| English Standard Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1David built houses for himself in the city of David. And he prepared a place for the ark of God and pitched a tent for it. | 1David built houses for himself in the city of David, and he prepared a place for the ark of God and pitched a tent for it. |
| 2Then David said that no one but the Levites may carry the ark of God, for the LORD had chosen them to carry the ark of the LORD and to minister to him forever. | 2Then David said, "No one but the Levites may carry the ark of God, because the LORD has chosen them to carry the ark of the LORD and to minister before Him forever." |
| 3And David assembled all Israel at Jerusalem to bring up the ark of the LORD to its place, which he had prepared for it. | 3David assembled all Israel at Jerusalem to bring the ark of the LORD to the place he had prepared for it. |
| 4And David gathered together the sons of Aaron and the Levites: | 4Then he gathered together the descendants of Aaron and the Levites: |
| 5of the sons of Kohath, Uriel the chief, with 120 of his brothers; | 5From the Kohathites, Uriel the leader and 120 of his relatives; |
| 6of the sons of Merari, Asaiah the chief, with 220 of his brothers; | 6from the Merarites, Asaiah the leader and 220 of his relatives; |
| 7of the sons of Gershom, Joel the chief, with 130 of his brothers; | 7from the Gershomites, Joel the leader and 130 of his relatives; |
| 8of the sons of Elizaphan, Shemaiah the chief, with 200 of his brothers; | 8from the Elizaphanites, Shemaiah the leader and 200 of his relatives; |
| 9of the sons of Hebron, Eliel the chief, with 80 of his brothers; | 9from the Hebronites, Eliel the leader and 80 of his relatives; |
| 10of the sons of Uzziel, Amminadab the chief, with 112 of his brothers. | 10from the Uzzielites, Amminadab the leader and 112 of his relatives. |
| 11Then David summoned the priests Zadok and Abiathar, and the Levites Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel, and Amminadab, | 11David summoned the priests Zadok and Abiathar and the Levites Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel, and Amminadab. |
| 12and said to them, “You are the heads of the fathers’ houses of the Levites. Consecrate yourselves, you and your brothers, so that you may bring up the ark of the LORD, the God of Israel, to the place that I have prepared for it. | 12He said to them, "You are the heads of the Levite families. You and your relatives must consecrate yourselves so that you may bring the ark of the LORD God of Israel to the place I have prepared for it. |
| 13Because you did not carry it the first time, the LORD our God broke out against us, because we did not seek him according to the rule.” | 13For the LORD our God burst out in anger against us because you Levites were not with us the first time, for we didn't inquire of Him about the proper procedures." |
| 14So the priests and the Levites consecrated themselves to bring up the ark of the LORD, the God of Israel. | 14So the priests and the Levites consecrated themselves to bring up the ark of the LORD God of Israel. |
| 15And the Levites carried the ark of God on their shoulders with the poles, as Moses had commanded according to the word of the LORD. | 15Then the Levites carried the ark of God the way Moses had commanded according to the word of the LORD: on their shoulders with the poles. |
| 16David also commanded the chiefs of the Levites to appoint their brothers as the singers who should play loudly on musical instruments, on harps and lyres and cymbals, to raise sounds of joy. | 16Then David told the leaders of the Levites to appoint their relatives as singers and to have them raise their voices with joy accompanied by musical instruments--harps, lyres, and cymbals. |
| 17So the Levites appointed Heman the son of Joel; and of his brothers Asaph the son of Berechiah; and of the sons of Merari, their brothers, Ethan the son of Kushaiah; | 17So the Levites appointed Heman son of Joel; from his relatives, Asaph son of Berechiah; and from their relatives the Merarites, Ethan son of Kushaiah. |
| 18and with them their brothers of the second order, Zechariah, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, and Mikneiah, and the gatekeepers Obed-edom and Jeiel. | 18With them were their relatives second in rank: Zechariah, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, and the gatekeepers Obed-edom and Jeiel. |
| 19The singers, Heman, Asaph, and Ethan, were to sound bronze cymbals; | 19The singers Heman, Asaph, and Ethan were to sound the bronze cymbals; |
| 20Zechariah, Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah, and Benaiah were to play harps according to Alamoth; | 20Zechariah, Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah, and Benaiah were to play harps according to Alamoth; |
| 21but Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah were to lead with lyres according to the Sheminith. | 21and Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah were to lead the music with lyres according to the Sheminith. |
| 22Chenaniah, leader of the Levites in music, should direct the music, for he understood it. | 22Chenaniah, the leader of the Levites in music, was to direct the music because he was skillful. |
| 23Berechiah and Elkanah were to be gatekeepers for the ark. | 23Berechiah and Elkanah were to be gatekeepers for the ark. |
| 24Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah, and Eliezer, the priests, should blow the trumpets before the ark of God. Obed-edom and Jehiah were to be gatekeepers for the ark. | 24The priests, Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah, and Eliezer, were to blow trumpets before the ark of God. Obed-edom and Jehiah were also to be gatekeepers for the ark. |
| 25So David and the elders of Israel and the commanders of thousands went to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD from the house of Obed-edom with rejoicing. | 25David, the elders of Israel, and the commanders of thousands went with rejoicing to bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD from the house of Obed-edom. |
| 26And because God helped the Levites who were carrying the ark of the covenant of the LORD, they sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams. | 26While the Levites were carrying the ark of the covenant of the LORD, with God's help, they sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams. |
| 27David was clothed with a robe of fine linen, as also were all the Levites who were carrying the ark, and the singers and Chenaniah the leader of the music of the singers. And David wore a linen ephod. | 27Now David was dressed in a robe of fine linen, as were all the Levites who were carrying the ark, as well as the singers and Chenaniah, the music leader of the singers. David also wore a linen ephod. |
| 28So all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the LORD with shouting, to the sound of the horn, trumpets, and cymbals, and made loud music on harps and lyres. | 28So all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the LORD with shouts, the sound of the ram's horn, trumpets, and cymbals, and the playing of harps and lyres. |
| 29And as the ark of the covenant of the LORD came to the city of David, Michal the daughter of Saul looked out of the window and saw King David dancing and celebrating, and she despised him in her heart. | 29As the ark of the covenant of the LORD was entering the city of David, Saul's daughter Michal looked down from the window and saw King David dancing and celebrating, and she despised him in her heart. |
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