¹⁶David told the Levite leaders to appoint their relatives as singers. He wanted them to sing joyful songs. He also wanted them to play lyres, harps and cymbals along with their singing.

¹⁷So the Levites appointed Heman, the son of Joel. From his relatives they chose Asaph, the son of Berekiah. Other relatives were from the family of Merari. From them they chose Ethan, the son of Kushaiah. ¹⁸Along with them they chose their relatives who were next in line. Their names were Zechariah, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom and Jeiel. They guarded the gates.

¹⁹Heman, Asaph and Ethan played the bronze cymbals. ²⁰Zechariah, Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah and Benaiah played the high notes on the lyres. ²¹Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, Jeiel and Azaziah played the low notes on the harps.

²²Kenaniah was the leader of the Levites. He was in charge of the singing because he was good at it.

²³Berekiah and Elkanah guarded the ark. ²⁴Some of the priests blew trumpets in front of the ark of God. Their names were Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah and Eliezer. Obed-Edom and Jehiah also helped guard the ark.

²⁵David and the elders of Israel went to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord. So did the commanders of companies of 1,000 men. With great joy they brought the ark up from the house of Obed-Edom.

²⁶God had helped the Levites who were carrying the ark of the covenant of the Lord. So seven bulls and seven rams were sacrificed.

²⁷David was wearing a robe that was made out of fine linen. So were all of the Levites who were carrying the ark. And so were the singers and the choir director Kenaniah. David was also wearing a sacred linen apron.

²⁸So the whole community of Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the Lord. They shouted. They blew rams’ horns and trumpets. They played cymbals, lyres and harps.

²⁹The ark of the covenant of the Lord was brought into the City of David. Saul’s daughter Michal was watching from a window. She saw King David dancing and celebrating. That made her hate him in her heart.

16The ark of God was brought into Jerusalem. It was put in the tent David had set up for it. The priests brought burnt offerings and friendship offerings to God.

²After David finished sacrificing those offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord. ³He gave to each Israelite man and woman a loaf of bread. He also gave each one a date cake and a raisin cake.

⁴He appointed some of the Levites to serve in front of the ark of the Lord. David wanted them to pray, give thanks and praise the Lord. He is the God of Israel. ⁵Asaph was the leader of those Levites. Zechariah was next. Then came Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-Edom and Jeiel. They played the lyres and harps. Asaph played the cymbals. ⁶The priests Benaiah and Jahaziel blew the trumpets. They blew them at regular times in front of the ark of the covenant of God.

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