I Chronicles 15:2
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Then David said, “No one but the Levites may carry the ark of God, because the LORD has chosen them to carry the ark of the LORD and to minister before Him forever.”
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
Then David said,.... Either within himself, or to his ministers and courtiers about him: none ought to carry the ark of God but the Levites; he saw his former mistake in employing those that were not Levites in bringing up the ark from Kirjathjearim, and bringing it in a cart, and not on the shoulders of the Levites, and so miscarried in his attempt, Sa2 6:1 and, perhaps, had since more diligently consulted the law of God about this matter: for them hath the Lord chosen to carry the ark of God, and to minister unto him for ever; as long as the Levitical dispensation lasted, as appears from Num 1:50.
Open source ↗The bringing in of the ark to the city of David was a very good work; it was resolved upon (Ch1 13:4), and attempted, but not perfected; it lay by the way in the house of Obed-edom. Now this chapter gives us an account of the completing of that good work. I. How it was done more regularly than before. 1. A place was prepared for it (Ch1 15:1). 2. The priests were ordered to carry it (Ch1 15:2-15). 3. The Levites had their offices assigned them in attending on it (Ch1 15:16-24). II. How it was done more successfully than before (Ch1 15:25). 1. The Levites made no mistake in their work (Ch1 15:26). 2. David and the people met with no damp upon their joy (Ch1 15:27, Ch1 15:28). As for Michal's despising David, it was nothing (Ch1 15:29).
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
Cross-references
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At that time the LORD set apart the tribe of Levi to carry the ark of the covenant of the LORD, to stand before the LORD to serve Him, and to pronounce blessings in His name, as they do to this day.
So Moses wrote down this law and gave it to the priests, the sons of Levi, who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and to all the elders of Israel.
and commanded the people: “When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God being carried by the Levitical priests, you are to set out from your positions and follow it.
So Joshua son of Nun summoned the priests and said, “Take up the ark of the covenant and have seven priests carry seven rams’ horns in front of the ark of the LORD.”
To the Levites who taught all Israel and were holy to the LORD, Josiah said: “Put the holy ark in the temple built by Solomon son of David king of Israel. It is not to be carried around on your shoulders. Now serve the LORD your God and His people Israel.
“And I will select some of them as priests and Levites,” says the LORD.
But he did not give any to the Kohathites, since they were to carry on their shoulders the holy objects for which they were responsible.