Constable, “This chapter also reveals David's viewpoint on God and what resulted from it."In light of . . . Akkadian and Phoenician parallels . . . we are in a position to understand 2 Samuel 6 as the record of a historically unique cultic event, viz., the ritual dedication of the City of David as the new religious and political capital of the Israelites, the people of Yahweh. The purpose of the ceremony was the sanctification of the City of David for the installation of the ark in the hope that Yahweh's presence would assure the success of David's government and the welfare of the people.

1. II SAMUEL 6 COMME

2. TARY
Written and edited by Glenn Pease
PREFACE
Many of the resources that I quote can be found by anyone,but I have brought them
together in a verse by verse study that makes it easier for those interested in Bible study to
have this information available. It saves a lot of time, and hopefully this will enable Bible
students to be more willing to study the Word. I have tried to quote the best thoughts of
other commentators, but cannot quote all they say, and so each of them can be googled for
more details of what they write. Some I quote are not named, and if you know who is the
author I will be glad to give them credit. If there are some who do not wish their wisdom to
be shared in this way, I will delete it if asked to do so by the author. I can be notified at my
e-mail address which is glenn_p86@yahoo.com
The Ark Brought to Jerusalem
1 David again brought together out of Israel chosen men,
thirty thousand in all.
1. Gill, “Which was done by the advice of his officers, (1 Chronicles 13:1 ) ; the word
"again" refers either to the gathering of them when they made him king in Hebron, as the
Jewish writers generally observe; but then they gathered themselves, and not David: or
rather to his gathering them to fight the Philistines a little while ago; and as they were the
choice and young men that were gathered for war, as being the fittest, so now to fetch up
the ark with dancing and singing, and to protect it; the Septuagint version says they were
about seventy thousand; but the Targum, Syriac, and Arabic versions, have thirty
thousand, agreeably to the Hebrew text.”
2. Henry, “Here is an honourable attendance given to the ark upon the removal of it.

3. ow,
at length, it is enquired after, David made the motion ( 1 Chronicles 13:1-3 ), and the heads
of the congregation agreed to it, 2 Samuel 6:4 . All the chosen men of Israel are called
together to grace the solemnity, to pay their respect to the ark, and to testify their joy in its
restoration. The nobility and gentry, elders and officers, came to the number of 30,000
( 2 Samuel 6:1 ), and the generality of the common people besides ( 1 Chronicles 13:5 ); for,
some think, it was done at one of the three great festivals. This would make a noble

4. cavalcade, and would help to inspire the young people of the nation, who perhaps had
scarcely heard of the ark, with a great veneration for it, for this was certainly a treasure of
inestimable value which the king himself and all the great men waited upon, and were a
guard to.”
3. Constable, “This chapter also reveals David's viewpoint on God and what resulted from
it."In light of . . . Akkadian and Phoenician parallels . . . we are in a position to understand
2 Samuel 6 as the record of a historically unique cultic event, viz., the ritual dedication of
the City of David as the new religious and political capital of the Israelites, the people of
Yahweh. The purpose of the ceremony was the sanctification of the City of David for the
installation of the ark in the hope that Yahweh's presence would assure the success of David's
government and the welfare of the people.
David wanted to bring the ark into his capital because it symbolized the Lord's presence.
As we have seen, David did not believe superstitiously that the ark for its own sake
would bring blessing wherever it went. He viewed Yahweh as the real source of blessing.
However, he wanted the people to see that it was important that Israel's God, and what
represented Him, should be at the center of national life. Unfortunately he did not move
the ark according to the specifications of the Mosaic Law but according to customary
practice (cf. 1 Sam. 6:7-8). Priests were to carry it on poles (Exod. 25:14;

5. um. 4:1-15),
not on a cart. Furthermore no one was to touch it (cf.

6. um. 4:19-20). This incident is a
striking illustration of the spiritual truth that God's work must be done in God's way to
secure God's blessing.”
2 He and all his men set out from Baalah of Judah [1] to bring
up from there the ark of God, which is called by the

7. ame, [2]
the name of the LORD Almighty, who is enthroned between
the cherubim that are on the ark.
1. Clarke, “That is, The ark is called the ark of the Lord of hosts.”
1B. W. Taylor, “AFTER David had established himself in Jerusalem, two things were
needed to make it the capital of the nation. These were, that it should possess a palace for
himself; and that it should be the abode of the ark of the covenant, over which hovered
continually the visible symbol of Jehovah's presence. As I have repeatedly remarked, the
distinguishing peculiarity of David as a king was that he recognized in the most loyal
manner the higher royalty of God, and regarded himself as a mere human vice-regent. Had
he been content to build only an official residence for himself, Jerusalem would have been
no more than the city of David; but in a theocracy it was necessary also that the metropolis
should be the city of God ; and so, in that spirit of patriotic piety for which he was so

8. remarkable, David set himself at once as earnestly to prepare a place for the reception of
the ark,....”
2. Henry, “ We have not heard a word of the ark since it was lodged in Kirjath-jearim,
immediately after its return out of its captivity among the Philistines ( 1 Samuel 7:1,2 ),
except that, once, Saul called for it, 1 Samuel 14:18 . That which in former days had made
so great a figure is now thrown aside, as a neglected thing, for many years. And, if now the
ark was for so many years in a house, let it not seem strange that we find the church so long
in the wilderness, Revelation 12:14. Perpetual visibility is no mark of the true church. God
is graciously present with the souls of his people even when they want the external tokens of
his presence. But now that David is settled in the throne the honour of the ark begins to
revive, and Israel's care of it to flourish again, wherein also, no doubt, the good people
among them had been careful, but they lacked opportunity. See Philippians 4:10.”
Here is honorable mention made of the ark. Because it had not been spoken of a great
while, now that it is spoken of observe how it is described ( 2 Samuel 6:2 ): it is the ark of
God whose name is called by the name of the Lord of hosts that dwelleth between the
cherubim, or at which the name, even the name of the Lord of hosts, was called upon, or upon
which the name of the Lord of hosts was called, or because of which the name is proclaimed,
the name of the Lord of hosts (that is, God was greatly magnified in the miracles done
before the ark), or the ark of God, who is called the name (Leviticus 24:11,16), the name of
the Lord of hosts, sitting on the cherubim upon it. Let us learn hence, 1. To think and speak
highly of God. He is the name above every name, the Lord of hosts, that has all the
creatures in heaven and earth at his command, and receives homage from them all, and yet
is pleased to dwell between the cherubim, over the propitiatory or mercy-seat, graciously
manifesting himself to his people, reconciled in a Mediator, and ready to do them good. 2.
To think and speak honorably of holy ordinances, which are to us, as the ark was to Israel,
the tokens of God's presence (Matthew 28:2), and the means of our communion with him,
Psalms 27:4. It is the honour of the ark that it is the ark of God; he is jealous for it, is
magnified in it, his name is called upon it. The divine institution puts a beauty and
grandeur upon holy ordinances, which otherwise have no form nor comeliness. Christ is
our ark. In and by him God manifests his favor and communicates his grace to us, and
accepts our adoration and addresses.”
3. Pink, “

9. o doubt it was with a full heart that David now acted, with deep longings after
God, with fervent rejoicings in Him (see verse 5).

10. o doubt he painted a bright picture, as
he anticipated the blessings which would follow the ark being rightfully honored. Alas, how
his hopes were dashed to the ground! Sad indeed was the immediate sequel.
Some exceedingly solemn lessons are pointed in this passage, and they are recorded for our
warning; alas that they are so widely disregarded in Christendom today.
"To bring back therefore the Ark from the place of its dishonor; to bring it again into the
bosom of Israel; to make it once more that which Israel should seek unto and inquire at:
and above all establish it in the citadel of Zion, the place of sovereign supremacy and
strength, these were the immediate objects of David’s desires. Herein he was fulfilling his
office of king, in giving supremacy to God and to His truth. But the servants of God have
not unfrequently to learn, that the pursuit of a right end, does not necessarily imply the

11. employment of right means" (B. W.

12. ewton). This is the first thing here to take to heart.
"And they set the ark of God upon a new cart." By so doing they were guilty of a serious
error. In the fervency of his zeal, David ignored the precepts of God. The Lord had given
very definite instructions as to the order which must be followed when the ark was to be
moved. Through Moses Jehovah had said, "When the camp setteth forward, Aaron shall
come, and his sons, and they shall take down the covering veil, and cover the ark of
testimony with it: and shall put thereon the covering of the badgers’ skins, and shall spread
over it a cloth wholly of blue, and shall put in the staves thereof" (

13. um. 4:5, 6). The sacred
ark was to be duly hidden from the gaze of the curious, but it does not appear that this
detail was attended to by David!

14. or was that all: "And when Aaron and his sons have
made an end of covering the sanctuary, as the camp is to set forward: after that, the sons of
Kohath shall come to bear it" (

15. um. 4:15); "they should bear upon their shoulders" (

16. um.
7:9).
The will of God was plainly revealed: the ark was to be covered, staves were to be inserted
in the rings in its ends, and it was to be carried on the shoulders of the Kohathites.

17. othing
had been said about placing it on "a new cart": that was a human invention, and contrary
to the instructions of the Lord. David’s desire was holy, his motive was pure, but he went
about things in a wrong way, and dire were the consequences.

18. ow there are two ways of
doing the work of the Lord, two ways of acquitting ourselves when engaged in His service:
strictly following what is prescribed for us in the written Word of God, or following our
own ideas and inclinations—or following the example of other men, which amounts to the
same thing. Alas, how much the latter is now in evidence; how often are right things being
done in a wrong way!
The due order for the removing of the ark had been plainly made known by God in His
written Word. Jehovah had given express command that the ark should be covered with
the sacred curtains, committed to the charge of a divinely selected set of men, and it must
be carried on their "shoulders," and in no other way. That was God’s way: to move it on a
cart drawn by cattle was man’s way. Some might think the latter was to be preferred. Some
might consider it was such a "little" matter as to be of no consequence. Some might
conclude that as their object was right and their motive pure, that even though they
ignored the prescribed mode of performing the duty, they might surely count upon the
divine blessing. What the Lord thought of their procedure is evidenced in the tragic sequel.
But how are we to account for David’s serious failure to heed the commands of God? What
is the explanation of the "confusion" which here attended his well-meant and praiseworthy
effort? Let us go back again to the beginning of 2 Samuel 6, and read carefully its first
three verses.

19. otice, dear reader, a very significant omission; observe closely the solemn
contrast between his conduct in 2 Samuel 5:19 and 5:23, and what is said of him here. Each
time the Philistines came up against him, David "inquired of the Lord," but nothing is said
of that now he purposed to conduct the ark unto a suitable habitation for it!

20. eed we
wonder, then, at what follows? If, God’s blessing be not definitely sought, how can it be
rightfully expected? If prayer does not precede and accompany our very best actions, what
are they likely to amount to! If in any of our ways God be not "acknowledged," be not
surprised if they lead to disaster.
"And David consulted with the captains of thousands and hundreds, and with every leader.

21. And David said unto all the congregation of Israel, If it seem good unto you, and that it be
of the Lard our God, let us send abroad unto our brethren everywhere, 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. And let us bring again the ark of our
God to us" (1 Chron. 13:1-3) Instead of "inquiring of the Lord," David had conferred with
his officers. There was no need whatever for him to "consult" with any human being, for
the will of the Lord was already upon record! And what was the policy suggested by the
"leaders"? Why, to imitate the ways of the religious world around them! The Philistine
"priests" had counseled that the ark be returned to Israel upon "a new cart" (1 Sam. 5:2-
11), and now David—under the advice of his officers—"set the ark of God upon a new
cart" (2 Sam. 6:3)!
4. Gill, “that is, they first went to this place, as in (1 Chronicles 13:6 ) ; in order to fetch the
ark from thence, as here expressed, and then they came from thence with it; this place is
the same that is called Baalah and Kirjathbaal, a city in the tribe of Judah; hence Judah is
added to it, and the same with Kirjathjearim, (Joshua 15:9,60) ; the place where it was
brought to when fetched from Bethshemesh, ( 1 Samuel 7:1 ) ; and had been here now near
fifty years; nor was it any where else during this time, only once at Gibeah of Saul with
him, ( 1 Samuel 14:18 )”
3 They set the ark of God on a new cart and brought it from
the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. Uzzah and
Ahio, sons of Abinadab, were guiding the new cart
.
.
1. “Every thing used in the worship of God was hallowed or set apart for that purpose: a
new cart was used through respect, as that had never been applied to any profane or
common purpose. But this was not sufficient, for the ark should have been carried on the
shoulders of the priests; and the neglect of this ceremony was the cause of the death of
Uzzah.” Clarke
2. Gill, “Which was a great mistake, since it ought not to have been put upon a cart, old or
new; it was to be borne upon men's shoulders, and carried by Levites only, and those of the
family of Kohath, to whom no wagons were given, when others had them, for the above
reason, (

22. umbers 7:9) ; it is strange that so many priests and Levites, and of the people of
Israel gathered together on that account, and David also, so well versed in the law of God,
should not refer to it; perhaps they were led by the example of the Philistines, who put it in
a new cart, and set it forward towards Bethshemesh, and were not punished for it; but it
should have been considered they were an ignorant Heathen people, and who had no
proper persons among them to bear it, and so might be dispensed with.”

23. 3. Pink says of this chapter-, “It chronicles a most blessed action on the part of David, who
had in view naught but the honor and glory of the Lord. But alas, that action was sadly
marred by permitting the fervency of his zeal to ignore the precepts of God. He was
anxious that the long-neglected and dishonored Ark should be suitably housed in Zion. His
desire was good and his motive was pure, but his execution of the same met with the open
displeasure of the Lord. It is not sufficient to have a worthy purpose and a proper spirit:
God’s work must be performed in the right way: that is, according to the rules of His
prescribing; anything other than that is but a species of self-will.
"And they set the ark of God upon a new cart" (2 Sam. 6:3). In so doing, David and his
counselors (1 Chron. 13:1) committed a serious fault: they ignored the divinely appointed
order and substituted their own arrangements. The Lord had given express commands in

24. umbers 4:5, 6, 15; 7:9 as to how the sacred ark was to be carried when it should be moved
from one place to another; and He requires unquestioning obedience to all His regulations.
It is true that David was moved on this occasion with a deep concern for Jehovah’s honor
and glory. It is true that it was the urgings of love for Him which prompted his noble action;
but He has said, "If ye love Me, keep My commandments" (John 14:15)—love must flow in
the appointed channels; it must be directed by the divine precepts, if it is to please its Object.
4. Pink sees an important lesson here, and has long comments on how this passage teaches
us the need to seek God's will in all that we do. I agree with him, but the fact is, this passage
is dealing with a very unique item, which was the holy ark of God, and there is nothing like
this in our lives that we risk handling offensively. Pink, I think, goes too far in making this
apply to all that we do in life, for we do not have specific laws dealing with all of our
actions, like there was for the moving of the ark.

25. evertheless, Pink's point is valid as
wisdom in seeking to always know what is consistent with the revealed will of God. I have
left out all of his condemnation of ways modern churches seek to get people into the church
by parties, games, sports, and all manner of fun activities. He says if it is not in Scripture it
is not valid, but this is extreme, and does not face the reality of what is available in our
culture that was not in Bible times. Video, for example, which is now very popular in
churches. Just because you cannot find something in Scripture is no reason to assume that
it is out of God's will to use it.
5. Pink goes on, “The outstanding fact which concerns us as we seek to ponder and profit
from this solemn incident in David’s life is, that he acted without divine orders: he
introduced something into the divine worship for which he had no "thus saith the Lord."
And the lesson to be learned therefrom is to scrutinize rigidly our own actions—the things
we do, the way in which we do them, the means we employ—and ask, Are these appointed
by God?
It may be thought that David was ignorant of what was recorded in

26. umbers 4 and 7, and
so was not so seriously to blame; but the validity of such a conclusion is more than doubtful
as we shall show in the next chapter. Again; it may be supposed that David considered the
regulations given in the days of Moses pertained only to Israel while they were on the

27. march in the wilderness, and did not apply to his own case; but this defense of David also
breaks down before a passage we hope to consider in our next chapter. Even were the case
as just supposed, his bounden duty would have been to first "ask counsel of the Lord," and
inquire "Whereon shall the ark be placed?" Instead he conferred with flesh and blood (1
Chron. 13:1) and followed their advice.
David’s efforts proved a failure. And sooner or later all effort on the part of the "church,"
or of the individual Christian, which is not strictly according to the Word of the Lord will
prove a failure: it will be but "wood, hay, stubble" (1 Cor. 3: 12) in the day of divine testing
and reward. God has magnified His Word above all His name (Ps. 138:2), and He demands
that His servants shall do all things according to the plan and manner which He has
prescribed. When he commanded Moses to build the tabernacle, He bade him do so
according to the "pattern" which He showed him in the mount (Ex, 25:40): there was no
room for human opinion or preference. And if we would serve Him acceptably, then we
must go according to His way, not ours. The right attitude for us was expressed by Peter
when he said, "

28. evertheless, at Thy word, I will let down the net" (Luke 5:5): he acted
according to Christ’s instruction, and was blessed!”
6. Bob Roe points out how David later came to understand what went wrong in his plan. He
goes to the parallel passage in Chronicles which records David's account. “In verse 13 of
Chapter 15, David makes this comment about having the Levites carry the ark:
I Chronicles 15: 13 "Because you did not carry it at the first, the Lord our God made an
outburst on us, for we did not seek Him according to the ordinance." First he said, "If it's
all right with you people, and if it's all right with the Lord, let's do it." But then, without
checking with the Lord, he uses only the will of the people and moves the ark.
7. Meyer, “THIS was their mistake. The Divine directions were explicit that the Ark of the
living God must be carried on the shoulders of living men. There would have been no
stumbling of oxen, no swaying of the Ark to falling, no need for Uzzah to reach out his
hand, if only this simple direction had been obeyed. This breaking forth of God was to
recall men to simple absolute obedience to the rules and regulations that had been so
explicitly laid down in the Levitical code. It could not fall into disuse without grave loss to
the entire people. Better that one life should be sacrificed for disobedience than that the
whole nation should be impoverished for the relaxation of that ancient law.”
4 with the ark of God on it, [3] .
and Ahio was walking in front
of it.
1. Here we have two brothers guiding this cart, with one in the front and the other in the
back, or alongside. Had Ahio been in the back when the cart rocked and the ark was

29. falling, would he also have put out his hand to stop it? We can never know, but we see how
it is so easy to be in the wrong place and the wrong time. His brother just happened to be in
the back where he saw the ark leaning too far, and felt compelled to put his hand up to
prevent it coming off the cart. Had he been in front where he would be looking ahead, he
never would have seen the ark tipping, and his life would have been spared. Here is a clear
case of bad luck, for he could have been in front and lived through this incident, but he was
in the back. Some would argue that God foreordained him to be there and to die by his
foolish action, but I think that just makes God look bad and mean.
I prefer to see it as an accident based on his bad luck of being where he was at the wrong
time. Things like this happen all the time, but in this case he was provoked to do something
stupid that made God angry. Most accidents that kill people make God angry, I am sure,
but this one was a clear violation of God's revealed will. The fact is, masses of accidents
that kill people are also a violation of God's clear revelation. Getting drunk and driving is
rejecting all the Biblical wisdom about the folly and danger of getting drunk. It is also a
rejection of God's will that we love our neighbor as ourselves. To deliberately put innocent
people in danger like drunk drivers do is living with a hateful spirit toward their
fellowmen. That makes God angry too, but fortunately God does not take their lives
automatically, but it is only the grace of God that they do not die instantly just like Uzzah.
He was not a bad guy, but made the same mistake that a good number of electricians have
made. They have touched the wrong wire, and have been electrocuted on the spot.
Carelessness kills when you are dealing with enormous power. I don't believe God chooses
to kill these people, but that it happens as an accident, and by their mistakes they have bad
luck. It was bad luck for Uzzah to be in the back is my point.
2.Many are persuaded that there is no such thing as an accident. I will be quoting some in
verses ahead, but I am convinced that it is dishonoring to God to say all the bad things that
we call accidents are his will, and that he is the cause of them. I have done some study on
the issue, and it can be found on scribd at the following sites.
http://www.scribd.com/doc/12830284/Chance-Accidents-and-Free-Will
http://www.scribd.com/doc/18134608/Studies-in-Jonah
I want to share a little of it here, for I am convinced that to deny the reality of chance and
luck is to make the God who is love to be very unloving. I wrote, “Christians do not realize
the implications when they say, "There is no such thing as luck." They are saying that
everything is God's will. If its not luck, or sheer chance, then it is an act of the will, and a
choice. That means when I run myself breathless to get to a ball on the other side of the
tennis court, and make a spectacular return, and my opponent makes a feeble attempt to
get it back, and it hits the top of the net and falls over on my side, and I shout, "What
luck!" I am wrong. That was not luck at all, for it had to be God's will. He chose to let my
opponent win that point even though I made the best shots and deserved the point. God, for
some inexplicable reason, decided that point would not be mine, no matter how good I
played. Luck I can understand, but the Lord making all such decisions just does not make
sense, especially when you study the world where luck is a major idol. Why does God favor

30. the casino rather the poor gambler who is hoping for a shortcut to independence, or just
enough extra for a few luxuries. The whole thing is rigged, because if there is no such thing
as luck, then God has chosen to let the casino rip off the poor gambler. God, according to
this view, is on the side of the casino, and is their greatest supporter. If luck is the reason he
loses, it is easier to accept, but if God has sold out to the casinos, and is on their side, that is
very difficult to swallow. If God is for them, who can be against them? The point of all this
is that we have to believe in luck by which we mean, events which are not determined by
God, but by chance. It is a philosophical necessity, for if you reject the reality of luck, you
make God responsible for all evil, and all of the negative events of life, including those that
God clearly forbids. It is not only a philosophical necessity, but it is also a Biblical necessity
to believe in chance, or luck.
If there is no such thing as chance, but all is planned, and each person is born into an
environment just designed for them, then there is no evil, for all is just as it is intended by
God. If you have an abusive parent, that is not just bad luck, that is God's plan for you.
This leads to rejection of all evil and total determinism. If God wills all, then all abortions
are also His will, for that must be His planned destiny for millions of fetuses. If you say that
is just human choice, then you are saying these potential lives are victims of chance and bad
luck. They were conceived at a unlucky time to the wrong people. There is no escape from
the dilemma. Either God wills their death, or it is not His will. If He wills it, it has to be
okay as part of His plan. If He does not will it, it happens by chance, and is not part of His
plan. A child conceived when not intended we call an accident. It was not man's plan, and it
would be a dishonor to say it was God's plan, for then He would be the one responsible for
all abortions and unwanted children. The reality of chance eliminates this conclusion, and
does not make God responsible for evil. If it is not just bad luck for millions to be conceived
when they are not wanted, and it is God’s will that they be, then God had to also will all
sinful sexual acts that led to the conceptions, and this would make him responsible for
willing all the things that are against his will. This is bad theology in anybody’s book.
I am convinced that all that happens in life is not God's will, for if it was, it would be
meaningless to pray thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Jesus taught us to pray this,
therefore, it is clear that God's will is not always done on earth as it is in heaven. This
makes me question the easy and superficial attitude of many Christians who say nothing
happens by chance, or there is no such thing as luck. If they mean that nothing happens
without a cause, then all can agree, for every effect has a cause. But to say that all causes
are God' s will is to contradict the clear teaching of His Word that sin is not His will, and
the effects of sin are not His will.
5 David and the whole house of Israel were celebrating with
all their might before the LORD , with songs [4] and with
harps, lyres, tambourines, sistrums and cymbals.

31. 1. S. Lewis Johnson Jr. “The ark was the symbol of God’s presence in the tabernacle that
God told Moses to construct. There were pieces of furniture that went out in the yard and
then there were pieces of furniture inside. And, in the holiest of all was the Ark of the
Covenant, just a simple little box, actually, made of acacia wood and with a gold plate on
top, which was the mercy seat. And inside, were contained the tables of the Law and
Moses’ rod or Aaron’s rod that budded, and it was the place into which the High Priest,
alone, was able to enter once a year as the covenant was renewed on the Day of Atonement.
It was the symbol of God’s presence in Israel, for there he had said when the tabernacle
was constructed that he would meet with Israel in the tabernacle. And, specifically, it was
stated that he would speak with them in the holiest of all, where the ark was located. And
so the Ark of the Covenant became the great symbol of God’s presence in Israel.” It was an
extremely happy occasion to be getting the ark to the city of David.

32. ow, mind you, this is no performance. We’re not to think of this as a performance, like in
the Christian church today, we have great performances of entertainment. This is
exuberant enthusiasm that comes from the heart, out of worship for the Lord, for this great
spiritual event that is taking place. It’s far different from a choir and an orchestra playing
a number to entertain a crowd in our modern churches. So I do not think that we have the
right to look at this and say, “Ah, we should have the things that David had,” instruments
of wind, harp, string, music, tambourines and even sistrums, if we can find out what that is,
and cymbals, as well.

33. o, no. This is not entertainment. This is exuberant thanksgiving
that comes from a spiritual understanding of truth, to have the Ark back in Jerusalem.”
2. Gill, “And David and all the house of Israel played before the Lord,
&c.] That is, before the ark, which was a symbol of the presence of the Lord:
on all manner of [instruments made of] fir wood:
which is a general expression, the particulars follow; though instruments of different sorts
are mentioned, and even some of metal, as cymbals, which were vessels of brass, they
struck one against another, and gave a very acute sound, being hollow F7;
even on harps, and on psalteries, and on timbrels, and on cornets, and
on cymbals;
harps, psalteries, and timbrels, are frequently met with; cornets, according to Kimchi, are
such sort of instruments, that in playing upon them it required an agitation of the whole
body.

34. ow it was that David penned the sixty eighth psalm, which begins, "let God
arise"… (Psalms 68:1-35) , words used by Moses when the ark set forward, (

35. umbers
10:35).”
3. Henry, “Here are great expressions of joy upon the removal of the ark, 2 Samuel 6:5 .
David himself, and all that were with him that were musically inclined, made use of such
instruments as they had to excite and express their rejoicing upon this occasion. It might
well put them into a transport of joy to see the ark rise out of obscurity and move towards
a public station. It is better to have the ark in a house than not at all, better in a house than
a captive in Dagon's temple; but it is very desirable to have it in a tent pitched on purpose

36. for it, where the resort to it may be more free and open. As secret worship is better the
more secret it is, so public worship is better the more public it is; and we have reason to
rejoice when restraints are taken off, and the ark of God finds welcome in the city of David,
and has not only the protection and support, but the countenance and encouragement, of
the civil powers; for joy of this they played before the Lord.

37. ote, Public joy must always be
as before the Lord, with an eye to him and terminating in him, and must not degenerate into
that which is carnal and sensual. Dr. Lightfoot supposes that, upon this occasion, David
penned the Psalms 68:1-35, because it begins with that ancient prayer of Moses at the
removing of the ark, Let God arise, and let his enemies be scattered; and notice is taken there
(Psalms 68:25) of the singers and players on instruments that attended, and (Psalms 68:27)
of the princes of several of the tribes; and perhaps those words in the Psalms 68:35, O God,
thou art terrible out of thy holy places, were added upon occasion of the death of Uzzah.”
6 When they came to the threshing floor of

38. acon, Uzzah
reached out and took hold of the ark of God, because the
oxen stumbled.
1. 1. Clarke, “In Numbers 4:15-20, the Levites are forbidden to touch the ark on pain of
death, this penalty was inflicted upon Uzzah, and he was the first that suffered for a breach
Of this law.”
2. Gill footnote, “the same word is used in (1 Chronicles 13:9 ) ; and there it is rendered, "for
the oxen stumbled"; and by their stumbling the cart was shaken, and the ark in it, and in
danger of falling, as Uzzah thought: or "the oxen shook", for the word "it" is a
supplement; they shook as if their members were plucking asunder and parting, as Kimchi
expresses it, because of the holiness of the ark; as if they were sensible it was wrong for
them to draw it, when it ought to have been carried on the shoulders of Levites; and by this
way, as well as by the death of Uzzah the error committed was pointed out: but others
render it, "for the oxen stuck in the clay", and could not go on; which Uzzah observing,
and fearing that in their struggle to get out the cart should be overturned, or that the
procession would be retarded too much, took hold of the ark to take it out, and carry it the
remainder of the way, it not being far from Jerusalem.”
3. Maclaren, “At some bad place in the rocky and steep track, the oxen stumbled or were
restive. The spot is called in Samuel ‘the threshing-floor of

39. achon,’ but in Chronicles the
owner is named ‘Chidon.’ As the former word means ‘a stroke’ and the latter ‘destruction,’
they are probably not to be taken as proper names, but as applied to the place after this
event. The name given by David, however—Perez-uzzah—proved the more permanent ‘to
this day.’ Uzzah, who was driving while his brother went in front to pilot the way, naturally
stretched out his hand to steady his freight, just as if it had been a sack of corn; and, as if
he had touched an electric wire, fell dead, as the story graphically says, ‘by the ark of God.’

40. What confusion and panic would agitate the joyous singers, and how their songs would die
on their lips!
What harm was there in Uzzah’s action? It was most natural, and, in one point of view,
commendable. Any careful waggoner would have done the same with any valuable article
he had in charge. Yes; that was just the point of his error and sin, that he saw no difference
between the ark and any other valuable article. His intention to help was right enough; but
there was profound insensibility to the awful sacredness of the ark, on which even its
Levitical bearers were forbidden to lay hands. All his life Uzzah had been accustomed to its
presence. It had been one of the familiar pieces of furniture in Abinadab’s house, and, no
doubt, familiarity had had its usual effect. Do none of us ministers, teachers, and others, to
whom the gospel and the worship and ordinances of the Church have been familiar from
infancy, treat them in the same fashion? Many a hand is laid on the ark, sometimes to keep
it from falling, with more criminal carelessness of its sacredness than Uzzah showed.

41. ote,
too, how swiftly an irreverent habit of treating holy things grows. The first error was in
breaking the commanded order for removal of the ark by the Levites. Once in the cart, the
rest follows. The smallest breach in the feeling of awe and reverence will soon lead to more
complete profanation. There is nothing more delicate than the sense of awe. Trifled with
ever so little, it speedily disappears. There is far too little of it in our modern religion.
4. Pink, “ Yes, as the marginal rendering tells us, "the oxen stumbled." And do you suppose
that was an accident?

42. o indeed, there are no "accidents" in a world which is presided
over by the living God.

43. ot even a hair can Fall from our head till the moment He decreed
for it to happen. But not only is everything directed by God, but there is also a significance,
a meaning, a message, in the smallest occurrences, had we but eyes to see and hearts to
understand. "The oxen stumbled": of course they did; what else could be expected! There
can be naught but "confusion" when the divine order is departed from. In the stumbling of
those oxen the Lord was making manifest David’s disorder.
"Uzzah put forth his hand to the ark of God, and took hold of it." He feared it would be
overthrown, and so he wished to avert such a disaster. Like David’s design in seeking a
honorable habitation for the ark, Uzzah’s purpose was good, and his motive pure; but like
David, he also disregarded God’s written law. See here one sin leading to another! See how
David’s conferring with flesh and blood, Following the counsel of the "leaders," and
emulating the way of the heathen, was now succeeded by the priest’s son committing an act
of sacrilege. Alas, alas, how much will the present-day "leaders" in Christendom yet have
to answer for, because of their setting such an evil example before others, and thus
encouraging the "young people" to lightly esteem the holy and authoritative precepts of
God.
5. Pink continues, “The above incident has been recorded for our learning, especially for
those of us who are engaged in the Lord’s service. It points a solemn warning. It shows the
imperative need for zeal to be rightly directed, for there is "a zeal of God, but not
according to knowledge" (Rom. 10:2); this is a zeal to further the cause of God and bring
glory unto His name, which is not regulated by that knowledge which His Word supplies. In
our fervency to extend the kingdom of Christ, to spread His Gospel, to point souls unto

44. Him, we are apt to forget His precepts, and do His work in our way. The danger is very
real, and in this restless age of great activity not a few are being ensnared by this very evil.
Many are so eager about the quantity of their service, they pay too little attention to the
quality of it: they are anxious to be active in the Master’s vineyard, but they do not
sufficiently consult His guide-book as to how their activities must be conducted.
David’s well-meant effort turned out a failure. The Lord manifested His displeasure. David,
accompanied by a large number of musicians, went before the ark, playing "on all manner
of instruments" (2 Sam. 6:5). But when

45. achon’s threshingfloor was reached, the oxen
drawing the cart on which the sacred chest reposed, stumbled, and Uzzah put forth his
hand to steady it. "And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah, and God smote
him there for his error; and there he died by the ark of God" (v. 7). A tragic check was this
unto the joyous procession—one which should have produced deep heart-searchings and
penitential confession of failure. Has not God said, "Provoke Me not, and I will do you no
harm" (Jer. 25:6)? Therefore, when He does afflict, ought we not to inquire as to wherein
we have "provoked" Him!
6. W. Taylor, “The Philistines, whose sin was ignorance, were smitten only with disease; the
men. of Beth-shemesh who looked into the ark, Levites though they were, were smitten with
death, because they ought to have known the law of God upon the matter; and now again
Uzzah is stricken down, because ignorance, where knowledge ought to have been possessed,
is no extenuation of guilt.” In other words, the ark is a dangerous object, and that ought to
be known by all who have anything to do with it. Don't touch it, or you die. It does not
make any difference who you are, for you are touching what can kill you. God is not
picking on Uzzah, for anyone who did the same thing would have died. Look at

46. um 4:15
“And when Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary and all the furnishings
of the sanctuary, when the camp is set to go, then the sons of Kohath shall come to carry
them; but they shall not touch any holy thing, lest they die.” It was the law-you touch, you
die.

47. obody was free to touch and live.
7. An unknown author speculates,”perhaps a bit of a twist on the general theme of
Abraham and Isaac where God wants to test the obedience of his people and their general
faith. In the case of Abraham and Isaac, God wants to make sure that Abraham will obey
God even to the point of killing his own son; in the case of Uzzah and the ark, God is testing
Uzzah's faith in God's ability to protect his precious ark.” In other words, could he let the
ark fall without touching it believing that God could and would take care of it, and not let it
fall. It could be, but the text does not say so.
8. Another unknown author said this about putting the ark on a cart: “This way of moving
the Ark was never described in the Books of Moses. Where did they get that from? That
was the way the Philistines (the enemies of Israel who worshiped the false god Dagon)
returned the ark to Israel a chapter or two earlier. David and the Priests of Israel copied
the pagan people of the land in relating to God! They treated the One and Only God like all
the other false demonic gods of the pagan lands! Do you start to get the picture here? This

48. whole thing is not about Uzzah personally. Uzzah died because the Leadership of Israel
treated God with contempt...they didn't even inquire how to transport the most holy object
in the history of Israel. They just tried to hustle the Ark of God up to Jerusalem and do it
their own way! They are casual with God during a public event where all Israel is
watching. How the Leadership relates to God directly affects how each person will relate to
God in their hearts and during the rest of their lives.” A lot of people made some major
mistakes, and Uzzah had to pay for those mistakes.
7 The LORD's anger burned against Uzzah because of his
irreverent act; therefore God struck him down and he died
there beside the ark of God.
1. Clarke, “Uzzah sinned through ignorance and precipitancy; he had not time to reflect,
the oxen suddenly stumbled; and, fearing lest the ark should fall, he suddenly stretched out
his hand to prevent it. Had he touched the ark with impunity, the populace might have lost
their respect for it and its sacred service, the example of Uzzah must have filled them with
fear and sacred reverence; and, as to Uzzah, no man can doubt of his eternal safety. He
committed a sin unto death, but doubtless the mercy of God was extended to his soul.”
2. Gill, “and God smote him there for [his] error;
committed at this time, which was complicated; as that the ark was put upon a cart, to
which he might be the chief adviser, as Procopius Gazaeus notes, when it should have been
carried on the shoulders of the Levites; and that be touched it with his hand, which none
but priests might do, supposing him to be a Levite, which it is not clear he was, however not
a Kohathite; and he took hold of it in order to carry it in his arms, which even Levites, and
those Kohathites, might not do, but with staves put into it, which only they were to hold;
and besides, as Abarbinel observes, he showed little faith in the power and providence of
God, as if he could not take care of the ark without him:
and there he died by the ark of God;
directly, upon the spot, by the side of it; whether he was struck by lightning, or in what
way, cannot be said; however, he died by the immediate hand of God, in token of his
displeasure: and this shows that it is dangerous in matters of worship to act contrary to the
command of God, even in things that may seem small and trivial; and though what may be
done may be done with a good intention, as this was, yet that will not excuse the sin; nor are
those who are the most forward and zealous in religious matters exempted from marks of
God's displeasure when they go wrong.”
3. Henry, “We have here Uzzah struck dead for touching the ark, when it was upon its

49. journey towards the city of David, a sad providence, which damped their mirth, stopped
the progress of the ark, and for the present, dispersed this great assembly, which had come
together to attend it, and sent them home in a fright.
Uzzah's offence seems very small. He and his brother Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, in whose
house the ark had long been lodged, having been used to attend it, to show their willingness
to prefer the public benefit to their own private honour and advantage, undertook to drive
the cart in which the ark was carried, this being perhaps the last service they were likely to
do it; for others would be employed about it when it came to the city of David. Ahio went
before, to clear the way, and, if need were, to lead the oxen. Uzzah followed close to the side
of the cart. It happened that the oxen shook it, 2 Samuel 6:6 . The critics are not agreed
about the signification of the original word: They stumbled (so our margin); they kicked (so
some), perhaps against the goad with which Uzzah drove them; they stuck in the mire, by
some. By some accident or other the ark was in danger of being overthrown. Uzzah
thereupon laid hold of it, to save it from falling, we have reason to think with a very good
intention, to preserve the reputation of the ark and to prevent a bad omen. Yet this was his
crime. Uzzah was a Levite, but priests only might touch the ark. The law was express
concerning the Kohathites, that, though they were to carry the ark by the staves, yet they
must not touch any holy thing, lest they die,

50. umbers 4:15. Uzzah's long familiarity with the
ark, and the constant attendance he had given to it, might occasion his presumption, but
would not excuse it.
3B. Henry goes on, “His punishment for this offence seems very great ( 2 Samuel 6:7 ): The
anger of the Lord was kindled against him (for in sacred things he is a jealous God) and he
smote him there for his rashness, as the word is, and struck him dead upon the spot. There
he sinned, and there he died, by the ark of God; even the mercy-seat would not save him.
Why was God thus severe with him? 1. The touching of the ark was forbidden to the
Levites expressly under pain of death--lest they die; and God, by this instance of severity,
would show how he might justly have dealt with our first parents, when they had eaten that
which was forbidden under the same penalty--lest you die. 2. God saw the presumption and
irreverence of Uzzah's heart. Perhaps he affected to show, before this great assembly, how
bold he could make with the ark, having been so long acquainted with it. Familiarity, even
with that which is most awful, is apt to breed contempt. 3. David afterwards owned that
Uzzah died for an error they were all guilty of, which was carrying the ark in a cart.
Because it was not carried on the Levites' shoulders, the Lord made that breach upon us,
1 Chronicles 15:13 . But Uzzah was singled out to be made an example, perhaps because he
had been most forward in advising that way of conveyance; however he had fallen into
another error, which was occasioned by that. Perhaps the ark was not covered, as it should
have been, with the covering of badgers' skins (

51. umbers 4:6), and that was a further
provocation. 4. God would hereby strike an awe upon the thousands of Israel, would
convince them that the ark was never the less venerable for its having been so long in mean
circumstances, and thus he would teach them to rejoice with trembling, and always to treat
holy things with reverence and holy fear. 5. God would hereby teach us that a good
intention will not justify a bad action; it will not suffice to say of that which is ill done that
it was well meant. He will let us know that he can and will secure his ark, and needs not any
man's sin to help him to do it. 6. If it was so great a crime for one to lay hold on the ark of

52. the covenant that had no right to do so, what is it for those to lay claim to the privileges of
the covenant that come not up to the terms of it? To the wicked God says, What hast thou to
do to take my covenant in thy mouth? Psalms 50:16. Friend, how camest thou in hither? If the
ark was so sacred, and not to be touched irreverently, what is the blood of the covenant?
Hebrews 10:29.”
4. S. Lewis Johnson, “You know, divine judgment is not always clear to human beings, but
there is one thing we can always count upon, and that is the judge of all the earth does
right. And while we may not understand specifically why this happened, I think one can
come to understanding of this, but I’m speaking generally, there are many acts of judgment
for which we do not have adequate understanding, but we can be sure that they are right if
they are performed by the Lord God.
You think of Dathan and Abiram, who lost their lives because of disobedience to the word
of God. You think of

53. adab and Abihu, who also transgressed against the Lord God and
lost their lives. Korah, in the same rebellion with Dathan and Abiram, Ananias in

54. ew
Testament times, so God judges and it may be strange to us, but God does right.
One thing I noticed about the Lord Jesus. Occasionally, he would speak from the
standpoint of the knowledge of what was in the hearts and minds of individuals with whom
he was dealing. Later on, the Scriptures say, Jesus knew what they were thinking. And so
in instances of divine judgment, we have to remember, God knows the heart and he knows
the irreverence of the heart of Uzzah, when we do not. And so this is a judgment that God
performed, and the least that we can do is to say, I don’t understand it, but I’m sure that it
was a just judgment because the God of this earth always does that which is right.
We tend to have a kind of theology in our day that glorifies the love of God and neglects,
terribly, the judgment of God. I suggest to you, it’s bad theology based on a defective
knowledge of the word of God, to represent the Lord God in an exclusive aspect of
mildness. He is not that kind of God. The God of the Bible cannot be pushed around. The
God of the Bible cannot be manipulated. That’s the truth that should be evident to us. In
fact, the idea that we must make God an individual who is at our beck and call, and serve
us, is very close to blasphemy, because it makes God, essentially, a god constructed after
our own thoughts. So the idea that we can, by our particular type of activity, as a
professing Christian, make God do this and make God do that is very close to blasphemy.”
5. York Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church, “Prior to the construction of the temple,
the ark was the most important religious artifact in Israel, symbolizing the Lord’s presence
on earth among his people. The Ark of the Covenant was a rectangular object,
approximately 45 x 27 x 27 inches, was made of acacia wood, overlaid (Exodus 25:10-16)
with gold leaf inside and out, and gold molding. Poles inserted through rings attached to its
sides allowed the ark to be transported, and it was carried in Israel’s most solemn
processions by priests and Levites. The ark was an object of great veneration, surrounded
by an aura of sanctity that precluded all but the specially authorized from coming into
contact with it. Perhaps you have seen the 1981 movie Raiders of the Lost Ark. It is a
great action/adventure movie in which the archeologist and university professor, Indiana

55. Jones, races to retrieve the Lost Ark of the Covenant before it falls into the hands of Adolf
Hitler.

56. ow the movie is just good fun. But it does make a point.

57. ear the end of the
movie, when the

58. azis capture the ark, and seek to use it to conquer the world, the ark
itself prevents this and kills everyone who tries to misuse it. So, we see some similarity
between that part of the movie and our scripture today.”
6. Pink, "And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah, and God smote him there
for his error; and there he died by the ark of God" (v. 7), The Lord God will not be
mocked. Plainly had He declared that, even the Kohathites, who were appointed to carry
the ark by staves on their shoulders, "shall not touch any holy thing, lest they die" (

59. um.
4:15). God not only keeps His promises, but He also fulfills His threats! So Uzzah found,
and so will every other dis-regarder of His commandments yet discover.
"He, whose name is Jealous, was greatly offended. The sincere, the well-meaning man,
having no command, nor any example for what he did, fell under Jehovah’s anger, and lost
his life, as the reward of his officiousness. And as the Holy Spirit has recorded the fact so
circumstantially, we have reason to consider it as a warning to all, of the danger there is in
tampering with positive ordinances; and as a standing evidence that God will have His
cause supported, and His appointments administered, in His own way. The case of Saul,
and the language of Samuel to that disobedient monarch, inculcate the same thing: ‘the
people,’ said Saul to the venerable prophet, ‘took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, to sacrifice
unto the Lord thy God in Gilgal. And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt
offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than
sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams’: 1 Sam. 15:21-23" (A. Booth, 1813).
It is solemn to recall that no divine judgment fell upon the Philistines when they placed the
holy ark upon a cart and sent it back to Israel: but "the anger of the Lord was kindled
against Uzzah"! How plainly this shows us that God will suffer from the world what He
will not tolerate in His professing people, who bear His Holy name. That is why it will be
"more tolerable" for Sodom and Gomorrah in the Day of Judgment, than it will be for
divinely-enlightened, highly-favored, and loud-boasting Capernaum. The same principle
will obtain when Christendom comes to be judged. Better to have lived and died in the
ignorance of darkest Africa, than to have had God’s Word in our hands and set at naught
its laws!
7. Leonard Ravenhill, “And it says in verse eight of the twenty-fifth chapter of Exodus,
“Let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them. According to all
that I show thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle...”
Come down to verse seventeen:
“Thou shalt make a mercy seat of pure gold... and the cherubims shall stretch forth
their wings on high, covering the mercy seat with their wings. And thou shalt put
the mercy seat above upon the ark; and in the ark thou shalt put the testimony that
I shall give thee. And there I will meet with thee.”
That’s the first piece of furniture mentioned as regards the tabernacle. This ark was

60. roughly fifty-four inches long, three feet high, and three feet wide. And it was a visible
presence of an invisible power. It was a kind of a earthly resting place where God put His
power between those awesome cherubims. Remember how often the Psalmist cries, “Oh,
Thou that dwellest between the cherubims shine forth” In the light of this, it means that
Uzzah reached out and touched God, and it was like touching the sun, or a live wire with
many thousands of volts going through it. It was like grabbing lightning. It was an act of
folly. It was much like the first sin of Adam and Eve. What is the big deal about eating an
apple? What is the big deal about touching the ark? In each case all they were doing is
disobeying God, and that is a fatal mistake.
8. Bob Roe, “This is a good picture of God's anger, or God's wrath. It is not an emotion. It
is not a state of mind. The wrath of God, or the anger of God, is simply a settled state of
hostility toward evil. Uzzah's motivation was right,. He was worshipping God and trying
his best to please God, but he died. He is probably home with Jesus right now, but he did
die. God's wrath is much like the law of gravity. It is a settled state of hostility toward evil.
If you commit evil in any form, such as violating the known will of God when it is available
to you, you will pay, no matter what your motivation. God is not mad at you. You don't like
the law of gravity? That is too bad, but step off the roof of this church and you are bound
to get hurt. It's not because God is mad at you, but because that is the way it is. So, Uzzah
paid with his life for violating the known will of God as written in the Scriptures. Uzzah
was a Levite. The Levites were teachers of the law and were spread throughout Israel to be
teachers of the law. The very law Uzzah should have been teaching told him exactly how to
deal with the ark of God. He didn't do his homework. He didn't flunk, he died.”
9. “Most likely what Uzzah did, he did with every good intention; but he had allowed
himself to be placed in a position where his every good intention was against the will of
God. And if God allowed Uzzah to touch the ark and live, then everyone else would come to
think that they, too, could touch the holy things of God, and the whole service to the Lord
would become a trivial thing. Uzzah died because he was irreverent, not because he didn't
believe or have faith. The way he died doesn't mean that he didn't go to heaven. As his
heart was, so he will be with the Lord. Uzzah died so that the others would realize their
mistake, repent, and treat God with the holiness and respect He deserves.” author
unknown
10. God made it clear that anyone coming close to the power of his person was risking their
lives. And the LORD said to Moses, “Go to the people and consecrate them today and
tomorrow. Have them wash their clothes and be ready by the third day, because on that
day the LORD will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people. Put limits for
the people around the mountain and tell them, ‘Be careful that you do not go up the
mountain or touch the foot of it. Whoever touches the mountain shall surely be put to
death. He shall surely be stoned or shot with arrows; not a hand is to be laid on him.
Whether man or animal, he shall not be permitted to live.’ Only when the ram’s horn
sounds a long blast may they go up to the mountain” (Exodus 19:10-13).

61. “Aaron and his sons are to go in and take down the shielding curtain and cover the ark of
the Testimony with it. Then they are to cover this with hides of sea cows, spread a cloth of
solid blue over that and put the poles in place” (

62. umbers 4:5-6). Following this activity in
preparation for the move, Aaron and his sons were to call in the Kohathites. God informed
Moses and Aaron that the “Kohathites are to come to do the carrying. But they must not
touch the holy things or they will die. The Kohathites are to carry those things that are in
the Tent of Meeting” (4:15).

63. ot only were the Kohathites not allowed to touch the holy
things, which included the Ark of the Covenant, but they were not even allowed to look at
the holy things in the tabernacle: “the Kohathites must not go in to look at the holy things,
even for a moment, or they will die” (4:20).
“The LORD said to Moses: “Tell your brother Aaron not to come whenever he chooses into
the Most Holy Place behind the curtain in front of the atonement cover on the ark, or else
he will die, because I appear in the cloud over the atonement cover” (Leviticus
1 Samuel 6:19, “But God struck down some of the men of Beth Shemesh, putting seventy of
them to death because they had looked into the ark of the Lord. The people mourned
because of the heavy blow the Lord had dealt them.” Uzzah was not alone in his ignorance
and carelessness, for many had died for not knowing how dangerous it was to touch the
ark. Those who do not know history are condemned to repeat it fits Uzzah.
Even to come near when it was being moved with all the Tabernacle was a deadly mistake.
But you shall appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of the testimony, and over all its
furnishings and over all that belongs to it. They shall carry the tabernacle and all its
furnishings, and they shall take care of it; they shall also camp around the tabernacle. 51
"So when the tabernacle is to set out, the Levites shall take it down; and when the
tabernacle encamps, the Levites shall set it up. But the layman who comes near shall be put
to death.” (

64. um 1.50)
11. The point of all the above is to make it clear that God is being consistent with himself
and what he has revealed to man. He is not being haphazard and cruel here, but following
the established rules of how his holy objects, such as the ark, are to be treated. God is not
acting out of the ordinary and doing what does not fit his nature and revelation. He is doing
what it expected when men violate his clear revelation. People accuse God of being radical
and inconsistent, but the evidence will not support any such charges. In light of what God
has said and done, it would be inconsistent if he had not struck Uzzah dead when he
touched the ark.
12. Brian Morgan, “As the priests and the ox-cart descend down the hill from the house of
Abinadab, the narrator describes David as a man overcome with joy. The king is in the
midst of his people, caught up in a full blown festival that employs every musical
instrument known to man--lyres, harps, tambourines, castanets, cymbals. The scene is one
of unbridled ecstasy before the Lord. Jerusalem will be the site of the king's city and God's
throne as well! Worship is called for.
But, like most events in David's life, his joy is short lived. As the oxen descend the hill they

65. come upon the smooth stone threshing floor of

66. acon. Their hooves stumble on the stony
smooth floor, the cart lurches forward, and the ark is about to be catapulted off the end of
the cart. Uzzah's reaction is instantaneous. He stretches out his hand and grasps (seizes) the
ark to put it back in its place.
Human hands seizing the Holy! The outcome is as if Uzzah had grabbed a 220-volt line:
"an unmanageable current sizzles his grasp to ash, flaring from the ends of his bones."[2]
Uzzah drops dead by the side of the ark. The celebration comes to a crashing halt. The
scene must have resembled baseball's opening day in Cincinnati a couple of weeks ago,
when the home plate umpire dropped dead of a heart attack. The game was canceled and
50,000 fans had to go home. At the threshing floor of

67. acon, the royal procession skids to a
halt as Uzzah is struck down for his "irreverence." The majestic music is muted; the
onlookers struck dumb.”
13. Eugene Peterson wrote about Uzzah trying to manage God.
Uzzah is the person who has God in a box and officiously assumes responsibility for
keeping him safe from the mud and dust of the world...Uzzah's reflexive act, reaching
out to steady the Ark as the oxen stumbled, was not the mistake of a moment; it was a
piece of his lifelong obsession with managing the Ark...He ignored (defied!) the
Mosaic directions and substituted the latest Philistine technological innovation--an
ox-cart, of all things. A well designed ox-cart is undeniably more efficient for moving
the ark about than plodding Levites. But it is also impersonal--the replacement of
consecrated persons by an efficient machine, the impersonal crowding out the
personal. Uzzah is the patron saint of those who uncritically embrace technology
without regard to the nature of the Holy. Uzzah was in charge (he thought) of God
and meant to stay in charge...The eventual consequence of that kind of life is death,
for God will not be managed. God will not be put and kept in a box, whether the
"box" is constructed of crafted wood or hewn stone or brilliant ideas or fine feeling.
We do no take care of God; he takes care of us."
14. Others are guilty of trying to manage this text to fit their own agenda. One of the
strange uses of this incidence is the way certain churches and pastors use it to enforce their
personal convictions. Some who are strong believers that instruments are not to be used in
worship use it to say those who do are the same as touching the ark of God, and are worthy
of death. Others say those who eat meat when God wants us to ear only vegetables are also
touching the ark, and are living in danger of judgment. Such things are being read into the
text that have no basis for such thinking. The text is dealing with a very specific law of God,
clearly reveled, and clearly judged a number of times. It cannot be applied to any other
issue, for there is no other issue like this danger of touching the object that represents
God's presence among his people. God now dwells in those who have received Jesus into
their lives as Savior and Lord, and no longer is there any danger in touching one another,
and even giving one another a holy kiss. You might get slapped by your mate for such, but
God does not threaten any judgment. Trying to apply this passage to anything we can do

68. today becomes superficial, for there is no such object that represents the presence and
power of God, which he has forbidden that we touch. This does not mean we can be
careless in how we deal with those truths and principles of life that God has given us, and
escape negative consequences, for we will always reap as we sow, but loving instrumental
music, and eating meat is not among them for the vast majority of believers.
8 Then David was angry because the LORD's wrath had
broken out against Uzzah, and to this day that place is called
Perez Uzzah. [5]
1. Gill, “He could not easily submit, and be reconciled to the providence; his heart was
ready to rise up against God, and murmur at him for striking him dead in such an awful
manner, for so small a matter as this might seem to be; and the rather, as this put a stop to
the procession, and cast a damp upon their joy and mirth on this occasion, and might seem
to be an ill omen to David, and be improved by his enemies against him:
and he called the name of the place Perezuzzah unto this day;
the name he gave the place, which signifies "the breach of Uzzah", continued to the time of
writing this book.”
1B. Stedman, “David built a brand new ox cart and set the ark in the middle of it and
started back with all the people singing and rejoicing around the ark. It was a time of
enthusiastic, utterly sincere, complete dedication and devotion to God. But then a terrible
thing happened. As the ark was going down the road, the cart hit a rut in the road. It
trembled and shook so much that it looked as if the ark was going to fall off. A man named
Uzzah, standing by the cart, reached out his hand to steady the ark. The moment his hand
touched it, the lightning of God struck him and he fell dead. David was nonplused. He
didn't know what to do. Of course it cast a pall of tragedy over the whole scene, and all the
rejoicing and the merrymaking was abruptly stopped. David was so sick at heart that he
turned the ox cart aside, put the ark of God in the first house that was handy, and went
back to Jerusalem -- bitter and resentful against the Lord for doing a thing like this.
This was the first lesson David had to learn. It is recorded for us that David was very much
afraid of the Lord when this happened and he became very bitter. But the truth was that it
was David's fault that Uzzah had died. In the book of Leviticus there were very specific and
detailed instructions on how to move the ark of God. Only the Levites were to do this. It
was David's fault that the Levites had not been asked to move the ark. He was
presumptuous enough to assume that God was so much on his side that he could get away
with anything. He just put the ark on an ox cart and started to move it himself. Therefore,
it was really David's fault that this all happened. David had to learn the very bitter lesson
that sincerity in serving God is never enough. Things must be done God's way in
accomplishing God's will.

69. The next thing we read in this section is about the desire that entered into the heart of
David to build a temple for God. The ark had been in the tabernacle -- just a shoddy, rough
old tent. So David reasoned with himself, "Here I live in a beautiful house of cedar and
God's ark has to dwell in an old tent. Why don't I build a house for God?" (7:2) When

70. athan the prophet heard of it he encouraged David in this, but God sent a message to

71. athan and said, "

72. o, this is not right." The reason was that David was a man of war. Only
Jesus Christ or, in Old Testament terms, someone who pictures Christ as prince of peace,
will ever build the temple of God among humanity. David had been the one chosen to
represent him as the conquering king over all. And so God said, "

73. o, it will not be David
who builds the temple." God rejected David's plan to build the temple even though it was
well intentioned, sincere and earnest. David was not able to learn the lesson of Uzzah. In
this chapter is a beautiful example for us in the obedience in David's heart as he praises
God and accepts this disappointment and the reversal of his own plans. He agrees that God
is right and that the temple should be built by Solomon, his son.”
1C. “David is the one who planned this celebration. David is the one who decided that the
ark of God should be moved to Jerusalem. And David is the one who didn't consult the
Lord his God before he began this venture. In his heart, David knows that he is responsible
for the death of his nephew. And David, reacting in typical human fashion, tries to cover his
guilt with anger – even anger against God.” author unknown
1D. “David is the one at fault. He takes 30,000 soldiers (or more, per the Chronicler) and
decides to move the ark to his own city. However, instead of following the prescribed way of
moving the ark, that is, by using Levites to carry it on their shoulders (Ex 25:12-14;

74. um
4:5-6, 15), David follows the example of the Philistines in using a cart to move the ark. He
admits his error later, as documented in 1 Chronicles 15 (especially v 13), and when he
decides a second time to move the ark, he is careful to follow the prescribed formula. (So,
by the way, is Solomon when he moves the ark even later in 1 Kings 8.) David’s expression
of fear right after Uzzah’s death and unwillingness to move the ark is further evidence that
he knows that his own actions were not right: had this been only Uzzah’s sin, David would
have had nothing to fear. I’ve been told that the writer of Chronicles typically works hard
to make David look good; the presence of this admission of guilt in Chronicles therefore
further attests to its importance and veracity.” author unknown. David was willing to
confess that he made the blunder that killed Uzzah, and he was a man after God's heart
just because he was always willing to confess it when he made a mistake. This author goes
on to write:
Importantly, the idea that Uzzah was being punished for David’s guilt is supported by the
story told in 2 Sam 24, where 70,000 innocent people die because of David’s sinful decision
to conduct a census. Many times in the Old Testament, kings are held responsible for
leading their people astray into sin, and in 2 Sam 24 the sins of a king are directly the cause
of the death of many people, by the hand of the Lord. Uzzah’s death may be one more
example of this principle: David, after all, is the responsible adult here, not Uzzah, but 2
Sam 24 shows that David’s culpability doesn’t necessarily mean David directly suffers for
his sins. By the converse, Uzzah’s death doesn’t mean he is the only one at fault, or even the

75. principal one at fault.” He was questioned about the availability of the information needed
to be faithful to God's law, and he wrote, “I too agree it’s unlikely Uzzah had access to

76. umbers and Exodus, at least not as we have access to them, or that the concept of
Scripture was like ours. But I do think he had access to the underlying information because
of the following reasons. First, David figures it out pretty quickly and changes his behavior
the next time around, and Solomon does too, suggesting the information was available.
Second, there were a lot of questions about how to move the ark in that period of time, and
it seems likely that Uzzah’s household would have had plenty of motivation to learn and
remember the answers to those questions.”
1E. Keil, “The burning of David's anger was not directed against God, but referred to the
calamity which had befallen Uzzah, or speaking more correctly, to the cause of this
calamity, which David attributed to himself or to his undertaking. As he had not only
resolved upon the removal of the ark, but had also planned the way in which it should be
taken to Jerusalem, he could not trace the occasion of Uzzah's death to any other cause
than his own plans. He was therefore angry that such misfortune had attended his
undertaking. In his first excitement and dismay, David may not have perceived the real and
deeper ground of this divine judgment. Uzzah's offence consisted in the fact that he had
touched the ark with profane feelings, although with good intentions, namely to prevent its
rolling over and falling from the cart. Touching the ark, the throne of the divine glory and
visible pledge of the invisible presence of the Lord, was a violation of the majesty of the
holy God. “Uzzah was therefore a type of all who with good intentions, humanly speaking,
yet with unsanctified minds, interfere in the affairs of the kingdom of God, from the notion
that they are in danger, and with the hope of saving them”
1F. It makes sense that David would be angry, for he had to be so disappointed that his
great plan involving thousands of people became a flop, and the great celebration ends with
a funeral. Spurgeon wrote, “It was an awful moment. The pulse of that vast assembly
beating high with solemn festivity, receives a sudden jerk. The trumpet which erstwhile
sent forth its cheerful blast, with the saved melody of cornet, of psaltery, and of harp .
all are hushed in one instant. Dullness and terror seize the minds of all. They separate to
their homes; the ark is carried into a private house adjoining, the residence of that eminent
servant of God, Obed-edom.” Everything was just perfect one minute, and the next is was a
disaster. Life can be this way for the best of God's people, and like David we need to
rethink our goals and what we are missing in God's plan in achieving our plan.
2. Constable, “God's symbolic entrance into Jerusalem was a cause for great celebration.
David was apparently angry because he expected God to bless his efforts. God taught him
that obedience is more important than good intentions and religious ritual (1 Sam. 15:22).
David learned a lesson about God's holiness, too. "He who had experienced wonderful
protection over the years from the Lord his God, and had known unusual intimacy with
him, had to come to terms with the fact that he had overstepped the mark, and presumed
upon the relationship, by failing to observe the regulations laid down to safeguard respect
for God's holiness. Though Jesus taught us to call God our Father, he also taught us to pray
'hallowed be thy name,' implying the need to pay careful attention lest privilege becomes
presumption.

77. The death of Uzzah was a lesson similar to the deaths of

78. adab and Abihu (Lev. 10:1-2),
Achan (Josh. 7), and Ananias and Saphira (Acts 5:1-11). All these people failed to take
God seriously at the beginning of a new phase of His kingdom program. What we do is
important, but how we do it is also important. Coming close to doing God's will is not
enough even though we have the best of motives; David wanted to honor God. We need
to practice radical obedience; we need wholehearted commitment to God's will as His
disciples.”
3. Maclaren, “Was not the punishment in excess of the sin? We must remember the times,
the long neglect of the ark, the decay of religion in Saul’s reign, the critical character of the
moment as the beginning of a new era, when it was all-important to print deep the
impression of sanctity, and the rude material which had to be dealt with; and we must not
forget that God, in His punishments, does not adopt men’s ideas of death as such a very
dreadful thing. Many since have followed in David’s wake, and been ‘displeased, because
the Lord broke forth upon Uzzah’; but he and they have been wrong. He ought to have
known better, and to have understood the lesson of the solemn corpse that lay there by the
ark; instead of which he gives way to mere terror, and was ‘afraid of the Lord.’ David
afraid of the Lord! What had become of the rapturous love and strong trust which ring
clear through his psalms? Is this the man who called God his rock and fortress and
deliverer, his buckler and the horn of his salvation and his high tower, and poured out his
soul in burning words, which glow yet through all the centuries and the darkness of earth?
It was ill for David to fall thus below himself, but well for us that the eclipse of his faith and
love should be recorded, to hearten us, when the like emotions fall asleep in our souls. His
consciousness of impurity was wholesome and sound, but his cowering before the ark, as if
it were the seat of arbitrary anger, which might flame out destruction for no discernible
reason, was a woful darkening of his loving insight into the heart of God.”
4. Pink, “

79. ow that things had gone contrary to his expectations, he was disconcerted, peeved,
"displeased," or as the Hebrew word really signifies, "angry." His anger was not a
righteous indignation against Uzzah for his affronting God, but because his own plans had
gone awry. His own pride was wounded: the drastic cutting off of Uzzah by divine
judgment would not advance him in the eyes of his subjects; rather was he now humiliated
before them. But the fault was his own, and he ought to have manfully shouldered the
blame, and not acted like a peeved child.
"And David was displeased (angry) because the Lord had made a breach upon Uzzah" (v.
8). When the rod of God descends upon us, we are but adding sin to sin if we become
enraged thereby: this is "despising" the chastening of the Lord, which is expressly
forbidden (Heb. 12:5). "And he called the name of the place Perezuzzah to this day" (v. 8),
which, as the margin tells us, signifies "the breach of Uzzah." Thus did David memorialize
the stroke of God as a warning for posterity to beware of rashness and irreverence. A
solemn contrast may be seen here from what is recorded in 2 Samuel 5:20, where David
changed the name of "the valley of Rephaim" unto "Baalperazim"—"the place of
breaches"—because "the Lord hath broken forth upon mine enemies." In the one he was
celebrating God’s goodness, in the other he was solemnizing God’s judgment.

80. The conduct of David on this occasion was deplorable, for it is highly reprehensible to be
angered by any of the Lord’s dealings. But in the light of such warnings, our petulancy is
far worse. David ought to have humbled himself beneath the mighty hand of God (1 Peter
5:6), confessed his failure and corrected his fault (Prov. 28: 13), and owned God’s
righteousness in thus taking vengeance on his inventions (Ps. 99:8). By so doing he would
have put the blame where it belonged, have set a good example before others, and
vindicated the Lord. Instead, his pride was hurt, his temper was inflamed, and blessing was
missed. Alas, how often has writer and reader failed in a similar manner. How rarely have
we heeded that injunction, "Wherefore glorify ye the Lord in the fires" (Isa. 24:15): one
way of doing which is to judge ourselves unsparingly and own the need of the flames to
purge away our dross.”
5. Henry, “David's anger was kindled. It is the same word that is used for God's displeasure,
2 Samuel 6:7 . Because God was angry, David was angry and out of humor. As if God might
not assert the honor of his ark, and frown upon one that touched it rudely, without asking
David leave. Shall mortal man pretend to be more just than God, arraign his proceedings,
or charge him with iniquity? David did not now act like himself, like a man after God's own
heart. It is not for us to be displeased at any thing that God does, how unpleasing soever it
is to us. The death of Uzzah was indeed an eclipse to the glory of a solemnity which David
valued himself upon more than any thing else, and might give birth to some speculations
among those that were disaffected to him, as if God were departing from him too; but he
ought nevertheless to have subscribed to the righteousness and wisdom of God in it, and
not to have been displeased at it. When we lie under God's anger we must keep under our
own. 2. He was afraid, 2 Samuel 6:9 . It should seem he was afraid with amazement; for he
said, How shall the ark of the Lord come to me? As if God sought advantages against all that
were about him, and was so extremely tender of his ark that there was no dealing with it;
and therefore better for him to keep it at a distance. He should rather have said, "Let the
ark come to me, and I will take warning by this to treat it with more reverence." Provoke
me not (says God, Jeremiah 25:6) and I will do you no hurt. Or this may be looked upon as a
good use which David made of this tremendous judgment. He did not say, "Surely Uzzah
was a sinner above all men, because he suffered such things," but is concerned for himself,
as one conscious, not only of his own unworthiness of God's favor, but his obnoxiousness to
God's displeasure. "God might justly strike me dead as he did Uzzah. My flesh trembles for
fear of thee," Psalms 119:120. This God intends in his judgments, that others may hear and
fear.”
6. David Chadwell, “With Uzzah's death, many things were called into question. Why did
this happen? Was he wrong in one, two, or all three of these things? Suddenly David knew
a kind of terror he had not known previous--he was afraid of God! He had been terrified by
people, but he had not been terrified of God. His past relationship with God sustained him!
He knew God sought his best interest in all past circumstances even when he was deeply
distressed. What did Uzzah's death mean? Was God no longer with David? Did God not
want the Ark in Jerusalem? Was God not honored by what David did? This incident was
not just about Uzzah. In a fundamental, relevant way it was about King David as well.

81. A confused, grief-stricken, afraid David immediately decided it was too dangerous to take
the Ark to Jerusalem. He did not know what the appropriate thing to do was. He decided
the Ark again should go into seclusion, so he sent the Ark to the home of Obed-Edom.”
7. H. L. Rossier, “What happened to David here also happened to the Corinthians who had
introduced a carnal element at the Lord's table. God could not tolerate such a thing. “On
this account many among you are weak and infirm, and a good many are fallen asleep” (1
Cor. 11: 30). God was a consuming fire for them, as well as for Uzzah, and we must
remember this. David was forced to understand this. The Lord had made a breach before
him against the Philistines at Baal-perazim; now God's judgment makes a breach against
him. “He called that place Perez-uzzah [breach of Uzzah]” (v. 8).
The king's first feeling is that of vexation: “David was indignant, because Jehovah had
made a breach.” This is understandable but it is not excusable. Here is a man full of desire
to serve the Lord, of giving Him the honor due Him; here he is, full of joy and praise; he
has arranged everything in order to re-establish the worship of his God — he fails in one
detail and the wrath of God blazes against him! David's heart was more godly than ours.
What a wound to his affections! How can God judge me in this way - he might have said —
when He sees my intention to glorify Him!”
8. So often men get angry with God because he seems to be an opponent rather than a
partner. He is the one who is holding back the progress that we have organized. He delayed
David's plan to get the ark to Jerusalem for months. It made David mad, but it forced him
to do some research and discover that he was acting with a zeal without knowledge. He is
the one who is the cause of the delay by his not going according to the revealed will of God.
He comes to understand this, and realize the need to know God's will rather than just the
will of people and his own hasty will to get things done. When you get angry with God, it is
wise to cool off and figure out where you went wrong, rather than blame God for being the
problem.
9. P. G. Matthew wrote, “David himself acknowledged this failure in 1 Chronicles 15:13.
Why did David neglect to confer with God? He was probably too busy consulting with
everybody else. This is also our problem. When we are faced with a decision, how many of
us seek counsel of other people but fail to pray to God? But by doing so we are choosing to
act on the basis of man’s word, not God’s. The result is that we often make crucial decisions
based on man’s philosophy and our own understanding rather than on God’s word. Such
decisions ultimately turn out to be disastrous, and the end result is that we will be
frustrated and will not experience the blessing of God upon our activities. Like David, we
then may even get angry at God and blame him for our troubles. But the truth is, if we do
not pray, we are just doing what we want to do without any reference to our Head. We call
such actions Christian convulsions.

82. ot only did David neglect to pray, but he also neglected to study the word of God so that
he could discover the will of God from that ancient document. It was David’s duty as

83. Israel’s deputy king to always have a copy of God’s word in his possession so that he would
read it and live in accordance with it. It was the constitution for every king of Israel to use
in governing God’s people.
We find this command given to kings in Deuteronomy 17:18-20:
When he takes the throne of his kingdom, he is to write for himself on a scroll a
copy of this law, taken from that of the priests who are Levites. It is to be with him
and he is to read it all the days of his life so that he may learn to revere the Lord
his God and follow carefully all the words of this law and these decrees and not
consider himself better than his brothers and turn from the law to the right or to
the left. Then he and his descendants will reign a long time over his kingdom in
Israel.
9 David was afraid of the LORD that day and said, "How
can the ark of the LORD ever come to me?"
1. Gill, “And David was afraid of the Lord that day…
Lest he should be smitten for his error also, and especially as he had discovered some
resentment at the Lord's dealing with Uzzah; when he ought to have been still and quiet,
and submitted to the will of God, and owned his justice in it, confessed his own error, and
been thankful for his sparing mercy vouchsafed to him:
and said, how shall the ark of the Lord come to me?
the meaning of which is not, how it should be brought to the place provided by him in
Jerusalem, now Uzzah was dead, for there were Levites enough to carry it, as they
afterwards did; but as signifying that it would be either boldness and presumption in him
to do it, since God had shown such a mark of his displeasure at their proceeding, that he
might be in doubt whether it was the will of God it should come to him; or as fearing it
would be dangerous to him to have it with him, since he might be guilty of such an error, of
the same, or like it, that had been committed.”
2. Bob Roe, “Here is David doing his best. He is organized. He is up front leading the
crowd. They are all worshipping. Everything is going great and bang! this happens. Man, is
he angry! God has not observed David's standards. So, when you get angry with God what
happens to your relationship with God? You may not actually lose the relationship, but you
sure lose the experience of it.

84. ext step after anger is fear, "I might be next. I organized
thisthing. I'm the king." So David becomes afraid, and says, "Well, how can the ark of God
come to me?" Here comes this gap between David and his God. The next step in his
spiritual barrenness is his unwillingness to move the ark of God to Jerusalem. And so
David begins with anger against God because God isn't fair.
Then he progresses to fear of that God because God is a scary guy and you don't mess with

85. him. Pretty soon there's a distance between David and his God which results in David's
unwillingness to reach out and grab hold of the promises of God. The tragedy is God wants
the ark in Jerusalem. God has chosen that city for His Presence. He wants the king he has
chosen to have the ark of the covenant right there. He wants that. The problem is not God.
It is David. These are the steps to spiritual barrenness All you have to do is start getting
angry with God. Then pretty soon you will be fearful of God and next you will be unwilling
to obey God. Then you will be down here making appointments for counseling. And we've
got to take you right back to the bottom line, your anger against God because he doesn't
conform to your standards. He conforms to the Word of God, though, and if you obey that
you'll have no worries about the wrath of God or the anger of God.”
3. H. L. Rossier, “In verse 9 a second feeling arises in the king's heart, a feeling no more
excusable than the first. “David was afraid of Jehovah that day.” He carries the ark aside.
“How shall the ark of Jehovah come to me? So David would not bring the ark of Jehovah
home unto himself into the city of David; but David carried it aside into the house of Obed-
Edom the Gittite” (vv. 9-10). Because of this discipline David regarded the Lord as a
pitiless judge and was vexed with Him. At this moment he forgot that it was a God of grace
who had chosen him, led him, kept him, made him victorious, and who had given him the
kingdom on Mount Zion. He cannot understand that grace can judge him, and that the
closer one is to God, the less God tolerates in His own anything that dishonors Him. But
God is about to prove to him that others will profit from that of which David had deprived
himself to his great loss. The ark's presence is a source of abundant blessings for the house
of Obed-Edom the Gittite. And Jehovah blessed Obed-Edom and all his household”
10 He was not willing to take the ark of the LORD to be with
him in the City of David. Instead, he took it aside to the
house of Obed-Edom the Gittite.
1. Gill, “So David would not remove the ark of the Lord unto him into
the city of David…
As yet, but wait a little longer, until he had more thoroughly considered of it, and made
himself acquainted with everything relative to the ark, that he might know how to behave
for the future, without giving offence:
but David carried it aside into the house of Obededom the Gittite;
which was close by, on one side of the place where they were; this man was a Levite, as
appears from his being afterwards appointed to be doorkeeper for the ark, and to sing
praise before it, and so a proper person to commit the care of it to, ( 1 Chronicles
15:18,21,24) (16:5,6) ; he is called a Gittite, either because he had sojourned in Gath some
time, or rather because he was of Gathrimmon, a city of the Levites, (Joshua 21:24) .”

86. 1B. David had to be thinking, who knows how many more times the ark will start to fall
from the cart with all the bumpy roads we have to travel? He could not take the risk of
other men being prompted to reach up to protect it, and so he called the mission off, and
the party was over for now. He was afraid he would be tempting God, and seeing how
dangerous it was he feared to carry on. He chose to cool off, and let God cool off as well,
and see what happened if he just left the ark alone for awhile. It was a wait and see plan,
and it worked out well in the end.
1C. Barnes, “Obed-edom was a Levite of the family of Merari, being 1Ch_15:18-24;
1Ch_16:38 a son of Jeduthun, who was a Merarite. He was a porter, a player on the harp,
and was one of the Levites especially designated to take part in the musical services on the
occasion of bringing up the ark to Zion, and to minister before it when brought up. He is
called a Gittite perhaps from Gath-Rimmon, in Manasseh, which belonged to the
Kohathites Jos_21:25. Marriage with a Kohathite, or some other cause, would account for
his dwelling in a Kohathite city.”
2. Henry, “David therefore will not bring the ark into his own city ( 2 Samuel 6:10 ) till he is
better prepared for its reception. 3. He took care to perpetuate the remembrance of this
stroke by a new name he gave to the place: Perez-uzzah, the breach of Uzzah, 2 Samuel 6:8 .
He had been lately triumphing in the breach made upon his enemies, and called the place
Baal-perazim, a place of breaches. But here is a breach upon his friends. When we see one
breach, we should consider that we know not where the next will be. The memorial of this
stroke would be a warning to posterity to take heed of all rashness and irreverence in
dealing about holy things; for God will be sanctified in those that come nigh unto him. 4. He
lodged the ark in a good house, the house of Obed-edom a Levite, which happened to be
near the place where this disaster happened, and there, (1.) It was kindly entertained and
welcomed, and continued there three months, 2 Samuel 6:10,11 . Obed-edom knew what
slaughter the ark had made among the Philistines that imprisoned it and the Bethshemites
that looked into it. He saw Uzzah struck dead for touching it, and perceived that David
himself was afraid of meddling with it; yet he cheerfully invites it to his own house, and
opens his doors to it without fear, knowing it was a savour of death unto death only to those
that treated it ill. "O the courage," says bishop Hall, "of an honest and faithful heart!
nothing can make God otherwise than amiable to his own people: even his very justice is
lovely." (2.) It paid well for its entertainment: The Lord blessed Obed-edom and all his
household. The same hand that punished Uzzah's proud presumption rewarded Obed-edom's
humble boldness, and made the ark to him a savour of life unto life. Let none think
the worse of the gospel for the judgements inflicted on those that reject it, but set in
opposition to them the blessings it brings to those that duly receive it.

87. one ever had, nor
ever shall have, reason to say that it is in vain to serve God. Let masters of families be
encouraged to keep up religion in their families, and to serve God and the interests of his
kingdom with their houses and estates, for that is the way to bring a blessing upon all they
have. The ark is a guest which none shall lose by that bid it welcome. Josephus says that,
whereas before Obed-edom was poor, on a sudden, in these three months, his estate

88. increased, to the envy of his neighbours. Piety is the best friend to prosperity. In wisdom's
left hand are riches and honour. His household shared in the blessing. It is good living in a
family that entertains the ark, for all about it will fare the better for it.
11 The ark of the LORD remained in the house of Obed-
Edom the Gittite for three months, and the LORD blessed
him and his entire household.
1. Gill, “David, and those with him, returned to their habitations, where they continued
during this time: and the Lord blessed Obededom, and all his household; him, and all his
family, with spiritual blessings, and with an affluence of temporal good things; for
godliness has the promise of this life, and of that which is to come; men are not losers but
gainers, even in things temporal, for their attachment to the cause of religion, and the
service of God, and their regard to that in their own houses, as well as in the house of God.
Josephus F15 says, that Obededom was very poor before, and in a low condition, out of
which he soon emerged, and came into affluent circumstances, so as to be taken notice of by
his neighbours, and reported abroad; by which means David came to the hearing of it, as
follows.
2. S. Lewis Johnson Jr. “

89. ow, I want to ask you a question? What’s greater? To have the
Ark of Israel in the house? Or to have the third person of the Trinity indwelling our
hearts? Which is best? What you might do ostensibly and outwardly, for the presence of
the Ark of the Lord, is of lesser significance than what you as a believing Christian should
do with God, the Holy Spirit, indwelling your body.

90. ever forget that, my Christian
friends!