1 ChroniclesChapter 15
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1David built houses for himself in the City of David. He also got a place ready for the ark of God and set up a tent for it. 2Then David said, "No one but the Levites may carry the ark of God, because the LORD chose them to carry his ark. He chose them to serve him forever." 3David gathered all Israel in Jerusalem to bring up the ark of the LORD. They would bring it to the place he had made ready for it. 4Then he called together the sons of Aaron and the Levites. 5From the Kohathites came Uriel the chief and 120 of his relatives. 6From the Merarites came Asaiah the chief and 220 of his relatives. 7From the Gershomites came Joel the chief and 130 of his relatives. 8From the Elizaphanites came Shemaiah the chief and 200 of his relatives. 9From the Hebronites came Eliel the chief and 80 of his relatives. 10And from the Uzzielites came Amminadab the chief and 112 of his relatives. 11David called for Zadok and Abiathar the priests. He also called the Levites. These were Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel, and Amminadab. 12He said to them, "You are the heads of the Levite families. You and your relatives must make yourselves holy. Then you can bring the ark of the LORD, the God of Israel, to the place I have made ready for it. 13The first time, you Levites were not with us. That is why the LORD our God burst out in anger at us. For we did not ask him the right way to do it." 14So the priests and Levites made themselves holy. Then they could bring up the ark of the LORD, the God of Israel. 15The Levites carried the ark of God on their shoulders with the poles. That is what Moses had commanded, just as the LORD had said. 16David also spoke to the leaders of the Levites. He told them to choose some of their relatives as singers. They were to sing loud and with joy. They were to play harps, lyres, and cymbals. 17So the Levites chose Heman son of Joel. From his relatives they chose Asaph son of Berechiah. And from their relatives the Merarites, they chose Ethan son of Kushaiah. 18With them were their relatives of the next rank. These were Zechariah, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, and Mikneiah. There were also the gatekeepers Obed-edom and Jeiel. 19Heman, Asaph, and Ethan were the singers. They were to play the bronze cymbals. 20Zechariah, Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah, and Benaiah were to play the harps according to Alamoth.a 21Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah were to lead the music with lyres according to Sheminith.b 22Chenaniah, the head Levite, was in charge of the music, because he was very good at it. 23Berechiah and Elkanah were to guard the ark. 24Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah, and Eliezer were priests. They were to blow the trumpets in front of the ark of God. Obed-edom and Jehiah were also to guard the ark. 25So David, the elders of Israel, and the commanders of thousands went with joy. They went to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD. It was at the house of Obed-edom. 26God helped the Levites who were carrying the ark of the covenant of the LORD. So they killed seven bulls and seven rams as sacrifices. 27David wore a robe of fine linen. So did all the Levites who carried the ark. So did the singers and Chenaniah, who led the singers' music. David also wore a linen ephod. 28So all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the LORD. They shouted and blew rams' horns and trumpets. They played cymbals, harps, and lyres. 29The ark of the covenant of the LORD was coming into the City of David. Saul's daughter Michal looked down from a window. She saw King David dancing and celebrating. And in her heart she looked down on him with scorn.