1 Chronicles 13:2

THE MESSAGE

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
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.

Hebrew Names Version
David said to all the assembly of Yisra'el, If it seem good to you, and if it be of the LORD our God, let us send abroad everywhere to our brothers who are left in all Eretz-Yisra'el, with whom the Kohanim and Levites are in their cities that have suburbs, that they may gather themselves to us;

King James Version
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:

English Standard Version
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.

New Century Version
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.

New English Translation
David said to the whole Israelite assembly, "If you so desire and the Lord our God approves, let's spread the word to our brothers who remain in all the regions of Israel, and to the priests and Levites in their cities, so they may join us.

Amplified Bible
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 word everywhere to our fellow countrymen who remain in all the land of Israel, and to the priests and Levites who are with them in their cities with pasture lands, so that they may meet with us;

New American Standard Bible
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 word everywhere to our kinsmen who remain in all the land of Israel, and to the priests and Levites who are with them in their cities with pasture lands, that they meet with us;

World English Bible
David said to all the assembly of Israel, If it seem good to you, and if it be of Yahweh our God, let us send abroad everywhere to our brothers who 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 to us;

Geneva Bible (1587)
And Dauid said to all the Congregation of Israel, If it seeme good to you, and that it proceedeth of the Lorde our God, we will sende to and fro vnto our brethren, that are left in all the lande of Israel (for with them are the Priests and the Leuites in the cities and their suburbes) that they may assemble them selues vnto vs.

Legacy Standard Bible
And David said to all the assembly of Israel, "If it seems good to you, and if it is from Yahweh our God, let us send everywhere to our relatives who remain in all the lands of Israel, also to the priests and Levites who are with them in their cities with pasture lands, that they may gather with us;

Berean Standard Bible
And he said to the whole assembly of Israel, "If it seems good to you, and if this is of the LORD our God, let us send word far and wide to the rest of our brothers in all the land of Israel, and also to the priests and Levites in their cities and pasturelands, so that they may join us.

Contemporary English Version
and then announced to the people of Israel: While Saul was king, the sacred chest was ignored. But now it's time to bring the chest to Jerusalem. We will invite everyone in Israel to come here, including the priests and the Levites in the towns surrounded by pastureland. But we will do these things only if you agree, and if the Lord our God wants us to.

Complete Jewish Bible
Then David said to the entire assembly of Isra'el, "If it seems good to you, and if it is the will of Adonai our God, let's send messengers to the rest of our kinsmen in the land of Isra'el, and also to the cohanim and L'vi'im in their cities with surrounding open land, asking them to join us;

Darby Translation
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;

Easy-to-Read Version
Then he called the Israelites together and said, "If you think it is a good idea, and if it is what the Lord our God wants, let us send a message to our brothers in all the areas of Israel. Let's also send the message to the priests and Levites who live with our brothers in their towns and the fields near those towns. Let the message tell them to come and join us.

George Lamsa Translation
And David said to all the assemblies of Israel, If it seems good to you, let us beseech the LORD our God to repair the breaches of our brethren who reside in all towns of Israel, and settle with them priests and Levites in their cities and suburbs;

Good News Translation
Then he announced to all the people of Israel, "If you give your approval and if it is the will of the Lord our God, let us send messengers to the rest of our people and to the priests and Levites in their towns, and tell them to assemble here with us.

Lexham English Bible
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.

Literal Translation
And David said to all the assembly of Israel, If it is good to you, and it has broken forth from Jehovah our God, we shall send to our brothers those remaining in all the lands of Israel, and withthem the priests and the Levites in the citiesof their open lands; and they shall be gathered to us.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
and sayde vnto all the congregacion of Israel: Yf it lyke you, and yf it be of the LORDE oure God, let vs sende forth on euery syde to oure other brethren in all the countrees of Israel, and to the prestes and Leuites in the cities where they haue suburbes, yt they maye be gathered together vnto vs,

American Standard Version
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;

Bible in Basic English
And David said to all the men of Israel who had come together there, If it seems good to you and if it is the purpose of the Lord our God, let us send to all the rest of our brothers, everywhere in the land of Israel, and to the priests and the Levites in their towns and the country round them, and get them to come together here to us;

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And sayde vnto all the congregation of Israel: If it seeme you good, & to be of the Lord our God, we will send abrode vnto our brethren that are left in all the lande of Israel, and with them also to the priestes and Leuites which are in their suburbes, to gather them together vnto vs:

JPS Old Testament (1917)
And David said unto all the assembly of Israel: 'If it seem good unto you, and if it be of the LORD our God, let us send abroad everywhere unto our brethren that are left in all the land of Israel, and with them to the priests and Levites that are in their cities that have open land about them, that they may gather themselves unto us;

King James Version (1611)
And Dauid said vnto all the Congregation of Israel, If it seeme good vnto you, and that it be of the Lord our God, let vs send abroad vnto our brethren euery where, that are left in all the land of Israel, and with them also to the Priests and Leuites which are in their cities and suburbs, that they may gather themselues vnto vs.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And David said to the whole congregation of Israel, If it seem good to you, and it should be prospered by the Lord our God, let us send to our brethren that are left in all the land of Israel, and let the priests the Levites who are with them in the cities of their possession come, and let them be gathered to us.

English Revised Version
And David said unto, all the assembly of Israel, If it seem good unto you, and if it be of the LORD 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:

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
and seide to alle the cumpeny of the sones of Israel, If it plesith you, and if the word which Y speke goith out fro oure Lord God, sende we to `oure residue britheren to alle the cuntrees of Israel, and to preestis and dekenes that dwellen in the subarbis of citees, that thei be gaderid to vs,

Update Bible Version
And David said to all the assembly of Israel, If it seems good to you, and if it is of Yahweh our God, let us send abroad every where to our brothers 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 to us;

Webster's Bible Translation
And David said to all the congregation of Israel, If [it seemeth] good to you, and [that it is] of the LORD our God, let us send abroad to our brethren every where, [that are] left in all the land of Israel, and with them [also] to the priests and Levites [who are] in their cities [and] suburbs, that they may assemble to us:

New King James Version
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;

New Living Translation
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.

New Life Bible
David spoke to all the people of Israel. He said, "If you think it is good, and if it is from the Lord our God, let us send word to our brothers who are staying in all the land of Israel. Let us send word to the religious leaders and Levites who are with them in their cities that have fields. And let us ask them to meet with us.

New Revised Standard
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.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And David said to all the convocation of Israel, If, unto you, it seemeth to be good, and from Yahweh our God, we will urgently send unto our brethren who remain in all the lands of Israel, and, with them, the priests and the Levites in their pasture-land cities, - that they may gather together unto us;

Douay-Rheims Bible
And he said to all the assembly of Israel: If it please you; and if the words which I speak come from the Lord our God, let us send to the rest of our brethren into all the countries of Israel, and to the priests, and the Levites, that dwell in the suburbs of the cities, to gather themselves to us,

Revised Standard Version
And David said to all the 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 brethren who remain in all the land of Israel, and with them to the priests and Levites in the cities that have pasture lands, that they may come together to us.

Young's Literal Translation
and David saith to all the assembly of Israel, `If unto you it be good, and from Jehovah our God it hath broken forth -- we send unto our brethren, those left in all the lands of Israel, and with them the priests and the Levites, in the cities of their suburbs, and they are gathered unto us,

New American Standard Bible (1995)
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;

Contextual Overview

¹David consulted with all of his leaders, the commanders of thousands and of hundreds. Then David addressed the entire assembly of Israel, "If it seems right to you, and it is God 's will, let's invite all our relatives wherever they are throughout Israel, along with their relatives, including their priests and Levites from their cities and surrounding pastures, to join us. And let's bring the Chest of our God back—the Chest that was out of sight, out of mind during the days of Saul." The entire assembly of Israel agreed—everybody agreed that it was the right thing to do. So David gathered all Israel together, from Egypt's Pond of Horus in the southwest to the Pass of Hamath in the northeast, to go and get the Chest of God from Kiriath Jearim. Then David and all Israel went to Baalah (Kiriath Jearim) in Judah to bring back the Chest of God, the "Cherubim-Throne-of- God ," where God 's Name is invoked. They moved the Chest of God on a brand-new cart from the house of Abinadab with Uzzah and Ahio in charge. In procession with the Chest of God, David and all Israel worshiped exuberantly in song and dance, with a marching band of all kinds of instruments. When they were at the threshing floor of Kidon, the oxen stumbled and Uzzah grabbed the Chest to keep it from falling off. God erupted in anger against Uzzah and killed him because he grabbed the Chest. He died on the spot—in the presence of God. David lost his temper, angry because God exploded against Uzzah; the place is still called Perez Uzzah (Exploded Uzzah). David was terrified of God that day; he said, "How can I possibly continue this parade with the Chest of God?" So David called off the parade of the Chest to the City of David; instead he stored it in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite. The Chest of God was in storage in the house of Obed-Edom for three months. God blessed the family of Obed-Edom and everything around him.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

If it seem: 1 Kings 12:7, 2 Kings 9:15, Proverbs 15:22, Philemon 1:8, Philemon 1:9

and that it be: Exodus 18:23, 2 Samuel 7:2-5

send abroad: Heb. break forth, and send

left: 1 Chronicles 10:7, 1 Samuel 31:1, Isaiah 37:4

the priests: 1 Chronicles 15:2-14, Numbers 4:4-20, 2 Chronicles 31:4-21

their cities and suburbs: Heb. the cities of their suburbs, 1 Chronicles 6:54-81, Numbers 35:2-9

Reciprocal: 2 Chronicles 20:21 - consulted Psalms 141:6 - for they Acts 13:36 - served

Cross-References

Genesis 13:1
So Abram left Egypt and went back to the Negev, he and his wife and everything he owned, and Lot still with him. By now Abram was very rich, loaded with cattle and silver and gold.

Genesis 13:3
He moved on from the Negev, camping along the way, to Bethel, the place he had first set up his tent between Bethel and Ai and built his first altar. Abram prayed there to God .

Genesis 13:10
Lot looked. He saw the whole plain of the Jordan spread out, well watered (this was before God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah), like God 's garden, like Egypt, and stretching all the way to Zoar. Lot took the whole plain of the Jordan. Lot set out to the east. That's how they came to part company, uncle and nephew. Abram settled in Canaan; Lot settled in the cities of the plain and pitched his tent near Sodom. The people of Sodom were evil—flagrant sinners against God . After Lot separated from him, God said to Abram, "Open your eyes, look around. Look north, south, east, and west. Everything you see, the whole land spread out before you, I will give to you and your children forever. I'll make your descendants like dust—counting your descendants will be as impossible as counting the dust of the Earth. So—on your feet, get moving! Walk through the country, its length and breadth; I'm giving it all to you." Abram moved his tent. He went and settled by the Oaks of Mamre in Hebron. There he built an altar to God .

Genesis 13:12
So Abram left Egypt and went back to the Negev, he and his wife and everything he owned, and Lot still with him. By now Abram was very rich, loaded with cattle and silver and gold. He moved on from the Negev, camping along the way, to Bethel, the place he had first set up his tent between Bethel and Ai and built his first altar. Abram prayed there to God . Lot, who was traveling with Abram, was also rich in sheep and cattle and tents. But the land couldn't support both of them; they had too many possessions. They couldn't both live there—quarrels broke out between Abram's shepherds and Lot's shepherds. The Canaanites and Perizzites were also living on the land at the time. Abram said to Lot, "Let's not have fighting between us, between your shepherds and my shepherds. After all, we're family. Look around. Isn't there plenty of land out there? Let's separate. If you go left, I'll go right; if you go right, I'll go left." Lot looked. He saw the whole plain of the Jordan spread out, well watered (this was before God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah), like God 's garden, like Egypt, and stretching all the way to Zoar. Lot took the whole plain of the Jordan. Lot set out to the east. That's how they came to part company, uncle and nephew. Abram settled in Canaan; Lot settled in the cities of the plain and pitched his tent near Sodom.

Genesis 13:13
The people of Sodom were evil—flagrant sinners against God .

Proverbs 10:22
God 's blessing makes life rich; nothing we do can improve on God.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And David said unto all the congregation of Israel,.... To the above persons, as representatives of it:

if it seem good unto you, and that it be of the Lord our God; if it could be thought by them a good and useful thing, and agreeable to the will of God, and would make for his glory:

let us send abroad unto our brethren everywhere that are left in all the land of Israel; that were not then present with them, even all the common people; whom David, though king, owns as his brethren; nor is his antitype ashamed to own this relation between him and his people, Hebrews 2:11

and with them also to the priests and Levites which are in their cities and suburbs: given to them in the several tribes to dwell in, see 1 Chronicles 6:54,

that they may gather themselves unto us; at a certain time and place appointed.