David Proposes to Bring the Ark to Jerusalem

131 And David consulted with the captains of thousands and hundreds, with every prince. 2 And David said to all the congregation of Israel, If it seem good to you, and it be of Jehovah our God, let us send abroad to our brethren everywhere, that are left in all the lands of Israel, and with them to the priests and Levites in their cities and suburbs, that they may gather themselves to us; 3 and let us bring again the ark of our God to us; for we inquired not of it in the days of Saul. 4 And all the congregation said that they should do so; for the thing was right in the eyes of all the people.

David Goes to Get the Ark

5 And David assembled all Israel from the Shihor of Egypt unto the entrance of Hamath, to bring the ark of God from Kirjath-jearim. 6 And David went up, and all Israel, to Baalah, to Kirjath-jearim, which belonged to Judah, to bring up from thence the ark of God, of Jehovah, who sitteth between the cherubim, whose name is placed [there]. 7 And they carried the ark of God on a new cart out of the house of Abinadab; and Uzza and Ahio drove the cart. 8 And David and all Israel played before God with all their might, and with singing, and with harps, and with lutes, and with tambours, and with cymbals, and with trumpets.

9 And when they came to the threshing-floor of Chidon, Uzza put forth his hand to hold the ark; for the oxen had stumbled. 10 And the anger of Jehovah was kindled against Uzza, and he smote him, because he had put forth his hand to the ark; and there he died before God. 11 And David was indignant; for Jehovah had made a breach upon Uzza; and he called that place Perez-Uzza to this day. 12 And David was afraid of God that day, saying, How shall I bring the ark of God to me? 13 And David brought not the ark home unto himself into the city of David, but he carried it aside into the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite. 14 And the ark of God remained with the family of Obed-Edom in his house three months. And Jehovah blessed the house of Obed-Edom, and all that he had.

Hiram's Recognition of David

141 And Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and timber of cedars, with masons and carpenters, to build him a house. 2 And David perceived that Jehovah had established him king over Israel, for his kingdom was highly exalted, because of his people Israel.

David's Children Born at Jerusalem

3 And David took more wives at Jerusalem: and David begot more sons and daughters. 4 And these are the names of the children which 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 the Philistines heard that David was anointed king over all Israel, and all the Philistines went up to seek David; and David heard [of it], and went out against them. 9 And the Philistines came and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim. 10 And David inquired of God saying, Shall I go up against the Philistines, and wilt thou give them into my hand? And Jehovah said to him, Go up; and I will give them into thy hand. 11 And they came up to Baal-perazim, and David smote them there; and David said, God has broken in upon mine enemies by my hand, as the breaking forth of waters. Therefore they called the name of that place Baal-perazim. 12 And they left their gods there; and David commanded, and they were burned with fire. 13 And the Philistines yet again spread themselves in the valley. 14 And David inquired again of God; and God said to him, Go not up after them; turn round them and come upon them opposite the mulberry-trees. 15 And it shall be, when thou hearest the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry-trees, that then thou shalt go out to battle; for God will have gone forth before thee to smite the army of the Philistines. 16 And David did as God commanded him; and they smote the army of the Philistines from Gibeon even to Gezer. 17 And the fame of David went out into all lands; and Jehovah brought the fear of him upon all the nations.

The Ark Brought to Jerusalem

151 And he made him houses in the city of David, and prepared a place for the ark of God, and spread a tent for it. 2 Then David said, None ought to carry the ark of God but the Levites, for them has Jehovah chosen to carry the ark of God, and to serve him for ever. 3 And David assembled all Israel to Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of Jehovah to its place that he had prepared for it. 4 And David gathered the sons of Aaron and the Levites: 5 of the sons of Kohath, Uriel the chief, and his brethren a hundred and twenty; 6 of the sons of Merari, Asaiah the chief, and his brethren two hundred and twenty; 7 of the sons of Gershom, Joel the chief, and his brethren a hundred and thirty; 8 of the sons of Elizaphan, Shemaiah the chief, and his brethren two hundred; 9 of the sons of Hebron, Eliel the chief, and his brethren eighty; 10 of the sons of Uzziel, Amminadab the chief, and his brethren a hundred and twelve. 11 And David called for Zadok and Abiathar the priests, and for the Levites, for Uriel, Asaiah, and Joel, Shemaiah, and Eliel, and Amminadab; 12 and he said to them, Ye are the chief fathers of the Levites; hallow yourselves, ye and your brethren, that ye may bring up the ark of Jehovah the God of Israel to [the place that] I have prepared for it. 13 For because ye did [it] not at the first, Jehovah our God made a breach upon us, for that we sought him not after the due order. 14 So the priests and the Levites hallowed themselves to bring up the ark of Jehovah the God of Israel. 15 And the children of the Levites bore the ark of God upon their shoulders with the staves upon them, as Moses had commanded according to the word of Jehovah. 16 And David spoke to the chief of the Levites to appoint their brethren, the singers, with instruments of music, lutes, and harps, and cymbals, that they should sound aloud, lifting up the voice with joy. 17 And the Levites appointed Heman the son of Joel; and of his brethren, Asaph the son of Berechiah; and of the sons of Merari their brethren, Ethan the son of Kushaiah; 18 and with them their brethren of the second [rank], Zechariah, Ben, and Jaaziel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Unni, Eliab, and Benaiah, and Maaseiah, and Mattithiah, and Elipheleh, and Mikneiah, and Obed-Edom, and Jeiel, the doorkeepers; 19 and the singers, Heman, Asaph, and Ethan, to sound aloud with cymbals of brass; 20 and Zechariah, and Aziel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Unni, and Eliab, and Maaseiah, and Benaiah, with lutes on Alamoth; 21 and Mattithiah, and Elipheleh, and Mikneiah, and Obed-Edom and Jeiel, and Azaziah, with harps on the Sheminith to lead [the singing]. 22 And Chenaniah, chief of the Levites for the music, gave instruction in music, for he was skilful. 23 And Berechiah and Elkanah were doorkeepers for the ark. 24 And Shebaniah, and Jehoshaphat, and Nethaneel, and Amasai, and Zechariah, and Benaiah, and Eliezer, the priests, blew with the trumpets before the ark of God; and Obed-Edom and Jehijah were doorkeepers for the ark.

25 And David, and the elders of Israel, and the captains over thousands, went to bring up the ark of the covenant of Jehovah out of the house of Obed-Edom with joy. 26 And it came to pass, when God helped the Levites that bore the ark of the covenant of Jehovah, that they sacrificed seven bullocks and seven rams. 27 And David was clothed with a robe of byssus, and all the Levites that bore the ark, and the singers, and Chenaniah chief of the music of the singers; and David had upon him a linen ephod. 28 And all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of Jehovah with shouting, and with sound of the trumpet, and with clarions, and with cymbals, playing aloud with lutes and harps. 29 And it came to pass as the ark of the covenant of Jehovah came to the city of David, that Michal the daughter of Saul looked through a window, and saw king David dancing and playing; and she despised him in her heart.