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1 Chronicles 13-15
Contemporary English Version
1 Chronicles 13-15
Contemporary English Version
David Moves the Sacred Chest to Jerusalem
(2 Samuel 6.1-12a)
13 Some time later, David talked with his army commanders, 2-3 and then announced to the people of Israel:
While Saul was king, the sacred chest was ignored. But now it's time to bring the chest to Jerusalem. We will invite everyone in Israel to come here, including the priests and the Levites in the towns surrounded by pastureland. But we will do these things only if you agree, and if the Lord our God wants us to.
4 The people agreed this was the right thing to do.
5 David gathered everyone from the Shihor River in Egypt to Lebo-Hamath in the north. 6 (A) Then he led them to Baalah in Judah, which was also called Kiriath-Jearim. They went there to get the sacred chest and bring it to Jerusalem, because it belonged to the Lord God, whose throne is above the winged creatures[a] on the lid of the chest.
7 The sacred chest was still at Abinadab's house,[b] and when David and the crowd arrived there, they brought the chest outside and placed it on a new ox cart. Abinadab's sons[c] Uzzah and Ahio guided the cart, 8 while David and the crowd danced and sang praises to the Lord with all their might. They played music on small harps and other stringed instruments, and on tambourines, cymbals, and trumpets.
9 But when they came to Chidon's threshing place, the oxen stumbled, and Uzzah reached out and took hold of the chest to stop it from falling. 10 The Lord God was very angry with Uzzah for doing this, and he killed Uzzah right there beside the chest.
11 David then got angry with God for killing Uzzah. So he named that place “Attack on Uzzah,”[d] and it's been called that ever since.
12 David was afraid what the Lord might do to him, and he asked himself, “Should I really be the one to take care of the sacred chest?” 13 So instead of taking it to Jerusalem, David decided to take it to the home of Obed-Edom, who lived in the town of Gath.
14 (B) The chest stayed there for three months, and the Lord blessed Obed-Edom, his family, and everything he owned.
David's Palace in Jerusalem
(2 Samuel 5.11-16)
14 King Hiram of Tyre sent some officials to David. They brought along carpenters and stone workers, and enough cedar logs to build David a palace. 2 David now knew that the Lord had made him a powerful king of Israel for the good of his people.
3 After David moved to Jerusalem, he married more women and had more sons and daughters. 4-7 His children born there were Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, Ibhar, Elishua, Elpelet, Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia, Elishama, Beeliada,[e] and Eliphelet.
David Defeats the Philistines
(2 Samuel 5.17-25)
8 When the Philistines heard that David had become king of Israel, they came to capture him. But David heard about their plan and marched out to meet them in battle. 9 The Philistines had already camped in Rephaim Valley and were raiding the nearby villages.
10 David asked God, “Should I attack the Philistines? Will you help me win?”
The Lord told David, “Yes, attack them! I will give you victory.”
11 David and his army marched to Baal-Perazim, where they attacked and defeated the Philistines. He said, “I defeated my enemies because God broke through them like a mighty flood.” So he named the place “The Lord Broke Through.”[f] 12 Then David ordered his troops to burn the idols that the Philistines had left behind.
13 Some time later, the Philistines came back into the hill country and camped in Rephaim Valley. 14 David asked God what he should do, and God answered, “Don't attack them from the front. Circle around behind them where the balsam[g] trees are. 15 Wait there until you hear the treetops making the sound of marching troops. That sound will mean I have marched out ahead of you to fight the Philistine army. So you must then attack quickly!”
16 David obeyed God and he defeated the Philistines. He even chased them all the way from Gibeon to the entrance to Gezer.
17 From then on, David became even more famous, and the Lord made all the nations afraid of him.
David Gets Ready To Bring the Sacred Chest to Jerusalem
15 David had several buildings built in Jerusalem, and he had a tent set up where the sacred chest would be kept. 2 (C) He said, “Only Levites will be allowed to carry the chest, because the Lord has chosen them to do that work and to serve him forever.”
3 Next, David invited everyone to come to Jerusalem and watch the sacred chest being carried to the place he had set up for it. 4 He also sent for Aaron's descendants and for the Levites. The Levites that came were: 5 Uriel, the leader of the Kohath clan, and 120 of his relatives; 6 Asaiah, the leader of the Merari clan, and 220 of his relatives; 7 Joel, the leader of the Gershon clan, and 130 of his relatives; 8 Shemaiah, the leader of the Elizaphan clan, and 200 of his relatives; 9 Eliel, the leader of the Hebron clan, and 80 of his relatives; and 10 Amminadab, the leader of the Uzziel clan, with 112 of his relatives.
11 David called together these six Levites and the two priests, Zadok and Abiathar. 12 He said to them, “You are the leaders of the clans in the Levi tribe. You and your relatives must first go through the ceremony to make yourselves clean and acceptable to the Lord. Then you may carry the sacred chest that belongs to the Lord God of Israel and bring it to the place I have prepared for it. 13 The first time we tried to bring the chest to Jerusalem, we didn't ask the Lord what he wanted us to do. He was angry with us, because you Levites weren't there to carry the chest.”
14 The priests and the Levites made themselves clean. They were now ready to carry the sacred chest 15 (D) on poles that rested on their shoulders, just as the Lord had told Moses to do.
16 David then told the leaders to choose some Levites to sing and play music on small harps, other stringed instruments, and cymbals. 17-21 The men chosen to play the cymbals were Heman the son of Joel, his relative Asaph the son of Berechiah, and Ethan the son of Kushaiah from the Merari clan. Some of their assistants played the smaller harps: they were Zechariah, Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah, and Benaiah. Others played the larger harps: they were Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Azaziah, and two of the temple guards, Obed-Edom and Jeiel.
22 Chenaniah was chosen to be the music director, because he was a skilled musician.
23-24 Four Levites were then appointed to guard the sacred chest. They were Berechiah, Elkanah, Obed-Edom, and Jehiah.
Finally, David chose priests to walk in front of the sacred chest and blow trumpets. They were Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah, and Eliezer.
The Sacred Chest Is Brought to Jerusalem
(2 Samuel 6.12-22)
25 David, the leaders of Israel, and the army commanders were very happy as they went to Obed-Edom's house to get the sacred chest. 26 God gave the Levites the strength they needed to carry the chest, and so they sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams.
27 David, the Levites, Chenaniah the music director, and all the musicians were wearing linen robes, and David was also wearing a linen cloth.[h] 28 While the sacred chest was being carried into Jerusalem, everyone was celebrating by shouting and playing music on horns, trumpets, cymbals, harps, and other stringed instruments.
29 Saul's daughter Michal[i] looked out her window and watched the chest being brought into David's City. But when she saw David jumping and dancing in honor of the Lord, she was disgusted.
Footnotes
- 13.6 winged creatures: Two golden statues of winged creatures were on top of the sacred chest and were symbols of the Lord's throne on earth (see Exodus 25.18).
- 13.7 The sacred chest … Abinadab's house: See 1 Samuel 6.19—7.2.
- 13.7 Abinadab's sons: These words are not in the Hebrew text, but see 2 Samuel 6.3.
- 13.11 Attack on Uzzah: Or “Perez-Uzzah.”
- 14.4-7 Beeliada: Or “Eliada” (see 3.6-8).
- 14.11 The Lord Broke Through: Or “Baal-Perazim.”
- 14.14 balsam: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
- 15.27 a linen cloth: The Hebrew word is “ephod,” which can mean either a piece of clothing like a skirt that went from the waist to the knee or a garment like a vest or jacket that only the priests wore.
- 15.29 Michal: One of David's wives.
1 Chronicles 13-15
New International Version
1 Chronicles 13-15
New International Version
Bringing Back the Ark(A)
13 David conferred with each of his officers, the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds. 2 He then said to the whole assembly of Israel, “If it seems good to you and if it is the will of the Lord our God, let us send word far and wide to the rest of our people throughout the territories of Israel, and also to the priests and Levites who are with them in their towns and pasturelands, to come and join us. 3 Let us bring the ark of our God back to us,(B) for we did not inquire(C) of[a] it[b] during the reign of Saul.” 4 The whole assembly agreed to do this, because it seemed right to all the people.
5 So David assembled all Israel,(D) from the Shihor River(E) in Egypt to Lebo Hamath,(F) to bring the ark of God from Kiriath Jearim.(G) 6 David and all Israel went to Baalah(H) of Judah (Kiriath Jearim) to bring up from there the ark of God the Lord, who is enthroned between the cherubim(I)—the ark that is called by the Name.
7 They moved the ark of God from Abinadab’s(J) house on a new cart, with Uzzah and Ahio guiding it. 8 David and all the Israelites were celebrating with all their might before God, with songs and with harps, lyres, timbrels, cymbals and trumpets.(K)
9 When they came to the threshing floor of Kidon, Uzzah reached out his hand to steady the ark, because the oxen stumbled. 10 The Lord’s anger(L) burned against Uzzah, and he struck him down(M) because he had put his hand on the ark. So he died there before God.
11 Then David was angry because the Lord’s wrath had broken out against Uzzah, and to this day that place is called Perez Uzzah.[c](N)
12 David was afraid of God that day and asked, “How can I ever bring the ark of God to me?” 13 He did not take the ark to be with him in the City of David. Instead, he took it to the house of Obed-Edom(O) the Gittite. 14 The ark of God remained with the family of Obed-Edom in his house for three months, and the Lord blessed his household(P) and everything he had.
David’s House and Family(Q)
14 Now Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, along with cedar logs,(R) stonemasons and carpenters to build a palace for him. 2 And David knew that the Lord had established him as king over Israel and that his kingdom had been highly exalted(S) for the sake of his people Israel.
3 In Jerusalem David took more wives and became the father of more sons(T) and daughters. 4 These are the names of the children born to him there:(U) Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, 5 Ibhar, Elishua, Elpelet, 6 Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia, 7 Elishama, Beeliada[d] and Eliphelet.
David Defeats the Philistines(V)
8 When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over all Israel,(W) they went up in full force to search for him, but David heard about it and went out to meet them. 9 Now the Philistines had come and raided the Valley(X) of Rephaim; 10 so David inquired of God: “Shall I go and attack the Philistines? Will you deliver them into my hands?”
The Lord answered him, “Go, I will deliver them into your hands.”
11 So David and his men went up to Baal Perazim,(Y) and there he defeated them. He said, “As waters break out, God has broken out against my enemies by my hand.” So that place was called Baal Perazim.[e] 12 The Philistines had abandoned their gods there, and David gave orders to burn(Z) them in the fire.(AA)
13 Once more the Philistines raided the valley;(AB) 14 so David inquired of God again, and God answered him, “Do not go directly after them, but circle around them and attack them in front of the poplar trees. 15 As soon as you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the poplar trees, move out to battle, because that will mean God has gone out in front of you to strike the Philistine army.” 16 So David did as God commanded him, and they struck down the Philistine army, all the way from Gibeon(AC) to Gezer.(AD)
17 So David’s fame(AE) spread throughout every land, and the Lord made all the nations fear(AF) him.
The Ark Brought to Jerusalem(AG)
15 After David had constructed buildings for himself in the City of David, he prepared(AH) a place for the ark of God and pitched(AI) a tent for it. 2 Then David said, “No one but the Levites(AJ) may carry(AK) the ark of God, because the Lord chose them to carry the ark of the Lord and to minister(AL) before him forever.”
3 David assembled all Israel(AM) in Jerusalem to bring up the ark of the Lord to the place he had prepared for it. 4 He called together the descendants of Aaron and the Levites:(AN)
5 From the descendants of Kohath,
Uriel(AO) the leader and 120 relatives;
6 from the descendants of Merari,
Asaiah the leader and 220 relatives;
7 from the descendants of Gershon,[f]
Joel the leader and 130 relatives;
8 from the descendants of Elizaphan,(AP)
Shemaiah the leader and 200 relatives;
9 from the descendants of Hebron,(AQ)
Eliel the leader and 80 relatives;
10 from the descendants of Uzziel,
Amminadab the leader and 112 relatives.
11 Then David summoned Zadok(AR) and Abiathar(AS) 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(AT) 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,(AU) did not bring it up the first time that the Lord our God broke out in anger against us.(AV) We did not inquire of him about how to do it in the prescribed way.(AW)” 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(AX) in accordance with the word of the Lord.(AY)
16 David(AZ) told the leaders of the Levites(BA) to appoint their fellow Levites as musicians(BB) to make a joyful sound with musical instruments: lyres, harps and cymbals.(BC)
17 So the Levites appointed Heman(BD) son of Joel; from his relatives, Asaph(BE) son of Berekiah; and from their relatives the Merarites,(BF) Ethan son of Kushaiah; 18 and with them their relatives next in rank: Zechariah,[g] Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom(BG) and Jeiel,[h] the gatekeepers.
19 The musicians Heman,(BH) Asaph and Ethan were to sound the bronze cymbals; 20 Zechariah, Jaaziel,[i] Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah and Benaiah were to play the lyres according to alamoth,[j] 21 and Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, Jeiel and Azaziah were to play the harps, directing according to sheminith.[k] 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(BI) 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(BJ) 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(BK) 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.(BL) 28 So all Israel(BM) brought up the ark of the covenant of the Lord with shouts,(BN) with the sounding of rams’ horns(BO) 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.
Footnotes
- 1 Chronicles 13:3 Or we neglected
- 1 Chronicles 13:3 Or him
- 1 Chronicles 13:11 Perez Uzzah means outbreak against Uzzah.
- 1 Chronicles 14:7 A variant of Eliada
- 1 Chronicles 14:11 Baal Perazim means the lord who breaks out.
- 1 Chronicles 15:7 Hebrew Gershom, a variant of Gershon
- 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
- 1 Chronicles 15:18 Hebrew; Septuagint (see also verse 21) Jeiel and Azaziah
- 1 Chronicles 15:20 See verse 18; Hebrew Aziel, a variant of Jaaziel.
- 1 Chronicles 15:20 Probably a musical term
- 1 Chronicles 15:21 Probably a musical term
John 7:1-27
Contemporary English Version
John 7:1-27
Contemporary English Version
Jesus' Brothers Don't Have Faith in Him
7 Jesus decided to leave Judea and to start going through Galilee because the leaders of the people wanted to kill him. 2 (A) It was almost time for the Festival of Shelters, 3 and Jesus' brothers said to him, “Why don't you go to Judea? Then your disciples can see what you are doing. 4 No one does anything in secret, if they want others to know about them. So let the world know what you are doing!” 5 Even Jesus' own brothers had not yet become his followers.
6 Jesus answered, “My time hasn't yet come,[a] but your time is always here. 7 The people of this world cannot hate you. They hate me, because I tell them that they do evil things. 8 Go on to the festival. My time hasn't yet come, and I am not going.” 9 Jesus said this and stayed on in Galilee.
Jesus at the Festival of Shelters
10 After Jesus' brothers had gone to the festival, he went secretly, without telling anyone.
11 During the festival the leaders of the people looked for Jesus and asked, “Where is he?” 12 The crowds even got into an argument about him. Some were saying, “Jesus is a good man,” while others were saying, “He is lying to everyone.” 13 But the people were afraid of their leaders, and none of them talked in public about him.
14 When the festival was about half over, Jesus went into the temple and started teaching. 15 The leaders were surprised and said, “How does this man know so much? He has never been taught!”
16 Jesus replied:
I am not teaching something I thought up. What I teach comes from the one who sent me. 17 If you really want to obey God, you will know if what I teach comes from God or from me. 18 If I wanted to bring honor to myself, I would speak for myself. But I want to honor the one who sent me. This is why I tell the truth and not a lie. 19 Didn't Moses give you the Law? Yet none of you obey it! So why do you want to kill me?
20 The crowd replied, “You're crazy! What makes you think someone wants to kill you?”
21 Jesus answered:
I worked one miracle,[b] and it amazed you. 22 (B) Moses commanded you to circumcise your sons. But it wasn't really Moses who gave you this command. It was your ancestors, and even on the Sabbath you circumcise your sons 23 (C) in order to obey the Law of Moses. Why are you angry with me for making someone completely well on the Sabbath? 24 Don't judge by appearances. Judge by what is right.
25 Some of the people from Jerusalem were saying, “Isn't this the man they want to kill? 26 Yet here he is, speaking for everyone to hear. And no one is arguing with him. Do you suppose the authorities know he is the Messiah? 27 But how could that be? No one knows where the Messiah will come from, but we know where this man comes from.”
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John 7:1-27
New International Version
John 7:1-27
New International Version
Jesus Goes to the Festival of Tabernacles
7 After this, Jesus went around in Galilee. He did not want[a] to go about in Judea because the Jewish leaders(A) there were looking for a way to kill him.(B) 2 But when the Jewish Festival of Tabernacles(C) was near, 3 Jesus’ brothers(D) said to him, “Leave Galilee and go to Judea, so that your disciples there may see the works you do. 4 No one who wants to become a public figure acts in secret. Since you are doing these things, show yourself to the world.” 5 For even his own brothers did not believe in him.(E)
6 Therefore Jesus told them, “My time(F) is not yet here; for you any time will do. 7 The world cannot hate you, but it hates me(G) because I testify that its works are evil.(H) 8 You go to the festival. I am not[b] going up to this festival, because my time(I) has not yet fully come.” 9 After he had said this, he stayed in Galilee.
10 However, after his brothers had left for the festival, he went also, not publicly, but in secret. 11 Now at the festival the Jewish leaders were watching for Jesus(J) and asking, “Where is he?”
12 Among the crowds there was widespread whispering about him. Some said, “He is a good man.”
Others replied, “No, he deceives the people.”(K) 13 But no one would say anything publicly about him for fear of the leaders.(L)
Jesus Teaches at the Festival
14 Not until halfway through the festival did Jesus go up to the temple courts and begin to teach.(M) 15 The Jews(N) there were amazed and asked, “How did this man get such learning(O) without having been taught?”(P)
16 Jesus answered, “My teaching is not my own. It comes from the one who sent me.(Q) 17 Anyone who chooses to do the will of God will find out(R) whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own. 18 Whoever speaks on their own does so to gain personal glory,(S) but he who seeks the glory of the one who sent him is a man of truth; there is nothing false about him. 19 Has not Moses given you the law?(T) Yet not one of you keeps the law. Why are you trying to kill me?”(U)
20 “You are demon-possessed,”(V) the crowd answered. “Who is trying to kill you?”
21 Jesus said to them, “I did one miracle,(W) and you are all amazed. 22 Yet, because Moses gave you circumcision(X) (though actually it did not come from Moses, but from the patriarchs),(Y) you circumcise a boy on the Sabbath. 23 Now if a boy can be circumcised on the Sabbath so that the law of Moses may not be broken, why are you angry with me for healing a man’s whole body on the Sabbath? 24 Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly.”(Z)
Division Over Who Jesus Is
25 At that point some of the people of Jerusalem began to ask, “Isn’t this the man they are trying to kill?(AA) 26 Here he is, speaking publicly, and they are not saying a word to him. Have the authorities(AB) really concluded that he is the Messiah?(AC) 27 But we know where this man is from;(AD) when the Messiah comes, no one will know where he is from.”
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