Study Desk

So the ark of God remained with the family of Obed-edom in his house three months; and the LORD blessed the house of Obed-edom and all that he had.

So David inquired of God, "Shall I go up against the Philistines? And will You hand them over to me?" Then the LORD said to him, "Go up, and I will hand them over to you."

So Israel came up to Baal-perazim, and David defeated the Philistines there. Then David said, "God has broken through my enemies by my hand, like the breakthrough of waters." Therefore they named that place Baal-perazim.

So David inquired again of God, and God said to him, "Do not go up after them; circle around behind them and come at them in front of the balsam trees.

"It shall be when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, then you shall go out to battle, for God has gone out before you to strike the Philistine army."

So David did just as God had commanded him, and they struck down the army of the Philistines from Gibeon as far as Gezer.

David built houses for himself in the City of David; and he prepared a place for the ark of God and pitched a tent for it.

Then David said, "No one is to carry the ark of God except the Levites; for the LORD chose them to carry the ark of God and to minister to Him forever."

and he said to them, "You are the heads of the fathers' households of the Levites; consecrate yourselves, both you and your relatives, so that you may bring up the ark of the LORD God of Israel, to the place that I have prepared for it.

"Because you did not [carry it as God directed] the first time, the LORD our God made an [angry] outburst against us, for we did not seek Him in accordance with the ordinance."

So the priests and the Levites consecrated (dedicated) themselves to bring up the ark of the LORD God of Israel.

The Levites carried the ark of God on their shoulders with the poles, as Moses commanded in accordance with the word of the LORD.

Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah, and Eliezer the priests blew the trumpets before the ark of God. Obed-edom and Jehiah (Jeiel) were also gatekeepers for the ark.

Because God was helping the Levites who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD [to do it carefully and safely], they sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams.

So they brought the ark of God and set it inside the tent which David had pitched for it, and they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before God.

He appointed some of the Levites to minister before the ark of the LORD and to profess [God's name] and to thank and praise the LORD, the God of Israel:

and Benaiah and Jahaziel the priests blew trumpets continually before the ark of the covenant of God.

He is the LORD our God; His judgments are in all the earth.

Then say, "Save us, O God of our salvation; Gather us together and rescue us from the nations, That we may give thanks to Your holy name, And glory in Your praise."

Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, Forever and ever. And all the people said, "Amen," and praised the LORD.