Knox Bible

1

When he put up buildings in the Keep of David, he was careful to leave a plot of ground for God’s ark, and pitch a tent for it there.

2

He thought to himself, too, God’s ark must not be carried this way and that by the first comer; the Levites, whom the Lord has chosen out to be his servants for all time, have the duty of carrying it.

3

So now, summoning all Israel to Jerusalem, for the removal of the ark to the site he had prepared for it,

4

he summoned among the rest Aaron’s descendants, and the Levites.

5

There were a hundred and twenty Caathites, under Uriel,

6

two hundred and twenty Merarites, under Asaia,

7

a hundred and thirty Gersonites, under Joel,

8

two hundred of Elisaphan’s clan, under Semeias,

9

eighty of Hebron’s, under Eliel,

10

and a hundred and twelve of Oziel’s, under Aminadab.

11

These six David sent for, with the chief priests, Sadoc and Abiathar;

12

You, he said, are the chiefs of the Levite clans; look well to it that you and your brethren are purified of all defilement before you bring the ark of the Lord God of Israel to the site prepared for it.

13

Earlier, when you were not there, we brought on ourselves the Lord’s chastisement; there must be no such happening now, for want of due order taken.

14

So priest and Levite cleansed themselves for carrying the ark of the Lord God of Israel;

15

and the ark was carried by Levites, with poles resting on their shoulders, as Moses, speaking in the Lord’s name, had enjoined.

16

Then David would have the Levite chiefs appoint some of their brethren to be singers, chanting there with instruments of music, zither and harp and cymbals, till heaven rang with the echoes of their rejoicing.

17

So they appointed two Gersonites, Joel’s son Heman and Asaph son of Barachias, and Ethan, son of Casias, of the clan of Merari,

18

with others of lesser degree, their fellow clansmen, Zacharias, Ben, Jaziel, Semiramoth, Jahiel, Ani, Eliab, Banaias, Maasias, Mathathias, Eliphalu, Macenias, Obededom and Jehiel, that all held the office of door-keeper.

19

Of these singers, Heman, Asaph and Ethan beat cymbals together,

20

Zacharias, Oziel, Semiramoth, Jahiel, Ani, Eliab, Maasias and Banaias played, on their zithers, the Alamoth,✻

21

while Mathathias, Eliphalu, Macenias, Obededom, Jehiel and Ozaziu led the triumph-song, Seminith-fashion,✻ with the harps they bore.

22

And Chonenias, chief of the Levites, was burden-master,✻ a burden-master chosen for his excellent skill.

23

The doors of the ark were guarded by Barachias and Elcana;

24

and there were seven priests, Sebenias, Josaphat, Nathanael, Amasai, Zacharias, Banaias and Eliezer, that blew trumpets before it. (And the doors of the ark were guarded by Obededom and Jehias.✻ )

25

So with great rejoicing went David, and with him went all the elders of Israel and all his captains, to Obededom’s house, to fetch the ark that bears witness of the Lord’s covenant.

26

And as the Lord sped the Levites on their journey, with the ark for their load, seven bulls and seven rams were offered in sacrifice.

27

Like the Levites who carried the ark, the singers, and Chonenias that went as burden-master among the singers, David was clad in a robe of lawn; and he had a mantle of linen as well.

28

Thus all Israel brought the ark home, keeping high festival, to the sound of horn and trumpet and cymbals and zither and harp.

29

Only Michal, Saul’s daughter, watching from her window as the ark reached David’s Citadel, thought scorn of king David as she saw him dancing and making music there.✻