2 Samuel 6:1-11

Good News Translation

The Covenant Box Is Brought to Jerusalem^(A)

6 Once more David called together the best soldiers in Israel, a total of thirty thousand men, ^2 (B)and led them to Baalah^[a] in Judah, in order to bring from there God's Covenant Box, bearing the name of the Lord Almighty, whose throne is above the winged creatures.^{[b] 3 (C)}They took it from Abinadab's home on the hill and placed it on a new cart. Uzzah and Ahio, sons of Abinadab, were guiding the cart, ⁴ with Ahio walking in front. ⁵ David and all the Israelites were dancing and singing with all their might^[c] to honor the Lord. They were playing harps, lyres, drums, rattles, and cymbals.

⁶ As they came to the threshing place of Nacon, the oxen stumbled, and Uzzah reached out and took hold of the Covenant Box. ⁷ At once the Lord God became angry with Uzzah and killed him because of his irreverence.^[d] Uzzah died there beside the Covenant Box, ⁸ and so that place has been called Perez Uzzah^[e] ever since. David was furious because the Lord had punished Uzzah in anger.

⁹ Then David was afraid of the Lord and said, “How can I take the Covenant Box with me now?” ¹⁰ So he decided not to take it with him to Jerusalem; instead, he turned off the road and took it to the house of Obed Edom, a native of the city of Gath. ^11 (D)It stayed there three months, and the Lord blessed Obed Edom and his family.