Who was Shemaiah in the Bible?

Shemaiah was a Levite from the family of Elizaphan. He is specifically noted for his role in assisting with the transportation of the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem during King David's reign (1 Chronicles 15:8).

What did Shemaiah the Levite do?

His primary recorded action was helping to carry the Ark of the Covenant when King David brought it to Jerusalem. This was a significant religious event, and Levites like Shemaiah were chosen for this sacred duty because they were set apart for service at the tabernacle (1 Chronicles 15:2, 15).

Why is Shemaiah mentioned in 1 Chronicles?

Shemaiah is listed to document the precise fulfillment of God's law, which designated the Levites as the only ones authorized to carry the Ark (Deuteronomy 10:8). His inclusion highlights the importance of proper worship and obedience in this major event in Israel's history.

Shemaiah

Old TestamentDivided MonarchyMaleLevite

Shemaiah, a Levite of the sons of Elizaphan, who helped bring the ark to Jerusalem.

Shemaiah

Biography

This Shemaiah was a Levite of the sons of Elizaphan, appointed by David to assist in transporting the Ark of the Covenant from the house of Obed-edom to Jerusalem (1 Chronicles 15:8, 11). After the disastrous first attempt to move the ark, when Uzzah was struck dead for touching it (2 Samuel 6), David carefully consulted the Levitical law and appointed specific Levites to carry the ark on their shoulders with poles, as Moses had commanded. Shemaiah, as a chief of his division, was among those called by David and consecrated for this sacred task. His participation in the ark's procession to Jerusalem was part of one of the most significant liturgical events in Israel's history.

Significance

The transfer of the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem represented the culmination of David's vision to unite the political and religious centers of Israel. Shemaiah's role as a chief Levite in this procession underscores the Davidic reform of Levitical practice, ensuring that sacred objects were handled with proper reverence and according to Mosaic prescription. The lesson David learned from Uzzah's death (that the ark must be carried by Levites, not placed on a cart) gave these appointed Levites a role in modeling faithful, instructed obedience. This Shemaiah thus stands as a representative of the careful, ordered worship that David sought to establish permanently in Jerusalem.

Verse Appearances (2)

1Chr

1Chr 15:8 1Chr 15:11

References

Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Individualised Proper Names with all References (TIPNR). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
Wikidata contributors (n.d.) Wikidata. Available at: https://www.wikidata.org. [CC0]
Church of England (1769) The Holy Bible, Authorized (King James) Version. [Public Domain]

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