2 Samuel 6:9 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And David was afraid of the Lord that day, and he said, "How can the ark of the Lord come to me?"

NIV: David was afraid of the Lord that day and said, "How can the ark of the Lord ever come to me?"

NASB: So David was afraid of the Lord that day; and he said, 'How can the ark of the Lord come to me?'

CSB: David feared the Lord that day and said, "How can the ark of the Lord ever come to me?"

NLT: David was now afraid of the Lord, and he asked, 'How can I ever bring the Ark of the Lord back into my care?'

KJV: And David was afraid of the Lord that day, and said, How shall the ark of the Lord come to me?

NKJV: David was afraid of the Lord that day; and he said, “How can the ark of the Lord come to me?”

David's desire is good: bring the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem and invite God's presence into the capital. He consulted elders, military leaders, and God, and all agreed to the plan (1 Chronicles 13:1–4). David even commissions music and songs for the journey (2 Samuel 6:5).

What he didn't do was consult the Mosaic law. The Law specifically states that the ark may only be moved by Levites holding on to the wooden poles integrated into the design (Deuteronomy 10:8). Instead, David put the ark on an ox cart. The oxen stumbled, the cart jostled, a man named Uzzah put his hand on the ark, and God struck him dead.

David's anger at God's judgment turns to fear of being near the ark himself. He may have wanted God's power in Jerusalem for protection, but people often forget they cannot wield God's power without submitting to His will.

Realizing he is not ready to host the ark, David leaves it at the home of Obed-edom. Later, Solomon will write, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge" (Proverbs 1:7). In David's fear, he realizes he needs more wisdom before God's ark enters his city.

The ark stays with Obed-edom for three months, and God blesses him and his household. When David hears, he covets that blessing. This time, the celebration is even grander, priests offer sacrifices every six steps, and David dances with joy. Most importantly, Levites carry the ark according to the instructions in the Mosaic law (2 Samuel 6:12–15).

In 2 Samuel 6:5–11, God judges and blesses. David has called a procession to bring the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem. When the ox cart that carries it wobbles, Uzzah reaches out to steady it, and God strikes him dead for profaning the sacred object. Angry and fearful, David leaves the ark at the home of Obed-edom. When David hears God has been blessing Obed-edom, David recalls the procession, the Levites hand-carry the ark as they should, and the religious and political capitals of Israel are closer to aligning (2 Samuel 6:12–15). This information is also found in 1 Chronicles 13:5–14.

In 2 Samuel 6, David decides to bring the ark of God (Exodus 25:10–22) to Jerusalem. This includes an enormous crowd and a great procession. Unfortunately, he doesn't follow the Mosaic law, and a man dies for inappropriately touching the ark. David leaves the ark at a house for three months before trying again. Moving the symbol of God's presence into the nation's capital delights everyone except David's first wife, Michal. She is disgusted by David's undignified enthusiasm. The same events are noted in 1 Chronicles 13 and 15.

David has established himself as king over all Israel (2 Samuel 5). In 2 Samuel 6, the ark of the covenant reaches Jerusalem. Since its first home in Shiloh, it's been captured by Philistines, sent back home, housed in Kiriath-jearim, carried with the army, and returned to Kiriath-jearim (Joshua 18:1; 1 Samuel 4, 6; 7:1–2; 14:18). David first puts the ark on a cart, but the cart wobbles and God strikes dead the man who tries to save it. Eventually, Levites carry the ark to Jerusalem properly. Soon, David decides that God deserves a proper temple and asks if he can build one (2 Samuel 7).

Second Samuel continues the story of David, who will become king over Judah. The other tribes of Israel are resistant, eventually sparking a civil war. David wins and makes Jerusalem his capital. Early success is followed by moral failure and controversy in David's house. The book of 1 Kings will begin by detailing David's decline and death.