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

David 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.

2 T hen 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.”

Then David said, “No one may carry the ark of God but the Levites, for the Lord has chosen them to carry the ark of God and to minister before Him forever.”

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

And David gathered all Israel together at Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the Lord to its place, which he had prepared for it.

4 D avid gathered together the sons of Aaron and the Levites:

Then David assembled the children of Aaron and the Levites:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

12 a nd 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.

He said to them, “You are the heads of the fathers’ houses of the Levites; sanctify yourselves, you and your brethren, that you may bring up the ark of the Lord God of Israel to the place I have prepared for it.

13 F or 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.”

For because you did not do it the first time, the Lord our God broke out against us, because we did not consult Him about the proper order.”

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

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

15 T he children of the Levites bore God’s ark on their shoulders with its poles, as Moses commanded according to Yahweh’s word.

And the children of the Levites bore the ark of God on their shoulders, by its poles, as Moses had commanded according to the word of the Lord.

16 D avid 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.

Then David spoke to the leaders of the Levites to appoint their brethren to be the singers accompanied by instruments of music, stringed instruments, harps, and cymbals, by raising the voice with resounding joy.

17 S o 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;

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

18 a nd 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.

and with them their brethren of the second rank: Zechariah, Ben, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Elipheleh, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, and Jeiel, the gatekeepers;

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

the singers, Heman, Asaph, and Ethan, were to sound the cymbals of bronze;

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

Zechariah, Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah, and Benaiah, with strings according to Alamoth;

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

Mattithiah, Elipheleh, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah, to direct with harps on the Sheminith;

22 C henaniah, chief of the Levites, was over the singing. He taught the singers, because he was skillful.

Chenaniah, leader of the Levites, was instructor in charge of the music, because he was skillful;

23 B erechiah and Elkanah were doorkeepers for the ark.

Berechiah and Elkanah were doorkeepers for the ark;

24 S hebaniah, 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.

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

25 S o 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.

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

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

And so it was, when God helped the Levites who bore the ark of the covenant of the Lord, that they offered seven bulls and seven rams.

27 D avid 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.

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

28 T hus 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.

Thus all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the Lord with shouting and with the sound of the horn, with trumpets and with cymbals, making music with stringed instruments and harps.

29 A s 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.

And it happened, as the ark of the covenant of the Lord came to the City of David, that Michal, Saul’s daughter, looked through a window and saw King David whirling and playing music; and she despised him in her heart.