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Troubles in Mishandling the Ark(A)

After this, David gathered together again 30,000 men from all of the choicest men of Israel. Then David and all the people with him set out from Baal-judah to bring up from there the Ark of God, who is called the Name, the name of the Lord of the Heavenly Armies, and who is enthroned on the cherubim. They mounted the Ark of God on a new cart and brought it from Abinadab’s home in Gibeah,[a] with Abinadab’s sons Uzzah and Ahio[b] driving the new cart. As they left Abinadab’s house in Gibeah accompanied by the Ark of God, Ahio was walking ahead of the ark. David and the entire assembly[c] of Israel were dancing in the presence of the Lord with all of their strength, accompanied by all sorts of wood instruments,[d] harps, tambourines, castanets, and cymbals.

When they arrived at Nacon’s threshing floor, Uzzah reached out and grabbed the Ark of God because the oxen had stumbled. Just then, the anger of the Lord blazed against Uzzah, and God struck him down right there because of his failure, and he died there beside the Ark of God.

David flew into a rage because the Lord had killed[e] Uzzah. That’s why that place is called Perez-uzzah[f] to this day. But David feared the Lord that day, and asked, “How can the Ark of God come to me?” 10 As a result, David was unwilling to take the ark of the Lord into his care in the City of David. Instead, David left it at the home of Obed-edom the Gittite. 11 So the ark of the Lord remained for three months in the household of Obed-edom the Gittite while the Lord blessed Obed-edom and his entire household.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 6:3 Or was on the hill
  2. 2 Samuel 6:3 Or and his brother
  3. 2 Samuel 6:5 Lit. house
  4. 2 Samuel 6:5 Cf. 1Chr 13:8, where MT letters of the word cypress may be transposed as MT word song
  5. 2 Samuel 6:8 Lit. had burst out against
  6. 2 Samuel 6:8 The Heb. name Perez-uzzah means Overwhelming Uzzah; cf. 2Sam 5:20

David Brings the Ark of Yahweh to Jerusalem

David again gathered all the chosen men in Israel, thirty thousand. David got up and went and all the people who were with him, from Baale-judah to bring up from there the ark of God which is called the name, the name of Yahweh of hosts, upon which the cherubim sit.[a] They loaded the ark of God on a new utility cart, and they carried it from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. Now Uzza and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, were driving the new utility cart along. So they brought it out from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill with the ark of God, and Ahio was going before the ark. Now David and all the house of Israel were dancing before Yahweh, with all kinds of musical instruments made from ash trees, and with zithers, harps, tambourines, sistrums, and cymbals. When they came to the threshing floor of Nakon, Uzza reached out to the ark of God and took hold of it, because the oxen had stumbled. Then the anger of Yahweh was kindled[b] against Uzza, and God struck him down there because of the indiscretion,[c] and he died there beside the ark of God. David was angry[d] because Yahweh had burst out against Uzza, and he called that place Perez-Uzza until this day. But David feared Yahweh on that day and said, “How can the ark of Yahweh come to me?” 10 However, David was not willing to bring the ark of Yahweh to himself, to the city of David, so David caused it to turn to the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite. 11 So the ark of Yahweh remained in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite for three months, and Yahweh blessed Obed-Edom and all his household.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 6:2 Literally “the cherubim are sitting on him”
  2. 2 Samuel 6:7 Literally “Then the nose of Yahweh became hot”
  3. 2 Samuel 6:7 Legal regulations offered by Moses did not permit an Israelite to handle the ark of the covenant in this manner (compare Exod 25:12–16)
  4. 2 Samuel 6:8 Literally “It was hot for David”

The Ark Brought to Jerusalem(A)(B)

David again brought together all the able young men of Israel—thirty thousand. He and all his men went to Baalah[a](C) in Judah to bring up from there the ark(D) of God, which is called by the Name,[b](E) the name of the Lord Almighty, who is enthroned(F) between the cherubim(G) on the ark. They set the ark of God on a new cart(H) and brought it from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill.(I) Uzzah and Ahio, sons of Abinadab, were guiding the new cart with the ark of God on it,[c] and Ahio was walking in front of it. David and all Israel were celebrating(J) with all their might before the Lord, with castanets,[d] harps, lyres, timbrels, sistrums and cymbals.(K)

When they came to the threshing floor of Nakon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of(L) the ark of God, because the oxen stumbled. The Lord’s anger burned against Uzzah because of his irreverent act;(M) therefore God struck him down,(N) and he died there beside the ark of God.

Then David was angry because the Lord’s wrath(O) had broken out against Uzzah, and to this day that place is called Perez Uzzah.[e](P)

David was afraid of the Lord that day and said, “How(Q) can the ark of the Lord ever come to me?” 10 He was not willing to take the ark of the Lord to be with him in the City of David. Instead, he took it to the house of Obed-Edom(R) the Gittite. 11 The ark of the Lord remained in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite for three months, and the Lord blessed him and his entire household.(S)

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 6:2 That is, Kiriath Jearim (see 1 Chron. 13:6)
  2. 2 Samuel 6:2 Hebrew; Septuagint and Vulgate do not have the Name.
  3. 2 Samuel 6:4 Dead Sea Scrolls and some Septuagint manuscripts; Masoretic Text cart and they brought it with the ark of God from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill
  4. 2 Samuel 6:5 Masoretic Text; Dead Sea Scrolls and Septuagint (see also 1 Chron. 13:8) songs
  5. 2 Samuel 6:8 Perez Uzzah means outbreak against Uzzah.