2 Samuel 6:1-11

Peril in Moving the Ark

1 ¹Now David again * gathered all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand.

2 And David arose and went with all the people who were with him to ²Baale-judah, to bring up from there the ark of God which is called by the ³Name, the very name of the LORD of hosts who ⁴is enthroned above the cherubim.

3 They placed the ark of God on ⁵a new cart that they might bring it from the house of Abinadab which was on the hill; and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, were leading the new cart.

4 So ⁶they brought it with the ark of God from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill; and Ahio was walking ahead of the ark.

5 Meanwhile, David and all the house of Israel ⁷were celebrating before the LORD ⁸with all kinds of instruments made of fir wood, and with lyres, harps, tambourines, castanets and cymbals.

6 But when they came to the ⁹threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah ¹⁰reached out toward the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen nearly upset it.

7 And the anger of the LORD burned against Uzzah, and ¹¹God struck him down there for his irreverence; and he died there by the ark of God.

8 David became angry because * of the LORD'S outburst * against Uzzah, and that place is called Perez-uzzah to this day.

9 So ¹²David was afraid of the LORD that day; and he said, "How can the ark of the LORD come to me?"

10 And David was unwilling * to move the ark of the LORD into the city of David with him; but David took it aside to the house of ¹³Obed-edom the Gittite.

11 Thus the ark of the LORD remained in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite three months, and the LORD ¹⁴blessed Obed-edom 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.

2 Samuel 6:1-11 In-Context

1 Now David again gathered all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand.

2 And David arose and went with all the people who were with him to Baale-judah, to bring up from there the ark of God which is called by the Name, the very name of the LORD of hosts who is enthroned above the cherubim.

3 They placed the ark of God on a new cart that they might bring it from the house of Abinadab which was on the hill; and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, were leading the new cart.

4 So they brought it with the ark of God from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill; and Ahio was walking ahead of the ark.

5 Meanwhile, David and all the house of Israel were celebrating before the LORD with all kinds of instruments made of fir wood, and with lyres, harps, tambourines, castanets and cymbals.

6 But when they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah reached out toward the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen nearly upset it.

7 And the anger of the LORD burned against Uzzah, and God struck him down there for his irreverence; and he died there by the ark of God.

8 David became angry because of the LORD'S outburst against Uzzah, and that place is called Perez-uzzah to this day.

9 So David was afraid of the LORD that day; and he said, "How can the ark of the LORD come to me?"

10 And David was unwilling to move the ark of the LORD into the city of David with him; but David 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 three months, and the LORD blessed Obed-edom and all his household.

12 Now it was told King David, saying, "The LORD has blessed the house of Obed-edom and all that belongs to him, on account of the ark of God." David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom into the city of David with gladness.

13 And so it was, that when the bearers of the ark of the LORD had gone six paces, he sacrificed an ox and a fatling.

14 And David was dancing before the LORD with all his might, and David was wearing a linen ephod.

15 So David and all the house of Israel were bringing up the ark of the LORD with shouting and the sound of the trumpet.

Cross References

• 1. 1 Chronicles 13:5-14
• 2. Joshua 15:9, 10; 1 Samuel 7:1
• 3. Leviticus 24:16
• 4. Exodus 25:22
• 5. Numbers 7:4-9; 1 Samuel 6:7
• 6. 1 Samuel 7:1; 1 Chronicles 13:7
• 7. 1 Samuel 18:6, 7
• 8. 1 Chronicles 13:8
• 9. 1 Chronicles 13:9
• 10. Num 4:15, 19, 20
• 11. 1 Samuel 6:19
• 12. Psalms 119:120; Luke 5:8
• 13. 1 Chronicles 26:4-8
• 14. Genesis 30:27; Genesis 39:5

Footnotes

• [a]. I.e. Kiriath-jearim
• [b]. Lit "sitting"
• [c]. Lit "caused to ride"
• [d]. Or "cypress"
• [e]. Lit "the"
• [f]. Lit "the LORD broke through a breakthrough"
• [g]. I.e. the breakthrough of Uzzah