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1 Chronicles 13:1–5

David Attempts to Move the Ark

David consulted with all his officials, including the generals and captains of his army.* Then he addressed the entire assembly of Israel as follows: “If you approve and if it is the will of the Lord our God, let us send messages to all the Israelites throughout the land, including the priests and Levites in their towns and pasturelands. Let us invite them to come and join us. It is time to bring back the Ark of our God, for we neglected it during the reign of Saul.”

The whole assembly agreed to this, for the people could see it was the right thing to do. So David summoned all Israel, from the Shihor Brook of Egypt in the south all the way to the town of Lebo-hamath in the north, to join in bringing the Ark of God from Kiriath-jearim.

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1 Chronicles 13:1–5 — The New International Version (NIV)

David conferred with each of his officers, the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds. He then said to the whole assembly of Israel, “If it seems good to you and if it is the will of the Lord our God, let us send word far and wide to the rest of our people throughout the territories of Israel, and also to the priests and Levites who are with them in their towns and pasturelands, to come and join us. Let us bring the ark of our God back to us, for we did not inquire of it during the reign of Saul.” The whole assembly agreed to do this, because it seemed right to all the people.

So David assembled all Israel, from the Shihor River in Egypt to Lebo Hamath, to bring the ark of God from Kiriath Jearim.

1 Chronicles 13:1–5 — English Standard Version (ESV)

David consulted with the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, with every leader. And David said to all the assembly of Israel, “If it seems good to you and from the Lord our God, let us send abroad to our brothers who remain in all the lands of Israel, as well as to the priests and Levites in the cities that have pasturelands, that they may be gathered to us. Then let us bring again the ark of our God to us, for we did not seek it in the days of Saul.” All the assembly agreed to do so, for the thing was right in the eyes of all the people.

So David assembled all Israel from the Nile of Egypt to Lebo-hamath, to bring the ark of God from Kiriath-jearim.

1 Chronicles 13:1–5 — King James Version (KJV 1900)

And David consulted with the captains of thousands and hundreds, and with every leader. And David said unto all the congregation of Israel, If it seem good unto you, and that it be of the Lord our God, let us send abroad unto our brethren every where, that are left in all the land of Israel, and with them also to the priests and Levites which are in their cities and suburbs, that they may gather themselves unto us: And let us bring again the ark of our God to us: for we inquired not at it in the days of Saul. And all the congregation said that they would do so: for the thing was right in the eyes of all the people. So David gathered all Israel together, from Shihor of Egypt even unto the entering of Hemath, to bring the ark of God from Kirjath-jearim.

1 Chronicles 13:1–5 — The New King James Version (NKJV)

Then David consulted with the captains of thousands and hundreds, and with every leader. And David said to all the assembly of Israel, “If it seems good to you, and if it is of the Lord our God, let us send out to our brethren everywhere who are left in all the land of Israel, and with them to the priests and Levites who are in their cities and their common-lands, that they may gather together to us; and let us bring the ark of our God back to us, for we have not inquired at it since the days of Saul.” Then all the assembly said that they would do so, for the thing was right in the eyes of all the people.

So David gathered all Israel together, from Shihor in Egypt to as far as the entrance of Hamath, to bring the ark of God from Kirjath Jearim.

1 Chronicles 13:1–5 — New Century Version (NCV)

David talked with all the officers of his army, the commanders of a hundred men and the commanders of a thousand men. Then David called the people of Israel together and said, “If you think it is a good idea, and if it is what the Lord our God wants, let’s send a message. Let’s tell our fellow Israelites in all the areas of Israel and the priests and Levites living with them in their towns and pastures to come and join us. Let’s bring the Ark of our God back to us. We did not use it to ask God for help while Saul was king.” All the people agreed with David, because they all thought it was the right thing to do.

So David gathered all the Israelites, from the Shihor River in Egypt to Lebo Hamath, to bring the Ark of God back from the town of Kiriath Jearim.

1 Chronicles 13:1–5 — American Standard Version (ASV)

And David consulted with the captains of thousands and of hundreds, even with every leader. And David said unto all the assembly of Israel, If it seem good unto you, and if it be of Jehovah our God, let us send abroad every where unto our brethren that are left in all the land of Israel, with whom the priests and Levites are in their cities that have suburbs, that they may gather themselves unto us; and let us bring again the ark of our God to us: for we sought not unto it in the days of Saul. And all the assembly said that they would do so; for the thing was right in the eyes of all the people. So David assembled all Israel together, from the Shihor the brook of Egypt even unto the entrance of Hamath, to bring the ark of God from Kiriath-jearim.

1 Chronicles 13:1–5 — 1890 Darby Bible (DARBY)

And David consulted with the captains of thousands and hundreds, with every prince. 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; and let us bring again the ark of our God to us; for we inquired not of it in the days of Saul. And all the congregation said that they should do so; for the thing was right in the eyes of all the people. And David assembled all Israel from the Shihor of Egypt unto the entrance of Hamath, to bring the ark of God from Kirjath-jearim.

1 Chronicles 13:1–5 — GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)

David consulted with every officer who commanded a regiment or battalion. Then he told the whole assembly of Israel, “If you approve and if the Lord our God has consented,we will send ⸤an invitation⸥ to the rest of our relatives in every region of Israel and to the priests and Levites in their cities and pasturelands so that they may join us. Then we’ll bring back our God’s ark, which we ignored while Saul was king.” 

The whole assembly agreed to this because the people considered it the right thing to do. So David gathered all Israel from the Shihor River near Egypt to the border of Hamath in order to bring God’s ark from Kiriath Jearim. 

1 Chronicles 13:1–5 — The Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

David consulted with all his leaders, the commanders of hundreds and of thousands. Then he said to the whole assembly of Israel, “If it seems good to you, and if this is from the Lord our God, let us spread out and send the message to the rest of our relatives in all the districts of Israel, including the priests and Levites in their cities with pasturelands, that they should gather together with us. Then let us bring back the ark of our God, for we did not inquire of Him in Saul’s days.” Since the proposal seemed right to all the people, the whole assembly agreed to do it.

So David assembled all Israel, from the Shihor of Egypt to the entrance of Hamath, to bring the ark of God from Kiriath-jearim.

1 Chronicles 13:1–5 — The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

David consulted with the commanders of the thousands and of the hundreds, with every leader. David said to the whole assembly of Israel, “If it seems good to you, and if it is the will of the Lord our God, let us send abroad to our kindred who remain in all the land of Israel, including the priests and Levites in the cities that have pasture lands, that they may come together to us. Then let us bring again the ark of our God to us; for we did not turn to it in the days of Saul.” The whole assembly agreed to do so, for the thing pleased all the people.

So David assembled all Israel from the Shihor of Egypt to Lebo-hamath, to bring the ark of God from Kiriath-jearim.

1 Chronicles 13:1–5 — The Lexham English Bible (LEB)

And David consulted with the commanders of thousands and hundreds, with every leader. And David said to all the assembly of Israel, “If it seems good to you and before Yahweh our God, let us send word abroad to our brothers who remain in all the land of Israel and to the priests and Levites with them in the cities with their pasturelands that they might be gathered to us. Then let us bring around the ark of our God to us, for we did not seek it in the days of Saul.” And all the assembly agreed to do so, for the word was pleasing in the eyes of all the people.

And David summoned all Israel from Shihor of Egypt up to Lebo-Hamath to bring the ark of God from Kiriath-Jearim.

1 Chronicles 13:1–5 — New International Reader’s Version (1998) (NIrV)

David talked with each of his officers. He wanted to get their advice. Some of them were commanders of thousands of men. Others were commanders of hundreds.

David spoke to the whole community of Israel. He said, “Let’s send word to the rest of our people no matter how far away they live. They live in all of the territories of Israel. Let’s also send word to the priests and Levites who are with them in their towns and grasslands. Let’s invite everyone to come and join us. Let’s do it if it seems good to you and if that’s what the Lord our God wants. Let’s bring the ark of our God back here to us. We didn’t use it to ask God for advice during the whole time Saul was king.”

So that’s what the whole community agreed to do. It seemed right to them.

David gathered all of the people together. They came from the area between the Shihor River in Egypt and Lebo Hamath. They came to bring the ark of God from Kiriath Jearim to Jerusalem.

1 Chronicles 13:1–5 — New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (NASB95)

Then David consulted with the captains of the thousands and the hundreds, even with every leader.

David said to all the assembly of Israel, “If it seems good to you, and if it is from the Lord our God, let us send everywhere to our kinsmen who remain in all the land of Israel, also to the priests and Levites who are with them in their cities with pasture lands, that they may meet with us;

and let us bring back the ark of our God to us, for we did not seek it in the days of Saul.”

Then all the assembly said that they would do so, for the thing was right in the eyes of all the people.

So David assembled all Israel together, from the Shihor of Egypt even to the entrance of Hamath, to bring the ark of God from Kiriath-jearim.


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