1 Chronicles 15:8-22

8From Elizaphan's clan, 200 people with their leader, Shemaiah.

9From Hebron's clan, 80 people with their leader, Eliel.

10From Uzziel's clan, 112 people with their leader, Amminadab.

11Then David told the priests Zadok and Abiathar to come to him. He also told these Levites to come: Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel and Amminadab.

12David said to them, ‘You are the leaders of the Levites' clans. You and your relatives must make yourselves holy. Then you will be able to carry the Covenant Box of the Lord, Israel's God. You must bring it to the place that I have prepared for it.

13The first time that we tried to bring it here, you did not carry it. Because of that, the Lord our God punished us. He did that because we did not ask him about the proper way to carry it.’

14So the priests and the other Levites made themselves holy. Then they could carry the Covenant Box of the Lord, Israel's God.

15The Levites carried God's Covenant Box with its poles on their shoulders. That is how God had commanded Moses that they should carry it.

16David told the leaders of the Levites to choose some of their relatives to be musicians. Some would sing songs. Some would make music with lyres, harps and cymbals. They would sing loud and happy songs.

17The Levites chose Joel's son Heman. They also chose Berekiah's son Asaph, who was a relative of Heman. And they chose Kushaiah's son Ethan, who belonged to Merari's clan.

18They also chose another group of Levites to help them. They were: Zechariah, Ben, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, as well as two temple guards, Obed-Edom and Jeiel.

19They chose these musicians to make music with bronze cymbals: Heman, Asaph and Ethan.

20They chose these musicians to make music in a special way with harps: Zechariah, Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah and Benaiah.

21They chose these musicians to make music in a special way with lyres: Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, Jeiel and Azaziah.

22Kenaniah was the leader of the musicians. They chose him to do that because he had good skill in music.