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

David made himself houses in David’s city; and he prepared a place for God’s ark, and pitched a tent for it.

2 T hen David said, The ark of God should not be brought except by the Levites, for the LORD has chosen them to carry the ark of God and to minister unto him perpetually.

Then David said, “No one ought to carry God’s ark but the Levites. For Yahweh has chosen them to carry God’s ark, and to minister to him forever.”

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

David assembled all Israel at Jerusalem, to bring up Yahweh’s ark to its place, which he had prepared for it.

4 A nd David assembled the sons of Aaron and the Levites:

David gathered together the sons of Aaron and the Levites:

5 o f the sons of Kohath: Uriel, the chief, and his brethren, one hundred and twenty;

of the sons of Kohath, Uriel the chief, and his brothers one hundred twenty;

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

of the sons of Merari, Asaiah the chief, and his brothers two hundred twenty;

7 o f the sons of Gershon: Joel, the chief, and his brethren one hundred and thirty;

of the sons of Gershom, Joel the chief, and his brothers one hundred thirty;

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

of the sons of Elizaphan, Shemaiah the chief, and his brothers two hundred;

9 o f the sons of Hebron: Eliel, the chief and his brethren, eighty;

of the sons of Hebron, Eliel the chief, and his brothers eighty;

10 o f the sons of Uzziel: Amminadab, the chief, and his brethren, one hundred and twelve.

of the sons of Uzziel, Amminadab the chief, and his brothers one hundred twelve.

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

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

12 a nd said unto them, Ye are the chief of the fathers among the Levites; sanctify yourselves and your brethren and bring up the ark of the LORD God of Israel unto the place that I have prepared for it,

and said to them, “You are the heads of the fathers’ households of the Levites. Sanctify yourselves, both you and your brothers, that you may bring the ark of Yahweh, the God of Israel, up to the place that I have prepared for it.

13 f or because ye did not do it thus at the first, the LORD our God made a breach upon us because we did not seek him according to his ordinance.

For because you didn’t carry it at first, Yahweh our God broke out in anger against us, because we didn’t seek him according to the ordinance.”

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

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

15 A nd the sons of the Levites bore the ark of God upon their shoulders with the staves, as Moses had commanded according to the word of the LORD.

The children of the Levites bore God’s ark on their shoulders with its poles, as Moses commanded according to Yahweh’s word.

16 A nd David spoke to the chief of the Levites to appoint of their brethren as singers with instruments of music, with psalteries and harps and cymbals sounding, and to lift up their voice with joy.

David spoke to the chief of the Levites to appoint their brothers as singers with instruments of music, stringed instruments, harps, and cymbals, sounding aloud and lifting up their voices with joy.

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

So 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;

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

and with them their brothers of the second rank, Zechariah, Ben, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, and Jeiel, the doorkeepers.

19 S o the singers, Heman, Asaph, and Ethan, raised their voices with cymbals of brass;

So the singers, Heman, Asaph, and Ethan, were given cymbals of brass to sound aloud;

20 a nd Zechariah, Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah, and Benaiah, with psalteries on Alamoth.

and Zechariah, Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah, and Benaiah, with stringed instruments set to Alamoth;

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

and Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah, with harps tuned to the eight-stringed lyre, to lead.

22 A nd Chenaniah, prince of the Levites in prophecy, for he presided in prophecy, because he had understanding.

Chenaniah, chief of the Levites, was over the singing. He taught the singers, because he was skillful.

23 A nd Berechiah and Elkanah were doorkeepers for the ark.

Berechiah and Elkanah were doorkeepers for the ark.

24 A nd Shebaniah, Jehoshaphat, Nethaneel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah, and Eliezer, the priests, blew the trumpets before the ark of God; and Obededom and Jehiah were also doorkeepers for the ark.

Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah, and Eliezer, the priests, blew the trumpets before God’s ark; and Obed-Edom and Jehiah were doorkeepers for the ark.

25 ¶ So 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.

So David, the elders of Israel, and the captains over thousands, went to bring the ark of Yahweh’s covenant up out of the house of Obed-Edom with joy.

26 A nd with God helping the Levites that bore the ark of the covenant of the LORD, they sacrificed seven bullocks and seven rams.

When God helped the Levites who bore the ark of Yahweh’s covenant, they sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams.

27 A nd David was clothed with a robe of fine linen, and also all the Levites that bore the ark and the singers and Chenaniah, the prince of the prophecy of the singers. David also had upon him an ephod of linen.

David was clothed with a robe of fine linen, as were all the Levites who bore the ark, the singers, and Chenaniah the choir master with the singers; and David had an ephod of linen on him.

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

Thus all Israel brought the ark of Yahweh’s covenant up with shouting, with sound of the cornet, with trumpets, and with cymbals, sounding aloud with stringed instruments and harps.

29 A nd 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.

As the ark of Yahweh’s covenant came to David’s city, Michal the daughter of Saul looked out at the window, and saw king David dancing and playing; and she despised him in her heart.