1 Chronicles 15:13

13 For the Lord our God burst out [in anger] against us because you Levites were not [with] us the first time, for we didn't inquire of Him about the proper procedures."

1 Chronicles 15:13 Meaning and Commentary

1 Chronicles 15:13

For because ye did it not at the first
Did not sanctify themselves, as the supplement in our version directs; but rather the sense is, ye were not there at first, when the ark was brought from Kirjathjearim as far as the house of Obededom, as they should have been; they were not then employed, as was their business, and therefore

the Lord our God made a breach upon us;
by smiting Uzzah with death, who was no Levite, and touched the ark, which is called his "error", and for which God smote him, ( 2 Samuel 6:7 ) on which place Lud. Capellus observes, the word "shal", we there render "error", signifies a "disease" in the Arabic language, and might formerly design a sudden one with the Hebrew; as an apoplexy; and so the sense be, that God smote Uzzah with an apoplexy, of which he suddenly died:

for that we sought him not after the due order;
but, instead of employing the Levites to carry the ark on their shoulders, it was put upon a cart.

1 Chronicles 15:13 In-Context

11 David summoned the priests Zadok and Abiathar and the Levites Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel, and Amminadab.
12 He said to them, "You are the heads of the Levite families. You and your relatives must consecrate yourselves so that you may bring the ark of the Lord God of Israel to [the place] I have prepared for it.
13 For the Lord our God burst out [in anger] against us because you Levites were not [with] us the first time, for we didn't inquire of Him about the proper procedures."
14 So the priests and the Levites consecrated themselves to bring up the ark of the Lord God of Israel.
15 Then the Levites carried the ark of God the way Moses had commanded according to the word of the Lord: on their shoulders with the poles.
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