1 Chronicles 15:13

13 Lest as the Lord at first struck us, because you were not present, the same should now also come to pass, by our doing some thing against 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 And David called Sadoc, and Abiathar the priests, and the Levites, Uriel, Asaia, Joel, Semeia, Eliel, and Aminadab:

12 And he said to them: You that are the heads of the Levitical families, be sanctified with your brethren, and bring the ark of the Lord the God of Israel to the place, which is prepared for it:

13 Lest as the Lord at first struck us, because you were not present, the same should now also come to pass, by our doing some thing against the law.

14 So the priests and the Levites were sanctified, to carry the ark of the Lord the God of Israel.

15 And the sons of Levi took the ark of God as Moses had commanded, according to the word of the Lord, upon their shoulders, with the staves.