I Paralipomenon 15
1 fecit quoque sibi domos in civitate David et aedificavit locum arcae Dei tetenditque ei tabernaculum
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.
2 tunc dixit David inlicitum est ut a quocumque portetur arca Dei nisi a Levitis quos elegit Dominus ad portandum eam et ad ministrandum sibi usque in aeternum
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.”
3 congregavitque universum Israhel in Hierusalem ut adferretur arca Dei in locum suum quem praeparaverat ei
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.
4 necnon et filios Aaron et Levitas
He summoned the descendants of Aaron, [who was the first Supreme Priest, ] and the other descendants of Levi.
5 de filiis Caath Urihel princeps fuit et fratres eius centum viginti
120 descendants of Kohath, who was Levi’s second son, came, with Uriel their leader.
6 de filiis Merari Asaia princeps et fratres eius ducenti viginti
There were 220 descendants of Merari, Levi’s third son, who came, with Asaiah their leader.
7 de filiis Gersom Iohel princeps et fratres eius centum triginta
There were 130 descendants of Gershon, Levi’s first son, who came, with Joel their leader.
8 de filiis Elisaphan Semeias princeps et fratres eius ducenti
There were 200 people from Elizaphan’s clan who came, with Shemaiah their leader.
9 de filiis Hebron Elihel princeps et fratres eius octoginta
There were 80 people from Hebron’s clan who came, with Eliel their leader.
10 de filiis Ozihel Aminadab princeps et fratres eius centum duodecim
And there were 112 people from Uzziel’s clan who came, with Amminadab their leader.
11 vocavitque David Sadoc et Abiathar sacerdotes et Levitas Urihel Asaiam Iohel Semeiam Elihel et Aminadab
David summoned the priests Zadok and Abiathar and these [other] descendants of Levi: Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel, and Amminadab.
12 et dixit ad eos vos qui estis principes familiarum leviticarum sanctificamini cum fratribus vestris et adferte arcam Domini Dei Israhel ad locum qui ei praeparatus est
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].
13 ne ut a principio quia non eratis praesentes percussit nos Dominus sic et nunc fiat inlicitum quid nobis agentibus
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.”
14 sanctificati sunt ergo sacerdotes et Levitae ut portarent arcam Domini Dei Israhel
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.
15 et tulerunt filii Levi arcam Dei sicut praeceperat Moses iuxta verbum Domini umeris suis in vectibus
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.
16 dixit quoque David principibus Levitarum ut constituerent de fratribus suis cantores in organis musicorum nablis videlicet et lyris et cymbalis ut resonaret in excelsum sonitus laetitiae
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].
17 constitueruntque Levitas Heman filium Iohel et de fratribus eius Asaph filium Barachiae de filiis vero Merari fratribus eorum Ethan filium Casaiae
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.
18 et cum eis fratres eorum in secundo ordine Zacchariam et Ben et Iazihel et Semiramoth et Iahihel et Ani Eliab et Banaiam et Maasiam et Matthathiam et Eliphalu et Macheniam et Obededom et Ieihel ianitores
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.
19 porro cantores Heman Asaph et Ethan in cymbalis aeneis concrepantes
Heman, Asaph and Ethan sang, and also played bronze cymbals.
20 Zaccharias autem et Ozihel et Semiramoth et Iahihel et Ani et Eliab et Maasias et Banaias in nablis arcana cantabant
Zechariah, Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah, and Benaiah played lyres.
21 porro Matthathias et Eliphalu et Machenias et Obededom et Ieihel et Ozaziu in citharis pro octava canebant epinikion
Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, Jeiel and Azaziah played harps.
22 Chonenias autem princeps Levitarum prophetiae praeerat ad praecinendam melodiam erat quippe valde sapiens
Kenaniah, the leader of the descendants of Levi, directed the singing because he was very skilled at doing that.
23 et Barachias et Helcana ianitores arcae
Berekiah and Elkanah were two of the men who guarded the Sacred Chest.
24 porro Sebenias et Iosaphat et Nathanahel et Amasai et Zaccharias et Banaias et Eliezer sacerdotes clangebant tubis coram arca Dei et Obededom et Ahias erant ianitores arcae
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.
25 igitur David et maiores natu Israhel et tribuni ierunt ad deportandam arcam foederis Domini de domo Obededom cum laetitia
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.
26 cumque adiuvisset Deus Levitas qui portabant arcam foederis Domini immolabantur septem tauri et septem arietes
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].
27 porro David erat indutus stola byssina et universi Levitae qui portabant arcam cantoresque et Chonenias princeps prophetiae inter cantores David autem indutus erat etiam ephod lineo
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.
28 universusque Israhel deducebant arcam foederis Domini in iubilo et sonitu bucinae et tubis et cymbalis et nablis et citharis concrepantes
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.
29 cumque pervenisset arca foederis Domini usque ad civitatem David Michol filia Saul prospiciens per fenestram vidit regem David saltantem atque ludentem et despexit eum in corde suo
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.
