Preparations to Move the Ark to Jerusalem

(2 Samuel 6:12-15; Philippians 1:1-2; Colossians 1:1-2)

1He made also houses for himself in the city of David: and built a place for the ark of God, and pitched a tabernacle for it. 2Then David said: No one ought to carry the ark of God, but the Levites, whom the Lord hath chosen to carry it, and to minister unto himself for ever. 3And he gathered all Israel together into Jerusalem, that the ark of God might be brought into its place, which he had prepared for it. 4And the sons of Aaron also, and the Levites. 5Of the children of Caath, Uriel was the chief, and his brethren a hundred and twenty. 6Of the sons of Merari, Asaia the chief, and his brethren two hundred and twenty. 7Of the sons of Gersom, Joel the chief, and his brethren a hundred and thirty. 8Of the sons of Elisaphan, Semeias the chief: and his brethren two hundred. 9Of the sons of Hebron, Eliel the chief: and his brethren eighty. 10Of the sons of Oziel, Aminadab the chief: and his brethren a hundred and twelve.

11And David called Sadoc, and Abiathar the priests, and the Levites, Uriel, Asaia, Joel, Semeia, Eliel, and Aminadab: 12And he said to them: You that are the heads of the Levitical families, be sanctified with your brethren, and bring the ark of the Lord the God of Israel to the place, which is prepared for it: 13Lest as the Lord at first struck us, because you were not present, the same should now also come to pass, by our doing some thing against the law. 14So the priests and the Levites were sanctified, to carry the ark of the Lord the God of Israel.

The Priests and Levites Carry the Ark

15And the sons of Levi took the ark of God as Moses had commanded, according to the word of the Lord, upon their shoulders, with the staves.

16And David spoke to the chiefs of the Levites, to appoint some of their brethren to be singers with musical instruments, to wit, on psalteries, and harps, and cymbals, that the joyful noise might resound on high. 17And they appointed Levites, Hemam the son of Joel, and of his brethren Asaph the son of Barachias: and of the sons of Merari, their brethren: Ethan the son of Casaia. 18And with them their brethren: in the second rank, Zacharias, and Ben, and Jaziel, and Semiramoth, and Jahiel, and Ani, and Eliab, and Banaias, and Maasias, and Mathathias, and Eliphalu, and Macenias, and Obededom, and Jehiel, the porters. 19Now the singers, Heman, Asaph, and Ethan, sounded with cymbals of brass. 20And Zacharias, and Oziel, and Semiramoth, and Jehiel, and Ani, and Eliab, and Maasias, and Banaias, sung mysteries upon psalteries. 21And Mathathias, and Eliphalu, and Macenias and Obededom, and Jehiel and Ozaziu, sung a song of victory for the octave upon harps. 22And Chonenias chief of the Levites, presided over the prophecy, to give out the tunes: for he was very skilful. 23And Barachias, and Elcana, were doorkeepers of the ark. 24And Sebenias, and Josaphat, and Nathanael, and Amasai, and Zacharias, and Banaias, and Eliezer the priests, sounded with trumpets, before the ark of God: and Obededom and Jehias were porters of the ark.

Moving the Ark to Jerusalem

25So David and all the ancients of Israel, and the captains over thousands, went to bring the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of the house of Obededom with joy. 26And when God had helped the Levites who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord, they offered in sacrifice seven oxen, and seven rams. 27And David was clothed with a robe of fine linen, and all the Levites that carried the ark, and the singing men, and Chonenias the ruler of the prophecy among the singers: and David also had on him an ephod of linen. 28And all Israel brought the ark of the covenant of the Lord with joyful shouting, and sounding with the sound of the cornet, and with trumpets, and cymbals, and psalteries, and harps.

29And when the ark of the covenant of the Lord was come to the city of David, Michol the daughter of Saul looking out at a window, saw king David dancing and playing, and she despised him in her heart.