2 Chronicles 5 · a question people ask
Who carried the ark: the Levites or the priests?
The two books word it differently. 2 Chronicles says, "All the elders of Israel came. The Levites took up the ark" (5:4), and of the ark, the tent and the holy vessels, "The Levitical priests brought these up" (5:5). 1 Kings says, "All the elders of Israel came, and the priests picked up the ark" (1 Kings 8:3), and "The priests and the Levites brought these up" (1 Kings 8:4). Then, in both books, "The priests brought in the ark of the LORD’s covenant to its place" (5:7), in the same words in 1 Kings (1 Kings 8:6). 1 Chronicles has already told who may carry it. The first time, "They carried God’s ark on a new cart" (1 Chronicles 13:7). Then David said, "No one ought to carry God’s ark but the Levites" (1 Chronicles 15:2), and "The children of the Levites bore God’s ark on their shoulders with its poles, as Moses commanded according to the LORD’s word" (1 Chronicles 15:15). Neither 2 Chronicles nor 1 Kings explains the other's wording, and this answer quotes both and doesn't join them.
The verses
“All the elders of Israel came. The Levites took up the ark. They brought up the ark, the Tent of Meeting, and all the holy vessels that were in the Tent. The Levitical priests brought these up.”
“All the elders of Israel came, and the priests picked up the ark. They brought up the LORD’s ark, the Tent of Meeting, and all the holy vessels that were in the Tent. The priests and the Levites brought these up.”
“The priests brought in the ark of the LORD’s covenant to its place, into the inner sanctuary of the house, to the most holy place, even under the wings of the cherubim.”
“The priests brought in the ark of the LORD’s covenant to its place, into the inner sanctuary of the house, to the most holy place, even under the cherubim’s wings.”