Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary1 Chronicles 15

The Removal of the Ark.This section describes how David prepared to bring the ark of God to Jerusalem. The first attempt to move the ark failed because it was not done in the right way. David and the people learned from their mistake. Now, they wanted to do everything according to God’s instructions. This teaches us that it is not enough to do good things; we must do them in the right way. When we make mistakes, we should learn from them and do better next time. David made sure that everyone involved was ready and followed God’s commands carefully.v. 1: David built houses for himself in the city of David. He also prepared a special tent for the ark of God. Even though he did not have time to build a permanent house for the ark, he made sure there was a proper place for it. This shows that we should always make room for God in our lives, even when we are busy .

v. 2: David remembered that only the Levites were allowed to carry the ark of God. He said, “No one but the Levites may carry the ark of God, for the Lord

v. 3: David gathered all Israel together in Jerusalem to bring up the ark of the Lord

v. 4: He called together the descendants of Aaron and the Levites, making sure the right people were present for the task (1 Chronicles 15:4 ).

v. 11: David gave a special command to the chief priests and Levites. He told them, “You are the heads of the Levite families. You and your fellow Levites are to consecrate yourselves and bring up the ark of the Lord

v. 13: David admitted that the first time they tried to move the ark, they did not do it in the right way. He said, “We did not inquire of him about how to do it in the prescribed way; that is why the Lord

v. 14: The priests and Levites consecrated themselves to bring up the ark of the Lord

v. 15: The Levites carried the ark of God on their shoulders with poles, as Moses had commanded according to the word of the Lord

v. 16: David told the leaders of the Levites to appoint musicians to sing joyful songs and play musical instruments—lyres, harps, and cymbals—as they brought up the ark . David wanted the event to be full of praise and celebration.

v. 17: The Levites chose Heman, Asaph, and Ethan to lead the music. They were skilled musicians and led others in worship .

v. 18: Other Levites were chosen to help, including some who would be porters, or gatekeepers, for the ark .

v. 19-21: Some played cymbals, others played lyres and harps, each according to their skill and the rules of the music. They worked together to make the celebration beautiful (1 Chronicles 15:19-21 ).

v. 22: Kenaniah was put in charge of the singing because he was skillful at it. He could sing well and teach others . Everyone should use their gifts to serve others (1 Peter 4:10 ).

v. 23-24: Some Levites were appointed as doorkeepers for the ark. Obed-edom, who had kept the ark in his house before, was glad to serve as a doorkeeper now (1 Chronicles 15:23-24 ).

v. 24: Some priests blew trumpets as the ark was moved, as was the custom at special feasts and when the ark was moved (Numbers 10:8; Psalm 81:3 ).This careful preparation and joyful celebration show that God’s work should be done with respect, order, and gladness. When we learn from our mistakes and follow God’s ways, He is honored and we are blessed.

The Removal of the Ark to JerusalemThis section describes the joyful and careful way the ark of God was brought from the house of Obed-edom to the city of David. Everything was prepared ahead of time, and the people wanted to honor God by doing things the right way. The Levites, priests, and all the people worked together, showing respect and happiness as they welcomed the ark. This event teaches us that God’s work should be done with both care and joy, and that we need God’s help in everything we do.v. 25: David, the elders of Israel, and the commanders of thousands went to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord

v. 26: God helped the Levites who carried the ark. Even though the ark was not very heavy, they needed God’s help to do this holy work. God encouraged them, calmed their fears, and gave them strength. The Levites remembered what happened to Uzza and were careful to do everything right. When they saw God’s help, they offered seven bulls and seven rams as sacrifices to thank Him and to ask forgiveness for their past mistakes (1 Chronicles 15:26; Acts 26:22 ).

v. 27: David wore a robe of fine linen, just like all the Levites who carried the ark, the singers, and Kenaniah, the leader of the singing. David also wore a linen ephod. This showed that he was humble and wanted to serve God with everyone else .

v. 28: All Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the Lord

v. 29: As the ark entered the city of David, Michal, the daughter of Saul, looked out of the window. She saw King David dancing and celebrating, and she despised him in her heart. But David was not ashamed to show his love for God, even if others did not understand. It is not wrong for important people to be excited about worshiping God. We should not worry about what others think when we are serving God (1 Chronicles 15:29 ).