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David and the Ark

13 David consulted with all his leaders, the commanders of hundreds and of thousands. Then he said to the whole assembly of Israel, ‘If it seems good to you, and if this is from the Lord our God, let’s spread out and send the message to the rest of our relatives in all the districts of Israel, including the priests and Levites in their cities with pasturelands,(A) that they should gather together with us. Then let’s bring back the ark of our God, for we did not enquire of him[a](B) in Saul’s days.’ Since the proposal seemed right to all the people, the whole assembly agreed to do it.

So David assembled all Israel,(C) from the Shihor of Egypt to the entrance of Hamath,[b](D) to bring the ark of God from Kiriath-jearim.(E) David(F) and all Israel went to Baalah(G) (that is, Kiriath-jearim that belongs to Judah) to take from there the ark of God, which bears the name of the Lord who is enthroned between the cherubim.(H) At Abinadab’s house(I) they set the ark of God on a new cart. Uzzah and Ahio[c] were guiding the cart.

David and all Israel were dancing with all their might before God with songs and with lyres, harps, tambourines, cymbals, and trumpets.(J) When they came to Chidon’s threshing-floor,(K) Uzzah reached out to hold the ark because the oxen had stumbled. 10 Then the Lord’s anger burned against Uzzah, and he struck him dead because he had reached out to the ark.(L) So he died there in the presence of God.(M)

11 David was angry because of the Lord’s outburst against Uzzah, so he named that place Outburst Against Uzzah,[d] as it is still named today. 12 David feared God that day and said, ‘How can I ever bring the ark of God to me? ’ 13 So David did not bring the ark of God home[e] to the city of David; instead, he diverted it to the house of Obed-edom of Gath.(N) 14 The ark of God remained with Obed-edom’s family in his house for three months, and the Lord blessed his family and all that he had.

Footnotes

  1. 13:3 Or did not seek it
  2. 13:5 Or to Lebo-hamath
  3. 13:7 Or And his brothers
  4. 13:11 Or Perez-uzzah
  5. 13:13 Litto himself

13 And David consulted with the captains of thousands and hundreds, and with every leader.

And David said unto all the congregation of Israel, If it seem good unto you, and that it be of the Lord our God, let us send abroad unto our brethren every where, that are left in all the land of Israel, and with them also to the priests and Levites which are in their cities and suburbs, that they may gather themselves unto us:

And let us bring again the ark of our God to us: for we enquired not at it in the days of Saul.

And all the congregation said that they would do so: for the thing was right in the eyes of all the people.

So David gathered all Israel together, from Shihor of Egypt even unto the entering of Hemath, to bring the ark of God from Kirjathjearim.

And David went up, and all Israel, to Baalah, that is, to Kirjathjearim, which belonged to Judah, to bring up thence the ark of God the Lord, that dwelleth between the cherubims, whose name is called on it.

And they carried the ark of God in a new cart out of the house of Abinadab: and Uzza and Ahio drave the cart.

And David and all Israel played before God with all their might, and with singing, and with harps, and with psalteries, and with timbrels, and with cymbals, and with trumpets.

And when they came unto the threshingfloor of Chidon, Uzza put forth his hand to hold the ark; for the oxen stumbled.

10 And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzza, and he smote him, because he put his hand to the ark: and there he died before God.

11 And David was displeased, because the Lord had made a breach upon Uzza: wherefore that place is called Perezuzza to this day.

12 And David was afraid of God that day, saying, How shall I bring the ark of God home to me?

13 So David brought not the ark home to himself to the city of David, but carried it aside into the house of Obededom the Gittite.

14 And the ark of God remained with the family of Obededom in his house three months. And the Lord blessed the house of Obededom, and all that he had.