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17 And the Philistines hear that they have anointed David for king over Israel, and all the Philistines come up to seek David, and David heareth, and goeth down unto the fortress,

18 and the Philistines have come, and are spread out in the valley of Rephaim.

19 And David asketh of Jehovah, saying, `Do I go up unto the Philistines? dost Thou give them into my hand?' And Jehovah saith unto David, `Go up, for I certainly give the Philistines into thy hand.'

20 And David cometh in to Baal-Perazim, and David smiteth them there, and saith, `Jehovah hath broken forth [on] mine enemies before me, as the breaking forth of waters;' therefore he hath called the name of that place Baal-Perazim.

21 And they forsake there their idols, and David and his men lift them up.

22 And the Philistines add again to come up, and are spread out in the valley of Rephaim,

23 and David asketh of Jehovah, and He saith, `Thou dost not go up, turn round unto their rear, and thou hast come to them over-against the mulberries,

24 and it cometh to pass, in thy hearing the sound of a stepping in the tops of the mulberries, then thou dost move sharply, for then hath Jehovah gone out before thee to smite in the camp of the Philistines.'

25 And David doth so, as Jehovah commanded him, and smiteth the Philistines from Geba unto thy coming to Gazer.

And David gathered again every chosen one in Israel, thirty thousand,

and David riseth and goeth, and all the people who [are] with him, from Baale-Judah, to bring up thence the ark of God, whose name hath been called -- the name of Jehovah of Hosts, inhabiting the cherubs -- upon it.

And they cause the ark of God to ride on a new cart, and lift it up from the house of Abinadab, which [is] in the height, and Uzzah and Ahio sons of Abinadab are leading the new cart;

and they lift it up from the house of Abinadab, which [is] in the height, with the ark of God, and Ahio is going before the ark,

and David and all the house of Israel are playing before Jehovah, with all kinds of [instruments] of fir-wood, even with harps, and with psalteries, and with timbrels, and with cornets, and with cymbals.

And they come unto the threshing-floor of Nachon, and Uzzah putteth forth [his hand] unto the ark of God, and layeth hold on it, for they released the oxen;

and the anger of Jehovah burneth against Uzzah, and God smiteth him there for the error, and he dieth there by the ark of God.

And it is displeasing to David, because that Jehovah hath broken forth a breach upon Uzzah, and [one] calleth that place Perez-Uzzah, unto this day;

and David feareth Jehovah on that day, and saith, `How doth the ark of Jehovah come in unto me?'

10 And David hath not been willing to turn aside unto himself the ark of Jehovah, to the city of David, and David turneth it aside to the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite,

11 and the ark of Jehovah doth inhabit the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite three months, and Jehovah blesseth Obed-Edom and all his house.

David Defeats the Philistines(A)

17 When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over Israel, they went up in full force to search for him, but David heard about it and went down to the stronghold.(B) 18 Now the Philistines had come and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim;(C) 19 so David inquired(D) of the Lord, “Shall I go and attack the Philistines? Will you deliver them into my hands?”

The Lord answered him, “Go, for I will surely deliver the Philistines into your hands.”

20 So David went to Baal Perazim, and there he defeated them. He said, “As waters break out, the Lord has broken out against my enemies before me.” So that place was called Baal Perazim.[a](E) 21 The Philistines abandoned their idols there, and David and his men carried them off.(F)

22 Once more the Philistines came up and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim; 23 so David inquired of the Lord, and he answered, “Do not go straight up, but circle around behind them and attack them in front of the poplar trees. 24 As soon as you hear the sound(G) of marching in the tops of the poplar trees, move quickly, because that will mean the Lord has gone out in front(H) of you to strike the Philistine army.” 25 So David did as the Lord commanded him, and he struck down the Philistines(I) all the way from Gibeon[b](J) to Gezer.(K)

The Ark Brought to Jerusalem(L)(M)

David again brought together all the able young men of Israel—thirty thousand. He and all his men went to Baalah[c](N) in Judah to bring up from there the ark(O) of God, which is called by the Name,[d](P) the name of the Lord Almighty, who is enthroned(Q) between the cherubim(R) on the ark. They set the ark of God on a new cart(S) and brought it from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill.(T) Uzzah and Ahio, sons of Abinadab, were guiding the new cart with the ark of God on it,[e] and Ahio was walking in front of it. David and all Israel were celebrating(U) with all their might before the Lord, with castanets,[f] harps, lyres, timbrels, sistrums and cymbals.(V)

When they came to the threshing floor of Nakon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of(W) the ark of God, because the oxen stumbled. The Lord’s anger burned against Uzzah because of his irreverent act;(X) therefore God struck him down,(Y) and he died there beside the ark of God.

Then David was angry because the Lord’s wrath(Z) had broken out against Uzzah, and to this day that place is called Perez Uzzah.[g](AA)

David was afraid of the Lord that day and said, “How(AB) can the ark of the Lord ever come to me?” 10 He was not willing to take the ark of the Lord to be with him in the City of David. Instead, he took it to the house of Obed-Edom(AC) the Gittite. 11 The ark of the Lord remained in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite for three months, and the Lord blessed him and his entire household.(AD)

Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 5:20 Baal Perazim means the lord who breaks out.
  2. 2 Samuel 5:25 Septuagint (see also 1 Chron. 14:16); Hebrew Geba
  3. 2 Samuel 6:2 That is, Kiriath Jearim (see 1 Chron. 13:6)
  4. 2 Samuel 6:2 Hebrew; Septuagint and Vulgate do not have the Name.
  5. 2 Samuel 6:4 Dead Sea Scrolls and some Septuagint manuscripts; Masoretic Text cart and they brought it with the ark of God from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill
  6. 2 Samuel 6:5 Masoretic Text; Dead Sea Scrolls and Septuagint (see also 1 Chron. 13:8) songs
  7. 2 Samuel 6:8 Perez Uzzah means outbreak against Uzzah.