2 Samuel 6:1-11

GOD’S WORD Translation

David Brings the Ark to Jerusalem^(A)

6 David again assembled all the best soldiers in Israel, 30,000 men. ² He and all the people with him left Baalah in Judah ^[a] to bring God’s ark ⌞to Jerusalem⌟. (The ark is called by the name of the Lord of Armies, who is enthroned over the angels.^[b]) ³ David and his men put God’s ark on a new cart and brought it from Abinadab’s home on the hill. Uzzah and Ahio, Abinadab’s sons, were guiding the new cart. ⁴ They brought it from Abinadab’s home, with Ahio walking ahead of the ark. ⁵ David and the entire nation of Israel were celebrating in the Lord’s presence with all kinds of instruments made from cypress wood ^[c] and with lyres, harps, tambourines, sistrums,^[d] and cymbals.

⁶ But when they came to Nacon’s threshing floor,^[e] the oxen stumbled. So Uzzah reached out for the ark of God and grabbed it. ⁷ The Lord became angry with Uzzah, so God killed him there for his lack of respect. He died beside the ark of God.

⁸ David was angry because the Lord had struck Uzzah so violently. (That place is still called Perez Uzzah [The Striking of Uzzah] today.) ⁹ David was afraid of the Lord that day. “How can the ark of the Lord come to my ⌞city⌟?” he asked. ¹⁰ So David wouldn’t bring the ark of the Lord with him to the City of David. Instead, he rerouted it to the home of Obed Edom, who was from Gath. ¹¹ The ark of the Lord stayed at the home of Obed Edom from Gath for three months, and the Lord blessed Obed Edom and his whole family.