The Living Bible (133 page)
Authors: Inc. Tyndale House Publishers
Tags: #BIBLES / Other Translations / Text
After David had consulted with all of his army officers,
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he addressed the assembled men of Israel as follows:
“Since you think that I should be your king, and since the Lord our God has given his approval, let us send messages to our brothers throughout the land of Israel, including the priests and Levites, inviting them to come and join us.
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And let us bring back the Ark of our God, for we have been neglecting it ever since Saul became king.”
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There was unanimous consent, for everyone agreed with him.
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So David summoned the people of Israel from all across the nation
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so that they could be present when the Ark of God was brought from Kiriath-jearim.
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Then David and all Israel went to Baalah (i.e., Kiriath-jearim) in Judah to bring back the Ark of the Lord God enthroned above the Guardian Angels.
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It was taken from the house of Abinadab on a new cart. Uzza and Ahio drove the oxen.
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Then David and all the people danced before the Lord with great enthusiasm, accompanied by singing and by zithers, harps, tambourines, cymbals, and trumpets.
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But as they arrived at the threshing floor of Chidon, the oxen stumbled and Uzza reached out his hand to steady the Ark.
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Then the anger of the Lord blazed out against Uzza, and killed him because he had touched the Ark. And so he died there before God.
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David was angry at the Lord for what he had done to Uzza and he named the place “The Outbreak Against Uzza.” And it is still called that today.
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Now David was afraid of God and asked, “How shall I ever get the Ark of God home?”
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Finally he decided to take it to the home of Obed-edom the Gittite instead of bringing it to the City of David.
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The Ark remained there with the family of Obed-edom for three months, and the Lord blessed him and his family.
King Hiram of Tyre sent masons and carpenters to help build David’s palace and he supplied him with much cedar lumber.
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David now realized why the Lord had made him king and why he had made his kingdom so great; it was for a special reason—to give joy to God’s people!
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After David moved to Jerusalem, he married additional wives and became the father of many sons and daughters.
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These are the names of the sons born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, Ibhar, Elishua, Elpelet, Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia, Elishama, Beeliada, Eliphelet.
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When the Philistines heard that David was Israel’s new king, they mobilized their forces to capture him. But David learned that they were on the way, so he called together his army.
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The Philistines were raiding the valley of Rephaim,
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and David asked the Lord, “If I go out and fight them, will you give me the victory?”
And the Lord replied, “Yes, I will.”
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So he attacked them at Baal-perazim and wiped them out. He exulted, “God has used me to sweep away my enemies like water bursting through a dam!” That is why the place has been known as Baal-perazim ever since (meaning, “The Place of Breaking Through”).
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After the battle the Israelis picked up many idols left by the Philistines, but David ordered them burned.
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Later the Philistines raided the valley again,
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and again David asked God what to do.
The Lord replied, “Go around by the mulberry trees and attack from there.
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When you hear a sound like marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, that is your signal to attack, for God will go before you and destroy the enemy.”
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So David did as the Lord commanded him; and he cut down the army of the Philistines all the way from Gibeon to Gezer.
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David’s fame spread everywhere, and the Lord caused all the nations to fear him.
David now built several palaces for himself in Jerusalem, and he also built a new Tabernacle to house the Ark of God,
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and issued these instructions: “When we transfer the Ark to its new home,
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no one except the Levites may carry it, for God has chosen them for this purpose; they are to minister to him forever.”
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Then David summoned all Israel to Jerusalem to celebrate the bringing of the Ark into the new Tabernacle.
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These were the priests and Levites present:
120 from the clan of Kohath; with Uriel as their leader;
220 from the clan of Merari; with Asaiah as their leader;
130 from the clan of Gershom; with Joel as their leader;
200 from the subclan of Elizaphan; with Shemaiah as their leader;
80 from the subclan of Hebron; with Eliel as their leader;
112 from the subclan of Uzziel; with Amminadab as their leader.
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Then David called for Zadok and Abiathar, the High Priests, and for the Levite leaders: Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel, and Amminadab.
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“You are the leaders of the clans of the Levites,” he told them. “Now sanctify yourselves with all your brothers so that you may bring the Ark of Jehovah, the God of Israel, to the place I have prepared for it.
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The Lord destroyed us before because we handled the matter improperly—you were not carrying it.”
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So the priests and the Levites underwent the ceremonies of sanctification in preparation for bringing home the Ark of Jehovah, the God of Israel.
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Then the Levites carried the Ark on their shoulders with its carrying poles, just as the Lord had instructed Moses.
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King David also ordered the Levite leaders to organize the singers into an orchestra, and they played loudly and joyously upon psaltries, harps, and cymbals.
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Heman (son of Joel), Asaph (son of Berechiah), and Ethan (son of Kushaiah) from the clan of Merari were the heads of the musicians.
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The following men were chosen as their assistants: Zechariah, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-edom and Jeiel, the doorkeepers.
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Heman, Asaph, and Ethan were chosen to sound the bronze cymbals;
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and Zechariah, Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah, and Benaiah comprised an octet accompanied by harps.
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Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah were the harpists.
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The song leader was Chenaniah, the chief of the Levites, who was selected for his skill.
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Berechiah and Elkanah were guards for the Ark.
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Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah, and Eliezer—all of whom were priests—formed a bugle corps to march at the head of the procession. And Obed-edom and Jehiah guarded the Ark.
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Then David and the elders of Israel and the high officers of the army went with great joy to the home of Obed-edom to take the Ark to Jerusalem.
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And because God didn’t destroy the Levites who were carrying the Ark, they sacrificed seven bulls and seven lambs.
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David, the Levites carrying the Ark, the singers, and Chenaniah the song leader were all dressed in linen robes. David also wore a linen ephod.
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So the leaders of Israel took the Ark to Jerusalem with shouts of joy, the blowing of horns and trumpets, the crashing of cymbals, and loud playing on the harps and zithers.
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(But as the Ark arrived in Jerusalem, David’s wife Michal, the daughter of King Saul, felt a deep disgust for David as she watched from the window and saw him dancing like a madman.)
So they brought the Ark of God into the special tent that David had prepared for it, and the leaders of Israel sacrificed burnt offerings and peace offerings before God.
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At the conclusion of these offerings David blessed the people in the name of the Lord;
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then he gave every person present
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(men and women alike) a loaf of bread, some wine, and a cake of raisins.
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He appointed certain of the Levites to minister before the Ark by giving constant praise and thanks to the Lord God of Israel and by asking for his blessings upon his people. These are the names of those given this assignment:
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Asaph, the leader of this detail, sounded the cymbals. His associates were Zechariah, Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-edom, and Jeiel; they played the harps and zithers.
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The priests Benaiah and Jahaziel played their trumpets regularly before the Ark.
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At that time David began the custom of using choirs in the Tabernacle to sing thanksgiving to the Lord. Asaph was the director of this choral group of priests.
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“Oh, give thanks to the Lord and pray to him,” they sang.
“Tell the peoples of the world
About his mighty doings.
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Sing to him; yes, sing his praises
And tell of his marvelous works.
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Glory in his holy name;
Let all rejoice who seek the Lord.
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Seek the Lord; yes, seek his strength
And seek his face untiringly.
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O descendants of his servant Abraham,
O chosen sons of Jacob,
Remember his mighty miracles
And his marvelous miracles
And his authority:
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He is the Lord our God!
His authority is seen throughout the earth.
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Remember his covenant forever—
The words he commanded
To a thousand generations:
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His agreement with Abraham,
And his oath to Isaac,
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And his confirmation to Jacob.
He promised Israel
With an everlasting promise:
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‘I will give you the land of Canaan
As your inheritance.’
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When Israel was few in number—oh, so few—
And merely strangers in the Promised Land;
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When they wandered from country to country,
From one kingdom to another—
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God didn’t let anyone harm them.
Even kings were killed who sought to hurt them.
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‘Don’t harm my chosen people,’ he declared.
‘These are my prophets—touch them not.’
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Sing to the Lord, O Earth,
Declare each day that he is the one who saves!
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Show his glory to the nations!
Tell everyone about his miracles.
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For the Lord is great and should be highly praised;
He is to be held in awe above all gods.
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The other so-called gods are demons,
But the Lord made the heavens.
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Majesty and honor march before him,
Strength and gladness walk beside him.
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O people of all nations of the earth,
Ascribe great strength and glory to his name!
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Yes, ascribe to the Lord
The glory due his name!
Bring an offering and come before him;
Worship the Lord when clothed with holiness!
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Tremble before him, all the earth!
The world stands unmoved.
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Let the heavens be glad, the earth rejoice;
Let all the nations say, ‘It is the Lord who reigns.’
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Let the vast seas roar,
Let the countryside and everything in it rejoice!
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Let the trees in the woods sing for joy before the Lord,
For he comes to judge the earth.
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Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
His love and his kindness go on forever.
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Cry out to him, ‘Oh, save us, God of our salvation;
Bring us safely back from among the nations.
Then we will thank your holy name,
And triumph in your praise.’
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Blessed be Jehovah, God of Israel,
Forever and forevermore.”
And all the people shouted “Amen!” and praised the Lord.
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David arranged for Asaph and his fellow Levites to minister regularly at the Tabernacle,
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doing each day whatever needed to be done.
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This group included Obed-edom (the son of Jeduthun), Hosah, and sixty-eight of their colleagues as guards.
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Meanwhile the old Tabernacle of the Lord on the hill of Gibeon continued to be active. David left Zadok the priest and his fellow priests to minister to the Lord there.
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They sacrificed burnt offerings to the Lord each morning and evening upon the altar set aside for that purpose, just as the Lord had commanded Israel.
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David also appointed Heman, Jeduthun, and several others who were chosen by name to give thanks to the Lord for his constant love and mercy.
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They used their trumpets and cymbals to accompany the singers with loud praises to God. And Jeduthun’s sons were appointed as guards.
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At last the celebration ended and the people returned to their homes, and David returned to bless his own household.