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1 Chronicles 13
The Voice
1 Chronicles 13
The Voice
13 David (after consulting the captain of each army division): 1-2 If you agree, and if the Eternal One our God requires, then let us request the company of our relatives throughout Israel—including the priests and Levites who are among the other eleven tribes in their cities with pasture lands. 3 Let us take the covenant chest of our God from its exile in Kiriath-jearim and return it to our presence, making it our focus, since we did not keep it with us during Saul’s reign.
Having been established as the king over Israel, David’s first act is to ensure proper religious practice for his nation. He decides to make Jerusalem the center of both political and religious power in Israel by moving the chest containing Moses’ covenant there. Since God dwells wherever it is, moving the covenant chest to Jerusalem should move God’s presence to Jerusalem. As long as it remains in Jerusalem, Jerusalem is more than just the average national capital—it is God’s holy city. If anyone chooses to wage war against David and his city, then that person fights God.
4 Everyone agreed with David that this was right: the chest of the covenant should be among the people. 5 So David assembled Israel, from the Shihor of Egypt to the entrance of Hamath in Aram, to take the covenant chest of God from Kiriath-jearim. 6 Everyone went up to Baalah (also known as Kiriath-jearim) in Judah to take the covenant chest of God where the Eternal sits between the winged heavenly creatures and His name is called. 7 They carried the covenant chest of God on a new cart from the house of Abinadab; Uzza and Ahio drove the cart. 8 David and all Israel rejoiced with all their might with songs, lyres, harps, tambourines, cymbals, and trumpets as a celebration before God.
9 When they arrived at the threshing floor of Chidon, the oxen tripped, nearly tipping the covenant chest off the cart, so Uzza reached out to steady it. 10 The Eternal was enraged at Uzza because he touched the chest and defiled its sanctity, ignoring God’s instructions never to touch it, so He killed the man in His presence. 11 David was angry at the Eternal’s retribution against Uzza, so the king named that place Perez-uzza, meaning “broken Uzza,” as it still is called today. 12 David feared God and wondered, “How can I bring the covenant chest of God, something with such awesome power, home with me?” 13 Instead of bringing it to the city of David, he took it to the house of Obed-edom the Gittite, who was from Gath Rammon (a Levitical city). 14 There the covenant chest of God remained three months before David moved it to Jerusalem, and the Eternal blessed Obed-edom’s family in everything.
1 Chronicles 13
New International Version
1 Chronicles 13
New International Version
Bringing Back the Ark(A)
13 David conferred with each of his officers, the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds. 2 He then said to the whole assembly of Israel, “If it seems good to you and if it is the will of the Lord our God, let us send word far and wide to the rest of our people throughout the territories of Israel, and also to the priests and Levites who are with them in their towns and pasturelands, to come and join us. 3 Let us bring the ark of our God back to us,(B) for we did not inquire(C) of[a] it[b] during the reign of Saul.” 4 The whole assembly agreed to do this, because it seemed right to all the people.
5 So David assembled all Israel,(D) from the Shihor River(E) in Egypt to Lebo Hamath,(F) to bring the ark of God from Kiriath Jearim.(G) 6 David and all Israel went to Baalah(H) of Judah (Kiriath Jearim) to bring up from there the ark of God the Lord, who is enthroned between the cherubim(I)—the ark that is called by the Name.
7 They moved the ark of God from Abinadab’s(J) house on a new cart, with Uzzah and Ahio guiding it. 8 David and all the Israelites were celebrating with all their might before God, with songs and with harps, lyres, timbrels, cymbals and trumpets.(K)
9 When they came to the threshing floor of Kidon, Uzzah reached out his hand to steady the ark, because the oxen stumbled. 10 The Lord’s anger(L) burned against Uzzah, and he struck him down(M) because he had put his hand on the ark. So he died there before God.
11 Then David was angry because the Lord’s wrath had broken out against Uzzah, and to this day that place is called Perez Uzzah.[c](N)
12 David was afraid of God that day and asked, “How can I ever bring the ark of God to me?” 13 He did not take the ark to be with him in the City of David. Instead, he took it to the house of Obed-Edom(O) the Gittite. 14 The ark of God remained with the family of Obed-Edom in his house for three months, and the Lord blessed his household(P) and everything he had.
Footnotes
- 1 Chronicles 13:3 Or we neglected
- 1 Chronicles 13:3 Or him
- 1 Chronicles 13:11 Perez Uzzah means outbreak against Uzzah.
1 Chronicles 13
New King James Version
1 Chronicles 13
New King James Version
The Ark Brought from Kirjath Jearim(A)
13 Then David consulted with the (B)captains of thousands and hundreds, and with every leader. 2 And David said to all the assembly of Israel, “If it seems good to you, and if it is of the Lord our God, let us send out to our brethren everywhere who are (C)left in all the land of Israel, and with them to the priests and Levites who are in their cities and their common-lands, that they may gather together to us; 3 and let us bring the ark of our God back to us, (D)for we have not inquired at it since the days of Saul.” 4 Then all the assembly said that they would do so, for the thing was right in the eyes of all the people.
5 So (E)David gathered all Israel together, from (F)Shihor in Egypt to as far as the entrance of Hamath, to bring the ark of God (G)from Kirjath Jearim. 6 And David and all Israel went up to (H)Baalah,[a] to Kirjath Jearim, which belonged to Judah, to bring up from there the ark of God the Lord, (I)who dwells between the cherubim, where His name is proclaimed. 7 So they [b]carried the ark of God (J)on a new cart (K)from the house of Abinadab, and Uzza and Ahio drove the cart. 8 Then (L)David and all Israel played music before God with all their might, with [c]singing, on harps, on stringed instruments, on tambourines, on cymbals, and with trumpets.
9 And when they came to [d]Chidon’s threshing floor, Uzza put out his hand to hold the ark, for the oxen [e]stumbled. 10 Then the anger of the Lord was aroused against Uzza, and He struck him (M)because he put his hand to the ark; and he (N)died there before God. 11 And David became angry because of the Lord’s outbreak against Uzza; therefore that place is called [f]Perez Uzza to this day. 12 David was afraid of God that day, saying, “How can I bring the ark of God to me?”
13 So David would not move the ark with him into the City of David, but took it aside into the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite. 14 (O)The ark of God remained with the family of Obed-Edom in his house three months. And the Lord blessed (P)the house of Obed-Edom and all that he had.
Footnotes
- 1 Chronicles 13:6 Baale Judah, 2 Sam. 6:2
- 1 Chronicles 13:7 Lit. caused the ark of God to ride
- 1 Chronicles 13:8 songs
- 1 Chronicles 13:9 Nachon, 2 Sam. 6:6
- 1 Chronicles 13:9 Or let it go off
- 1 Chronicles 13:11 Lit. Outburst Against Uzza
1 Chronicles 13
English Standard Version
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
The Voice (VOICE)
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.