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1 Chronicles 14-16
Contemporary English Version
1 Chronicles 14-16
Contemporary English Version
David's Palace in Jerusalem
(2 Samuel 5.11-16)
14 King Hiram of Tyre sent some officials to David. They brought along carpenters and stone workers, and enough cedar logs to build David a palace. 2 David now knew that the Lord had made him a powerful king of Israel for the good of his people.
3 After David moved to Jerusalem, he married more women and had more sons and daughters. 4-7 His children born there were Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, Ibhar, Elishua, Elpelet, Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia, Elishama, Beeliada,[a] and Eliphelet.
David Defeats the Philistines
(2 Samuel 5.17-25)
8 When the Philistines heard that David had become king of Israel, they came to capture him. But David heard about their plan and marched out to meet them in battle. 9 The Philistines had already camped in Rephaim Valley and were raiding the nearby villages.
10 David asked God, “Should I attack the Philistines? Will you help me win?”
The Lord told David, “Yes, attack them! I will give you victory.”
11 David and his army marched to Baal-Perazim, where they attacked and defeated the Philistines. He said, “I defeated my enemies because God broke through them like a mighty flood.” So he named the place “The Lord Broke Through.”[b] 12 Then David ordered his troops to burn the idols that the Philistines had left behind.
13 Some time later, the Philistines came back into the hill country and camped in Rephaim Valley. 14 David asked God what he should do, and God answered, “Don't attack them from the front. Circle around behind them where the balsam[c] trees are. 15 Wait there until you hear the treetops making the sound of marching troops. That sound will mean I have marched out ahead of you to fight the Philistine army. So you must then attack quickly!”
16 David obeyed God and he defeated the Philistines. He even chased them all the way from Gibeon to the entrance to Gezer.
17 From then on, David became even more famous, and the Lord made all the nations afraid of him.
David Gets Ready To Bring the Sacred Chest to Jerusalem
15 David had several buildings built in Jerusalem, and he had a tent set up where the sacred chest would be kept. 2 (A) He said, “Only Levites will be allowed to carry the chest, because the Lord has chosen them to do that work and to serve him forever.”
3 Next, David invited everyone to come to Jerusalem and watch the sacred chest being carried to the place he had set up for it. 4 He also sent for Aaron's descendants and for the Levites. The Levites that came were: 5 Uriel, the leader of the Kohath clan, and 120 of his relatives; 6 Asaiah, the leader of the Merari clan, and 220 of his relatives; 7 Joel, the leader of the Gershon clan, and 130 of his relatives; 8 Shemaiah, the leader of the Elizaphan clan, and 200 of his relatives; 9 Eliel, the leader of the Hebron clan, and 80 of his relatives; and 10 Amminadab, the leader of the Uzziel clan, with 112 of his relatives.
11 David called together these six Levites and the two priests, Zadok and Abiathar. 12 He said to them, “You are the leaders of the clans in the Levi tribe. You and your relatives must first go through the ceremony to make yourselves clean and acceptable to the Lord. Then you may carry the sacred chest that belongs to the Lord God of Israel and bring it to the place I have prepared for it. 13 The first time we tried to bring the chest to Jerusalem, we didn't ask the Lord what he wanted us to do. He was angry with us, because you Levites weren't there to carry the chest.”
14 The priests and the Levites made themselves clean. They were now ready to carry the sacred chest 15 (B) on poles that rested on their shoulders, just as the Lord had told Moses to do.
16 David then told the leaders to choose some Levites to sing and play music on small harps, other stringed instruments, and cymbals. 17-21 The men chosen to play the cymbals were Heman the son of Joel, his relative Asaph the son of Berechiah, and Ethan the son of Kushaiah from the Merari clan. Some of their assistants played the smaller harps: they were Zechariah, Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah, and Benaiah. Others played the larger harps: they were Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Azaziah, and two of the temple guards, Obed-Edom and Jeiel.
22 Chenaniah was chosen to be the music director, because he was a skilled musician.
23-24 Four Levites were then appointed to guard the sacred chest. They were Berechiah, Elkanah, Obed-Edom, and Jehiah.
Finally, David chose priests to walk in front of the sacred chest and blow trumpets. They were Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah, and Eliezer.
The Sacred Chest Is Brought to Jerusalem
(2 Samuel 6.12-22)
25 David, the leaders of Israel, and the army commanders were very happy as they went to Obed-Edom's house to get the sacred chest. 26 God gave the Levites the strength they needed to carry the chest, and so they sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams.
27 David, the Levites, Chenaniah the music director, and all the musicians were wearing linen robes, and David was also wearing a linen cloth.[d] 28 While the sacred chest was being carried into Jerusalem, everyone was celebrating by shouting and playing music on horns, trumpets, cymbals, harps, and other stringed instruments.
29 Saul's daughter Michal[e] looked out her window and watched the chest being brought into David's City. But when she saw David jumping and dancing in honor of the Lord, she was disgusted.
16 They put the sacred chest inside the tent that David had set up for it, then they offered sacrifices to please the Lord[f] and sacrifices to ask his blessing.[g] 2 After David had finished, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord 3 and gave every person in the crowd a small loaf of bread, some meat, and a handful of raisins.
4 David appointed some of the Levites to serve at the sacred chest; they were to play music and sing praises to the Lord God of Israel. 5 Asaph was their leader, and Zechariah was his assistant. Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-Edom, and another man named Jeiel were appointed to play small harps and stringed instruments. Asaph himself played the cymbals, 6 and the two priests Benaiah and Jahaziel were to blow trumpets every day in front of the sacred chest.
David's Song of Praise
(Psalms 105.1-15; 96.1-13; 106.1,47,48)
7 That same day, David instructed Asaph and his relatives for the first time to sing these praises to the Lord:
8 Praise the Lord
and pray in his name!
Tell everyone
what he has done.
9 Sing praises to the Lord!
Tell about his miracles.
10 Celebrate and worship
his holy name
with all your heart.
11 Trust the Lord
and his mighty power.
Worship him always.
12 Remember his miracles
and all his wonders
and his fair decisions.
13 You belong to the family
of Israel, his servant;
you are his chosen ones,
the descendants of Jacob.
14 The Lord is our God,
bringing justice
everywhere on earth.
15 We must never forget
his agreement and his promises,
not in thousands of years.
* 16 (C) God made an eternal promise
17 to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
18 when he said, “I'll give you
the land of Canaan.”
19 At the time there were
only a few of us,
and we were homeless.
20 We wandered from nation
to nation, from one country
to another.
21 (D) God did not let anyone
mistreat our people.
Instead he protected us
by punishing rulers
22 and telling them,
“Don't touch my chosen leaders
or harm my prophets!”
23 Everyone on this earth,
sing praises to the Lord.
Day after day announce,
“The Lord has saved us!”
24 Tell every nation on earth,
“The Lord is wonderful
and does marvelous things!
25 The Lord is great and deserves
our greatest praise!
He is the only God
worthy of our worship.
26 Other nations worship idols,
but the Lord created
the heavens.
27 Give honor and praise
to the Lord,
whose power and beauty
fill his holy temple.”
28 Tell everyone of every nation,
“Praise the glorious power
of the Lord.
29 He is wonderful! Praise him
and bring an offering
into his temple.
Worship the Lord,
majestic and holy.
30 Everyone on earth, now tremble!”
The world stands firm,
never to be shaken.
31 Tell the heavens and the earth
to be glad and celebrate!
And announce to the nations,
“The Lord is King!”
32 Command the ocean to roar
with all of its creatures
and the fields to rejoice
with all of their crops.
33 Then every tree in the forest
will sing joyful songs
to the Lord.
He is coming to judge
all people on earth.
34 (E) Praise the Lord
because he is good to us,
and his love never fails.
35 Say to him, “Save us, Lord God!
Bring us back
from among the nations.
Let us celebrate and shout
in praise of your holy name.
36 Lord God of Israel,
you deserve to be praised
forever and ever.”
After David finished, the people shouted, “Amen! Praise the Lord!”
David Appoints Worship Leaders at Jerusalem and Gibeon
37 David chose Asaph and the Levites in his clan to be in charge of the daily worship at the place where the sacred chest was kept. 38 Obed-Edom and 68 of his relatives were their assistants, and Hosah and Obed-Edom the son of Jeduthun were the guards.
39 David also chose Zadok the priest and his relatives who were priests to serve at the Lord's sacred tent at Gibeon. 40 They were to offer sacrifices on the altar every morning and evening, just as the Lord had commanded in the Law he gave Israel. 41 (F) Heman and Jeduthun were their assistants, as well as the other men who had been chosen to praise the Lord for his never-ending love. 42 Heman and Jeduthun were also responsible for blowing the trumpets, and for playing the cymbals and other instruments during worship at the tent. The Levites in Jeduthun's clan were the guards at Gibeon.
43 (G) After that, everyone went home, and David went home to his family.
Footnotes
- 14.4-7 Beeliada: Or “Eliada” (see 3.6-8).
- 14.11 The Lord Broke Through: Or “Baal-Perazim.”
- 14.14 balsam: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
- 15.27 a linen cloth: The Hebrew word is “ephod,” which can mean either a piece of clothing like a skirt that went from the waist to the knee or a garment like a vest or jacket that only the priests wore.
- 15.29 Michal: One of David's wives.
- 16.1 sacrifices to please the Lord: These sacrifices have traditionally been called “whole burnt offerings” because the whole animal was burned on the altar. A main purpose of such sacrifices was to please the Lord with the smell of the sacrifice, and so in the CEV they are often called “sacrifices to please the Lord.”
- 16.1 sacrifices to ask his blessing: These sacrifices have traditionally been called “peace offerings” or “offerings of well-being.” A main purpose was to ask for the Lord's blessing, and so in the CEV they are sometimes called “sacrifices to ask the Lord's blessing.”
1 Chronicles 14-16
New International Version
1 Chronicles 14-16
New International Version
David’s House and Family(A)
14 Now Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, along with cedar logs,(B) stonemasons and carpenters to build a palace for him. 2 And David knew that the Lord had established him as king over Israel and that his kingdom had been highly exalted(C) for the sake of his people Israel.
3 In Jerusalem David took more wives and became the father of more sons(D) and daughters. 4 These are the names of the children born to him there:(E) Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, 5 Ibhar, Elishua, Elpelet, 6 Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia, 7 Elishama, Beeliada[a] and Eliphelet.
David Defeats the Philistines(F)
8 When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over all Israel,(G) they went up in full force to search for him, but David heard about it and went out to meet them. 9 Now the Philistines had come and raided the Valley(H) of Rephaim; 10 so David inquired of God: “Shall I go and attack the Philistines? Will you deliver them into my hands?”
The Lord answered him, “Go, I will deliver them into your hands.”
11 So David and his men went up to Baal Perazim,(I) and there he defeated them. He said, “As waters break out, God has broken out against my enemies by my hand.” So that place was called Baal Perazim.[b] 12 The Philistines had abandoned their gods there, and David gave orders to burn(J) them in the fire.(K)
13 Once more the Philistines raided the valley;(L) 14 so David inquired of God again, and God answered him, “Do not go directly after them, but circle around them and attack them in front of the poplar trees. 15 As soon as you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the poplar trees, move out to battle, because that will mean God has gone out in front of you to strike the Philistine army.” 16 So David did as God commanded him, and they struck down the Philistine army, all the way from Gibeon(M) to Gezer.(N)
17 So David’s fame(O) spread throughout every land, and the Lord made all the nations fear(P) him.
The Ark Brought to Jerusalem(Q)
15 After David had constructed buildings for himself in the City of David, he prepared(R) a place for the ark of God and pitched(S) a tent for it. 2 Then David said, “No one but the Levites(T) may carry(U) the ark of God, because the Lord chose them to carry the ark of the Lord and to minister(V) before him forever.”
3 David assembled all Israel(W) in Jerusalem to bring up the ark of the Lord to the place he had prepared for it. 4 He called together the descendants of Aaron and the Levites:(X)
5 From the descendants of Kohath,
Uriel(Y) the leader and 120 relatives;
6 from the descendants of Merari,
Asaiah the leader and 220 relatives;
7 from the descendants of Gershon,[c]
Joel the leader and 130 relatives;
8 from the descendants of Elizaphan,(Z)
Shemaiah the leader and 200 relatives;
9 from the descendants of Hebron,(AA)
Eliel the leader and 80 relatives;
10 from the descendants of Uzziel,
Amminadab the leader and 112 relatives.
11 Then David summoned Zadok(AB) and Abiathar(AC) the priests, and Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel and Amminadab the Levites. 12 He said to them, “You are the heads of the Levitical families; you and your fellow Levites are to consecrate(AD) yourselves and bring up the ark of the Lord, the God of Israel, to the place I have prepared for it. 13 It was because you, the Levites,(AE) did not bring it up the first time that the Lord our God broke out in anger against us.(AF) We did not inquire of him about how to do it in the prescribed way.(AG)” 14 So the priests and Levites consecrated themselves in order to bring up the ark of the Lord, the God of Israel. 15 And the Levites carried the ark of God with the poles on their shoulders, as Moses had commanded(AH) in accordance with the word of the Lord.(AI)
16 David(AJ) told the leaders of the Levites(AK) to appoint their fellow Levites as musicians(AL) to make a joyful sound with musical instruments: lyres, harps and cymbals.(AM)
17 So the Levites appointed Heman(AN) son of Joel; from his relatives, Asaph(AO) son of Berekiah; and from their relatives the Merarites,(AP) Ethan son of Kushaiah; 18 and with them their relatives next in rank: Zechariah,[d] Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom(AQ) and Jeiel,[e] the gatekeepers.
19 The musicians Heman,(AR) Asaph and Ethan were to sound the bronze cymbals; 20 Zechariah, Jaaziel,[f] Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah and Benaiah were to play the lyres according to alamoth,[g] 21 and Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, Jeiel and Azaziah were to play the harps, directing according to sheminith.[h] 22 Kenaniah the head Levite was in charge of the singing; that was his responsibility because he was skillful at it.
23 Berekiah and Elkanah were to be doorkeepers for the ark. 24 Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah and Eliezer the priests were to blow trumpets(AS) before the ark of God. Obed-Edom and Jehiah were also to be doorkeepers for the ark.
25 So David and the elders of Israel and the commanders of units of a thousand went to bring up the ark(AT) of the covenant of the Lord from the house of Obed-Edom, with rejoicing. 26 Because God had helped the Levites who were carrying the ark of the covenant of the Lord, seven bulls and seven rams(AU) were sacrificed. 27 Now David was clothed in a robe of fine linen, as were all the Levites who were carrying the ark, and as were the musicians, and Kenaniah, who was in charge of the singing of the choirs. David also wore a linen ephod.(AV) 28 So all Israel(AW) brought up the ark of the covenant of the Lord with shouts,(AX) with the sounding of rams’ horns(AY) and trumpets, and of cymbals, and the playing of lyres and harps.
29 As the ark of the covenant of the Lord was entering the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King David dancing and celebrating, she despised him in her heart.
Ministering Before the Ark(AZ)(BA)(BB)
16 They brought the ark of God and set it inside the tent that David had pitched(BC) for it, and they presented burnt offerings and fellowship offerings before God. 2 After David had finished sacrificing the burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, he blessed(BD) the people in the name of the Lord. 3 Then he gave a loaf of bread, a cake of dates and a cake of raisins(BE) to each Israelite man and woman.
4 He appointed some of the Levites to minister(BF) before the ark of the Lord, to extol,[i] thank, and praise the Lord, the God of Israel: 5 Asaph was the chief, and next to him in rank were Zechariah, then Jaaziel,[j] Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-Edom and Jeiel. They were to play the lyres and harps, Asaph was to sound the cymbals, 6 and Benaiah and Jahaziel the priests were to blow the trumpets regularly before the ark of the covenant of God.
7 That day David first appointed Asaph and his associates to give praise(BG) to the Lord in this manner:
8 Give praise(BH) to the Lord, proclaim his name;
make known among the nations(BI) what he has done.
9 Sing to him, sing praise(BJ) to him;
tell of all his wonderful acts.
10 Glory in his holy name;(BK)
let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.
11 Look to the Lord and his strength;
seek(BL) his face always.
12 Remember(BM) the wonders(BN) he has done,
his miracles,(BO) and the judgments he pronounced,
13 you his servants, the descendants of Israel,
his chosen ones, the children of Jacob.
14 He is the Lord our God;
his judgments(BP) are in all the earth.
15 He remembers[k](BQ) his covenant forever,
the promise he made, for a thousand generations,
16 the covenant(BR) he made with Abraham,
the oath he swore to Isaac.
17 He confirmed it to Jacob(BS) as a decree,
to Israel as an everlasting covenant:
18 “To you I will give the land of Canaan(BT)
as the portion you will inherit.”
19 When they were but few in number,(BU)
few indeed, and strangers in it,
20 they[l] wandered(BV) from nation to nation,
from one kingdom to another.
21 He allowed no one to oppress them;
for their sake he rebuked kings:(BW)
22 “Do not touch my anointed ones;
do my prophets(BX) no harm.”
23 Sing to the Lord, all the earth;
proclaim his salvation day after day.
24 Declare his glory(BY) among the nations,
his marvelous deeds among all peoples.
25 For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise;(BZ)
he is to be feared(CA) above all gods.(CB)
26 For all the gods of the nations are idols,
but the Lord made the heavens.(CC)
27 Splendor and majesty are before him;
strength and joy are in his dwelling place.
28 Ascribe to the Lord, all you families of nations,
ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.(CD)
29 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;(CE)
bring an offering and come before him.
Worship the Lord in the splendor of his[m] holiness.(CF)
30 Tremble(CG) before him, all the earth!
The world is firmly established; it cannot be moved.(CH)
31 Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad;(CI)
let them say among the nations, “The Lord reigns!(CJ)”
32 Let the sea resound, and all that is in it;(CK)
let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them!
33 Let the trees(CL) of the forest sing,
let them sing for joy before the Lord,
for he comes to judge(CM) the earth.
34 Give thanks(CN) to the Lord, for he is good;(CO)
his love endures forever.(CP)
35 Cry out, “Save us, God our Savior;(CQ)
gather us and deliver us from the nations,
that we may give thanks to your holy name,
and glory in your praise.”
36 Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel,(CR)
from everlasting to everlasting.
Then all the people said “Amen” and “Praise the Lord.”
37 David left Asaph and his associates before the ark of the covenant of the Lord to minister there regularly, according to each day’s requirements.(CS) 38 He also left Obed-Edom(CT) and his sixty-eight associates to minister with them. Obed-Edom son of Jeduthun, and also Hosah,(CU) were gatekeepers.
39 David left Zadok(CV) the priest and his fellow priests before the tabernacle of the Lord at the high place in Gibeon(CW) 40 to present burnt offerings to the Lord on the altar of burnt offering regularly, morning and evening, in accordance with everything written in the Law(CX) of the Lord, which he had given Israel. 41 With them were Heman(CY) and Jeduthun and the rest of those chosen and designated by name to give thanks to the Lord, “for his love endures forever.” 42 Heman and Jeduthun were responsible for the sounding of the trumpets and cymbals and for the playing of the other instruments for sacred song.(CZ) The sons of Jeduthun(DA) were stationed at the gate.
43 Then all the people left, each for their own home, and David returned home to bless his family.
Footnotes
- 1 Chronicles 14:7 A variant of Eliada
- 1 Chronicles 14:11 Baal Perazim means the lord who breaks out.
- 1 Chronicles 15:7 Hebrew Gershom, a variant of Gershon
- 1 Chronicles 15:18 Three Hebrew manuscripts and most Septuagint manuscripts (see also verse 20 and 16:5); most Hebrew manuscripts Zechariah son and or Zechariah, Ben and
- 1 Chronicles 15:18 Hebrew; Septuagint (see also verse 21) Jeiel and Azaziah
- 1 Chronicles 15:20 See verse 18; Hebrew Aziel, a variant of Jaaziel.
- 1 Chronicles 15:20 Probably a musical term
- 1 Chronicles 15:21 Probably a musical term
- 1 Chronicles 16:4 Or petition; or invoke
- 1 Chronicles 16:5 See 15:18,20; Hebrew Jeiel, possibly another name for Jaaziel.
- 1 Chronicles 16:15 Some Septuagint manuscripts (see also Psalm 105:8); Hebrew Remember
- 1 Chronicles 16:20 One Hebrew manuscript, Septuagint and Vulgate (see also Psalm 105:12); most Hebrew manuscripts inherit, / 19 though you are but few in number, / few indeed, and strangers in it.” / 20 They
- 1 Chronicles 16:29 Or Lord with the splendor of
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