| Christian Standard Bible | NET Bible |
| 1David 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. | 1David constructed buildings in the City of David; he then prepared a place for the ark of God and pitched a 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 David said, "Only the Levites may carry the ark of God, for the LORD chose them to carry the ark of the LORD and to serve before him perpetually. |
| 3David assembled all Israel at Jerusalem to bring the ark of the LORD to the place he had prepared for it. | 3David assembled all Israel at Jerusalem to bring the ark of the LORD up to the place he had prepared for it. |
| 4Then he gathered together the descendants of Aaron and the Levites: | 4David gathered together the descendants of Aaron and the Levites: |
| 5From the Kohathites, Uriel the leader and 120 of his relatives; | 5From the descendants of Kohath: Uriel the leader and 120 of his relatives. |
| 6from the Merarites, Asaiah the leader and 220 of his relatives; | 6From the descendants of Merari: Asaiah the leader and 220 of his relatives. |
| 7from the Gershomites, Joel the leader and 130 of his relatives; | 7From the descendants of Gershom: Joel the leader and 130 of his relatives. |
| 8from the Elizaphanites, Shemaiah the leader and 200 of his relatives; | 8From the descendants of Elizaphan: Shemaiah the leader and 200 of his relatives. |
| 9from the Hebronites, Eliel the leader and 80 of his relatives; | 9From the descendants of Hebron: Eliel the leader and 80 of his relatives. |
| 10from the Uzzielites, Amminadab the leader and 112 of his relatives. | 10From the descendants of Uzziel: Amminadab the leader and 112 of his relatives. |
| 11David summoned the priests Zadok and Abiathar and the Levites Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel, and Amminadab. | 11David summoned the priests Zadok and Abiathar, along with the Levites Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel, and Amminadab. |
| 12He said to them, "You are the heads of the Levite families. You and your relatives must consecrate yourselves so that you may bring the ark of the LORD God of Israel to the place I have prepared for it. | 12He told them: "You are the leaders of the Levites' families. You and your relatives must consecrate yourselves and bring the ark of the LORD God of Israel up to the place I have prepared for it. |
| 13For the LORD our God burst out in anger against us because you Levites were not with us the first time, for we didn't inquire of him about the proper procedures." | 13The first time you did not carry it; that is why the LORD God attacked us, because we did not ask him about the proper way to carry it." |
| 14So the priests and the Levites consecrated themselves to bring up the ark of the LORD God of Israel. | 14The priests and Levites consecrated themselves so they could bring up the ark of the LORD God of Israel. |
| 15Then the Levites carried the ark of God the way Moses had commanded according to the word of the LORD: on their shoulders with the poles. | 15The descendants of Levi carried the ark of God on their shoulders with poles, just as Moses had ordered according to the divine command. |
| 16Then David told the leaders of the Levites to appoint their relatives as singers and to have them raise their voices with joy accompanied by musical instruments--harps, lyres, and cymbals. | 16David told the leaders of the Levites to appoint some of their relatives as musicians; they were to play various instruments, including stringed instruments and cymbals, and to sing loudly and joyfully. |
| 17So the Levites appointed Heman son of Joel; from his relatives, Asaph son of Berechiah; and from their relatives the Merarites, Ethan son of Kushaiah. | 17So the Levites appointed Heman son of Joel; one of his relatives, Asaph son of Berechiah; one of the descendants of Merari, Ethan son of Kushaiah; |
| 18With them were their relatives second in rank: Zechariah, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, and the gatekeepers Obed-edom and Jeiel. | 18along with some of their relatives who were second in rank, including Zechariah, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, and Jeiel, the gatekeepers. |
| 19The singers Heman, Asaph, and Ethan were to sound the bronze cymbals; | 19The musicians Heman, Asaph, and Ethan were to sound the bronze cymbals; |
| 20Zechariah, Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah, and Benaiah were to play harps according to Alamoth | 20Zechariah, Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah, and Benaiah were to play the harps according to the alamoth style; |
| 21and Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah were to lead the music with lyres according to the Sheminith. | 21Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah were to play the lyres according to the sheminith style, as led by the director; |
| 22Chenaniah, the leader of the Levites in music, was to direct the music because he was skillful. | 22Kenaniah, the leader of the Levites, was in charge of transport, for he was well-informed on this matter; |
| 23Berechiah and Elkanah were to be gatekeepers for the ark. | 23Berechiah and Elkanah were guardians of the ark; |
| 24The priests, Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah, and Eliezer, were to blow trumpets before the ark of God. Obed-edom and Jehiah were also to be gatekeepers for 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 Jehiel were also guardians of the ark. |
| 25David, 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. | 25So David, the leaders of Israel, and the commanders of units of a thousand went to bring up the ark of the LORD's covenant from the house of Obed-Edom with celebration. |
| 26Because God helped the Levites who were carrying the ark of the covenant of the LORD, with God's help, they sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams. | 26When God helped the Levites who were carrying 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 music leader of the singers. David also wore a linen ephod. | 27David was wrapped in a linen robe, as were all the Levites carrying the ark, the musicians, and Kenaniah the supervisor of transport and the musicians; David also wore a linen ephod. |
| 28So all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the LORD with shouts, the sound of the ram's horn, trumpets, and cymbals, and the playing of harps and lyres. | 28All Israel brought up the ark of the LORD's covenant; they were shouting, blowing trumpets, sounding cymbals, and playing stringed instruments. |
| 29As the ark of the covenant of the LORD was entering the city of David, Saul's daughter Michal looked down from the window and saw King David leaping and dancing, and she despised him in her heart. | 29As the ark of the LORD's covenant entered the City of David, Michal, Saul's daughter, looked out the window. When she saw King David jumping and celebrating, she despised him. |
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