1 David constructed buildings in the City of David; he then prepared a place for the ark of God and pitched a tent for it.

2 Then David said, “Only the Levites may carry the ark of God, for the Lord chose them to carry the ark of the Lord and to serve before him perpetually.

3 David assembled all Israel at Jerusalemmap For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4. to bring the ark of the Lord up to the place he had prepared for it.

4 David gathered together the descendants of Aaron and the Levites:

5 From the descendants of Kohath: Uriel the leader and 120 of his relatives.

6 From the descendants of Merari: Asaiah the leader and 220 of his relatives.

7 From the descendants of Gershom:sn Gershom is a variant spelling of the name Gershon. Joel the leader and 130 of his relatives.

8 From the descendants of Elizaphan: Shemaiah the leader and 200 of his relatives.

9 From the descendants of Hebron: Eliel the leader and 80 of his relatives.

10 From the descendants of Uzziel: Amminadab the leader and 112 of his relatives.

11 David summoned the priests Zadok and Abiathar, along with the Levites Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel, and Amminadab.

12 He told them: “You are the leaders of the Levites’ families. You and your relatives must consecrate yourselves and bring the ark of the Lord God of Israel up to the place I have prepared for it.

13 The first time you did not carry it; that is why the Lord God attacked us, because we did not ask him about the proper way to carry it.”tn Heb “because for what was at first [i.e., formerly] you [were] not, the Lord our God broke out against us, because we did not seek him concerning the procedure.”

14 The priests and Levites consecrated themselves so they could bring up the ark of the Lord God of Israel.

15 The descendants of Levi carried the ark of God on their shoulders with poles, just as Moses had ordered according to the divine command.

16 David told the leaders of the Levites to appoint some of their relatives as musicians; they were to play various instruments, including stringed instruments and cymbals, and to sing loudly and joyfully.tn Heb “causing to be heard to lift up with a voice of joy.”

17 So the Levites appointed Heman son of Joel; one of his relatives, Asaph son of Berechiah; one of the descendants of Merari,tn The Hebrew text adds, “their brothers.” Ethan son of Kushaiah;

18 along with some of their relatives who were second in rank, including Zechariah,tc The Hebrew text adds בֶּן (ben, “son”) here; the word is omitted in three Hebrew mss and most LXX mss. If the word is original, perhaps the name of Zechariah’s father was accidentally omitted. Some English versions treat the word as an additional name in the list (“Ben”; e.g., KJV, ASV, NASB). Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, and Jeiel, the gatekeepers.

19 The musicians 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 the alamoth style;tn The meaning of the Hebrew word עֲלָמוֹת (’alamot) is uncertain; perhaps it refers to a particular style of music. See HALOT 835-36 s.v. עַלְמָה.

21 Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah were to play the lyres according to the sheminith style,tn The meaning of the Hebrew word שְׁמִינִית (shÿminit) is uncertain; perhaps it refers to a particular style of music. See HALOT 1562 s.v. שְׁמִינֹי. as led bytn Heb “for” or “according to.” the director;

22 Kenaniah, the leader of the Levites, was in charge of transport, for he was well-informed on this matter;tn Heb “and Kenaniah, the leader of the Levites, with lifting up, supervising with lifting up, for he was well-informed.” The precise nuance of מַשָּׂא (masa’, “lifting up”) is unclear. Some understand it as a reference to supervising the singing and music (e.g., NIV: “Kenaniah…was in charge of the singing”; NEB: “Kenaniah…was precentor in charge of the music”).

23 Berechiah and Elkanah were guardianstn Heb “gatekeepers.” of the ark;

24 Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah, and Eliezer the priests were to blow the trumpets before the ark of God; Obed-Edom and Jehiel were also guardianstn Heb “gatekeepers.” of the ark.

25 So David, the leaders of Israel, and the commanders of units of a thousand went to bring up the ark of the Lord’s covenant from the house of Obed-Edom with celebration.

26 When God helped the Levites who were carrying the ark of the Lord’s covenant, they sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams.

27 David was wrapped in a linen robe, as were all the Levites carrying the ark, the musicians, and Kenaniah the supervisor of transport and the musicians;tn Heb “the leader, the lifting up, the musicians.” See also the note on the word “matter” in v. 22. David also wore a linen ephod.sn An ephod was a priestly garment worn over the robe.

28 All Israel brought up the ark of the Lord’s covenant; they were shouting, blowing trumpets, sounding cymbals, and playing stringed instruments.

29 As the ark of the Lord’s covenant entered the City of David, Michal, Saul’s daughter, looked out the window. When she saw King David jumping and celebrating, she despised him.tn The Hebrew text adds “in her heart.”