Naravist

The Histories · Old Testament

1 Chronicles 13

1 Chronicles 13: the ark on a cart and the death of Uzza

General context

David consults the captains and every leader and proposes to the whole congregation that they send for their brethren throughout the land, with the priests and Levites, and bring back the ark of God, "for we enquired not at it in the days of Saul". The congregation agrees, "for the thing was right in the eyes of all the people". David gathers all Israel from Shihor of Egypt to the entering of Hemath and goes up to Baalah, that is Kirjath–jearim, to bring up the ark of the Lord "that dwelleth between the cherubims". They carry it on a new cart out of the house of Abinadab, with Uzza and Ahio driving, while David and all Israel play before God with singing, harps, psalteries, timbrels, cymbals and trumpets. At the threshingfloor of Chidon the oxen stumble and Uzza puts out his hand to hold the ark; the Lord's anger is kindled, he smites him, and Uzza dies "before God". David is displeased at the breach and names the place Perez–uzza. Afraid of God that day, he asks, "How shall I bring the ark of God home to me?", and instead of taking it to the city of David he carries it aside to the house of Obed–edom the Gittite. It stays there three months, and the Lord blesses Obed–edom's house and all he has.

Cited passages: 1 Chronicles 13:1, 1 Chronicles 13:2, 1 Chronicles 13:3, 1 Chronicles 13:4, 1 Chronicles 13:5, 1 Chronicles 13:6, 1 Chronicles 13:7, 1 Chronicles 13:8, 1 Chronicles 13:9, 1 Chronicles 13:10, 1 Chronicles 13:11, 1 Chronicles 13:12, 1 Chronicles 13:13, 1 Chronicles 13:14

1 Chronicles 13 (KJV)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

This page shows the King James Version. In the app, reading opens in the Berean Standard Bible unless you have chosen another translation. The reader includes five translations: the Berean Standard Bible (BSB), the King James Version (KJV), the World English Bible (WEB), the Bible in Basic English (BBE), and the American Standard Version (ASV). Search covers three of them: Berean Standard, King James, and World English. Basic English and American Standard readers search the King James words.

Historical context

The reason for the move is given in David's own words, that the ark was not enquired at "in the days of Saul"; the narrator does not add to it. The chapter says the ark was at Kirjath–jearim in the house of Abinadab, but not how long or why. Uzza and Ahio are named only as the drivers. The narrator states the cause of Uzza's death, "because he put his hand to the ark"; a fuller explanation comes in chapter 15, where David speaks of not carrying it "after the due order". Here the death is simply stated as the Lord's anger, and David's reactions are given as displeasure and fear. The place name Perez–uzza is explained by the narrator and marked "to this day", the writer's own time. Obed–edom is called "the Gittite", and the text does not say whether he is the Obed–edom who appears among the Levite porters in chapters 15 and 16. Locations are given by name only: Shihor of Egypt, the entering of Hemath, Baalah, the threshingfloor of Chidon.

Cited passages: 1 Chronicles 13:3, 1 Chronicles 13:7, 1 Chronicles 13:10, 1 Chronicles 13:11, 1 Chronicles 13:12, 1 Chronicles 13:13, 1 Chronicles 13:5, 1 Chronicles 13:9, 1 Chronicles 15:13

Literary context

The chapter moves from consensus to catastrophe in fourteen verses. It opens with consultation and an agreement the narrator reports as "right in the eyes of all the people", and rises through a description of music "with all their might". The single verse of the stumbling oxen breaks the procession, and the next verse ends it with a death. David's two states follow in order, "displeased" and then "afraid", and his question "How shall I bring the ark of God home to me?" is left hanging; chapter 15 answers it. The ark's title, "that dwelleth between the cherubims, whose name is called on it", is given before the cart is mentioned, so the reader hears the ark's holiness before seeing how it is carried. The closing verse turns the tone again: the same ark that killed Uzza brings blessing to Obed–edom's house, which prepares the return in chapter 15.

Cited passages: 1 Chronicles 13:4, 1 Chronicles 13:8, 1 Chronicles 13:9, 1 Chronicles 13:11, 1 Chronicles 13:12, 1 Chronicles 13:6, 1 Chronicles 13:14

Key moments

  1. Not enquired at under Saul (1 Chronicles 13:3). David proposes bringing back the ark because it was neglected in Saul's days.
  2. Right in the people's eyes (1 Chronicles 13:4). The congregation agrees, and the narrator says the thing was right in the eyes of all the people.
  3. A new cart from Abinadab's house (1 Chronicles 13:7). The ark is carried on a cart driven by Uzza and Ahio.
  4. Music with all their might (1 Chronicles 13:8). David and all Israel play and sing before God with many instruments.
  5. Uzza dies before God (1 Chronicles 13:10). The Lord smites Uzza for putting his hand to the ark when the oxen stumble.
  6. David afraid of God (1 Chronicles 13:12). David asks how he can bring the ark home to himself.
  7. Blessing on Obed–edom (1 Chronicles 13:14). The ark rests three months with Obed–edom, and the Lord blesses his house.

For reflection

The whole people agree, the music is at full strength, and one reflex to steady a tilting ark ends in a death. What does the chapter's refusal to soften that moment ask of a reader who wants worship to be safe?

People in this chapter

Also indexed here: