1 Chronicles

The first book of the Chronicles, chapter 15, New English Translation and King James Version

Chapter 15 New English Translation

David Brings the Ark to Jerusalem

   1 David constructed buildings in the City of David; he then prepared a place for the ark of God and pitched a tent for it. 2 Then David said, "Only the Levites may carry the ark of God, for the LORD chose them to carry the ark of the LORD and to serve before him perpetually. 3 David assembled all Israel at Jerusalem to bring the ark of the LORD up to the place he had prepared for it. 4 David gathered together the descendants of Aaron and the Levites:
   5 From the descendants of Kohath: Uriel the leader and 120 of his relatives.
   6 From the descendants of Merari: Asaiah the leader and 220 of his relatives.
   7 From the descendants of Gershom: Joel the leader and 130 of his relatives.
   8 From the descendants of Elizaphan: Shemaiah the leader and 200 of his relatives.
   9 From the descendants of Hebron: Eliel the leader and 80 of his relatives.
   10 From the descendants of Uzziel: Amminadab the leader and 112 of his relatives.
   11 David summoned the priests Zadok and Abiathar, along with the Levites Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel, and Amminadab. 12 He told them: "You are the leaders of the Levites' families. You and your relatives must consecrate yourselves and bring the ark of the LORD God of Israel up to the place I have prepared for it. 13 The first time you did not carry it; that is why the LORD God attacked us, because we did not ask him about the proper way to carry it." 14 The priests and Levites consecrated themselves so they could bring up the ark of the LORD God of Israel. 15 The descendants of Levi carried the ark of God on their shoulders with poles, just as Moses had ordered according to the divine command.
   16 David told the leaders of the Levites to appoint some of their relatives as musicians; they were to play various instruments, including stringed instruments and cymbals, and to sing loudly and joyfully. 17 So the Levites appointed Heman son of Joel; one of his relatives, Asaph son of Berechiah; one of the descendants of Merari, Ethan son of Kushaiah; 18 along with some of their relatives who were second in rank, including Zechariah, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, and Jeiel, the gatekeepers.
   19 The musicians Heman, Asaph, and Ethan were to sound the bronze cymbals; 20 Zechariah, Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah, and Benaiah were to play the harps according to the alamoth style; 21 Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah were to play the lyres according to the sheminith style, as led by the director; 22 Kenaniah, the leader of the Levites, was in charge of transport, for he was well-informed on this matter; 23 Berechiah and Elkanah were guardians of 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 Jehiel were also guardians of the ark.
   25 So David, the leaders of Israel, and the commanders of units of a thousand went to bring up the ark of the LORD's covenant from the house of Obed-Edom with celebration. 26 When God helped the Levites who were carrying the ark of the LORD's covenant, they sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams. 27 David was wrapped in a linen robe, as were all the Levites carrying the ark, the musicians, and Kenaniah the supervisor of transport and the musicians; David also wore a linen ephod. 28 All Israel brought up the ark of the LORD's covenant; they were shouting, blowing trumpets, sounding cymbals, and playing stringed instruments. 29 As the ark of the LORD's covenant entered the City of David, Michal, Saul's daughter, looked out the window. When she saw King David jumping and celebrating, she despised him.

King James Version

   1 And David made him houses in the city of David, and prepared a place for the ark of God, and pitched for it a tent.
   2 Then David said, None ought to carry the ark of God but the Levites: for them hath the LORD chosen to carry the ark of God, and to minister unto him for ever.
   3 And David gathered all Israel together to Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the LORD unto his place, which he had prepared for it.
   4 And David assembled the children of Aaron, and the Levites:
   5 Of the sons of Kohath; Uriel the chief, and his brethren an hundred and twenty:
   6 Of the sons of Merari; Asaiah the chief, and his brethren two hundred and twenty:
   7 Of the sons of Gershom; Joel the chief, and his brethren an hundred and thirty:
   8 Of the sons of Elizaphan; Shemaiah the chief, and his brethren two hundred:
   9 Of the sons of Hebron; Eliel the chief, and his brethren fourscore:
   10 Of the sons of Uzziel; Amminadab the chief, and his brethren an hundred and twelve.
   11 And David called for Zadok and Abiathar the priests, and for the Levites, for Uriel, Asaiah, and Joel, Shemaiah, and Eliel, and Amminadab,
   12 And said unto them, Ye are the chief of the fathers of the Levites: sanctify yourselves, both ye and your brethren, that ye may bring up the ark of the LORD God of Israel unto the place that I have prepared for it.
   13 For because ye did it not at the first, the LORD our God made a breach upon us, for that we sought him not after the due order.
   14 So the priests and the Levites sanctified themselves to bring up the ark of the LORD God of Israel.
   15 And the children of the Levites bare the ark of God upon their shoulders with the staves thereon, as Moses commanded according to the word of the LORD.
   16 And David spake to the chief of the Levites to appoint their brethren to be the singers with instruments of musick, psalteries and harps and cymbals, sounding, by lifting up the voice with joy.
   17 So the Levites appointed Heman the son of Joel; and of his brethren, Asaph the son of Berechiah; and of the sons of Merari their brethren, Ethan the son of Kushaiah;
   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 Elipheleh, and Mikneiah, and Obed-edom, and Jeiel, the porters.
   19 So the singers, Heman, Asaph, and Ethan, were appointed to sound with cymbals of brass;
   20 And Zechariah, and Aziel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Unni, and Eliab, and Maaseiah, and Benaiah, with psalteries on Alamoth;
   21 And Mattithiah, and Elipheleh, and Mikneiah, and Obed-edom, and Jeiel, and Azaziah, with harps on the Sheminith to excel.
   22 And Chenaniah, chief of the Levites, was for song: he instructed about the song, because he was skilful.
   23 And Berechiah and Elkanah were doorkeepers for the ark.
   24 And Shebaniah, and Jehoshaphat, and Nethaneel, and Amasai, and Zechariah, and Benaiah, and Eliezer, the priests, did blow with the trumpets before the ark of God: and Obed-edom and Jehiah were doorkeepers for the ark.
   25 ¶ So David, and the elders of Israel, and the captains over thousands, went to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of the house of Obed-edom with joy.
   26 And it came to pass, when God helped the Levites that bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, that they offered seven bullocks and seven rams.
   27 And David was clothed with a robe of fine linen, and all the Levites that bare the ark, and the singers, and Chenaniah the master of the song with the singers: David also had upon him an ephod of linen.
   28 Thus all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the LORD with shouting, and with sound of the cornet, and with trumpets, and with cymbals, making a noise with psalteries and harps.
   29 ¶ And it came to pass, as the ark of the covenant of the LORD came to the city of David, that Michal the daughter of Saul looking out at a window saw king David dancing and playing: and she despised him in her heart.