1 Chronicles 15ASV
Books
All books

1 Chronicles15

American Standard Version · Public Domain

1And David made him houses in the city of David; and he prepared a place for the ark of God, and pitched for it a tent.

2Then 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.

3And David assembled all Israel at Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of Jehovah unto its place, which he had prepared for it.

4And David gathered together the sons of Aaron, and the Levites:

5of the sons of Kohath, Uriel the chief, and his brethren a hundred and twenty;

6of the sons of Merari, Asaiah the chief, and his brethren two hundred and twenty;

7of the sons of Gershom, Joel the chief, and his brethren a hundred and thirty;

8of the sons of Elizaphan, Shemaiah the chief, and his brethren two hundred;

9of the sons of Hebron, Eliel the chief, and his brethren fourscore;

10of the sons of Uzziel, Amminadab the chief, and his brethren a hundred and twelve.

11And David called for Zadok and Abiathar the priests, and for the Levites, for Uriel, Asaiah, and Joel, Shemaiah, and Eliel, and Amminadab,

12and said unto them, Ye are the heads of the fathers’ houses of the Levites: sanctify yourselves, both ye and your brethren, that ye may bring up the ark of Jehovah, the God of Israel, unto the place that I have prepared for it.

13For because ye bare it not at the first, Jehovah our God made a breach upon us, for that we sought him not according to the ordinance.

14So the priests and the Levites sanctified themselves to bring up the ark of Jehovah, the God of Israel.

15And the children of the Levites bare the ark of God upon their shoulders with the staves thereon, as Moses commanded according to the word of Jehovah.

16And David spake to the chief of the Levites to appoint their brethren the singers, with instruments of music, psalteries and harps and cymbals, sounding aloud and lifting up the voice with joy.

17So the Levites appointed Heman the son of Joel; and of his brethren, Asaph the son of Berechiah; and of the sons of Merari their brethren, Ethan the son of Kushaiah;

18and with them their brethren of the second degree, Zechariah, Ben, and Jaaziel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Unni, Eliab, and Benaiah, and Maaseiah, and Mattithiah, and Eliphelehu, and Mikneiah, and Obed-edom, and Jeiel, the doorkeepers.

19So the singers, Heman, Asaph, and Ethan, were appointed, with cymbals of brass to sound aloud;

20and Zechariah, and Aziel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Unni, and Eliab, and Maaseiah, and Benaiah, with psalteries set to Alamoth;

21and Mattithiah, and Eliphelehu, and Mikneiah, and Obed-edom, and Jeiel, and Azaziah, with harps set to the Sheminith, to lead.

22And Chenaniah, chief of the Levites, was over the song: he instructed about the song, because he was skilful.

23And Berechiah and Elkanah were doorkeepers for the ark.

24And Shebaniah, and Joshaphat, and Nethanel, and Amasai, and Zechariah, and Benaiah, and Eliezer, the priests, did blow the trumpets before the ark of God; and Obed-edom and Jehiah were doorkeepers for the ark.

25So David, and the elders of Israel, and the captains over thousands, went to bring up the ark of the covenant of Jehovah out of the house of Obed-edom with joy.

26And it came to pass, when God helped the Levites that bare the ark of the covenant of Jehovah, that they sacrificed seven bullocks and seven rams.

27And David was clothed with a robe of fine linen, and all the Levites that bare the ark, and the singers, and Chenaniah the master of the song with the singers: and David had upon him an ephod of linen.

28Thus all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of Jehovah with shouting, and with sound of the cornet, and with trumpets, and with cymbals, sounding aloud with psalteries and harps.

29And it came to pass, as the ark of the covenant of Jehovah came to the city of David, that Michal the daughter of Saul looked out at the window, and saw king David dancing and playing; and she despised him in her heart.

Study Guide

Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for 1 Chronicles 15.

Full AI study →

Chapter Summary

In this chapter: Preparations for the removal of the ark. (1–24). The removal of the ark. (25–29).

vv1-24

Wise and good men may be guilty of oversights, which they will correct, as soon as they are aware of them. David does not try to justify what had been done amiss, nor to lay the blame on others; but he owns himself guilty, with others, of not seeking God in due order

vv25-29

It is good to notice the assistance of Divine Providence, even in things which fall within the compass of our natural powers; if God did not help us, we could not stir a step. If we do our religious duties in any degree aright, we must own it was God that helped us; had we been left to ourselves, we should have been guilty of some fatal errors. And every thing in which we engage, must be done in dependence on the mercy of God through the sacrifice of the Redeemer.

Cross References

1 Chronicles 15
v2Numbers 4:15thematic

Prescribes that the Kohathites must carry the holy things on their shoulders, not in a cart.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v2Numbers 7:9thematic

Explicitly commands Kohathites to bear the service of the sanctuary upon their shoulders.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

The previous fatal breach upon Uzza, corrected here by observing the due order.

Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB

v262 Samuel 6:13thematic

Parallel account of the sacrifices offered when those bearing the ark had gone six paces.

Supported by JFB

v272 Samuel 6:14thematic

Parallel description of David dancing before the Lord girded with a linen ephod.

Supported by JFB

v292 Samuel 6:20-23thematic

Details Michal's derision of David's joyful dancing and the domestic consequences thereof.

Supported by JFB

v8Exodus 6:22thematic

Identifies Elizaphan and Uzziel as descendants of Kohath, confirming their Levitical lineage.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v12Exodus 19:10-15thematic

The prototypical command for the people to sanctify themselves before God meets them.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v112 Samuel 20:25thematic

Confirms Zadok and Abiathar served together as the chief priests under David's administration.

Supported by JFB

v15Exodus 25:12-15thematic

The original law commanding staves to remain in the rings of the ark.

Supported by Matthew Poole

Traces the genealogy of Heman the singer, son of Joel, of the Kohathites.

Supported by Matthew Poole

Locates the ark at the house of Obed-edom during the intervening three months.

Supported by JFB

v13Leviticus 10:3thematic

Solemn principle that God will be sanctified in those who come near Him.

Confirms the divine command through prophets regulating Levitical musical instruments in worship.

v24Numbers 10:8thematic

Ordinance requiring the sons of Aaron to blow the silver trumpets over sacrifices.