1 Chronicles 13

1And David consulted with the captains of thousands and hundreds, and with every leader.

2And David said unto all the congregation of Israel, If it seem good unto you, and that it be of the LORD our God, let us send abroad unto our brethren every where, that are left in all the land of Israel, and with them also to the priests and Levites which are in their cities and suburbs, that they may gather themselves unto us:footnote afootnote b

3And let us bring again the ark of our God to us: for we enquired not at it in the days of Saul.footnote c

4And all the congregation said that they would do so: for the thing was right in the eyes of all the people.

5So David gathered all Israel together, from Shihor of Egypt even unto the entering of Hemath, to bring the ark of God from Kirjath-jearim.

6And David went up, and all Israel, to Baalah, that is, to Kirjath-jearim, which belonged to Judah, to bring up thence the ark of God the LORD, that dwelleth between the cherubims, whose name is called on it.

7And they carried the ark of God in a new cart out of the house of Abinadab: and Uzza and Ahio drave the cart.footnote d

8And David and all Israel played before God with all their might, and with singing, and with harps, and with psalteries, and with timbrels, and with cymbals, and with trumpets.footnote e

9And when they came unto the threshingfloor of Chidon, Uzza put forth his hand to hold the ark; for the oxen stumbled.footnote ffootnote g

10And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzza, and he smote him, because he put his hand to the ark: and there he died before God.

11And David was displeased, because the LORD had made a breach upon Uzza: wherefore that place is called Perez-uzza to this day.footnote h

12And David was afraid of God that day, saying, How shall I bring the ark of God home to me?

13So David brought not the ark home to himself to the city of David, but carried it aside into the house of Obed-edom the Gittite.footnote i

14And the ark of God remained with the family of Obed-edom in his house three months. And the LORD blessed the house of Obed-edom, and all that he had.

David Fetches the Ark

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 Himfootnote a 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 Shihorfootnote b 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.footnote c 7So they carried the ark of God from the house of Abinadab on a new cart, with Uzzah and Ahio guiding the cart.

Uzzah Touches the Ark

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,footnote d 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,footnote e 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.