Preparations to Move the Ark to Jerusalem

(2 Samuel 6:12-15; Philippians 1:1-2; Colossians 1:1-2)

1And he maketh for himself houses in the city of David, and prepareth a place for the ark of God, and stretcheth out for it a tent. 2Then 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.' 3And David assembleth all Israel unto Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of Jehovah unto its place that he had prepared for it. 4And David gathereth the sons of Aaron, and the Levites. 5Of sons of Kohath: Uriel the chief, and his brethren, a hundred and twenty. 6Of sons of Merari: Asaiah the chief, and his brethren, two hundred and twenty. 7Of sons of Gershom: Joel the chief, and his brethren, a hundred and thirty. 8Of sons of Elizaphan: Shemaiah the chief, and his brethren, two hundred. 9Of sons of Hebron: Eliel the chief, and his brethren, eighty. 10Of sons of Uzziel: Amminadab the chief, and his brethren, a hundred and twelve.

11And David calleth to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, and to the Levites, to Uriel, Asaiah, and Joel, Shemaiah, and Eliel, and Amminadab, 12and saith to them, 'Ye are heads of the fathers of the Levites; sanctify yourselves, ye and your brethren, and ye have brought up the ark of Jehovah, God of Israel, unto the place I have prepared for it; 13because at the first it was not ye, Jehovah our God made a breach upon us, because we sought Him not according to the ordinance.' 14And the priests and the Levites sanctify themselves, to bring up the ark of Jehovah, God of Israel;

The Priests and Levites Carry the Ark

15and sons of the Levites bear the ark of God, as Moses commanded, according to the word of Jehovah, on their shoulder, with staves, above them.

16And David saith to the heads of the Levites to appoint their brethren the singers, with instruments of song, psalteries, and harps, and cymbals, sounding, to lift up with the voice for joy. 17And the Levites appoint Heman son of Joel, and of his brethren, Asaph son of Berechiah, and of the sons of Merari their brethren, Ethan son of Kushaiah; 18and with them their brethren, the seconds in rank, Zechariah, Ben, and Jaaziel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Unni, Eliab, and Benaiah, and Maaseiah, and Mattithiah, and Elipheleh, and Mikneiah; and Obed-Edom and Jeiel the gatekeepers; 19and the singers, Heman, Asaph, and Ethan, with cymbals of brass to sound, 20and Zechariah, and Aziel, and Shemiramoth, and Jeheil, and Unni, and Eliab, and Maaseiah, and Benaiah, with psalteries besides virgins, 21and Mattithiah, and Elipheleh, and Mikneiah, and Obed-Edom, and Jeiel, and Azaziah, with harps, on the octave, to oversee. 22And Chenaniah, head of the Levites, is over the burden; he instructeth about the burden, for he is intelligent. 23And Berechiah and Elkanah are gatekeepers for the ark. 24And Shebaniah, and Joshaphat, and Nethaneel, and Amasai, and Zechariah, and Benaiah, and Eliezer the priests, are blowing with trumpets before the ark of God; and Obed-Edom and Jehiah are gatekeepers for the ark.

Moving the Ark to Jerusalem

25And it is David, and the elders of Israel, and the heads of the thousands, who are going to bring up the ark of the covenant of Jehovah from the house of Obed-Edom with joy; 26and it cometh to pass, in God's helping the Levites bearing the ark of the covenant of Jehovah, that they sacrifice seven bullocks and seven rams. 27And David is wrapped in an upper robe of fine linen, and all the Levites who are bearing the ark, and the singers, and Chenaniah head of the burden of the singers; and on David is an Ephod of linen. 28And all Israel are bringing up the ark of the covenant of Jehovah with shouting, and with the sound of a cornet, and with trumpets, and with cymbals, sounding with psalteries and harps,

29and it cometh to pass, the ark of the covenant of Jehovah is entering in unto the city of David, and Michal daughter of Saul is looking through the window, and seeth king David dancing and playing, and despiseth him in her heart.