Bible Strands
1 Chronicles 13:2
And he said to the whole assembly of Israel, “If it seems good to you, and if this is of the LORD our God, let us send word far and wide to the rest of our brothers in all the land of Israel, and also to the priests and Levites in their cities and pasturelands, so that they may join us.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — David addresses the entire assembly of Israel immediately after consulting his military commanders. He proposes a nationwide summons to gather all Israelites, priests, and Levites from their cities and pasturelands.
The words — The Hebrew phrase אִם־טוֹב עֲלֵיכֶם (im-tov 'aleikhem) literally translates to "if good upon you," establishing a conditional framework. David uses this structure to make the proposal dependent on both human consent and divine approval.
The thread — The conditional phrasing mirrors Exodus 18:23, where human counsel is explicitly tied to divine direction. The summons to priests and Levites corresponds to the Kohathite duties regarding the most holy things detailed in Numbers 4:4.
Why it lands — The text states that David's proposal requires both communal agreement and confirmed divine will before action. A reader must verify that any initiative is grounded in explicit spiritual instruction rather than independent planning.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
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:
Cross-references
- Numbers 4:4 This service of the Kohathites at the Tent of Meeting regards the most holy things.
- 1 Samuel 31:1 Now the Philistines fought against Israel, and the men of Israel fled before them, and many fell slain on Mount Gilboa.
- Exodus 18:23 If you follow this advice and God so directs you, then you will be able to endure, and all these people can go home in peace.”
- Numbers 35:2 “Command the Israelites to give, from the inheritance they will possess, cities for the Levites to live in and pasturelands around the cities.
- 2 Samuel 7:2 he said to Nathan the prophet, “Here I am, living in a house of cedar, while the ark of God remains in a tent.”
- 1 Kings 12:7 They replied, “If you will be a servant to these people and serve them this day, and if you will respond by speaking kind words to them, they will be your servants forever.”
- 2 Kings 9:15 but King Joram had returned to Jezreel to recover from the wounds he had suffered at the hands of the Arameans in the battle against Hazael their king.) So Jehu said, “If you commanders wish to make me king, then do not let anyone escape from the city to go and tell it in Jezreel.”
- 1 Chronicles 6:54 Now these were the territories assigned to the descendants of Aaron from the Kohathite clan for their settlements, because the first lot fell to them:
- 1 Chronicles 10:7 When all the Israelites in the valley saw that the army had fled and that Saul and his sons had died, they abandoned their cities and ran away. So the Philistines came and occupied their cities.
- 1 Chronicles 15:2 Then David said, “No one but the Levites may carry the ark of God, because the LORD has chosen them to carry the ark of the LORD and to minister before Him forever.”