1 Chronicles is the thirteenth book of the Old Testament and the first of the two books of Chronicles. It retells the history of Israel from a priestly perspective, focusing primarily on the reign of King David. The book begins with extensive genealogical lists from Adam to the tribes of Israel, then details David's reign, his preparations for building the Temple, the organization of the Levitical priesthood and musicians, and his final instructions to Solomon. It emphasizes the centrality of Jerusalem, the Temple, and proper worship of Yahweh. The book complements the account in 1-2 Samuel and Kings, highlighting David's devotion and the religious institutions of Israel. It is considered canonical by all major Christian and Jewish traditions.
1 Chronicles
Chapter 15
David made himself houses in David's city; and he prepared a place for God's ark, and pitched a tent for it.
Then David said, No one ought to carry God's ark but the Levites. For Yahweh has chosen them to carry God's ark, and to minister to him forever.
David assembled all Israel at Jerusalem, to bring up Yahweh's ark to its place, which he had prepared for it.
David gathered together the sons of Aaron and the Levites:
of the sons of Kohath: Uriel the chief, and his brothers one hundred twenty;
of the sons of Merari: Asaiah the chief, and his brothers two hundred twenty;
of the sons of Gershom: Joel the chief, and his brothers one hundred thirty;
of the sons of Elizaphan: Shemaiah the chief, and his brothers two hundred;
of the sons of Hebron: Eliel the chief, and his brothers eighty;
of the sons of Uzziel: Amminadab the chief, and his brothers one hundred twelve.
David called for Zadok and Abiathar the priests, and for the Levites: for Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel, and Amminadab,
and said to them, You are the heads of the fathers' houses of the Levites. Sanctify yourselves, both you and your brothers, that you may bring up the ark of Yahweh, the God of Israel, to the place that I have prepared for it.
For because you didn't carry it at first, Yahweh our God made a break-in on us, because we didn't seek him according to the ordinance.
So the priests and the Levites sanctified themselves to bring up the ark of Yahweh, the God of Israel.
The children of the Levites bore God's ark on their shoulders with the poles, as Moses commanded according to Yahweh's word.
David spoke to the chief of the Levites to appoint their brothers as singers with instruments of music, stringed instruments and harps and cymbals, sounding aloud and lifting up their voices with joy.
So the Levites appointed Heman the son of Joel; and of his brothers, Asaph the son of Berechiah; and of the sons of Merari their brothers, Ethan the son of Kushaiah;
and with them their brothers of the second rank: Zechariah, and Jaaziel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Unni, and Eliab, and Benaiah, and Maaseiah, and Mattithiah, and Eliphelehu, and Mikneiah, and the gatekeepers Obed-Edom and Jeiel.
So the singers, Heman, Asaph, and Ethan, were appointed with cymbals of brass to sound aloud;
and Zechariah, and Aziel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Unni, and Eliab, and Maaseiah, and Benaiah, with stringed instruments set to Alamoth;
and Mattithiah, and Eliphelehu, and Mikneiah, and Obed-Edom, and Jeiel, and Azaziah, with harps tuned to the eight-stringed lyre, to lead.
Chenaniah, chief of the Levites, was over the song. He taught the singers, because he was skillful.
Berechiah and Elkanah were doorkeepers for the ark.
Shebaniah, and Joshaphat, and Nethanel, and Amasai, and Zechariah, and Benaiah, and Eliezer, the priests, blew the trumpets before God's ark; and Obed-Edom and Jehiah were doorkeepers for the ark.
So David, the elders of Israel, and the captains over thousands, went to bring up the ark of Yahweh's covenant out of the house of Obed-Edom with joy.
When God helped the Levites who bore the ark of Yahweh's covenant, they sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams.
David was clothed with a robe of fine linen, as were all the Levites who bore the ark, and the singers, and Chenaniah the master of the song with the singers; and David had an ephod of linen on him.
Thus all Israel brought up the ark of Yahweh's covenant with shouting, with sound of the cornet, with trumpets, and with cymbals, sounding aloud with stringed instruments and harps.
As the ark of Yahweh's covenant came to David's city, Michal the daughter of Saul looked out at the window, and saw king David dancing and playing; and she despised him in her heart.