Preparing to Move the Ark
(2 Samuel 6:12–15)
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. 1Ch 16:1Psa 132:51Ch 15:31Ch 17:1-5Act 7:462Sa 13:7-82Sa 14:242Sa 5:9 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.” Deu 10:8Deu 31:9Num 18:1-8Jer 33:17-22Jos 3:3Num 4:19-20Num 4:2-15Num 8:13-14
And David assembled all Israel in Jerusalem to bring up the ark of the LORD to the place he had prepared for it. 1Ch 13:51Ki 8:11Ch 15:12Sa 6:122Sa 6:171Ch 15:12 Then he gathered together the descendants of Aaron and the Levites: 1Ch 6:16-301Ch 6:49-501Ch 12:26-28Exo 6:16-22Num 3:4
From the Kohathites, Uriel the chief and 120 of his relatives; 1Ch 6:22-24
from the Merarites, Asaiah the chief and 220 of his relatives; 1Ch 6:29-30
from the Gershomites, 1 Joel the chief and 130 of his relatives; 1Ch 15:111Ch 23:8
from the Elizaphanites, Shemaiah the chief and 200 of his relatives; Exo 6:22
from the Hebronites, Eliel the chief and 80 of his relatives; Exo 6:181Ch 23:121Ch 23:191Ch 26:231Ch 26:30-311Ch 6:2Num 26:58
and from the Uzzielites, Amminadab the chief and 112 of his relatives. 1Ch 23:121Ch 6:181Ch 6:22Exo 6:18Exo 6:22
David summoned the priests Zadok and Abiathar and the Levites Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel, and Amminadab. 1Ch 12:281Ki 2:351Sa 22:20-231Ch 18:161Ki 2:262Sa 15:24-292Sa 15:352Sa 20:25 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. 2Ch 35:61Ch 15:14Exo 19:14-15Rom 12:1-22Ch 30:151Ch 15:11Ch 15:31Ch 24:31 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.” 2Sa 6:31Co 14:401Co 11:21Jn 1:8-101Ch 13:7-111Ch 15:22Sa 6:7-8Deu 31:9
The Priests and Levites Carry the Ark
So the priests and Levites consecrated themselves to bring up the ark of the LORD, the God of Israel. 2Ch 29:152Ch 29:34Jol 2:16-17Lev 10:3 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. Num 4:15Num 7:91Ki 8:82Ch 5:9Exo 25:12-15Exo 37:3-5Exo 40:20Num 4:5-6
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. 1Ch 13:81Ch 16:421Ch 23:52Ch 5:13Neh 12:361Ch 15:121Ch 15:27-281Ch 25:1-6 So the Levites appointed Heman son of Joel; from his brothers, Asaph son of Berechiah; from their brothers the Merarites, Ethan son of Kushaiah; 1Ch 6:331Ch 6:391Ch 6:441Ch 15:191Ch 25:1-51Sa 8:2Psa 73:1Psa 83:1 and with them their brothers next in rank: Zechariah, 2Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, and the gatekeepers Obed-edom and Jeiel. 3 1Ch 26:41Ch 13:141Ch 16:381Ch 16:5-61Ch 25:2-61Ch 25:9-311Ch 26:151Ch 26:8
The musicians Heman, Asaph, and Ethan were to sound the bronze cymbals. 1Ch 25:61Ch 13:81Ch 15:161Ch 16:421Ch 16:51Ch 25:1Psa 150:5 Zechariah, Aziel, 4 Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah, and Benaiah were to play the harps according to Alamoth. 5 Psa 46:1-11 And Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah were to lead the music with lyres according to Sheminith. 6 1Ch 15:181Ch 16:51Ch 25:6-71Sa 10:5Psa 12:1Psa 150:3Psa 33:2Psa 6:1-10 Chenaniah the head Levite was the director of the music because he was highly skilled. 1Ch 15:161Ch 15:271Ch 25:7-8
Berechiah and Elkanah were to be guardians 7of the ark. 1Ch 9:21-232Ki 22:42Ki 25:18Psa 84:10 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. 1Ch 16:61Ch 15:28Num 10:81Ch 15:181Ch 15:232Ch 5:12-13Jol 2:1Jol 2:15
Moving the Ark to Jerusalem
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. 2Sa 6:12-231Ch 13:11-142Ch 20:27-28Ezr 6:16Mic 5:2Php 3:3Php 4:4Psa 100:1-2 And because God helped the Levites who were carrying the ark of the covenant of the LORD, they sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams. Num 23:291Ch 29:14Job 42:8Psa 66:13-151Sa 7:122Co 2:162Co 3:52Sa 6:13
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. 1Sa 2:182Sa 6:14 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. 1Ch 13:81Ch 15:162Ch 5:12-132Sa 6:15Ezr 3:10-11Psa 150:3-5Psa 47:1-5Psa 68:25
Michal’s Contempt for David
(2 Samuel 6:16)
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. 2Sa 6:20-232Sa 6:161Co 2:141Sa 18:27-281Sa 19:11-171Sa 25:441Sa 4:32Co 5:13