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:

And David said unto all the assembly of Israel, If it seem good unto you, and if it be of Jehovah our God, let us send abroad every where unto our brethren that are left in all the land of Israel, with whom the priests and Levites are in their cities that have suburbs, that they may gather themselves unto us;

And he said to all the assembly of Israel: If it please you; and if the words which I speak come from the Lord our God, let us send to the rest of our brethren into all the countries of Israel, and to the priests, and the Levites, that dwell in the suburbs of the cities, to gather themselves to us,

And David said to all the congregation of Israel, If it seem good to you, and it be of Jehovah our God, let us send abroad to our brethren everywhere, that are left in all the lands of Israel, and with them to the priests and Levites in their cities and suburbs, that they may gather themselves to us;

And David said to all the congregation of Israel, If it seemeth good to you, and that it is of the LORD our God, let us send abroad to our brethren every where, that are left in all the land of Israel, and with them also to the priests and Levites who are in their cities and suburbs, that they may assemble to us:

and David saith to all the assembly of Israel, 'If unto you it be good, and from Jehovah our God it hath broken forth, we send unto our brethren, those left in all the lands of Israel, and with them the priests and the Levites, in the cities of their suburbs, and they are gathered unto us,

And David said to all the men of Israel who had come together there, If it seems good to you and if it is the purpose of the Lord our God, let us send to all the rest of our brothers, everywhere in the land of Israel, and to the priests and the Levites in their towns and the country round them, and get them to come together here to us;

And David said unto all the assembly of Israel: 'If it seem good unto you, and if it be of the LORD our God, let us send abroad everywhere unto our brethren that are left in all the land of Israel, and with them to the priests and Levites that are in their cities that have open land about them, that they may gather themselves unto us;

And he said to the entire assembly of Israel: "If it pleases you, and if the words that I speak come from the Lord our God, let us send to the remainder of our brothers, in all the regions of Israel, and to the priests and Levites who live in the suburbs of the cities, so that they may gather to us.

And David said unto all the congregation of Israel,.... To the above persons, as representatives of it:
if it seem good unto you, and that it be of the Lord our God; if it could be thought by them a good and useful thing, and agreeable to the will of God, and would make for his glory:
let us send abroad unto our brethren everywhere that are left in all the land of Israel; that were not then present with them, even all the common people; whom David, though king, owns as his brethren; nor is his antitype ashamed to own this relation between him and his people, Hebrews 2:11.
and with them also to the priests and Levites which are in their cities and suburbs: given to them in the several tribes to dwell in, see 1-Chronicles 6:54,
that they may gather themselves unto us; at a certain time and place appointed.

If it seem good unto you, and . . . it be of the Lord--that is, I shall conclude that this favorite measure of mine is agreeable to the mind of God, if it receive your hearty concurrence.
let us send abroad to our brethren everywhere--He wished to make it known throughout the country, in order that there might be a general assembly of the nation, and that preparations might be made on a scale and of a kind suitable to the inauguration of the august ceremonial.
with them also to the priests and Levites . . . in their cities and suburbs--(See on Numbers 35:2). The original terms, "Let us send," imply immediate execution; and, doubtless, the publication of the royal edict would have been followed by the appointment of an early day for the contemplated solemnity, had it not been retarded by a sudden invasion of the Philistines, who were twice repulsed with great loss (2-Samuel 5:17), by the capture of Jerusalem, and the transference of the seat of government to that city. Finding, however, soon after, peace restored and his throne established, he resumed his preparations for removing the ark to the metropolis.

David said - After this was proposed by the king and accepted by the people, this great assembly was dismissed, only some of them David reserved to go with him against Jerusalem, which accordingly he did, and succeeded in his enterprize. But before this resolution could be executed, the Philistines came and fought twice with David, as is related 2-Samuel 5:17, 2-Samuel 5:22, &c. and here 1-Chronicles 14:8, &c. And after they were repulsed with great loss and shame, David sets upon the execution of what he had resolved, and in order to it calls another general assembly of the people. Of the Lord - If this translation of the ark be pleasing to God. Are left - After the great desolations and destructions which God for their sins had made among them.