1 Chronicles 15

1 David constructed [built, established] buildings [houses, dwellings] for himself in the City [town, settlement] of David [the king of Israel], and he prepared [made ready, established] a place [location, site] for the ark [chest, sacred container] of God [Elohim, the supreme God] and pitched [set up, stretched out] a tent [tabernacle, temporary dwelling] for it. word study 2 Then David said, “No one [none, not anyone] but the Levites [descendants of Levi, chosen tribe] may carry [lift, bear] the ark [sacred chest, covenant box] of God [Elohim, the supreme Creator], because the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] has chosen [selected, appointed] them to carry [bear, lift] the ark of the LORD and to minister [serve, worship] before Him [in His presence, to His honor] forever [always, eternally].” word study 3 And David [the youngest son of Jesse, a king of Israel] assembled [gathered, summoned] all Israel [the descendants of Jacob] in Jerusalem [the city of peace, the capital of Palestine] to bring up [to ascend, to lift] the ark [a box or chest, the Ark of the Covenant] of the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] to the place [a location, a condition] he had prepared [established, set up] for it. word study 4 Then he [David, the king of Judah] gathered together [assembled, called to attend] the descendants [sons, children] of Aaron [the first high priest] and the Levites [the priestly tribe, descendants of Levi]: word study 5 From the Kohathites [sons of Kohath, descendants of Levi], Uriel [God is my light, a chief of the Levites] the chief [ruler, leader] and 120 [a hundred and twenty, six score] of his relatives [brethren, close family members]; word study 6 from the Merarites [sons of Merari, descendants of Levi’s third son], Asaiah [a leader among the Israelites] the chief [ruler, person in charge] and 220 [two hundred and twenty, a multitude] of his relatives [brothers, close kin, brethren]; word study 7 from the Gershomites [descendants of Gershon, a son of Levi], Joel [Jehovah is God, a leader] the chief [ruler, person in charge] and 130 [a hundred and thirty, one hundred thirty] of his relatives [brothers, close relatives, brethren]; word study 8 from the [sons or descendants of] Elizaphanites, Shemaiah the chief [the chief ruler or leader] and [brothers or close relatives] 200 of his [family or clan, kinsmen] relatives; word study 9 from the [sons or descendants] Hebronites [of Hebron’s clan], Eliel [my God is God, a common name in ancient Israel] the chief [ruler, leader, or person in charge] and 80 [eighty, a quantity used in numbers and counting] of his relatives [brethren, brothers, or close relatives]; word study 10 and from the Uzzielites [sons of Uzziel, my strength is God], Amminadab [my kinsman is noble] the chief [ruler, leader] and 112 [a hundred and twelve, twelve more than a hundred] of his relatives [brethren, close family members]. word study 11 David [the youngest son of Jesse, a king of Israel] summoned [to call out to, invite] the priests [spiritual leaders, mediators between God and man] Zadok [a high priest, righteous one] and Abiathar [a faithful follower, priest] and the Levites [descendants of Levi, worship leaders] Uriel [God is my light], Asaiah [God has made], Joel [Jehovah is God], Shemaiah [heard by God], Eliel [my God is God], and Amminadab [my kinsman is noble]. word study 12 And he said to them, “You [as leaders, heads of the Levitical families] are the heads of the Levitical families [descendants of Levi, one of Jacob’s 12 sons]. You and your relatives [brothers, close kin] must consecrate [set apart, sanctify] yourselves so that you may bring [ascend, lift up] the ark [a chest, the sacred container] of the LORD [Yehovah], the God [Elohim, the supreme deity] of Israel, to the place [the designated location, the prepared site] I have prepared [established, set up] for it. word study 13 It was because you Levites [descendants of Levi, the priestly tribe] were not with us the first time [at the initial attempt, from the start] that the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] our God [Elohim, the supreme Ruler] burst forth [broke out, exploded] in anger [wrath, fierce indignation] against us. For we did not consult [seek, inquire of] Him about the proper order [due ordinance, prescribed ritual].” word study 14 So the priests [and the other descendants of Levi] and Levites [descendants of Jacob’s son Levi] consecrated [sanctified, set apart as holy] themselves to bring up [to ascend, to lift up] the ark [a sacred chest, the Ark of the Covenant] of the LORD [Yehovah], the God [Elohim, the supreme Being] of Israel [the descendants of Jacob, God’s chosen people]. word study 15 And the Levites [sons of the Levites, descendants of Levi] carried the ark [a box or chest, the Ark of the Covenant] of God [Elohim, the supreme God] on their shoulders [the upper end of the arm, where garments hang] with the poles [staves, yoke or bar], as Moses [the Israelite leader, born to Amram and Jochebed] had commanded [given orders, appointed] in accordance with the word [a matter or affair, the divine message] of the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God]. word study 16 David also told the leaders [rulers, chiefs] of the Levites to appoint their relatives [brethren, kin] as singers [musicians, song leaders] to lift up their voices [sounds, melodies] with joy [gladness, celebration], accompanied by musical instruments [articles, utensils]—harps [stringed instruments], lyres [a type of harp], and cymbals [double tinklers, loud clangers]. word study 17 So the Levites [who assisted the priests, from the tribe of Levi] appointed Heman [a Levite musician] son of Joel; from his brothers [relatives, kin], Asaph [a gatherer] son of Berechiah; from their brothers [fellow Levites, relatives] the Merarites [descendants of Merari, a son of Levi], Ethan [a strong, long-lived one] son of Kushaiah; word study 18 and with them [together, in accompaniment] their brothers [close relatives, fellow Levites] next in rank [of the second degree, in secondary position]: Zechariah [Jehovah remembers], Jaaziel [made bold by God], Shemiramoth [exalted by the people], Jehiel [God lives], Unni [their song, their strength], Eliab [my God is Father], Benaiah [Jehovah has built], Maaseiah [work of Jehovah], Mattithiah [gift of Jehovah], Eliphelehu [God of his redemption], Mikneiah [possession of Jehovah], and the gatekeepers [porters, doorkeepers of the sanctuary] Obed-edom [servant of Edom, worshiper of the Lord] and Jeiel [carried away by God, lifted up]. word study 19 The musicians [singers, to sing with musical accompaniment] Heman, Asaph, and Ethan were to sound [strike, play loudly] the bronze [copper, made of copper alloy] cymbals [double tinklers, metal plates used for musical expression]. word study 20 Zechariah, Aziel [a Levite musician], Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah, and Benaiah were to play the harps [with psalteries, stringed instruments] according to Alamoth [girls, young women, soprano voice]. word study 21 And Mattithiah [gift of Jehovah], Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah were to lead the music [to conduct, oversee] with lyres [harp, stringed instrument] according to [on, in harmony with] Sheminith [an eight-stringed instrument, octave]. word study 22 Chenaniah [the leader, chief] the head Levite [a descendant of Levi, one of Jacob’s 12 sons] was the director [overseer, master] of the music [song, singing] because he was [considered to be, known as] highly skilled [intelligent, discerning, having understanding]. word study 23 Berechiah [a name meaning ‘Jehovah blesses’] and Elkanah [God has possessed] were to be guardians [doorkeepers, responsible for watching over] of the ark [a sacred chest, the Ark of the Covenant]. word study 24 Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah, and Eliezer—the priests [spiritual leaders, mediators between God and man]—were to blow [sound loudly, proclaim] the trumpets [ram’s horns] before the ark [a sacred chest] of God [Elohim, the supreme Creator]. Obed-edom and Jehiah were also to be guardians [watchmen, protectors] of the ark [the vessel containing God’s laws and promises]. word study 25 So David [the youngest son of Jesse, a king of Israel], the elders [respected leaders, old in wisdom] of Israel [the symbolic name of Jacob, referring to his descendants], and the commanders [rulers, captains] of thousands [a large number, a company of people] went with rejoicing [joy, gladness, celebration] to bring the ark [a box, a chest] of the covenant [a promise, an agreement] of the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] from the house [a dwelling place, a family home] of Obed-edom [a faithful servant, a Levite]. word study 26 And because God [the supreme Creator, Elohim] helped [to aid, assist, or support] the Levites [descendants of Levi, one of Jacob’s 12 sons] who were carrying [lifting, bearing, or transporting] the ark [a chest or box, specifically the Ark of the Covenant] of the covenant [a promise or agreement between God and people] of the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God], they sacrificed [to slaughter an animal, usually for a religious offering] seven bulls [young oxen, often used as sacrifices] and seven rams [strong male sheep]. word study 27 Now David [the youngest son of Jesse, a king of Israel] was dressed in a robe [a long, flowing garment] of fine linen [highly valued Egyptian fabric], as were all [every single one] the Levites [descendants of Levi, one of Jacob’s 12 sons] who were carrying [lifting, bearing] the ark [a box or chest, the Ark of the Covenant], as well as the singers [those who sing] and Chenaniah [Jehovah establishes, a Levite leader], the director [ruler] of music [song] for the singers. David also wore [had upon him] a linen [bad, a type of fabric made from flax] ephod [a special vest worn by priests]. word study 28 So all [the entire nation, everything] Israel [the descendants of Jacob] brought up the ark [a box or chest, the sacred container] of the covenant [a promise or agreement, a treaty] of the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] with shouting [a loud cry, a joyful sound], with the sounding [a loud blast] of rams’ horns [a trumpet made from a ram’s horn] and trumpets [a musical instrument, a signal for important events], and with cymbals [double tinklers, a musical instrument] and the music [a harmonious sound, a sweet melody] of harps [a stringed instrument, a lyre] and lyres [a musical instrument, a kinnor]. word study 29 As the ark [a sacred chest, container of God’s covenant] of the covenant [a promise or agreement between God and people] of the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] was entering the City of David [the capital city of Israel, named after King David], Saul’s daughter Michal [a woman of royal descent, wife of David] looked down from a window [an opening in the wall, a place of observation] and saw King David [the second king of Israel, a man after God’s heart] dancing [leaping with joy, celebrating] and celebrating [rejoicing, giving praise], and she despised [held in contempt, looked down on] him in her heart [the center of her being, her inner self]. word study