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15 And Dovid made him batim (buildings) in Ir Dovid, and prepared a makom for Aron HaElohim, and pitched for it an ohel.

Then Dovid said, None may carry Aron HaElohim but the Levi’im; for them hath Hashem bachar (chosen) to carry the Aron HaElohim, and to minister unto Him ad olam.

And Dovid assembled kol Yisroel together at Yerushalayim, to bring up Aron Hashem unto his makom (place, home) which he had prepared for it.

And Dovid assembled the Bnei Aharon, and the Levi’im;

Of the Bnei Kehat; Uriel the sar, and his brethren a 120;

Of the Bnei Merari; Asayah the sar, and his brethren 220;

Of the Bnei Gershom; Yoel the sar and his brethren 130;

Of the Bnei Elitzaphan; Shema’yah the sar, and his brethren 200;

Of the Bnei Chevron; Eliel the sar, and his brethren 80;

10 Of the Bnei Uzziel; Amminadav the sar, and his brethren 112.

11 And Dovid summoned Tzadok and Evyatar (Abiathar) the Kohanim, as well as the Levi’im, for Uriel, Asayah, and Yoel, Shema’yah, and Eliel, and Amminadav,

12 And said unto them, Ye are the rashei ha’avot of the Levi’im; set yourselves apart as kodesh, both ye and your brethren, that ye may bring up Aron Hashem Elohei Yisroel unto the place that I have prepared for it.

13 For because ye did it not at the first, Hashem Eloheinu broke out upon us, for that we inquired of Him not according to the mishpat (due order, ordinance).

14 So the Kohanim and the Levi’im set themselves apart as kodesh to bring up Aron Hashem Elohei Yisroel.

15 And the Bnei HaLevi’im bore the Aron HaElohim upon their shoulders with the motot (poles) thereon, as Moshe commanded according to the Devar Hashem.

16 And Dovid spoke to the Sarei HaLevi’im to appoint their brethren to be the meshorerim (singers) with instruments of music, nevalim (lyres) and kinnorot (harps) and cymbals, sounding, by lifting up the voice with simchah.

17 So the Levi’im appointed Heman Ben Yoel; and of his brethren, Asaph Ben Berechyahu; and of the Bnei Merari their brethren, Eitan Ben Kushayahu;

18 And with them their brethren of the next rank, Zecharyah, Ben, and Ya’aziel, and Shemiramot, and Yechiel, and Unni, Eliav, and Benayahu, and Ma’aseiyahu, and Mattityahu, and Eliph’lehu, and Mikneyahu, and Oved Edom, and Ye’i’el, the sho’arim (gatekeepers).

19 So the meshorerim (singers), Heman, Asaph, and Eitan, sounded the cymbals of nechoshet;

20 And Zecharyah, and Aziel, and Shemiramot, and Yechiel, and Unni, and Eliav, and Ma’aseiyahu, and Benayahu, with nevalim (lyres) al-alamot (after the manner of virgins, i.e., in the treble—see Ps 46:1);

21 And Mattityahu, and Eliph’lehu, and Mikneyahu, and Oved Edom, and Ye’i’el, and Azazyahu, with kinnorot (harps) al-HaSheminit to direct.

22 And Kenanyahu, sar HaLevi’im, was for singing; he directed the song, because of his understanding.

23 And Berechyah and Elkanah were shoarim (doorkeepers) for the Aron.

24 And Shevanyahu, and Yehoshaphat, and Netanel, and Amasai, and Zecharyah, and Benayahu, and Eliezer, the Kohanim, did blow the trumpets before the Aron HaElohim; and Oved Edom and Yechiyah were shoarim (doorkeepers) for the Aron.

25 So Dovid, and the Ziknei Yisroel, and the sarim over alafim, went to bring up Aron Brit Hashem out of the Bais Oved Edom with simchah.

26 And it came to pass, when HaElohim helped the Levi’im that bore the Aron Brit Hashem, that they offered in sacrifice shivah bulls and shivah rams.

27 And Dovid was clothed with a me’il butz (fine linen robe), and all the Levi’im that bore the Aron, and the meshorerim (singers); and Kenanyah the master of the song with the meshorerim; Dovid also had upon him a linen ephod [see Psalm 110:4].

28 Thus kol Yisroel brought up the Aron Brit Hashem with shouting, and with sound of the shofar, and with trumpets, and with cymbals, sounding nevalim (lyres) and kinnorot (harps).

29 And it came to pass, as the Aron Brit Hashem came to Ir Dovid, that Michal Bat Sha’ul, looking out at the chalon, saw Dovid HaMelech dancing and whirling. And she despised him in her lev.

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.

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