1 Un viņš pats sev uzcēla namus Dāvida pilsētā, un viņš sataisīja vietu Dieva šķirstam un izpleta pār to telti. 2 Tad Dāvids sacīja: "Neviens nedrīkst nest Dieva šķirstu kā vien levīti, jo Tas Kungs viņus ir izraudzījis, lai viņi nes Dieva šķirstu un kalpo Viņam mūžīgi!" 3 Tad Dāvids sapulcināja visu Israēlu Jeruzālemē, lai nonestu Dieva šķirstu tam paredzētā vietā, ko viņš tam bija uzcēlis. 4 Un Dāvids sapulcināja Ārona dēlus un levītus: 5 no Kehata dēliem vadoni Ūriēlu un viņa brāļus - simts divdesmit; 6 no Merārija dēliem vadoni Asaju un viņa brāļus - divi simti divdesmit; 7 no Geršoma dēliem vadoni Joēlu un viņa brāļus - simts trīsdesmit; 8 no Ēlisafana dēliem vadoni Šemaju un viņa brāļus - divi simti; 9 no Hebrona dēliem vadoni Ēliēlu un viņa brāļus - astoņdesmit; 10 no Usiēla dēliem vadoni Aminādabu un viņa brāļus - simts divpadsmit. 11 Un Dāvids aicināja priesterus Cadoku un Abjataru un levītus Ūriēlu, Asaju, Joēlu, Šemaju, Ēliēlu un Aminādabu. 12 Un viņš tiem sacīja: "Jūs esat levītu tēvu namu galvenie; svētījieties paši, un arī lai jūsu brāļi svētījas, ka jūs atnestu Tā Kunga, Israēla Dieva, šķirstu un noliktu tai vietā, kuru es tam esmu sataisījis. 13 Jo toreiz jūs nebijāt klāt, kad Tas Kungs, mūsu Dievs, izlauza robu mūsu vidū, jo mēs, kā pienākas, nemeklējām Viņu." 14 Tad priesteri un levīti svētījās, lai uznestu Tā Kunga, Israēla Dieva, šķirstu kalnā. 15 Un levītu dēli nesa šķirstu, kā Mozus bija pavēlējis pēc Tā Kunga vārda - ar kārtīm uz saviem pleciem. 16 Un Dāvids pavēlēja levītu vadoņiem, lai viņi izrauga savus brāļus dziedātājus ar mūzikas instrumentiem - cītarām, arfām, cimbālēm un zvaniņiem, kas lai tālu skandina svētku prieku. 17 Tad levīti izraudzīja Heimanu, Joēla dēlu, un no viņa brāļiem Asafu, Berehjas dēlu, un no Merārija brāļiem, Ētanu, Kušajas dēlu; 18 un līdz ar viņiem otras pakāpes brāļus - Zaharju, Jaāsiēlu, Šemiramotu, Jehiēlu, Unniju, Ēliābu, Benaju, Maāseju, Matitju, Ēlifeleju, Mikneju, kā arī Obed-Edomu un Jeiēlu, kas bija vārtu sargi. 19 Un dziedātāji Heimans, Asafs un Ētans skandināja vara cimbāles; 20 bet Zaharja, Usiēls, Šemiramots, Jehiēls, Unnijs, Ēliābs, Maāseja un Benaja, arfas spēlēdami, dziedāja augstā balsī; 21 bet Matitjam, Ēlifelehum, Miknejam, Obed-Edomam, Jehiēlam un Azasjam bija jāpavada dziedājums ar astoņu stīgu cītarām un pašiem jādzied zemā balsī. 22 Un levītu vadonis Kenanja vadīja dziedāšanu, jo viņš to prata. 23 Bet Berehja un Ēlkana bija šķirsta vārtu sargi. 24 Un Šebanja, Jošafāts, Netaneēls, Amasajs, Zaharja, Benaja un Ēliēzers, kas bija priesteri, pūta taures Dieva šķirsta priekšā, bet Obed-Edoms un Jehija bija šķirsta vārtu sargi. 25 Un tā Dāvids ar Israēla vecajiem un ar virsniekiem pār tūkstoti nogāja kājām, lai šķirstu ar Tā Kunga derības likumiem no Obed-Edoma nama ar gavilēm uznestu kalnā. 26 Un, kad Dievs palīdzēja levītiem, kas nesa Tā Kunga derības šķirstu, tad viņi upurēja kā kaujamo upuri septiņus vēršus un septiņus aunus. 27 Un Dāvids bija tērpies tīra audekla virsvalkā - un tāpat arī visi levīti, kuri nesa šķirstu, un dziedātāji un viņu vadonis Kenanja; bet Dāvids bija apņēmis pāri virsvalkam vēl linu efodu. 28 Un viss Israēls nesa augšā Tā Kunga derības šķirstu ar skaļu gavilēšanu, ar bazūņu un tauru skaņām un ar cimbālēm, ar arfām un cītarām, kas skanēja tālu. 29 Un, kad Tā Kunga derības šķirsts ar derības likumiem nonāca Dāvida pilsētā, tad Mihala, Saula meita, skatījās laukā pa logu un redzēja ķēniņu Dāvidu, kā tas lēkāja un dejoja, un viņa savā sirdī to nonicināja.
David Gets Ready To Bring the Sacred Chest to Jerusalem
1 David had several buildings built in Jerusalem, and he had a tent set up where the sacred chest would be kept. 2 He said, “Only Levites will be allowed to carry the chest, because the Lord has chosen them to do that work and to serve him forever.”
3 Next, David invited everyone to come to Jerusalem and watch the sacred chest being carried to the place he had set up for it. 4 He also sent for Aaron's descendants and for the Levites. The Levites that came were: 5 Uriel, the leader of the Kohath clan, and 120 of his relatives; 6 Asaiah, the leader of the Merari clan, and 220 of his relatives; 7 Joel, the leader of the Gershon clan, and 130 of his relatives; 8 Shemaiah, the leader of the Elizaphan clan, and 200 of his relatives; 9 Eliel, the leader of the Hebron clan, and 80 of his relatives; and 10 Amminadab, the leader of the Uzziel clan, with 112 of his relatives.
11 David called together these six Levites and the two priests, Zadok and Abiathar. 12 He said to them, “You are the leaders of the clans in the Levi tribe. You and your relatives must first go through the ceremony to make yourselves clean and acceptable to the Lord. Then you may carry the sacred chest that belongs to the Lord God of Israel and bring it to the place I have prepared for it. 13 The first time we tried to bring the chest to Jerusalem, we didn't ask the Lord what he wanted us to do. He was angry with us, because you Levites weren't there to carry the chest.”
14 The priests and the Levites made themselves clean. They were now ready to carry the sacred chest 15 on poles that rested on their shoulders, just as the Lord had told Moses to do.
16 David then told the leaders to choose some Levites to sing and play music on small harps, other stringed instruments, and cymbals. 17-21 The men chosen to play the cymbals were Heman the son of Joel, his relative Asaph the son of Berechiah, and Ethan the son of Kushaiah from the Merari clan. Some of their assistants played the smaller harps: they were Zechariah, Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah, and Benaiah. Others played the larger harps: they were Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Azaziah, and two of the temple guards, Obed-Edom and Jeiel.
22 Chenaniah was chosen to be the music director, because he was a skilled musician.
23-24 Four Levites were then appointed to guard the sacred chest. They were Berechiah, Elkanah, Obed-Edom, and Jehiah.
Finally, David chose priests to walk in front of the sacred chest and blow trumpets. They were Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah, and Eliezer.
The Sacred Chest Is Brought to Jerusalem
(2 Samuel 6.12-22)
25 David, the leaders of Israel, and the army commanders were very happy as they went to Obed-Edom's house to get the sacred chest. 26 God gave the Levites the strength they needed to carry the chest, and so they sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams.
27 David, the Levites, Chenaniah the music director, and all the musicians were wearing linen robes, and David was also wearing a linen cloth. 28 While the sacred chest was being carried into Jerusalem, everyone was celebrating by shouting and playing music on horns, trumpets, cymbals, harps, and other stringed instruments.
29 Saul's daughter Michal looked out her window and watched the chest being brought into David's City. But when she saw David jumping and dancing in honor of the Lord, she was disgusted.