Bible Commentaries

And let us bring again the ^a ark of our God to us: for we enquired not at it in the days of Saul.

(a) His first concern was to restore religion, which had in Saul's day been corrupted and neglected.

So David gathered all Israel together, from Shihor of Egypt even unto the entering of Hemath, to bring the ark of God from ^b Kirjathjearim.

(b) That is, from Gibea, where the inhabitants of Kirjathjearim had placed it in the house of Abinadab, (2 Samuel 6:3).

And they carried the ark of God in a new cart out of the house of Abinadab: and Uzza and Ahio ^c drave the cart.

(c) The sons of Abinadab.

And David and all Israel played before ^d God with all [their] might, and with singing, and with harps, and with psalteries, and with timbrels, and with cymbals, and with trumpets.

(d) That is, before the Ark, where God showed himself: so that the sign is taken for the thing signified, which is common to all sacraments both in the old and new testaments.

And when they came unto the threshingfloor of ^e Chidon, Uzza put forth his hand to hold the ark; for the oxen stumbled.

(e) Called also Nachon, (2 Samuel 6:6).

And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzza, and he smote him, because he put his hand to the ark: and there he died ^f before God.

(f) Before the Ark for usurping that which did not belong to his calling: for this charge was given to the priests, (Numbers 4:15), so that here all good intentions are condemned, unless they are commanded by the word of God.

So David brought not the ark [home] to himself to the city of David, but carried it aside into the house of ^g Obededom the Gittite.

(g) Who was a Levite, and called Gittite, because he dwelt at Gath.