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About this chapterDavid consults the leaders of Israel and proposes bringing the ark of God from Kiriath Jearim to Jerusalem. It is loaded on a new cart, and David and all Israel celebrate with music. At the threshing floor of Kidon, the oxen stumble, Uzzah reaches out to steady the ark, and God strikes him down. David is angry, then afraid of God, and says he cannot bring the ark home. He leaves it with Obed-Edom the Gittite, and God blesses that household for three months. The event teaches that good intentions do not replace God's instructions for approaching him, and that holiness calls for reverence, though readers wrestle with the severity of the moment.

David consults the leaders of Israel and proposes bringing the ark of God from Kiriath Jearim to Jerusalem. It is loaded on a new cart, and David and all Israel celebrate with music. At the threshing floor of Kidon, the oxen stumble, Uzzah reaches out to steady the ark, and God strikes him down. David is angry, then afraid of God, and says he cannot bring the ark home. He leaves it with Obed-Edom the Gittite, and God blesses that household for three months. The event teaches that good intentions do not replace God's instructions for approaching him, and that holiness calls for reverence, though readers wrestle with the severity of the moment.

Themes

  • Reverence for holiness
  • Good intentions and God's way
  • God's blessing on obedience

Key verses

Audio Bible · 1 Chronicles 13

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1 Chronicles 13

Berean Standard Bible14 verses · 2 min read

1Then David conferred with all his leaders, the commanders of thousands and of hundreds. 2And he said to the whole assembly of Israel, “If it seems good to you, and if this is of the LORD our God, let us send word far and wide to the rest of our brothers in all the land of Israel, and also to the priests and Levites in their cities and pasturelands, so that they may join us. 3Then let us bring back the ark of our God, for we did not inquire of Him in the days of Saul.” 4And because this proposal seemed right to all the people, the whole assembly agreed to it. 5So David assembled all Israel, from the River Shihor in Egypt to Lebo-hamath, to bring the ark of God from Kiriath-jearim. 6David and all Israel went up to Baalah of Judah (that is, Kiriath-jearim) to bring up from there the ark of God the LORD, who is enthroned between the cherubim—the ark that is called by the Name. 7So they carried the ark of God from the house of Abinadab on a new cart, with Uzzah and Ahio guiding the cart. 8David and all the Israelites were celebrating before God with all their might, with songs and on harps and lyres, with tambourines, cymbals, and trumpets. 9When they came to the threshing floor of Chidon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark, because the oxen had stumbled. 10And the anger of the LORD burned against Uzzah, and He struck him down because he had put his hand on the ark. So he died there before God. 11Then David became angry because the LORD had burst forth against Uzzah. So he named that place Perez-uzzah, as it is called to this day. 12That day David feared God and asked, “How can I ever bring the ark of God to me?” 13So he did not move the ark with him to the City of David; instead, he took it aside to the house of Obed-edom the Gittite. 14Thus the ark of God remained with the family of Obed-edom in his house for three months, and the LORD blessed his household and everything he owned.
Verses in 1 Chronicles 13

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