Study Desk

The people carried the Ark of God from Abinadab's house on a new cart, and Uzzah and Ahio guided it.

David and all the Israelites were celebrating in the presence of God. With all their strength they were singing and playing lyres, harps, tambourines, cymbals, and trumpets.

The Lord was angry with Uzzah and killed him, because he had touched the Ark. So Uzzah died there in the presence of God.

David was afraid of God that day and asked, "How can I bring the Ark of God home to me?"

The Ark of God stayed with Obed-Edom's family in his house for three months, and the Lord blessed Obed-Edom's family and everything he owned.

David asked God, "Should I go and attack the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?" The Lord answered him, "Go, I will hand them over to you."

So David and his men went up to the town of Baal Perazim and defeated the Philistines. David said, "Like a flood of water, God has broken through my enemies by using me." So that place was named Baal Perazim.

David prayed to God again, and God answered him, saying, "Don't attack the Philistines from the front. Instead, go around them and attack them in front of the balsam trees.

When you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, then attack. I, God, will have gone out before you to defeat the Philistine army."

David did as God commanded, and he and his men defeated the Philistine army all the way from Gibeon to Gezer.

David built houses for himself in Jerusalem. Then he prepared a place for the Ark of God, and he set up a tent for it.

David said, "Only the Levites may carry the Ark of God. The Lord chose them to carry the Ark of the Lord and to serve him forever."

David said to them, "You are the leaders of the families of Levi. You and the other Levites must give yourselves for service to the Lord . Bring up the Ark of the Lord , the God of Israel, to the place I have made for it.

The last time we did not ask the Lord how to carry it. You Levites didn't carry it, so the Lord our God punished us."

Then the priests and Levites prepared themselves for service to the Lord so they could carry the Ark of the Lord , the God of Israel.

The Levites used special poles to carry the Ark of God on their shoulders, as Moses had commanded, just as the Lord had said they should.

The priests Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah, and Eliezer had the job of blowing trumpets in front of the Ark of God. Obed-Edom and Jehiah were also guards for the Ark.

Because God helped the Levites who carried the Ark of the Agreement with the Lord , they sacrificed seven bulls and seven male sheep.

They brought the Ark of God and put it inside the tent that David had set up for it. Then they offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings to God.

Then David appointed some of the Levites to serve before the Ark of the Lord . They had the job of leading the worship and giving thanks and praising the Lord , the God of Israel.