Study Desk

Those of the tribe of Judah who carried shield and spear were 6,800, armed for war;

Of the tribe of Benjamin, the relatives of [King] Saul, 3,000; for until now the majority of them had kept their allegiance to the house of Saul.

From the other side [east] of the Jordan River, of [the tribes of] Reuben and Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh, 120,000 men, armed with all kinds of weapons of war for the battle.

They were there with David for three days, eating and drinking, for their relatives had prepared for them.

Also those who were [living] near them [from] as far as [the tribes of] Issachar, Zebulun, and Naphtali, brought food on donkeys, camels, mules, and oxen, abundant supplies of flour, cakes of figs and raisins, wine, [olive] oil, oxen, and sheep, for there was joy in Israel.

and let us bring back the ark of our God to us, for we did not seek it during the days of Saul."

Then all the assembly agreed to do so, for the thing was right in the eyes of all the people.

When they came to the threshing floor of Chidon, Uzza put out his hand to hold and steady the ark, for the oxen [that were drawing the cart] nearly overturned it.

Now Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David with cedar timbers, masons and carpenters, to build a house (palace) for him.

And David understood that the LORD had established and confirmed him as king over Israel, for his kingdom was highly exalted for the sake of His people Israel.

"It shall be when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, then you shall go out to battle, for God has gone out before you to strike the Philistine army."

David built houses for himself in the City of David; and he prepared a place for the ark of God and pitched a tent for it.

Then David said, "No one is to carry the ark of God except the Levites; for the LORD chose them to carry the ark of God and to minister to Him forever."

And David assembled all Israel at Jerusalem to bring up the ark of the LORD to the place which he had prepared for it.

Then David called for Zadok and Abiathar the priests, and for the Levites—Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel, and Amminadab,

and he said to them, "You are the heads of the fathers' households of the Levites; consecrate yourselves, both you and your relatives, so that you may bring up the ark of the LORD God of Israel, to the place that I have prepared for it.

"Because you did not [carry it as God directed] the first time, the LORD our God made an [angry] outburst against us, for we did not seek Him in accordance with the ordinance."

Berechiah and Elkanah were gatekeepers for the ark.

Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah, and Eliezer the priests blew the trumpets before the ark of God. Obed-edom and Jehiah (Jeiel) were also gatekeepers for the ark.

So they brought the ark of God and set it inside the tent which David had pitched for it, and they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before God.