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1 Chronicles 13

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1 Chronicles 13

Retrieving Israel’s most sacred object

David meets with military
2 Samuel 6:1-12

1David met with his military leaders—generals, company commanders, and battalion commanders. 2David told them, “I’d like to do something, if you agree to it and if the LORD God approves. I’d like to invite the people of Israel, including the priests and their Levite associates, to meet with us. 3I’d like for us all to go and get the Ark of the Covenant, [1] the sacred chest that holds the Ten Commandments. We ignored it when Saul was king.”

4The soldiers liked his idea. 5Israelites came from as far south as the normally dry riverbed called Shihor, in Egypt, to Lebo-hamath [2] in the northland. They were going to Kiriath-jearim [3] to get the Ark of the Covenant, the sacred chest of God.

Israel takes a walk to Ark of Covenant

6So, David took the crowd to Kiriath-jearim, also known as Baalah, in the tribal territory of Judah. They were going to get the Box of God, engraved with the name of the LORD who rules over everyone. God’s throne rests between the cherubim on the lid of the chest.

7They carried the chest out of the hilltop home of Abinadab, where it had remained in storage. Then they put it on a new cart. Abinadab’s sons, Uzzah and Ahio, managed the cart. 8David and the people with him danced for joy, and with a lot of energy. Some sang. Some played instruments, such as lyres, harps, tambourines, castanets, and cymbals. It was a joyful noise.

9But oxen pulling the cart lurched forward when they reached a threshing floor. This was a flat area where a farmer named Nacon knocked grain kernels loose from the stalks. Uzzah grabbed hold of the Box of God, to steady it. 10The LORD got angry and killed Uzzah on the spot. [4]

Ark of covenant parked for three months

11David got mad about the LORD getting mad and killing Uzzah. After that, people have been calling that spot Perez Uzzah, which means Outburst at Uzzah.

12Uzzah’s death put the fear of God into David. He asked, “How can I protect the chest if I can’t move it to a safe location?” 13David decided not to take it into the City of David. [5] Instead, he took it to the house of a man known as Obed-edom from Gath. 14David kept the chest there for three months. During that time, the LORD blessed the host and his family with kindness.

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