1 Chronicles 15:2
1 Chronicles 15:2 in Multiple Translations
Then David said, “No one but the Levites may carry the ark of God, because the LORD has chosen them to carry the ark of the LORD and to minister before Him forever.”
Then David said, None ought to carry the ark of God but the Levites: for them hath the LORD chosen to carry the ark of God, and to minister unto him for ever.
Then David said, None ought to carry the ark of God but the Levites: for them hath Jehovah chosen to carry the ark of God, and to minister unto him for ever.
Then David said, The ark of God may not be moved by any but the Levites, for they have been marked out by God to take the ark of God, and to do his work for ever.
Then he gave orders: “Nobody is to carry the Ark of God except the Levites, for the Lord himself chose them to carry the Ark of the Lord and to serve him forever.”
Then Dauid saide, None ought to carie the Arke of God, but the Leuites: for the Lord hath chosen them to beare the Arke of the Lord, and to minister vnto him for euer.
Then said David, 'None [are] to carry the ark of God, except the Levites, for on them hath Jehovah fixed to carry the ark of God, and to serve Him — unto the age.'
Then David said, “No one ought to carry God’s ark but the Levites. For the LORD has chosen them to carry God’s ark, and to minister to him forever.”
Then David said, None ought to carry the ark of God but the Levites: for them hath the LORD chosen to carry the ark of God, and to minister to him for ever.
Then David said: No one ought to carry the ark of God, but the Levites, whom the Lord hath chosen to carry it, and to minister unto himself for ever.
He said, “Only the descendants of Levi are permitted to carry God’s Sacred Chest, because they are the ones whom God chose to carry it and to serve him forever.”
Berean Amplified Bible — 1 Chronicles 15:2
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1 Chronicles 15:2 Interlinear (Deep Study)
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Hebrew Word Reference — 1 Chronicles 15:2
Study Notes — 1 Chronicles 15:2
- Context
- Cross References
- 1 Chronicles 15:2 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on 1 Chronicles 15:2
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 1 Chronicles 15:2
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on 1 Chronicles 15:2
- Trapp's Commentary on 1 Chronicles 15:2
- Ellicott's Commentary on 1 Chronicles 15:2
- Adam Clarke's Commentary on 1 Chronicles 15:2
- Cambridge Bible on 1 Chronicles 15:2
- Barnes' Notes on 1 Chronicles 15:2
- Whedon's Commentary on 1 Chronicles 15:2
- Sermons on 1 Chronicles 15:2
Context — Preparing to Move the Ark
2Then David said, “No one but the Levites may carry the ark of God, because the LORD has chosen them to carry the ark of the LORD and to minister before Him forever.”
3And David assembled all Israel in Jerusalem to bring up the ark of the LORD to the place he had prepared for it. 4Then he gathered together the descendants of Aaron and the Levites:Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Deuteronomy 10:8 | At that time the LORD set apart the tribe of Levi to carry the ark of the covenant of the LORD, to stand before the LORD to serve Him, and to pronounce blessings in His name, as they do to this day. |
| 2 | Deuteronomy 31:9 | So Moses wrote down this law and gave it to the priests, the sons of Levi, who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and to all the elders of Israel. |
| 3 | Numbers 18:1–8 | So the LORD said to Aaron, “You and your sons and your father’s house must bear the iniquity involving the sanctuary. And you and your sons alone must bear the iniquity involving your priesthood. But bring with you also your brothers from the tribe of Levi, the tribe of your father, that they may join you and assist you and your sons before the Tent of the Testimony. And they shall attend to your duties and to all the duties of the Tent; but they must not come near to the furnishings of the sanctuary or the altar, or both they and you will die. They are to join you and attend to the duties of the Tent of Meeting, doing all the work at the Tent; but no outsider may come near you. And you shall attend to the duties of the sanctuary and of the altar, so that wrath may not fall on the Israelites again. Behold, I Myself have selected your fellow Levites from the Israelites as a gift to you, dedicated to the LORD to perform the service for the Tent of Meeting. But only you and your sons shall attend to your priesthood for everything concerning the altar and what is inside the veil, and you are to perform that service. I am giving you the work of the priesthood as a gift, but any outsider who comes near the sanctuary must be put to death.” Then the LORD said to Aaron, “Behold, I have put you in charge of My offerings. As for all the sacred offerings of the Israelites, I have given them to you and your sons as a portion and a permanent statute. |
| 4 | Jeremiah 33:17–22 | For this is what the LORD says: David will never lack a man to sit on the throne of the house of Israel, nor will the priests who are Levites ever fail to have a man before Me to offer burnt offerings, to burn grain offerings, and to present sacrifices.” And the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah: “This is what the LORD says: If you can break My covenant with the day and My covenant with the night, so that day and night cease to occupy their appointed time, then My covenant may also be broken with David My servant and with My ministers the Levites who are priests, so that David will not have a son to reign on his throne. As the hosts of heaven cannot be counted and as the sand on the seashore cannot be measured, so too will I multiply the descendants of My servant David and the Levites who minister before Me.” |
| 5 | Numbers 4:19–20 | In order that they may live and not die when they come near the most holy things, do this for them: Aaron and his sons are to go in and assign each man his task and what he is to carry. But the Kohathites are not to go in and look at the holy objects, even for a moment, or they will die.” |
| 6 | Numbers 4:2–15 | “Take a census of the Kohathites among the Levites by their clans and families, men from thirty to fifty years old—everyone who is qualified to serve in the work at the Tent of Meeting. This service of the Kohathites at the Tent of Meeting regards the most holy things. Whenever the camp sets out, Aaron and his sons are to go in, take down the veil of the curtain, and cover the ark of the Testimony with it. They are to place over this a covering of fine leather, spread a solid blue cloth over it, and insert its poles. Over the table of the Presence they are to spread a blue cloth and place the plates and cups on it, along with the bowls and pitchers for the drink offering. The regular bread offering is to remain on it. And they shall spread a scarlet cloth over them, cover them with fine leather, and insert the poles. They are to take a blue cloth and cover the lampstand used for light, together with its lamps, wick trimmers, and trays, as well as the jars of oil with which to supply it. Then they shall wrap it and all its utensils inside a covering of fine leather and put it on the carrying frame. Over the gold altar they are to spread a blue cloth, cover it with fine leather, and insert the poles. They are to take all the utensils for serving in the sanctuary, place them in a blue cloth, cover them with fine leather, and put them on the carrying frame. Then they shall remove the ashes from the bronze altar, spread a purple cloth over it, and place on it all the vessels used to serve there: the firepans, meat forks, shovels, and sprinkling bowls—all the equipment of the altar. They are to spread over it a covering of fine leather and insert the poles. When Aaron and his sons have finished covering the holy objects and all their equipment, as soon as the camp is ready to move, the Kohathites shall come and do the carrying. But they must not touch the holy objects, or they will die. These are the transportation duties of the Kohathites regarding the Tent of Meeting. |
| 7 | Joshua 3:3 | and commanded the people: “When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God being carried by the Levitical priests, you are to set out from your positions and follow it. |
| 8 | Joshua 6:6 | So Joshua son of Nun summoned the priests and said, “Take up the ark of the covenant and have seven priests carry seven rams’ horns in front of the ark of the LORD.” |
| 9 | Numbers 8:24–26 | “This applies to the Levites: Men twenty-five years of age or older shall enter to perform the service in the work at the Tent of Meeting. But at the age of fifty, they must retire from performing the work and no longer serve. After that, they may assist their brothers in fulfilling their duties at the Tent of Meeting, but they themselves are not to do the work. This is how you are to assign responsibilities to the Levites.” |
| 10 | Numbers 8:13–14 | You are to have the Levites stand before Aaron and his sons and then present them before the LORD as a wave offering. In this way you shall separate the Levites from the rest of the Israelites, and the Levites will belong to Me. |
1 Chronicles 15:2 Summary
[This verse is saying that David knew it was very important to follow God's rules, and one of those rules was that only the Levites could carry the special box called the ark of God. This is because God had chosen them for this special job, as we see in Numbers 1:50. David wanted to make sure he did things God's way, and we can learn from his example by following God's instructions in our own lives, just like it says in Proverbs 3:5-6.]
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did David insist that only the Levites carry the ark of God?
David knew that the LORD had specifically chosen the Levites for this task, as stated in Numbers 1:50 and Numbers 4:15, and he wanted to honor God's instructions and appointments.
What does it mean to 'minister before Him forever'?
This phrase refers to the Levites' ongoing role as priests and worship leaders, serving God and facilitating the worship of the Israelites, as seen in Deuteronomy 10:8 and Ezekiel 44:15.
Is this verse relevant to the church today?
While the specific role of the Levites is unique to the Old Testament, the principle of honoring God's appointments and instructions is still relevant, as seen in 1 Corinthians 12:28 and Ephesians 4:11-12, where believers are called to serve and minister according to their gifts and callings.
How does this verse relate to the concept of spiritual leadership?
This verse highlights the importance of recognizing and respecting God-ordained leadership, as David recognizes the Levites' role, and this principle can be applied to spiritual leadership in the church, as seen in Hebrews 13:17 and 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13.
Reflection Questions
- What are some ways that I can honor God's appointments and instructions in my own life?
- How can I recognize and respect spiritual leadership in my church and community?
- In what ways can I serve and minister to others, using my gifts and talents to build up the body of Christ?
- What does it mean to 'minister before Him forever' in my own life, and how can I cultivate a heart of worship and service to God?
Gill's Exposition on 1 Chronicles 15:2
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 1 Chronicles 15:2
Matthew Poole's Commentary on 1 Chronicles 15:2
Trapp's Commentary on 1 Chronicles 15:2
Ellicott's Commentary on 1 Chronicles 15:2
Adam Clarke's Commentary on 1 Chronicles 15:2
Cambridge Bible on 1 Chronicles 15:2
Barnes' Notes on 1 Chronicles 15:2
Whedon's Commentary on 1 Chronicles 15:2
Sermons on 1 Chronicles 15:2
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
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David - Failure and Effectiveness by Devern Fromke | In this sermon, the speaker shares a story about a group of people who were enthusiastic about evangelizing and helping forgotten people in their country. They set up their own bak |
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A Burden Under Badger Skins by Allan Halton | Allan Halton preaches on the importance of bearing one another's burdens, emphasizing the beautiful law of Christ where we carry each other's burdens, reflecting Christ's act of ca |
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Man's Petty Kingdom by Art Katz | In this sermon, the speaker begins by acknowledging his role as a messenger of God and emphasizes the importance of radical choosing and repentance. He highlights the two categorie |
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Audio Sermon: Man's Petty Kingdom by Art Katz | This sermon emphasizes the importance of radical commitment and separation from worldly influences to enter into a new level of relationship with God. It calls for a shift from ins |
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(Through the Bible) Joshua 1-8 by Chuck Smith | In this sermon, the preacher discusses the excitement and importance of walking after the Spirit. He references the story of Joshua encountering a man with a drawn sword near Jeric |
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Joshua Crossing Jordan by Gareth Evans | In this sermon, the speaker discusses the anticipation and excitement of the children of Israel as they finally reach the Promised Land after years of wandering in the desert. Josh |
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Man's Petty Kingdom - Art Katz by From the Pulpit & Classic Sermons | In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of seeking the revelation of God through Jesus Christ rather than relying on human traditions, wisdom, and programs. He shares |






