1 Chronicles 15

1 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.

And [David] made himself houses in the city of David, and he prepared a place for the ark of God, and pitched for it a tent.

2 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.”

Then said David, None shall carry the ark of God but the Levites; for of them hath the Lord made choice to carry the ark of God, and to minister unto him for ever.

3 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.

And David assembled all Israel to Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the Lord unto its place, which he had prepared for it.

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

And David gathered together the children of Aaron, and the Levites.

5 120 descendants of Kohath, who was Levi’s second son, came, with Uriel their leader.

Of the sons of Kehath: Uriel the chief, and his brethren one hundred and twenty.

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

Of the sons of Merari: 'Assayah the chief, and his brethren two hundred and twenty.

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

Of the sons of Gershom: Joel the chief, and his brethren one hundred and thirty.

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

Of the sons of Elizaphan: Shema'yah the chief, and his brethren two hundred.

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

Of the sons of Hebron: Eliel the chief, and his brethren eighty.

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

Of the sons of 'Uzziel: 'Amminadab the chief, and his brethren one hundred and twelve.

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

And David called for Zadok and Ebyathar the priests, and for the Levites, for Uriel, 'Assayah, and Joel, Shema'yah, and Eliel, and 'Amminadab,

12 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].

And he said unto them, Ye are the chiefs of the family divisions of the Levites: sanctify yourselves, ye and your brethren, and bring up the ark of the Lord the God of Israel unto [the place which] I have prepared for it.

13 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.”

For, because ye [did] it not at the first, the Lord our God made a breach among us; because we had not sought him after the prescribed manner.

14 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.

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

15 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.

And the children of the Levites bore the ark of God, as Moses had commanded according to the word of the Lord, on their shoulders, by means of barrows placed upon them.

16 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].

And David said to the chiefs of the Levites to appoint their brethren the singers with instruments of music, psalteries and harps and cymbals, to sing aloud, by lifting up the voice for joy.

17 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.

So the Levites appointed Heman the son of Joel, and of his brethren, Assaph the son of Berechyahu, and of the sons of Merari their brethren, Ethan the son of Kushayahu;

18 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.

And with them their brethren of the second degree, Zecharyahu, Ben, and Ja'aziel, and Shemiramoth, and Jechiel, and 'Unni, Eliab, and Benayahu, and Ma'asseyahu, and Matthithyahu, and Eliphelehu, and Mikneyahu, and 'Obed-edom, and Je'iel, the gatekeepers.

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

Namely, the singers, Heman, Assaph, and Ethan, to play aloud with cymbals of copper;

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

And Zechariah, and 'Aziel, and Shemiramoth, and Jechiel, and 'Unni, and Eliab, and Ma'asseyahu, and Benayahu, with psalteries on 'Alamoth;

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

And Matthithyahu, and Eliphelehu, and Mikneyahu, and 'Obed-edom, and Je-iel, and 'Azazyahu, with harps on the Sheminith to play as leaders.

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

And Kenanyahu was the chief of the Levites in conducting the singing: he instructed in conducting the singing, because he was skilful.

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

And Berechyah and Elkanah were gatekeepers for the ark.

24 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.

And Shebanyahu, and Joshaphat, and Nethanel, and 'Amassai, and Zecharyahu, and Benayahu, and Eli'ezer, the priests, did blow on the trumpets before the ark of God; and 'Obed-edom and Jechiyah were gatekeepers for the ark.

25 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.

And it was David, with the elders of Israel, and the officers over the thousands, who went to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of the house of 'Obed-edom with joy.

26 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].

And it came to pass, when God helped the Levites who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord, that they offered seven bullocks and seven rams.

27 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.

And David was clothed with a robe of fine linen, and [so were] all the Levites that carried the ark, and the singers, and Kenanyahu the chief in conducting the singing of the singers; but David had also upon him an ephod of linen.

28 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.

Thus all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the Lord with shouting, and with the sound of the cornet, and with trumpets, and with cymbals, playing aloud on psalteries and harps.

29 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.

And it happened, as the ark of the covenant of the Lord came as far as the city of David, that Michal the daughter of Saul looked through the window, and saw king David dancing and playing, and she despised him in her heart.