Ark Brought to Jerusalem

2 Samuel 6:1-23

David again gathered together all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand. David arose and went with all the people who were with him from Baale Judah, to bring up from there God’s ark, which is called by the Name, even the name of the LORD of Armies who sits above the cherubim. They set God’s ark on a new cart, and brought it out of Abinadab’s house that was on the hill; and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drove the new cart. They brought it out of Abinadab’s house which was in the hill, with God’s ark; and Ahio went before the ark. David and all the house of Israel played before the LORD with all kinds of instruments made of cypress wood, with harps, with stringed instruments, with tambourines, with castanets, and with cymbals. When they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah reached for God’s ark and took hold of it, for the cattle stumbled. The LORD’s anger burned against Uzzah, and God struck him there for his error; and he died there by God’s ark. David was displeased because the LORD had broken out against Uzzah; and he called that place Perez Uzzah to this day. David was afraid of the LORD that day; and he said, “How could the LORD’s ark come to me?” So David would not move the LORD’s ark to be with him in David’s city; but David carried it aside into Obed-Edom the Gittite’s house. The LORD’s ark remained in Obed-Edom the Gittite’s house three months; and the LORD blessed Obed-Edom and all his house. King David was told, “The LORD has blessed the house of Obed-Edom, and all that belongs to him, because of God’s ark.” So David went and brought up God’s ark from the house of Obed-Edom into David’s city with joy. When those who bore the LORD’s ark had gone six paces, he sacrificed an ox and a fattened calf. David danced before the LORD with all his might; and David was clothed in a linen ephod. So David and all the house of Israel brought up the LORD’s ark with shouting and with the sound of the trumpet. As the LORD’s ark came into David’s city, Michal the daughter of Saul looked out through the window and saw King David leaping and dancing before the LORD; and she despised him in her heart. They brought in the LORD’s ark, and set it in its place in the middle of the tent that David had pitched for it; and David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD. When David had finished offering the burnt offering and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD of Armies. He gave to all the people, even among the whole multitude of Israel, both to men and women, to everyone a portion of bread, dates, and raisins. So all the people departed, each to his own house. Then David returned to bless his household. Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, “How glorious the king of Israel was today, who uncovered himself today in the eyes of his servants’ maids, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovers himself!” David said to Michal, “It was before the LORD, who chose me above your father, and above all his house, to appoint me prince over the people of the LORD, over Israel. Therefore I will celebrate before the LORD. I will be yet more undignified than this, and will be worthless in my own sight. But the maids of whom you have spoken will honor me.” Michal the daughter of Saul had no child to the day of her death.

1 Chronicles 13:1-14

David consulted with the captains of thousands and of hundreds, even with every leader. David said to all the assembly of Israel, “If it seems good to you, and if it is of the LORD our God, let’s send word everywhere to our brothers who are left in all the land of Israel, with whom the priests and Levites are in their cities that have pasture lands, that they may gather themselves to us. Also, let’s bring the ark of our God back to us again, for we didn’t seek it in the days of Saul.” All the assembly said that they would do so, for the thing was right in the eyes of all the people. So David assembled all Israel together, from the Shihor River of Egypt even to the entrance of Hamath, to bring God’s ark from Kiriath Jearim. David went up with all Israel to Baalah, that is, to Kiriath Jearim, which belonged to Judah, to bring up from there God the LORD’s ark that sits above the cherubim, that is called by the Name. They carried God’s ark on a new cart, and brought it out of Abinadab’s house; and Uzza and Ahio drove the cart. David and all Israel played before God with all their might, even with songs, with harps, with stringed instruments, with tambourines, with cymbals, and with trumpets. When they came to Chidon’s threshing floor, Uzza put out his hand to hold the ark, for the oxen stumbled. The LORD’s anger burned against Uzza, and he struck him because he put his hand on the ark; and he died there before God. David was displeased, because the LORD had broken out against Uzza. He called that place Perez Uzza, to this day. David was afraid of God that day, saying, “How can I bring God’s ark home to me?” So David didn’t move the ark with him into David’s city, but carried it aside into Obed-Edom the Gittite’s house. God’s ark remained with the family of Obed-Edom in his house three months; and the LORD blessed Obed-Edom’s house and all that he had.

1 Chronicles 15:1-16:43

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 the LORD has chosen them to carry God’s ark, and to minister to him forever.” David assembled all Israel at Jerusalem, to bring up the LORD’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’ households of the Levites. Sanctify yourselves, both you and your brothers, that you may bring the ark of the LORD, the God of Israel, up to the place that I have prepared for it. For because you didn’t carry it at first, the LORD our God broke out in anger against 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 the LORD, the God of Israel. The children of the Levites bore God’s ark on their shoulders with its poles, as Moses commanded according to the LORD’s word. David spoke to the chief of the Levites to appoint their brothers as singers with instruments of music, stringed instruments, 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, Ben, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, and Jeiel, the doorkeepers. So the singers, Heman, Asaph, and Ethan, were given cymbals of bronze to sound aloud; and Zechariah, Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah, and Benaiah, with stringed instruments set to Alamoth; and Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah, with harps tuned to the eight-stringed lyre, to lead. Chenaniah, chief of the Levites, was over the singing. He taught the singers, because he was skillful. Berechiah and Elkanah were doorkeepers for the ark. Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, 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 the ark of the LORD’s covenant up out of the house of Obed-Edom with joy. When God helped the Levites who bore the ark of the LORD’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, the singers, and Chenaniah the choir master with the singers; and David had an ephod of linen on him. Thus all Israel brought the ark of the LORD’s covenant up with shouting, with sound of the cornet, with trumpets, and with cymbals, sounding aloud with stringed instruments and harps. As the ark of the LORD’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. They brought in God’s ark, and set it in the middle of the tent that David had pitched for it; and they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before God. When David had finished offering the burnt offering and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the LORD’s name. He gave to everyone of Israel, both man and woman, to everyone a loaf of bread, a portion of meat, and a cake of raisins. He appointed some of the Levites to minister before the LORD’s ark, and to commemorate, to thank, and to praise the LORD, the God of Israel: Asaph the chief, and second to him Zechariah, then Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-Edom, and Jeiel, with stringed instruments and with harps; and Asaph with cymbals, sounding aloud; with Benaiah and Jahaziel the priests with trumpets continually, before the ark of the covenant of God. Then on that day David first ordained giving of thanks to the LORD by the hand of Asaph and his brothers. Oh give thanks to the LORD. Call on his name. Make what he has done known among the peoples. Sing to him. Sing praises to him. Tell of all his marvelous works. Glory in his holy name. Let the heart of those who seek the LORD rejoice. Seek the LORD and his strength. Seek his face forever more. Remember his marvelous works that he has done, his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth, you offspring of Israel his servant, you children of Jacob, his chosen ones. He is the LORD our God. His judgments are in all the earth. Remember his covenant forever, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations, the covenant which he made with Abraham, his oath to Isaac. He confirmed it to Jacob for a statute, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant, saying, “I will give you the land of Canaan, The lot of your inheritance,” when you were but a few men in number, yes, very few, and foreigners in it. They went about from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another people. He allowed no man to do them wrong. Yes, he reproved kings for their sakes, “Don’t touch my anointed ones! Do my prophets no harm!” Sing to the LORD, all the earth! Display his salvation from day to day. Declare his glory among the nations, and his marvelous works among all the peoples. For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised. He also is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the peoples are idols, but the LORD made the heavens. Honor and majesty are before him. Strength and gladness are in his place. Ascribe to the LORD, you families of the peoples, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength! Ascribe to the LORD the glory due to his name. Bring an offering, and come before him. Worship the LORD in holy array. Tremble before him, all the earth. The world also is established that it can’t be moved. Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice! Let them say among the nations, “The LORD reigns!” Let the sea roar, and its fullness! Let the field exult, and all that is in it! Then the trees of the forest will sing for joy before the LORD, for he comes to judge the earth. Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his loving kindness endures forever. Say, “Save us, God of our salvation! Gather us together and deliver us from the nations, to give thanks to your holy name, to triumph in your praise.” Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting even to everlasting. All the people said, “Amen,” and praised the LORD. So he left Asaph and his brothers there before the ark of the LORD’s covenant, to minister before the ark continually, as every day’s work required; and Obed-Edom with their sixty-eight relatives; Obed-Edom also the son of Jeduthun and Hosah to be doorkeepers; and Zadok the priest and his brothers the priests, before the LORD’s tabernacle in the high place that was at Gibeon, to offer burnt offerings to the LORD on the altar of burnt offering continually morning and evening, even according to all that is written in the LORD’s law, which he commanded to Israel; and with them Heman and Jeduthun and the rest who were chosen, who were mentioned by name, to give thanks to the LORD, because his loving kindness endures forever; and with them Heman and Jeduthun with trumpets and cymbals for those that should sound aloud, and with instruments for the songs of God, and the sons of Jeduthun to be at the gate. All the people departed, each man to his house; and David returned to bless his house.