph the son of Berechiah, and Ethan the son of Kushaiah from the Merari clan. Some of their assistants played the smaller harps: they were Zechariah, Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah, and Benaiah. Others played the larger harps: they were Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Azaziah, and two of the temple guards, Obed-Edom and Jeiel.
22Chenaniah was chosen to be the music director, because he was a skilled musician.
23-24Four Levites were then appointed to guard the sacred chest. They were Berechiah, Elkanah, Obed-Edom, and Jehiah.
Finally, David chose priests to walk in front of the sacred chest and blow trumpets. They were Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah, and Eliezer.
The Sacred Chest Is Brought to Jerusalem
(2 Samuel 6.12-22)
25David, the leaders of Israel, and the army commanders were very happy as they went to Obed-Edom's house to get the sacred chest. 26God gave the Levites the strength they needed to carry the chest, and so they sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams.
27David, the Levites, Chenaniah the music director, and all the musicians were wearing linen robes, and David was also wearing a linen cloth.#15.27 a linen cloth: The Hebrew word is “ephod,” which can mean either a piece of clothing like a skirt that went from the waist to the knee or a garment like a vest or jacket that only the priests wore. 28While the sacred chest was being carried into Jerusalem, everyone was celebrating by shouting and playing music on horns, trumpets, cymbals, harps, and other stringed instruments.
29Saul's daughter Michal#15.29 Michal: One of David's wives. looked out her window and watched the chest being brought into David's City. But when she saw David jumping and dancing in honor of the Lord, she was disgusted.
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© 2006 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.