The ark of the Lord

115.1–16.3: 2 Sam 6.12-19.David 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, “No one but the Levites may carry the ark of God, for the LORD chose them to carry the ark of the LORD and to minister to him for ever.” 3And David assembled all Israel at Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the LORD to its place, which he had prepared for it. 4And David gathered together the sons of Aaron and the Levites: 5of the sons of Kohath, Uri'el the chief, with a hundred and twenty of his brethren; 6of the sons of Merar'i, Asa'iah the chief, with two hundred and twenty of his brethren; 7of the sons of Gershom, Jo'el the chief, with a hundred and thirty of his brethren; 8of the sons of Eliza'phan, Shemai'ah the chief, with two hundred of his brethren; 9of the sons of Hebron, Eli'el the chief, with eighty of his brethren; 10of the sons of Uz'ziel, Ammin'adab the chief, with a hundred and twelve of his brethren. 11Then David summoned the priests Zadok and Abi'athar, and the Levites Uri'el, Asa'iah, Jo'el, Shemai'ah, Eli'el, and Ammin'adab, 12and said to them, “You are the heads of the fathers' houses of the Levites; sanctify yourselves, you and your brethren, so that you may bring up the ark of the LORD, the God of Israel, to the place that I have prepared for it. 13Because you did not carry it the first time,15.13 The meaning of the Hebrew word is uncertain the LORD our God broke forth upon us, because we did not care for it in the way that is ordained.” 14So the priests and the Levites sanctified themselves to bring up the ark of the LORD, the God of Israel. 15And the Levites carried the ark of God upon their shoulders with the poles, as Moses had commanded according to the word of the LORD.

16David also commanded the chiefs of the Levites to appoint their brethren as the singers who should play loudly on musical instruments, on harps and lyres and cymbals, to raise sounds of joy. 17So the Levites appointed Heman the son of Jo'el; and of his brethren Asaph the son of Berechi'ah; and of the sons of Merar'i, their brethren, Ethan the son of Kusha'iah; 18and with them their brethren of the second order, Zechari'ah, Ja-a'ziel, Shemir'amoth, Jehi'el, Unni, Eli'ab, Benai'ah, Ma-asei'ah, Mattithi'ah, Eliph'elehu, and Mikne'iah, and the gatekeepers O'bed-e'dom and Je-i'el. 19The singers, Heman, Asaph, and Ethan, were to sound bronze cymbals; 20Zechari'ah, Azi-el, Shemir'amoth, Jehi'el, Unni, Eli'ab, Ma-asei'ah, and Benai'ah were to play harps according to Al'amoth; 21but Mattithi'ah, Eliph'elehu, Mikne'iah, O'bed-e'dom, Je-i'el, and Azazi'ah were to lead with lyres according to the Shem'inith. 22Chenani'ah, leader of the Levites in music, should direct the music, for he understood it. 23Berechi'ah and Elka'nah were to be gatekeepers for the ark. 24Shebani'ah, Josh'aphat, Nethan'el, Ama'sai, Zechari'ah, Benai'ah, and Elie'zer, the priests, should blow the trumpets before the ark of God. O'bed-e'dom and Jehi'ah also were 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 O'bed-e'dom with rejoicing. 26And because God helped the Levites who were carrying the ark of the covenant of the LORD, 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 Chenani'ah the leader of the music of the singers; and David 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.

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 making merry; and she despised him in her heart.