1 Chronicles 13:1-5 King James Version (KJV)

1 And David consulted with the captains of thousands and hundreds, and with every leader.

2 And David said unto all the congregation of Israel, If it seem good unto you, and that it be of the LORD our God, let us send abroad unto our brethren every where, that are left in all the land of Israel, and with them also to the priests and Levites which are in their cities and suburbs, that they may gather themselves unto us:

3 And let us bring again the ark of our God to us: for we inquired not at it in the days of Saul.

4 And all the congregation said that they would do so: for the thing was right in the eyes of all the people.

5 So David gathered all Israel together, from Shihor of Egypt even unto the entering of Hemath, to bring the ark of God from Kirjathjearim.


1 Chronicles 13:1-5 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

1 And David H1732 consulted H3289 with the captains H8269 of thousands H505 and hundreds, H3967 and with every leader. H5057

2 And David H1732 said H559 unto all the congregation H6951 of Israel, H3478 If it seem good H2895 unto you, and that it be of the LORD H3068 our God, H430 let us send H7971 abroad H6555 unto our brethren H251 every where, that are left H7604 in all the land H776 of Israel, H3478 and with them also to the priests H3548 and Levites H3881 which are in their cities H5892 and suburbs, H4054 that they may gather H6908 themselves unto us:

3 And let us bring again H5437 the ark H727 of our God H430 to us: for we enquired H1875 not at it in the days H3117 of Saul. H7586

4 And all the congregation H6951 said H559 that they would do so: H6213 for the thing H1697 was right H3474 in the eyes H5869 of all the people. H5971

5 So David H1732 gathered H6950 all Israel H3478 together, H6950 from Shihor H7883 of Egypt H4714 even unto the entering H935 of Hemath, H2574 to bring H935 the ark H727 of God H430 from Kirjathjearim. H7157


1 Chronicles 13:1-5 American Standard (ASV)

1 And David consulted with the captains of thousands and of hundreds, even with every leader.

2 And David said unto all the assembly of Israel, If it seem good unto you, and if it be of Jehovah our God, let us send abroad every where unto our brethren that are left in all the land of Israel, with whom the priests and Levites are in their cities that have suburbs, that they may gather themselves unto us;

3 and let us bring again the ark of our God to us: for we sought not unto it in the days of Saul.

4 And all the assembly said that they would do so; for the thing was right in the eyes of all the people.

5 So David assembled all Israel together, from the Shihor `the brook' of Egypt even unto the entrance of Hamath, to bring the ark of God from Kiriath-jearim.


1 Chronicles 13:1-5 Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

1 And David consulteth with the heads of the thousands, and of the hundreds, every leader,

2 and David saith to all the assembly of Israel, `If unto you it be good, and from Jehovah our God it hath broken forth -- we send unto our brethren, those left in all the lands of Israel, and with them the priests and the Levites, in the cities of their suburbs, and they are gathered unto us,

3 and we bring round the ark of our God unto us, for we sought Him not in the days of Saul.'

4 And all the assembly say to do so, for the thing is right in the eyes of all the people.

5 And David assembleth all Israel from Shihor of Egypt even unto the entering in of Hamath, to bring in the ark of God from Kirjath-Jearim,


1 Chronicles 13:1-5 Darby English Bible (DARBY)

1 And David consulted with the captains of thousands and hundreds, with every prince.

2 And David said to all the congregation of Israel, If it seem good to you, and it be of Jehovah our God, let us send abroad to our brethren everywhere, that are left in all the lands of Israel, and with them to the priests and Levites in their cities and suburbs, that they may gather themselves to us;

3 and let us bring again the ark of our God to us; for we inquired not of it in the days of Saul.

4 And all the congregation said that they should do so; for the thing was right in the eyes of all the people.

5 And David assembled all Israel from the Shihor of Egypt unto the entrance of Hamath, to bring the ark of God from Kirjath-jearim.


1 Chronicles 13:1-5 World English Bible (WEB)

1 David consulted with the captains of thousands and of hundreds, even with every leader.

2 David said to all the assembly of Israel, If it seem good to you, and if it be of Yahweh our God, let us send abroad everywhere to our brothers who are left in all the land of Israel, with whom the priests and Levites are in their cities that have suburbs, that they may gather themselves to us;

3 and let us bring again the ark of our God to us: for we didn't seek it in the days of Saul.

4 All the assembly said that they would do so; for the thing was right in the eyes of all the people.

5 So David assembled all Israel together, from the Shihor [the brook] of Egypt even to the entrance of Hamath, to bring the ark of God from Kiriath Jearim.


1 Chronicles 13:1-5 Bible in Basic English (BBE)

1 Then David had discussions with the captains of thousands and the captains of hundreds and with every chief.

2 And David said to all the men of Israel who had come together there, If it seems good to you and if it is the purpose of the Lord our God, let us send to all the rest of our brothers, everywhere in the land of Israel, and to the priests and the Levites in their towns and the country round them, and get them to come together here to us;

3 And let us get back for ourselves the ark of our God: for in the days of Saul we did not go to it for directions.

4 And all the people said they would do so, for it seemed right to them.

5 So David sent for all Israel to come together, from Shihor, the river of Egypt, as far as the way into Hamath, to get the ark of God from Kiriath-jearim.

Commentary on 1 Chronicles 13 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible


CHAPTER 13

1Ch 13:1-8. David Fetches the Ark from Kirjath-jearim.

1-3. David consulted … And let us bring again the ark of our God—Gratitude for the high and splendid dignity to which he had been elevated would naturally, at this period, impart a fresh animation and impulse to the habitually fervent piety of David; but, at the same time, he was animated by other motives. He fully understood his position as ruler under the theocracy, and, entering on his duties, he was resolved to fulfil his mission as a constitutional king of Israel. Accordingly, his first act as a sovereign related to the interests of religion. The ark being then the grand instrument and ornament of it, he takes the opportunity of the official representatives of the nation being with him, to consult them about the propriety of establishing it in a more public and accessible locality. The assembly at which he spoke of this consisted of the Sheloshim, princes of thousands (2Sa 6:1). During the reign of the late king, the ark had been left in culpable neglect. Consequently the people had, to a great extent, been careless about the ordinances of divine worship, or had contented themselves with offering sacrifices at Gibeon, without any thought of the ark, though it was the chief and most vital part of the tabernacle. The duty and advantages of this religious movement suggested by the king were apparent, and the proposal met with universal approval.

2. If it seem good unto you, and … it be of the Lord—that is, I shall conclude that this favorite measure of mine is agreeable to the mind of God, if it receive your hearty concurrence.

let us send abroad to our brethren everywhere—He wished to make it known throughout the country, in order that there might be a general assembly of the nation, and that preparations might be made on a scale and of a kind suitable to the inauguration of the august ceremonial.

with them also to the priests and Levites … in their cities and suburbs—(See on Nu 35:2). The original terms, "Let us send," imply immediate execution; and, doubtless, the publication of the royal edict would have been followed by the appointment of an early day for the contemplated solemnity, had it not been retarded by a sudden invasion of the Philistines, who were twice repulsed with great loss (2Sa 5:17), by the capture of Jerusalem, and the transference of the seat of government to that city. Finding, however, soon after, peace restored and his throne established, he resumed his preparations for removing the ark to the metropolis.

5. from Shihor of Egypt—(Jos 15:4, 47; Nu 34:5; 1Ki 8:65; 2Ki 24:7; 2Ch 7:8); a small brook flowing into the Mediterranean, near the modern El-arish, which forms the southern boundary of Palestine.

unto the entering of Hemath—the defile between the mountain ranges of Syria and the extreme limit of Palestine on the north.

6-14. David went up, and all Israel, to Baalah—(See on 2Sa 6:1-11).

whose name is called on it—rather, "who is worshipped there" (2Sa 6:2).