1
David 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.
2
Then David commanded that no one but the Levites were to carry the ark of God, for the Lord had chosen them to carry the ark of the Lord and to minister to him forever.
3
David assembled all Israel in Jerusalem to bring up the ark of the Lord to its place, which he had prepared for it.
4
Then David gathered together the descendants of Aaron and the Levites:
5
of the sons of Kohath, Uriel the chief, with one hundred twenty of his kindred;
6
of the sons of Merari, Asaiah the chief, with two hundred twenty of his kindred;
7
of the sons of Gershom, Joel the chief, with one hundred thirty of his kindred;
8
of the sons of Elizaphan, Shemaiah the chief, with two hundred of his kindred;
9
of the sons of Hebron, Eliel the chief, with eighty of his kindred;
10
of the sons of Uzziel, Amminadab the chief, with one hundred twelve of his kindred.
11
David summoned the priests Zadok and Abiathar, and the Levites Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel, and Amminadab.
12
He said to them, "You are the heads of families of the Levites; sanctify yourselves, you and your kindred, so that you may bring up the ark of the Lord, the God of Israel, to the place that I have prepared for it.
13
Because you did not carry it the first time, the Lord our God burst out against us, because we did not give it proper care."