Obed-edom

6They came to Nachon's threshing floor, a flat place where grain was beaten. The oxen stumbled there. So Uzzah reached out and grabbed the ark of God.

And when they came to Nachon’s threshingfloor, Uzzah put forth his hand to the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the oxen shook it.

NoteA threshing floor was a hard, flat, open place. Farmers beat the grain there to knock the seeds loose. Oxen are big strong cattle that pull carts.

7The Lord grew angry with Uzzah. God struck him down right there for what he had done. Uzzah died beside the ark of God.

And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzzah; and God smote him there for his error; and there he died by the ark of God.

NoteThe ark belonged to God alone, and no one was to touch it. "Smote" is an old word that means struck. "His error" means the wrong thing he did.

8David was upset that the Lord had burst out against Uzzah. He named that place Perez-uzzah. It still has that name today.

And David was displeased, because the LORD had made a breach upon Uzzah: and he called the name of the place Perezuzzah to this day.

NoteNames in the Bible often meant something. Perez-uzzah means "bursting out against Uzzah." People still called the spot by that name long after.

9That day David was afraid of the Lord. He asked, "How can the ark of the Lord ever come to me?"

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

10So David would not move the ark into his own city. Instead he took it aside to the house of Obed-edom, a man from the town of Gath.

So David would not remove the ark of the LORD unto him into the city of David: but David carried it aside into the house of Obededom the Gittite.

NoteThe City of David is another name for Jerusalem. It was the town where David lived. Gath was a town nearby, so Obed-edom came from somewhere else.

11The ark of the Lord stayed at Obed-edom's house for three months. The Lord blessed Obed-edom and everyone who lived with him.

And the ark of the LORD continued in the house of Obededom the Gittite three months: and the LORD blessed Obededom, and all his household.

NoteTo bless someone means to give them good things. Obed-edom's family did well while the ark was there.

12Someone told King David, "The Lord has blessed Obed-edom's house and everything he owns. It is because of the ark of God." So David went and brought the ark up to his city. He did it with great joy.

And it was told king David, saying, The LORD hath blessed the house of Obededom, and all that pertaineth unto him, because of the ark of God. So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obededom into the city of David with gladness.

9They came to the threshing floor of Chidon. The oxen pulling the cart stumbled. So Uzza reached out his hand to hold the ark steady.

And when they came unto the threshingfloor of Chidon, Uzza put forth his hand to hold the ark; for the oxen stumbled.

NoteA threshing floor was a flat, hard patch of ground. Farmers beat piles of grain there. That knocked the seeds loose from the dry stalks. Oxen are big strong cattle used to pull heavy loads.

10The LORD became angry at Uzza. God struck him down because he had put his hand on the ark. Uzza died there in front of God.

And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzza, and he smote him, because he put his hand to the ark: and there he died before God.

NoteGod's rules said no one was allowed to touch the ark. Not even good men like Uzza. That is why the poles were there for carrying it.

11David was upset because the LORD had burst out against Uzza. So David named that place Perez-uzza. People still call it that today.

And David was displeased, because the LORD had made a breach upon Uzza: wherefore that place is called Perezuzza to this day.

NoteThe name Perez-uzza means "bursting out against Uzza." People in those days often named a place after what happened there.

12That day David was afraid of God. He asked, "How can I ever bring the ark of God home to me?"

And David was afraid of God that day, saying, How shall I bring the ark of God home to me?

13So David did not take the ark home to his own city. He turned aside and left it at the house of Obed-edom, a man from the town of Gath.

So David brought not the ark home to himself to the city of David, but carried it aside into the house of Obededom the Gittite.

NoteThe city of David is another name for Jerusalem. Gath was a town of the Philistines, a people who lived near Israel.

14The ark of God stayed with Obed-edom and his family for three months. The LORD blessed Obed-edom's household and everything he owned.

And the ark of God remained with the family of Obededom in his house three months. And the LORD blessed the house of Obededom, and all that he had.

NoteTo bless someone means to be very good to them. While the ark was there, good things happened to Obed-edom and his family.

25So David went with the leaders of Israel and the army commanders. They were full of joy. They went to bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD from the house of Obed-edom.

So David, and the elders of Israel, and the captains over thousands, went to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of the house of Obededom with joy.

NoteA covenant is a promise between two sides. God made a promise to be with Israel. The ark reminded everyone of that promise. The army commanders each led about a thousand soldiers.

26God helped the Levites who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD. So the people gave God an offering of seven bulls and seven rams.

And it came to pass, when God helped the Levites that bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, that they offered seven bullocks and seven rams.

NoteAn offering was a gift given to God. An animal was killed and burned on a stone table called an altar. Giving seven bulls and seven rams was a very big gift, for a very happy day.

27David wore a robe of fine linen cloth. So did the Levites who carried the ark, and the singers, and Chenaniah, who led the singing. David also wore a linen ephod, a special vest worn for serving God.

And David was clothed with a robe of fine linen, and all the Levites that bare the ark, and the singers, and Chenaniah the master of the song with the singers: David also had upon him an ephod of linen.

NoteLinen is soft cloth made from a plant. It was cool, clean and light, and people wore it for special days. An ephod was a plain vest worn over the clothes when serving God.

28So all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the LORD. They shouted for joy. They blew rams' horns and trumpets. They played cymbals, harps, and lyres.

Thus all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the LORD with shouting, and with sound of the cornet, and with trumpets, and with cymbals, making a noise with psalteries and harps.

NoteA ram is a male sheep. Its curved horn was hollowed out and blown like a trumpet.

29The ark of the covenant of the LORD came into the city of David. Michal, the daughter of Saul, looked down from a window. She saw King David dancing and celebrating. Deep inside, she thought less of him for it.

And it came to pass, as the ark of the covenant of the LORD came to the city of David, that Michal, the daughter of Saul looking out at a window saw king David dancing and playing: and she despised him in her heart.

NoteMichal was David's wife. Her father Saul had been king before David. Looking down from a window means she stayed inside and did not join in.

37So David left Asaph and his relatives there in front of the ark. They were to serve there every day, doing the work each day needed.

So he left there before the ark of the covenant of the LORD Asaph and his brethren, to minister before the ark continually, as every day’s work required:

38Obed-edom and sixty-eight of his relatives stayed too. Obed-edom son of Jeduthun and Hosah were gatekeepers, who guarded the doors.

And Obededom with their brethren, threescore and eight; Obededom also the son of Jeduthun and Hosah to be porters:

NoteA score means twenty. So the King James "threescore and eight" means sixty-eight. Gatekeepers guarded the doors and watched who came in.

4Obed-edom also had sons. Shemaiah was the oldest. Then came Jehozabad, Joah, Sacar, and Nethanel.

Moreover the sons of Obededom were, Shemaiah the firstborn, Jehozabad the second, Joah the third, and Sacar the fourth, and Nethaneel the fifth,

5Then came Ammiel, Issachar, and Peullethai. That made eight sons. God had been good to Obed-edom.

Ammiel the sixth, Issachar the seventh, Peulthai the eighth: for God blessed him.

NoteObed-edom once kept God's special gold box, called the ark, at his house. The ark showed people that God was with them. Good things happened to his family in that time.

6Shemaiah, the son of Obed-edom, had sons too. They led their families, because they were strong and able men.

Also unto Shemaiah his son were sons born, that ruled throughout the house of their father: for they were mighty men of valour.

7Shemaiah's sons were Othni, Rephael, Obed, and Elzabad. His brothers Elihu and Semachiah were able men as well.

The sons of Shemaiah; Othni, and Rephael, and Obed, Elzabad, whose brethren were strong men, Elihu, and Semachiah.

8All of these came from Obed-edom. They, their sons, and their brothers were strong enough for the work. There were sixty-two of them.

All these of the sons of Obededom: they and their sons and their brethren, able men for strength for the service, were threescore and two of Obededom.