1 Chronicles 13 - Modern English Version

The Ark

¹ So David conferred with the captains of the thousands and of the hundreds and with every leader.

² Then he said to all the assembly of Israel, “If it seems good to you and to the Lord our God, let us send word to the rest of our brothers throughout all the land of Israel along with the priests and the Levites in their cities, that they might join us here.

³ Then let us bring the ark of the Lord our God back to us, for we did not seek it during the days of Saul.”

⁴ Then all the assembly agreed to do it because the thing seemed right in the eyes of all the people.

⁵ So David assembled all Israel, from Shihor in Egypt as far as the entrance to Hamath, in order to bring the ark of God from Kiriath-jearim.

⁶ And he went up with all Israel to Baalah, that is, to Kiriath-jearim, which belongs to Judah, to bring up from there the ark of God, the Lord, who dwells between the cherubim, where His name is proclaimed.

⁷ They transported the ark of God on a new cart, from the house of Abinadab, and Uzzah and Ahio were driving the cart.

⁸ David and all Israel played music before God with all their might, with song and lyres, harps, tambourines, cymbals, and trumpets.

⁹ When they had come as far as the threshing floor of Kidon, Uzzah stretched out his hand to take hold of the ark, for the oxen had stumbled.

¹⁰ Then the anger of the Lord burned against Uzzah, and He struck him because he reached his hand out to touch the ark. Thus, Uzzah died there before God.

¹¹ Now David was angry because the Lord struck out against Uzzah, so he called that place Perez Uzzah, as it is to this day.

¹² David was afraid of God that day, saying, “How can I ever bring the ark of God to myself?”

¹³ So David did not take the ark of God with him into the City of David; instead, he took it to the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite.

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