1 Chronicles 15

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

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, said David, None must carry the ark of God, save the Levites, —for, of them, did Yahweh make choice, to bear the ark of Yahweh, and to attend it, unto times age-abiding.

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 So David convoked all Israel, unto Jerusalem, —to bring up the ark of Yahweh, unto the place thereof, which 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 together 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, one 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, one 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 son 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 Then called David, for Zadok and for 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 said unto them, Ye, are the chiefs of the fathers of the Levites, —Hallow yourselves, ye and your brethren, so shall ye bring up the ark of Yahweh—God of Israel, into [the place] 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 Because, at the first, ye, did not [bring it], Yahweh our God brake forth against us, because we sought him not in the appointed way.

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 Yahweh, 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 sons of the Levites bare the ark of God, just as Moses commanded, according to the word of Yahweh, —on their shoulder, with the staves upon them.

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 spake to the chiefs of the Levites, to station their brethren the singers, with instruments of song, harps and lyres, and cymbals, —sounding aloud at the lifting up of the voice, for 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 So the Levites caused to stand, Heman son of Joel, and, of his brethren, Asaph, son of Berechiah, —and, of the sons of Merari their brethren, Ethan, 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 degree, —Zechariah, Ben, and Jaaziel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel and Unni, Eliab, and Benaiah, and Maaseiah, and Mattithiah, and Eliphelehu, and Mickneiah, and Obed-edom and Jeiel, the door-keepers.

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, with cymbals of bronze, were to sound aloud;

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 harps, over the trebles;

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

21 and Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, and Mikneiah, and Obed-edom, and Jeiel and Azaziah, —with lyres over the bass, to take the lead.

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

22 And, Chenaniah the leader of the Levites, in the service, used to give instructions in the service, because skilful was he.

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

23 And, Berechiah and Elkanah, were door-keepers to the ark.

Berechiah and Elkanah were guards for the ark.

24 And, Shebaniah, and Joshaphat, and Nethanel, and Amasai, and Zechariah, and Benaiah, and Eliezer, the priests, were blowing with the trumpets, before the ark of God, —and, Obed-edom and Jehiah, were door-keepers, to 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 Thus, it was, David and the elders of Israel, and the rulers of thousands, who were going, to bring up the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, 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 so it was that, when God helped the Levites, who were bearing the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, 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 Now, David, was wrapped about with a robe of byssus, with all the Levites who were bearing the ark, and the singers, and Chenaniah the leader of the service rendered by the singers, —but, upon David, was an ephod of white linen.

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 So, all Israel, were bringing up the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, with shouting, and with sound of the horn, and with trumpets, and with cymbals, —sounding aloud, with harps, and lyres.

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 so it was that, when the ark of the covenant of Yahweh came in as far as the city of David, —and Michal daughter of Saul looked forth through the window, and saw King David, dancing and playing, that 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.