Preparing Our Father's Ark Rightly
David tries again, having worked out why the first attempt killed a man: only Levites carry our Father's ark, on their shoulders. This time it is done by the book, with singers and instruments, and David dances — while Michal watches from a window and despises him.
15 1David built houses for himself in the city of David, prepared a place for the ark of our Father, and pitched a tent for it. 2Then David said, "No one but the Levites is to carry the ark of our Father, for our Father chose them to carry his ark and serve him forever."
3David gathered all Israel at Jerusalem to bring the ark of our Father up to its prepared place. 4He gathered together the descendants of Aaron and the Levites: 5from the sons of Kohath, Uriel the leader, with 120 of his relatives; 6from the sons of Merari, Asaiah the leader, with 220 of his relatives; 7from the sons of Gershom, Joel the leader, with 130 of his relatives; 8from the sons of Elizaphan, Shemaiah the leader, with 200 of his relatives; 9from the sons of Hebron, Eliel the leader, with eighty of his relatives; 10from the sons of Uzziel, Amminadab the leader, with 112 of his relatives.
11David called the priests Zadok and Abiathar, and the Levites Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel, and Amminadab. 12He said to them, "You are heads of the Levite families. Dedicate yourselves, you and your relatives, to bring up the ark of our Father to the place I have prepared for it. 13Because you did not carry it the first time, our Father broke out against us, since we did not seek him properly."
14So the priests and the Levites consecrated themselves to bring up the ark of our Father. 15The Levites carried our Father's ark on their shoulders with the poles, as Moses commanded, by the word of our Father.
16David told the Levite leaders to appoint their relatives as singers, raising joyful voices to lyres, harps, and cymbals. 17The Levites appointed Heman son of Joel; his relative Asaph son of Berechiah; and their relatives the Merarites, Ethan son of Kushaiah. 18And with them, their relatives of second rank: Zechariah, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-edom, and Jeiel, the gatekeepers. 19The singers Heman, Asaph, and Ethan were to sound the bronze cymbals; 20Zechariah, Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah, and Benaiah were to play the harps according to Alamoth; a a v20 Alamoth was a musical term, likely indicating a high or treble register. 21and Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah were to lead with lyres according to the Sheminith. b b v21 Sheminith (meaning 'the eighth') was a musical term, likely indicating a lower or bass register. 22Chenaniah, chief of the Levites, was in charge of the singing; he directed the music because he was skilled. 23Berechiah and Elkanah were to be gatekeepers for the ark. 24Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah, and Eliezer, the priests, were to blow the trumpets before the ark of our Father; Obed-edom and Jehiah were gatekeepers for the ark.
25David, Israel's elders, and the commanders of thousands went to bring the ark of our Father's covenant up from Obed-edom's house with joy. 26Because our Father helped the Levites carrying the ark of our Father's covenant, they sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams. 27David wore a fine linen robe, as did all the Levites carrying the ark, the singers, and Chenaniah, leader of the singing; David also had on a linen ephod. 28All Israel brought up the ark of our Father's covenant with shouts of joy, horn blasts, trumpets, and cymbals, sounding harps and lyres.
29As the ark of our Father's covenant entered the city of David, Michal daughter of Saul looked through the window. When she saw King David dancing and celebrating, she despised him in her heart.
