The Meaning of 1 Chronicles 15:12 Explained

1 Chronicles 15:12

KJV: And said unto them, Ye are the chief of the fathers of the Levites: sanctify yourselves, both ye and your brethren, that ye may bring up the ark of the LORD God of Israel unto the place that I have prepared for it.

YLT: and saith to them, 'Ye are heads of the fathers of the Levites; sanctify yourselves, ye and your brethren, and ye have brought up the ark of Jehovah, God of Israel, unto the place I have prepared for it;

Darby: and he said to them, Ye are the chief fathers of the Levites; hallow yourselves, ye and your brethren, that ye may bring up the ark of Jehovah the God of Israel to the place that I have prepared for it.

ASV: and said unto them, Ye are the heads of the fathers houses of the Levites: sanctify yourselves, both ye and your brethren, that ye may bring up the ark of Jehovah, the God of Israel, unto the place that I have prepared for it.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And said  unto them, Ye [are] the chief  of the fathers  of the Levites:  sanctify  yourselves, [both] ye and your brethren,  that ye may bring up  the ark  of the LORD  God  of Israel  unto [the place that] I have prepared  for it. 

What does 1 Chronicles 15:12 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 15:12 mean?

and He said to them You [are] the heads of the fathers' [houses] of the Levites sanctify yourselves you and your brothers that you may bring up - the ark of Yahweh God of Israel to [the place] I have prepared for it
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לָהֶ֔ם אַתֶּ֛ם רָאשֵׁ֥י הָאָב֖וֹת לַלְוִיִּ֑ם הִֽתְקַדְּשׁוּ֙ אַתֶּ֣ם וַאֲחֵיכֶ֔ם וְהַֽעֲלִיתֶ֗ם אֵ֣ת אֲר֤וֹן יְהוָה֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֶל־ הֲכִינ֖וֹתִי לֽוֹ

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר  and  He  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
לָהֶ֔ם  to  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
אַתֶּ֛ם  You  [are] 
Parse: Pronoun, second person masculine plural
Root: אַתְּ 
Sense: you (second pers.
רָאשֵׁ֥י  the  heads 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: רֹאשׁ 
Sense: head, top, summit, upper part, chief, total, sum, height, front, beginning.
הָאָב֖וֹת  of  the  fathers'  [houses] 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.
לַלְוִיִּ֑ם  of  the  Levites 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine plural
Root: לֵוִי  
Sense: the descendants of Levi, the 3rd son of Jacob by Leah.
הִֽתְקַדְּשׁוּ֙  sanctify  yourselves 
Parse: Verb, Hitpael, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: קָדַשׁ  
Sense: to consecrate, sanctify, prepare, dedicate, be hallowed, be holy, be sanctified, be separate.
וַאֲחֵיכֶ֔ם  and  your  brothers 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine plural
Root: אָח  
Sense: brother.
וְהַֽעֲלִיתֶ֗ם  that  you  may  bring  up 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine plural
Root: סָלַק 
Sense: to go up, ascend, climb.
אֵ֣ת  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
אֲר֤וֹן  the  ark 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct
Root: אֲרֹון  
Sense: chest, ark.
יְהוָה֙  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אֱלֹהֵ֣י  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
אֶל־  to  [the  place] 
Parse: Preposition
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
הֲכִינ֖וֹתִי  I  have  prepared 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: כּוּן 
Sense: to be firm, be stable, be established.
לֽוֹ  for  it 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular