3 ARST David summoned all the people of Israel to come to Jerusalem. He wanted a celebration when the Levites brought the sacred chest of Yahweh to the place his workers set up for it. BSB BSB: And David assembled all Israel in Jerusalem to bring up the ark of the LORD to the place he had prepared for it.
4 ARST David summoned the descendants of Aaron, who was the first high priest, and the other descendants of Levi: BSB BSB: Then he gathered together the descendants of Aaron and the Levites:
5 ARST from the descendants of Kohath, Levi’ s second son, Uriel the leader and his relatives, 120 in all; BSB BSB: From the Kohathites, Uriel the chief and 120 of his relatives;
6 ARST from the descendants of Merari, Levi’ s third son, Asaiah the leader and his relatives, 220 in all; BSB BSB: from the Merarites, Asaiah the chief and 220 of his relatives;
7 ARST from the descendants of Gershon, Levi’ s first son, Joel the leader and his relatives, 130 in all; BSB BSB: from the Gershomites, Joel the chief and 130 of his relatives;
8 ARST from the descendants of Elizaphan, Shemaiah the leader and his relatives, 200 in all; BSB BSB: from the Elizaphanites, Shemaiah the chief and 200 of his relatives;
9 ARST from the descendants of Hebron, Eliel the leader and his relatives, 80 in all; BSB BSB: from the Hebronites, Eliel the chief and 80 of his relatives;
10 ARST from the descendants of Uzziel, Amminadab the leader and his relatives, 112 in all. BSB BSB: and from the Uzzielites, Amminadab the chief and 112 of his relatives.
11 ARST David summoned the priests Zadok and Abiathar and these descendants of Levi: Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel, and Amminadab. BSB BSB: David summoned the priests Zadok and Abiathar and the Levites Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel, and Amminadab.
12 ARST David said to them,“You are the leaders of the clans descended from Levi. You and your family members must ceremonially purify yourselves, in order to be able to do this special work for Yahweh. You must bring the sacred chest of Yahweh, the God of us Israelites, to the place that I set up for it here in Jerusalem. BSB BSB: And he said to them, “You are the heads of the Levitical families. You and your relatives must consecrate yourselves so that you may bring the ark of the LORD, the God of Israel, to the place I have prepared for it.
14 ARST Then the priests and the descendants of Levi performed the rituals to purify themselves, in order that it would be proper for them to carry the sacred chest of Yahweh, the God of the Israelite people. BSB BSB: So the priests and Levites consecrated themselves to bring up the ark of the LORD, the God of Israel.
15 ARST Just as the law of Moses said, according to the command of Yahweh, the descendants of Levi fastened poles to God’ s sacred chest and carried it by putting the poles on their shoulders. BSB BSB: And the Levites carried the ark of God on their shoulders with the poles, as Moses had commanded in accordance with the word of the LORD.
16 ARST David told the leaders of the descendants of Levi to appoint some of their relatives to sing and play lyres, harps, and cymbals, making joyful music while they were carrying the sacred chest. BSB BSB: David also told the leaders of the Levites to appoint their relatives as singers to lift up their voices with joy, accompanied by musical instruments—harps, lyres, and cymbals.
17 ARST So they appointed Heman and his relatives Asaph and Ethan. Heman was the son of Joel. Asaph was the son of Berechiah. Ethan was the son of Kushaiah and was a descendant of Merari. BSB BSB: So the Levites appointed Heman son of Joel; from his brothers, Asaph son of Berechiah; from their brothers the Merarites, Ethan son of Kushaiah;
18 ARST They also appointed another group of relatives from the descendants of Levi: Zechariah, Ben, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, and two of the temple gatekeepers, Obed Edom and Jeiel. BSB BSB: and with them their brothers next in rank: Zechariah, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, and the gatekeepers Obed-edom and Jeiel.
19 ARST Heman, Asaph and Ethan sang and also played bronze cymbals. BSB BSB: The musicians Heman, Asaph, and Ethan were to sound the bronze cymbals.
20 ARST Zechariah, Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah, and Benaiah played harps according to a certain musical style. BSB BSB: Zechariah, Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah, and Benaiah were to play the harps according to Alamoth.
21 ARST Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed Edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah played lyres according to a different musical style. BSB BSB: And Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah were to lead the music with lyres according to Sheminith.
22 ARST Kenaniah, the leader of the descendants of Levi in music, directed the singing because he was very capable. BSB BSB: Chenaniah the head Levite was the director of the music because he was highly skilled.
23 ARST Berechiah and Elkanah were two of the men who guarded the sacred chest. BSB BSB: Berechiah and Elkanah were to be guardians of the ark.
24 ARST The priests Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah, and Eliezer were the ones who blew trumpets in front of God’ s sacred chest. Obed Edom and Jehiah also guarded the sacred chest. BSB BSB: Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah, and Eliezer—the priests—were to blow the trumpets before the ark of God. Obed-edom and Jehiah were also to be guardians of the ark.
25 ARST So David, the Israelite leaders, and the officers who commanded one thousand soldiers went to get the sacred chest symbolizing the agreement between Yahweh and the people of Israel. They joyfully got the sacred chest from Obed Edom’ s house. BSB BSB: So David, 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.
26 ARST Indeed, God helped the descendants of Levi who carried the sacred chest symbolizing the agreement between Yahweh and the people of Israel. Therefore David and the leaders sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams to thank him. BSB BSB: And because God helped the Levites who were carrying the ark of the covenant of the LORD, they sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams.
27 ARST David, all the descendants of Levi who carried the sacred chest, all the singers, and Kenaniah, the man who directed those who sang, wore robes of fine linen. David also wore a waistcloth made of linen. BSB BSB: Now 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 director of music for the singers. David also wore a linen ephod.
28 ARST So all of the Israelite people joined in bringing up to Jerusalem the sacred chest symbolizing the agreement between Yahweh and the people of Israel. They shouted joyfully, blew horns and trumpets, and played cymbals, lyres, and harps. BSB BSB: So all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the LORD with shouting, with the sounding of rams’ horns and trumpets, and with cymbals and the music of harps and lyres.
29 ARST While they were bringing the sacred chest symbolizing the agreement between Yahweh and the people of Israel to the section of Jerusalem named the city of David, Michal(the first of David’ s wives and Saul’ s daughter) watched them, looking out of a window. When she saw King David dancing and celebrating, she despised him. BSB BSB: As the ark of the covenant of the LORD was entering the City of David, Saul’s daughter Michal looked down from a window and saw King David dancing and celebrating, and she despised him in her heart.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.