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 may carry the ark of God but the Levites, for Jehovah has chosen them to carry the ark of God and to serve before Him continually. 3And David gathered all Israel together at Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of Jehovah to its place, which he had prepared for it. 4And David assembled the sons of Aaron and the Levites: 5of the sons of Kohath, Uriel the chief, and one hundred and twenty of his brethren; 6of the sons of Merari, Asaiah the chief, and two hundred and twenty of his brethren; 7of the sons of Gershom, Joel the chief, and one hundred and thirty of his brethren; 8of the sons of Elizaphan, Shemaiah the chief, and two hundred of his brethren; 9of the sons of Hebron, Eliel the chief, and eighty of his brethren; 10of the sons of Uzziel, Amminadab the chief, and one hundred and twelve of his brethren. 11And David summoned Zadok and Abiathar the priests, and the Levites: Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel, and Amminadab; 12and he said to them, You are the heads of the fathers of the Levites; consecrate yourselves, you and your brethren, that you may bring up the ark of Jehovah the God of Israel to the place I have prepared for it. 13For because you did not do it the first time, Jehovah our God has burst out against us, because we had not inquired of Him concerning the ordinance. 14So the priests and the Levites consecrated themselves to bring up the ark of Jehovah the God of Israel. 15And the sons of the Levites carried the ark of God on their shoulders, by its poles, as Moses had commanded according to the Word of Jehovah. 16And David commanded the chiefs of the Levites to appoint their brethren as singers with instruments of song, lutes, harps, and resounding cymbals, to raise the voice with joy. 17So the Levites appointed Heman the son of Joel; and of his brethren, Asaph the son of Berechiah; and of their brethren the sons of Merari, Ethan the son of Kushaiah; 18and with them their brethren of the second rank. The gatekeepers: Zechariah, Ben, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Elipheleh, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, and Jeiel. 19The singers: Heman, Asaph, and Ethan, to sound the cymbals of bronze. 20Lutes on Alamoth: Zechariah, Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah, and Benaiah. 21Directing with harps on the Sheminith: Mattithiah, Elipheleh, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah. 22The songs: Chenaniah, chief of the Levites; he taught the songs because he had understanding. 23Doorkeepers for the ark: Berechiah and Elkanah. 24Sounding the trumpets before the ark of God: Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah, and Eliezer, the priests. Doorkeepers for the ark: Obed-Edom and Jehiah. 25Thus David, the elders of Israel, and the commanders over thousands went to bring up the ark of the covenant of Jehovah from the house of Obed-Edom with joy. 26And so it was, as God helped the Levites who were carrying the ark of the covenant of Jehovah, that they sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams. 27David was clothed with a robe of fine linen, as were all the Levites who bore the ark, the singers, and Chenaniah the leader in uplifting singing. David also wore a linen ephod. 28Thus all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of Jehovah with shouting and with the sound of the shofar, with trumpets and with cymbals, sounding aloud with lutes and harps. 29And it happened, as the ark of the covenant of Jehovah came to the City of David, that Michal, Saul's daughter, looked through a window and saw King David whirling and playing; and she despised him in her heart.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 DAVID BRINGS THE ARK FROM OBEDEDOM. (1Ch. 15:1-24)
David made him houses in the city of David--Through the liberality of his Tyrian ally (
1Chr 14:1), David was enabled to erect not only a palace for himself, but to furnish suitable accommodation for his numerous family. Where polygamy prevails, each wife has a separate house or suite of apartments for herself and children.
prepared a place for the ark of God, and pitched for it a tent--that is, made an entirely new one upon the model of the former. The old tabernacle, which Moses had constructed in the wilderness and which had hitherto served the purpose of a sacred covering, was to be left at Gibeon, either because of the unwillingness of the inhabitants to part with such a venerable relic, or because there was no use for it in Jerusalem, where a more solid and sumptuous edifice was contemplated. If it appear surprising that David "made him houses" before he prepared this new tabernacle, it should be remembered that he had received no divine intimation respecting such a work.
2 Then David said, None ought to carry the ark of God but the Levites--After the lapse of three months (
1Chr 13:14) the purpose of transporting the ark to Jerusalem was resumed. Time and reflection had led to a discovery of the cause of the painful catastrophe that marred the first attempt. In preparing for the solemn procession that was now to usher the sacred symbol into its resting-place, David took special care that the carriage should be regulated in strict conformity to the law (
Num 4:5,
Num 4:15;
Num 7:9;
Num 10:17).
3 David gathered all Israel together--Some are of opinion that this was done on one of the three great festivals, but at whatever time the ceremonial took place, it was of great importance to summon a general convocation of the people, many of whom, from the long-continued disorders of the kingdom, might have had little or no opportunity of knowing anything of the ark, which had been allowed to remain so long in obscurity and neglect.
4 David assembled the children of Aaron, and the Levites--The children of Aaron were the two priests (
1Chr 15:11), Zadok and Abiathar, heads of the two priestly houses of Eleazar and Ithamar, and colleagues in the high priesthood (
2Sam 20:25). The Levites were the chiefs of their father's house (
1Chr 15:12); four belonging to the Kohathite branch, on whose shoulders the ark was to be borne; namely, Uriel, Shemaiah--descended from Elizaphan or Elzaphan-- (
Exod 6:22), Hebron (
Exod 6:18;
1Chr 6:2), and Amminadab from Uzziel (
Exod 6:22).
12 sanctify yourselves--This special sanctification, which was required on all grave and important occasions, consisted in observing the strictest abstinence, as well as cleanliness, both in person and dress (see on
Gen 35:2;
Exod 19:10,
Exod 19:15); and in the neglect of these rules no step could have been taken (
2Chr 30:3).
16 David spake to the chief of the Levites to appoint . . . the singers with instruments--These eminent Levites were instructed to train the musicians and singers who were under them, for the solemn procession. The performers were ranged in three choirs or bands, and the names of the principal leaders are given (
1Chr 15:17-18,
1Chr 15:21), with the instruments respectively used by each. "Ben" (
1Chr 15:18) is omitted (
1Chr 15:20). Either it was used merely as a common noun, to intimate that Zechariah was the son of Jaaziel or Aziel, or Ben is the same as Azaziah [
1Chr 15:21].
22 Chenaniah, chief of the Levites--He was not of the six heads of the Levitical families, but a chief in consequence of his office, which required learning, without regard to birth or family.
instructed about the song--He directed all these bands as to the proper time when each was to strike in or change their notes; or, as some render the passage, "He led the burdens, for he was skilled," that is, in the custom which it was necessary to observe in the carriage of the holy things [BERTHEAU].
23 Berechiah and Elkanah were doorkeepers--who marched immediately in front, while Obed-edom and Jeiel went in the rear, of the ark.
25 So David, and the elders . . . and captains . . . went--The pious design of David in ordering all his principal ministers and officers to take part in this solemn work and imparting so much pomp and imposing ceremony to the procession, was evidently to inspire the popular mind with a profound veneration for the ark and to give the young especially salutary impressions of religion, which would be renewed by the remembrance that they had been witnesses of the august solemnity in which the king and the highest aristocracy of the land participated, vying with all other classes to do honor to the God of Israel.
26 it came to pass, &c.--(See on
2Sam 6:13-23).
they offered seven bullocks and seven rams--The Levites seem to have entered on this duty with fear and trembling; and finding that they might advance without any such indications of divine wrath as Uzza had experienced (
1Chr 13:10), they offered an ox and a fatted sheep immediately after starting (
2Sam 6:13), and seven bullocks and seven rams--a perfect sacrifice, at the close of the procession (
1Chr 16:1). It is probable that preparations had been made for the offering of similar sacrifices at regular intervals along the way.
27 a robe of fine linen--Hebrew, Butz--is rather supposed in the later books to denote cotton.
an ephod--a shoulder-garment, a cincture or cape over his dress. It was worn by the priests, but was not so peculiar to them as to be forbidden others (
1Sam 2:18;
1Sam 22:18).
29 Michal . . . saw . . . David dancing and playing--His movements would be slow and solemn, suitable to the grave and solemn character of the music. Though his royal robes were laid aside, he was attired like the other officials, showing a becoming humility in the immediate presence of God. The feelings manifested by Michal were only an ebullition of spleen from a proud and passionate woman.