1 Chronicles 13

Tree of Life Version

Ark Retrieved from Kiriath-jearim

13 Then David consulted with the officers of the thousands and of the hundreds, with every leader. ² David said to the entire assembly of Israel, “If it seems good to you, and is from Adonai Eloheinu, let us spread the word to our kinsmen who remain in all the regions of Israel, along with the kohanim and Levites in their towns and pasturelands to come and join us. ³ Let us bring the Ark of our God back to us—for we did not inquire of it in the days of Saul.” ⁴ The entire assembly agreed to do so, for the proposal seemed right in the eyes of all the people.

⁵ So David assembled all Israel from the Shihor of Egypt to the entrance of Hamat, to bring the Ark of God from Kiriath-jearim. ⁶ David and all Israel went up to Baalah, to Kiriath-jearim, that was in Judah to bring up from there the Ark of God, Adonai who sits enthroned above the cheruvim, which is called by His Name.

⁷ They transported the Ark of God upon a new cart from the house of Abinadab. Uzza and Ahio guided the cart ⁸ while David and all Israel celebrated before God with all their might, with songs, lyres, harps, timbrels, cymbals and trumpets. ⁹ But when they came to the threshing-floor of Hidon, Uzza reached out his hand to hold the Ark, because the oxen stumbled. ¹⁰ The anger of Adonai burned against Uzza, and He struck him down, because he reached out his hand and touched the Ark. He died there before God.

¹¹ David was angry because Adonai had burst out against Uzza. So he called that place Perez-uzza as it is to this day.

¹² David feared God that day, saying, “How can I ever bring the Ark of God to me?”

¹³ So David did not take the Ark with him to the City of David, but left it in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite. ¹⁴ So the Ark of God remained with the family of Obed-edom in his house three months; Adonai blessed the house of Obed-edom and everything that he had.