Historical

13 David consulted with the commanders of thousands and of hundreds — with every leader. ² Then David said to the entire assembly of Isra’el, “If it seems good to you, and if it is the will of Adonai our God, let’s send messengers to the rest of our kinsmen in the land of Isra’el, and also to the cohanim and L’vi’im in their cities with surrounding open land, asking them to join us; ³ and let’s bring back the ark of our God to ourselves, since we didn’t go after it when Sha’ul was king.” ⁴ The whole assembly said they would do this, for in the view of all the people it seemed right.

⁵ So David summoned all Isra’el to come together, from Shichor in Egypt all the way to the entrance of Hamat, to bring the ark of God from Kiryat-Ye‘arim. ⁶ David went up with all Isra’el to Ba‘alah, that is, Kiryat-Ye‘arim, which belonged to Y’hudah, to bring up from there the ark of God, Adonai, who is enthroned above the k’ruvim, bearing the Name. ⁷ They set the ark of God on a new cart from the house of Avinadav, with ‘Uza and Achyo, the sons of Avinadav, driving the cart. ⁸ David and all Isra’el celebrated in the presence of God with all their strength, with songs, lyres, lutes, tambourines, cymbals and trumpets.

⁹ When they arrived at Kidon’s threshing-floor, the oxen stumbled; and ‘Uza put out his hand to steady the ark. ¹⁰ But Adonai’s anger blazed up against ‘Uza, and he struck him down, because he had put out his hand and touched the ark, so that he died there before God. ¹¹ It upset David that Adonai had broken out against ‘Uza; that place has been called Peretz-‘Uza [breaking-out of ‘Uza] ever since. ¹² That day, God frightened David; he asked, “How can I bring the ark of God to me?” ¹³ So David didn’t bring the ark into the City of David; rather, David carried it aside into the house of ‘Oved-’Edom the Gitti. ¹⁴ The ark of God stayed with the family of ‘Oved-’Edom the Gitti in his house for three months; and Adonai blessed the household of ‘Oved-’Edom and all he had.

14 Huram king of Tzor sent envoys to David with cedar logs, and with them stonemasons and carpenters, to build him a palace. ² David then knew that Adonai had set him up as king over Isra’el; because, for the sake of his people Isra’el, his royal power had been greatly increased.

³ David took more concubines and wives in Yerushalayim, and David became father of more sons and daughters. ⁴ Here are the names of the children born to him in Yerushalayim: Shamua, Shovav, Natan, Shlomo, ⁵ Yivchar, Elishua, Elpelet, ⁶ Nogah, Nefeg, Yafia, ⁷ Elishama, Be‘elyada and Elifelet.

⁸ When the P’lishtim heard that David had been anointed king over all Isra’el, all the P’lishtim went up in search of David. On hearing of it, David went to attack them. ⁹ Now the P’lishtim came and made a raid in the Refa’im Valley. ¹⁰ David consulted God, asking, “Should I attack the P’lishtim? Will you hand them over to me?” Adonai answered David, “Attack; I will hand them over to you.” ¹¹ So they went up to Ba‘al-P’ratzim, and David defeated them there. David said, “God has broken through my enemies by my power like a river breaking through its banks.” This is why they called the place Ba‘al-P’ratzim [Lord of breaking through]. ¹² The P’lishtim had left their gods there, so David gave an order, and they were burned up completely.

¹³ The P’lishtim came up again and raided the valley. ¹⁴ David consulted God again, but God told him, “Don’t attack them! Turn away from them, and engage them opposite the balsam trees. ¹⁵ When you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, move out, and attack; because God has gone out ahead of you to defeat the army of the P’lishtim.” ¹⁶ David did as God had ordered him to do and pursued his attack on the army of the P’lishtim from Giv‘on to Gezer.

¹⁷ So David’s reputation spread to all countries, and Adonai brought the fear of him on all nations.

15 David erected buildings for himself in the City of David, prepared a place for the ark of God, and set up a tent for it. ² Then David said, “No one but the L’vi’im should carry the ark of God, because Adonai chose them to carry the ark of Adonai and to serve him forever.”

³ David assembled all Isra’el in Yerushalayim to bring the ark of Adonai up to its place, which he had prepared for it. ⁴ David gathered together the descendants of Aharon and the L’vi’im: ⁵ from the descendants of K’hat: Uri’el the chief, and 120 of his kinsmen; ⁶ from the descendants of M’rari: ‘Asayah the chief, and 220 of his kinsmen; ⁷ from the descendants of Gershom: Yo’el the chief, and 130 of his kinsmen; ⁸ from the descendants of Elitzafan: Sh’ma‘yah the chief, and 200 of his kinsmen; ⁹ from the descendants of Hevron: Eli’el the chief, and eighty of his kinsmen; ¹⁰ and from the descendants of ‘Uzi’el: ‘Amminadav the chief, and 112 of his kinsmen.

¹¹ David called for Tzadok and Evyatar the cohanim and for the L’vi’im — Uri’el, ‘Asayah, Yo’el, Sh’ma‘yah, Eli’el and ‘Amminadav — ¹² and said to them, “You are the clan leaders of the L’vi’im. Consecrate yourselves, both you and your kinsmen, to bring the ark of Adonai the God of Isra’el up to the place I have prepared for it. ¹³ It’s because you weren’t there the first time that Adonai our God broke out against us. We didn’t seek him out according to the rule.” ¹⁴ So the cohanim and L’vi’im consecrated themselves to bring up the ark of Adonai the God of Isra’el; ¹⁵ and the L’vi’im carried the ark of God on their shoulders with the poles on it, as Moshe had ordered, according to what Adonai had said.

¹⁶ David spoke to the chief of the L’vi’im to appoint their kinsmen to be singers making use of musical instruments — lutes, lyres and cymbals — to play loudly and raise sounds of joy. ¹⁷ So the L’vi’im appointed Heman the son of Yo’el; of his kinsmen, Asaf the son of Berekhyahu; of the descendants of M’rari their kinsmen, Eitan the son of Kushayahu; ¹⁸ and with them their second-degree kinsmen Z’kharyahu, Ben, Ya‘azi’el, Sh’miramot, Yechi’el, ‘Uni, Eli’av, B’nayahu, Ma‘aseiyahu, Mattityahu, Elif’lehu, Mikneyahu, with ‘Oved-Edom and Ye‘i’el the gatekeepers. ¹⁹ The singers Heman, Asaf and Eitan were appointed to sound the bronze cymbals. ²⁰ Z’kharyahu, ‘Azi’el, Sh’miramot, Yechi’el, ‘Uni, Eli’av, Ma‘aseiyahu and B’nayahu were to play the lutes for ‘alamot [high-pitched music?]. ²¹ Mattityahu, Elif’lehu, Mikneyahu, ’Oved-Edom, Ye‘i’el and ‘Azazyahu were to play lyres to lead the sh’minit [low-pitched music?]. ²² K’nanyahu, chief of the L’vi’im, was in charge of the singing; he was put in charge of the singing because he was skillful at it. ²³ Berekhyahu and Elkanah were gatekeepers for the ark. ²⁴ Sh’vanyahu, Yoshafat, N’tan’el, ‘Amasai, Z’kharyahu, B’nayahu and Eli‘ezer the cohanim blew the trumpets in front of the ark of God. ‘Oved-Edom and Yechiyah were gatekeepers for the ark.

²⁵ So David, the leaders of Isra’el and the commanders over thousands went to bring up the ark for the covenant of Adonai out from the house of ‘Oved-Edom with joy. ²⁶ Since God was helping the L’vi’im who were carrying the ark for the covenant of Adonai, they sacrificed seven young bulls and seven rams. ²⁷ David, all the L’vi’im bearing the ark, the singers and K’nanyah the music leader for the singers were all wearing linen cloaks; and David was also wearing a linen ritual vest. ²⁸ So all Isra’el brought up the ark for the covenant of Adonai with shouting; blowing on shofars and trumpets; and cymbals sounding with lutes and lyres. ²⁹ As the ark for the covenant of Adonai entered the City of David, Mikhal the daughter of Sha’ul, watching from the window, saw King David dancing and celebrating; and she was filled with contempt for him.