Discovery Box1 Chronicles 15:1--17:27 
Context15:1 David constructed buildings in the City of David; he then prepared a place for the ark of God and pitched a tent for it. 15:2 Then David said, “Only the Levites may carry the ark of God, for the Lord chose them to carry the ark of the Lord and to serve before him perpetually. 15:3 David assembled all Israel at Jerusalem 1 to bring the ark of the Lord up to the place he had prepared for it. 15:4 David gathered together the descendants of Aaron and the Levites:
15:5 From the descendants of Kohath: Uriel the leader and 120 of his relatives.
15:6 From the descendants of Merari: Asaiah the leader and 220 of his relatives.
15:7 From the descendants of Gershom: 2 Joel the leader and 130 of his relatives.
15:8 From the descendants of Elizaphan: Shemaiah the leader and 200 of his relatives.
15:9 From the descendants of Hebron: Eliel the leader and 80 of his relatives.
15:10 From the descendants of Uzziel: Amminadab the leader and 112 of his relatives.
15:11 David summoned the priests Zadok and Abiathar, along with the Levites Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel, and Amminadab. 15:12 He told them: “You are the leaders of the Levites’ families. You and your relatives must consecrate yourselves and bring the ark of the Lord God of Israel up to the place I have prepared for it. 15:13 The first time you did not carry it; that is why the Lord God attacked us, because we did not ask him about the proper way to carry it.” 3 15:14 The priests and Levites consecrated themselves so they could bring up the ark of the Lord God of Israel. 15:15 The descendants of Levi carried the ark of God on their shoulders with poles, just as Moses had ordered according to the divine command.
15:16 David told the leaders of the Levites to appoint some of their relatives as musicians; they were to play various instruments, including stringed instruments and cymbals, and to sing loudly and joyfully. 4 15:17 So the Levites appointed Heman son of Joel; one of his relatives, Asaph son of Berechiah; one of the descendants of Merari, 5 Ethan son of Kushaiah; 15:18 along with some of their relatives who were second in rank, including Zechariah, 6 Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, and Jeiel, the gatekeepers.
15:19 The musicians Heman, Asaph, and Ethan were to sound the bronze cymbals; 15:20 Zechariah, Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah, and Benaiah were to play the harps according to the alamoth style; 7 15:21 Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah were to play the lyres according to the sheminith style, 8 as led by 9 the director; 15:22 Kenaniah, the leader of the Levites, was in charge of transport, for he was well-informed on this matter; 10 15:23 Berechiah and Elkanah were guardians 11 of the ark; 15:24 Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah, and Eliezer the priests were to blow the trumpets before the ark of God; Obed-Edom and Jehiel were also guardians 12 of the ark.
15:25 So David, the leaders of Israel, and the commanders of units of a thousand went to bring up the ark of the Lord’s covenant from the house of Obed-Edom with celebration. 15:26 When God helped the Levites who were carrying the ark of the Lord’s covenant, they sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams. 15:27 David was wrapped in a linen robe, as were all the Levites carrying the ark, the musicians, and Kenaniah the supervisor of transport and the musicians; 13 David also wore a linen ephod. 14 15:28 All Israel brought up the ark of the Lord’s covenant; they were shouting, blowing trumpets, sounding cymbals, and playing stringed instruments. 15:29 As the ark of the Lord’s covenant entered the City of David, Michal, Saul’s daughter, looked out the window. When she saw King David jumping and celebrating, she despised him. 15
16:1 They brought the ark of God and put it in the middle of the tent David had pitched for it. Then they offered burnt sacrifices and peace offerings 16 before God. 16:2 When David finished offering burnt sacrifices and peace offerings, he pronounced a blessing over the people in the Lord’s name. 16:3 He then handed out to each Israelite man and woman a loaf of bread, a date cake, and a raisin cake. 16:4 He appointed some of the Levites to serve before the ark of the Lord, to offer prayers, songs of thanks, and hymns to the Lord God of Israel. 16:5 Asaph was the leader and Zechariah second in command, followed by Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-Edom, and Jeiel. They were to play stringed instruments; Asaph was to sound the cymbals; 16:6 and the priests Benaiah and Jahaziel were to blow trumpets regularly before the ark of God’s covenant.
16:7 That day David first gave to Asaph and his colleagues this song of thanks to the Lord:
16:8 Give thanks to the Lord!
Call on his name!
Make known his accomplishments among the nations!
16:9 Sing to him! Make music to him!
Tell about all his miraculous deeds!
16:10 Boast about his holy name!
Let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice!
16:11 Seek the Lord and the strength he gives!
Seek his presence 17 continually!
16:12 Recall the miraculous deeds he performed,
his mighty acts and the judgments he decreed, 18
16:13 O children 19 of Israel, God’s 20 servant,
you descendants of Jacob, God’s 21 chosen ones!
16:14 He is the Lord our God;
he carries out judgment throughout the earth. 22
16:15 Remember 23 continually his covenantal decree,
the promise he made 24 to a thousand generations –
16:16 the promise 25 he made to Abraham,
the promise he made by oath to Isaac! 26
16:17 He gave it to Jacob as a decree,
to Israel as a lasting promise, 27
16:18 saying, “To you I will give the land of Canaan
as the portion of your inheritance.”
16:19 When they were few in number,
just a very few, and foreign residents within it,
16:20 they wandered from nation to nation,
and from one kingdom to another. 28
16:21 He let no one oppress them,
he disciplined kings for their sake,
16:22 saying, 29 “Don’t touch my anointed ones!
Don’t harm my prophets!”
16:23 Sing to the Lord, all the earth!
Announce every day 30 how he delivers!
16:24 Tell the nations about his splendor,
tell 31 all the nations about his miraculous deeds!
16:25 For the Lord is great and certainly worthy of praise,
he is more awesome than 32 all gods.
16:26 For all the gods of the nations are worthless, 33
but the Lord made the heavens. 34
16:27 Majestic splendor emanates from him, 35
he is the source of strength and joy. 36
16:28 Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the nations,
ascribe to the Lord splendor and strength!
16:29 Ascribe to the Lord the splendor he deserves! 37
Bring an offering and enter his presence!
Worship the Lord in holy attire! 38
16:30 Tremble before him, all the earth!
The world is established, it cannot be moved.
16:31 Let the heavens rejoice, and the earth be happy!
Let the nations say, 39 ‘The Lord reigns!’
16:32 Let the sea and everything in it shout!
Let the fields and everything in them celebrate!
16:33 Then let the trees of the forest shout with joy before the Lord,
for he comes to judge the earth!
16:34 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good
and his loyal love endures. 40
16:35 Say this prayer: 41 “Deliver us, O God who delivers us!
Gather us! Rescue us from the nations!
Then we will give thanks 42 to your holy name,
and boast about your praiseworthy deeds.” 43
16:36 May the Lord God of Israel be praised,
in the future and forevermore. 44
Then all the people said, “We agree! 45 Praise the Lord!”
16:37 David 46 left Asaph and his colleagues there before the ark of the Lord’s covenant to serve before the ark regularly and fulfill each day’s requirements, 47 16:38 including Obed-Edom and sixty-eight colleagues. Obed-Edom son of Jeduthun and Hosah were gatekeepers. 16:39 Zadok the priest and his fellow priests served 48 before the Lord’s tabernacle at the worship center 49 in Gibeon, 16:40 regularly offering burnt sacrifices to the Lord on the altar for burnt sacrifice, morning and evening, according to what is prescribed in the law of the Lord which he charged Israel to observe. 50 16:41 Joining them were Heman, Jeduthun, and the rest of those chosen and designated by name to give thanks to the Lord. (For his loyal love endures!) 51 16:42 Heman and Jeduthun were in charge of the music, including the trumpets, cymbals, and the other musical instruments used in praising God. The sons of Jeduthun guarded the entrance. 52
16:43 Then all the people returned to their homes, and David went to pronounce a blessing on his family. 53
17:1 When David had settled into his palace, 54 he 55 said to Nathan the prophet, “Look, I am living in a palace 56 made from cedar, while the ark of the Lord’s covenant is under a tent.” 57 17:2 Nathan said to David, “You should do whatever you have in mind, 58 for God is with you.”
17:3 That night God told Nathan the prophet, 59 17:4 “Go, tell my servant David: ‘This is what the Lord says: “You must not build me a house in which to live. 17:5 For I have not lived in a house from the time I brought Israel up from Egypt 60 to the present day. I have lived in a tent that has been in various places. 61 17:6 Wherever I moved throughout Israel, I did not say 62 to any of the leaders whom I appointed to care for my people Israel, 63 ‘Why have you not built me a house made from cedar?’”’
17:7 “So now, say this to my servant David: ‘This is what the Lord who commands armies 64 says: “I took you from the pasture and from your work as a shepherd 65 to make you a leader of my people Israel. 17:8 I was with you wherever you went and I defeated 66 all your enemies before you. Now I will make you as famous as the great men of the earth. 67 17:9 I will establish a place for my people Israel and settle 68 them there; they will live there and not be disturbed 69 anymore. Violent men will not oppress them again, as they did in the beginning 70 17:10 and during the time when I appointed judges to lead my people Israel. I will subdue all your enemies.
“‘“I declare to you that the Lord will build a dynastic house 71 for you! 17:11 When the time comes for you to die, 72 I will raise up your descendant, 73 one of your own sons, to succeed you, and I will establish his kingdom. 17:12 He will build me a house, and I will make his dynasty permanent. 74 17:13 I will become his father and he will become my son. I will never withhold my loyal love from him, as I withheld it from the one who ruled before you. 75 17:14 I will put him in permanent charge of my house and my kingdom; his dynasty will be permanent.”’” 76 17:15 Nathan told David all these words that were revealed to him. 77
17:16 David went in, sat before the Lord, and said: “Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my family, 78 that you should have brought me to this point? 17:17 And you did not stop there, O God! You have also spoken about the future of your servant’s family. 79 You have revealed to me what men long to know, 80 O Lord God. 17:18 What more can David say 81 to you? You have honored your servant; you have given your servant special recognition. 82 17:19 O Lord, for the sake of your servant and according to your will, 83 you have done this great thing in order to reveal your greatness. 84 17:20 O Lord, there is none like you; there is no God besides you! What we heard is true! 85 17:21 And who is like your people, Israel, a unique nation 86 in the earth? Their God 87 went to claim 88 a nation for himself! You made a name for yourself by doing great and awesome deeds 89 when you drove out 90 nations before your people whom you had delivered from the Egyptian empire and its gods. 91 17:22 You made Israel your very own nation for all time. 92 You, O Lord, became their God. 17:23 So now, O Lord, may the promise you made about your servant and his family become a permanent reality! 93 Do as you promised, 94 17:24 so 95 it may become a reality 96 and you may gain lasting fame, 97 as people say, 98 ‘The Lord who commands armies is the God of Israel.’ 99 David’s dynasty 100 will be established before you, 17:25 for you, my God, have revealed to your servant that you will build a dynasty 101 for him. That is why your servant has had the courage to pray to you. 102 17:26 Now, O Lord, you are the true God; 103 you have made this good promise to your servant. 104 17:27 Now you are willing to bless your servant’s dynasty 105 so that it may stand permanently before you, for you, O Lord, have blessed it and it will be blessed from now on into the future.” 106
1 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
2 sn Gershom is a variant spelling of the name Gershon.
3 tn Heb “because for what was at first [i.e., formerly] you [were] not, the
4 tn Heb “causing to be heard to lift up with a voice of joy.”
5 tn The Hebrew text adds, “their brothers.”
6 tc The Hebrew text adds בֶּן (ben, “son”) here; the word is omitted in three Hebrew
7 tn The meaning of the Hebrew word עֲלָמוֹת (’alamot) is uncertain; perhaps it refers to a particular style of music. See HALOT 835-36 s.v. עַלְמָה.
8 tn The meaning of the Hebrew word שְׁמִינִית (shÿminit) is uncertain; perhaps it refers to a particular style of music. See HALOT 1562 s.v. שְׁמִינֹי.
9 tn Heb “for” or “according to.”
10 tn Heb “and Kenaniah, the leader of the Levites, with lifting up, supervising with lifting up, for he was well-informed.” The precise nuance of מַשָּׂא (masa’, “lifting up”) is unclear. Some understand it as a reference to supervising the singing and music (e.g., NIV: “Kenaniah…was in charge of the singing”; NEB: “Kenaniah…was precentor in charge of the music”).
11 tn Heb “gatekeepers.”
12 tn Heb “gatekeepers.”
13 tn Heb “the leader, the lifting up, the musicians.” See also the note on the word “matter” in v. 22.
14 sn An ephod was a priestly garment worn over the robe.
15 tn The Hebrew text adds “in her heart.”
16 tn Or “tokens of peace”; NIV “fellowship offerings.”
17 tn Heb “face.”
18 tn Heb “and the judgments of his mouth.”
19 tn Heb “seed.”
20 tn Heb “his”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
21 tn Heb “his”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
22 tn Heb “in all the earth [are] his judgments.”
23 tn The Hebrew text has a masculine plural imperative, addressed to the people. Some LXX
24 tn Heb “[the] word he commanded.” The text refers here to God’s unconditional covenantal promise to Abraham and the patriarchs, as vv. 16-18 make clear.
25 tn Heb “which.”
26 tn Heb “his oath to Isaac.”
27 tn Or “eternal covenant.”
28 tn Heb “and from a kingdom to another nation.”
29 tn The word “saying” is supplied in the translation for clarification and for stylistic reasons.
30 tn Heb “from day to day.”
31 tn The verb “tell” is understood by ellipsis (note the preceding line).
32 tn Or “feared above.”
33 tn The Hebrew word אֱלִילִים (’elilim, “worthless”) sounds like אֱלֹהִים (’elohim, “gods”). The sound play draws attention to the statement. Many modern English translations render this term as “idols” here.
34 tn Or “the sky” (also in v. 31). The Hebrew term שָׁמַיִם (shamayim) may be translated “heaven(s)” or “sky” depending on the context.
35 tn Heb “majesty and splendor [are] before him.”
36 tn Heb “strength and joy [are] in his place.”
37 tn Heb “the splendor of [i.e., due] his name.”
38 tn Or “in holy splendor.”
39 tn Heb “let them say among the nations.”
40 tn Or “is eternal.”
41 tn The words “this prayer” are supplied in the translation for clarity and for stylistic reasons.
42 tn Heb “to give thanks.” The infinitive construct indicates result after the imperative.
43 tn Heb “to boast in your praise.”
44 tn Heb “from everlasting to everlasting.”
45 tn This is the Hebrew term אָמֵן (’amen, “surely”), traditionally transliterated “amen.”
46 tn Heb “he”; the referent (David) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
47 tn Heb “according to the matter of the day in its day.”
48 tn The word “served” is supplied in the translation for clarity and for stylistic reasons.
49 tn Or “high place.”
50 tn Heb “which he commanded Israel.”
51 tn Perhaps this refers to the refrain of their songs of praise (see Ps 136). In this case one could translate, “to give thanks to the
52 tn Heb “and with them, Heman and Jeduthun, trumpets and cymbals for sounding, and the instrument of song of God, and the sons of Jeduthun [were] at the gate.”
53 tn Heb “to bless his house.” Elsewhere when “house” is the object of “bless,” it refers to a household or family. See, for example, 1 Chr 13:14; 17:27. However, since בֵּית (bet, “house”) refers to a literal house or home earlier in the verse and to David’s palace in 17:1, one might translate here, “David went to pronounce a blessing on [i.e., dedicate] his house [i.e., palace].”
54 tn Heb “house.”
55 tn Heb “David.” The pronoun “he” has been used in the translation here to avoid redundancy in keeping with contemporary English style.
56 tn Heb “house.”
57 tn Heb “tent curtains.”
58 tn Heb “all which is in your heart.”
59 tn Heb “the word of God was [i.e., came] to Nathan the prophet.”
60 tn The words “from Egypt” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
61 tc Heb “and I was from tent to tent and from tabernacle.” The words אֶל־מִשְּׁכָּן (’el-mishÿkan, “to tabernacle”) should probably be added at the end of the sentence to complete this prepositional phrase and produce symmetry with the preceding prepositional phrase. The words probably fell from the text by homoioteleuton.
sn I have lived in a tent that has been in various places. The point here is that the Lord moved with the tabernacle as it moved from place to place; he did not confine himself to a particular location.
62 tn In the Hebrew text the statement is phrased as a rhetorical question (“Did I say?”) meaning “I did not say.”
63 tn Heb “to one of the judges of Israel whom I commanded to shepherd my people.”
64 tn Traditionally, “
65 tn Heb “and from after sheep.”
66 tn Heb “cut off.”
67 tn Heb “and I will make for you a name like the name of the great men who are in the earth.”
68 tn Heb “plant.”
69 tn Heb “shaken.”
70 tn Heb “and sons of violence will no longer consume them as in the beginning.”
71 tn Here the word “house” is used in a metaphorical sense, referring to a royal dynasty. The
72 tn Heb “and it will be when your days are full to go with your ancestors.”
73 tn Heb “your seed.”
74 tn Heb “and I will establish his throne permanently.”
75 sn The one who ruled before you is a reference to Saul, from whom the kingdom was taken and given to David.
76 tn Heb “and his throne will be established permanently.”
77 tn Heb “according to all these words and according to all this revelation, so Nathan said to David.”
78 tn Heb “house.”
79 tn Heb “and this was small in your eyes, O God, so you spoke concerning the house of your servant for a distance.”
80 tn The translation “You have revealed to me what men long to know” is very tentative; the meaning of the Hebrew text is unclear. The text appears to read literally, “and you see me like the searching of man, that which is upward,” which is nonsensical. The translation above assumes the following: (1) The Qal verb translated “you see me” is repointed as a Hiphil, “you showed me,” (2) תּוֹר (tor) is understood in the sense of “searching, exploring,” and (3) הַמַּעֲלָה (hamma’alah) is taken in a temporal sense of “that which lies beyond.” Thus one could translate, “you have shown me what men search for, what lies beyond.”
81 tn The word “say” is supplied in the translation for clarification.
82 tn Heb “for honoring your servant, and you, your servant, know.”
83 tn Heb “heart.”
84 tn Heb “to make known all the great deeds.”
85 tn The Hebrew text reads literally, “in all which we heard with our ears,” but בְּכֹל (bÿkhol, “in all”) should probably be emended to כְּכֹל (kÿkhol, “according to all”).
86 tn Heb “a nation, one.”
87 tn Heb “whose God,” or “because God.” In the Hebrew text this clause is subordinated to what precedes. The clauses are separated in the translation for stylistic reasons.
88 tn Heb “redeem” or “deliver.”
89 tn Heb “to make for yourself a name [with] great and awesome [deeds].”
90 tn Heb “to drive out.”
91 tn Heb “from Egypt, nations.” The parallel text in 2 Sam 7:23 reads “from Egypt, nations and its gods.”
92 tn Heb “and you made your people Israel your own for a people permanently.”
93 tn Heb “and now, O
94 tn Heb “as you have spoken.”
95 tn Following the imperative in v. 23b, the prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result: “so it might become a reality.”
96 tn Heb “so it might be established.”
97 tn Heb “and your name might be great permanently.” Following the imperative in v. 23b, the prefixed verbal form with vav conjunctive indicates purpose/result (parallel to the previous purpose/result clause): “[so]…you might gain lasting fame.”
98 tn Heb “saying.” The words “as people” are supplied in the translation for clarification and for stylistic reasons.
99 tc Heb “the
100 tn Heb “the house of David.”
101 tn Heb “house.”
102 tn Heb “That is why your servant found to pray before you.” Perhaps the phrase אֶת לִבּוֹ (’et libbo, “his heart”) should be supplied as the object of the verb “found.”
103 tn Heb “the God.” The article indicates uniqueness here.
104 tn Heb “and you have spoken to your servant this good thing.”
105 tn Heb “house.”
106 tn Heb “for you, O
