1 Chronicles 15-17
Amplified Bible
Plans to Move the Ark to Jerusalem
15 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. 2 Then David said, “No one is to carry the ark of God except the Levites; for the Lord chose them to carry the ark of God and to minister to Him forever.” 3 And David assembled all Israel at Jerusalem to bring up the ark of the Lord to the place which he had prepared for it. 4 David gathered together the sons of Aaron and the Levites: 5 of the sons of Kohath, Uriel the chief, with 120 of his relatives; 6 of the sons of Merari, Asaiah the chief, with 220 of his relatives; 7 of the sons of Gershom, Joel the chief, with 130 of his relatives; 8 of the sons of Elizaphan, Shemaiah the chief, with 200 of his relatives; 9 of the sons of Hebron, Eliel the chief, with 80 of his relatives; 10 of the sons of Uzziel, Amminadab the chief, with 112 of his relatives.
11 Then David called for Zadok and Abiathar the priests, and for the Levites—Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel, and Amminadab, 12 and he said to them, “You are the heads of the fathers’ households of the Levites; consecrate yourselves, both you and your relatives, so that you may bring up the ark of the Lord God of Israel, to the place that I have prepared for it. 13 Because you did not [carry it as God directed] the first time, the Lord our God made an [angry] outburst against us, for we did not seek Him in accordance with the ordinance.”(A) 14 So the priests and the Levites consecrated (dedicated) themselves to bring up the ark of the Lord God of Israel. 15 The Levites carried the ark of God on their shoulders with the poles, as Moses commanded in accordance with the word of the Lord.
16 Then David told the chiefs of the Levites to appoint their relatives as the singers, with instruments of music—harps, lyres, and cymbals—to play loudly and to raise sounds of joy [with their voices]. 17 So the Levites appointed Heman the son of Joel, and from his relatives, Asaph the son of Berechiah; and from the sons of Merari their relatives, Ethan the son of Kushaiah, 18 and with them their relatives of the second rank: Zechariah, Ben, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, and Mikneiah, Obed-edom, and Jeiel, the gatekeepers. 19 So the singers, Heman, Asaph, and Ethan were appointed to sound aloud the bronze cymbals; 20 and Zechariah, Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah, and Benaiah [were to play] with [a]harps tuned to Alamoth [that is, a high pitch]; 21 and Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah were to lead with lyres set to Sheminith [that is, the eighth string, a low pitch]. 22 Chenaniah, leader of the Levites, was in charge of the singing; he gave instruction in singing because he was skilled. 23 Berechiah and Elkanah were gatekeepers for the ark. 24 Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah, and Eliezer the priests blew the trumpets before the ark of God. Obed-edom and Jehiah (Jeiel) were also gatekeepers for the ark.
25 So David, with 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. 26 Because God was helping the Levites who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord [to do it carefully and safely], they sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams. 27 David was clothed with a robe of fine linen, as were all the Levites who carried the ark, and the singers and Chenaniah, director of the music of the singers. David also wore an ephod (a priestly upper garment) of linen. 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, with loud-sounding cymbals, with harps and lyres.
29 It happened that as the ark of the covenant of the Lord came to the City of David, Michal [David’s wife] the daughter of Saul, looking down through a window, saw King David leaping and dancing [in celebration]; and [b]she despised him in her heart.
A Tent for the Ark
16 So they brought the ark of God and set it inside the tent which David had pitched for it, and they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before God. 2 When David had finished offering the burnt offerings and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord. 3 He distributed to everyone in Israel, both man and woman, to everyone a loaf of bread, a portion of meat, and a raisin cake.
4 He appointed some of the Levites to minister before the ark of the Lord and to profess [God’s name] and to [c]thank and praise the Lord, the God of Israel: 5 Asaph the chief, and second to him Zechariah, then Jeiel (Jaaziel), Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-edom, and Jeiel with musical instruments, harps and lyres; also Asaph played loud-sounding cymbals; 6 and Benaiah and Jahaziel the priests blew trumpets continually before the ark of the covenant of God.
7 Then on that day David first entrusted to Asaph and his relatives to give thanks to the Lord [as their chief task].
Psalm of Thanksgiving
8
O give thanks to the Lord, call on His name;
Make His deeds known among the peoples.
9
Sing to Him, sing praises to Him;
Speak of all His wonders.
10
Glory in His holy name;
Let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.
11
Seek the Lord and His strength;
Seek His face continually [longing to be in His presence].
12
Remember [with gratitude] His marvelous deeds which He has done,
His miracles and the judgments from His mouth,
13
O seed of Israel His servant,
[d]Children of Jacob, His chosen ones!
14
He is the Lord our God;
His judgments are in all the earth.
15
Be mindful of His covenant forever,
The promise which He commanded and established to a thousand generations,
16
The covenant which He made with Abraham,
And His oath (sworn promise) to Isaac.
17
He confirmed it as a statute to Jacob,
And to Israel as an everlasting covenant,(B)
18
Saying, “To you I will give the land of Canaan,
As the portion of your possession and inheritance.”
19
When you were few in number,
Even a very few, and strangers in it,
20
When they wandered from nation to nation,
And from one kingdom to another people,
21
He allowed no man to oppress or exploit them,
And, He reproved and punished kings for their sakes, saying,(C)
22
“Do not touch My anointed ones,
And do My prophets no harm.”(D)
23
Sing to the Lord, all the earth;
Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day.
24
Declare His glory among the nations,
His marvelous works among all peoples.
25
For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised;
He is also to be feared [with awe-filled reverence] above all gods.
26
For all the gods of the peoples are [lifeless] idols,
But the Lord made the heavens.
27
Splendor and majesty are [found] in His presence;
Strength and joy are [found] in His place (sanctuary).
28
Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples,
Ascribe to the Lord glory and honor and strength.
29
Ascribe to the Lord the glory and honor due His name;
Bring an offering [of thanksgiving], and come before Him;
Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness.
30
Tremble [reverently] before Him, all the earth;
The world is firmly established, it will not be moved.
31
Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice;
And let them say among the nations, “The Lord reigns.”
32
Let the sea roar, and all the things that fill it;
Let the field rejoice, and all that is in it.
33
Then the trees of the forest will sing for joy before the Lord;
For He comes to judge and govern the earth.
34
O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good;
For His lovingkindness endures forever.
35
Then say, “Save us, O God of our salvation;
Gather us together and rescue us from the nations,
That we may give thanks to Your holy name,
And glory in Your praise.”
36
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,
Forever and ever.
And all the people said, “Amen,” and praised the Lord.
Worship before the Ark
37 So David left Asaph and his relatives there before the ark of the covenant of the Lord to minister before the ark continually, as each day’s work required; 38 and Obed-edom with his sixty-eight relatives; also Obed-edom the son of Jeduthun, and Hosah, were to be gatekeepers. 39 David left Zadok the priest and his relatives the priests before the dwelling place (tabernacle) of the Lord in the high place which was at Gibeon,(E) 40 to offer burnt offerings to the Lord on the altar of burnt offering continually, morning and evening, in accordance with all that is written in the Law of the Lord, which He commanded Israel. 41 With them were Heman and Jeduthun, and the rest who were chosen and designated by name, to give thanks to the Lord, for His lovingkindness endures forever. 42 With them were Heman and Jeduthun with trumpets and cymbals for those who were to sound aloud, and instruments for [accompanying] the songs of God. And the sons of Jeduthun were to be at the gate.
43 Then all the people departed, each to his house, and David returned [home] to bless his household.
God’s Covenant with David
17 As David sat in his house (palace), he said to Nathan the prophet, “Behold, I live in a house of cedars, while the ark of the covenant of the Lord is under tent curtains.” 2 Then Nathan said to David, “[e]Do all that is in your heart, for God is with you.”
3 But it came about that same night that the word of God came to Nathan, saying, 4 “Go and tell David My servant, ‘Thus says the Lord, “You shall not build a house for Me to dwell in; 5 for I have not dwelt in a house since the day that I brought Israel up [from Egypt] until this day, but I have gone from tent to tent and from one dwelling place to another. 6 Wherever I have walked with all Israel, did I say a word to any of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd My people, saying, ‘Why have you not built for Me a house of cedar?’”’ 7 Now, therefore, this is what you shall say to My servant David: ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, “I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, to be leader over My people Israel. 8 I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have cut off all your enemies from before you; and I will make your name like the name of the great ones of the earth. 9 I will appoint a place for My people Israel, and will plant them, so that they may live in their own place and not be moved again [nor tremble with fear]; and the [f]wicked will not waste (persecute) them anymore, as formerly, 10 since the time that I commanded judges to be over My people Israel. And I will humble and subdue all your enemies.
“Furthermore, I tell you that the Lord will build you a house (a blessed posterity). 11 And it shall come to pass that when your days are completed and you must go to be with your fathers [in death], I will raise up one of your descendants after you, one of your own sons; and I will establish his kingdom. 12 He shall build Me a house, and I will establish his throne forever.(F) 13 I will be his father and he shall be My son; and I will not take My steadfast love and mercy away from him, as I took it from him (King Saul) who was before you.(G) 14 But I will settle [g]him in My house and in My kingdom forever, and his throne shall be established forevermore.”’”(H) 15 According to all these words and according to all this vision, so Nathan spoke to David.
David’s Prayer in Response
16 Then David the king went in and sat before the Lord and said, “Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house and family that You have brought me this far? 17 This was a small thing in Your eyes, O God; but You have spoken of Your servant’s house for a great while to come, and have regarded me according to the standard and estate of a man of high degree (prominence), O Lord God. 18 What more can David say to You for the honor granted to Your servant? For You know Your servant. 19 O Lord, for Your servant’s sake, and in accordance with Your own heart, You have accomplished all this greatness, to make known all these great things. 20 O Lord, there is no one like You, nor is there any God except You, according to all that we have heard with our ears. 21 And what one nation on the earth is like Your people Israel, whom God went to redeem for Himself as a people, to make a name for Yourself by great and awesome and terrible things, by driving out nations from before Your people, whom You redeemed out of Egypt? 22 You made Your people Israel Your own people forever, and You, Lord, became their God.
23 “Therefore now, O Lord, let the word which You have spoken concerning Your servant and his house endure forever, and do as You have said. 24 Let Your name [and the character that it denotes] endure and be magnified forever, saying, ‘The Lord of hosts is the God of Israel, yes, a God to Israel; and the house of Your servant David is established before You.’ 25 For You, O my God, have revealed to Your servant that You will build for him a house (descendants); therefore Your servant has found courage to pray before You. 26 And now, O Lord, You are God, and you have spoken and promised this good thing to Your servant. 27 Therefore may it please You to bless the house (descendants) of Your servant, that it may continue before You forever; for what You bless, O Lord, is blessed forever.”
Footnotes
- 1 Chronicles 15:20 Or harps of maiden-like tone, i.e. soprano. This particular instrument may have resembled a guitar.
- 1 Chronicles 15:29 Michal strongly disapproved of David’s undignified entry into the city wearing the ephod instead of his royal robes (see note 2 Sam 6:20).
- 1 Chronicles 16:4 Lit praise, a Hebrew word that is the root of the name “Judah.”
- 1 Chronicles 16:13 Lit sons.
- 1 Chronicles 17:2 This may have been advice expressed by Nathan rather than a prophecy; in v 4 it becomes clear that God did not tell Nathan to say this.
- 1 Chronicles 17:9 Lit sons of wickedness.
- 1 Chronicles 17:14 At this point the prophecy looks ahead from Solomon to the Messiah (Christ), whose reign will be forever; yet the reference to Solomon is not lost, and the Messiah’s reign in a sense will be the fulfillment of Solomon’s as described here.
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