The Ark of the Covenant Brought from Kiriath-Jearim
13 And David consulted with the commanders of thousands and hundreds, with every leader. 2 And David said to all the assembly of Israel, “If it seems good to you[a] and before Yahweh our God, let us send word abroad[b] to our brothers who remain in all the land of Israel and to the priests and Levites with them in the cities with their pasturelands that they might be gathered to us. 3 Then let us bring around the ark of our God to us, for we did not seek it in the days of Saul.” 4 And all the assembly agreed to do so, for the word was pleasing in the eyes of all the people.
5 And David summoned all Israel from Shihor of Egypt up to Lebo-Hamath to bring the ark of God from Kiriath-Jearim. 6 And David and all Israel went up to Baalah, Kiriath-Jearim of Judah, to bring up from there the ark of Yahweh God who is enthroned between the cherubim, which is called the name. 7 And they carried the ark of God upon a new cart from the house of Abinadab, and Uzza and Ahio were driving the cart.
8 Now David and all Israel were celebrating before God with all their strength, and with songs, lyres, harps, tambourines, cymbals, and trumpets. 9 And when they came to the threshing floor of Kidon, Uzza reached out his hand to hold the ark because the cattle had stumbled. 10 And Yahweh was angry[c] with Uzza, and he struck him down because he reached his hand upon the ark. And he died there before God. 11 And David was angry[d] because Yahweh had broken out in wrath against Uzza. And that place is called Perez Uzza unto this day. 12 And David feared God on that day, saying, “How can I bring the ark of God home to me?” 13 So David did not move the ark to himself into the city of David but diverted it to the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite. 14 And the ark of God remained with the household of Obed-Edom in his house three months. And Yahweh blessed the household of Obed-Edom and all that he had.
Footnotes
- 1 Chronicles 13:2 Literally “If to you good”
- 1 Chronicles 13:2 Literally “let us spread out, let us send”
- 1 Chronicles 13:10 Literally “nostrils became hot”
- 1 Chronicles 13:11 Literally “it was hot”