English Standard Version

King James 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.

1And David made him houses in the city of David, and prepared a place for the ark of God, and pitched for it a tent.

2Then David said that no one but the Levites may carry the ark of God, for the LORD had chosen them to carry the ark of the LORD and to minister to him forever.

2Then David said, None ought to carry the ark of God but the Levites: for them hath the LORD chosen to carry the ark of God, and to minister unto him for ever.

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

3And David gathered all Israel together to Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the LORD unto his place, which he had prepared for it.

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

4And David assembled the children of Aaron, and the Levites:

5of the sons of Kohath, Uriel the chief, with 120 of his brothers;

5Of the sons of Kohath; Uriel the chief, and his brethren an hundred and twenty:

6of the sons of Merari, Asaiah the chief, with 220 of his brothers;

6Of the sons of Merari; Asaiah the chief, and his brethren two hundred and twenty:

7of the sons of Gershom, Joel the chief, with 130 of his brothers;

7Of the sons of Gershom; Joel the chief, and his brethren an hundred and thirty:

8of the sons of Elizaphan, Shemaiah the chief, with 200 of his brothers;

8Of the sons of Elizaphan; Shemaiah the chief, and his brethren two hundred:

9of the sons of Hebron, Eliel the chief, with 80 of his brothers;

9Of the sons of Hebron; Eliel the chief, and his brethren fourscore:

10of the sons of Uzziel, Amminadab the chief, with 112 of his brothers.

10Of the sons of Uzziel; Amminadab the chief, and his brethren an hundred and twelve.

11Then David summoned the priests Zadok and Abiathar, and the Levites Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel, and Amminadab,

11And David called for Zadok and Abiathar the priests, and for the Levites, for Uriel, Asaiah, and Joel, Shemaiah, and Eliel, and Amminadab,

12and said to them, “You are the heads of the fathers’ houses of the Levites. Consecrate yourselves, you and your brothers, so that you may bring up the ark of the LORD, the God of Israel, to the place that I have prepared for it.

12And said unto them, Ye are the chief of the fathers of the Levites: sanctify yourselves, both ye and your brethren, that ye may bring up the ark of the LORD God of Israel unto the place that I have prepared for it.

13Because you did not carry it the first time, the LORD our God broke out against us, because we did not seek him according to the rule.”

13For because ye did it not at the first, the LORD our God made a breach upon us, for that we sought him not after the due order.

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

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

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

15And the children of the Levites bare the ark of God upon their shoulders with the staves thereon, as Moses commanded according to the word of the LORD.

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

16And David spake to the chief of the Levites to appoint their brethren to be the singers with instruments of musick, psalteries and harps and cymbals, sounding, by lifting up the voice with joy.

17So the Levites appointed Heman the son of Joel; and of his brothers Asaph the son of Berechiah; and of the sons of Merari, their brothers, Ethan the son of Kushaiah;

17So the Levites appointed Heman the son of Joel; and of his brethren, Asaph the son of Berechiah; and of the sons of Merari their brethren, Ethan the son of Kushaiah;

18and with them their brothers of the second order, Zechariah, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, and Mikneiah, and the gatekeepers Obed-edom and Jeiel.

18And with them their brethren of the second degree, Zechariah, Ben, and Jaaziel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Unni, Eliab, and Benaiah, and Maaseiah, and Mattithiah, and Elipheleh, and Mikneiah, and Obededom, and Jeiel, the porters.

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

19So the singers, Heman, Asaph, and Ethan, were appointed to sound with cymbals of brass;

20Zechariah, Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah, and Benaiah were to play harps according to Alamoth;

20And Zechariah, and Aziel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Unni, and Eliab, and Maaseiah, and Benaiah, with psalteries on Alamoth;

21but Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah were to lead with lyres according to the Sheminith.

21And Mattithiah, and Elipheleh, and Mikneiah, and Obededom, and Jeiel, and Azaziah, with harps on the Sheminith to excel.

22Chenaniah, leader of the Levites in music, should direct the music, for he understood it.

22And Chenaniah, chief of the Levites, was for song: he instructed about the song, because he was skilful.

23Berechiah and Elkanah were to be gatekeepers for the ark.

23And Berechiah and Elkanah were doorkeepers for the ark.

24Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah, and Eliezer, the priests, should blow the trumpets before the ark of God. Obed-edom and Jehiah were to be gatekeepers for the ark.

24And Shebaniah, and Jehoshaphat, and Nethaneel, and Amasai, and Zechariah, and Benaiah, and Eliezer, the priests, did blow with the trumpets before the ark of God: and Obededom and Jehiah were doorkeepers for the ark.

25So 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 Obed-edom with rejoicing.

25So David, and the elders of Israel, and the captains over thousands, went to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of the house of Obededom with joy.

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 it came to pass, when God helped the Levites that bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, that they offered seven bullocks and seven rams.

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

27And David was clothed with a robe of fine linen, and all the Levites that bare the ark, and the singers, and Chenaniah the master of the song with the singers: David also had upon him an ephod of linen.

28So 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.

28Thus all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the LORD with shouting, and with sound of the cornet, and with trumpets, and with cymbals, making a noise with psalteries and harps.

29And 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 celebrating, and she despised him in her heart.

29And it came to pass, as the ark of the covenant of the LORD came to the city of David, that Michal the daughter of Saul looking out at a window saw king David dancing and playing: and she despised him in her heart.

ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.

King James Bible, text courtesy of BibleProtector.com.