2 Samuel 6:1-5

God’s chest is brought to Jerusalem

1 Once again David assembled the select warriors of Israel, thirty thousand strong.

2 David and all the troops who were with him set out for Baalah, which is Kiriath-jearim of Judah, to bring God's chest up from there—the chest that is called by the name of the LORD of heavenly forces, who sits enthroned on the winged creatures.

3 They loaded God's chest on a new cart and carried it from Abinadab's house, which was on the hill. Uzzah and Ahio, Abinadab's sons, were driving the new cart.

4 Uzzah was beside God's chest while Ahio was walking in front of it.

5 Meanwhile, David and the entire house of Israel celebrated in the LORD's presence with all their strength, with songs, zithers, harps, tambourines, rattles, and cymbals.

2 Samuel 6:1-5 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.

Footnotes

• [a]. DSS (4QSama), 1 Chron 13:6; MT from Baale-judah
• [b]. MT repeats name, but 1 Chron 13:6 omits one of these and LXX reads the first as there.
• [c]. LXX, DSS (4QSama), 1 Chron 13:7; MT repeats they carried it from the house of Abinadab on the hill; Uzzah has dropped out and must be restored.
• [d]. LXX, DSS (4QSama), 1 Chron 13:8; MT with all sorts of pine instruments