Chronicles I 15

1 And made for himself houses in the city of David, and he prepared a place for the ark of God, and made a tent for it.
2 Then said David, It is not to bear the ark of God, but the Levites; for the Lord has chosen them to bear the ark of the Lord, and to minister to him for ever.
3 And David assembled all Israel at Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the Lord to the place which he prepared for it.
4 And David gathered together the sons of Aaron the Levites.
5 Of the sons of Caath; Uriel the chief, and his brethren, a hundred and twenty.
6 Of the sons of Merari; Asaia the chief, and his brethren, two hundred and twenty.
7 Of the sons of Gedson; Joel the chief, and his brethren, a hundred and thirty.
8 Of the sons of Elisaphat; Semei the chief, and his brethren, two hundred.
9 Of the sons of Chebrom; Eliel the chief, and his brethren eighty.
10 Of the sons of Oziel; Aminadab the chief, and his brethren a hundred and twelve.
11 And David called Sadoc and Abiathar the priests, and the Levites, Uriel, Asaia, and Joel, and Semaia, and Eliel, and Aminadab,
12 and said to them, Ye the heads of the families of the Levites: sanctify yourselves, you and your brethren, and ye shall carry up the ark of the God of Israel, which I have prepared for it.
13 For because ye were not at the first, our God made a breach upon us, because we sought him not according to the ordinance.
14 So the priests and the Levites sanctified themselves, to bring up the ark of the God of Israel.
15 And the sons of the Levites took the ark of God, (as Moses commanded by the word of God according to the scripture) upon their shoulders with staves.
16 And David said to the chiefs of the Levites, Set your brethren the singers with musical instruments, lutes, harps, and cymbals, to sound aloud with a voice of joy.
17 So the Levites appointed Aeman the son of Joel; Asaph the son of Barachias of his brethren; and Aethan the son of Kisaeus was of the sons of Merari their brethren;
18 and with them their brethren of the second rank, Zacharias, and Oziel, and Semiramoth, and Jeiel, and Elioel, and Eliab, and Banaia, and Maasaia, and Matthathia, and Eliphena, and Makellia, and Abdedom, and Jeiel, and Ozias, the porters.
19 And the singers, Aeman, Asaph, and Aethan, with brazen cymbals to make to be heard.
20 Zacharias, and Oziel, Semiramoth, Jeiel, Oni, Eliab, Maasaeas, Banaeas, with lutes, on alaemoth.
21 And Mattathias, and Eliphalu, and Makenia, and Abdedom, and Jeiel, and Ozias, with harps of Amasenith, to make a loud noise.
22 And Chonenia chief of the Levites master of the bands, because he was skilful.
23 And Barachia and Elcana door-keepers of the ark.
24 And Somnia, and Josaphat, and Nathanael, and Amasai, and Zacharia, and Banaea, and Eliezer, the priests, were sounding with trumpets before the ark of God: and Abdedom and Jeia door-keepers of the ark of God.
25 So David, and the elders of Israel, and the captains of thousands, went to bring up the ark of the covenant from the house of Abdedom with gladness.
26 And it came to pass when God strengthened the Levites bearing the ark of the covenant of the Lord, that they sacrificed seven calves and seven rams.
27 And David girt with a fine linen robe, and all the Levites bearing the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and the singers, and Chonenias the master of the band of singers; also upon David a robe of fine linen.
28 And all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the Lord with shouting, and with the sound of a horn, and with trumpets, and with cymbals, playing loudly on lutes and harps.
29 And the ark of the covenant of the Lord arrived, and came to the city of David; and Melchol the daughter of Saul looked down through the window, and saw king David dancing and playing: and she despised him in her heart.

Chronicles I 15 Commentary

Chapter 15

Preparations for the removal of the ark. (1-24) The removal of the ark. (25-29)

Verses 1-24 Wise and good men may be guilty of oversights, which they will correct, as soon as they are aware of them. David does not try to justify what had been done amiss, nor to lay the blame on others; but he owns himself guilty, with others, of not seeking God in due order

Verses 25-29 It is good to notice the assistance of Divine Providence, even in things which fall within the compass of our natural powers; if God did not help us, we could not stir a step. If we do our religious duties in any degree aright, we must own it was God that helped us; had we been left to ourselves, we should have been guilty of some fatal errors. And every thing in which we engage, must be done in dependence on the mercy of God through the sacrifice of the Redeemer.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO 1 CHRONICLES 15

David, having prepared a place for the ark of God, gathered the Israelites, Levites, and priests, to assist in the bringing of it up thereunto, 1Ch 15:1,13 and which was done in a very honourable and joyful manner, 1Ch 15:24-28, though David, for his behaviour, was despised by Michal his wife in her heart, 1Ch 15:29.

Chronicles I 15 Commentaries

The Brenton translation of the Septuagint is in the public domain.