1 Chronicles
Chapter 13
1 David talked with the leaders of thousands and hundreds, and with every chief.
2 David said to all the people of Israel, “If it seems good to you and it is God’s will, let’s send a message to our brothers everywhere who remain in the land of Israel, and to the priests and Levites in their towns and surrounding areas, so they can join us.”
3 Let’s bring back God’s ark to us; we didn’t ask for its guidance when Saul was king.
4 And the whole group agreed to do it because everyone thought it was the right thing to do.
5 David brought all the people of Israel from the Shihor River near Egypt to Hemath to move God’s ark from Kirjathjearim.
6 David and all of Israel went to Baalah, also known as Kirjathjearim in Judah, to bring back the ark of God, called by His name and resting between the cherubim.
7 They moved God’s ark on a new cart from Abinadab’s house; Uzza and Ahio drove the cart.
8 David and everyone in Israel danced and played music for God with all their strength, using songs, harps, lyres, tambourines, cymbals, and trumpets.
9 When they got to Chidon’s threshing floor, Uzza reached out to steady the ark because the oxen tripped.
10 God became angry with Uzza and struck him down because he touched the ark, and Uzza died there in front of God.
11 David was upset because God had punished Uzza, so that place is named Perezuzza even now.
12 David was scared of God that day and asked, “How can I bring God’s ark to my house?”
13 David did not bring the ark to his own city but took it to the house of Obed-edom, a man from Gath.
14 God’s chest stayed with Obededom’s family in his home for three months. And God blessed Obededom’s home and all his belongings.