The Ark on a New Cart
Study note
David gathered thirty thousand chosen men of Israel to bring the Ark of God from the house of Abinadab in Gibeah. The Ark was the most sacred object in Israel, representing God's presence among his people. It had been sitting at Abinadab's house ever since the Philistines had returned it years earlier. David placed it on a new cart instead of having priests carry it on poles as God had originally commanded. The whole nation celebrated with music, playing harps, lyres, tambourines, rattles, and cymbals.
1 David gathered 30,000 of Israel's best soldiers. Again, David gathered together all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand.
2 Then David and all his men set out for Baalah in Judah. They went to bring home God's Ark. It bears the name of the Lord, who sits above the cherubim. And David arose, and went with all the people that were with him from Baale of Judah, to bring up from thence the ark of God, whose name is called by the name of the LORD of hosts that dwelleth between the cherubims.
3 They loaded the Ark of God onto a new cart and brought it out from Abinadab's house, which sat on a hilltop. Abinadab's sons Uzzah and Ahio were driving the new cart. And they set the ark of God upon a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab that was in Gibeah: and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drave the new cart.
4 As they transported it from Abinadab's hilltop house, Ahio walked out in front of the Ark. And they brought it out of the house of Abinadab which was at Gibeah, accompanying the ark of God: and Ahio went before the ark.
5 David and all the Israelites threw themselves into celebrating before the Lord. They played every instrument they had -- harps, lyres, tambourines, rattles, and cymbals. And David and all the house of Israel played before the LORD on all manner of instruments made of fir wood, even on harps, and on psalteries, and on timbrels, and on cornets, and on cymbals.
Uzzah and the Ark
Study note
When the oxen pulling the cart stumbled at the threshing floor of Nachon, a man named Uzzah reached out and touched the Ark to steady it. God struck Uzzah dead on the spot. David was both upset and afraid. He named the place Perez-uzzah, meaning 'the outbreak against Uzzah.' David was now too afraid to bring the Ark to Jerusalem, so he left it at the house of Obed-edom the Gittite. During the three months the Ark stayed there, the Lord richly blessed Obed-edom and his entire household.
6 At Nachon's threshing floor, the oxen stumbled, and Uzzah reached out and grabbed the Ark of God to keep it steady. And when they came to Nachon's threshingfloor, Uzzah put forth his hand to the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the oxen shook it.
7 Instantly, the Lord's anger flared against Uzzah. God struck him dead there for his disrespectful act, and he died beside the Ark of God. And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzzah; and God smote him there for his error; and there he died by the ark of God.
8 David was upset that the Lord had lashed out at Uzzah. He named that location Perez-uzzah, meaning "The Outbreak Against Uzzah." People still call it that. And David was displeased, because the LORD had made a breach upon Uzzah: and he called the name of the place Perez-uzzah to this day.
9 That day, David became fearful of the Lord. He wondered, "How can I possibly bring the Ark of the Lord to my city?" And David was afraid of the LORD that day, and said, How shall the ark of the LORD come to me?
10 David decided not to move the Ark into the City of David. Instead, he had it taken to the home of Obed-edom the Gittite. So David would not remove the ark of the LORD unto him into the city of David: but David carried it aside into the house of Obed-edom the Gittite.
11 The Ark of the Lord stayed at Obed-edom's home for three months. During that time the Lord blessed Obed-edom and everyone in his house. And the ark of the LORD continued in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite three months: and the LORD blessed Obed-edom, and all his household.
David Brings the Ark to Jerusalem
Study note
When David heard that God was blessing Obed-edom because of the Ark, he went to bring it to Jerusalem with great joy. This time the Ark was carried properly. After the carriers had taken six steps, David offered sacrifices. David danced before the Lord with all his might, wearing a linen ephod, a priestly garment. The Ark was brought into Jerusalem with shouts of joy and trumpet blasts, and David placed it inside a special tent he had prepared. He offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, then blessed the people and gave everyone bread, dates, and raisins.
12 Word reached King David that the Lord had been blessing Obed-edom's family because of the Ark of God. So David went with great joy to bring the Ark from Obed-edom's house up to the City of David. And it was told king David, saying, The LORD hath blessed the house of Obed-edom, and all that pertaineth unto him, because of the ark of God. So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom into the city of David with gladness.
13 The men took six steps with the Ark of the Lord. Then David gave an ox and a fat calf as a gift to God. And it was so, that when they that bare the ark of the LORD had gone six paces, he sacrificed oxen and fatlings.
14 David danced before the Lord with everything he had, dressed in a simple linen priestly garment. And David danced before the LORD with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod.
15 David and all Israel brought the Ark of the Lord into the city, shouting with joy and blasting trumpets. So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet.
16 As the Ark of the Lord came into the City of David, Michal, Saul's daughter, watched from a window. She saw King David leaping and spinning before the Lord, and she felt nothing but scorn for him. And as the ark of the LORD came into the city of David, Michal Saul's daughter looked through a window, and saw king David leaping and dancing before the LORD; and she despised him in her heart.
17 They carried the Ark of the Lord inside and placed it in the middle of the tent David had prepared for it. Then David presented burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord. And they brought in the ark of the LORD, and set it in his place, in the midst of the tabernacle that David had pitched for it: and David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD.
18 David finished the offerings. Then he blessed the people in the name of the Lord. And as soon as David had made an end of offering burnt offerings and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD of hosts.
19 He handed out food to the entire crowd of Israelites, men and women alike: a loaf of bread, a portion of dates, and a cake of raisins for each person. After that, everyone headed home. And he dealt among all the people, even among the whole multitude of Israel, as well to the women as men, to every one a cake of bread, and a good piece of flesh, and a flagon of wine. So all the people departed every one to his house.
Michal Criticizes David
Study note
As the Ark entered Jerusalem, David's wife Michal watched from a window and saw the king leaping and dancing before the Lord. She felt contempt for him in her heart. When David came home, Michal sarcastically mocked him for dancing in a way she considered undignified. David firmly responded that he was dancing before the Lord, who chose him over her father Saul to be king. He said he would humble himself even more in worship. The chapter ends with the note that Michal had no children for the rest of her life.
20 David returned to bless his own family. But Michal, Saul's daughter, met him at the door and said sarcastically, "What a glorious display the king of Israel put on today! Stripping down in front of servant girls like some shameless fool!" Then David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, How glorious was the king of Israel to day, who uncovered himself to day in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovereth himself!
21 David said to Michal, "I was celebrating for the Lord! He picked me over your father and his whole family to lead the Lord's people Israel. I will keep celebrating before the Lord." And David said unto Michal, It was before the LORD, which chose me before thy father, and before all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the LORD, over Israel: therefore will I play before the LORD.
22 "In fact, I will humble myself even more than this. I might look foolish to myself, but those servant girls you mentioned will hold me in honor." And I will yet be more vile than thus, and will be base in mine own sight: and of the maidservants which thou hast spoken of, of them shall I be had in honour.
23 Michal, Saul's daughter, never had any children for the rest of her life. Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no child unto the day of her death.