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1 Chronicles 13

New International Reader’s Version



1 David talked with each of his officers. He wanted to get their advice. Some of them were commanders of thousands of men. Others were commanders of hundreds. 2 David spoke to the whole community of Israel. He said, ‘Let’s send word to the rest of our people no matter how far away they live. They live in all the territories of Israel. Let’s also send word to the priests and Levites who are with them in their towns and on their grasslands. Let’s invite everyone to come and join us. Let’s do it if it seems good to you and if that’s what the LORD our God wants. 3 Let’s bring the ark of our God back here to us. We didn’t use it to ask God for advice during the whole time Saul was king.’ 4 So that’s what the whole community agreed to do. It seemed right to them. 5 David gathered together all the Israelites. They came from the area between the River Shihor in Egypt and Lebo Hamath. They came to bring the ark of God from Kiriath Jearim to Jerusalem. 6 David went to Baalah of Judah. The whole community of Israel went with him. Baalah is also called Kiriath Jearim. All the people went there to get the ark of God the LORD. He sits on his throne between the cherubim. The ark is named after the LORD. 7 The ark of God was placed on a new cart. Then it was moved from Abinadab’s house. Uzzah and Ahio were guiding it. 8 David was celebrating with all his might in front of God. So was the whole community of Israel. All of them were singing songs. They were also playing harps, lyres, tambourines, cymbals and trumpets. 9 They came to the threshing-floor of Kidon. The oxen nearly fell there. So Uzzah reached out his hand to hold the ark steady. 10 Then the LORD became very angry with Uzzah. The LORD struck him down because he had put his hand on the ark. So Uzzah died there in front of God. 11 David was angry because the LORD’s great anger had broken out against Uzzah. That’s why the place is still called Perez Uzzah to this day. 12 David was afraid of God that day. David asked, ‘How can I ever bring the ark of God back here to me?’ 13 So he didn’t take the ark to be with him in the City of David. Instead, he took it to the house of Obed-Edom. Obed-Edom was from Gath. 14 The ark of God remained with the family of Obed-Edom. It stayed in his house for three months. And the LORD blessed his family. He also blessed everything that belonged to him. 

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1 Chronicles 13

English Standard Version



1 David consulted with the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, with every leader. 2 And David said to all the assembly of Israel, “If it seems good to you and from the Lord our God, let us send abroad to our brothers who remain in all the lands of Israel, as well as to the priests and Levites in the cities that have pasturelands, that they may be gathered to us. (1Sa 31:1) 3 Then let us bring again the ark of our God to us, for we did not seek it[1] in the days of Saul.” (1Sa 7:1) 4 All the assembly agreed to do so, for the thing was right in the eyes of all the people. 



5 So David assembled all Israel from the Nile[2] of Egypt to Lebo-hamath, to bring the ark of God from Kiriath-jearim. (Nu 34:5; 1Sa 6:21; 1Sa 7:1; 2Sa 6:1; 1Ki 8:65; 1Ch 15:3) 6 And David and all Israel went up to Baalah, that is, to Kiriath-jearim that belongs to Judah, to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the name of the Lord who sits enthroned above the cherubim. (Jos 15:9; Jos 15:60; 1Sa 4:4; 2Sa 6:2) 7 And they carried the ark of God on a new cart, from the house of Abinadab, and Uzzah and Ahio[3] were driving the cart. (1Sa 7:1) 8 And David and all Israel were celebrating before God with all their might, with song and lyres and harps and tambourines and cymbals and trumpets. (1Ch 15:16) 9 And when they came to the threshing floor of Chidon, Uzzah put out his hand to take hold of the ark, for the oxen stumbled. (2Sa 6:6) 10 And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah, and he struck him down because he put out his hand to the ark, and he died there before God. (Le 10:2; Nu 4:15; 1Ch 15:13; 1Ch 15:15) 11 And David was angry because the Lord had broken out against Uzzah. And that place is called Perez-uzza[4] to this day. 12 And David was afraid of God that day, and he said, “How can I bring the ark of God home to me?” 13 So David did not take the ark home into the city of David, but took it aside to the house of Obed-edom the Gittite. (2Ch 25:24) 14 And the ark of God remained with the household of Obed-edom in his house three months. And the Lord blessed the household of Obed-edom and all that he had. (1Ch 26:4) 

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