The Meaning of 1 Chronicles 15:2 Explained

1 Chronicles 15:2

KJV: Then David said, None ought to carry the ark of God but the Levites: for them hath the LORD chosen to carry the ark of God, and to minister unto him for ever.

YLT: Then said David, 'None are to carry the ark of God, except the Levites, for on them hath Jehovah fixed to carry the ark of God, and to serve Him -- unto the age.'

Darby: Then David said, None ought to carry the ark of God but the Levites, for them has Jehovah chosen to carry the ark of God, and to serve him for ever.

ASV: Then David said, None ought to carry the ark of God but the Levites: for them hath Jehovah chosen to carry the ark of God, and to minister unto him for ever.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Then David  said,  None ought to carry  the ark  of God  but the Levites:  for them hath the LORD  chosen  to carry  the ark  of God,  and to minister  unto him for  ever. 

What does 1 Chronicles 15:2 Mean?

Chapter Summary: 1 Chronicles 15

1  David having prepared a place for the ark,
15  the priests and Levites bring it from Obed-Edom
25  He performs the solemnity thereof with great joy
29  Michal despises him

What do the individual words in 1 Chronicles 15:2 mean?

Then said David No one may carry - the ark of God for but the Levites for them has chosen Yahweh to carry of Yahweh and to minister before Him to him for ever -
אָ֚ז אָמַ֣ר דָּוִ֔יד לֹ֤א לָשֵׂאת֙ אֶת־ אֲר֣וֹן הָֽאֱלֹהִ֔ים כִּ֖י אִם־ הַלְוִיִּ֑ם כִּי־ בָ֣ם ׀ בָּחַ֣ר יְהוָ֗ה לָשֵׂ֞את יְהוָ֛ה וּֽלְשָׁרְת֖וֹ עַד־ עוֹלָֽם ס

אָמַ֣ר  said 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
דָּוִ֔יד  David 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּוִד  
Sense: youngest son of Jesse and second king of Israel.
לֹ֤א  No  one 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
לָשֵׂאת֙  may  carry 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: נָשָׂא  
Sense: to lift, bear up, carry, take.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
אֲר֣וֹן  the  ark 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct
Root: אֲרֹון  
Sense: chest, ark.
הָֽאֱלֹהִ֔ים  of  God 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
הַלְוִיִּ֑ם  the  Levites 
Parse: Article, Proper Noun, masculine plural
Root: לֵוִי  
Sense: the descendants of Levi, the 3rd son of Jacob by Leah.
בָּחַ֣ר  has  chosen 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בָּחוּר 
Sense: to choose, elect, decide for.
יְהוָ֗ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
לָשֵׂ֞את  to  carry 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: נָשָׂא  
Sense: to lift, bear up, carry, take.
יְהוָ֛ה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
וּֽלְשָׁרְת֖וֹ  and  to  minister  before  Him 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Verb, Piel, Infinitive construct, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁרַת  
Sense: (Piel) to minister, serve, minister to.
עַד־  to  him  for 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַד  
Sense: as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as.
עוֹלָֽם  ever 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֹולָם  
Sense: long duration, antiquity, futurity, for ever, ever, everlasting, evermore, perpetual, old, ancient, world.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation