1 Chronicles 13
New American Standard Bible
Peril in Transporting the Ark
13 Then David consulted with the captains of the thousands and the hundreds, with every leader. 2 David said to all the assembly of Israel, “If it seems good to you, and if it is from the Lord our God, [a]let us send word everywhere to our kinsmen who remain in all the land of Israel, and to the priests and Levites who are with them in their cities with pasture lands, that they meet with us; 3 and [b]let us bring back the ark of our God to us, (A)since we did not seek it in the days of Saul.” 4 Then all the assembly said that they would do so, for [c]this was right in the eyes of all the people.
5 (B)So David assembled all Israel together, from the Shihor of Egypt to the entrance of Hamath, (C)to bring the ark of God from Kiriath-jearim. 6 (D)David and all Israel went up to (E)Baalah, that is, to Kiriath-jearim, which belongs to Judah, to bring up from there the ark of God, the Lord (F)who is enthroned above the cherubim, where His name is called. 7 And they [d]carried the ark of God on a new cart from (G)the house of Abinadab, and Uzza and Ahio drove the cart. 8 David and all Israel were celebrating before God with all their might, (H)with songs and with lyres, harps, tambourines, cymbals, and trumpets.
9 When they came to (I)the threshing floor of Chidon, Uzza put out his hand to hold the ark, because the oxen nearly overturned it. 10 But the anger of the Lord burned against Uzza, so He struck him (J)because he had put out his hand toward the ark; (K)and he died there before God. 11 Then David became angry because [e]of the Lord’s outburst against Uzza; and he called that place [f]Perez-uzza as it is to this day. 12 David was afraid of God that day, saying, “How can I bring the ark of God home to me?” 13 So David did not take the ark with him to the city of David, but took it aside (L)to the house of Obed-edom the Gittite. 14 And the ark of God remained with the family of Obed-edom in his house for three months; and (M)the Lord blessed the family of Obed-edom and all that he had.
Footnotes
- 1 Chronicles 13:2 Indicating a proposal, not a request
- 1 Chronicles 13:3 See note v 2
- 1 Chronicles 13:4 Lit the thing
- 1 Chronicles 13:7 Lit caused the ark of God to ride
- 1 Chronicles 13:11 Lit the Lord had made an outburst
- 1 Chronicles 13:11 I.e., the outburst against Uzza
1 Chronicles 13
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
The Ark Brought from Kiriath-jearim
13 David consulted with the commanders of the thousands and of the hundreds, with every leader. 2 David 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 abroad to our kindred who remain in all the land of Israel, including the priests and Levites in the cities that have pasturelands, that they may come together to us.(A) 3 Then let us bring again the ark of our God to us, for we did not seek it in the days of Saul.”(B) 4 The whole assembly agreed to do so, for the thing pleased all the people.
5 So David assembled all Israel from the Shihor of Egypt to Lebo-hamath, to bring the ark of God from Kiriath-jearim.(C) 6 And David and all Israel went up to Baalah, that is, to Kiriath-jearim, which belongs to Judah, to bring up from there the ark of God, the Lord, who is enthroned on the cherubim, which is called by his[a] name.(D) 7 They carried the ark of God on a new cart from the house of Abinadab, and Uzzah and Ahio[b] were driving the cart.(E) 8 David and all Israel were dancing before God with all their might, with songs and lyres and harps and tambourines and cymbals and trumpets.(F)
9 When they came to the threshing floor of Chidon, Uzzah put out his hand to hold the ark, for the oxen lurched.(G) 10 The anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah; he struck him down because he put out his hand to the ark, and he died there before God.(H) 11 David was angry because the Lord had burst out against Uzzah, so that place is called Perez-uzzah[c] to this day. 12 David was afraid of God that day; he said, “How can I bring the ark of God into my care?” 13 So David did not take the ark into his care into the city of David; he took it instead to the house of Obed-edom the Gittite. 14 The ark of God remained with the household of Obed-edom in his house three months, and the Lord blessed the household of Obed-edom and all that he had.(I)
1 Chronicles 13
Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition
13 And David consulted with the captains of thousands, and of hundreds, and with all the commanders.
2 And he said to all the assembly of Israel: If it please you; and if the words which I speak come from the Lord our God, let us send to the rest of our brethren into all the countries of Israel, and to the priests, and the Levites, that dwell in the suburbs of the cities, to gather themselves to us,
3 And let us bring again the ark of our God to us: for we sought it not in the days of Saul.
4 And all the multitude answered that it should be so: for the word pleased all the people.
5 So David assembled all Israel from Sihor of Egypt, even to the entering into Emath, to bring the ark of God from Cariathiarim.
6 And David went up with all the men of Israel to the hill of Cariathiarim which is in Juda, to bring thence the ark of the Lord God sitting upon the cherubims, where his name is called upon.
7 And they carried the ark of God upon a new cart, out of the house of Abinadab. And Oza and his brother drove the cart.
8 And David and all Israel played before God with all their might with hymns, and with harps, and with psalteries, and timbrels, and cymbals, and trumpets,
9 And when they came to the floor of Chidon, Oza put forth his hand, to hold up the ark: for the ox being wanton had made it lean a little on one side.
10 And the Lord was angry with Oza, and struck him, because he had touched the ark; and he died there before the Lord.
11 And David was troubled because the Lord had divided Oza: and he called that place the Breach of Oza to this day.
12 And he feared God at that time, saying: How can I bring in the ark of God to me?
13 And therefore he brought it not home to himself, that is, into the city of David, but carried it aside into the house of Obededom the Gethite.
14 And the ark of God remained in the house of Obededom three months: and the Lord blessed his house, and all that he had.
1 Chronicles 13
The Message
David Goes to Get the Chest of God
13 1-14 David consulted with all of his leaders, the commanders of thousands and of hundreds. Then David addressed the entire assembly of Israel, “If it seems right to you, and it is God’s will, let’s invite all our relatives wherever they are throughout Israel, along with their relatives, including their priests and Levites from their cities and surrounding pastures, to join us. And let’s bring the Chest of our God back—the Chest that was out of sight, out of mind during the days of Saul.” The entire assembly of Israel agreed—everybody agreed that it was the right thing to do. So David gathered all Israel together, from Egypt’s Pond of Horus in the southwest to the Pass of Hamath in the northeast, to go and get the Chest of God from Kiriath Jearim. Then David and all Israel went to Baalah (Kiriath Jearim) in Judah to bring back the Chest of God, the “Cherubim-Throne-of-God,” where God’s Name is invoked. They moved the Chest of God on a brand-new cart from the house of Abinadab with Uzzah and Ahio in charge. In procession with the Chest of God, David and all Israel worshiped exuberantly in song and dance, with a marching band of all kinds of instruments. When they were at the threshing floor of Kidon, the oxen stumbled and Uzzah grabbed the Chest to keep it from falling off. God erupted in anger against Uzzah and killed him because he grabbed the Chest. He died on the spot—in the presence of God. David lost his temper, angry because God exploded against Uzzah; the place is still called Perez Uzzah (Exploded Uzzah). David was terrified of God that day; he said, “How can I possibly continue this parade with the Chest of God?” So David called off the parade of the Chest to the City of David; instead he stored it in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite. The Chest of God was in storage in the house of Obed-Edom for three months. God blessed the family of Obed-Edom and everything around him.
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