Keraia
2 Samuel 6

2 Samuel 6:7

Uzzah Touches the Ark · 2 Samuel 6:5–11
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Translations

Modern
And the anger of the LORD burned against Uzzah, and God struck him down on the spot for his irreverence, and he died there beside the ark of God.
Traditional
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.
Literal
And the anger of YHWH was kindled against Uzzah, and God struck him there for the error, and he died there by the ark of God.
Latin
Iratusque est indignatione Dominus contra Ozam, et percussit eum super temeritate: qui mortuus est ibi juxta arcam Dei.

Original

Hebrew
English
And the anger of the LORD burned against Uzzah, and God struck him down on the spot for his irreverence, and he died there beside the ark of God.

Notes

2 Samuel 6:6–7

took hold of the ark: Uzzah likely acted with good intentions and responded quickly. However, by touching the ark, he disobeyed God’s command (see Exodus 19:12–13; Numbers 4:15). As a result, he received the same punishment as the people of Beth-shemesh (1 Samuel 6:19). Later, David had the Levites carry the ark into Jerusalem, following God’s instructions (see 1 Chronicles 15:2, 13–15).

2 Samuel 6:1–23

Except for a brief reference in 1 Samuel 14:18 (see note), the ark of the covenant does not appear again after 1 Samuel 7:1–2. In that passage, the Philistines returned the captured ark to Beth-shemesh, and it was later taken to Kiriath-jearim. There, the ark was placed in the home of Abinadab.

The ark’s long absence during the reign of Saul is significant. It shows that Saul did not seek the Lord and was spiritually insensitive (see 1 Chronicles 10:13–14; 13:3). During Saul’s forty-year reign, the ark played little or no role in Israel’s worship or leadership.

In contrast, David brought the ark to Jerusalem. By doing this, David publicly acknowledged the Lord as Israel’s true king in the new capital (see 2 Samuel 6:2). The ark’s arrival showed that Israel’s political center was now also a place of worship.

Theme notes and profiles

David Celebration The Ark of the Covenant

Events

Parallels

1 Chronicles 13:8–14

People

Uzzah: Died while moving the ark; place named after him

Glossary

Ark of the Covenant David Jerusalem Judah, Tribe of Kiriath-jearim Music Samuel, Books of First and Second Temple Uzzah

Topics

Anger: Anger of God Ark of the Covenant: Removed from Kirjath-Jearim to the House of Obed-Edom Ark: in the Tabernacle--Called the Ark of the Covenant of God David: King of Israel: Uzzah is Struck Down when he Attempts to Steady the Ark of the Covenant Judgments: Upon Individuals - Exemplified: Uzzah Judgments: Uzzah Kirjath-Jearim: David Brings the Ark of the Covenant From Miracles: Catalogue of The Death of Uzzah Nachon: Uzzah Killed at the Threshing Floor of Presumption: Uzzah, in Steadying the Ark of the Covenant Rashness: Uzzah, in Steadying the Ark of the Covenant Sacrilege of Uzzah The Anger of God: Exemplified Against: Uzzah Uzzah: Also Called Uzza, Son of Abinadab: Stricken Dead for Touching the Ark of the Covenant