1 Chronicles 15:13

13 Because the first time you did not, [and] Yahweh our God burst out against us, for we did not care for it according to the law."

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 Then David summoned Zadok and Abiathar the priests, and the Levites Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel, and Amminadab.

12 And he said to them, "You [are] the heads of the {families} for the Levites. Sanctify yourselves and your brothers and bring up the ark of Yahweh, the God of Israel, to [the place] I have established for it.

13 Because the first time you did not, [and] Yahweh our God burst out against us, for we did not care for it according to the law."

14 Then the priests and the Levites sanctified themselves to bring up the ark of Yahweh, the God of Israel.

15 And the sons of the Levites carried the ark of God according to what Moses commanded, according to the word of Yahweh, on their shoulders with the carrying poles upon them.