Study Desk

Bringing Back the Ark^(a)

David conferred with each of his officers, the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds.

He then said to the whole assembly of Israel, "If it seems good to you and if it is the will of the Lord our God, let us send word far and wide to the rest of our people throughout the territories of Israel, and also to the priests and Levites who are with them in their towns and pasturelands, to come and join us.

Let us bring the ark of our God back to us,^(b) for we did not inquire^(c) of^[a] it^[b] during the reign of Saul."

The whole assembly agreed to do this, because it seemed right to all the people.

So David assembled all Israel,^(d) from the Shihor River^(e) in Egypt to Lebo Hamath,^(f) to bring the ark of God from Kiriath Jearim.^(g)

David and all Israel went to Baalah^(h) of Judah (Kiriath Jearim) to bring up from there the ark of God the Lord , who is enthroned between the cherubim⁽ⁱ⁾—the ark that is called by the Name.

They moved the ark of God from Abinadab's^(j) house on a new cart, with Uzzah and Ahio guiding it.

David and all the Israelites were celebrating with all their might before God, with songs and with harps, lyres, timbrels, cymbals and trumpets.^(k)

When they came to the threshing floor of Kidon, Uzzah reached out his hand to steady the ark, because the oxen stumbled.

The Lord 's anger^(l) burned against Uzzah, and he struck him down^(m) because he had put his hand on the ark. So he died there before God.

Then David was angry because the Lord 's wrath had broken out against Uzzah, and to this day that place is called Perez Uzzah.^[c](n)

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

He did not take the ark to be with him in the City of David. Instead, he took it to the house of Obed-Edom^(o) the Gittite.

The ark of God remained with the family of Obed-Edom in his house for three months, and the Lord blessed his household^(p) and everything he had.

David's House and Family^(a)

Now Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, along with cedar logs,^(b) stonemasons and carpenters to build a palace for him.

And David knew that the Lord had established him as king over Israel and that his kingdom had been highly exalted^(c) for the sake of his people Israel.

In Jerusalem David took more wives and became the father of more sons^(d) and daughters.

These are the names of the children born to him there:^(e) Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon,

Ibhar, Elishua, Elpelet,

Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia,

Elishama, Beeliada^[a] and Eliphelet.

When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over all Israel,^(g) they went up in full force to search for him, but David heard about it and went out to meet them.

Now the Philistines had come and raided the Valley^(h) of Rephaim;

so David inquired of God: "Shall I go and attack the Philistines? Will you deliver them into my hands?" The Lord answered him, "Go, I will deliver them into your hands."

So David and his men went up to Baal Perazim,⁽ⁱ⁾ and there he defeated them. He said, "As waters break out, God has broken out against my enemies by my hand." So that place was called Baal Perazim.^[b]

The Philistines had abandoned their gods there, and David gave orders to burn^(j) them in the fire.^(k)

Once more the Philistines raided the valley;^(l)

so David inquired of God again, and God answered him, "Do not go directly after them, but circle around them and attack them in front of the poplar trees.

As soon as you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the poplar trees, move out to battle, because that will mean God has gone out in front of you to strike the Philistine army."

So David did as God commanded him, and they struck down the Philistine army, all the way from Gibeon^(m) to Gezer.⁽ⁿ⁾

So David's fame^(o) spread throughout every land, and the Lord made all the nations fear^(p) him.

The Ark Brought to Jerusalem^(a)

After David had constructed buildings for himself in the City of David, he prepared^(b) a place for the ark of God and pitched^(c) a tent for it.

Then David said, "No one but the Levites^(d) may carry^(e) the ark of God, because the Lord chose them to carry the ark of the Lord and to minister^(f) before him forever."

David assembled all Israel^(g) in Jerusalem to bring up the ark of the Lord to the place he had prepared for it.

He called together the descendants of Aaron and the Levites:^(h)

From the descendants of Kohath, Uriel⁽ⁱ⁾ the leader and 120 relatives;

from the descendants of Merari, Asaiah the leader and 220 relatives;

from the descendants of Gershon,^[a] Joel the leader and 130 relatives;

from the descendants of Elizaphan,^(j) Shemaiah the leader and 200 relatives;

from the descendants of Hebron,^(k) Eliel the leader and 80 relatives;

from the descendants of Uzziel, Amminadab the leader and 112 relatives.

Then David summoned Zadok^(l) and Abiathar^(m) the priests, and Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel and Amminadab the Levites.

He said to them, "You are the heads of the Levitical families; you and your fellow Levites are to consecrate⁽ⁿ⁾ yourselves and bring up the ark of the Lord , the God of Israel, to the place I have prepared for it.

It was because you, the Levites,^(o) did not bring it up the first time that the Lord our God broke out in anger against us.^(p) We did not inquire of him about how to do it in the prescribed way.^(q)"

So the priests and Levites consecrated themselves in order to bring up the ark of the Lord , the God of Israel.

And the Levites carried the ark of God with the poles on their shoulders, as Moses had commanded^(r) in accordance with the word of the Lord .^(s)

David^(t) told the leaders of the Levites^(u) to appoint their fellow Levites as musicians^(v) to make a joyful sound with musical instruments: lyres, harps and cymbals.^(w)

So the Levites appointed Heman^(x) son of Joel; from his relatives, Asaph^(y) son of Berekiah; and from their relatives the Merarites,^(z) Ethan son of Kushaiah;

and with them their relatives next in rank: Zechariah,^[b] Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom^(aa) and Jeiel,^[c] the gatekeepers.

The musicians Heman,^(ab) Asaph and Ethan were to sound the bronze cymbals;

Zechariah, Jaaziel,^[d] Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah and Benaiah were to play the lyres according to alamoth,^[e]

and Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, Jeiel and Azaziah were to play the harps, directing according to sheminith.^[f]

Kenaniah the head Levite was in charge of the singing; that was his responsibility because he was skillful at it.

Berekiah and Elkanah were to be doorkeepers for the ark.

Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah and Eliezer the priests were to blow trumpets^(ac) before the ark of God. Obed-Edom and Jehiah were also to be doorkeepers for the ark.

So David and the elders of Israel and the commanders of units of a thousand went to bring up the ark^(ad) of the covenant of the Lord from the house of Obed-Edom, with rejoicing.

Because God had helped the Levites who were carrying the ark of the covenant of the Lord , seven bulls and seven rams^(ae) were sacrificed.

Now David was clothed in a robe of fine linen, as were all the Levites who were carrying the ark, and as were the musicians, and Kenaniah, who was in charge of the singing of the choirs. David also wore a linen ephod.^(af)

So all Israel^(ag) brought up the ark of the covenant of the Lord with shouts,^(ah) with the sounding of rams' horns^(ai) and trumpets, and of cymbals, and the playing of lyres and harps.

As the ark of the covenant of the Lord was entering the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King David dancing and celebrating, she despised him in her heart.