Bible Commentaries
1 Chronicles 15

Verses 1-29

; 1 Chronicles 16:1-35 . The Ark Brought to Jerusalem

CHAPTER 15:1-16:3

1. The true preparation to fetch the ark (1 Chronicles 15:1-15 )

2. The great procession (1 Chronicles 15:16-24 )

3. The ark brought back (1 Chronicles 15:25-29 ; 1 Chronicles 16:1-3 )

The ark rested in the house of Obed-edom for three months. During that time David prepared a place for the ark of God and pitched a tent.Warned by what had happened, his conscience aroused, 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 forever.”

It is to be observed, that, although the death of Uzza had its origin in the guilty forgetfulness of David, it nevertheless gave occasion through grace to his being set in his true position for the regulation and appointment of all that concerned the Levites’ service. It is always thus with regard to faith, for the purposes of God are fulfilled in favor of it. Man in his zeal may depart from the will of God, and God will chasten him, but only to bring him into more honor, by setting him more completely in the position which God has purposed, and in the understanding of His ways, according to which He will magnify His servant (Synopsis of the Bible).

All Israel and especially the Levites were gathered together. All is now done according to the divine directions. The former failure was owned and the priests and Levites sanctified themselves to bring up the ark. They carried the ark of God upon their shoulders with the staves as God had commanded.

A great procession was also requested by David and arranged by the Levites. David loved singing and music as the expression of praise unto the Lord. The instruments mentioned are the psaltery, which was like a long box with a convex sounding board, over which wire strings were stretched; the harp and the cymbal. The latter was a brass instrument with a ball attached. The great procession was headed by a choir of singers and musicians under the leadership of Heman, Asaph and Ethan. In the middle of the procession was the ark, preceded by Chenaniah (established by the LORD), the chief of the Levites. Then there were the two door-keepers of the ark, Berechiah (blessed of the LORD) and Elkanah (God has purchased) and seven priests, who sounded the trumpets before the ark, and two more door-keepers. “Alamoth” in verse 20 must have been a choir of virgins (Alamoth means virgins). Such is the meaning of the word in the inscription of Psalms 46:0 . In Psalms 58:0 , where a great procession is mentioned in connection with the removing of the ark (no doubt commemorating the return of the ark to Jerusalem) we read of women publishing the tidings (verse 11 marginal reading) and there we hear also of the damsels in the procession. (Read also Psalms 132:0 and notice its connection with the event of this chapter.) “The singers went before; the players of the instruments followed after, among them were the damsels playing with timbrels” (Psalms 68:25 ). But the sixty-eighth Psalm describes prophetically another great procession and celebration, when He comes in great power and glory. “Sing unto God, ye kingdoms of the earth; O sing praises unto the Lord--to Him that rideth upon the heaven of heavens” (Psalms 68:32-33 ).

And so the ark was brought to Jerusalem and set in the midst of the tent. It was a time of great rejoicing and feasting. But what will it be when not an ark, the symbol only of the divine presence, is in the midst of the people, but when the once rejected King appears in the midst and receives the homage and praise of Israel!

(Comment on Michal and her mockery is made in the parallel passage in 2 Samuel. We omit in annotation in Chronicles all which has been previously mentioned in Samuel and Kings.)