2 Samuel 6:1-11

David Fetches the Ark

1 David again assembled the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand in all. ¹

2 And he and all his troops set out for Baale of Judah ^[a] to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the Name— ^[b] the name of the LORD of Hosts, who is enthroned between the cherubim that are on it.

3 They set the ark of God on a new cart and brought it from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, were guiding the new cart,

4 bringing with it the ark of God. ^[c] And Ahio was walking in front of the ark.

Uzzah Touches the Ark

5 David and all the house of Israel were celebrating before the LORD with all kinds of wood instruments, ^[d] harps, stringed instruments, tambourines, sistrums, and cymbals. ²

6 When they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, ^[e] Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark of God, because the oxen had stumbled.

7 And the anger of the LORD burned against Uzzah, and God struck him down on the spot for his irreverence, ^[f] and he died there beside the ark of God.

8 Then David became angry because the LORD had burst forth against Uzzah. So he named that place Perez-uzzah, ^[g] as it is called to this day.

9 That day David feared the LORD and asked, “How can the ark of the LORD ever come to me?”

10 So he was unwilling to move the ark of the LORD to the City of David; instead, he took it aside to the house of Obed-edom the Gittite.

11 Thus the ark of the LORD remained in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite for three months, and the LORD blessed him and all his household.

2 Samuel 6:1-11 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO SECOND SAMUEL 6

In this chapter we are told that David fetched the ark from Baale of Judah, with an intent to bring it to his own city, 2Sa 6:1-5; but Uzzah being smitten for his error concerning it, David was displeased, and left it at the house of Obededom, where it remained three months, and proved a blessing to his house, 2Sa 6:6-11; which David hearing of, went and brought it from thence with great expressions of joy before it as it came along, and offered offerings to the Lord at the setting it in its place, and gave gifts to the people, 2Sa 6:12-19; but Michal his wife was displeased with some of his gestures on that occasion, which made some difference between them, and which, on Michal's part, was resented by the Lord himself; for she became barren for it to the time of her death, 2Sa 6:20-23.

Cross References

• 1. (1 Chronicles 13:1–7)
• 2. (1 Chronicles 13:8–14)

Footnotes

• [a] That is, Kiriath-jearim; see 1 Chronicles 13:6.
• [b] Hebrew; LXX and Vulgate do not include the Name—
• [c] DSS and some LXX manuscripts; MT includes from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill.
• [d] Literally before the LORD with all woods of cypress; LXX playing before the Lord on well-tuned instruments mightily, and with songs; some of the instruments in this verse are uncertain; see 1 Chronicles 13:8.
• [e] Nacon is a variant of Chidon; see 1 Chronicles 13:9.
• [f] MT; DSS for this
• [g] Perez-uzzah means outbreak against Uzzah.