1 David constructed buildings 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 said, “No one but the Levites may carry the ark of God, because the LORD has chosen them to carry the ark of the LORD and to minister before Him forever.” 3 And David assembled all Israel in Jerusalem to bring up the ark of the LORD to the place he had prepared for it. 4 Then he gathered together the descendants of Aaron and the Levites: 5 From the Kohathites, Uriel the chief and 120 of his relatives; 6 from the Merarites, Asaiah the chief and 220 of his relatives; 7 from the Gershomites, Joel the chief and 130 of his relatives; 8 from the Elizaphanites, Shemaiah the chief and 200 of his relatives; 9 from the Hebronites, Eliel the chief and 80 of his relatives; 10 and from the Uzzielites, Amminadab the chief and 112 of his relatives. 11 David summoned the priests Zadok and Abiathar and the Levites Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel, and Amminadab. 12 And he said to them, “You are the heads of the Levitical families. You and your relatives must consecrate yourselves so that you may bring the ark of the LORD, the God of Israel, to the place I have prepared for it. 13 It was because you Levites were not with us the first time that the LORD our God burst forth in anger against us. For we did not consult Him about the proper order.” 14 So the priests and Levites consecrated themselves to bring 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 in accordance with the word of the LORD. 16 David also told the leaders of the Levites to appoint their relatives as singers to lift up their voices with joy, accompanied by musical instruments—harps, lyres, and cymbals. 17 So the Levites appointed Heman son of Joel; from his brothers, Asaph son of Berechiah; from their brothers the Merarites, Ethan son of Kushaiah; 18 and with them their brothers next in rank: Zechariah, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, and the gatekeepers Obed-edom and Jeiel. 19 The musicians Heman, Asaph, and Ethan were to sound the bronze cymbals. 20 Zechariah, Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah, and Benaiah were to play the harps according to Alamoth. 21 And Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah were to lead the music with lyres according to Sheminith. 22 Chenaniah the head Levite was the director of the music because he was highly skilled. 23 Berechiah and Elkanah were to be guardians of 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 were also to be guardians of the ark. 25 So David, the elders of Israel, and the commanders of thousands went with rejoicing to bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD from 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. 27 Now David was dressed in a robe of fine linen, as were all the Levites who were carrying the ark, as well as the singers and Chenaniah, the director of music for the singers. David also wore a linen ephod. 28 So all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the LORD with shouting, with the sounding of rams’ horns and trumpets, and with cymbals and the music of harps and lyres. 29 As the ark of the covenant of the LORD was entering the City of David, Saul’s daughter Michal looked down from a window and saw King David dancing and celebrating, and she despised him in her heart.
1 Chronicles · Majority Standard Bible
1 Chronicles 15 Majority Standard Bible
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
Chenaniah
The head Levite who directed the music because he was highly skilled.
Cited in the guide: 1 Chronicles 15:22; 1 Chronicles 15:27
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