1 Chronicles 15:15
in 1 Chronicles 15And the Levites carried the ark of God on their shoulders with the poles, as Moses had commanded in accordance with the word of the LORD.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
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.
KJV
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 the Lord.
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This verse in 1 Chronicles 15
Commentary
5 notes on this verseAnd 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 the Lord. Not only bare it on their shoulders, but with the staves in it, which rested on their shoulders, see Num 7:9, the reason of this command, that the ark should be carried on men's shoulders, and not in any carriage, according to Maimonides (h), was both for the honour of it, and lest its form and structure should be any ways damaged. (h) Moreh Nevochim, par. 3. c. 45. p. 479.
This site's exposition
the priests and Levites consecrated themselves
on 1 Chronicles 15:14-15
So the priests and Levites consecrated themselves to bring up the ark of the LORD. The Levites carried the ark of God on their shoulders with the poles, as Moses had commanded in accordance with the word of the LORD. This is the rule of Numbers 4 and 7.
This site's exposition
the Levites carried the ark
Numbers 7:9 gave the Kohathites no carts, since they carried the holy things on their shoulders. Clarke describes the poles passing through the ark's rings and resting on the bearers' shoulders (Exodus 25:14). The ox cart of 13:7 is gone.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Note, Many that are very remiss in their duty, if they were but faithfully told of it, would reform and do better. The breach upon Uzza made the priests more careful to sanctify themselves, that is, to cleanse themselves from all ceremonial pollution and to compose themselves for the solemn service of God, so as to strike a reverence upon the people.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
Upon their shoulders - That is the staves which went through the rings rested on their shoulders, but the ark itself rested on the staves like a sedan on its poles. As Moses commanded - See Num 4:5, Num 4:15.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
according to the word of the Lord, on their shoulders to carry it, not actually on their shoulders, but with staves upon them.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 3 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
14 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיִּשְׂא֣וּ | vaiyisu | and they carried | H5375 → | 656 times |
| בְנֵֽי־ | venei- | [the] descendants of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| הַלְוִיִּ֗ם | halviyim | the Levites | H3881 → | 291 times |
| אֵ֚ת | ʾet | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| אֲר֣וֹן | ʾaron | [the] ark of | H727 → | 202 times |
| הָֽאֱלֹהִ֔ים | haelohim | <the> God | H430 → | 2601 times |
| כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר | kaasher | just as | H834 → | 5497 times |
| צִוָּ֥ה | tzivah | he had commanded | H6680 → | 494 times |
| מֹשֶׁ֖ה | mosheh | Moses | H4872 → | 765 times |
| כִּדְבַ֣ר | kidvar | according to [the] word of | H1697 → | 1440 times |
| יְהוָ֑ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| בִּכְתֵפָ֥ם | bikhtefam | on shoulders their | H3802 → | |
| בַּמֹּט֖וֹת | bamotot | with <the> poles | H4133 → | |
| עֲלֵיהֶֽם׃ פ | ʾaleihem | on them | H5921 → | 5755 times |
וַיִּשְׂא֣וּand they carried
vaiyisuH5375 →656 times
בְנֵֽי־[the] descendants of
venei-H1121 →4930 times
הַלְוִיִּ֗םthe Levites
halviyimH3881 →291 times
אֵ֚ת<obj.>
ʾetH853 →10935 times
אֲר֣וֹן[the] ark of
ʾaronH727 →202 times
הָֽאֱלֹהִ֔ים<the> God
haelohimH430 →2601 times
כַּאֲשֶׁ֛רjust as
kaasherH834 →5497 times
צִוָּ֥הhe had commanded
tzivahH6680 →494 times
מֹשֶׁ֖הMoses
moshehH4872 →765 times
כִּדְבַ֣רaccording to [the] word of
kidvarH1697 →1440 times
יְהוָ֑הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
בִּכְתֵפָ֥םon shoulders their
bikhtefamH3802 →
בַּמֹּט֖וֹתwith <the> poles
bamototH4133 →
עֲלֵיהֶֽם׃ פon them
ʾaleihemH5921 →5755 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Numbers 4:15When Aaron and his sons have finished covering the holy objects and all their equipment, as soon as the camp is ready to move, the Kohathites shall come and do the carrying. But they…
it leads to
- 2 Samuel 6:6–7
When they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark of God, because the oxen had stumbled.
- Numbers 7:9
But he did not give any to the Kohathites, since they were to carry on their shoulders the holy objects for which they were responsible.
- Deuteronomy 31:9
So Moses wrote down this law and gave it to the priests, the sons of Levi, who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and to all the elders of Israel.
- 1 Chronicles 13:9–10
When they came to the threshing floor of Chidon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark, because the oxen had stumbled.
- Numbers 10:21
Then the Kohathites set out, transporting the holy objects; the tabernacle was to be set up before their arrival.
- 2 Samuel 6:6–7
Through
Numbers 7:9But he did not give any to the Kohathites, since they were to carry on their shoulders the holy objects for which they were responsible.
it leads to
- Numbers 4:4–16
This service of the Kohathites at the Tent of Meeting regards the most holy things.
- Numbers 4:4–16
Through
1 Kings 8:8The poles extended far enough that their ends were visible from the Holy Place in front of the inner sanctuary, but not from outside the Holy Place; and they are there to this day.
it leads to
- Exodus 25:13–15
And make poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold.
- Exodus 25:13–15
Through
Exodus 40:20Moses took the Testimony and placed it in the ark, attaching the poles to the ark; and he set the mercy seat atop the ark.
it leads to
- Exodus 16:34
And Aaron placed it in front of the Testimony, to be preserved just as the LORD had commanded Moses.
- Exodus 16:34
Where this verse is studied
About 1 Chronicles
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Berean Standard Bible, Numbers 7:9; Berean Standard Bible, Exodus 25:14; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.