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15 And he maketh for himself houses in the city of David, and prepareth a place for the ark of God, and stretcheth out for it a tent.

Then said David, `None [are] to carry the ark of God, except the Levites, for on them hath Jehovah fixed to carry the ark of God, and to serve Him -- unto the age.'

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

And David gathereth the sons of Aaron, and the Levites.

Of sons of Kohath: Uriel the chief, and his brethren, a hundred and twenty.

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

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

Of sons of Elizaphan: Shemaiah the chief, and his brethren, two hundred.

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

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

11 And David calleth to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, and to the Levites, to Uriel, Asaiah, and Joel, Shemaiah, and Eliel, and Amminadab,

12 and saith to them, `Ye [are] heads of the fathers of the Levites; sanctify yourselves, ye and your brethren, and ye have brought up the ark of Jehovah, God of Israel, unto [the place] I have prepared for it;

13 because at the first [it was] not ye, Jehovah our God made a breach upon us, because we sought Him not according to the ordinance.'

14 And the priests and the Levites sanctify themselves, to bring up the ark of Jehovah, God of Israel;

15 and sons of the Levites bear the ark of God, as Moses commanded, according to the word of Jehovah, on their shoulder, with staves, above them.

16 And David saith to the heads of the Levites to appoint their brethren the singers, with instruments of song, psalteries, and harps, and cymbals, sounding, to lift up with the voice for joy.

17 And the Levites appoint Heman son of Joel, and of his brethren, Asaph son of Berechiah, and of the sons of Merari their brethren, Ethan son of Kushaiah;

18 and with them their brethren, the seconds [in 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 gatekeepers;

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

20 and Zechariah, and Aziel, and Shemiramoth, and Jeheil, and Unni, and Eliab, and Maaseiah, and Benaiah, with psalteries besides virgins,

21 and Mattithiah, and Elipheleh, and Mikneiah, and Obed-Edom, and Jeiel, and Azaziah, with harps, on the octave, to oversee.

22 And Chenaniah, head of the Levites, [is] over the burden; he instructeth about the burden, for he [is] intelligent.

23 And Berechiah and Elkanah [are] gatekeepers for the ark.

24 And Shebaniah, and Joshaphat, and Nethaneel, and Amasai, and Zechariah, and Benaiah, and Eliezer the priests, are blowing with trumpets before the ark of God; and Obed-Edom and Jehiah [are] gatekeepers for the ark.

25 And it is David, and the elders of Israel, and the heads of the thousands, who are going to bring up the ark of the covenant of Jehovah from the house of Obed-Edom with joy;

26 and it cometh to pass, in God's helping the Levites bearing the ark of the covenant of Jehovah, that they sacrifice seven bullocks and seven rams.

27 And David is wrapped in an upper robe of fine linen, and all the Levites who are bearing the ark, and the singers, and Chenaniah head of the burden of the singers; and on David [is] an Ephod of linen.

28 And all Israel are bringing up the ark of the covenant of Jehovah with shouting, and with the sound of a cornet, and with trumpets, and with cymbals, sounding with psalteries and harps,

29 and it cometh to pass, the ark of the covenant of Jehovah is entering in unto the city of David, and Michal daughter of Saul is looking through the window, and seeth king David dancing and playing, and despiseth him in her heart.

16 And they bring in the ark of God, and set it up in the midst of the tent that David hath stretched out for it, and they bring near burnt-offerings and peace-offerings before God;

and David ceaseth from offering the burnt-offering and the peace-offerings, and blesseth the people in the name of Jehovah,

and giveth a portion to every man of Israel, both man and woman: to each a cake of bread, and a measure of wine, and a grape-cake.

And he putteth before the ark of Jehovah, of the Levites, ministers, even to make mention of, and to thank, and to give praise to Jehovah, God of Israel,

Asaph the head, and his second Zechariah; Jeiel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Mattithiah, and Eliab, and Benaiah, and Obed-Edom, and Jeiel, with instruments of psalteries, and with harps; and Asaph with cymbals is sounding;

and Benaiah and Jahaziel the priests [are] with trumpets continually before the ark of the covenant of God.

On that day then hath David given at the beginning to give thanks to Jehovah by the hand of Asaph and his brethren: --

Give thanks to Jehovah, call in His name, Make known among the peoples His doings.

Sing ye to Him, sing psalms to Him, Meditate on all His wonders.

10 Boast yourselves in His holy name, Rejoice doth the heart of those seeking Jehovah.

11 Seek ye Jehovah and His strength, Seek His face continually.

12 Remember His wonders that He did, His signs, and the judgments of His mouth,

13 O seed of Israel, His servant, O sons of Jacob, His chosen ones!

14 He [is] Jehovah our God, In all the earth [are] His judgments.

15 Remember ye to the age His covenant, The word He commanded -- To a thousand generations,

16 Which He hath made with Abraham, And His oath -- to Isaac,

17 And He establisheth it to Jacob for a statute, To Israel -- a covenant age-during.

18 Saying: To thee I give the land of Canaan, The portion of your inheritance,

19 When ye are few of number, As a little thing, and sojourners in it.

20 And they go up and down, From nation unto nation, And from a kingdom unto another people.

21 He hath not suffered any to oppress them, And reproveth on their account kings:

22 Come not against Mine anointed ones, And against My prophets do not evil.

23 Sing to Jehovah, all the earth, Proclaim from day unto day His salvation.

24 Rehearse among nations His glory, Among all the peoples His wonders.

25 For great [is] Jehovah, and praised greatly, And fearful He [is] above all gods.

26 For all gods of the peoples [are] nought, And Jehovah the heavens hath made.

27 Honour and majesty [are] before Him, Strength and joy [are] in His place.

28 Ascribe to Jehovah, ye families of peoples, Ascribe to Jehovah honour and strength.

29 Ascribe to Jehovah the honour of His name, Lift up a present, and come before Him. Bow yourselves to Jehovah, In the beauty of holiness.

30 Be pained before Him, all the earth:

31 Also, established is the world, It is not moved! The heavens rejoice, and the earth is glad, And they say among nations: Jehovah hath reigned.

32 Roar doth the sea, and its fulness, Exult doth the field, and all that [is] in it,

33 Then sing do trees of the forest, From the presence of Jehovah, For He hath come to judge the earth!

34 Give thanks to Jehovah, for good, For to the age, [is] His kindness,

35 And say, Save us, O God of our salvation, And gather us, and deliver us from the nations, To give thanks to Thy holy name, To triumph in Thy praise.

36 Blessed [is] Jehovah, God of Israel, From the age and unto the age;' And all the people say, `Amen,' and have given praise to Jehovah.

37 And he leaveth there before the ark of the covenant of Jehovah, for Asaph and for his brethren, to minister before the ark continually, according to the matter of a day in its day,

38 both Obed-Edom and their brethren, sixty and eight, and Obed-Edom son of Jeduthun, and Hosah for gatekeepers,

39 and Zadok the priest, and his brethren the priests, before the tabernacle of Jehovah, in a high place that [is] in Gibeon,

40 to cause to ascend burnt-offerings to Jehovah, on the altar of burnt-offering continually, morning and evening, and for all that is written in the law of Jehovah, that He charged on Israel.

41 And with them [are] Heman and Jeduthun, and the rest of those chosen, who were defined by name, to give thanks to Jehovah, for to the age [is] His kindness,

42 and with them -- Heman and Jeduthun -- [are] trumpets and cymbals for those sounding, and instruments of the song of God, and the sons of Jeduthun [are] at the gate.

43 And all the people go, each to his house, and David turneth round to bless his house.

The Ark Brought to Jerusalem(A)

15 After David had constructed buildings for himself in the City of David, he prepared(B) a place for the ark of God and pitched(C) a tent for it. Then David said, “No one but the Levites(D) may carry(E) the ark of God, because the Lord chose them to carry the ark of the Lord and to minister(F) before him forever.”

David assembled all Israel(G) in Jerusalem to bring up the ark of the Lord to the place he had prepared for it. He called together the descendants of Aaron and the Levites:(H)

From the descendants of Kohath,

Uriel(I) the leader and 120 relatives;

from the descendants of Merari,

Asaiah the leader and 220 relatives;

from the descendants of Gershon,[a]

Joel the leader and 130 relatives;

from the descendants of Elizaphan,(J)

Shemaiah the leader and 200 relatives;

from the descendants of Hebron,(K)

Eliel the leader and 80 relatives;

10 from the descendants of Uzziel,

Amminadab the leader and 112 relatives.

11 Then David summoned Zadok(L) and Abiathar(M) the priests, and Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel and Amminadab the Levites. 12 He said to them, “You are the heads of the Levitical families; you and your fellow Levites are to consecrate(N) yourselves and bring up the ark of the Lord, the God of Israel, to the place I have prepared for it. 13 It was because you, the Levites,(O) did not bring it up the first time that the Lord our God broke out in anger against us.(P) We did not inquire of him about how to do it in the prescribed way.(Q) 14 So the priests and Levites consecrated themselves in order to bring up the ark of the Lord, the God of Israel. 15 And the Levites carried the ark of God with the poles on their shoulders, as Moses had commanded(R) in accordance with the word of the Lord.(S)

16 David(T) told the leaders of the Levites(U) to appoint their fellow Levites as musicians(V) to make a joyful sound with musical instruments: lyres, harps and cymbals.(W)

17 So the Levites appointed Heman(X) son of Joel; from his relatives, Asaph(Y) son of Berekiah; and from their relatives the Merarites,(Z) Ethan son of Kushaiah; 18 and with them their relatives next in rank: Zechariah,[b] Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom(AA) and Jeiel,[c] the gatekeepers.

19 The musicians Heman,(AB) Asaph and Ethan were to sound the bronze cymbals; 20 Zechariah, Jaaziel,[d] Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah and Benaiah were to play the lyres according to alamoth,[e] 21 and Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, Jeiel and Azaziah were to play the harps, directing according to sheminith.[f] 22 Kenaniah the head Levite was in charge of the singing; that was his responsibility because he was skillful at it.

23 Berekiah and Elkanah were to be doorkeepers for the ark. 24 Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah and Eliezer the priests were to blow trumpets(AC) before the ark of God. Obed-Edom and Jehiah were also to be doorkeepers for the ark.

25 So David and the elders of Israel and the commanders of units of a thousand went to bring up the ark(AD) of the covenant of the Lord from the house of Obed-Edom, with rejoicing. 26 Because God had helped the Levites who were carrying the ark of the covenant of the Lord, seven bulls and seven rams(AE) were sacrificed. 27 Now David was clothed in a robe of fine linen, as were all the Levites who were carrying the ark, and as were the musicians, and Kenaniah, who was in charge of the singing of the choirs. David also wore a linen ephod.(AF) 28 So all Israel(AG) brought up the ark of the covenant of the Lord with shouts,(AH) with the sounding of rams’ horns(AI) and trumpets, and of cymbals, and the playing of lyres and harps.

29 As the ark of the covenant of the Lord was entering the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King David dancing and celebrating, she despised him in her heart.

Ministering Before the Ark(AJ)(AK)(AL)

16 They brought the ark of God and set it inside the tent that David had pitched(AM) for it, and they presented burnt offerings and fellowship offerings before God. After David had finished sacrificing the burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, he blessed(AN) the people in the name of the Lord. Then he gave a loaf of bread, a cake of dates and a cake of raisins(AO) to each Israelite man and woman.

He appointed some of the Levites to minister(AP) before the ark of the Lord, to extol,[g] thank, and praise the Lord, the God of Israel: Asaph was the chief, and next to him in rank were Zechariah, then Jaaziel,[h] Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-Edom and Jeiel. They were to play the lyres and harps, Asaph was to sound the cymbals, and Benaiah and Jahaziel the priests were to blow the trumpets regularly before the ark of the covenant of God.

That day David first appointed Asaph and his associates to give praise(AQ) to the Lord in this manner:

Give praise(AR) to the Lord, proclaim his name;
    make known among the nations(AS) what he has done.
Sing to him, sing praise(AT) to him;
    tell of all his wonderful acts.
10 Glory in his holy name;(AU)
    let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.
11 Look to the Lord and his strength;
    seek(AV) his face always.

12 Remember(AW) the wonders(AX) he has done,
    his miracles,(AY) and the judgments he pronounced,
13 you his servants, the descendants of Israel,
    his chosen ones, the children of Jacob.
14 He is the Lord our God;
    his judgments(AZ) are in all the earth.

15 He remembers[i](BA) his covenant forever,
    the promise he made, for a thousand generations,
16 the covenant(BB) he made with Abraham,
    the oath he swore to Isaac.
17 He confirmed it to Jacob(BC) as a decree,
    to Israel as an everlasting covenant:
18 “To you I will give the land of Canaan(BD)
    as the portion you will inherit.”

19 When they were but few in number,(BE)
    few indeed, and strangers in it,
20 they[j] wandered(BF) from nation to nation,
    from one kingdom to another.
21 He allowed no one to oppress them;
    for their sake he rebuked kings:(BG)
22 “Do not touch my anointed ones;
    do my prophets(BH) no harm.”

23 Sing to the Lord, all the earth;
    proclaim his salvation day after day.
24 Declare his glory(BI) among the nations,
    his marvelous deeds among all peoples.

25 For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise;(BJ)
    he is to be feared(BK) above all gods.(BL)
26 For all the gods of the nations are idols,
    but the Lord made the heavens.(BM)
27 Splendor and majesty are before him;
    strength and joy are in his dwelling place.

28 Ascribe to the Lord, all you families of nations,
    ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.(BN)
29 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;(BO)
    bring an offering and come before him.
Worship the Lord in the splendor of his[k] holiness.(BP)
30     Tremble(BQ) before him, all the earth!
    The world is firmly established; it cannot be moved.(BR)

31 Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad;(BS)
    let them say among the nations, “The Lord reigns!(BT)
32 Let the sea resound, and all that is in it;(BU)
    let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them!
33 Let the trees(BV) of the forest sing,
    let them sing for joy before the Lord,
    for he comes to judge(BW) the earth.

34 Give thanks(BX) to the Lord, for he is good;(BY)
    his love endures forever.(BZ)
35 Cry out, “Save us, God our Savior;(CA)
    gather us and deliver us from the nations,
that we may give thanks to your holy name,
    and glory in your praise.”
36 Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel,(CB)
    from everlasting to everlasting.

Then all the people said “Amen” and “Praise the Lord.”

37 David left Asaph and his associates before the ark of the covenant of the Lord to minister there regularly, according to each day’s requirements.(CC) 38 He also left Obed-Edom(CD) and his sixty-eight associates to minister with them. Obed-Edom son of Jeduthun, and also Hosah,(CE) were gatekeepers.

39 David left Zadok(CF) the priest and his fellow priests before the tabernacle of the Lord at the high place in Gibeon(CG) 40 to present burnt offerings to the Lord on the altar of burnt offering regularly, morning and evening, in accordance with everything written in the Law(CH) of the Lord, which he had given Israel. 41 With them were Heman(CI) and Jeduthun and the rest of those chosen and designated by name to give thanks to the Lord, “for his love endures forever.” 42 Heman and Jeduthun were responsible for the sounding of the trumpets and cymbals and for the playing of the other instruments for sacred song.(CJ) The sons of Jeduthun(CK) were stationed at the gate.

43 Then all the people left, each for their own home, and David returned home to bless his family.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Chronicles 15:7 Hebrew Gershom, a variant of Gershon
  2. 1 Chronicles 15:18 Three Hebrew manuscripts and most Septuagint manuscripts (see also verse 20 and 16:5); most Hebrew manuscripts Zechariah son and or Zechariah, Ben and
  3. 1 Chronicles 15:18 Hebrew; Septuagint (see also verse 21) Jeiel and Azaziah
  4. 1 Chronicles 15:20 See verse 18; Hebrew Aziel, a variant of Jaaziel.
  5. 1 Chronicles 15:20 Probably a musical term
  6. 1 Chronicles 15:21 Probably a musical term
  7. 1 Chronicles 16:4 Or petition; or invoke
  8. 1 Chronicles 16:5 See 15:18,20; Hebrew Jeiel, possibly another name for Jaaziel.
  9. 1 Chronicles 16:15 Some Septuagint manuscripts (see also Psalm 105:8); Hebrew Remember
  10. 1 Chronicles 16:20 One Hebrew manuscript, Septuagint and Vulgate (see also Psalm 105:12); most Hebrew manuscripts inherit, / 19 though you are but few in number, / few indeed, and strangers in it.” / 20 They
  11. 1 Chronicles 16:29 Or Lord with the splendor of