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David again gathered together all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand. David arose, and went with all the people who were with him, from Baale Judah, to bring up from there God’s ark, which is called by the Name, even the name of Yahweh of Armies who sits above the cherubim. They set God’s ark on a new cart, and brought it out of Abinadab’s house that was on the hill; and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drove the new cart. They brought it out of Abinadab’s house, which was in the hill, with God’s ark; and Ahio went before the ark. David and all the house of Israel played before Yahweh with all kinds of instruments made of cypress wood, with harps, with stringed instruments, with tambourines, with castanets, and with cymbals. When they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah reached for God’s ark, and took hold of it; for the cattle stumbled. Yahweh’s anger burned against Uzzah; and God struck him there for his error; and he died there by God’s ark. David was displeased, because Yahweh had broken out against Uzzah; and he called that place Perez Uzzah,[a] to this day. David was afraid of Yahweh that day; and he said, “How could Yahweh’s ark come to me?” 10 So David would not move Yahweh’s ark to be with him in David’s city; but David carried it aside into Obed-Edom the Gittite’s house. 11 Yahweh’s ark remained in Obed-Edom the Gittite’s house three months; and Yahweh blessed Obed-Edom and all his house.

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Footnotes

  1. 6:8 “Perez Uzzah” means “outbreak against Uzzah”.

Moving the Ark to Jerusalem

Then David again gathered all the elite troops in Israel, 30,000 in all. He led them to Baalah of Judah[a] to bring back the Ark of God, which bears the name of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies,[b] who is enthroned between the cherubim. They placed the Ark of God on a new cart and brought it from Abinadab’s house, which was on a hill. Uzzah and Ahio, Abinadab’s sons, were guiding the cart that carried the Ark of God.[c] Ahio walked in front of the Ark. David and all the people of Israel were celebrating before the Lord, singing songs[d] and playing all kinds of musical instruments—lyres, harps, tambourines, castanets, and cymbals.

But when they arrived at the threshing floor of Nacon, the oxen stumbled, and Uzzah reached out his hand and steadied the Ark of God. Then the Lord’s anger was aroused against Uzzah, and God struck him dead because of this.[e] So Uzzah died right there beside the Ark of God.

David was angry because the Lord’s anger had burst out against Uzzah. He named that place Perez-uzzah (which means “to burst out against Uzzah”), as it is still called today.

David was now afraid of the Lord, and he asked, “How can I ever bring the Ark of the Lord back into my care?” 10 So David decided not to move the Ark of the Lord into the City of David. Instead, he took it to the house of Obed-edom of Gath. 11 The Ark of the Lord remained there in Obed-edom’s house for three months, and the Lord blessed Obed-edom and his entire household.

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Footnotes

  1. 6:2a Hebrew Baale of Judah, another name for Kiriath-jearim; compare 1 Chr 13:6.
  2. 6:2b Or the Ark of God where the Name is proclaimed—the name of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
  3. 6:4 As in Dead Sea Scrolls and some Greek manuscripts; Masoretic Text reads and they brought it from Abinadab’s house, which was on a hill, with the Ark of God.
  4. 6:5 As in Dead Sea Scrolls and Greek version (see also 1 Chr 13:8); Masoretic Text reads before the Lord with all manner of cypress wood.
  5. 6:7 As in Dead Sea Scrolls; Masoretic Text reads because of his irreverence.