New King James Version

New Living Translation

The Ark Brought to Jerusalem

David built houses for himself in the City of David; and he prepared a place for the ark of God, and pitched a tent for it.

1

Preparing to Move the Ark

David now built several buildings for himself in the City of David. He also prepared a place for the Ark of God and set up a special tent for it.

2

Then David said, “No one may carry the ark of God but the Levites, for the Lord has chosen them to carry the ark of God and to minister before Him forever.”

2

Then he commanded, “No one except the Levites may carry the Ark of God. The LORD has chosen them to carry the Ark of the LORD and to serve him forever.”

3

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

3

Then David summoned all Israel to Jerusalem to bring the Ark of the LORD to the place he had prepared for it.

4

Then David assembled the children of Aaron and the Levites:

4

This is the number of the descendants of Aaron (the priests) and the Levites who were called together:

5

of the sons of Kohath, Uriel the chief, and one hundred and twenty of his [a]brethren;

5

From the clan of Kohath, 120, with Uriel as their leader.

6

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

6

From the clan of Merari, 220, with Asaiah as their leader.

7

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

7

From the clan of Gershon,a 130, with Joel as their leader.

8

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

8

From the descendants of Elizaphan, 200, with Shemaiah as their leader.

9

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

9

From the descendants of Hebron, 80, with Eliel as their leader.

10

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

10

From the descendants of Uzziel, 112, with Amminadab as their leader.

11

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

11

Then David summoned the priests, Zadok and Abiathar, and these Levite leaders: Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel, and Amminadab.

12

He said to them, “You are the heads of the fathers’ houses of the Levites; [b]sanctify yourselves, you and your brethren, that you may bring up the ark of the Lord God of Israel to the place I have prepared for it.

12

He said to them, “You are the leaders of the Levite families. You must purify yourselves and all your fellow Levites, so you can bring the Ark of the LORD, the God of Israel, to the place I have prepared for it.

13

For because you did not do it the first time, the Lord our God broke out against us, because we did not consult Him [c]about the proper order.”

13

Because you Levites did not carry the Ark the first time, the anger of the LORD our God burst out against us. We failed to ask God how to move it properly.”

14

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

14

So the priests and the Levites purified themselves in order to bring the Ark of the LORD, the God of Israel, to Jerusalem.

15

And the children of the Levites bore the ark of God on their shoulders, by its poles, as Moses had commanded according to the word of the Lord.

15

Then the Levites carried the Ark of God on their shoulders with its carrying poles, just as the LORD had instructed Moses.

16

Then David spoke to the leaders of the Levites to appoint their brethren to be the singers accompanied by instruments of music, stringed instruments, harps, and cymbals, by raising the voice with resounding joy.

16

David also ordered the Levite leaders to appoint a choir of Levites who were singers and musicians to sing joyful songs to the accompaniment of harps, lyres, and cymbals.

17

So the Levites appointed Heman the son of Joel; and of his brethren, Asaph the son of Berechiah; and of their brethren, the sons of Merari, Ethan the son of Kushaiah;

17

So the Levites appointed Heman son of Joel along with his fellow Levites: Asaph son of Berekiah, and Ethan son of Kushaiah from the clan of Merari.

18

and with them their brethren of the second rank: Zechariah, [e]Ben, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Elipheleh, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, and Jeiel, the gatekeepers;

18

The following men were chosen as their assistants: Zechariah, Jaaziel,b Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, and the gatekeepers — Obed-edom and Jeiel.

19

the singers, Heman, Asaph, and Ethan, were to sound the cymbals of bronze;

19

The musicians Heman, Asaph, and Ethan were chosen to sound the bronze cymbals.

20

Zechariah, [f]Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah, and Benaiah, with strings according to Alamoth;

20

Zechariah, Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah, and Benaiah were chosen to play the harps.c

21

Mattithiah, Elipheleh, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah, to direct with harps on the Sheminith;

21

Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah were chosen to play the lyres.d

22

Chenaniah, leader of the Levites, was instructor in charge of the music, because he was skillful;

22

Kenaniah, the head Levite, was chosen as the choir leader because of his skill.

23

Berechiah and Elkanah were doorkeepers for the ark;

23

Berekiah and Elkanah were chosen to guarde the Ark.

24

Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah, and Eliezer, the priests, were to blow the trumpets before the ark of God; and Obed-Edom and Jehiah, doorkeepers for the ark.

24

Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah, and Eliezer — all of whom were priests — were chosen to blow the trumpets as they marched in front of the Ark of God. Obed-edom and Jehiah were chosen to guard the Ark.

25

So David, the elders of Israel, and the captains over thousands went to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord from the house of Obed-Edom with joy.

25

Moving the Ark to Jerusalem

Then David and the elders of Israel and the generals of the armyf went to the house of Obed-edom to bring the Ark of the LORD’s Covenant up to Jerusalem with a great celebration.

26

And so it was, when God helped the Levites who bore the ark of the covenant of the Lord, that they offered seven bulls and seven rams.

26

And because God was clearly helping the Levites as they carried the Ark of the LORD’s Covenant, they sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams.

27

David was clothed with a robe of fine linen, as were all the Levites who bore the ark, the singers, and Chenaniah the music master with the singers. David also wore a linen ephod.

27

David was dressed in a robe of fine linen, as were all the Levites who carried the Ark, and also the singers, and Kenaniah the choir leader. David was also wearing a priestly garment.g

28

Thus all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the Lord with shouting and with the sound of the horn, with trumpets and with cymbals, making music with stringed instruments and harps.

28

So all Israel brought up the Ark of the LORD’s Covenant with shouts of joy, the blowing of rams’ horns and trumpets, the crashing of cymbals, and loud playing on harps and lyres.

29

And it happened, as the ark of the covenant of the Lord came to the City of David, that Michal, Saul’s daughter, looked through a window and saw King David whirling and playing music; and she despised him in her heart.

29

But as the Ark of the LORD’s Covenant entered the City of David, Michal, the daughter of Saul, looked down from her window. When she saw King David skipping about and laughing with joy, she was filled with contempt for him.

Parallel

New King James Version

New Living Translation

1 Chronicles 15

1 Chronicles 15