1 Chronicles 13

• 1. David consulted with all his officials, including the generals and captains of his army.
• 2. 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.
• 3. It is time to bring back the Ark of our God, for we neglected it during the reign of Saul."
• 4. The whole assembly agreed to this, for the people could see it was the right thing to do.
• 5. So David summoned all the people of Israel, from one end of the country to the other, to join in bringing the Ark of God from Kiriath-jearim.
• 6. Then David and all Israel went to Baalah of Judah (also called Kiriath-jearim) to bring back the Ark of God, which bears the name of the LORD who is enthroned between the cherubim.
• 7. They transported the Ark of God from the house of Abinadab on a new cart, with Uzzah and Ahio guiding it.
• 8. David and all Israel were celebrating before God with all their might, singing and playing all kinds of musical instruments--lyres, harps, tambourines, cymbals, and trumpets.
• 9. But when they arrived at the threshing floor of Nacon, the oxen stumbled, and Uzzah put out his hand to steady the Ark.
• 10. Then the LORD's anger blazed out against Uzzah, and he struck him dead because he had laid his hand on the Ark. So Uzzah died there in the presence of God.
• 11. David was angry because the LORD's anger had blazed out against Uzzah. He named that place Perez-uzzah (which means "outbreak against Uzzah"). It is still called that today.
• 12. David was now afraid of God and asked, "How can I ever bring the Ark of God back into my care?"
• 13. So David decided not to move the Ark into the City of David. He took it instead to the home of Obed-edom of Gath.
• 14. The Ark of God remained there with the family of Obed-edom for three months, and the LORD blessed him and his entire household.

1 Chronicles 14

• 1. Now King Hiram of Tyre sent messengers to David, along with stonemasons and carpenters to build him a palace. Hiram also sent many cedar logs for lumber.
• 2. And David realized that the LORD had made him king over Israel and had made his kingdom very great for the sake of his people Israel.
• 3. Then David married more wives in Jerusalem, and they had many sons and daughters.
• 4. These are the names of David's sons who were born in Jerusalem: Shimea, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon,
• 5. Ibhar, Elishua, Elpelet,
• 6. Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia,
• 7. Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet.
• 8. When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over all Israel, they mobilized all their forces to capture him. But David was told they were coming, so he and his men marched out to meet them.
• 9. The Philistines had arrived in the valley of Rephaim and raided it.
• 10. So David asked God, "Should I go out to fight the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?" The LORD replied, "Yes, go ahead. I will give you the victory."
• 11. So David and his troops went to Baal-perazim and defeated the Philistines there. "God has done it!" David exclaimed. "He used me to burst through my enemies like a raging flood!" So that place was named Baal-perazim (which means "the Lord who bursts through").
• 12. The Philistines had abandoned their idols there, so David gave orders to burn them up.
• 13. But after a while, the Philistines returned and raided the valley again.
• 14. And once again David asked God what to do. "Do not attack them straight on," God replied. "Instead, circle around behind them and attack them near the balsam trees.
• 15. When you hear a sound like marching feet in the tops of the balsam trees, attack! That will be the signal that God is moving ahead of you to strike down the Philistines."
• 16. So David did what God commanded, and he struck down the Philistine army all the way from Gibeon to Gezer.
• 17. So David's fame spread everywhere, and the LORD caused all the nations to fear David.

1 Chronicles 15

• 1. David now built several buildings for himself in the City of David. He also prepared a place for the Ark of God and set up a special tent there to shelter it.
• 2. Then he issued these instructions: "When we transport the Ark of God this time, no one except the Levites may carry it. The LORD has chosen them to carry the Ark of the LORD and to minister before him forever."
• 3. Then David summoned all the Israelites to Jerusalem to bring the Ark of the LORD to the place he had prepared for it.
• 4. These are the priests and Levites who were called together:
• 5. There were 120 from the clan of Kohath, with Uriel as their leader.
• 6. There were 220 from the clan of Merari, with Asaiah as their leader.
• 7. There were 130 from the clan of Gershon, with Joel as their leader.
• 8. There were 200 descendants of Elizaphan, with Shemaiah as their leader.
• 9. There were 80 descendants of Hebron, with Eliel as their leader.
• 10. There were 112 descendants of Uzziel, with Amminadab as their leader.
• 11. Then David summoned the priests, Zadok and Abiathar, and these Levite leaders: Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel, and Amminadab.
• 12. He said to them, "You are the leaders of the Levite families. You must purify yourselves and all your fellow Levites, so you can bring the Ark of the LORD, the God of Israel, to the place I have prepared for it.
• 13. Because you Levites did not carry the Ark the first time, the anger of the LORD our God burst out against us. We failed to ask God how to move it in the proper way."
• 14. So the priests and the Levites purified themselves in order to bring the Ark of the LORD, the God of Israel, to Jerusalem.
• 15. Then the Levites carried the Ark of God on their shoulders with its carrying poles, just as the LORD had instructed Moses.
• 16. David also ordered the Levite leaders to appoint a choir of Levites who were singers and musicians to sing joyful songs to the accompaniment of lyres, harps, and cymbals.
• 17. So the Levites appointed Heman son of Joel, Asaph son of Berekiah, and Ethan son of Kushaiah from the clan of Merari to direct the musicians.
• 18. The following men were chosen as their assistants: Zechariah, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, and the gatekeepers, Obed-edom and Jeiel.
• 19. Heman, Asaph, and Ethan were chosen to sound the bronze cymbals.
• 20. Zechariah, Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah, and Benaiah were chosen to play the lyres.
• 21. Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah were chosen to play the harps.
• 22. Kenaniah, the head Levite, was chosen as the choir leader because of his skill.
• 23. Berekiah and Elkanah were chosen to guard the Ark.
• 24. Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah, and Eliezer--all of whom were priests--were chosen to blow the trumpets as they marched in front of the Ark of God. Obed-edom and Jehiah were chosen to guard the Ark.
• 25. Then David and the leaders of Israel and the generals of the army went to the home of Obed-edom to bring the Ark of the LORD's covenant up to Jerusalem with a great celebration.
• 26. And because God was clearly helping the Levites as they carried the Ark of the LORD's covenant, they sacrificed seven bulls and seven lambs.
• 27. David was dressed in a robe of fine linen, as were the Levites who carried the Ark, the singers, and Kenaniah the song leader. David was also wearing a priestly tunic.
• 28. So all Israel brought up the Ark of the LORD's covenant to Jerusalem with shouts of joy, the blowing of horns and trumpets, the crashing of cymbals, and loud playing on harps and lyres.
• 29. But as the Ark of the LORD's covenant entered the City of David, Michal, the daughter of Saul, looked down from her window. When she saw King David dancing and leaping for joy, she was filled with contempt for him.

New Living Translation: 122 of 324 days.