First light on a hilltop threshing floor in the Judean hills: a broad, flat round of bare bedrock swept clean, edged with low fieldstones, an empty road running past it between oaks toward far terraced hills, under a calm, pale sky.

The Book of

1 Chronicles 13

All Israel sets out with songs to bring the ark of God home. No one asked Him how.

14 verses≈ 3 min3 peopleBSB

Images are artistic interpretations.

Tap any post to go deeper

In this chapter

Where we are

1–9GenealogiesAll Israel, from Adam
10Saul fallsThe kingdom turned to David
11–12David kingAll Israel gathers
13–16The arkBrought home with songsChapter 13
17The covenantA house forever
18–20David's warsThe LORD gave victory
21The siteOrnan's threshing floor
22–27Preparing the templePriests, Levites and singers
28–29David's farewellBe strong, and do the work

David Fetches the Ark

Then David conferred with all his leaders, the commanders of thousands and of hundreds. And he said to the whole assembly of Israel, “If it seems good to you, and if this is of the LORD our God, let us send word far and wide to the rest of our brothers in all the land of Israel, and also to the priests and Levites in their cities and pasturelands, so that they may join us. Then let us bring back the ark of our God, for we did not inquire of Him in the days of Saul.”

And because this proposal seemed right to all the people, the whole assembly agreed to it.

Tap to go deeper: meaning, history and related Scripture

Stylised map · locations approximate

On the map

From Shihor to Lebo-hamath

David called all Israel “from the River Shihor in Egypt to Lebo-hamath”: the whole land from its southern border to the far north. The Shihor is probably the Brook of Egypt, the Wadi el-Arish (its site is not certain). Then they went up to Kiriath-jearim, about nine miles west of Jerusalem, where the ark had rested for two generations.

Reflect

We did not inquire

Israel wanted the ark back for a good reason. Everyone agreed, and no one asked God how. David himself said “we did not inquire of Him in the days of Saul,” and then did the same thing in a new way. Write down a plan you are making right now. Have you asked the Lord about it and opened His word, or only asked yourself and your friends?

Uzzah Touches the Ark

A joyful crowd walks up a hill road singing and playing lyres, upright harps, frame drums, bronze cymbals and two long silver trumpets; King David sings among them with his head thrown back, and far ahead the oxen draw the cart with the ark under its blue cloth.

David and all the Israelites were celebrating before God with all their might, with songs and on harps and lyres, with tambourines, cymbals, and trumpets.

0:09

Narrated by Bob Souer · BSB audio, public domain

When they came to the threshing floor of Chidon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark, because the oxen had stumbled. And the anger of the LORD burned against Uzzah, and He struck him down because he had put his hand on the ark. So he died there before God.

Dusk at a bare-rock threshing floor beside a hill road: the new cart stands halted with the ark still under its blue cloth, the two oxen unyoked and standing apart, a lyre and a frame drum left on the rock, the crowd far back in silent groups, and King David alone at the edge of the floor, half turned away.

Then David became angry because the LORD had burst forth against Uzzah. So he named that place Perez-uzzah, as it is called to this day.

Question

Quick question

Before anyone set out for Kiriath-jearim, David told the whole assembly why the ark should come back.

What reason did David give for bringing back the ark?

That day David feared God and asked, “How can I ever bring the ark of God to me?”

How can I ever bring the ark of God to me?

1 Chronicles 13:12

The walled courtyard of a stone house at harvest, full grain jars, a goat with kids, a woman grinding grain and children playing; the master of the house stands in the doorway of an inner room where the gold ark rests on a mat in the dimness behind him.

So he did not move the ark with him to the City of David; instead, he took it aside to the house of Obed-edom the Gittite. Thus the ark of God remained with the family of Obed-edom in his house for three months, and the LORD blessed his household and everything he owned.

Pray

How can I ever bring the ark?

Praise the holy God who comes near His people. Ask Him for reverence that takes His word seriously and for joy that sings with all your might. Ask Him to make you one who seeks Him first, before the plan is made. And thank Him for the blessing He gives to the household that welcomes Him.

You’ve experienced

1 Chronicles 13

0 of 29 chapters read

A verse to carry with you

That day David feared God and asked, “How can I ever bring the ark of God to me?”

1 Chronicles 13:12

or swipe left