1 Once David had finished building houses for himself in the City of David, he made a place for the Ark of God and set up a tent there. 2 Then he gave orders: “Nobody is to carry the Ark of God except the Levites, for the Lord himself chose them to carry the Ark of the Lord and to serve him forever.” 3 David summoned all of Israel to Jerusalem to bring the Ark of the Lord to the place he'd prepared for it. 4 This is the list of the Levites, the sons of Aaron, that David called to attend: 5 From the sons of Kohath, Uriel (chief), and 120 of his relatives; 6 from the sons of Merari, Asaiah (chief), with 220 of his relatives; 7 from the sons of Gershom, Joel (chief), with 130 of his relatives; 8 from the sons of Elizaphan, Shemaiah (chief), with 200 of his relatives; 9 from the sons of Hebron, Eliel (chief), with 80 of his relatives; 10 from the sons of Uzziel, Amminadab (chief), with 112 of his relatives. 11 Then David summoned the priests Zadok and Abiathar, and the Levites Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel, and Amminadab. 12 He told them, “You are the heads of the Levite families. You must make yourselves and your relatives ceremonially clean and pure before you bring back the Ark of God, the Lord of Israel to the place I have made for it. 13 Because you weren't there the first time to carry the Ark the Lord our God burst out in violence against us. We didn't treat it in accordance with his instructions.” 14 So the priests and the Levites purified themselves so that they could bring back the Ark of the Lord, the God of Israel. 15 Then the Levites carried the Ark of God in the way that Moses had ordered, according to what God had said—on their shoulders using the special carrying poles. 16 David also instructed the leaders of the Levites to assign from their relatives singers who would sing loudly for joy, accompanied by musicians playing lyres, and harps, and cymbals. 17 So the Levites assigned Heman the son of Joel; and from his relatives Asaph the son of Berechiah; and from the sons of Merari, their relatives, Ethan the son of Kushaiah. 18 The second group of Levites consisted of Zechariah, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, and Mikneiah; and the gatekeepers Obed-edom and Jeiel. 19 The musicians Heman, Asaph, and Ethan were to strike the bronze cymbals; 20 Zechariah, Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah, and Benaiah were to play harps “according to alamoth,” 21 while Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah were to lead the music with lyres “according to sheminith.” 22 Kenaniah, the leader of the Levites in singing, was chosen to lead the music because of his ability. 23 Berechiah and Elkanah were appointed to guard the Ark. 24 Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah, and Eliezer the priests were to blow the trumpets in front of the Ark of God. Obed-edom and Jehiah were also appointed to guard the Ark. 25 Then David, the elders of Israel, and the senior army commanders, went with great celebration to bring back the Ark of the Lord's Agreement from the home of Obed-Edom. 26 Because God helped the Levites who carried the Ark of the Lord's Agreement, they sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams. 27 David wore a robe of fine linen like all the Levites who were carrying the Ark, and the singers and Kenaniah the leader of the music and singers. David also wore a linen ephod. 28 So all of Israel brought back the Ark of the Lord's Agreement with a lot of shouting, accompanied by horns, trumpets, and cymbals, and music played on harps and lyres. 29 But as Ark of the Lord's Agreement entered the City of David, Saul's daughter Michal looked down from a window. Seeing David the king jumping and dancing for joy, she was full of contempt for him.
1 Chronicles · Free Bible Version
1 Chronicles 15 Free Bible Version
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
People & places in this chapter
From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.
People
Amasai
One of seven priests appointed to blow trumpets before the ark of God.
Cited in the guide: 1 Chronicles 15:24
Amminadab
Chief of the Uzzielites with 112 relatives, summoned to bring up the ark.
Cited in the guide: 1 Chronicles 15:10; 1 Chronicles 15:11
Asaiah
Chief of the Merarites with 220 relatives, summoned with the priests to bring up the ark.
Cited in the guide: 1 Chronicles 15:6; 1 Chronicles 15:11
Asaph
A Gershonite Levite and singer, son of Berechiah, Heman's kinsman who served at his right hand among the men David put in charge of the music in the house of the LORD.
Cited in the guide: 1 Chronicles 6:39; 1 Chronicles 9:15; 1 Chronicles 15:17
Azaziah
Among the Levites appointed to lead the music with lyres according to Sheminith.
Cited in the guide: 1 Chronicles 15:21
Benaiah
Among the Levite singers appointed to play harps according to Alamoth.
Cited in the guide: 1 Chronicles 15:18; 1 Chronicles 15:20; 1 Chronicles 16:5
Benaiah
A priest who blew the trumpets regularly before the ark of the covenant, together with Jahaziel.
Cited in the guide: 1 Chronicles 15:24; 1 Chronicles 16:6
Berechiah
Appointed with Elkanah to be a guardian of the ark.
Cited in the guide: 1 Chronicles 15:23
Berechiah
Berechiah is named as the son of Shimea in Asaph's Gershonite ancestry (1 Chronicles 6:39-43).
Cited in the guide: 1 Chronicles 6:39; 1 Chronicles 15:17
Eliab
Among the Levite singers appointed to play harps according to Alamoth.
Cited in the guide: 1 Chronicles 15:18; 1 Chronicles 15:20; 1 Chronicles 16:5
Eliel
Chief of the Hebronites with 80 relatives, summoned to bring up the ark.
Cited in the guide: 1 Chronicles 15:9; 1 Chronicles 15:11
Eliezer
One of seven priests appointed to blow trumpets before the ark of God.
Cited in the guide: 1 Chronicles 15:24
Eliphelehu
Among the Levite singers appointed to lead with lyres according to Sheminith.
Cited in the guide: 1 Chronicles 15:18; 1 Chronicles 15:21
Elkanah
Appointed with Berechiah to be a guardian of the ark.
Cited in the guide: 1 Chronicles 15:23
Ethan
A Merarite Levite and singer, son of Kishi, whose kinsmen stood on the left of Heman and Asaph among the singers David appointed.
Cited in the guide: 1 Chronicles 6:44; 1 Chronicles 15:17; 1 Chronicles 15:19
Heman
A Kohathite Levite and singer, son of Joel and grandson of Samuel, among the men David put in charge of the music in the house of the LORD; his kinsman Asaph served at his right…
Cited in the guide: 1 Chronicles 6:33; 1 Chronicles 15:17; 1 Chronicles 15:19
Jaaziel
Listed among the brothers appointed as singers in 15:18; the harp list in 15:20 gives the name as Aziel.
Cited in the guide: 1 Chronicles 15:18; 1 Chronicles 15:20
Jehiah
Appointed with Obed-edom to be a guardian of the ark.
Cited in the guide: 1 Chronicles 15:24
Jehiel
Among the Levite singers appointed to play harps according to Alamoth.
Cited in the guide: 1 Chronicles 15:18; 1 Chronicles 15:20; 1 Chronicles 16:5
Jeiel
Named with Obed-edom as a gatekeeper and among those appointed to lead with lyres; listed again in the ministry before the ark.
Cited in the guide: 1 Chronicles 15:18; 1 Chronicles 15:21; 1 Chronicles 16:5
Joel
Chief of the Gershomites with 130 relatives, summoned to bring up the ark.
Cited in the guide: 1 Chronicles 15:7; 1 Chronicles 15:11
Joshaphat
One of seven priests appointed to blow trumpets before the ark of God.
Cited in the guide: 1 Chronicles 15:24
Kishi
Kishi is named as the son of Abdi in Ethan's Merarite ancestry (1 Chronicles 6:44-47).
Cited in the guide: 1 Chronicles 6:44; 1 Chronicles 15:17
Maaseiah
Among the Levite singers appointed to play harps according to Alamoth.
Cited in the guide: 1 Chronicles 15:18; 1 Chronicles 15:20
Mattithiah
Among the Levite singers appointed to lead with lyres according to Sheminith.
Cited in the guide: 1 Chronicles 15:18; 1 Chronicles 15:21; 1 Chronicles 16:5
Mikneiah
Among the Levite singers appointed to lead with lyres according to Sheminith.
Cited in the guide: 1 Chronicles 15:18; 1 Chronicles 15:21
Nethanel
One of seven priests appointed to blow trumpets before the ark of God.
Cited in the guide: 1 Chronicles 15:24
Shebaniah
One of seven priests appointed to blow trumpets before the ark of God.
Cited in the guide: 1 Chronicles 15:24
Shemaiah
Chief of the Elizaphanites with 200 relatives, summoned to bring up the ark.
Cited in the guide: 1 Chronicles 15:8; 1 Chronicles 15:11
Shemiramoth
Among the Levite singers appointed to play harps according to Alamoth.
Cited in the guide: 1 Chronicles 15:18; 1 Chronicles 15:20; 1 Chronicles 16:5
Unni
Among the Levite singers appointed to play harps according to Alamoth.
Cited in the guide: 1 Chronicles 15:18; 1 Chronicles 15:20
Uriel
Chief of the Kohathites with 120 relatives; David summoned him to consecrate the Levites for bringing up the ark.
Cited in the guide: 1 Chronicles 15:5; 1 Chronicles 15:11
Zechariah
Among the brothers of Heman, Asaph and Ethan, appointed to play harps according to Alamoth; second in rank under Asaph when the ministry before the ark began.
Cited in the guide: 1 Chronicles 15:18; 1 Chronicles 15:20; 1 Chronicles 16:5
Zechariah
One of seven priests appointed to blow trumpets before the ark of God.
Cited in the guide: 1 Chronicles 15:24
Cross references (29)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 1 Chronicles 16:1; Psalm 132:5; Acts 7:46; 1 Chronicles 15:3; 1 Chronicles 17:1–5
- 2 Deuteronomy 10:8; Deuteronomy 31:9; Numbers 18:1–8; Joshua 3:3; Numbers 8:24–26
- 3 1 Chronicles 13:5; 1 Kings 8:1; 2 Samuel 6:12; 1 Chronicles 15:1; 2 Samuel 6:17
- 4 1 Chronicles 6:16–30; 1 Chronicles 6:49–50; Exodus 6:16–22; Numbers 3:4; 1 Chronicles 12:26–28
- 5 1 Chronicles 6:22–24
- 6 1 Chronicles 6:29–30
- 7 1 Chronicles 15:11; 1 Chronicles 23:8
- 8 Exodus 6:22
- 9 Exodus 6:18; 1 Chronicles 26:30–31; 1 Chronicles 23:19; 1 Chronicles 26:23; 1 Chronicles 23:12
- 10 1 Chronicles 6:22; Exodus 6:22; 1 Chronicles 6:18; Exodus 6:18; 1 Chronicles 23:12
- 11 1 Chronicles 12:28; 1 Kings 2:35; 1 Samuel 22:20–23; 2 Samuel 20:25; 2 Samuel 8:17
- 12 2 Chronicles 35:6; Exodus 19:14–15; 1 Chronicles 15:14; Romans 12:1–2; 2 Chronicles 30:15
- 13 2 Samuel 6:3; 1 Corinthians 14:40; 1 Corinthians 11:2; 1 John 1:8–10; 2 Samuel 6:7–8
- 14 2 Chronicles 29:34; Leviticus 10:3; 2 Chronicles 29:15; Joel 2:16–17
- 15 Numbers 4:15; Numbers 7:9; Exodus 40:20; Exodus 25:12–15; Exodus 37:3–5
- 16 1 Chronicles 13:8; 1 Chronicles 16:42; 1 Chronicles 23:5; 2 Chronicles 5:13; Nehemiah 12:36
- 17 1 Chronicles 6:39; 1 Chronicles 6:33; 1 Chronicles 6:44; 1 Chronicles 15:19; 1 Samuel 8:2
- 18 1 Chronicles 26:4; 1 Chronicles 26:8; 1 Chronicles 25:9–31; 1 Chronicles 25:2–6; 1 Chronicles 13:14
- 19 1 Chronicles 25:6; 1 Chronicles 13:8; 1 Chronicles 16:42; 1 Chronicles 16:5; 1 Chronicles 15:16
- 20 Psalm 46:1–11
- 21 1 Chronicles 15:18; Psalm 150:3; Psalm 81:1–2; Psalm 92:3; Psalm 6:1–10
- 22 1 Chronicles 15:16; 1 Chronicles 15:27; 1 Chronicles 25:7–8
- 23 2 Kings 22:4; 2 Kings 25:18; Psalm 84:10; 1 Chronicles 9:21–23
- 24 1 Chronicles 16:6; 1 Chronicles 15:28; Numbers 10:8; 1 Chronicles 15:18; Joel 2:1
- 25 2 Samuel 6:12–23; Ezra 6:16; Micah 5:2; Philippians 3:3; 2 Chronicles 20:27–28
- 26 Numbers 23:29; Job 42:8; Psalm 66:13–15; 1 Chronicles 29:14; Ezekiel 45:23
- 27 2 Samuel 6:14; 1 Samuel 2:18
- 28 1 Chronicles 13:8; 1 Chronicles 15:16; 2 Chronicles 5:12–13; 2 Samuel 6:15; Psalm 150:3–5
- 29 2 Samuel 6:20–23; 2 Samuel 6:16; 2 Samuel 3:13–14; Psalm 69:7–9; Psalm 30:11
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences