1 CHRONICLES LESSON 18


     We will begin this lesson in I Chronicles 15:1 "And [David] made
him houses in the city of David, and prepared a place for the ark of
God, and pitched for it a tent."

     The three months that the ark remained in the house of Obed-edom
gave David ample time to prepare the tent for the ark to be placed in.
This is not the tabernacle they brought across the desert. This is a
new tent. It had been hundreds of years since the tabernacle had been
built. It would have decayed greatly in those years. This new tent
will be a temporary place for the ark. Solomon will build the temple
to house it.

     I Chronicles 15:2 "Then David said, None ought to carry the ark
of God but the Levites: for them hath the LORD chosen to carry the ark
of God, and to minister unto him for ever."

     We see that David's eyes had been opened about the moving of the
ark. He had, most probably, checked with the high priest in the law to
see how the ark should be handled, to avoid another death. The sons of
Kohath will come to carry the ark. The ark was not to be touched even
by them. They were to run poles through the rings on the side of the
ark, and carry the poles on their shoulders.

     I Chronicles 15:3 "And David gathered all Israel together to
Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the LORD unto his place, which he
had prepared for it."

     This time there would be much more care taken in the moving of
the ark. The "all Israel" is speaking of the elders and the captains
of thousands. The ark would be moved with great rejoicing and
celebration, but would, also, be handled reverently.

     I Chronicles 15:4 "And David assembled the children of Aaron, and
the Levites:"

     The children of Aaron were the priestly family. The other Levites
were, also, in the service of the LORD, but were not priests.

     I Chronicles 15:5 "Of the sons of Kohath; Uriel the chief, and
his brethren an hundred and twenty:"

     Kohath was the first specifically mentioned, because this was the
family of the priests out of the Levitical tribe. Aaron was descended
from Kohath through Amram. Uriel was the head of this priestly family
at this time, and the 120 others are under him. Each house of the
Levites had specific things to do. The house of Kohath served as
priests.

     I Chronicles 15:6 "Of the sons of Merari; Asaiah the chief, and
his brethren two hundred and twenty:"

     Merari was, also, of the Levitical family and was in the service
of the LORD, but not as priests. He was head of the third division of
the Levites. At the time of David, his family had Asaiah for their
chief. There were 220 of his brethren with him.

     I Chronicles 15:7 "Of the sons of Gershom; Joel the chief, and
his brethren an hundred and thirty:"

     Gershom was, also, of the Levitical tribe. His family was in the
service of the LORD, also, but not as priests. Joel was their chief,
and brought 130 with him.

     I Chronicles 15:8 "Of the sons of Elizaphan; Shemaiah the chief,
and his brethren two hundred:"

     Elizaphan was the grandson of Kohath, Shemaiah was the chief of
the family descended from him. He came with 220 of his men.

     I Chronicles 15:9 "Of the sons of Hebron; Eliel the chief, and
his brethren fourscore:"

     Hebron was the son of Kohath. His descendents had led to Eliel
the chief, at the time of David. He brought 80 men with him.

     I Chronicles 15:10 "Of the sons of Uzziel; Amminadab the chief,
and his brethren an hundred and twelve."

     Uzziel was the son of Kohath, and at the time of David, Amminadab
was the chief of their family. He came with 112 of his men to witness
the moving of the ark.

     I Chronicles 15:11 "And David called for Zadok and Abiathar the
priests, and for the Levites, for Uriel, Asaiah, and Joel, Shemaiah,
and Eliel, and Amminadab,"

     Zadok and Abiathar were acting high priests at the time of David.
Zadok was of the house of Eleazar. He was faithful to David. Abiathar
was the fourth in descent from Eli. He alone was saved alive, when
Saul killed many of the priests. Abiathar was high priest, along with
Zadok, at the time of David. David and Abiathar were lifelong friends.
The others, mentioned in the verse above, were captains of their
families at the time of David. They were all Levites.

     I Chronicles 15:12 "And said unto them, Ye [are] the chief of the
fathers of the Levites: sanctify yourselves, [both] ye and your
brethren, that ye may bring up the ark of the LORD God of Israel unto
[the place that] I have prepared for it."

     The actual moving of the ark would be left up to these men. They
had to sanctify themselves for the work to be done here. This
consisted of removing themselves from anything pertaining to the world
for at least three days prior to the move. It included washings of the
natural body and clothing to be worn, as well as ceremonial washing.
They must wear white linen garments, as well. Whatever was necessary
to set them aside for God's work here, was what they had to do. Not
only were the chiefs to do this, but all the Levitical tribe that
would be with them for this moving of the ark.

     I Chronicles 15:13 "For because ye [did it] not at the first, the
LORD our God made a breach upon us, for that we sought him not after
the due order."

     Now, David realized that they had not observed the law the first
time they tried to move the ark to Jerusalem. The lack of keeping
God's law got some killed. They had searched the law now, and know how
they are to go about moving the ark.

     I Chronicles 15:14 "So the priests and the Levites sanctified
themselves to bring up the ark of the LORD God of Israel."

     All of the law was being observed. They had learned as we
Christians should learn, that God is holy. They have prepared
themselves first by reading the law, so they would know what was the
proper way, and now, were doing just that. We cannot know what the
will of God is, until we study His Word. Then we can do His will,
because we know what His will is for our lives.

     I Chronicles 15:15 "And the children of the Levites bare the ark
of God upon their shoulders with the staves thereon, as Moses
commanded according to the word of the LORD."

     We have mentioned several times in these lessons, that even the
Levites were not to touch the ark. They were to run the staves through
the rings on the side of the ark and place the staves on their
shoulders to carry it.

     I Chronicles 15:16 "And David spake to the chief of the Levites
to appoint their brethren [to be] the singers with instruments of
music, psalteries and harps and cymbals, sounding, by lifting up the
voice with joy." I Chronicles 15:17 "So the Levites appointed Heman
the son of Joel; and of his brethren, Asaph the son of Berechiah; and
of the sons of Merari their brethren, Ethan the son of Kushaiah;"

     Heman was a Kohathite, Asaph was of Gershom, and Ethan was of
Merari. All three of the Levitical families were represented here.
Notice, the musicians and singers were in the service of the LORD.

     I Chronicles 15:18 "And with them their brethren of the second
[degree], Zechariah, Ben, and Jaaziel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel,
and Unni, Eliab, and Benaiah, and Maaseiah, and Mattithiah, and
Elipheleh, and Mikneiah, and Obed-edom, and Jeiel, the porters."

     Those listed in verse 17, were the leaders. Those listed in verse
18 here, were their immediate subordinates. We see a familiar name
here. Obed-edom had been keeping the ark at his home before this move.
We, also, know that he was listed as a porter. They were keepers of
the door.

     I Chronicles 15:19 "So the singers, Heman, Asaph, and Ethan,
[were appointed] to sound with cymbals of brass;"

     Notice, there is even order in the part each was to play with the
instruments and the singing. These cymbals of brass were, probably,
the signal to begin.

     I Chronicles 15:20 "And Zechariah, and Aziel, and Shemiramoth,
and Jehiel, and Unni, and Eliab, and Maaseiah, and Benaiah, with
psalteries on Alamoth;"

     The psalteries were musical instruments. Alamoth is a musical
term, as well.

     I Chronicles 15:21 "And Mattithiah, and Elipheleh, and Mikneiah,
and Obed-edom, and Jeiel, and Azaziah, with harps on the Sheminith to
excel."

     These used a totally different type of musical instrument. Harps
were stringed instruments.

     I Chronicles 15:22 "And Chenaniah, chief of the Levites, [was]
for song: he instructed about the song, because he [was] skilful."

     This is just saying, that he was the director of song. He was the
leader and the director. Notice, why he was the leader, he was
skilled.

     I Chronicles 15:23 "And Berechiah and Elkanah [were] doorkeepers
for the ark."

     Perhaps, they would be doorkeepers, when it was safe in the tent
that David had prepared for it.

     I Chronicles 15:24 "And Shebaniah, and Jehoshaphat, and
Nethaneel, and Amasai, and Zechariah, and Benaiah, and Eliezer, the
priests, did blow with the trumpets before the ark of God: and Obed-
edom and Jehiah [were] doorkeepers for the ark."

     Obed-edom had been a doorkeeper, when it was in his house, as
well. Perhaps, the four doorkeepers walked with the ark to assure that
no one would open it. The seven priests that blew the trumpets,
probably, walked between the two sets of doorkeepers. Numbers 10:2
"Make thee two trumpets of silver; of a whole piece shalt thou make
them: that thou mayest use them for the calling of the assembly, and
for the journeying of the camps." The trumpets, here, should have been
formed of a piece of silver with no seams. These would not be the
rams' horns.

     I Chronicles 15:25  "So David, and the elders of Israel, and the
captains over thousands, went to bring up the ark of the covenant of
the LORD out of the house of Obed-edom with joy."

     This was no small procession. This was a festive time, but also,
a time of humbleness before the LORD. This time the law will be
observed in the moving of the ark.

     I Chronicles 15:26 "And it came to pass, when God helped the
Levites that bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, that they
offered seven bullocks and seven rams."

     "Seven" means spiritually complete. The sacrificing was done to
cover any and all sins that might keep this journey from being
pleasing unto the LORD. Sins of omission and commission were thought
of in this. This is mentioned in the 6th chapter of 2 Samuel.

     I Chronicles 15:27 "And David [was] clothed with a robe of fine
linen, and all the Levites that bare the ark, and the singers, and
Chenaniah the master of the song with the singers: David also [had]
upon him an ephod of linen."

     The "linen" symbolized being clothed in righteousness. They had
examined themselves, and put on the righteousness of God for this
trip. They all wore the linen, because they were all in the service of
God. The ephod was worn by David on this trip, because he was the
official in charge of the journey. He was representing all of Israel
to the LORD.

     I Chronicles 15:28 "Thus all Israel brought up the ark of the
covenant of the LORD with shouting, and with sound of the cornet, and
with trumpets, and with cymbals, making a noise with psalteries and
harps."

     This was not a quiet procession. The music was played loudly, and
so were the trumpets blown by the priests. The singing was loud, as
well. The shouting that accompanied showed that with great joy in
their hearts, they brought the ark to Jerusalem.

     I Chronicles 15:29  "And it came to pass, [as] the ark of the
covenant of the LORD came to the city of David, that Michal the
daughter of Saul looking out at a window saw king David dancing and
playing: and she despised him in her heart."

     David was dancing in the spirit before the ark of God. Michal was
the wife of David, but was, also, the daughter of Saul. In the 6th
chapter of 2 Samuel, it speaks of David leaping and dancing. We do not
know why she really despised David in her heart. It could have been
jealousy that Saul did not get this honor. It, also, could be that she
was not as close to God as David was. We do know that she was never to
have children, because of this incident.








                      1 Chronicles 18 Questions


1.  In verse 1, David prepared a place for the ark and pitched for it
    a __________.
2.  How long did the ark remain at Obed-edom?
3.  Why does the author believe this is a new tent?
4.  None ought to carry the ark, but the _________.
5.  What had David done to avoid another death while moving the ark?
6.  How was the ark to be carried?
7.  Who are meant by "all Israel"?
8.  In verse 4, who does David assemble to move the ark?
9.  The children of Aaron were the _________ family.
10. Why is Kohath mentioned first?
11. Aaron was descended from Kohath through _________.
12. How many of the sons of Merari came with Asaiah?
13. Who was the chief of the sons of Gershom at the time of David?
14. Elizaphan was the grandson of _____________.
15. Who was Hebron's father?
16. Who were the two acting high priests at the time of David?
17. Which one of them was descended from Eleazar?
18. Abiathar was the fourth from ________.
19. What did David tell the Levites to do, before they came?
20. What did they do to sanctify themselves?
21. What had David realized, since he had first tried to move the ark?
22. How had the Levites prepared themselves for this, to make sure
    they do not sin?
23. How did they carry the ark?
24. In verse 16, we read that there would be _________ and ______ that
    would accompany the moving of the ark.
25. Who were to sound with cymbals of brass?
26. What were psalteries?
27. Why was Chenaniah the leader of the singing?
28. Who were the doorkeepers?
29. Quote Numbers chapter 10 verse 2.
30. What does the number "seven" mean spiritually?
31. How many rams and bullocks were sacrificed?
32. What does "linen" symbolize?
33. What did David do before the ark to show his joy?
34. Who complained about what he did?
35. How was she punished?