The First Book of the Chronicles

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- Chapter 15 -

(2 Samuel 6:12–15)

David commanded his workers to build houses for himself in Jerusalem. He also told them to set up a tent in which to put the sacred chest.

He said, “Only the descendants of Levi are permitted to carry God’s sacred chest, because they are the ones whom Yahweh chose to carry it and to serve him forever.”

David summoned all the people of Israel to come to Jerusalem. He wanted the sacred chest of Yahweh to be put in the place that he had made for it.

He summoned the descendants of Aaron, who was the first high priest, and the descendants of Levi.

120 descendants of Kohath, who was Levi's second son, came, with Uriel their leader.

There were 220 descendants of Merari, Levi's third son, who came, with Asaiah their leader.

There were 130 descendants of Gershon, Levi's first son, who came, with Joel their leader.

Also, there were 200 people from Elizaphan's clan who came, with Shemaiah their leader.

There were 80 people from Hebron's clan who came, with Eliel their leader.

And there were 112 people from Uzziel's clan who came, with Amminadab their leader.

David summoned the priests Zadok and Abiathar and these descendants of Levi: Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel, and Amminadab.

David said to them, “You are the leaders of the clans descended from Levi. You and the other descendants of Levi must purify yourselves, in order to be able to do this special work for Yahweh. You must bring the sacred chest of Yahweh, the God of us Israelites, up to the place that I have made for it here in Jerusalem.

The first time that we tried to bring it, we did not ask Yahweh how we should carry it. You descendants of Levi were not the ones who carried it, so Yahweh our God punished us.”

The Priests and Levites Carry the Ark

Then the priests and the descendants of Levi performed the rituals to purify themselves, in order that it would be proper for them to do the work of carrying the sacred chest of Yahweh, the God of the Israelite people.

The descendants of Levi fastened poles to the sacred chest so that they could carry it by fastening poles to it and putting it on their shoulders, as Moses had commanded, and as Yahweh had said that they should.

David told the leaders of the descendants of Levi to appoint some of their relatives to sing and play lyres, harps, and cymbals, and to sing joyful songs while they were carrying the sacred chest.

So they appointed Heman and his relatives Asaph and Ethan. Heman son of Joel; Asaph son of Berekiah. Ethan son of Kushaiah, was a descendant of Merari.

There was also another group of descendants of Levi who were appointed: Zechariah, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, and two of the temple gatekeepers, Obed Edom and Jeiel.

Heman, Asaph and Ethan sang, but also played bronze cymbals.

Zechariah, Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah, and Benaiah played lyres.

Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed Edom, Jeiel and Azaziah played harps.

Kenaniah, the leader of the descendants of Levi, directed the singing because he was very capable of doing that.

Berekiah and Elkanah were two of the men who guarded the sacred chest.

The priests Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah, and Eliezer were appointed to blow trumpets in front of the sacred chest. Obed Edom and Jehiah also guarded the sacred chest.

Moving the Ark to Jerusalem

David and the Israelite leaders and the officers who commanded one thousand soldiers went to get the sacred chest. They went to bring it from Obed Edom’s house. They went very joyfully.

God helped the descendants of Levi who carried the sacred chest of Yahweh; therefore David and the leaders sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams to thank him.

All the descendants of Levi who carried the sacred chest, all the singers, and Kenaniah, the man who directed those who sang, all wore robes of fine white linen and sacred vests made of fine linen. David also wore a waistcloth made of white linen.

So all the of Israelite people joined in bringing the sacred chest up to Jerusalem. They shouted, blew horns and trumpets, and played cymbals, lyres, and harps.

Michal’s Contempt for David

(2 Samuel 6:16)

While they were bringing the sacred chest into Jerusalem, Saul’s daughter Michal watched them, looking out of a window. When she saw King David dancing and celebrating, she despised him.

(2 Samuel 6:12–15)

David made himself houses in David’s city; and he prepared a place for God’s ark, and pitched a tent for it.

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.”

David assembled all Israel at Jerusalem, to bring up the LORD’s ark to its place, which he had prepared for it.

David gathered together the sons of Aaron and the Levites:

of the sons of Kohath, Uriel the chief, and his brothers one hundred twenty;

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

of the sons of Gershom, Joel the chief, and his brothers one hundred thirty;

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

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

of the sons of Uzziel, Amminadab the chief, and his brothers one hundred twelve.

David called for Zadok and Abiathar the priests, and for the Levites: for Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel, and Amminadab,

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.

For because you didn’t carry it at first, the LORD our God broke out in anger against us, because we didn’t seek him according to the ordinance.”

The Priests and Levites Carry the Ark

So the priests and the Levites sanctified themselves to bring up the ark of the LORD, the God of Israel.

The children of the Levites bore God’s ark on their shoulders with its poles, as Moses commanded according to the LORD’s word.

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.

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;

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.

So the singers, Heman, Asaph, and Ethan, were given cymbals of bronze to sound aloud;

and Zechariah, Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah, and Benaiah, with stringed instruments set to Alamoth;

and Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah, with harps tuned to the eight-stringed lyre, to lead.

Chenaniah, chief of the Levites, was over the singing. He taught the singers, because he was skillful.

Berechiah and Elkanah were doorkeepers for the ark.

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.

Moving the Ark to Jerusalem

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.

When God helped the Levites who bore the ark of the LORD’s covenant, they sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams.

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.

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.

Michal’s Contempt for David

(2 Samuel 6:16)

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.