INTRODUCTION TO SECOND SAMUEL 6 In this chapter we are told that David fetched the ark from Baale of Judah, with an intent to bring it to his own city, 2 Samuel 6:1; but Uzzah being smitten for his error concerning it, David was displeased, and left it at the house of Obededom, where it remained three months, and proved a blessing to his house, 2...
Again, David gathered together all [the] chosen [men] of Israel, thirty thousand. Which was done by the advice of his officers, 1 Chronicles 13:1; the word "again" refers either to the gathering of them when they made him king in Hebron, as the Jewish writers generally observe; but then they gathered themselves, and not David: or rather to his...
The obscurity of the ark, during the reign of Saul, had been as great a grievance to Israel as the insults of the Philistines. David, having humbled the Philistines and mortified them in gratitude for that favour, and in pursuance of his designs for the public welfare, is here bringing up the ark to his own city, that it might be near him, and be...
And David arose, and went with all the people that [were] with him,.... The thirty thousand chosen men gathered together, and as many else as chose to go: from Baale of Judah, to bring up from thence the ark of God; that is, they first went to this place, as in 1 Chronicles 13:6; in order to fetch the ark from thence, as here expressed, and then...
And they set the ark of God upon a new cart,.... Which was a great mistake, since it ought not to have been put upon a cart, old or new; it was to be borne upon men's shoulders, and carried by Levites only, and those of the family of Kohath, to whom no wagons were given, when others had them, for the above reason, Numbers 7:9; it is strange that...
And they brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which [was] at Gibeah,.... That is, the new cart, which is the last thing spoken of, 2 Samuel 6:3; and the bringing of the ark out of his house is mentioned before; though some take this to be the coffer in which were the presents of the Philistines, which was now brought out along with the ark,...
And David and all the house of Israel played before the Lord,.... That is, before the ark, which was a symbol of the presence of the Lord: on all manner of [instruments made of] fir wood: which is a general expression, the particulars follow; though instruments of different sorts are mentioned, and even some of metal, as cymbals, which were...
And when they came to Nachon's threshingfloor,.... Who is called Chidon, 1 Chronicles 13:9; he seems to have had two names; or it was a place that had two names, as say the Jews (h); according to a tradition of theirs (i), Chidon is the name of the place where it was said to Joshua, stretch out the spear or shield in thine hand towards Ai, Joshua...
And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah,.... And which was manifest by smiting him: and God smote him there for [his] error; committed at this time, which was complicated; as that the ark was put upon a cart, to which he might be the chief adviser, as Procopius Gazaeus notes, when it should have been carried on the shoulders of the...
And David was displeased, because the Lord had made a breach upon Uzzah,.... He could not easily submit, and be reconciled to the providence; his heart was ready to rise up against God, and murmur at him for striking him dead in such an awful manner, for so small a matter as this might seem to be; and the rather, as this put a stop to the...
And David was afraid of the Lord that day,.... Lest he should be smitten for his error also, and especially as he had discovered some resentment at the Lord's dealing with Uzzah; when he ought to have been still and quiet, and submitted to the will of God, and owned his justice in it, confessed his own error, and been thankful for his sparing...
So David would not remove the ark of the Lord unto him into the city of David,.... As yet, but wait a little longer, until he had more thoroughly considered of it, and made himself acquainted with everything relative to the ark, that he might know how to behave for the future, without giving offence: but David carried it aside into the house of...
And the ark of the Lord continued in the house of Obededom the Gittite three months,.... David, and those with him, returned to their habitations, where they continued during this time: and the Lord blessed Obededom, and all his household; him, and all his family, with spiritual blessings, and with an affluence of temporal good things; for...
And it was told King David,.... By some of his courtiers who had heard of it: saying, the Lord hath blessed the house of Obededom, and all that [pertaineth] unto him, because of the ark of the Lord; it was so suddenly, in so short a time, and so largely, that it could not escape the notice and observation of men that knew him; and this increase...
And it was [so], that when they that bare the ark of the Lord,.... The Levites; for now David had seen the former mistake, and rectified it, and ordered the Levites to "carry" it, as they did upon their shoulders, with the staves therein, see 1 Chronicles 15:2; when these had gone six paces, he sacrificed oxen and fatlings; upon an altar, which...
And David danced before the Lord with all [his] might,.... That is, before the ark of the Lord; not a set dance, or along with others; but he leaped and skipped as "car", a lamb, does, and that for joy that the ark was like to be brought home to his house, without any token of the divine displeasure, as before; the Targum is, "he praised before...
So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord,.... The elders of Israel, and the captains over thousands, 1 Chronicles 15:25; besides the common people; there might be as large a number with him now as before: with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet; with the shouts of the people in common, and with blowing of...
And as the ark of the Lord came into the city of David,.... Being brought thither on the shoulders of the Levites: Michal, Saul's daughter, looked through a window; in the king's palace, to see the procession, which was very grand, and in great pomp, attended by a vast number of people, and with music of all sorts. She is said to be Saul's...
And they brought in the ark of the Lord,.... Into the city of David, the strong hold of Zion: and set it in his place, in the midst of the tabernacle that David had pitched for it: or "stretched out"; for this was not the tabernacle of Moses, David pitched any where; that was at this time at Gibeon, where it continued to the time of Solomon, 1...
And as soon as David had made an end of offering burnt offerings and peace offerings,.... Or these were performed according to his order: he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of hosts; not as a priest, but as a prince, as the common father of them, wishing them all happiness and prosperity outward and inward, praying to God to bless them...