David brings the ark to Jerusalem on a brand new cart. The oxen stumble, Uzzah grabs the ark, and God strikes him dead. Three months later David tries again, the right way, and dances before Yahweh with all his might. His wife Michal watches from a window and is not impressed.
1David again assembled the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand in all.2And he and all his troops set out for Baale of Judah to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the Name—the name of Yahweh of Hosts, who is enthroned between the cherubim that are on it.
2SA 6:1[NOTABLE]The ark was being transported wrongly (on a cart, not carried by Kohathites); Uzzah's death shows even good intentions cannot violate God's holiness protocols
3They set the ark of God on a new cart and brought it from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, were guiding the new cart,4bringing with it the ark of God. And Ahio was walking in front of the ark.
2SA 6:3[NOTE]A NEW CART. The Philistines moved the ark this way, 1 Samuel 6:7. God's law said Levites must carry it on their shoulders, Numbers 7:9.
Uzzah Touches the Ark// 1 Chronicles 13:8–14
5David and all the house of Israel were celebrating before Yahweh with all kinds of wood instruments, harps, stringed instruments, tambourines, sistrums, and cymbals.
6When they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark of God, because the oxen had stumbled.7And the anger of Yahweh burned against Uzzah, and God struck him down on the spot for his irreverence, and he died there beside the ark of God.
2SA 6:6[MIRACLE]God strikes Uzzah dead for touching the ark
2SA 6:7[NOTE]WHY UZZAH? See the Big Question pages Uzzah and the Ark.
8Then David became angry because Yahweh had burst forth against Uzzah. So he named that place Perez-uzzah, as it is called to this day.
9That day David feared Yahweh and asked, “How can the ark of Yahweh ever come to me?”10So he was unwilling to move the ark of Yahweh to the City of David; instead, he took it aside to the house of Obed-edom the Gittite.11Thus the ark of Yahweh remained in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite for three months, and Yahweh blessed him and all his household.
The Ark Brought to Jerusalem// 1 Chronicles 15:1–28
12Now it was reported to King David, “Yahweh has blessed the house of Obed-edom and all that belongs to him, because of the ark of God.”
So David went and had the ark of God brought up from the house of Obed-edom into the City of David with rejoicing. 13When those carrying the ark of Yahweh had advanced six paces, he sacrificed an ox and a fattened calf.
14And David, wearing a linen ephod, danced with all his might before Yahweh, 15while he and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of Yahweh with shouting and the sounding of the ram’s horn.
Michal’s Contempt for David// 1 Chronicles 15:29–16:3
16As the ark of Yahweh was entering the City of David, Saul’s daughter Michal looked down from a window and saw King David leaping and dancing before Yahweh, and she despised him in her heart.
2SA 6:16[HEART]Michal watched David dance before Yahweh, and she despised him in her heart. The joy was outside, the contempt was inside.
2SA 6:16[NOTE]MICHAL was Saul's daughter and David's first wife. See the Big Question pages Michal and David.
17So they brought the ark of Yahweh and set it in its place inside the tent that David had pitched for it. Then David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before Yahweh.
18When David had finished sacrificing the burnt offerings and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of Yahweh of Hosts. 19Then he distributed to every man and woman among the multitude of Israel a loaf of bread, a date cake, and a raisin cake. And all the people departed, each to his own home.
20When David returned home to bless his own household, Saul’s daughter Michal came out to meet him. “How the king of Israel has distinguished himself today!” she said. “He has uncovered himself today in the sight of the maidservants of his subjects, like a vulgar person would do.”
21But David said to Michal, “I was dancing before Yahweh, who chose me over your father and all his house when He appointed me ruler over Yahweh’s people Israel. I will celebrate before Yahweh, 22and I will humiliate and humble myself even more than this. Yet I will be honored by the maidservants of whom you have spoken.”
23And Michal the daughter of Saul had no children to the day of her death.
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