And Aaron and his sons shall finish covering the holy things, and all the holy vessels, when the camp begins to move; and afterwards the sons of Kohath shall go in to take up [the furniture]; but shall not touch the holy things, lest they die: these shall the sons of Kohath bear in the tabernacle of witness.

And Joshua said to the priests, Take up the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and go before the people. And the priests took up the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and went before the people.

And Joshua the [son] of Nun went in to the priests, and spoke to them, saying, And let seven priests having seven sacred trumpets proceed thus before the Lord, and let them sound loudly; and let the ark of the covenant of the Lord follow.

And the priests took up the ark,

Then said David, It is not [lawful for any] to bear the ark of God, but the Levites; for the Lord has chosen them to bear the ark of the Lord, and to minister to Him forever.

and said to them, You [are] the heads of the families of the Levites: sanctify yourselves, you and your brethren, and you shall carry up the ark of the God of Israel, [to the place] which I have prepared for it.

So the priests and the Levites sanctified themselves, to bring up the ark of the God of Israel.