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1 Crônicas 15

BLIVRE · Chapter 15/29

1Davi também fez casas para si em sua cidade, e preparou um lugar para a arca de Deus, e lhe armou uma tenda.

2Então Davi disse: Ninguém pode trazer a arca de Deus, a não ser os levitas; porque o SENHOR os escolheu para que transportassem a arca do SENHOR, e para lhe servirem eternamente.

3E Davi ajuntou a todo Israel em Jerusalém, para fazerem subir a arca do SENHOR a seu lugar, que ele tinha lhe preparado.

4Davi também ajuntou aos filhos de Arão e aos levitas:

5Dos filhos de Coate, Uriel o principal, e seus irmãos, cento e vinte;

6Dos filhos de Merari, Asaías o principal, e seus irmãos, duzentos e vinte;

7Dos filhos de Gérson, Joel o principal, e seus irmãos, cento e trinta;

8Dos filhos de Elisafã, Semaías o principal, e seus irmãos, duzentos;

9Dos filhos de Hebrom, Eliel o principal, e seus irmãos, oitenta;

10Dos filhos de Uziel, Amidadabe o principal, e seus irmãos, cento e doze.

11E Davi chamou aos sacerdotes Zadoque e Abiatar, e a os levitas Uriel, Asaías, Joel, Semaías, Eliel, e Aminadabe;

12E disse-lhes: Vós que sois os chefes das famílias entre os levitas, santificai-vos, vós e vossos irmãos, e fazei subir a arca do SENHOR, Deus de Israel, ao lugar que eu lhe preparei;

13Pois por não terdes feito assim vós da primeira vez, o SENHOR nosso Deus fez nos atingiu, porque não o buscamos conforme o mandamento.

14Assim os sacerdotes e os levitas se santificaram para trazerem a arca do SENHOR Deus de Israel.

15E os filhos dos levitas trouxeram a arca de Deus com as barras sobre seus ombros, assim como Moisés tinha mandado conforme a palavra do SENHOR.

16E Davi disse aos chefes dos levitas que constituíssem de seus irmãos cantores com instrumentos musicais, com saltérios, e harpas, e címbalos; para que fizessem sons e levantassem a voz com alegria.

17Então os levitas constituíram a Hemã, filho de Joel; e de seus irmãos, a Asafe filho de Berequias; e dos filhos de Merari e de seus irmãos, a Etã filho de Cusaías;

18E com eles a seus irmãos da segundo ordem, a Zacarias, Bene e Jaaziel, Semiramote, Jeiel, Uni, Eliabe, Benaia, Maaseias, Matitias, Elifeleu, Micneias, Obede-Edom, e Jeiel, os porteiros.

19E os cantores: Hemã, Asafe, e Etã, fizeram sons com címbalos de metal.

20E Zacarias, Aziel, Semiramote, Jeiel, Uni, Eliabe, Maaseias, e Benaia, com saltérios sobre Alamote.

21E Matitias, Elifeleu, Micneias, Obede-Edom, Jeiel, e Azazias, tocavam ao modo de Seminite.

22E Quenanias, chefe dos levitas, estava encarregado de conduzir o cântico; ele ensinava o cântico porque era entendido.

23E Berequias e Elcana eram porteiros da arca.

24E os sacerdotes Sebanias, Josafá, Natanael, Amasai, Zacarias, Benaia, e Eliézer, tocavam as trombetas diante da arca de Deus; e Obede-Edom e Jeías eram porteiros da arca.

25Sucedeu, pois, que Davi, os anciãos de Israel, e os capitães de milhares, foram fazer subir a arca do pacto do SENHOR, de casa de Obede-Edom, com alegria.

26E foi que, por Deus estar ajudando os levitas que levavam a arca do pacto do SENHOR, eles sacrificaram sete novilhos e sete carneiros.

27E Davi ia vestido de um roupão de linho fino, como também todos os levitas que levavam a arca, e os cantores; e Quenanias era o chefe da música e dos cantores. Davi também levava sobre si um éfode de linho.

28Assim todo Israel fez subir a arca do pacto do SENHOR, com júbilo, som de cornetas e trombetas, e címbalos, e ao som de saltérios e harpas.

29E foi que, quando a arca do pacto do SENHOR chegou à cidade de Davi, Mical, filha de Saul, olhou por uma janela, e viu o rei Davi dançando e saltando; e ela o desprezou em seu coração.

📖 Chapter study

Summary

This time David organizes the transport of the ark of the covenant correctly, following the instructions of the law: the Levites carry it on their shoulders. The ark arrives in Jerusalem amid great celebration with music, singing, and dancing, though Michal, David's wife, despises him for his public display of joy.

Explanation

After the tragic mistake of chapter 13, David completely corrects his approach, explicitly acknowledging that 'because we did it not at the first, the LORD our God made a breach upon us.' He organizes the priests and Levites with precision, following the ancient instructions of Moses, and the celebration that follows is marked by genuine joy, with organized music and leadership from skilled singers. Michal's contempt for David's exuberant dancing, briefly mentioned here, is explored in greater detail in 2 Samuel 6, showing a tension between formal royal dignity and spontaneous, humble worship.

Fun facts

  • This is the first time the Bible mentions an organized, permanent group of musicians and singers for worship, a model that would shape the entire musical structure of the temple later built by Solomon.
  • The mistake of using an ox cart instead of carrying the ark on their shoulders, explicitly named here as the cause of the earlier failure, shows how the chroniclers valued obedience to the specific details of the Mosaic law, not merely the general intent behind it.

Verse-by-verse explanation

  1. 1 Crônicas 15:1Before the second attempt to bring the ark, David has already settled into houses in the City of David and prepares a specific place for it, pitching a tent — this time planning calmly, without repeating the haste of the first attempt.
  2. 1 Crônicas 15:2This time the Levites carry the ark the right way, on their shoulders, with staves, exactly as Moses’s law commanded — correcting the mistake from chapter 13 that cost Uzza his life. David is quite direct about the reason: the first time, “we sought him not after the due order.”
  3. 1 Crônicas 15:3David gathers all Israel together again in Jerusalem, now to bring the ark up to the place already carefully prepared — the same goal as in chapter 13, but with a very different approach.
  4. 1 Crônicas 15:4This time David specifically summons the priests and the Levites — the group that should have been called from the start, according to his own explanation later in the chapter.
  5. 1 Crônicas 15:5The careful count of the Levitical families begins: a hundred and twenty Kohathites, led by the chief Uriel — a detailed census showing just how seriously David took correcting the earlier mistake.
  6. 1 Crônicas 15:6Two hundred and twenty Merarites, with the chief Asaiah at the front — another Levitical family carefully counted before touching the ark.
  7. 1 Crônicas 15:7A hundred and thirty Gershonites, led by the chief Joel — the third of the three great families of Levi, all mobilized together this time.
  8. 1 Crônicas 15:8Two hundred of the sons of Elizaphan, with the chief Shemaiah — another Levitical subfamily gathered specifically for this task.
  9. 1 Crônicas 15:9Eighty of the sons of Hebron, with the chief Eliel — the smaller number doesn’t diminish the importance, it just reflects the real size of each family.
  10. 1 Crônicas 15:10A hundred and twelve of the sons of Uzziel, with the chief Amminadab — closing out the careful count of all the Levitical families summoned to carry the ark the right way.
  11. 1 Crônicas 15:11David personally calls for the priests Zadok and Abiathar, along with the six Levite chiefs already mentioned — a leadership meeting before the sacred task.
  12. 1 Crônicas 15:12David’s instruction is clear: they are to sanctify themselves, to prepare spiritually, before they even touch the ark — the complete opposite of the improvising that caused Uzza’s death before.
  13. 1 Crônicas 15:13Here David admits his own mistake without dodging it: the tragedy with Uzza happened because the first time they did not seek the ark “after the due order” — in other words, they didn’t follow God’s rules for how it was to be carried.
  14. 1 Crônicas 15:14The priests and Levites actually sanctify themselves, fulfilling David’s instruction before laying a hand on the ark — the step that was completely missing the first time.
  15. 1 Crônicas 15:15This time the Levites carry the ark on their own shoulders, using the staves, exactly as Moses had commanded — the definitive correction of the oxcart mistake made in chapter 13.
  16. 1 Crônicas 15:16David organizes a music team with specific instruments — psalteries, harps, cymbals — to accompany the ark going up to Jerusalem. It’s the first time worship gains an organized, professional body of musicians, not just priests offering sacrifice.
  17. 1 Crônicas 15:17The Levites choose three names to lead the singing: Heman, Asaph, and Ethan — the same three musicians whose full genealogy had already been detailed back in chapter 6.
  18. 1 Crônicas 15:18A second group of musicians and gatekeepers joins the three main ones, including Obed-edom — the same man whose house sheltered the ark for three months and was blessed because of it, now taking part directly in the procession.
  19. 1 Crônicas 15:19Heman, Asaph, and Ethan play cymbals of brass — the featured instrument reserved for the three lead musicians among all the Levites.
  20. 1 Crônicas 15:20Another group plays psalteries “on Alamoth” — an ancient musical term, probably indicating a higher pitch, perhaps imitating female or young voices.
  21. 1 Crônicas 15:21Yet another group plays harps “on the Sheminith,” a term that suggests a lower pitch, the two together forming a well-thought-out musical arrangement, not just the noise of celebration.
  22. 1 Crônicas 15:22Chenaniah, chief of the Levites for song, is put in charge of instructing and directing the singing — the position closest to a music director within this organization of worship.
  23. 1 Crônicas 15:23Berechiah and Elkanah are specifically appointed as doorkeepers for the ark — dedicated security assigned only to this sacred object, separate from the temple’s general guard.
  24. 1 Crônicas 15:24Seven priests blow trumpets before the ark — a symbolic number repeated in other biblical rituals — while two more men serve as its exclusive doorkeepers.
  25. 1 Crônicas 15:25At last the real procession begins: David, the elders of Israel, and the captains over thousands go to bring up the ark from the house of Obed-edom, this time with joy, without the fear that marked the first attempt.
  26. 1 Crônicas 15:26Partway through, they sacrifice seven bullocks and seven rams — a ritual pause to mark that, this time, God was helping the Levites carry the ark without incident.
  27. 1 Crônicas 15:27David clothes himself in a robe of fine linen, like the Levites and the singers, and also wears a linen ephod over it — priestly attire, showing the king lowering himself to the level of God’s servants in the very celebration.
  28. 1 Crônicas 15:28All Israel accompanies the ark’s ascent with shouts of joy, the sound of trumpets, cymbals, psalteries, and harps — a full celebration that contrasts with the funereal silence of the first, failed attempt.
  29. 1 Crônicas 15:29Michal, Saul’s daughter and David’s wife, watches her husband dancing before the ark from the window and feels contempt, not joy. It’s a small detail that signals the growing distance between Saul’s old dynasty and David’s new way of ruling and worshiping.

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