13:1ffgives instructions for relating to government leaders.
Life Application Study Bible1 ChroniclesChapter 13
1 Chronicles 13
New Living Translation · Life Application Study Bible · Original pages: 641, 642
A few verse numbers on this page were hard to read in the scan and are marked with a dotted underline — compare with the original page image if in doubt.
131 Chronicles 13
David Attempts to Move the Ark
1David consulted with all his officials, including the generals and captains of his army.* 2Then he addressed the entire assembly of Israel as follows: “If you approve and if it is the will of the LORD our God, let us send messages to all the Israelites throughout the land, including the priests and Levites in their towns and pasturelands. Let us invite them to come and join us. 3It is time to bring back the Ark of our God, for we neglected it during the reign of Saul.” 4The whole assembly agreed to this, for the people could see it was the right thing to do. 5So David summoned all Israel, from the Shihor Brook of Egypt in the south all the way to the town of Lebo-hamath in the north, to join in bringing the Ark of God from Kiriath-jearim. 6Then David and all Israel went to Baalah of Judah (also called Kiriath-jearim) to bring back the Ark of God, which bears the name* of the LORD who is enthroned between the cherubim. 7They placed the Ark of God on a new cart and brought it from Abinadab’s house. Uzzah and Ahio were guiding the cart. 8David and all Israel were celebrating before God with all their might, singing songs and playing all kinds of musical instruments—lyres, harps, tambourines, cymbals, and trumpets. But when they arrived at the threshing floor of Nacon,* the oxen stumbled, and Uzzah reached out his hand to steady the Ark. 10Then the LORD’s anger was aroused against Uzzah, and he struck him dead because he had laid his hand on the Ark. So Uzzah died there in the presence of God. 11David was angry because the LORD’s anger had burst out against Uzzah. He named that place Perez-uzzah (which means “to burst out against Uzzah’), as it is still called today. 12David was now afraid of God, and he asked, “How can I ever bring the Ark of God back into my care?” 13So David did not move the Ark into the City of David. Instead, he took it to the house of Obed-edom of Gath. 14The Ark of God remained there in Obed-edom’s house for three months, and the LORD blessed the household of Obed-edom and everything he owned.
Textual footnotes
- is proclaimed—the name.
- 13:1 Hebrew the commanders of thousands and of hundreds.
- 13:6 Or the Ark of God, where the Name
- 13:9 As in parallel text at 2 Sam 6:6; Hebrew reads Kidon.
Life Application Notes 9 notes
13:1David took time to confer with all his officials. As king, he had ultimate authority and could have given orders on his own, but he chose to involve others in leadership. Perhaps this is why there was unanimous support for his decisions (13:1-5). When we are in charge, it is tempting to make unilateral decisions, pushing through our own opinions. But effective leaders listen carefully to others’ opinions, and they encourage others to participate in making decisions. Of course, we should always consult God first. We can run into big problems if we don’t talk to him (see the note on 13:10).
13:1ffThe parallel account of moving the Ark (2 Samuel 5-6) shows that David’s building projects were completed before he brought the Ark to Jerusalem. The writer of Chronicles puts the moving of the Ark first in order to highlight David's spiritual accomplishments and relationship to God.
13:3The Ark of our God is also called the Ark of the Covenant. The most sacred object of the Hebrew faith, it was a large box containing the stone tablets on which God had written the Ten Commandments (Exodus 25:10-22). David had already made Jerusalem his political capital (11:4-9). At this time, David brought the Ark there in order to make Jerusalem the nation’s center for worship as well.
13:3The Ark of God had been in Kiriath-jearim for many years. The neglect of the Ark symbolized Israel’s neglect of God. Bringing the Ark back to the center of Israel’s life reflected David's desire to remind the nation of its true foundation— God. Neglecting those things that remind us of God—the Bible, the church, and contact with Christians—will cause us also to neglect God. How would an observer know that God is at the center of your life?
13:6Cherubim are mighty angels.
13:8Worship in the Old Testament was more than a sober religious exercise. David’s exuberance as he worshiped God with dancing and music is approved in Scripture. Our worship should reflect a healthy balance: Sometimes we should be reflective and serious (see Exodus 19:14ff), and sometimes we should show enthusiasm and jubilation. What do you need—-more serious reflection or more joyous celebration?
13:10Why did Uzzah die? He touched the Ark, and that offense was punishable by death. God had given specific instructions about how the Ark was to be moved and carried (Numbers 4:5-15), and those instructions had been ignored. The Levites were responsible to move the Ark (there is no record that Uzzah was a Levite), and it was to be carried on their shoulders with poles through its rings (Numbers 7:9). it was never to be touched. Bringing the Ark on a cart followed the Philistines’ example (1 Samuel 6:1ff). Uzzah, though sincere in his desire to protect the Ark, had to face the consequences of his sin, and David was reminded that his obedience to God's laws was more important than his enthusiasm. Also David had “consulted with all his officials” (13:1), but he neglected to ask God. The advice of our friends and colleagues is no substitute for God’s direction.
13:11David was angry at both God and himself. David knew that he had done something wrong in transporting the Ark, and he was angry that his plans for the joyous return of the Ark had ended ina man’s death. Once David's anger cooled, it was replaced by fear as the king realized the importance God placed on the Ark, the symbol of his presence and covenant with Israel. David left the Ark in Obed-ecom’s home until he could consider how to get it to Jerusalem. This allowed David to discover God's instructions for transporting the Ark. The next trip would be carried out according to God’s commands.