1 Chronicles 15

1

After David had constructed buildings for himself in the City of David, he

prepared a place for the ark of God and pitched a tent for it.

2

Then David said, "No one but the Levites may carry the ark of God, because

the LORD chose them to carry the ark of the LORD and to minister before

him forever."

3

David assembled all Israel in Jerusalem to bring up yjr ark of the LORD to

the place he had prepared for it.

4

He called together the descendants of Aaron and the Levites:

5

From the descendants of Kohath, Uriel the leader and 120 relatives;

6

from the descendants of Merari, Asaiah the leader and 220 relatives;

7

from the descendants of Gershon, Joel the leader and 130 relatives;

8

from the descendants of Elizaphan, Shemaiah the leader and 200 relatives;

9

from the descendants of Hebron, Eliel the leader and 80 relatives;

10

from the descendants of Uzziel, Amminadab the leader and 112 relatives.

11

Then David summoned Zadokand Abiathar 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 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, did not bring it up the first time that the

LORD our God broke out in anger against us. We did not inquire of him

about how to do it in the prescribed way."

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 in accordance with the word of the LORD.

16

David told the leaders of the Levites to appoint their brothers as singers

to sing joyful songs, accompanied by musical instruments: lyres, harps and cymbals.

17

So the Levites appointed Herman son of Joel; from their brothers, Asaph son of

Berekiah; and from their brothers the Merarites, Ethan son of Kushaiah;

18

and with them their brothers next in rank: Zechariah, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth,

Jehiel, Unni, Elab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah,

Obed-Edom and Jeiel, the gatekeepers.

19

The musicians Herman, Asaph and Ethan were to sound the bronze cymbals;

20

Zechariah, Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah and Benaiah were

to play the lyres, directing according to alamoth,

21

and Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, Jeiel and Azariah were to

play the harps, directing according to sheminith.

22

Kenaiah 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 priest

were to blow trumpets 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 of 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 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 singers, and Kenaniah, who was in charge of

the singing of the choirs. David also wore a linen ephod.

28

So all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the LORD with shouts,

with the sounding of rams' horns 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.