And when Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary and all the furnishings of the sanctuary, when the camp sets out then the sons of Kohath shall come to carry them; but they shall not touch the holy things, lest they die. These are the burdens of the tent of meeting for the sons of Kohath.

And Joshua spoke to the priests, saying, Take up the ark of the covenant and cross over before the people. So they took up the ark of the covenant and went before the people.

And Joshua the son of Nun called the priests and said to them, Take up the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests bear seven shofars of rams' horns before the ark of Jehovah.

So all the elders of Israel came, and the priests took up the ark.

Then David said, No one may carry the ark of God but the Levites, for Jehovah has chosen them to carry the ark of God and to serve before Him continually.

and he said to them, You are the heads of the fathers of the Levites; consecrate yourselves, you and your brethren, that you may bring up the ark of Jehovah the God of Israel to the place I have prepared for it.

So the priests and the Levites consecrated themselves to bring up the ark of Jehovah the God of Israel.