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David Moves the Sacred Chest to Jerusalem

(2 Samuel 6.1-12a)

13 Some time later, David talked with his army commanders, 2-3 and then announced to the people of Israel:

While Saul was king, the sacred chest was ignored. But now it's time to bring the chest to Jerusalem. We will invite everyone in Israel to come here, including the priests and the Levites in the towns surrounded by pastureland. But we will do these things only if you agree, and if the Lord our God wants us to.

The people agreed this was the right thing to do.

David gathered everyone from the Shihor River in Egypt to Lebo-Hamath in the north. (A) Then he led them to Baalah in Judah, which was also called Kiriath-Jearim. They went there to get the sacred chest and bring it to Jerusalem, because it belonged to the Lord God, whose throne is above the winged creatures[a] on the lid of the chest.

The sacred chest was still at Abinadab's house,[b] and when David and the crowd arrived there, they brought the chest outside and placed it on a new ox cart. Abinadab's sons[c] Uzzah and Ahio guided the cart, while David and the crowd danced and sang praises to the Lord with all their might. They played music on small harps and other stringed instruments, and on tambourines, cymbals, and trumpets.

But when they came to Chidon's threshing place, the oxen stumbled, and Uzzah reached out and took hold of the chest to stop it from falling. 10 The Lord God was very angry with Uzzah for doing this, and he killed Uzzah right there beside the chest.

11 David then got angry with God for killing Uzzah. So he named that place “Attack on Uzzah,”[d] and it's been called that ever since.

12 David was afraid what the Lord might do to him, and he asked himself, “Should I really be the one to take care of the sacred chest?” 13 So instead of taking it to Jerusalem, David decided to take it to the home of Obed-Edom, who lived in the town of Gath.

14 (B) The chest stayed there for three months, and the Lord blessed Obed-Edom, his family, and everything he owned.

David's Palace in Jerusalem

(2 Samuel 5.11-16)

14 King Hiram of Tyre sent some officials to David. They brought along carpenters and stone workers, and enough cedar logs to build David a palace. David now knew that the Lord had made him a powerful king of Israel for the good of his people.

After David moved to Jerusalem, he married more women and had more sons and daughters. 4-7 His children born there were Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, Ibhar, Elishua, Elpelet, Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia, Elishama, Beeliada,[e] and Eliphelet.

David Defeats the Philistines

(2 Samuel 5.17-25)

When the Philistines heard that David had become king of Israel, they came to capture him. But David heard about their plan and marched out to meet them in battle. The Philistines had already camped in Rephaim Valley and were raiding the nearby villages.

10 David asked God, “Should I attack the Philistines? Will you help me win?”

The Lord told David, “Yes, attack them! I will give you victory.”

11 David and his army marched to Baal-Perazim, where they attacked and defeated the Philistines. He said, “I defeated my enemies because God broke through them like a mighty flood.” So he named the place “The Lord Broke Through.”[f] 12 Then David ordered his troops to burn the idols that the Philistines had left behind.

13 Some time later, the Philistines came back into the hill country and camped in Rephaim Valley. 14 David asked God what he should do, and God answered, “Don't attack them from the front. Circle around behind them where the balsam[g] trees are. 15 Wait there until you hear the treetops making the sound of marching troops. That sound will mean I have marched out ahead of you to fight the Philistine army. So you must then attack quickly!”

16 David obeyed God and he defeated the Philistines. He even chased them all the way from Gibeon to the entrance to Gezer.

17 From then on, David became even more famous, and the Lord made all the nations afraid of him.

Footnotes

  1. 13.6 winged creatures: Two golden statues of winged creatures were on top of the sacred chest and were symbols of the Lord's throne on earth (see Exodus 25.18).
  2. 13.7 The sacred chest … Abinadab's house: See 1 Samuel 6.19—7.2.
  3. 13.7 Abinadab's sons: These words are not in the Hebrew text, but see 2 Samuel 6.3.
  4. 13.11 Attack on Uzzah: Or “Perez-Uzzah.”
  5. 14.4-7 Beeliada: Or “Eliada” (see 3.6-8).
  6. 14.11 The Lord Broke Through: Or “Baal-Perazim.”
  7. 14.14 balsam: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.

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