1He made houses for him in the city of David, and he established a place for the ark of God, and he stretched a tent for him.2Then David said that the ark of God must not be lifted except by the Levites, because the LORD had chosen them to lift the ark of the LORD and to minister to him forever.3David gathered all Israel to Jerusalem in order to bring up the ark of the LORD to its place, which he had established for it.4David gathered the sons of Aaron and the Levites.5From the sons of Kohath: Uriel the ruler and his brothers, one hundred and twenty.6From the sons of Merari: Asaiah the ruler and his brothers, two hundred and twenty.7From the sons of Gershon: Joel the ruler and his brothers, one hundred and thirty.8From the sons of Elizaphan: Shemaiah the ruler and his brothers, two hundred.9From the sons of Hebron: Eliel the ruler and his brothers, eighty.10From the sons of Uzziel: Amminadab the ruler and his brothers, one hundred and twelve.11David summoned Zadok and Abiathar the priests, together with the Levites Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel, and Amminadab.12He said to them, "You are the heads of the fathers among the Levites; consecrate yourselves, you and your brothers, and bring up the ark of the LORD God of Israel to the place I have established for it."13Because you did not seek him properly the first time, the LORD our God broke out against us.14The priests and the Levites consecrated themselves to bring up the ark of the LORD God of Israel.15The sons of the Levites carried the ark of God on their shoulders with poles, just as Moses had commanded according to the word of the LORD.16David instructed the leaders of the Levites to station their brothers the singers with musical instruments—harps, lyres, and cymbals—to make joyful sound and to raise their voices in celebration.17The Levites appointed Heman son of Joel, Asaph son of Berechiah from among his brothers, and Ethan son of Kushaiah from among the brothers of the sons of Merari.18With them were their brothers the seconds: Zechariah son of Ben, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-edom, and Jeiel the gatekeepers.19The singers Heman, Asaph, and Ethan were to sound bronze cymbals.20Zechariah, Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah, and Benaiah were to play harps according to Alamoth.21Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah were to play lyres according to the Sheminith, to lead.22Chenaniah, ruler of the Levites, was in charge of the burden; he directed the burden because he understood it.23Berechiah and Elkanah served as gatekeepers for the ark.24Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah, and Eliezer the priests blew trumpets before the ark of God, while Obed-edom and Jehiah served as gatekeepers for the ark.25David, 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.26Because God helped the Levites who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD, they sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams.27David was clothed in a robe of fine linen, as were all the Levites who carried the ark and the singers; Chenaniah, the leader of the music, also wore fine linen, and David wore a linen ephod.28All Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the LORD with shouts, with the sound of the ram's horn, with trumpets, and with cymbals, while harps and lyres played.29When the ark of the covenant of the LORD entered the city of David, Michal daughter of Saul looked out the window, saw King David leaping and dancing, and despised him in her heart.
Chapter 16
1They brought the ark of God and placed it inside the tent that David had pitched for it; then they offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings before God.2When David had finished offering the burnt offering and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD.3He distributed to every man and woman in Israel a loaf of bread, a portion of meat, and a cake of raisins.4He appointed some of the Levites to minister before the ark of the LORD, to remember, to give thanks, and to praise the LORD God of Israel.5Asaph served as the head; his second was Zechariah, followed by Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-edom, and Jeiel, who played harps and lyres, while Asaph sounded the cymbals.6Benaiah and Jahaziel the priests blew trumpets regularly before the ark of the covenant of God.