New Revised Standard NRS
The Bible in Basic English BBE
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.
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And David made houses for himself in the town of David; and he got ready a place for the ark of God, and put up 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.
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Then David said, The ark of God may not be moved by any but the Levites, for they have been marked out by God to take the ark of God, and to do his work for ever.
3 David assembled all Israel in Jerusalem to bring up the ark of the Lord to its place, which he had prepared for it.
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And David made all Israel come together at Jerusalem, to take the ark of the Lord to its place, which he had got ready for it.
4 Then David gathered together the descendants of Aaron and the Levites:
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And David got together the sons of Aaron, and the Levites;
5 of the sons of Kohath, Uriel the chief, with one hundred twenty of his kindred;
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Of the sons of Kohath: Uriel the chief, and his brothers, a hundred and twenty;
6 of the sons of Merari, Asaiah the chief, with two hundred twenty of his kindred;
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Of the sons of Merari: Asaiah the chief, and his brothers, two hundred and twenty;
7 of the sons of Gershom, Joel the chief, with one hundred thirty of his kindred;
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Of the sons of Gershom: Joel the chief, and his brothers, a hundred and thirty;
8 of the sons of Elizaphan, Shemaiah the chief, with two hundred of his kindred;
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Of the sons of Elizaphan: Shemaiah the chief, and his brothers, two hundred;
9 of the sons of Hebron, Eliel the chief, with eighty of his kindred;
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Of the sons of Hebron: Eliel the chief, and his brothers, eighty;
10 of the sons of Uzziel, Amminadab the chief, with one hundred twelve of his kindred.
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Of the sons of Uzziel: Amminadab the chief, and his brothers, a hundred and twelve.
11 David summoned the priests Zadok and Abiathar, and the Levites Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel, and Amminadab.
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And David sent for Zadok and Abiathar the priests, and for the Levites, Uriel, Asaiah and Joel, Shemaiah and 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.
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And said to them, You are the heads of the families of the Levites: make yourselves holy, you and your brothers, so that you may take the ark of the Lord, the God of Israel, to the place which I have made ready 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."
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For because you did not take it at the first, the Lord our God sent punishment on us, because we did not get directions from him in the right way.
14 So the priests and the Levites sanctified themselves to bring up the ark of the Lord, the God of Israel.
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So the priests and the Levites made themselves holy to take up the ark of the Lord, the God of Israel.
15 And the Levites carried the ark of God on their shoulders with the poles, as Moses had commanded according to the word of the Lord.
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And the sons of the Levites took up the ark of God, lifting it by its rods, as the Lord had said to Moses.
16 David also commanded the chiefs of the Levites to appoint their kindred as the singers to play on musical instruments, on harps and lyres and cymbals, to raise loud sounds of joy.
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And David gave orders to the chief of the Levites to put their brothers the music-makers in position, with instruments of music, corded instruments and brass, with glad voices making sounds of joy.
17 So the Levites appointed Heman son of Joel; and of his kindred Asaph son of Berechiah; and of the sons of Merari, their kindred, Ethan son of Kushaiah;
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So 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, were put in position by the Levites;
18 and with them their kindred of the second order, Zechariah, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, and Mikneiah, and the gatekeepers Obed-edom and Jeiel.
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And with them their brothers of the second order, Zechariah, Bani and Jaaziel and Shemiramoth and Jehiel and Unni, Eliab and Benaiah and Maaseiah and Mattithiah and Eliphelehu and Mikneiah, and Obed-edom and Jeiel, the door-keepers.
19 The singers Heman, Asaph, and Ethan were to sound bronze cymbals;
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So those who made melody, Heman, Asaph, and Ethan, were put in position, with brass instruments, sounding loudly;
20 Zechariah, Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah, and Benaiah were to play harps according to Alamoth;
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And Zechariah and Aziel and Shemiramoth and Jehiel, Unni and Eliab and Maaseiah and Benaiah, with corded instruments put to Alamoth.
21 but Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah were to lead with lyres according to the Sheminith.
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And Mattithiah and Eliphelehu and Mikneiah and Obed-edom and Jeiel and Azaziah, with corded instruments on the octave, to give the first note of the song.
22 Chenaniah, leader of the Levites in music, was to direct the music, for he understood it.
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And Chenaniah, chief of the Levites, was master of the music: he gave directions about the song, because he was expert.
23 Berechiah and Elkanah were to be gatekeepers for the ark.
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And Berechiah and Elkanah were door-keepers for the ark.
24 Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah, and Eliezer, the priests, were to blow the trumpets before the ark of God. Obed-edom and Jehiah also were to be gatekeepers for the ark.
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And Shebaniah and Joshaphat and Nethanel and Amasai and Zechariah and Benaiah and Eliezer, the priests, made music on the horns before the ark of God; and Obed-edom and Jehiah were door-keepers for the ark.
25 So David and the elders of Israel, and the commanders of the thousands, went to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord from the house of Obed-edom with rejoicing.
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So David, and the responsible men of Israel, and the captains over thousands, went with joy to get the ark of the agreement of the Lord out of the house of Obed-edom.
26 And because God helped the Levites who were carrying the ark of the covenant of the Lord, they sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams.
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And when God gave help to the Levites who were lifting up the ark of the agreement of the Lord, they made an offering of seven oxen and seven sheep.
27 David was clothed with a robe of fine linen, as also were all the Levites who were carrying the ark, and the singers, and Chenaniah the leader of the music of the singers; and David wore a linen ephod.
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And David was clothed with a robe of fair linen, as were all the Levites who took up the ark, and those who made melody, and Chenaniah the master of those who made melody; and David had on a linen ephod;
28 So all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the Lord with shouting, to the sound of the horn, trumpets, and cymbals, and made loud music on harps and lyres.
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So all Israel took up the ark of the agreement of the Lord, with loud cries and with horns and brass and corded instruments sounding loudly.
29 As the ark of the covenant of the Lord came to the city of David, Michal daughter of Saul looked out of the window, and saw King David leaping and dancing; and she despised him in her heart.
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And when the ark of the agreement of the Lord came into the town of David, Michal, the daughter of Saul, looking out of the window, saw King David dancing and playing; and to her mind he seemed foolish.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.