1 Chronicles 13
New International Reader's Version
David Brings Back the Ark
13 David talked with each of his officers. He wanted to get their advice. Some of them were commanders of thousands of men. Others were commanders of hundreds. 2 David spoke to the whole community of Israel. He said, “Let’s send word to the rest of our people no matter how far away they live. They live in all the territories of Israel. Let’s also send word to the priests and Levites who are with them in their towns and on their grasslands. Let’s invite everyone to come and join us. Let’s do it if it seems good to you and if that’s what the Lord our God wants. 3 Let’s bring the ark of our God back here to us. We didn’t use it to ask God for advice during the whole time Saul was king.” 4 So that’s what the whole community agreed to do. It seemed right to them.
5 David gathered together all the Israelites. They came from the area between the Shihor River in Egypt and Lebo Hamath. They came to bring the ark of God from Kiriath Jearim to Jerusalem. 6 David went to Baalah of Judah. The whole community of Israel went with him. Baalah is also called Kiriath Jearim. All the people went there to get the ark of God the Lord. He sits on his throne between the cherubim. The ark is named after the Lord.
7 The ark of God was placed on a new cart. Then it was moved from Abinadab’s house. Uzzah and Ahio were guiding it. 8 David was celebrating with all his might in front of God. So was the whole community of Israel. All of them were singing songs. They were also playing harps, lyres, tambourines, cymbals and trumpets.
9 They came to the threshing floor of Kidon. The oxen nearly fell there. So Uzzah reached out his hand to hold the ark steady. 10 Then the Lord became very angry with Uzzah. The Lord struck him down because he had put his hand on the ark. So Uzzah died there in front of God.
11 David was angry because the Lord’s great anger had broken out against Uzzah. That’s why the place is still called Perez Uzzah to this day.
12 David was afraid of God that day. David asked, “How can I ever bring the ark of God back here to me?” 13 So he didn’t take the ark to be with him in the City of David. Instead, he took it to the house of Obed-Edom. Obed-Edom was from Gath. 14 The ark of God remained with the family of Obed-Edom. It stayed in his house for three months. And the Lord blessed his family. He also blessed everything that belonged to him.
1 Chronicles 13
King James Version
13 And David consulted with the captains of thousands and hundreds, and with every leader.
2 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:
3 And let us bring again the ark of our God to us: for we enquired not at it in the days of Saul.
4 And all the congregation said that they would do so: for the thing was right in the eyes of all the people.
5 So David gathered all Israel together, from Shihor of Egypt even unto the entering of Hemath, to bring the ark of God from Kirjathjearim.
6 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.
7 And they carried the ark of God in a new cart out of the house of Abinadab: and Uzza and Ahio drave the cart.
8 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.
9 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.
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
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