Preparing Our Father's Ark Rightly
15 1 David built houses for himself in the city of David, prepared a place for the ark of our Father, and pitched a tent for it. 2 Then David said, "No one but the Levites is to carry the ark of our Father, for our Father chose them to carry his ark and serve him forever."
3 David gathered all Israel at Jerusalem to bring the ark of our Father up to its prepared place. 4 He gathered together the descendants of Aaron and the Levites: 5 from the sons of Kohath, Uriel the leader, with one hundred twenty of his relatives; 6 from the sons of Merari, Asaiah the leader, with two hundred twenty of his relatives; 7 from the sons of Gershom, Joel the leader, with one hundred thirty of his relatives; 8 from the sons of Elizaphan, Shemaiah the leader, with two hundred of his relatives; 9 from the sons of Hebron, Eliel the leader, with eighty of his relatives; 10 from the sons of Uzziel, Amminadab the leader, with one hundred twelve of his relatives.
11 David called the priests Zadok and Abiathar, and the Levites Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel, and Amminadab, 12 He said to them, "You are heads of the Levite families. Dedicate yourselves, you and your relatives, to bring up the ark of our Father to the place I have prepared for it." 13 Because you did not carry it the first time, our Father broke out against us, since we did not seek him properly.
14 So the priests and the Levites consecrated themselves to bring up the ark of our Father. 15 The Levites carried our Father's ark on their shoulders with the poles, as Moses commanded, by the word of our Father.
16 David told the Levite leaders to appoint their relatives as singers, raising joyful voices to lyres, harps, and cymbals. 17 The Levites appointed Heman son of Joel; his relative Asaph son of Berechiah; and their relatives the Merarites, Ethan son of Kushaiah. 18 And with them, their relatives of second rank: Zechariah, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-edom, and Jeiel, the gatekeepers. 19 The singers Heman, Asaph, and Ethan were to sound the bronze cymbals; 20 Zechariah, Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah, and Benaiah were to play the harps according to Alamoth; a a v20 Alamoth was a musical term, likely indicating a high or treble register. 21 and Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah were to lead with lyres according to the Sheminith. b b v21 Sheminith (meaning 'the eighth') was a musical term, likely indicating a lower or bass register. 22 Chenaniah, chief of the Levites, leading the singing, directed the music — he was skilled. 23 Berechiah and Elkanah were to be gatekeepers for the ark. 24 Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah, and Eliezer, the priests, were to blow the trumpets before the ark of our Father; Obed-edom and Jehiah were gatekeepers for the ark.
25 David, Israel's elders, and the commanders of thousands went to bring the ark of our Father's covenant up from Obed-edom's house with joy. 26 Because our Father helped the Levites carrying the ark of our Father's covenant, they sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams. 27 David wore a fine linen robe, as did all the Levites carrying the ark, the singers, and Chenaniah, leader of the singing; David also had on a linen ephod. 28 All Israel brought up the ark of our Father's covenant with shouts of joy, horn blasts, trumpets, and cymbals, sounding harps and lyres.
29 As the ark of our Father's covenant entered David's city, Michal daughter of Saul looked through the window, saw King David dancing and celebrating, and despised him in her heart.
