| Holman Christian Standard Bible | International Standard Version |
| 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 built palaces for himself in the City of David, and he prepared a place for the Ark of God and erected 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 ordered that the Ark of God was to be carried by no one except the descendants of Levi, because the LORD had chosen them to carry the ark of the LORD and to serve him forever. |
| 3David assembled all Israel at Jerusalem to bring the ark of the LORD to the place he had prepared for it. | 3David assembled all of Israel in Jerusalem to bring up the ark of the LORD to its proper place that he had prepared for it. |
| 4Then he gathered together the descendants of Aaron and the Levites: | 4David also assembled the descendants of Aaron, who were descendants of Levi, |
| 5From the Kohathites, Uriel the leader and 120 of his relatives; | 5including Uriel their leader from the descendants of Kohath, along with 120 of his relatives, |
| 6from the Merarites, Asaiah the leader and 220 of his relatives; | 6from the descendants of Merari, Asaiah their leader, along with 220 of his relatives, |
| 7from the Gershomites, Joel the leader and 130 of his relatives; | 7from the descendants of Gershom, Joel their chief, along with 130 of his relatives, |
| 8from the Elizaphanites, Shemaiah the leader and 200 of his relatives; | 8from the descendants of Elizaphan, Shemaiah their leader, along with 200 of his relatives, |
| 9from the Hebronites, Eliel the leader and 80 of his relatives; | 9from Hebron's descendants, Eliel their leader, along with 80 of his relatives, |
| 10from the Uzzielites, Amminadab the leader and 112 of his relatives. | 10and from Uzziel's descendants, Amminadab their leader, along with 112 of his relatives. |
| 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, along with the descendants of Levi 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. | 12and addressed them: "As leaders of your Levitical families, set yourselves apart, both you and your relatives, so you can be qualified to bring up the ark of the LORD God of Israel to the place I've 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." | 13Because you didn't carry it from the very first, the LORD our God attacked us, since we didn't care for it appropriately." |
| 14So the priests and the Levites consecrated themselves to bring up the ark of the LORD God of Israel. | 14So the priests and descendants of Levi set themselves apart to carry 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 the way Moses had commanded and in accordance with the command from the LORD—that is, with poles on their shoulders. |
| 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 also told the leaders of the descendants of Levi to appoint their relatives as singers, to play musical instruments such as harps, lyres, and cymbals, and to keep sounding aloud with joyful voices. |
| 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 descendants of Levi appointed Joel's son Heman, his relative Berechiah's son Asaph, as well as certain relatives of Merari's sons, including Kushaiah's son Ethan, |
| 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. | 18their second order relatives Zechariah, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, and Mikneiah, as well as the trustees Obed-edom and Jeiel. |
| 19The singers Heman, Asaph, and Ethan were to sound the bronze cymbals; | 19The singers included Heman, Asaph, and Ethan (who played 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 played harps to accompany the women singers, |
| 21and Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah were to lead the music with lyres according to the Sheminith. | 21and Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah led on lyres, sounding the octaves. |
| 22Chenaniah, the leader of the Levites in music, was to direct the music because he was skillful. | 22Chenaniah, music leader for the descendants of Levi, served as music director, because he was expert at it. |
| 23Berechiah and Elkanah were to be gatekeepers for the ark. | 23Berechiah and Elkanah served as gatekeepers for 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 appointed to sound the trumpets before the Ark of God, and Obed-edom and Jehiah were trustees for 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. | 25Then David, the elders of Israel, and the leaders of groups of thousands proceeded to bring the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD from Obed-edom's house, rejoicing as they went. |
| 26While the Levites were carrying the ark of the covenant of the LORD, with God's help, they sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams. | 26As God helped the descendants of Levi who were carrying the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD, 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 wore a robe made from fine linen, as did all of the descendants of Levi who were carrying the ark, the singers, and Chenaniah the music and choir director. 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 of Israel were bringing up the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD, accompanied by shouting, sounding of horns, trumpets, and cymbals, along with loud music 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 the window and saw King David dancing and celebrating, and she despised him in her heart. | 29But as the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD approached the City of David, Saul's daughter Michal was peering out a window, watching King David dancing and cavorting around, and she despised him in her heart. |
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