١ أخبار 15

١ 1 وَعَمِلَ دَاوُدُ لِنَفْسِهِ بُيُوتًا فِي مَدِينَةِ دَاوُدَ، وَأَعَدَّ مَكَانًا لِتَابُوتِ ٱللهِ وَنَصَبَ لَهُ خَيْمَةً.

David [commanded his workers to] build some houses for him in Jerusalem. He also told them to set up a tent in which to put the Sacred Chest.

٢ 2 حِينَئِذٍ قَالَ دَاوُدُ: «لَيْسَ لِأَحَدٍ أَنْ يَحْمِلَ تَابُوتَ ٱللهِ إِلَّا لِلَّاوِيِّينَ، لِأَنَّ ٱلرَّبَّ إِنَّمَا ٱخْتَارَهُمْ لِحَمْلِ تَابُوتِ ٱللهِ وَلِخِدْمَتِهِ إِلَى ٱلْأَبَدِ».

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

٣ 3 وَجَمَعَ دَاوُدُ كُلَّ إِسْرَائِيلَ إِلَى أُورُشَلِيمَ لِأَجْلِ إِصْعَادِ تَابُوتِ ٱلرَّبِّ إِلَى مَكَانِهِ ٱلَّذِي أَعَدَّهُ لَهُ.

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.

٤ 4 فَجَمَعَ دَاوُدُ بَنِي هَارُونَ وَٱللَّاوِيِّينَ.

He summoned the descendants of Aaron, [who was the first Supreme Priest, ] and the other descendants of Levi.

٥ 5 مِنْ بَنِي قَهَاتَ: أُورِيئِيلَ ٱلرَّئِيسَ، وَإِخْوَتَهُ مِئَةً وَعِشْرِينَ.

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

٦ 6 مِنْ بَنِي مَرَارِي: عَسَايَا ٱلرَّئِيسَ، وَإِخْوَتَهُ مِئَتَيْنِ وَعِشْرِينَ.

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

٧ 7 مِنْ بَنِي جَرْشُومَ: يُوئِيلَ ٱلرَّئِيسَ، وَإِخْوَتَهُ مِئَةً وَثَلَاثِينَ.

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

٨ 8 مِنْ بَنِي أَلِيصَافَانَ: شَمَعْيَا ٱلرَّئِيسَ، وَإِخْوَتَهُ مِئَتَيْنِ.

There were 200 people from Elizaphan’s clan who came, with Shemaiah their leader.

٩ 9 مِنْ بَنِي حَبْرُونَ: إِيلِيئِيلَ ٱلرَّئِيسَ، وَإِخْوَتَهُ ثَمَانِينَ.

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

١٠ 10 مِنْ بَنِي عُزِّيئِيلَ: عَمِّينَادَابَ، ٱلرَّئِيسَ، وَإِخْوَتَهُ مِئَةً وَٱثْنَيْ عَشَرَ.

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

١١ 11 وَدَعَا دَاوُدُ صَادُوقَ وَأَبِيَاثَارَ ٱلْكَاهِنَيْنِ وَٱللَّاوِيِّينَ: أُورِيئِيلَ وَعَسَايَا وَيُوئِيلَ وَشَمَعْيَا وَإِيلِيئِيلَ وَعَمِّينَادَابَ،

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

١٢ 12 وَقَالَ لَهُمْ: «أَنْتُمْ رُؤُوسُ آبَاءِ ٱللَّاوِيِّينَ، فَتَقَدَّسُوا أَنْتُمْ وَإِخْوَتُكُمْ وَأَصْعِدُوا تَابُوتَ ٱلرَّبِّ إِلَهِ إِسْرَائِيلَ إِلَى حَيْثُ أَعْدَدْتُ لَهُ.

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 Israelis, up to the place that I have made for it [here in Jerusalem].

١٣ 13 لِأَنَّهُ إِذْ لَمْ تَكُونُوا فِي ٱلْمَرَّةِ ٱلْأُولَى، ٱقْتَحَمَنَا ٱلرَّبُّ إِلَهُنَا، لِأَنَّنَا لَمْ نَسْأَلْهُ حَسَبَ ٱلْمَرْسُومِ».

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

١٤ 14 فَتَقَدَّسَ ٱلْكَهَنَةُ وَٱللَّاوِيُّونَ لِيُصْعِدُوا تَابُوتَ ٱلرَّبِّ إِلَهِ إِسْرَائِيلَ.

Then the priests and the [other] 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 us Israeli people.

١٥ 15 وَحَمَلَ بَنُو ٱللَّاوِيِّينَ تَابُوتَ ٱللهِ كَمَا أَمَرَ مُوسَى حَسَبَ كَلَامِ ٱلرَّبِّ بِٱلْعِصِيِّ عَلَى أَكْتَافِهِمْ.

The descendants of Levi [inserted] the poles [into the rings on] the Sacred Chest so that with them, they could carry the Sacred Chest on their shoulders, like Moses had commanded, and like Yahweh had said that they should.

١٦ 16 وَأَمَرَ دَاوُدُ رُؤَسَاءَ ٱللَّاوِيِّينَ أَنْ يُوقِفُوا إِخْوَتَهُمُ ٱلْمُغَنِّينَ بِآلَاتِ غِنَاءٍ، بِعِيدَانٍ وَرَبَابٍ وَصُنُوجٍ، مُسَمِّعِينَ بِرَفْعِ ٱلصَّوْتِ بِفَرَحٍ.

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

١٧ 17 فَأَوْقَفَ ٱللَّاوِيُّونَ هَيْمَانَ بْنَ يُوئِيلَ، وَمِنْ إِخْوَتِهِ آسَافَ بْنَ بَرَخْيَا، وَمِنْ بَنِي مَرَارِي إِخْوَتِهِمْ إِيثَانَ بْنَ قُوشِيَّا،

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

١٨ 18 وَمَعَهُمْ إِخْوَتَهُمْ ٱلثَّوَانِيَ: زَكَرِيَّا وَبَيْنَ وَيَعْزِئِيلَ وَشَمِيرَامُوثَ وَيَحِيئِيلَ وَعُنِّيَ وَأَلِيآبَ وَبَنَايَا وَمَعَسْيَا وَمَتَّثْيَا وَأَلِيفَلْيَا وَمَقَنْيَا وَعُوبِيدَ أَدُومَ وَيَعِيئِيلَ ٱلْبَوَّابِينَ.

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 Sacred Tent gatekeepers, Obed-Edom and Jeiel.

١٩ 19 وَٱلْمُغَنُّونَ: هَيْمَانُ وَآسَافُ وَإِيثَانُ بِصُنُوجِ نُحَاسٍ لِلتَّسْمِيعِ.

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

٢٠ 20 وَزَكَرِيَّا وَعُزِّيئِيلُ وَشَمِيرَامُوثُ وَيَحِيئِيلُ وَعُنِّي وَأَلِيَابُ وَمَعَسْيَا وَبَنَايَا بِٱلرَّبَابِ عَلَى ٱلْجَوَابِ.

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

٢١ 21 وَمَتَّثْيَا وَأَلِيفَلْيَا وَمَقَنْيَا وَعُوبِيدُ أَدُومَ وَيَعِيئِيلُ وَعَزَزْيَا بِٱلْعِيدَانِ عَلَى ٱلْقَرَارِ لِلْإِمَامَةِ.

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

٢٢ 22 وَكَنَنْيَا رَئِيسُ ٱللَّاوِيِّينَ عَلَى ٱلْحَمْلِ مُرْشِدًا فِي ٱلْحَمْلِ لِأَنَّهُ كَانَ خَبِيرًا.

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

٢٣ 23 وَبَرَخْيَا وَأَلْقَانَةُ بَوَّابَانِ لِلتَّابُوتِ.

Berekiah and Elkanah were two of the men who guarded the Sacred Chest.

٢٤ 24 وَشَبَنْيَا وَيُوشَافَاطُ وَنَثْنَئِيلُ وَعَمَاسَايُ وَزَكَرِيَّا وَبَنَايَا وَأَلِيعَزَرُ ٱلْكَهَنَةُ يَنْفُخُونَ بِٱلْأَبْوَاقِ أَمَامَ تَابُوتِ ٱللهِ، وَعُوبِيدُ أَدُومَ وَيَحِيَّى بَوَّابَانِ لِلتَّابُوتِ.

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.

٢٥ 25 وَكَانَ دَاوُدُ وَشُيُوخُ إِسْرَائِيلَ وَرُؤَسَاءُ ٱلْأُلُوفِ هُمُ ٱلَّذِينَ ذَهَبُوا لِإِصْعَادِ تَابُوتِ عَهْدِ ٱلرَّبِّ، مِنْ بَيْتِ عُوبِيدَ أَدُومَ بِفَرَحٍ.

David and the Israeli leaders and the officers who commanded 1,000 soldiers went to bring the Sacred Chest back from Obed-Edom’s house. They were very joyful as they brought it to Jerusalem.

٢٦ 26 وَلَمَّا أَعَانَ ٱللهُ ٱللَّاوِيِّينَ حَامِلِي تَابُوتِ عَهْدِ ٱلرَّبِّ، ذَبَحُوا سَبْعَةَ عُجُولٍ وَسَبْعَةَ كِبَاشٍ.

God helped the descendants of Levi who carried the Sacred Chest of Yahweh; therefore David and the leaders sacrificed seven bulls and seven (rams/male sheep) [to thank him].

٢٧ 27 وَكَانَ دَاوُدُ لَابِسًا جُبَّةً مِنْ كَتَّانٍ، وَجَمِيعُ ٱللَّاوِيِّينَ حَامِلِينَ ٱلتَّابُوتَ، وَٱلْمُغَنُّونَ وَكَنَنْيَا رَئِيسُ ٱلْحَمْلِ مَعَ ٱلْمُغَنِّينَ. وَكَانَ عَلَى دَاوُدَ أَفُودٌ مِنْ كَتَّانٍ.

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

٢٨ 28 فَكَانَ جَمِيعُ إِسْرَائِيلَ يُصْعِدُونَ تَابُوتَ عَهْدِ ٱلرَّبِّ بِهُتَافٍ، وَبِصَوْتِ ٱلْأَصْوَارِ وَٱلْأَبْوَاقِ وَٱلصُّنُوجِ، يُصَوِّتُونَ بِٱلرَّبَابِ وَٱلْعِيدَانِ.

So all of the Israeli people joined in bringing the Sacred Chest up [to Jerusalem]. They shouted [joyfully, while the musicians] blew horns and trumpets, and played cymbals, lyres, and harps.

٢٩ 29 وَلَمَّا دَخَلَ تَابُوتُ عَهْدِ ٱلرَّبِّ مَدِينَةَ دَاوُدَ، أَشْرَفَتْ مِيكَالُ بِنْتُ شَاوُلَ مِنَ ٱلْكُوَّةِ فَرَأَتِ ٱلْمَلِكَ دَاوُدَ يَرْقُصُ وَيَلْعَبُ، فَٱحْتَقَرَتْهُ فِي قَلْبِهَا.

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.