1 Chronicles 15

1 And he made him houses in the city of David, and prepared a place for the ark of God, and spread a tent for it.

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.

2 Then David said, None ought to carry the ark of God but the Levites, for them has Jehovah chosen to carry the ark of God, and to serve him for ever.

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.”

3 And David assembled all Israel to Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of Jehovah to its place that he had prepared for it.

Then David assembled all Israel at Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of Yahweh to the place he had prepared for it.

4 And David gathered the sons of Aaron and the Levites:

David gathered together Aaron's descendants and the Levites.

5 of the sons of Kohath, Uriel the chief, and his brethren a hundred and twenty;

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

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

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

7 of the sons of Gershom, Joel the chief, and his brethren a hundred and thirty;

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

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

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

9 of the sons of Hebron, Eliel the chief, and his brethren eighty;

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

10 of the sons of Uzziel, Amminadab the chief, and his brethren a hundred and twelve.

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

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

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

12 and he said to them, Ye are the chief fathers of the Levites; hallow yourselves, ye and your brethren, that ye may bring up the ark of Jehovah the God of Israel to [the place that] I have prepared for it.

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.

13 For because ye did [it] not at the first, Jehovah our God made a breach upon us, for that we sought him not after the due order.

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.”

14 So the priests and the Levites hallowed themselves to bring up the ark of Jehovah the God of Israel.

So the priests and the Levites consecrated themselves so they could bring up the ark of Yahweh, the God of Israel.

15 And the children of the Levites bore the ark of God upon their shoulders with the staves upon them, as Moses had commanded according to the word of Jehovah.

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.

16 And David spoke to the chief of the Levites to appoint their brethren, the singers, with instruments of music, lutes, and harps, and cymbals, that they should sound aloud, lifting up the voice with joy.

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.

17 And 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;

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.

18 and with them their brethren of the second [rank], 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 doorkeepers;

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.

19 and the singers, Heman, Asaph, and Ethan, to sound aloud with cymbals of brass;

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

20 and Zechariah, and Aziel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Unni, and Eliab, and Maaseiah, and Benaiah, with lutes on Alamoth;

Zechariah, Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah, and Benaiah played the stringed instruments, set to Alamoth.

21 and Mattithiah, and Elipheleh, and Mikneiah, and Obed-Edom and Jeiel, and Azaziah, with harps on the Sheminith to lead [the singing].

Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed Edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah led the way with harps set to the Sheminith.

22 And Chenaniah, chief of the Levites for the music, gave instruction in music, for he was skilful.

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

23 And Berechiah and Elkanah were doorkeepers for the ark.

Berechiah and Elkanah were guards for the ark.

24 And Shebaniah, and Jehoshaphat, and Nethaneel, and Amasai, and Zechariah, and Benaiah, and Eliezer, the priests, blew with the trumpets before the ark of God; and Obed-Edom and Jehijah were doorkeepers for the ark.

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.

25 And David, and the elders of Israel, and the captains over thousands, went to bring up the ark of the covenant of Jehovah out of the house of Obed-Edom with joy.

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.

26 And it came to pass, when God helped the Levites that bore the ark of the covenant of Jehovah, that they sacrificed seven bullocks and seven rams.

While God helped the Levites who carried the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, they sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams.

27 And David was clothed with a robe of byssus, and all the Levites that bore the ark, and the singers, and Chenaniah chief of the music of the singers; and David had upon him a linen ephod.

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.

28 And all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of Jehovah with shouting, and with sound of the trumpet, and with clarions, and with cymbals, playing aloud with lutes and harps.

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.

29 And it came to pass as the ark of the covenant of Jehovah came to the city of David, that Michal the daughter of Saul looked through a window, and saw king David dancing and playing; and she despised him in her heart.

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.