Charles Spurgeon Commentary 1 Chronicles 15
Charles Spurgeon Commentary
1 Chronicles 15
Charles Spurgeon Commentary
1 Chronicles 15
"And [David] made him houses in the city of David; and he prepared a place for the ark of God, and pitched for it a tent. Then David said, None ought to carry the ark of God but the Levites: for them hath Jehovah chosen to carry the ark of God, and to minister unto him for ever." — 1 Chronicles 15:1-2 (ASV)
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. 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.
It should not be carried upon a new cart, dragged by unwilling oxen, but it should be borne upon the cheerful shoulders of the God-appointed bearers, the Levites.
"And David assembled all Israel at Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of Jehovah unto its place, which he had prepared for it. And David gathered together the sons of Aaron, and the Levites:" — 1 Chronicles 15:3-4 (ASV)
Then follows the list of them, which we need not now read.
"And David called for Zadok and Abiathar the priests, and for the Levites, for Uriel, Asaiah, and Joel, Shemaiah, and Eliel, and Amminadab, and said unto them, Ye are the heads of the fathers` [houses] of the Levites: sanctify yourselves, both ye and your brethren, that ye may bring up the ark of Jehovah, the God of Israel, unto [the place] that I have prepared for it. For because ye [bare it] not at the first, Jehovah our God made a breach upon us, for that we sought him not according to the ordinance." — 1 Chronicles 15:11-13 (ASV)
They had sought him, but they had not done it after the due order. They had been in too great a hurry; and they had followed their own notions, instead of looking to the written law in which everything was prescribed for them.
"So the priests and the Levites sanctified themselves to bring up the ark of Jehovah, the God of Israel. 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 Jehovah. And David spake to the chief of the Levites to appoint their brethren the singers, with instruments of music, psalteries and harps and cymbals, sounding aloud and lifting up the voice with joy." — 1 Chronicles 15:14-16 (ASV)
Before, there had been a great medley of musical instruments, but little singing, and there had not been a proper choice as to the persons who were to sing; but, now, this service was put into the right hands. Then follows a list of the singers and the players upon the various kinds of instruments that went forth to bear the ark. Let us pass on to the twenty-fifth verse.
"So David, and the elders of Israel, and the captains over thousands, went to bring up the ark of the covenant of Jehovah out of the house of Obed-edom with joy. And it came to pass, when God helped the Levites that bare the ark of the covenant of Jehovah, that they sacrificed seven bullocks and seven rams." — 1 Chronicles 15:25-26 (ASV)
For, though the ark was by no means a great load, yet they must have felt some measure of alarm at the very idea of going near to it; but when God strengthened them, they took up their burden with delight: When God helped the Levites—
Jump to: