1 Chronicles 15 Cross References - LEB

¹ And David built houses for himself in the city of David, and he established a place for the ark of God. And he pitched a tent for it. ² Then David ordered that none except the Levites should carry the ark of God, for Yahweh had chosen them to carry the ark of Yahweh and to serve him forever. ³ And David gathered all Israel to Jerusalem to bring up the ark of Yahweh to its place that he had established for it. ⁴ And David gathered the sons of Aaron and the Levites. ⁵ Of the sons of Kohath: Uriel the chief and one hundred and twenty of his brothers. ⁶ Of the sons of Merari: Asaiah the chief and two hundred and twenty of his brothers. ⁷ Of the sons of Gershom: Joel the chief and one hundred and thirty of his brothers. ⁸ Of the sons of Elizaphan: Shemaiah the chief and two hundred of his brothers. ⁹ Of the sons of Hebron: Eliel the chief and eighty of his brothers. ¹⁰ Of the sons of Uzziel: Amminadab the chief and one hundred and twelve of his brothers. ¹¹ Then David summoned Zadok and Abiathar the priests, and the Levites Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel, and Amminadab. ¹² And he said to them, "You are the heads of the _⌊families_⌋* for the Levites. Sanctify yourselves and your brothers and bring up the ark of Yahweh, the God of Israel, to the place I have established for it. ¹³ Because the first time you did not, and Yahweh our God burst out against us, for we did not care for it according to the law." ¹⁴ Then the priests and the Levites sanctified themselves to bring up the ark of Yahweh, the God of Israel. ¹⁵ And the sons of the Levites carried the ark of God according to what Moses commanded, according to the word of Yahweh, on their shoulders with the carrying poles upon them. ¹⁶ Then David ordered the chiefs of the Levites to appoint their brothers as singers with instruments of song, musical instruments, stringed instruments, and cymbals, _⌊raising their voices for joy_⌋.* ¹⁷ So the Levites appointed Heman son of Joel, and from his brothers, Asaph the son of Berekiah, and from the sons of Merari, their brothers, Ethan the son of Kushaiah; ¹⁸ and with them their brothers of the second rank, Zechariah the son, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, and the gatekeepers Obed-Edom and Jeiel. ¹⁹ Now the singers, Heman, Asaph, and Ethan, were to sound bronze cymbals; ²⁰ Zechariah, Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah, and Benaiah were to play on harps according to Alamoth; ²¹ and Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah were to play lyres, directing according to the Sheminith. ²² And Kenaniah, chief of the Levites in singing, was to be an instructor in singing because he understood. ²³ And Berekiah and Elkanah were gatekeepers for the ark. ²⁴ And Shebaniah, Jehoshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah, and Elizezer the priests _⌊sounded the trumpets_⌋* before the ark of God. And Obed-Edom and Jehiah were gatekeepers for the ark. ²⁵ And it happened that David and the elders of Israel and the commanders of thousands went to bring up the ark of the covenant of Yahweh from the house of Obed-Edom with joy. ²⁶ And it happened that when God helped the Levites carrying the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, they sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams. ²⁷ Now David was clothed with a robe of fine linen; so also all the Levites who were carrying the ark, the singers, and Kenaniah the chief of the singing. And David wore a linen ephod. ²⁸ And all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of Yahweh with shouting, with the sound of a shofar,* and with trumpets and cymbals, making loud music with musical instruments and stringed instruments. ²⁹ And when the ark of the covenant of Yahweh came into the city of David, then Michal the daughter of Saul looked down from the window and saw the king, David, leaping and dancing. And she despised him in her heart.

⁹ David occupied the fortress and called it the city of David. And David built all around it from the Millo and _⌊inward_⌋.*

⁷ So David sent to the house for Tamar, saying, "Please go to the house of Amnon your brother and prepare food for him." ⁸ Tamar went to the house of Amnon her brother. Now he was lying down, and she took the dough and kneaded it and made cakes before his eyes, and she baked the cakes.

²⁴ The king said, "Let him go over to his house, and he may not see my face." So Absalom went over to his house, and did not see the face of the king.

³ And David gathered all Israel to Jerusalem to bring up the ark of Yahweh to its place that he had established for it.

¹ And they brought the ark of God and set it inside the tent that David had pitched for it. And they offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings before God.

¹ And as David lived in his house, David said to Nathan the prophet, "Look, I live in a house of cedar, but the ark of the covenant of Yahweh is under tent curtains." ² And Nathan said to David, "Whatever is in your heart, do, for God is with you." ³ And it happened that same night the word of God came to Nathan, saying, ⁴ "Go and say to David my servant, 'Thus says Yahweh, "You are not to build a house for me to live in, ⁵ for I have not lived in a house from the day that I brought out Israel unto this day. I have been from tent to tent and from tabernacle to tabernacle.

⁵ until I find a place for Yahweh, a dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob."

⁴⁶ who found favor in the sight of God and asked to find a habitation for the God of Jacob.*

² "_⌊Take a census_⌋* of the descendants* of Kohath from the midst of the descendants* of Levi, according to their clans and _⌊their families_⌋,* ³ from _⌊thirty years old_⌋* and above, up to _⌊fifty years old_⌋,* everyone who comes to the service to do the work in the tent of assembly. ⁴ This is the work of the descendants* of Kohath in the tent of assembly, concerning the holiness of the sanctuary: ⁵ When setting out the camp, Aaron and his sons will go and lower the curtain of the covering and cover with it the ark of the testimony.* ⁶ They will put on it a covering of _⌊fine leather_⌋,* and they will spread a cloth of perfect blue over it, and they will place its poles. ⁷ And over the table of the presence they will spread out a blue cloth and put on it the plates, dishes, and libation bowls, and the pitchers of the libation; and the bread of continuity will be on it. ⁸ They will spread over it a scarlet cloth, and they will cover it with a covering of _⌊fine leather_⌋,* and they will place its poles. ⁹ They will take a blue cloth and cover the lampstand for the light source, its lamps, a pair of its tongs, its small pans, and all the vessels of its oil with which they attend to it. ¹⁰ They will put it and all its vessels inside a covering of _⌊fine leather_⌋* and put it on the carrying frame. ¹¹ Over the altar of gold they will spread a blue cloth, and they will cover it with a covering of _⌊fine leather_⌋* and place its poles. ¹² They will take all the vessels of the cultic service with which they serve in the sanctuary and put them on a blue cloth, and they will cover them with a covering of _⌊fine leather_⌋;* and they will put them on the carrying frame. ¹³ They will remove the fat-soaked ashes from the altar and spread a purple cloth over it; ¹⁴ they will put on it all the vessels with which they serve, the fire pans, forks, shovels, and bowls—all the vessels of the altar. They will spread on it a covering of _⌊fine leather_⌋;* and they will place its poles. ¹⁵ And when Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary and all the vessels of the sanctuary when the camp sets out, the descendants* of Kohath will come after to carry these, but they must not touch the sanctuary, or they will die. These are the load of the descendants* of Kohath in the tent of assembly.

¹⁹ Do this to them and they will live and not die when they come near the most holy things. Aaron and his sons will go and appoint them, each one to his task and burden. ²⁰ But they must not go and look _⌊for a moment_⌋* at the holy objects."

⁹ But to the descendants* of Kohath he did not give anything because the work of the sanctuary they carried upon them on their shoulders.*

¹³ And you will present the Levites _⌊before_⌋* Aaron and _⌊before_⌋* his sons, and he _⌊will offer_⌋* them as a wave offering to Yahweh. ¹⁴ "And you will separate the Levites from the midst of the _⌊Israelites_⌋,* and the Levites will be for me.

²⁴ "This is what is for the Levites: _⌊those twenty-five years old_⌋* and above will* come to help with the service in the work of the tent of assembly; ²⁵ and _⌊those fifty years old_⌋* will* return from the service of the work and will serve no longer. ²⁶ They* can attend* their brothers in the tent of assembly to keep their responsibilities, but they* will not do work. This is what you will do concerning the Levities and their responsibilities."

¹ Yahweh said to Aaron, "You, your sons, and your family with you will bear the guilt of the sanctuary, and you and your sons with you will bear the guilt of your priesthood. ² Moreover, bring your brothers with you, the tribe of Levi the tribe of your father, that they may be joined to you and minister to you, you and your sons with you before the tent of testimony. ³ They will keep your responsibility and the responsibility of all the tent, only they may not come near the vessels of the sanctuary and the altar, so both you and they will not die. ⁴ They will be joined to you, and they will keep the responsibility of the tent of assembly for the entire service of the tent; a stranger may not come near you. ⁵ You will keep the responsibility of the sanctuary and the responsibility of the altar, and there will no longer be wrath on the _⌊Israelites_⌋.* ⁶ Look, I myself have chosen your brothers the Levites from the midst of the children. They are a gift to you given from Yahweh to perform the work of the tent of assembly. ⁷ But you with your sons will keep your priesthood to perform your priestly duties for everything at the altar* and for _⌊the area behind the curtain_⌋.* I give you the priesthood as a gift, but the stranger who approaches will be put to death." ⁸ Yahweh spoke to Aaron, "Behold, I myself have given to you the responsibility of my contributions for all the holy objects of the _⌊Israelites_⌋;* I have given them as a portion to you and your sons as an eternal decree.

⁸ At that time Yahweh set apart the tribe of Levi to carry the ark of the covenant of Yahweh to stand _⌊before_⌋* Yahweh, to serve him and to bless the people in his name until this day.

⁹ So Moses wrote this law, and he gave it to the priests, the descendants* of Levi, the ones carrying the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, and to all the elders of Israel.

³ and they commanded the people: "When you see the Levitical priests carrying the ark of the covenant of Yahweh your God you must set out from your place and go after it.

⁶ So Joshua son of Nun summoned the priests and said to them, "Take up the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests carry the trumpets of the rams' horns before the ark of Yahweh."

³ And he said to the Levites who were teaching all Israel, who were sanctified to Yahweh, "Put the holy ark in the house which Solomon the son of David, king of Israel, built. There is no need to carry it on your shoulders. Now serve Yahweh your God and his people Israel.

²¹ And indeed, I will take some of them as priests and the Levites," says Yahweh.

¹⁷ For thus says Yahweh: 'A man who sits on the throne of the house of Israel will not be cut off for David. ¹⁸ And for the priests, a man from the Levites who offers burnt offerings* and who burns grain offerings* and who brings sacrifices* will not be cut off _⌊before me_⌋* _⌊forever_⌋.'"* ¹⁹ And the word of Yahweh came to Jeremiah, _⌊saying_⌋,* ²⁰ "Thus says Yahweh: 'If you could break my covenant with the day, and my covenant with the night, so that day and night would not come at their time, ²¹ then my covenant could be broken with David my servant, from _⌊having_⌋* a son who could rule on his throne, and with the Levites, the priests, my ministers. ²² As the host of heaven cannot be counted, and the sand of the sea cannot be measured, so I will make numerous the offspring of David my servant and the Levites who minister to me.'"

¹² It was told to King David, "Yahweh has blessed the household of Obed-Edom and all that is his because of the ark of God." So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the city of David with jubilation.

¹⁷ They brought the ark of Yahweh and set it in its place in the middle of the tent which David had pitched for it. Then David offered up burnt offerings and fellowship offerings in the presence of Yahweh.

¹ At that time, Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, all the heads of the tribes, and the leaders of the _⌊families_⌋* of the _⌊Israelites_⌋* before King Solomon, in order to bring up the ark of the covenant of Yahweh from the city of David, that is, Zion.

⁵ And David summoned all Israel from Shihor of Egypt up to Lebo-Hamath to bring the ark of God from Kiriath-Jearim.

¹ And David built houses for himself in the city of David, and he established a place for the ark of God. And he pitched a tent for it.

¹² And he said to them, "You are the heads of the _⌊families_⌋* for the Levites. Sanctify yourselves and your brothers and bring up the ark of Yahweh, the God of Israel, to the place I have established for it.

¹⁶ And these are the names of the sons of Levi according to their genealogies:* Gershon and Kohath and Merari, and the years of the life of Levi were _⌊one hundred and thirty-seven years_⌋.* ¹⁷ The sons of Gershon are Libni and Shimei according to their clans. ¹⁸ And the sons of Kohath are Amram and Izhar and Hebron and Uzziel, and the years of the life of Kohath were _⌊one hundred and thirty-three years_⌋.* ¹⁹ And the sons of Merari are Mahli and Mushi. These are clans of the Levites according to their genealogies.* ²⁰ And Amram took Jochebed his aunt for himself as a wife, and she bore for him Aaron and Moses, and the years of the life of Amram were _⌊one hundred and thirty-seven years_⌋.* ²¹ And the sons of Izhar are Korah and Nepheg and Zikri. ²² And the sons of Uzziel are Mishael and Elzaphan and Sithri.

⁴ Nadab and Abihu died _⌊before Yahweh_⌋* when they presented a strange fire _⌊before Yahweh_⌋* in the desert of Sinai, and _⌊they had no children_⌋.* Eleazar and Ithamar served as priest during the presence of Aaron their father.

¹⁶ The sons of Levi: Gershom, Kohath, and Merari. ¹⁷ Now these are the names of the sons of Gershom: Libni and Shimei. ¹⁸ The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. ¹⁹ The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. Now these are the families of the Levites according to their ancestors.* ²⁰ Of Gershom: Libni his son, Jahath his son, Zimmah his son, ²¹ Joah his son, Iddo his son, Zerah his son, Jeatherai his son. ²² The sons of Kohath: Amminadab his son, Korah his son, Assir his son, ²³ Elkanah his son, Ebiasaph his son, Assir his son, ²⁴ Tahath his son, Uriel his son, Uzziah his son, and Shaul his son. ²⁵ The sons of Elkanah: Amasai and Ahimoth, ²⁶ Elkanah his son, Zophai his son, Nahath his son, ²⁷ Eliab his son, Jeroham his son, Elkanah his son. ²⁸ The sons of Samuel: Joel* his firstborn and Abijah the second. ²⁹ The sons of Merari: Mahli, Libni his son, Shimei his son, Uzzah his son, ³⁰ Shimea his son, Haggiah his son, and Asaiah his son.

⁴⁹ But Aaron and his sons made offerings on the altar of burnt offering and on the altar of incense for all the work of the most holy place, and to make atonement for Israel, according to all that Moses the servant of God had commanded. ⁵⁰ Now these are the sons of Aaron: Eleazar his son, Phinehas his son, Abishua his son,

²⁶ From the Levites: four thousand six hundred. ²⁷ Jehoiada the chief officer of the house of Aaron, and with him, three thousand seven hundred. ²⁸ And Zadok, a young man, a mighty warrior of strength, and the house of his father: twenty-two commanders.

²² The sons of Kohath: Amminadab his son, Korah his son, Assir his son, ²³ Elkanah his son, Ebiasaph his son, Assir his son, ²⁴ Tahath his son, Uriel his son, Uzziah his son, and Shaul his son.

¹¹ Then David summoned Zadok and Abiathar the priests, and the Levites Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel, and Amminadab.

⁸ The sons of Ladan: Jehiel the chief and Zetham and Joel, three.

²² And the sons of Uzziel are Mishael and Elzaphan and Sithri.

¹⁸ And the sons of Kohath are Amram and Izhar and Hebron and Uzziel, and the years of the life of Kohath were _⌊one hundred and thirty-three years_⌋.*

⁵⁸ These are the clans of Levi: the clan of the Libnites,* the clan of the Hebronites,* the clan of the Mahlites,* the clan of the Mushites,* the clan of the Korahites.* Kohath fathered Amram.

² The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel.

¹² The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel, four.

¹⁹ The sons of Hebron: Jeriah the chief, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, and Jekameam the fourth.

²³ Of the Amramites, the Izharites, the Hebronites, and the Ozzielites:

³⁰ For the Hebronites: Hashabiah and his brothers, one thousand seven hundred men of ability, were over the administration of Israel beyond the Jordan westward, for all the work of Yahweh and for the service of the king. ³¹ For the Hebronites: Jeriah the chief of the Hebronites for the genealogy for the _⌊families_⌋.* (In the fortieth year of the reign of David they were examined, and there was found among them mighty warriors of strength at Jazer in Gilead.)

¹⁸ The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel.

²² The sons of Kohath: Amminadab his son, Korah his son, Assir his son,

²⁰ But, one of the sons of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, whose name was Abiathar, escaped and fled after David. ²¹ Abiathar told David that Saul had killed the priests of Yahweh. ²² Then David said to Abiathar, "I knew on that day that Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would certainly tell Saul. _⌊I am responsible for the deaths of all your father's household_⌋!* ²³ Stay with me! Do not fear, because he who seeks my life seeks your life. You are in good care with me."

¹⁷ Zadok the son of Ahitub and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar were priests and Seraiah was scribe.

²⁴ Suddenly Zadok was there, and all of the Levites with him, carrying the ark of the covenant of God. They set the ark of God down, and Abiathar offered sacrifices until all the people passed out of the city. ²⁵ The king said to Zadok, "Let the ark of God return to the city. If I find favor in the eyes of Yawheh, he will let me return and let me see him in his dwelling place. ²⁶ But if he says, 'I take no pleasure in you,' then _⌊I am ready_⌋.* Let him do to me that which is good in his eyes. ²⁷ Then the king said to Zadok the priest, "Are you a seer? Return to the city in peace, with Ahimaaz your son and Jonathan the son of Abiathar, your two sons with you. ²⁸ See, I am waiting at the fords of the wilderness until a word comes from you all to inform me." ²⁹ So Zadok and Abiathar returned the ark of God to Jerusalem and they remained there.

³⁵ Will not Zadok and Abiathar the priests be with you there? It shall be that all the words you hear from the house of the king you shall tell Zadok and Abiathar the priests.

²⁵ Shiya was secretary, and Zadok and Abiathar were priests.

²⁶ To Abiathar the priest, the king said, "Go to Anathoth, to your field, for _⌊you deserve to die_⌋,* but on this day I will not kill you, for you carried the ark of the Lord Yahweh before David my father, and because you endured hardship in all the hardship that my father endured."

³⁵ Then the king appointed Benaiah the son of Jehoiada in his place over the army, and the king appointed Zadok the priest in place of Abiathar.

²⁸ And Zadok, a young man, a mighty warrior of strength, and the house of his father: twenty-two commanders.

¹⁶ And Zadok son of Ahitub and Abimelech son of Abiathar were priests, and Shavsha was secretary.

¹⁴ And Moses went down from the mountain to the people, and he consecrated the people, and they washed their clothes. ¹⁵ And he said to the people, "Be ready _⌊for the third day_⌋.* Do not go near to a woman."

³⁴ These were the heads of the _⌊families_⌋* of the Levites according to their genealogies, leaders. These lived in Jerusalem.

¹⁴ Then the priests and the Levites sanctified themselves to bring up the ark of Yahweh, the God of Israel.

³¹ And lots were also cast for these, just as their brothers, the sons of Aaron, before David the king, Zadok, Ahimelech, and the heads of the _⌊families_⌋* for the priests and for the Levites the fathers, _⌊on the principle of the chief and younger brother alike_⌋.*

¹¹ And when the priests came out of the sanctuary (for all the priests who were present* sanctified themselves without keeping their divisions)

⁴ And he brought in the priests and the Levites, and he gathered them into the eastern square. ⁵ And he said to them, "Hear me, O Levites! Sanctify yourselves now, and sanctify the house of Yahweh, the God of your ancestors,* and bring out the defilement from the sanctuary.

¹⁵ And they slaughtered the Passover lamb on the fourteenth day of the second month. And the priests and the Levites were disgraced, so they consecrated themselves and brought burnt offerings into the house of Yahweh.

⁶ And slaughter the Passover lamb and consecrate yourself and prepare for your brothers to do according to the word of Yahweh by the hand of Moses.

¹¹ To the priests, the ones being consecrated from the descendants* of Zadok, who took care of my service and who _⌊did not go astray_⌋* _⌊when the Israelites went astray_⌋,* _⌊just as_⌋* the Levites went astray.

¹⁷ Sanctify them in the truth—your word is truth.

¹ Therefore I exhort you, brothers, through the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, which is your reasonable service. ² And do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, so that you may approve what is the good and well-pleasing and perfect will of God.

⁹ And they were singing a new song, saying,
"You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slaughtered, and bought people for God by your blood from every tribe and language and people and nation, ¹⁰ and made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they will reign on the earth."

¹⁵ And when Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary and all the vessels of the sanctuary when the camp sets out, the descendants* of Kohath will come after to carry these, but they must not touch the sanctuary, or they will die. These are the load of the descendants* of Kohath in the tent of assembly.

³ They loaded the ark of God on a new utility cart, and they carried it from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. Now Uzza and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, were driving the new utility cart along.

⁷ _⌊Then the anger of Yahweh was kindled_⌋* against Uzza, and God struck him down there because of the indiscretion,* and he died there beside the ark of God. ⁸ _⌊David was angry_⌋* because Yahweh had burst out against Uzza, and he called that place Perez-Uzza until this day.

⁷ And they carried the ark of God upon a new cart from the house of Abinadab, and Uzza and Ahio were driving the cart. ⁸ Now David and all Israel were celebrating before God with all their strength, and with songs, lyres, harps, tambourines, cymbals, and trumpets. ⁹ And when they came to the threshing floor of Kidon, Uzza reached out his hand to hold the ark because the cattle had stumbled. ¹⁰ And Yahweh _⌊was angry_⌋* with Uzza, and he struck him down because he reached his hand upon the ark. And he died there before God. ¹¹ And David _⌊was angry_⌋* because Yahweh had broken out in wrath against Uzza. And that place is called Perez Uzza unto this day.

² Then David ordered that none except the Levites should carry the ark of God, for Yahweh had chosen them to carry the ark of Yahweh and to serve him forever.

¹⁷ For there were many in the assembly who did not consecrate themselves, so the Levites were over the killing of the Passover sacrifices for all who were not clean, to consecrate them to Yahweh. ¹⁸ For a majority of the people, many from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves. But they ate the Passover sacrifice _⌊otherwise than prescribed_⌋,* but Hezekiah had prayed for them, saying, "May the good Yahweh make atonement unto ¹⁹ everyone whose heart is set to seek God, Yahweh the God of his ancestors,* though not according to the cleansing for the sanctuary." ²⁰ And Yahweh listened to Hezekiah, and he healed the people.

¹³ He who conceals his transgression will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes will obtain mercy.

² Now I praise you that you remember me in all things, and just as I handed over to you the traditions, you hold fast to them.

⁴⁰ But let all things be done decently and according to proper procedure.

⁸ If we say that we do not have sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. ⁹ If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, so that he will forgive us our* sins and will cleanse us from all unrighteousness. ¹⁰ If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

³ Therefore* Moses said to Aaron, "This is what Yahweh spoke, saying, 'Among those who are close to me I will show myself holy, and _⌊in the presence of_⌋* all the people I will display my glory.'"* So* Aaron was silent.

¹⁵ and they gathered their brothers and sanctified themselves, and they went in according to the command of the king because of the words of Yahweh, to purify the house of Yahweh.

³⁴ But the priests were too few, and they were not able to offer all the burnt offerings, so their brothers, the Levites, strengthened them to finish the work, and until the rest of the priests consecrated themselves. (For the Levites were _⌊more conscientious_⌋* to sanctify themselves than the priests.)

¹⁶ gather the people, consecrate the assembly; assemble the elders, gather the children, even those who are breast-feeding; let the bridegroom come out from his private room, and the bride from her canopy. ¹⁷ Between the colonnade and the altar, let the priests, the ministers of Yahweh, weep. And let them say, "Take pity, Yahweh, on your people. Do not make your inheritance a reproach, a byword among the nations. Why should they say among the nations, 'Where is their God?'"

¹² And you will cast for it four gold rings, and you will put them on its four feet, with two rings on its one side and two rings on its second side. ¹³ And you will make poles of acacia wood, and you will overlay them with gold. ¹⁴ And you will put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark to carry the ark with them. ¹⁵ In the rings of the ark will be the poles; they will not be removed from it.*

³ And he cast for it four gold rings on its four feet; and two rings were on its one side, and two rings were on its second side. ⁴ And he made poles of acacia wood, and he overlaid them with gold. ⁵ And he put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark to carry the ark.

²⁰ And he took and he put the testimony into the ark, and he placed the poles on the ark, and he put the atonement cover on the ark, above it.

⁵ When setting out the camp, Aaron and his sons will go and lower the curtain of the covering and cover with it the ark of the testimony.* ⁶ They will put on it a covering of _⌊fine leather_⌋,* and they will spread a cloth of perfect blue over it, and they will place its poles.

⁸ The poles were long, and the ends of the poles could be seen from the holy place _⌊in front of_⌋* the inner sanctuary, but they could not be seen from the outside, and they are there until this day.

⁹ But the poles were so long that the ends of the poles from the ark were seen from before the inner sanctuary, but they could not be seen from the outside. And they are there until this day.

³¹ Now these are the men whom David appointed for _⌊control of singing_⌋* in the house of Yahweh where the ark rested. ³² They were ministering with song before the tabernacle of the tent of assembly* until Solomon built the temple of Yahweh in Jerusalem. And they stood according to their order with respect to their duty. ³³ Now these are those who served and their sons. Of the sons of the Kohathites: Heman the singer, the son of Joel, son of Samuel, ³⁴ son of Elkanah, son of Jeroham, son of Eliel, son of Toah, ³⁵ son of Zuph, son of Elkanah, son of Mahath, son of Amasai, ³⁶ son of Elkanah, son of Joel, son of Azariah, son of Zephaniah, ³⁷ son of Tahath, son of Assir, son of Ebiasaph, son of Korah, ³⁸ son of Izhar, son of Kohath, son of Levi, son of Israel;

⁸ Now David and all Israel were celebrating before God with all their strength, and with songs, lyres, harps, tambourines, cymbals, and trumpets.

²⁷ Now David was clothed with a robe of fine linen; so also all the Levites who were carrying the ark, the singers, and Kenaniah the chief of the singing. And David wore a linen ephod. ²⁸ And all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of Yahweh with shouting, with the sound of a shofar,* and with trumpets and cymbals, making loud music with musical instruments and stringed instruments.

⁴² And Heman and Jeduthun with them had trumpets and cymbals for making music, along with instruments for the song of God. And the sons of Jeduthun were at the gate.

⁵ four thousand gatekeepers, and four thousand offering praise with the instruments that I have made for praise."

¹ And David and the commanders of the army set apart for the service the sons of Asaph, of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who prophesied with stringed instruments, with harps, and with cymbals. And their inventory of the men of the work and for their duty was: ² for the sons of Asaph: Zakkur, Joseph, Nethaniah, and Asarelah, sons of Asaph, under the hand* of Asaph, who prophesied under the hands* of the king. ³ Of Jeduthun, the sons of Jeduthun: Gedaliah, Zeri, Jeshaiah,* Heshabiah, and Mattithiah, six, under the hands* of their father Jeduthun, who prophesied with the stringed instrument with thanksgiving and praise to Yahweh. ⁴ Of Heman, the sons of Heman: Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shebuel and Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti and Romamti-ezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, Mahazioth. ⁵ All these were sons to Heman, the seer of the king, according to the words of God to raise a horn.* And God had given to Heman fourteen sons and three daughters. ⁶ All these were under the _⌊direction_⌋* of their father in the music of the house of Yahweh, with cymbals, harps, and stringed instruments for the service of the house of God. Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman were under the _⌊direction_⌋* of the king.

¹³ And it was the primary duty of the trumpeters and singers to make themselves heard with one voice, to praise and give thanks to Yahweh. And when a sound from the trumpets, cymbals, and other instruments of song was raised to Yahweh—for he is good, because his loyal love is everlasting—then the house, the house of Yahweh, was filled with a cloud.

²⁸ Then all the assembly bowed down, and the song was sung, and the trumpeters trumpeted—all together until the end of the burnt offering. ²⁹ And when the offering was finished, the king and all who were found with him knelt down and bowed themselves. ³⁰ Then King Hezekiah and the princes commanded the Levites to praise Yahweh with the words of David and Asaph the seer. So they offered praise with joy, and they bowed down and worshiped.

¹² The hand of God was also upon Judah, to give them one heart to obey the command of the king and the princes concerning the word of Yahweh.

¹⁰ And the builders laid the foundation of the temple of Yahweh, and the priests in their apparel with the trumpets, and the Levites, the sons of Asaph, with the cymbals, were positioned to praise Yahweh, _⌊as described by_⌋* King David of Israel. ¹¹ And they _⌊sang responsively_⌋,* with praising and thanksgiving to Yahweh saying, "For he is good, for his loyal love is everlasting for Israel."
And all of the people responded with a great shout of joyful acclaim in praise to Yahweh because the house of Yahweh was laid.

²⁴ You also should be aware that it is not permitted to place tax, tribute, or duty upon all of the priests, the Levites, the singers, the doorkeepers, the temple servants, and other servants of the house of God. ²⁵ "You, Ezra, according to the wisdom of your God that you possess, appoint magistrates and judges who can judge all of the people in the province Beyond the River who know the laws of your God. And you will teach those who do not know. ²⁶ All who do not obey the law of your God and the law of the king, let judgment be executed on him with diligence, whether for death or for banishment or for confiscation of goods and for imprisonment." ²⁷ Blessed be Yahweh the God of our ancestors,* who put this in the heart of the king to glorify the house of Yahweh in Jerusalem ²⁸ and who extended to me loyal love before the king and his counselors, and before all of the mighty officials of the king. I took courage, for the hand of Yahweh my God was upon me, and I gathered leaders from Israel to go up with me.

³⁶ and his brothers Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah, and Hanani with the instruments of the songs of David the man of God; and Ezra the scribe went before them.

⁴³ They offered on that day great sacrifices and rejoiced because God brought great joy to them. And the women and children also rejoiced. The joy of Jerusalem was heard from afar.

⁴⁶ For in the days of David and Asaph from ancient times there was the head of the singers and a song of praise and thanksgiving to God.

¹ For the music director; on the Gittith. Of Asaph.*
Shout out to God our strength; shout joyfully to the God of Jacob.

⁷ And while dancing, singers will sing, "All my springs are in you."

¹ A psalm. A song. For the Sabbath day.*
It is good to give thanks to Yahweh, and to sing praise concerning your name, O Most High; ² to declare in the morning your loyal love and your faithfulness in the night, ³ on the ten string, and on the harp, with a melody on the lyre.

¹ Come, let us sing for joy to Yahweh; let us shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation.

¹ A psalm of thanksgiving.*
Shout in triumph to Yahweh, all the earth.

³ Let them praise his name with dancing; let them sing praises to him with tambourine and lyre.

³ Praise him with blast of horn; praise him with harp and lyre. ⁴ Praise him with tambourine and dancing; praise him with strings and flute.

²³ And kings shall be your _⌊guardians_⌋,* and their queens your nurses. They shall bow down, _⌊faces_⌋* to the ground, to you, and they will lick up the dust of your feet. Then* you will know that I am Yahweh; those who await me shall not be ashamed.

¹¹ the voice of jubilation, and the voice of joy, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, the voices* of those who say, "Praise Yahweh of hosts, for Yahweh is good, for his loyal love is _⌊forever_⌋,"* the voices of those who bring thank offerings* to the house of Yahweh, for I will restore the fortunes* of the land as in the beginning,' says Yahweh.

²³ And when they* had appointed elders for them in every church, after* praying with fasting, they entrusted them to the Lord, in whom they had believed.

¹ The saying is trustworthy: if anyone aspires to supervision, he desires a good work. ² Therefore the overseer must be irreproachable, the husband of one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, skillful in teaching, ³ not addicted to wine, not a violent person, but gentle, peaceable, not loving money, ⁴ managing his own household well, having children in submission with all dignity ⁵ (but if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?), ⁶ not newly converted, lest he become conceited and fall into the condemnation of the devil. ⁷ But he must also have a good testimony from those outside, in order that he may not fall into disgrace and the trap of the devil. ⁸ Deacons likewise must be dignified, not insincere, not devoted to much wine, not fond of dishonest gain, ⁹ holding the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience, ¹⁰ and these also must be tested first; then let them serve if they* are above reproach. ¹¹ The wives* likewise must be dignified, not slanderous, temperate, faithful in all things. ¹² Deacons must be husbands of one wife, managing their children and their own households well. ¹³ For those who have served well acquire a good standing for themselves, and great boldness in the faith that is in Christ Jesus. ¹⁴ I am writing these things to you, hoping to come to you in a short time. ¹⁵ But if I am delayed, I am writing* in order that you may know how one must conduct oneself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and mainstay* of the truth.

² and the things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these things to faithful people who will be competent to teach others also.

⁵ On account of this, I left you behind in Crete, in order that what remains may be set in order and you may appoint elders in every town, as I ordered you.

² The name of his firstborn son was Joel, and the name of his second son was Abijah. They were judges in Beersheba.

³³ Now these are those who served and their sons. Of the sons of the Kohathites: Heman the singer, the son of Joel, son of Samuel,

³⁹ and his brother Asaph, who stood on his right namely, Asaph the son of Berechiah, son of Shimea,

⁴⁴ On the left were their brothers, the sons of Merari: Ethan the son of Kishi, son of Abdi, son of Malluch,

¹⁹ Now the singers, Heman, Asaph, and Ethan, were to sound bronze cymbals;

¹ And David and the commanders of the army set apart for the service the sons of Asaph, of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who prophesied with stringed instruments, with harps, and with cymbals. And their inventory of the men of the work and for their duty was: ² for the sons of Asaph: Zakkur, Joseph, Nethaniah, and Asarelah, sons of Asaph, under the hand* of Asaph, who prophesied under the hands* of the king. ³ Of Jeduthun, the sons of Jeduthun: Gedaliah, Zeri, Jeshaiah,* Heshabiah, and Mattithiah, six, under the hands* of their father Jeduthun, who prophesied with the stringed instrument with thanksgiving and praise to Yahweh. ⁴ Of Heman, the sons of Heman: Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shebuel and Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti and Romamti-ezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, Mahazioth. ⁵ All these were sons to Heman, the seer of the king, according to the words of God to raise a horn.* And God had given to Heman fourteen sons and three daughters.

¹ A song of Asaph.*
Surely God is good to Israel, to those pure of heart.

¹ A song. A psalm of Asaph.*
O God, do not rest silently. Do not keep silent or be still, O God.

¹⁴ And the ark of God remained with the household of Obed-Edom in his house three months. And Yahweh blessed the household of Obed-Edom and all that he had.

⁵ Asaph was chief, and his second was Zechariah; Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-Edom, and Jeiel were on harps and lyres. And Asaph played on the cymbals. ⁶ And Benaiah and Jahaziel the priests blew on the trumpets continually before the ark of the covenant of God.

³⁸ and he left Obed-Edom with his sixty-eight brothers. And Obed-Edom, the son of Jeduthun, and Hosah were gatekeepers.

⁹ And the first lot for Asaph went out to Joseph; the second to Gedaliahu; he and his brothers and his twelve sons. ¹⁰ The third, Zakkur, his sons and his brothers, twelve; ¹¹ the fourth to Izri, his sons and his brothers, twelve; ¹² the fifth, Nethaniah, his sons and his brothers, twelve; ¹³ the sixth, Bukkiah, his sons and his brothers, twelve; ¹⁴ the seventh, Jesarelah, his sons and his brothers, twelve; ¹⁵ the eighth, Jeshaiah, his sons and his brothers, twelve; ¹⁶ the ninth, Mattaniah, his sons and his brothers, twelve; ¹⁷ the tenth, Shimei, his sons and his brothers, twelve; ¹⁸ eleventh, Azarel, his sons and his brothers, twelve; ¹⁹ the twelfth to Hashabiah, his sons and his brothers, twelve; ²⁰ to the thirteenth, Shubael, his sons and his brothers, twelve; ²¹ to the fourteenth, Mattithiah, his sons and his brothers, twelve; ²² to the fifteenth, to Jeremoth, his sons and his brothers, twelve; ²³ to the sixteenth, to Hananiah, his sons and his brothers, twelve; ²⁴ to the seventeenth, to Joshbekashah, his sons and his brothers, twelve; ²⁵ to the eighteenth, to Hanani, his sons and his brothers, twelve; ²⁶ to the nineteenth, to Mallothi, his sons and his brothers, twelve; ²⁷ to the twentieth, to Eliathah, his sons and his brothers, twelve; ²⁸ to the twenty-first, to Hothir, his sons and his brothers, twelve; ²⁹ to the twenty-second, to Giddalti, his sons and his brothers, twelve; ³⁰ to the twenty-third, to Mahazioth, his sons and his brothers, twelve; ³¹ to the twenty-fourth, to Romamti-ezer, his sons and his brothers, twelve.

⁴ And Obed-Edom had sons: Shemaiah the firstborn, Jehozabad the second, Joah the third, Sachar the fourth, Nethanel the fifth,

⁸ All these from the sons of Obed-Edom, they and their sons, and their brothers were men of ability with strength for service; sixty-two of Obed-Edom.

¹⁵ To Obed-Edom went out the south, and to his sons, the storehouses.

¹⁶ Then David ordered the chiefs of the Levites to appoint their brothers as singers with instruments of song, musical instruments, stringed instruments, and cymbals, _⌊raising their voices for joy_⌋.*

⁵ Asaph was chief, and his second was Zechariah; Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-Edom, and Jeiel were on harps and lyres. And Asaph played on the cymbals.

¹ And David and the commanders of the army set apart for the service the sons of Asaph, of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who prophesied with stringed instruments, with harps, and with cymbals. And their inventory of the men of the work and for their duty was:

⁶ All these were under the _⌊direction_⌋* of their father in the music of the house of Yahweh, with cymbals, harps, and stringed instruments for the service of the house of God. Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman were under the _⌊direction_⌋* of the king.

⁵ Praise him with sounding cymbals; praise him with clashing cymbals.

¹ For the music director. Of the sons of Korah. According to Alamoth. A song.*
God is our refuge and strength, a very sufficient help in troubles. ² Therefore we will not fear though the earth change, and though the mountains totter into the _⌊midst_⌋* of the sea, ³ though its waters roar and foam, though mountains shake with its surging water. Selah ⁴ There is a river whose streams gladden the city of God, the holiest of the dwellings of the Most High. ⁵ God is in the midst of her; she will not be made to totter. God will help her _⌊at daybreak_⌋.* ⁶ Nations roar, kingdoms shake; he utters his voice, the earth melts. ⁷ Yahweh of hosts is with us; our high stronghold is the God of Jacob. Selah ⁸ Come, see the works of Yahweh, who has placed desolations on the earth. ⁹ He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth; he breaks the bow and cuts off the spear. The wagons of war he burns with fire. ¹⁰ Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations; I will be exalted in the earth. ¹¹ Yahweh of Hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our high stronghold.

⁵ After this, you will come to the Gibeah of God,* where there are sentries* of the Philistines. _⌊Just as you enter_⌋* the town there, you will meet a procession of prophets coming down from the high place, with harp, tambourine, flute, and zither before them, and they will be prophesying.

¹⁸ and with them their brothers of the second rank, Zechariah the son, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, and the gatekeepers Obed-Edom and Jeiel.

⁶ All these were under the _⌊direction_⌋* of their father in the music of the house of Yahweh, with cymbals, harps, and stringed instruments for the service of the house of God. Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman were under the _⌊direction_⌋* of the king. ⁷ And their number, along with their brothers, trained singers, all the skilled people for Yahweh, were two hundred and eighty-eight.

¹ For the music director; with stringed instruments, on the Sheminith.* A psalm of David.*
O Yahweh, do not rebuke me in your anger, and do not discipline me in your wrath. ² Be gracious to me, O Yahweh, because I am feeble. Heal me, O Yahweh, for my bones are terrified. ³ My soul is also very terrified. But you, O Yahweh, how long? ⁴ Turn, O Yahweh; deliver my life.* Save me for the sake of your steadfast love.* ⁵ For there is no remembrance of you in death. In Sheol, who will give thanks to you? ⁶ I am weary with my groaning; _⌊I flood_⌋* my bed every night. With my tears _⌊I drench_⌋* my couch. ⁷ My eye wastes away because of vexation; it grows old because of all my oppressors. ⁸ Depart from me, all workers of evil, for Yahweh has heard the sound of my weeping. ⁹ Yahweh has heard my plea; Yahweh has accepted my prayer. ¹⁰ All my enemies shall be ashamed and shall be very terrified. They shall turn back; they shall suddenly be ashamed.

¹ For the music director; on the Sheminith.* A psalm of David.*
Save, O Yahweh, for the pious have ceased to be; for the faithful have vanished from among the children of humankind.

² Give thanks to Yahweh with the lyre; with a harp of ten strings play to him.

¹ For the music director; on the Gittith. Of Asaph.*
Shout out to God our strength; shout joyfully to the God of Jacob. ² Lift up a song and strike* the tambourine, the pleasant lyre, together with the harp.

³ on the ten string, and on the harp, with a melody on the lyre.

³ Praise him with blast of horn; praise him with harp and lyre.

²⁷ Now David was clothed with a robe of fine linen; so also all the Levites who were carrying the ark, the singers, and Kenaniah the chief of the singing. And David wore a linen ephod.

⁷ And their number, along with their brothers, trained singers, all the skilled people for Yahweh, were two hundred and eighty-eight. ⁸ And they cast lots for responsibilities _⌊on the principle of small and great alike_⌋,* teacher with student.

⁴ "Go up to Hilkiah the high priest, and let them count the money being brought to the temple of Yahweh which the keepers of the threshold have collected from the people,

¹⁸ Then the commander of the imperial guard took Seraiah the chief priest, Zephaniah the second priest, and three of the threshold keepers.

²¹ Zechariah the son of Meshelemiah was gatekeeper at the doorway to the tent of assembly.* ²² All of them were chosen as gatekeepers at the entrances, two hundred and twelve. They were enrolled by genealogies in their villages. They were established by David and Samuel the seer on account of their faithfulness. ²³ So they and their sons were over the gates of the house of Yahweh at the house of the tent as guards.

¹⁰ Because better is a day in your courtyards than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be at the threshold of the house* of my God than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.

⁸ The sons of Aaron, the priests, will blow on the trumpets; this will be an eternal decree for your generations.

²³ And Berekiah and Elkanah were gatekeepers for the ark.

²⁸ And all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of Yahweh with shouting, with the sound of a shofar,* and with trumpets and cymbals, making loud music with musical instruments and stringed instruments.

⁶ And Benaiah and Jahaziel the priests blew on the trumpets continually before the ark of the covenant of God.

¹² and all the Levitical singers—Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun, their sons, their brothers, dressed in fine linen, with cymbals, harps, and stringed instruments—they were standing to the east of the altar. And with them outside were one hundred and twenty priests who were trumpet blowers. ¹³ And it was the primary duty of the trumpeters and singers to make themselves heard with one voice, to praise and give thanks to Yahweh. And when a sound from the trumpets, cymbals, and other instruments of song was raised to Yahweh—for he is good, because his loyal love is everlasting—then the house, the house of Yahweh, was filled with a cloud.

¹³ Oh that my people would listen to me; that Israel would walk in my ways.

¹ Blow the trumpet* in Zion, and sound the alarm on _⌊my holy mountain_⌋!* Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of Yahweh is coming —it is indeed near.

¹⁵ Blow the trumpet* in Zion, sanctify a fast, call an assembly;

¹⁴ But Moses was angry toward the leaders of the troops, the commanders of the thousands and the commanders of the hundreds, who came from the battle of the war.

¹⁵ And so I took the leaders of your tribes, wise and knowledgeable men, and then I appointed them as leaders over you as commanders of groups of thousands and commanders of groups of hundreds and commanders of groups of fifties and commanders of groups of tens as officials for your tribes.

⁷ And you shall eat there _⌊before_⌋* Yahweh your God, and you shall rejoice _⌊in all your endeavors_⌋,* you and your family in which Yahweh your God has blessed you.

¹⁸ But only _⌊before_⌋* Yahweh your God you shall eat it, at the place that Yahweh your God will choose,* you and your son and your daughter and your slave and your slave woman and the Levite who is in your _⌊towns_⌋,* and you must rejoice _⌊before_⌋* your God _⌊in all your undertakings_⌋.*

¹¹ And you shall rejoice before Yahweh your God, you and your son and your daughter and your slave and your slave woman and the Levite that is in your _⌊towns_⌋* and the alien and the orphan and the widow who are in your midst in the place that Yahweh your God will choose to let his name dwell there.

¹⁵ Seven days you shall celebrate your feast to Yahweh your God at the place Yahweh will choose, for Yahweh your God shall bless you in all of your produce* and in all of the work of your hand, and you shall surely be rejoicing.*

¹² He will appoint for himself commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and those _⌊to do his plowing_⌋* and to reap his harvest, and those to make weapons of war and the equipment for his chariots.

¹⁹ But you today have rejected your God who always delivers you from all of your calamities and your distresses. You have said to him, 'No, but you must appoint a king over us!' So then present yourselves before Yahweh by your tribes and by your clans."

⁷ Then Saul said to the servants who were standing around him, "Please listen, _⌊Benjaminites_⌋!* Will the son of Jesse give you all fields and vineyards? Will he make all of you commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds?

¹² It was told to King David, "Yahweh has blessed the household of Obed-Edom and all that is his because of the ark of God." So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the city of David with jubilation. ¹³ It happened that when the carriers of the ark of Yahweh had marched six steps that he sacrificed an ox and a fatling. ¹⁴ Now David was dancing with all his might before Yahweh, and David was wearing* a linen ephod. ¹⁵ So David and all the house of Israel were bringing up the ark of Yahweh with shouts of joyful acclaim and with the sound of the trumpet. ¹⁶ It happened that when the ark of Yahweh came into the city of David, Michal the daughter of Saul looked down through the window and saw King David leaping and dancing before Yahweh, and she despised him in her heart. ¹⁷ They brought the ark of Yahweh and set it in its place in the middle of the tent which David had pitched for it. Then David offered up burnt offerings and fellowship offerings in the presence of Yahweh. ¹⁸ When David had finished from the sacrificing of the burnt offerings and the fellowship offerings, he blessed the people in the name of Yahweh of hosts. ¹⁹ Then he distributed to all the people, to all the multitude of Israel, from man to woman, to each: one ring-shaped piece of bread, one cake of dates, and one cake of raisins; and all the people went each to his house. ²⁰ When David returned to bless his household, Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David. She said, "How the king of Israel honored himself today _⌊by uncovering himself_⌋* before the eyes of the maids of his servants, _⌊as the total exposure of a worthless one_⌋."* ²¹ So David said to Michal, "In the presence of Yahweh who chose me _⌊over_⌋* your father and _⌊over_⌋* his household, to appoint me as leader over the people of Yahweh, over Israel, I have celebrated before Yahweh. ²² I will demean myself again more than this, and I will be abased in my eyes, but with the maids whom you mentioned, with them I will be honored." ²³ So for Michal the daughter of Saul, she had no child until the day of her death.

¹¹ And David _⌊was angry_⌋* because Yahweh had broken out in wrath against Uzza. And that place is called Perez Uzza unto this day. ¹² And David feared God on that day, saying, "How can I bring the ark of God home to me?" ¹³ So David did not move the ark to himself into the city of David but diverted it to the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite. ¹⁴ And the ark of God remained with the household of Obed-Edom in his house three months. And Yahweh blessed the household of Obed-Edom and all that he had.

²⁷ And all the men of Judah and Jerusalem returned, and Jehoshaphat was at their head in returning to Jerusalem with joy, for Yahweh caused them to rejoice over their enemies. ²⁸ And they came to Jerusalem with harps, stringed instruments, and trumpets to the house of Yahweh.

¹⁶ And the _⌊Israelites_⌋,* the priests, the Levites, and the rest of the _⌊returned exiles_⌋* celebrated the dedication of this house of God with joy.

¹ Come, let us sing for joy to Yahweh; let us shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation. ² Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving; with songs let us shout joyfully to him.

¹ A psalm of thanksgiving.*
Shout in triumph to Yahweh, all the earth. ² Serve* Yahweh with joy; come into his presence with exultation.

² But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, too small to be among the clans of Judah, from you one will go out for me, to be ruler in Israel; and his origins are from of old, from ancient days.

³ For we are the circumcision, the ones who worship* by the Spirit* of God and boast in Christ Jesus and do not put confidence in the flesh,

⁴ Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice.

¹ Balaam said to Balak, "Build for me this: seven altars. And prepare for me this: seven bulls and seven rams." ² And Balak did just as Balaam spoke, and Balak offered Balaam a bull and a ram on the altar. ³ And Balaam said to Balak, "Station yourself at your burnt offering, and I will go; perhaps Yahweh will come to meet me, and whatever he shows me I will tell to you." So he went to a barren height. ⁴ And God met with Balaam, and he said to him, "I have arranged seven altars, and I have offered a bull and a ram on the altar."

²⁹ And Balaam said to Balak, "Build for me these seven altars, and prepare for me these seven bulls and seven rams."

³² " 'On the seventh day: seven bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs without defect _⌊in their first year_⌋;*

¹² So Samuel took a single stone and put it between Mizpah and Shen, and he named it Ebenezer and said, "Up to here Yahweh has helped us."

¹³ It happened that when the carriers of the ark of Yahweh had marched six steps that he sacrificed an ox and a fatling.

¹⁴ And indeed, who am I, and who are my people that we retain power to offer according to these offerings willingly? For everything is from you, and from your hand we have given to you.

⁸ _⌊So then_⌋,* take for yourselves seven bulls and seven rams, and go to my servant Job and offer a burnt offering for yourselves. And my servant Job will pray for you,* for _⌊I will certainly accept his prayer_⌋,* so that it will not be done with you* according to your folly, for you* have not spoken to me what is right as my servant Job has."

¹³ I will come into your house* with burnt offerings. I will pay to you my vows ¹⁴ that my lips uttered, and my mouth spoke in my distress. ¹⁵ Burnt offerings of fat animals I will offer to you, with the smoke of rams. I will do* cattle with rams. Selah

²³ And during the seven days of the religious feast he shall provide as a burnt offering to Yahweh seven bulls and seven rams without defect for each of the seven days, and as a sin offering a he-goat for each day.

²² Therefore I have experienced help from God until this day, and* I stand here testifying to both small and great, saying nothing except what both the prophets and Moses have said were going to happen,

¹⁶ to those on the one hand an odor from death to death, and to those on the other hand a fragrance from life to life. And who is qualified for these things?

⁵ Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God,

¹⁸ Now Samuel was serving before Yahweh, as a boy wearing a linen ephod.

¹⁴ Now David was dancing with all his might before Yahweh, and David was wearing* a linen ephod. ¹⁵ So David and all the house of Israel were bringing up the ark of Yahweh with shouts of joyful acclaim and with the sound of the trumpet.

¹ For the music director. Of the sons of Korah. A psalm.*
All you peoples, clap your hands.* Shout to God with a voice of rejoicing. ² For Yahweh Most High is awesome,* a great king over all the earth. ³ He subdues peoples under us and nations under our feet. ⁴ He chooses for us our inheritance, the pride of Jacob whom he loves. ⁵ God has gone up with a shout, Yahweh with the sound of a trumpet.

²⁵ Singers went up front, those playing stringed instruments last, between them young women playing tambourines.

⁴ Shout joyfully to Yahweh, all the earth. Be cheerful* and sing for joy and sing praises. ⁵ Sing praises to Yahweh with lyre, with lyre and melodious sound. ⁶ With trumpets and sound of horn, shout joyfully before the king, Yahweh.

³ Praise him with blast of horn; praise him with harp and lyre. ⁴ Praise him with tambourine and dancing; praise him with strings and flute. ⁵ Praise him with sounding cymbals; praise him with clashing cymbals.

²⁰ And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took her* tambourine in her hand, and all of the women went out after her with tambourines and with dances.

³³ And so they set out from the mountain of Yahweh a journey of three days, with the ark of the covenant of Yahweh setting out ahead of them* three days' journey to search out a resting place for them;

²⁶ "Take the scroll of this law and put it at the side of the ark of the covenant of Yahweh your God, and it will be there as a witness against you.

⁷ you will say to them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off _⌊from before_⌋* the ark of the covenant of Yahweh. When it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones will be as a memorial for the _⌊Israelites_⌋* for eternity."

²⁷ And the _⌊Israelites_⌋* inquired of Yahweh (In those days the ark of the covenant of God was there,

³ When the army* came back to the camp, the elders of Israel asked, "Why has Yahweh defeated us today before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark of the covenant of Yahweh to us from Shiloh so that it may come into our midst and deliver* us from the hand of our enemies."

²⁷ And David got up, and he and his men went and struck down two hundred men of the Philistines. Then David brought their foreskins, and _⌊they presented the full number_⌋* to become the king's son-in-law. Then Saul gave him Michal his daughter as his wife. ²⁸ When Saul _⌊realized_⌋* that Yahweh was with David and _⌊his own daughter Michal_⌋* loved him,

¹¹ Then Saul sent messengers to David's house to guard him and to kill him in the morning, but Michal his wife told David, saying, "If _⌊you do not save your life_⌋* tonight, then tomorrow you will be killed!" ¹² So Michal lowered David through the window, and he went and fled and escaped. ¹³ Then Michal took the household god* and put it on the bed and put a quilt of goat's hair at its head and covered it with the clothes. ¹⁴ And Saul sent messengers to arrest David, but she said, "He is ill." ¹⁵ So Saul sent the messengers to see David, saying, "Bring him up to me in the bed, so that I can kill him." ¹⁶ When the messengers came, _⌊to their surprise_⌋* the idol was on the bed with the quilt of goat's hair at the head. ¹⁷ Then Saul said to Michal, "Why have you deceived me like this and sent away my enemy, so that he escaped?" Michal said to Saul, "He said to me, 'Let me go, why should I kill you?'"

⁴⁴ (Now Saul had given his daughter Michal, David's wife, to Palti the son of Laish, who was from Gallim.)

¹³ He* said, "Good. _⌊I will make a covenant with you_⌋.* I am asking only one thing from you: You shall not see my face unless you bring Michal the daughter of Saul when you come to see _⌊me_⌋."* ¹⁴ Then David sent messengers to Ish-Bosheth the son of Saul, saying, "Give me my wife Michal whom I betrothed to myself* for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines."

¹⁶ It happened that when the ark of Yahweh came into the city of David, Michal the daughter of Saul looked down through the window and saw King David leaping and dancing before Yahweh, and she despised him in her heart.

¹ And as David lived in his house, David said to Nathan the prophet, "Look, I live in a house of cedar, but the ark of the covenant of Yahweh is under tent curtains."

¹¹ You have turned my wailing into my dancing. You have removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy

⁷ Because on account of you I have borne reproach; disgrace has covered my face. ⁸ I have become a stranger to my brothers and a foreigner to my mother's sons, ⁹ because the zeal for your house* has consumed me, and the reproaches of those reproaching you have fallen on me.

⁴ Praise him with tambourine and dancing; praise him with strings and flute.

⁴ a time to weep and a time to laugh; a time to mourn and a time to dance;

¹⁶ And it will be when you have multiplied and become fruitful in the land in those days," _⌊declares_⌋* Yahweh, "they will no longer say, 'The ark of the covenant of Yahweh.' And _⌊it will not come to mind_⌋,* nor will they remember it, nor will they miss it,* nor will it be made again.

¹⁹ And thanksgiving and the sound of merrymakers will come out from them, and I will make them numerous, and they will not be few. And I will make them honored, and they will not be lowly.

¹³ But others jeered and* said, "They are full of sweet new wine!" ¹⁴ But the natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he is not able to understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.

¹³ For if we are out of our senses, it is for God; if we are of sound mind, it is for you.

⁴ containing the golden incense altar and the ark of the covenant covered on all sides with gold, in which were a golden jar containing the manna and the rod of Aaron that budded and the tablets of the covenant.