1 Chronicles 15:15

And the children of the Levites bare the ark of God upon their shoulders with the staves thereon, as Moses commanded according to the word of the LORD.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(15) And the children of the Levites bare the ark of God.—The priests and Levites, having purified themselves (1Chronicles 15:14), duly and rightly discharged their sacred office of bearing the Ark. This statement anticipates 1Chronicles 15:25, sqq. Such brief anticipative summaries of a series of events afterwards described in detail are very common in Hebrew narrative.

Upon their shoulders with the staves there-on.—Literally, with their shoulder, with the poles upon themselves.

As Moses commanded according to the word of the Lord.—Numbers 7:9; Numbers 4:15; Exodus 25:13-15.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

15:1-24 Wise and good men may be guilty of oversights, which they will correct, as soon as they are aware of them. David does not try to justify what had been done amiss, nor to lay the blame on others; but he owns himself guilty, with others, of not seeking God in due order

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The "due order" was that the ark should be borne on the shoulders of Kohathite Levites - not that it should be placed upon a cart, drawn by oxen, and rudely shaken.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

12. sanctify yourselves—This special sanctification, which was required on all grave and important occasions, consisted in observing the strictest abstinence, as well as cleanliness, both in person and dress (see on [380]Ge 35:2; Ex 19:10, 15); and in the neglect of these rules no step could have been taken (2Ch 30:3).

Matthew Poole's Commentary

The children of the Levites, to wit, the Kohathites, Numbers 4:4.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And the children of the Levites bare the ark of God upon their shoulders, with the staves thereon, as Moses commanded, according to the word of the Lord. Not only bare it on their shoulders, but with the staves in it, which rested on their shoulders, see Numbers 7:9, the reason of this command, that the ark should be carried on men's shoulders, and not in any carriage, according to Maimonides (h), was both for the honour of it, and lest its form and structure should be any ways damaged.

(h) Moreh Nevochim, par. 3. c. 45. p. 479.

Geneva Study Bible

And the children of the Levites bare the ark of God upon their shoulders with the staves thereon, as Moses commanded according to the word of the LORD.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

15. the Levites bare … upon their shoulders] Numbers 1:50; Numbers 7:9.

the staves] Exodus 25:13-14.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 15. - (So see Exodus 25:13-15; Numbers 4:15; Numbers 7:9.) It is plain that from the first stress was laid upon the rings and the staves through them by which the ark was to be carried, as also the "table of shittim wood" (Exodus 25:26-28) and the "altar" (Exodus 27:4-7) and the "altar of incense" (Exodus 30:4, 5). However, these rings and staves were not found in the permanent furniture of the temple, except only for the ark. 1 Chronicles 15:15

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

The Levites consecrated themselves, and bare - as 1 Chronicles 15:15 anticipatively remarks-the ark of God upon their shoulders, according to the prescription in Numbers 7:9, עליהם בּמּומות, by means of poles upon them (the shoulders). מוטה, the flexible pole used for carrying burdens, Numbers 13:23. Those used to carry the ark are called בּדּים in the Pentateuch, Exodus 25:13.