1. David built houses for himself in the City of David. Then he built a place to put God’s Holy Box. He set up a tent for it.
2. Then he said, “Only the Levites are permitted to carry God’s Holy Box. The Lord chose them to carry it and to serve him forever.”
3. David told all the Israelites to meet together at Jerusalem to see the Lord’S Holy Box carried to the place he had made for it.
4. He called together these descendants of Aaron and the Levites:
5. There were 120 people from the tribe of Kohath. Uriel was their leader.
6. There were 220 people from the tribe of Merari. Asaiah was their leader.
7. There were 130 people from the tribe of Gershon. Joel was their leader.
8. There were 200 people from the tribe of Elizaphan. Shemaiah was their leader.
9. There were 80 people from the tribe of Hebron. Eliel was their leader.
10. There were 112 people from the tribe of Uzziel. Amminadab was their leader.
11. Then David asked the priests, Zadok and Abiathar, to come to him. David also asked these Levites to come to him: Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel, and Amminadab.
12. David said to them, “You are the leaders from the tribe of Levi. You and the other Levites must make yourselves holy. Then bring the Holy Box of the Lord, the God of Israel, to the place I have made for it.
13. The first time we tried to bring it, we failed to ask the Lord about the right way to move it. And he punished us because you Levites did not carry it.”