1 Chronicles 13; 1 Chronicles 14; 1 Chronicles 15

1 David talked with all the officers of his army, the commanders of a hundred men and the commanders of a thousand men.

2 Then David called the people of Israel together and said, "If you think it is a good idea, and if it is what the Lord our God wants, let's send a message. Let's tell our fellow Israelites in all the areas of Israel and the priests and Levites living with them in their towns and pastures to come and join us.

3 Let's bring the Ark of our God back to us. We did not use it to ask God for help while Saul was king."

4 All the people agreed with David, because they all thought it was the right thing to do.

5 So David gathered all the Israelites, from the Shihor River in Egypt to Lebo Hamath, to bring the Ark of God back from the town of Kiriath Jearim.

6 David and all the Israelites with him went to Baalah of Judah, which is Kiriath Jearim, to get the Ark of God the Lord. God's throne is between the golden, winged creatures on the Ark, and the Ark is called by his name.

7 The people carried the Ark of God from Abinadab's house on a new cart, and Uzzah and Ahio guided it.

8 David and all the Israelites were celebrating in the presence of God. With all their strength they were singing and playing lyres, harps, tambourines, cymbals, and trumpets.

9 When David's men came to the threshing floor of Kidon, the oxen stumbled, and Uzzah reached out his hand to steady the Ark.

10 The Lord was angry with Uzzah and killed him, because he had touched the Ark. So Uzzah died there in the presence of God.

11 David was angry because the Lord had punished Uzzah in his anger. Now that place is called The Punishment of Uzzah.

12 David was afraid of God that day and asked, "How can I bring the Ark of God home to me?"

13 So David did not take the Ark with him to Jerusalem. Instead, he took it to the house of Obed-Edom who was from Gath.

14 The Ark of God stayed with Obed-Edom's family in his house for three months, and the Lord blessed Obed-Edom's family and everything he owned.

1 Hiram king of the city of Tyre sent messengers to David. He also sent cedar logs, bricklayers, and carpenters to build a palace for David.

2 Then David knew that the Lord really had made him king of Israel and that he had made his kingdom great. The Lord did this because he loved his people Israel.

3 David married more women in Jerusalem and had more sons and daughters.

4 These are the names of David's children born in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon,

5 Ibhar, Elishua, Elpelet,

6 Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia,

7 Elishama, Beeliada, and Eliphelet.

8 When the Philistines heard that David had been made king of all Israel, they went to look for him. But David heard about it and went out to fight them.

9 The Philistines had attacked and robbed the people in the Valley of Rephaim.

10 David asked God, "Should I go and attack the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?" The Lord answered him, "Go, I will hand them over to you."

11 So David and his men went up to the town of Baal Perazim and defeated the Philistines. David said, "Like a flood of water, God has broken through my enemies by using me." So that place was named Baal Perazim.

12 The Philistines had left their idols there, so David ordered his men to burn them.

13 Soon the Philistines attacked the people in the valley again.

14 David prayed to God again, and God answered him, saying, "Don't attack the Philistines from the front. Instead, go around them and attack them in front of the balsam trees.

15 When you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, then attack. I, God, will have gone out before you to defeat the Philistine army."

16 David did as God commanded, and he and his men defeated the Philistine army all the way from Gibeon to Gezer.

17 So David became famous in all the countries, and the Lord made all nations afraid of him.

1 David built houses for himself in Jerusalem. Then he prepared a place for the Ark of God, and he set up a tent for it.

2 David said, "Only the Levites may carry the Ark of God. The Lord chose them to carry the Ark of the Lord and to serve him forever."

3 David called all the people of Israel to come to Jerusalem. He wanted to bring the Ark of the Lord to the place he had made for it.

4 David called together the descendants of Aaron and the Levites.

5 There were one hundred twenty people from Kohath's family group, with Uriel as their leader.

6 There were two hundred twenty people from Merari's family group, with Asaiah as their leader.

7 There were one hundred thirty people from Gershon's family group, with Joel as their leader.

8 There were two hundred people from Elizaphan's family group, with Shemaiah as their leader.

9 There were eighty people from Hebron's family group, with Eliel as their leader.

10 And there were one hundred twelve people from Uzziel's family group, with Amminadab as their leader.

11 Then David asked the priests Zadok and Abiathar and these Levites to come to him: Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel, and Amminadab.

12 David said to them, "You are the leaders of the families of Levi. You and the other Levites must give yourselves for service to the Lord. Bring up the Ark of the Lord, the God of Israel, to the place I have made for it.

13 The last time we did not ask the Lord how to carry it. You Levites didn't carry it, so the Lord our God punished us."

14 Then the priests and Levites prepared themselves for service to the Lord so they could carry the Ark of the Lord, the God of Israel.

15 The Levites used special poles to carry the Ark of God on their shoulders, as Moses had commanded, just as the Lord had said they should.

16 David told the leaders of the Levites to appoint their brothers as singers to play their lyres, harps, and cymbals and to sing happy songs.

17 So the Levites appointed Heman and his relatives Asaph and Ethan. Heman was Joel's son. Asaph was Berekiah's son. And Ethan, from the Merari family group, was Kushaiah's son.

18 There was also a second group of Levites: Zechariah, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, and Jeiel. They were the Levite guards.

19 The singers Heman, Asaph, and Ethan played bronze cymbals.

20 Zechariah, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah, and Benaiah played the lyres.

21 Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah played the harps.

22 The Levite leader Kenaniah was in charge of the singing, because he was very good at it.

23 Berekiah and Elkanah were two of the guards for the Ark of the Agreement.

24 The priests Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah, and Eliezer had the job of blowing trumpets in front of the Ark of God. Obed-Edom and Jehiah were also guards for the Ark.

25 David, the leaders of Israel, and the commanders of a thousand soldiers went to get the Ark of the Agreement with the Lord. They all went to bring the Ark from Obed-Edom's house with great joy.

26 Because God helped the Levites who carried the Ark of the Agreement with the Lord, they sacrificed seven bulls and seven male sheep.

27 All the Levites who carried the Ark, and Kenaniah, the man in charge of the singing, and all the singers wore robes of fine linen. David also wore a robe of fine linen and a holy vest of fine linen.

28 So all the people of Israel brought up the Ark of the Agreement with the Lord. They shouted, blew horns and trumpets, and played cymbals, lyres, and harps.

29 As the Ark of the Agreement with the Lord entered Jerusalem, Saul's daughter Michal watched from a window. When she saw King David dancing and celebrating, she hated him.