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* “Ceremonially clean and pure”: following the religious rules and requirements. 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,† “Senior army commanders”: literally, “commanders of thousands.” 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.‡ “Ephod”: special clothing worn by priests. 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.