Study Desk

So David summoned all Israel, from the Shihor Brook of Egypt in the south all the way to the town of Lebo-hamath in the north, to join in bringing the Ark of God from Kiriath-jearim.

Then David and all Israel went to Baalah of Judah (also called Kiriath-jearim) to bring back the Ark of God, which bears the name of the Lord who is enthroned between the cherubim.

They placed the Ark of God on a new cart and brought it from Abinadab's house. Uzzah and Ahio were guiding the cart.

David and all Israel were celebrating before God with all their might, singing songs and playing all kinds of musical instruments—lyres, harps, tambourines, cymbals, and trumpets.

Then the Lord 's anger was aroused against Uzzah, and he struck him dead because he had laid his hand on the Ark. So Uzzah died there in the presence of God.

David was now afraid of God, and he asked, "How can I ever bring the Ark of God back into my care?"

The Ark of God remained there in Obed-edom's house for three months, and the Lord blessed the household of Obed-edom and everything he owned.

So David asked God, "Should I go out to fight the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?" The Lord replied, "Yes, go ahead. I will hand them over to you."

So David and his troops went up to Baal-perazim and defeated the Philistines there. "God did it!" David exclaimed. "He used me to burst through my enemies like a raging flood!" So they named that place Baal-perazim (which means "the Lord who bursts through").

And once again David asked God what to do. "Do not attack them straight on," God replied. "Instead, circle around behind and attack them near the poplar trees.

When you hear a sound like marching feet in the tops of the poplar trees, go out and attack! That will be the signal that God is moving ahead of you to strike down the Philistine army."

So David did what God commanded, and they struck down the Philistine army all the way from Gibeon to Gezer.

David now built several buildings for himself in the City of David. He also prepared a place for the Ark of God and set up a special tent for it.

Then he commanded, "No one except the Levites may carry the Ark of God. The Lord has chosen them to carry the Ark of the Lord and to serve him forever."

He said to them, "You are the leaders of the Levite families. You must purify yourselves and all your fellow Levites, so you can bring the Ark of the Lord , the God of Israel, to the place I have prepared for it.

Because you Levites did not carry the Ark the first time, the anger of the Lord our God burst out against us. We failed to ask God how to move it properly."

So the priests and the Levites purified themselves in order to bring the Ark of the Lord , the God of Israel, to Jerusalem.

Then the Levites carried the Ark of God on their shoulders with its carrying poles, just as the Lord had instructed Moses.

Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah, and Eliezer—all of whom were priests—were chosen to blow the trumpets as they marched in front of the Ark of God. Obed-edom and Jehiah were chosen to guard the Ark.

And because God was clearly helping the Levites as they carried the Ark of the Lord 's Covenant, they sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams.