David Proposes to Bring the Ark to Jerusalem

131 Then David had discussions with the captains of thousands and the captains of hundreds and with every chief. 2 And David said to all the men of Israel who had come together there, If it seems good to you and if it is the purpose of the Lord our God, let us send to all the rest of our brothers, everywhere in the land of Israel, and to the priests and the Levites in their towns and the country round them, and get them to come together here to us; 3 And let us get back for ourselves the ark of our God: for in the days of Saul we did not go to it for directions. 4 And all the people said they would do so, for it seemed right to them.

David Goes to Get the Ark

5 So David sent for all Israel to come together, from Shihor, the river of Egypt, as far as the way into Hamath, to get the ark of God from Kiriath-jearim. 6 And David went up, with all Israel, to Baalah, that is, to Kiriath-jearim in Judah, to get up from there the ark of God, over which the holy Name is named, the name of the Lord whose place is between the winged ones. 7 And they put the ark of God on a new cart, and took it out of the house of Abinadab; and Uzza and Ahio were the drivers of the cart. 8 Then David and all Israel made melody before God with all their strength, with songs and corded instruments of music, and with brass instruments and horns.

9 And when they came to the grain-floor of Chidon, Uzza put out his hand to keep the ark in its place, for the oxen were slipping. 10 And the wrath of the Lord, burning against Uzza, sent destruction on him because he had put his hand on the ark, and death came to him there before God. 11 And David was angry because of the Lord's outburst of wrath against Uzza, and he gave that place the name Perez-uzza, to this day. 12 And so great was David's fear of God that day, that he said, How may I let the ark of God come to me? 13 So David did not let the ark come back to him to the town of David, but had it turned away and put into the house of Obed-edom the Gittite. 14 And the ark of God was in the house of Obed-edom for three months; and the Lord sent a blessing on the house of Obed-edom and on all he had.

Hiram's Recognition of David

141 And Hiram, king of Tyre, sent men to David with cedar-trees, and stoneworkers and woodworkers for the building of his house. 2 And David saw that the Lord had made his position safe as king over Israel, lifting up his kingdom on high because of his people Israel.

David's Children Born at Jerusalem

3 And while he was living in Jerusalem, David took more wives and became the father of more sons and daughters. 4 These are the names of the children he had in Jerusalem: Shammua and Shobab, Nathan and Solomon 5 And Ibhar and Elishua and Elpelet 6 And Nogah and Nepheg and Japhia 7 And Elishama and Beeliada and Eliphelet.

David Defeats the Philistines

8 And when the Philistines had news that David had been made king over all Israel, they went up in search of David, and David, hearing of it, went out against them. 9 Now the Philistines had come, and had gone out in every direction in the valley of Rephaim. 10 And David, desiring directions from God, said, Am I to go up against the Philistines? and will you give them into my hands? And the Lord said, Go up; for I will give them into your hands. 11 So they went up to Baal-perazim, and David overcame them there, and David said, God has let the forces fighting against me be broken by my hand, as a wall is broken down by rushing water; so they gave that place the name of Baal-perazim. 12 And the Philistines did not take their images with them in their flight; and at David's orders they were burned with fire. 13 Then the Philistines again went out in every direction in the valley. 14 And David went for directions to God; and God said to him, You are not to go up after them; but, turning away from them, come face to face with them opposite the spice-trees. 15 And at the sound of footsteps in the tops of the trees, go out to the fight, for God has gone out before you to overcome the army of the Philistines. 16 And David did as the Lord had said; and they overcame the army of the Philistines, attacking them from Gibeon as far as Gezer. 17 And David's name was honoured in all lands; and the Lord put the fear of him on all nations.

The Ark Brought to Jerusalem

151 And David made houses for himself in the town of David; and he got ready a place for the ark of God, and put up a tent for it. 2 Then David said, The ark of God may not be moved by any but the Levites, for they have been marked out by God to take the ark of God, and to do his work for ever. 3 And David made all Israel come together at Jerusalem, to take the ark of the Lord to its place, which he had got ready for it. 4 And David got together the sons of Aaron, and the Levites; 5 Of the sons of Kohath: Uriel the chief, and his brothers, a hundred and twenty; 6 Of the sons of Merari: Asaiah the chief, and his brothers, two hundred and twenty; 7 Of the sons of Gershom: Joel the chief, and his brothers, a hundred and thirty; 8 Of the sons of Elizaphan: Shemaiah the chief, and his brothers, two hundred; 9 Of the sons of Hebron: Eliel the chief, and his brothers, eighty; 10 Of the sons of Uzziel: Amminadab the chief, and his brothers, a hundred and twelve. 11 And David sent for Zadok and Abiathar the priests, and for the Levites, Uriel, Asaiah and Joel, Shemaiah and Eliel and Amminadab, 12 And said to them, You are the heads of the families of the Levites: make yourselves holy, you and your brothers, so that you may take the ark of the Lord, the God of Israel, to the place which I have made ready for it. 13 For because you did not take it at the first, the Lord our God sent punishment on us, because we did not get directions from him in the right way. 14 So the priests and the Levites made themselves holy to take up the ark of the Lord, the God of Israel. 15 And the sons of the Levites took up the ark of God, lifting it by its rods, as the Lord had said to Moses. 16 And David gave orders to the chief of the Levites to put their brothers the music-makers in position, with instruments of music, corded instruments and brass, with glad voices making sounds of joy. 17 So Heman, the son of Joel, and, of his brothers, Asaph, the son of Berechiah; and of the sons of Merari their brothers, Ethan, the son of Kushaiah, were put in position by the Levites; 18 And with them their brothers of the second order, Zechariah, Bani and Jaaziel and Shemiramoth and Jehiel and Unni, Eliab and Benaiah and Maaseiah and Mattithiah and Eliphelehu and Mikneiah, and Obed-edom and Jeiel, the door-keepers. 19 So those who made melody, Heman, Asaph, and Ethan, were put in position, with brass instruments, sounding loudly; 20 And Zechariah and Aziel and Shemiramoth and Jehiel, Unni and Eliab and Maaseiah and Benaiah, with corded instruments put to Alamoth. 21 And Mattithiah and Eliphelehu and Mikneiah and Obed-edom and Jeiel and Azaziah, with corded instruments on the octave, to give the first note of the song. 22 And Chenaniah, chief of the Levites, was master of the music: he gave directions about the song, because he was expert. 23 And Berechiah and Elkanah were door-keepers for the ark. 24 And Shebaniah and Joshaphat and Nethanel and Amasai and Zechariah and Benaiah and Eliezer, the priests, made music on the horns before the ark of God; and Obed-edom and Jehiah were door-keepers for the ark.

25 So David, and the responsible men of Israel, and the captains over thousands, went with joy to get the ark of the agreement of the Lord out of the house of Obed-edom. 26 And when God gave help to the Levites who were lifting up the ark of the agreement of the Lord, they made an offering of seven oxen and seven sheep. 27 And David was clothed with a robe of fair linen, as were all the Levites who took up the ark, and those who made melody, and Chenaniah the master of those who made melody; and David had on a linen ephod; 28 So all Israel took up the ark of the agreement of the Lord, with loud cries and with horns and brass and corded instruments sounding loudly. 29 And when the ark of the agreement of the Lord came into the town of David, Michal, the daughter of Saul, looking out of the window, saw King David dancing and playing; and to her mind he seemed foolish.