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¹David consulted with the captains of the thousands and the hundreds, even with every leader.

²David said to all the assembly of Israel, "If it seems good to you, and if it is from the LORD our God, let us send word everywhere to our fellow countrymen who remain in all the land of Israel, and to the priests and Levites who are with them in their cities with pasture lands, so that they may meet with us;

³and let us bring back the ark of our God to us, for we did not seek it during the days of Saul."

⁴Then all the assembly agreed to do so, for the thing was right in the eyes of all the people.

⁵So David gathered all Israel together, from the Shihor [watercourse] of Egypt, to the entrance of Hamath [in the north], to bring the ark of God from Kiriath-jearim.

⁶David and all Israel went up to Baalah, that is, to Kiriath-jearim, which belongs to Judah, to bring up from there the ark of God the LORD who sits enthroned above the cherubim, the ark which is called by His name.

⁷They carried the ark of God on a new cart and brought it out of the house of Abinadab, and Uzza and Ahio [his brother] drove the cart.

⁸David and all Israel celebrated [joyfully] before God with all their might, with songs, lyres, harps, tambourines, cymbals, and trumpets.

⁹When they came to the threshing floor of Chidon, Uzza put out his hand to hold and steady the ark, for the oxen [that were drawing the cart] nearly overturned it.

¹⁰The anger of the LORD burned against Uzza, and He struck him down because he touched the ark; and there he died before God.

¹¹David became angry because of the Lord's outburst against Uzza; so that place is called Perez-uzza to this day.

¹²David was afraid of God that day, and he said, "How can I bring the ark of God home with me?"

¹³So David did not bring the ark with him to the City of David, but took it aside to the house of Obed-edom the Gittite.

¹⁴So the ark of God remained with the family of Obed-edom in his house three months; and the LORD blessed the house of Obed-edom and all that he had.

¹Now Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David with cedar timbers, masons and carpenters, to build a house (palace) for him.

²And David understood that the LORD had established and confirmed him as king over Israel, for his kingdom was highly exalted for the sake of His people Israel.

³Then David took more wives at Jerusalem, and he became the father of more sons and daughters.

⁴Now these are the names of the children born [to him] in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon,

⁵Ibhar, Elishua, Elpelet,

⁶Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia,

⁷Elishama, Beeliada, and Eliphelet.

⁸When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over all Israel, they all went up in search of David; and he heard about it and went out against them.

⁹Now the Philistines had come and made a raid in the Valley of Rephaim.

¹⁰So David inquired of God, "Shall I go up against the Philistines? And will You hand them over to me?" Then the LORD said to him, "Go up, and I will hand them over to you."

¹¹So Israel came up to Baal-perazim, and David defeated the Philistines there. Then David said, "God has broken through my enemies by my hand, like the breakthrough of waters." Therefore they named that place Baal-perazim.

¹²The Philistines abandoned their gods (idols) there; so David gave a command and they were burned in a fire [as the Law of Moses required].

¹³The Philistines again made a raid in the valley.

¹⁴So David inquired again of God, and God said to him, "Do not go up after them; circle around behind them and come at them in front of the balsam trees.

¹⁵It shall be when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, then you shall go out to battle, for God has gone out before you to strike the Philistine army."

¹⁶So David did just as God had commanded him, and they struck down the army of the Philistines from Gibeon as far as Gezer.

¹⁷Then David's fame spread into all the lands; and the LORD caused all nations to fear him.

¹David built houses for himself in the City of David; and he prepared a place for the ark of God and pitched a tent for it.

²Then David said, "No one is to carry the ark of God except the Levites; for the LORD chose them to carry the ark of God and to minister to Him forever."

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

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

⁵of the sons of Kohath, Uriel the chief, with 120 of his relatives;

⁶of the sons of Merari, Asaiah the chief, with 220 of his relatives;

⁷of the sons of Gershom, Joel the chief, with 130 of his relatives;

⁸of the sons of Elizaphan, Shemaiah the chief, with 200 of his relatives;

⁹of the sons of Hebron, Eliel the chief, with 80 of his relatives;

¹⁰of the sons of Uzziel, Amminadab the chief, with 112 of his relatives.

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

¹²and he said to them, "You are the heads of the fathers' households of the Levites; consecrate yourselves, both you and your relatives, so that you may bring up the ark of the LORD God of Israel, to the place that I have prepared for it.

¹³Because you did not [carry it as God directed] the first time, the LORD our God made an [angry] outburst against us, for we did not seek Him in accordance with the ordinance."

¹⁴So the priests and the Levites consecrated (dedicated) themselves to bring up the ark of the LORD God of Israel.

¹⁵The Levites carried the ark of God on their shoulders with the poles, as Moses commanded in accordance with the word of the LORD.

¹⁶Then David told the chiefs of the Levites to appoint their relatives as the singers, with instruments of music—harps, lyres, and cymbals—to play loudly and to raise sounds of joy [with their voices].

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

¹⁸and with them their relatives of the second rank: Zechariah, Ben, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, and Mikneiah, Obed-edom, and Jeiel, the gatekeepers.

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

²⁰and Zechariah, Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah, and Benaiah [were to play] with harps tuned to Alamoth [that is, a high pitch];

²¹and Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah were to lead with lyres set to Sheminith [that is, the eighth string, a low pitch].

²²Chenaniah, leader of the Levites, was in charge of the singing; he gave instruction in singing because he was skilled.

²³Berechiah and Elkanah were gatekeepers for the ark.

²⁴Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah, and Eliezer the priests blew the trumpets before the ark of God. Obed-edom and Jehiah (Jeiel) were also gatekeepers for the ark.

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

²⁶Because God was helping the Levites who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD [to do it carefully and safely], they sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams.

²⁷David was clothed with a robe of fine linen, as were all the Levites who carried the ark, and the singers and Chenaniah, director of the music of the singers. David also wore an ephod (a priestly upper garment) of linen.

²⁸Thus all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the LORD with shouting, and with the sound of the horn, with trumpets, with loud-sounding cymbals, with harps and lyres.

²⁹It happened that as the ark of the covenant of the LORD came to the City of David, Michal [David's wife] the daughter of Saul, looking down through a window, saw King David leaping and dancing [in celebration]; and she despised him in her heart.

¹So they brought the ark of God and set it inside the tent which David had pitched for it, and they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before God.

²When David had finished offering the burnt offerings and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD.

³He distributed to everyone in Israel, both man and woman, to everyone a loaf of bread, a portion of meat, and a raisin cake.

⁴He appointed some of the Levites to minister before the ark of the LORD and to profess [God's name] and to thank and praise the LORD, the God of Israel:

⁵Asaph the chief, and second to him Zechariah, then Jeiel (Jaaziel), Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-edom, and Jeiel with musical instruments, harps and lyres; also Asaph played loud-sounding cymbals;

⁶and Benaiah and Jahaziel the priests blew trumpets continually before the ark of the covenant of God.

⁷Then on that day David first entrusted to Asaph and his relatives to give thanks to the LORD [as their chief task].

⁸O give thanks to the LORD, call on His name; Make His deeds known among the peoples.

⁹Sing to Him, sing praises to Him; Speak of all His wonders.

¹⁰Glory in His holy name; Let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice.

¹¹Seek the LORD and His strength; Seek His face continually [longing to be in His presence].

¹²Remember [with gratitude] His marvelous deeds which He has done, His miracles and the judgments from His mouth,

¹³O seed of Israel His servant, Children of Jacob, His chosen ones!

¹⁴He is the LORD our God; His judgments are in all the earth.

¹⁵Be mindful of His covenant forever, The promise which He commanded and established to a thousand generations,

¹⁶The covenant which He made with Abraham, And His oath (sworn promise) to Isaac.

¹⁷He confirmed it as a statute to Jacob, And to Israel as an everlasting covenant,

¹⁸Saying, "To you I will give the land of Canaan, As the portion of your possession and inheritance."

¹⁹When you were few in number, Even a very few, and strangers in it,

²⁰When they wandered from nation to nation, And from one kingdom to another people,

²¹He allowed no man to oppress or exploit them, And, He reproved and punished kings for their sakes, saying,

²²"Do not touch My anointed ones, And do My prophets no harm."

²³Sing to the LORD, all the earth; Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day.

²⁴Declare His glory among the nations, His marvelous works among all peoples.

²⁵For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; He is also to be feared [with awe-filled reverence] above all gods.

²⁶For all the gods of the peoples are [lifeless] idols, But the LORD made the heavens.

²⁷Splendor and majesty are [found] in His presence; Strength and joy are [found] in His place (sanctuary).

²⁸Ascribe to the LORD, O families of the peoples, Ascribe to the LORD glory and honor and strength.

²⁹Ascribe to the LORD the glory and honor due His name; Bring an offering [of thanksgiving], and come before Him; Worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness.

³⁰Tremble [reverently] before Him, all the earth; The world is firmly established, it will not be moved.

³¹Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; And let them say among the nations, "The LORD reigns."

³²Let the sea roar, and all the things that fill it; Let the field rejoice, and all that is in it.

³³Then the trees of the forest will sing for joy before the LORD; For He comes to judge and govern the earth.

³⁴O give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; For His lovingkindness endures forever.

³⁵Then say, "Save us, O God of our salvation; Gather us together and rescue us from the nations, That we may give thanks to Your holy name, And glory in Your praise."

³⁶Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, Forever and ever. And all the people said, "Amen," and praised the LORD.

³⁷So David left Asaph and his relatives there before the ark of the covenant of the LORD to minister before the ark continually, as each day's work required;

³⁸and Obed-edom with his sixty-eight relatives; also Obed-edom the son of Jeduthun, and Hosah, were to be gatekeepers.

³⁹David left Zadok the priest and his relatives the priests before the dwelling place (tabernacle) of the LORD in the high place which was at Gibeon,

⁴⁰to offer burnt offerings to the LORD on the altar of burnt offering continually, morning and evening, in accordance with all that is written in the Law of the LORD, which He commanded Israel.

⁴¹With them were Heman and Jeduthun, and the rest who were chosen and designated by name, to give thanks to the LORD, for His lovingkindness endures forever.

⁴²With them were Heman and Jeduthun with trumpets and cymbals for those who were to sound aloud, and instruments for [accompanying] the songs of God. And the sons of Jeduthun were to be at the gate.

⁴³Then all the people departed, each to his house, and David returned [home] to bless his household.