Chapter 13

1 David fetcheth the ark with great solemnity from Kirjath-jearim. 9 Uzza being smitten, the ark is left at the house of Obed-edom.

1. David consulted. Chapter 13 deals with the transfer of the ark from Kirjath-jearim to the home of Obed-edom and is parallel to 2 Sam. 6:1–11. The sequence of the events related in Chronicles is not always the same as it is in Samuel. Thus in Samuel the account of David’s encounter with the Philistines in the Valley of Rephaim (2 Sam. 5:22–25) precedes the account of the transfer of the ark (2 Sam. 6:1–11), whereas in Chronicles it follows (ch. 14:13–16).

With the captains. Before calling a general assembly of the people (v. 5), David held a consultation with the national leaders. His procedure in this matter demonstrates his gifts of leadership. The account in Samuel is not as detailed. It does not mention the preliminary council but does describe the general assembly (2 Sam. 6:1).

2. All the congregation. That is, in this instance the leading representatives of the congregation. David recognized the “captains of thousands and hundreds,” “with every leader” (v. 1), as the representatives of the people, to be consulted on public matters and to give their voice in the direction of national affairs.

That are left. That is, those who are still at home, not having been summoned to the present meeting.

5. All Israel. David gathered 30,000 chosen men of all the tribes of Israel (2 Sam. 6:1).

Shihor of Egypt. In certain references (e.g., Jer. 2:18, RSV), Shihor has been taken as the Nile, but that can hardly be the case. On the other hand, the word shiРhoµr, “pond of Horus,” appears in Egyptian documents as a body of water at the eastern border of the Delta, but its exact location is not known.

The entering of Hemath. See on Num. 34:8; Joshua 13:5; 1 Kings 8:65.

6. And David went up. For the narrative of vs. 6–14, see on 2 Sam. 6:2–11.

All Israel. That is, “all the people that were with him” (2 Sam. 6:2).

Baalah. Another name for Kirjath-jearim (Joshua 15:9–11, 60; 18:14). The ark was taken to the house of Abinadab in Kirjath-jearim after its return from the Philistines (1 Sam. 6:21; 7:1, 2).

Between the cherubims. Compare 1 Sam. 4:4; 2 Sam. 6:2; Ps. 80:1; Isa. 37:16.

9. Put forth his hand. The ark was holy and symbolized the presence of God. Detailed directions had been given concerning the ark in order that those having to do with it might “live, and not die” (Num. 4:19, 20; cf. Num. 1:51; 4:15; 7:9).

10. He died. The Lord took all factors of the case into consideration. He knew that Uzza was a sinful and unholy being, with unconfessed sins resting upon him, and with little sense of the holiness of God and the seriousness of transgression. The death of this one individual would prove to be a solemn warning to many and thus be the means of preventing divine judgments that otherwise might have fallen upon thousands (see PP 706; see further on 2 Sam. 6:6).

11. David was displeased. Not understanding the purposes of the divine dealings, David allowed himself to be displeased with the course the Lord had taken. He questioned the justice of God (see PP 705, 706; see on 2 Sam. 6:8).

12. David was afraid. David was afraid because of sin in his own experience. Having witnessed the signal judgment of God upon Uzza, he feared lest some error in his own life bring divine judgments upon him as well.

13. Obed-edom. The Obed-edom of ch. 26:1–4 was a Korahite Levite, but it is not certain that he is the subject of the present narrative. “Gittite” may mean that he was a native of Gath-rimmon, a Levitical city assigned to the children of Kohath (Joshua 21:20, 24). The Kohathites had the responsibility of carrying the ark (Num. 4:15). See further on 2 Sam. 6:10.

14. The Lord blessed. While the ark remained in the home of Obed-edom, it brought blessing (see on 2 Sam. 6:11).

Ellen G. White comments

1–14PP 704–706

1–7PP 704

8–14PP 705