1 Chronicles 13
Contemporary English Version
David Moves the Sacred Chest to Jerusalem
(2 Samuel 6.1-12a)
13 Some time later, David talked with his army commanders, 2-3 and then announced to the people of Israel:
While Saul was king, the sacred chest was ignored. But now it's time to bring the chest to Jerusalem. We will invite everyone in Israel to come here, including the priests and the Levites in the towns surrounded by pastureland. But we will do these things only if you agree, and if the Lord our God wants us to.
4 The people agreed this was the right thing to do.
5 David gathered everyone from the Shihor River in Egypt to Lebo-Hamath in the north. 6 (A) Then he led them to Baalah in Judah, which was also called Kiriath-Jearim. They went there to get the sacred chest and bring it to Jerusalem, because it belonged to the Lord God, whose throne is above the winged creatures[a] on the lid of the chest.
7 The sacred chest was still at Abinadab's house,[b] and when David and the crowd arrived there, they brought the chest outside and placed it on a new ox cart. Abinadab's sons[c] Uzzah and Ahio guided the cart, 8 while David and the crowd danced and sang praises to the Lord with all their might. They played music on small harps and other stringed instruments, and on tambourines, cymbals, and trumpets.
9 But when they came to Chidon's threshing place, the oxen stumbled, and Uzzah reached out and took hold of the chest to stop it from falling. 10 The Lord God was very angry with Uzzah for doing this, and he killed Uzzah right there beside the chest.
11 David then got angry with God for killing Uzzah. So he named that place “Attack on Uzzah,”[d] and it's been called that ever since.
12 David was afraid what the Lord might do to him, and he asked himself, “Should I really be the one to take care of the sacred chest?” 13 So instead of taking it to Jerusalem, David decided to take it to the home of Obed-Edom, who lived in the town of Gath.
14 (B) The chest stayed there for three months, and the Lord blessed Obed-Edom, his family, and everything he owned.
Footnotes
- 13.6 winged creatures: Two golden statues of winged creatures were on top of the sacred chest and were symbols of the Lord's throne on earth (see Exodus 25.18).
- 13.7 The sacred chest … Abinadab's house: See 1 Samuel 6.19—7.2.
- 13.7 Abinadab's sons: These words are not in the Hebrew text, but see 2 Samuel 6.3.
- 13.11 Attack on Uzzah: Or “Perez-Uzzah.”
1 Chronicles 13
English Standard Version
The Ark Brought from Kiriath-Jearim
13 David consulted with the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, with every leader. 2 And David said to all the assembly of Israel, “If it seems good to you and from the Lord our God, let us send abroad to our brothers (A)who remain in all the lands of Israel, as well as to the priests and Levites in the cities that have pasturelands, that they may be gathered to us. 3 Then let us bring again the ark of our God to us, (B)for we did not seek it[a] in the days of Saul.” 4 All the assembly agreed to do so, for the thing was right in the eyes of all the people.
Uzzah and the Ark
5 (C)So David assembled all Israel (D)from the (E)Nile[b] of Egypt to Lebo-hamath, to bring the ark of God (F)from Kiriath-jearim. 6 (G)And David and all Israel went up to (H)Baalah, that is, to Kiriath-jearim that belongs to Judah, to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the name of the Lord who (I)sits enthroned above the cherubim. 7 And they carried the ark of God on a new cart, from the house of (J)Abinadab, and Uzzah and Ahio[c] were driving the cart. 8 And David and all Israel were celebrating before God with all their might, with song and (K)lyres and harps and tambourines and cymbals and trumpets.
9 And when they came to the threshing floor of (L)Chidon, Uzzah put out his hand to take hold of the ark, for the oxen stumbled. 10 And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah, and he struck him down (M)because he put out his hand to the ark, and (N)he died there before God. 11 And David was angry because the Lord had broken out against Uzzah. And that place is called Perez-uzza[d] to this day. 12 And David was afraid of God that day, and he said, “How can I bring the ark of God home to me?” 13 So David did not take the ark home into the city of David, but took it aside to the house (O)of Obed-edom the Gittite. 14 And the ark of God remained with the household of Obed-edom in his house three months. (P)And the Lord blessed the household of Obed-edom and all that he had.
Footnotes
- 1 Chronicles 13:3 Or him
- 1 Chronicles 13:5 Hebrew Shihor
- 1 Chronicles 13:7 Or and his brother
- 1 Chronicles 13:11 Perez-uzza means the breaking out against Uzzah
Copyright © 1995 by American Bible Society For more information about CEV, visit www.bibles.com and www.cev.bible.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
