Peril in Moving the Ark

(A)Now David again gathered all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand. And David [a]departed from [b](B)Baale-judah, with all the people who were with him, to bring up from there the ark of God which is called by the (C)Name, the very name of the Lord of armies who (D)is [c]enthroned above the cherubim. They had mounted the ark of God on (E)a new cart and moved it from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill; and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, were leading the new cart. So (F)they brought it with the ark of God from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill; and Ahio was walking ahead of the ark. Meanwhile, David and all the house of Israel (G)were celebrating before the Lord (H)with all kinds of instruments made of juniper wood, and with [d]lyres, harps, tambourines, castanets, and cymbals.

But when they came to the (I)threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah (J)reached out toward the ark of God and took hold of it, because the oxen nearly overturned it. And the anger of the Lord burned against Uzzah, and (K)God struck him down there for [e]his irreverence; and he died there by the ark of God. Then David became angry because [f]of the Lords outburst against Uzzah; and that place has been called [g]Perez-uzzah to this day. So (L)David was afraid of the Lord that day; and he said, “How can the ark of the Lord come to me?” 10 And David was unwilling to move the ark of the Lord into the city of David with him; but David took it aside to the house of (M)Obed-edom, the Gittite. 11 The ark of the Lord remained in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite for three months, and the Lord (N)blessed Obed-edom and all his household.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 6:2 Lit arose and went
  2. 2 Samuel 6:2 I.e., Kiriath-jearim
  3. 2 Samuel 6:2 Lit sitting
  4. 2 Samuel 6:5 Or zithers
  5. 2 Samuel 6:7 Lit the
  6. 2 Samuel 6:8 Lit the Lord broke through a breakthrough
  7. 2 Samuel 6:8 I.e., outburst 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.