1 Chronicles, 15

1. After he had put up buildings for himself in the City of David, he prepared a place for the ark of God and pitched a tent for it.

1. 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. David then said, 'No one but the Levites should carry the ark of God, since Yahweh has chosen them to carry the ark of Yahweh and to minister to him for ever.'

2. Then David said, "No one but the Levites may carry the ark of God, for the LORD chose them to carry the ark of the LORD and to minister to him for ever."

3. David then summoned all Israel to Jerusalem, to move the ark of Yahweh to the place which he had prepared for it.

3. And David assembled all Israel at Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the LORD to its place, which he had prepared for it.

4. David also called the sons of Aaron and the Levites together:

4. And David gathered together the sons of Aaron and the Levites:

5. of the sons of Kohath: Uriel the chief and his hundred and twenty kinsmen;

5. of the sons of Kohath, Uri'el the chief, with a hundred and twenty of his brethren;

6. of the sons of Merari: Asaiah the chief and his two hundred and twenty kinsmen;

6. of the sons of Merar'i, Asai'ah the chief, with two hundred and twenty of his brethren;

7. of the sons of Gershom: Joel the chief and his hundred and thirty kinsmen;

7. of the sons of Gershom, Jo'el the chief, with a hundred and thirty of his brethren;

8. of the sons of Elizaphan: Shemaiah the chief and his two hundred kinsmen;

8. of the sons of Eli-za'phan, Shemai'ah the chief, with two hundred of his brethren;

9. of the sons of Hebron: Eliel the chief and eighty kinsmen;

9. of the sons of Hebron, Eli'el the chief, with eighty of his brethren;

10. of the sons of Uzziel: Amminadab the chief and his hundred and twelve kinsmen.

10. of the sons of Uz'ziel, Ammin'adab the chief, with a hundred and twelve of his brethren.

11. David then sent for the priests Zadok and Abiathar, and the Levites Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel and Amminadab.

11. Then David summoned the priests Zadok and Abi'athar, and the Levites Uri'el, Asai'ah, Jo'el, Shemai'ah, Eli'el, and Ammin'adab,

12. To them he said, 'You are the heads of the levitical families. Sanctify yourselves, you and your kinsmen, so that you can move the ark of Yahweh, God of Israel, to the place which I have prepared for it.

12. and said to them, "You are the heads of the fathers' houses of the Levites; sanctify yourselves, you and your brethren, so that you may bring up the ark of the LORD, the God of Israel, to the place that I have prepared for it.

13. Because you were not there the first time, Yahweh our God broke out at us because we did not handle it properly.'

13. Because you did not carry it the first time, the LORD our God broke forth upon us, because we did not care for it in the way that is ordained."

14. So the priests and the Levites sanctified themselves, to move the ark of Yahweh, God of Israel,

14. So the priests and the Levites sanctified themselves to bring up the ark of the LORD, the God of Israel.

15. and the Levites carried the ark of God with the shafts on their shoulders, as Moses had ordered in accordance with the word of Yahweh.

15. And the Levites carried the ark of God upon their shoulders with the poles, as Moses had commanded according to the word of the LORD.

16. David also told the heads of the Levites to appoint their kinsmen as singers with the accompaniment of musical instruments, lyres, harps, and cymbals to play joyfully.

16. David also commanded the chiefs of the Levites to appoint their brethren as the singers who should play loudly on musical instruments, on harps and lyres and cymbals, to raise sounds of joy.

17. The Levites then appointed Heman son of Joel, Asaph son of Berechiah, one of his brothers, Ethan son of Kushaiah, one of their Merarite kinsmen;

17. So the Levites appointed Heman the son of Jo'el; and of his brethren Asaph the son of Berechi'ah; and of the sons of Merar'i, their brethren, Ethan the son of Kusha'iah;

18. and with them their kinsmen of the second rank: Zechariah, Uzziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, and Obed-Edom and Jehiel the gatekeepers.

18. and with them their brethren of the second order, Zechari'ah, Ja-a'ziel, Shemi'ramoth, Jehi'el, Unni, Eli'ab, Benai'ah, Ma-asei'ah, Mattithi'ah, Eliph'elehu, and Miknei'ah, and the gatekeepers O'bed-e'dom and Je-i'el.

19. The singers, Heman, Asaph and Ethan, were to play the bronze cymbals.

19. The singers, Heman, Asaph, and Ethan, were to sound bronze cymbals;

20. Zechariah, Uzziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah and Benaiah were to play the lyre.

20. Zechari'ah, A'zi-el, Shemi'ramoth, Jehi'el, Unni, Eli'ab, Ma-asei'ah, and Benai'ah were to play harps according to Al'amoth;

21. Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, Jehiel and Azaziah, giving the beat, were to play the harp.

21. but Mattithi'ah, Eliph'elehu, Miknei'ah, O'bed-e'dom, Je-i'el, and Azazi'ah were to lead with lyres according to the Shem'inith.

22. Chenaniah, the levitical director of transport was in charge of the transport, being skilful at it.

22. Chenani'ah, leader of the Levites in music, should direct the music, for he understood it.

23. Berechiah and Elkanah were gatekeepers for the ark.

23. Berechi'ah and Elka'nah were to be gatekeepers for the ark.

24. The priests Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah and Eliezer blew trumpets before the ark of God, while Obed-Edom and Jehiah were also gatekeepers for the ark.

24. Shebani'ah, Josh'aphat, Nethan'el, Ama'sai, Zechari'ah, Benai'ah, and Elie'zer, the priests, should blow the trumpets before the ark of God. O'bed-e'dom and Jehi'ah also were to be gatekeepers for the ark.

25. David, the elders of Israel and the commanders of the thousands accordingly went, amid great rejoicing, to bring the ark of the covenant of Yahweh up from Obed-Edom's house,

25. So David and the elders of Israel, and the commanders of thousands, went to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD from the house of O'bed-e'dom with rejoicing.

26. and since God was helping the Levites who carried the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, they sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams.

26. And because God helped the Levites who were carrying the ark of the covenant of the LORD, they sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams.

27. David, all the Levites who carried the ark, the singers and Chenaniah, director of transport, wore cloaks of fine linen. David also wore a linen ephod.

27. David was clothed with a robe of fine linen, as also were all the Levites who were carrying the ark, and the singers, and Chenani'ah the leader of the music of the singers; and David wore a linen ephod.

28. Thus, with war-cries and the sounding of the horn, the trumpets and the cymbals, and the music of lyres and harps, all Israel transported the ark of the covenant of Yahweh.

28. So all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the LORD with shouting, to the sound of the horn, trumpets, and cymbals, and made loud music on harps and lyres.

29. Now, as the ark of the covenant of Yahweh entered the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul was watching from the window and, when she saw King David dancing and playing, the sight of him filled her with contempt.

29. And as the ark of the covenant of the LORD came to the city of David, Michal the daughter of Saul looked out of the window, and saw King David dancing and making merry; and she despised him in her heart.