1 And Dauid counselled with the captaines of thousandes and of hundreths, and with all the gouernours. 2 And Dauid said to all the Congregation of Israel, If it seeme good to you, and that it proceedeth of the Lord our God, we will sende to and from vnto our brethren, that are left in all the lande of Israel (for with them are the Priests and the Leuites in the cities and their suburbes) that they may assemble them selues vnto vs. 3 And we will bring againe the Arke of our God to vs: for we sought not vnto it in the dayes of Saul. 4 And all the Congregation answered, Let vs doe so: for the thing seemed good in the eyes of all the people. 5 So Dauid gathered all Israel together from Shihor in Egypt, euen vnto the entring of Hamath, to bring the Arke of God from Kiriath-iearim. 6 And Dauid went vp and all Israel to Baalath, in Kiriath-iearim, that was in Iudah, to bring vp from thence the Arke of God the Lord that dwelleth betweene the Cherubims, where his Name is called on. 7 And they caryed the Arke of God in a newe cart out of the house of Abinadab: and Vzza and Ahio guided the cart. 8 And Dauid and all Israel played before God with all their might, both with songes and with harpes, and with violes, and with timbrels and with cymbales and with trumpets. 9 And when they came vnto the thresshing floore of Chidon, Vzza put forth his hand to holde the Arke, for the oxen did shake it. 10 But the wrath of the Lord was kindled against Vzza, and he smote him, because he layed his hande vpon the Arke: so he dyed there before God. 11 And Dauid was angrie, because the Lord had made a breach in Vzza, and he called the name of that place Perez-vzza vnto this day. 12 And Dauid feared God that day, saying, Howe shall I bring in to me the Arke of God? 13 Therefore Dauid brought not the Arke to him into the citie of Dauid, but caused it to turne into the house of Obed Edom the Gittite. 14 So the Arke of God remained in the house of Obed Edom, euen in his house three moneths: and the Lord blessed the house of Obed Edom, and all that he had.
The Covenant Box Is Moved from Kiriath Jearim
(2 Samuel 6.1-11)1 King David consulted with all the officers in command of units of a thousand men and units of a hundred men. 2 Then he announced to all the people of Israel, “If you give your approval and if it is the will of the Lord our God, let us send messengers to the rest of our people and to the priests and Levites in their towns, and tell them to assemble here with us. 3 Then we will go and get God's Covenant Box, which was ignored while Saul was king.” 4 The people were pleased with the suggestion and agreed to it.
5 So David assembled the people of Israel from all over the country, from the Egyptian border in the south to Hamath Pass in the north, in order to bring the Covenant Box from Kiriath Jearim to Jerusalem. 6 David and the people went to the city of Baalah, that is, to Kiriath Jearim, in the territory of Judah, to get the Covenant Box of God, which bears the name of the Lord enthroned above the winged creatures. 7 At Abinadab's house they brought out the Covenant Box and put it on a new cart. Uzzah and Ahio guided the cart, 8 while David and all the people danced with all their might to honor God. They sang and played musical instruments—harps, drums, cymbals, and trumpets.
9 As they came to the threshing place of Chidon, the oxen stumbled, and Uzzah reached out and took hold of the Covenant Box. 10 At once the Lord became angry with Uzzah and killed him for touching the Box. He died there in God's presence, 11 and so that place has been called Perez Uzzah ever since. David was furious because the Lord had punished Uzzah in anger.
12 Then David was afraid of God and said, “How can I take the Covenant Box with me now?” 13 So David did not take it with him to Jerusalem. Instead, he left it at the house of a man named Obed Edom, a native of the city of Gath. 14 It stayed there three months, and the Lord blessed Obed Edom's family and everything that belonged to him.