| Berean Study Bible | New Living Translation |
| 1David constructed buildings for himself in the City of David, and he prepared a place for the ark of God and pitched a tent for it. | 1David now built several buildings for himself in the City of David. He also prepared a place for the Ark of God and set up a special tent for it. |
| 2Then David said, “No one but the Levites may carry the ark of God, because the LORD has chosen them to carry the ark of the LORD and to minister before Him forever.” | 2Then he commanded, “No one except the Levites may carry the Ark of God. The LORD has chosen them to carry the Ark of the LORD and to serve him forever.” |
| 3And David assembled all Israel in Jerusalem to bring up the ark of the LORD to the place he had prepared for it. | 3Then David summoned all Israel to Jerusalem to bring the Ark of the LORD to the place he had prepared for it. |
| 4Then he gathered together the descendants of Aaron and the Levites: | 4This is the number of the descendants of Aaron (the priests) and the Levites who were called together: |
| 5From the Kohathites, Uriel the chief and 120 of his relatives; | 5From the clan of Kohath, 120, with Uriel as their leader. |
| 6from the Merarites, Asaiah the chief and 220 of his relatives; | 6From the clan of Merari, 220, with Asaiah as their leader. |
| 7from the Gershomites, Joel the chief and 130 of his relatives; | 7From the clan of Gershon, 130, with Joel as their leader. |
| 8from the Elizaphanites, Shemaiah the chief and 200 of his relatives; | 8From the descendants of Elizaphan, 200, with Shemaiah as their leader. |
| 9from the Hebronites, Eliel the chief and 80 of his relatives; | 9From the descendants of Hebron, 80, with Eliel as their leader. |
| 10and from the Uzzielites, Amminadab the chief and 112 of his relatives. | 10From the descendants of Uzziel, 112, with Amminadab as their leader. |
| 11David summoned the priests Zadok and Abiathar and the Levites Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel, and Amminadab. | 11Then David summoned the priests, Zadok and Abiathar, and these Levite leaders: Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel, and Amminadab. |
| 12And he said to them, “You are the heads of the Levitical families. You and your relatives must consecrate yourselves so that you may bring the ark of the LORD, the God of Israel, to the place I have prepared for it. | 12He said to them, “You are the leaders of the Levite families. You must purify yourselves and all your fellow Levites, so you can bring the Ark of the LORD, the God of Israel, to the place I have prepared for it. |
| 13It was because you Levites were not with us the first time that the LORD our God burst forth in anger against us. For we did not consult Him about the proper order.” | 13Because you Levites did not carry the Ark the first time, the anger of the LORD our God burst out against us. We failed to ask God how to move it properly.” |
| 14So the priests and Levites consecrated themselves to bring up the ark of the LORD, the God of Israel. | 14So the priests and the Levites purified themselves in order to bring the Ark of the LORD, the God of Israel, to Jerusalem. |
| 15And the Levites carried the ark of God on their shoulders with the poles, as Moses had commanded in accordance with the word of the LORD. | 15Then the Levites carried the Ark of God on their shoulders with its carrying poles, just as the LORD had instructed Moses. |
| 16David also told the leaders of the Levites to appoint their relatives as singers to lift up their voices with joy, accompanied by musical instruments—harps, lyres, and cymbals. | 16David also ordered the Levite leaders to appoint a choir of Levites who were singers and musicians to sing joyful songs to the accompaniment of harps, lyres, and cymbals. |
| 17So the Levites appointed Heman son of Joel; from his brothers, Asaph son of Berechiah; from their brothers the Merarites, Ethan son of Kushaiah; | 17So the Levites appointed Heman son of Joel along with his fellow Levites: Asaph son of Berekiah, and Ethan son of Kushaiah from the clan of Merari. |
| 18and with them their brothers next in rank: Zechariah, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, and the gatekeepers Obed-edom and Jeiel. | 18The following men were chosen as their assistants: Zechariah, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, and the gatekeepers—Obed-edom and Jeiel. |
| 19The musicians Heman, Asaph, and Ethan were to sound the bronze cymbals. | 19The musicians Heman, Asaph, and Ethan were chosen to sound the bronze cymbals. |
| 20Zechariah, Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah, and Benaiah were to play the harps according to Alamoth. | 20Zechariah, Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah, and Benaiah were chosen to play the harps. |
| 21And Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah were to lead the music with lyres according to Sheminith. | 21Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah were chosen to play the lyres. |
| 22Chenaniah the head Levite was the director of the music because he was highly skilled. | 22Kenaniah, the head Levite, was chosen as the choir leader because of his skill. |
| 23Berechiah and Elkanah were to be guardians of the ark. | 23Berekiah and Elkanah were chosen to guard the Ark. |
| 24Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah, and Eliezer—the priests—were to blow the trumpets before the ark of God. Obed-edom and Jehiah were also to be guardians of the ark. | 24Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah, and Eliezer—all of whom were priests—were chosen to blow the trumpets as they marched in front of the Ark of God. Obed-edom and Jehiah were chosen to guard the Ark. Moving the Ark to Jerusalem |
| 25So David, the elders of Israel, and the commanders of thousands went with rejoicing to bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD from the house of Obed-edom. | 25Then David and the elders of Israel and the generals of the army went to the house of Obed-edom to bring the Ark of the LORD’s Covenant up to Jerusalem with a great celebration. |
| 26And because God helped the Levites who were carrying the ark of the covenant of the LORD, they sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams. | 26And because God was clearly helping the Levites as they carried the Ark of the LORD’s Covenant, they sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams. |
| 27Now David was dressed in a robe of fine linen, as were all the Levites who were carrying the ark, as well as the singers and Chenaniah, the director of music for the singers. David also wore a linen ephod. | 27David was dressed in a robe of fine linen, as were all the Levites who carried the Ark, and also the singers, and Kenaniah the choir leader. David was also wearing a priestly garment. |
| 28So all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the LORD with shouting, with the sounding of rams’ horns and trumpets, and with cymbals and the music of harps and lyres. | 28So all Israel brought up the Ark of the LORD’s Covenant with shouts of joy, the blowing of rams’ horns and trumpets, the crashing of cymbals, and loud playing on harps and lyres. |
| 29As the ark of the covenant of the LORD was entering the City of David, Saul’s daughter Michal looked down from a window and saw King David dancing and celebrating, and she despised him in her heart. | 29But as the Ark of the LORD’s Covenant entered the City of David, Michal, the daughter of Saul, looked down from her window. When she saw King David skipping about and laughing with joy, she was filled with contempt for him. |
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