2 Samuel 6:1-15

New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition

David Brings the Ark to Jerusalem

6 David again gathered all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand. ² David and all the people with him set out and went from Baale-judah to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the name of the Lord of hosts who is enthroned on the cherubim.^{(A) 3} They carried the ark of God on a new cart and brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. Uzzah and Ahio,^[a] the sons of Abinadab, were driving the new cart^{(B) 4} with the ark of God,^[b] and Ahio^[c] went in front of the ark.^{(C) 5} David and all the house of Israel were dancing before the Lord with all their might, with songs^[d] and lyres and harps and tambourines and castanets and cymbals.^(D)

⁶ When they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah reached out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen lurched.^{(E) 7} The anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah, and God struck him there,^[e] and he died there beside the ark of God.^{(F) 8} David was angry because the Lord had burst forth with an outburst upon Uzzah, so that place is called Perez-uzzah^[f] to this day. ⁹ David was afraid of the Lord that day; he said, “How can the ark of the Lord come into my care?” ¹⁰ So David was unwilling to take the ark of the Lord into his care in the city of David; instead, David took it to the house of Obed-edom the Gittite.^{(G) 11} The ark of the Lord remained in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite three months, and the Lord blessed Obed-edom and all his household.^(H)

¹² It was told King David, “The Lord has blessed the household of Obed-edom and all that belongs to him because of the ark of God.” So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom to the city of David with rejoicing,^{(I) 13} and when those who bore the ark of the Lord had gone six paces, he sacrificed an ox and a fatted calf. ¹⁴ David danced before the Lord with all his might; David was girded with a linen ephod.^{(J) 15} So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting and with the sound of the trumpet.^(K)