Study Desk

26 So the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria, that is, Tiglath-Pileser [fn] king of Assyria. He carried the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh into captivity. He took them to Halah, Habor, Hara, and the river of Gozan to this day.

And their brethren, the Levites, were appointed to every kind of service of the tabernacle of the house of God.

But Aaron and his sons offered sacrifices on the altar of burnt offering and on the altar of incense, for all the work of the Most Holy Place, and to make atonement for Israel, according to all that Moses the servant of God had commanded.

Azariah the son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, the officer over the house of God;

and their brethren, heads of their fathers' houses--one thousand seven hundred and sixty. They were very able men for the work of the service of the house of God.

For in this trusted office were four chief gatekeepers; they were Levites. And they had charge over the chambers and treasuries of the house of God.

And they lodged all around the house of God because they had the responsibility, and they were in charge of opening it every morning.

Also, in time past, even when Saul was king, you were the one who led Israel out and brought them in; and the LORD your God said to you, "You shall shepherd My people Israel, and be ruler over My people Israel."'

And he said, "Far be it from me, O my God, that I should do this! Shall I drink the blood of these men who have put their lives in jeopardy? For at the risk of their lives they brought it." Therefore he would not drink it. These things were done by the three mighty men.

And David went out to meet them, and answered and said to them, "If you have come peaceably to me to help me, my heart will be united with you; but if to betray me to my enemies, since there is no wrong in my hands, may the God of our fathers look and bring judgment."

Then the Spirit came upon Amasai, chief of the captains, and he said: "We are yours, O David; We are on your side, O son of Jesse! Peace, peace to you, And peace to your helpers! For your God helps you." So David received them, and made them captains of the troop.

For at that time they came to David day by day to help him, until it was a great army, like the army of God.

And David said to all the assembly of Israel, "If it seems good to you, and if it is of the LORD our God, let us send out to our brethren everywhere who are left in all the land of Israel, and with them to the priests and Levites who are in their cities and their common-lands, that they may gather together to us;

and let us bring the ark of our God back to us, for we have not inquired at it since the days of Saul."

So David gathered all Israel together, from Shihor in Egypt to as far as the entrance of Hamath, to bring the ark of God from Kirjath Jearim.

And David and all Israel went up to Baalah, 2 Samuel 6:2">[fn] to Kirjath Jearim, which belonged to Judah, to bring up from there the ark of God the Lord, who dwells between the cherubim, where His name is proclaimed.

So they carried the ark of God on a new cart from the house of Abinadab, and Uzza and Ahio drove the cart.

Then David and all Israel played music before God with all their might, with singing, on harps, on stringed instruments, on tambourines, on cymbals, and with trumpets.

Then the anger of the LORD was aroused against Uzza, and He struck him because he put his hand to the ark; and he died there before God.

David was afraid of God that day, saying, "How can I bring the ark of God to me?"