seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
2 Samuel 6:1 David again brought together all the able young men of Israel—thirty thousand. 2 He and all his men went to Baalah[a] in Judah to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the Name,(b) the name of the Lord Almighty, who is enthroned between the cherubim on the ark. 3 They set the ark of God on a new cart and brought it from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. Uzzah and Ahio, sons of Abinadab, were guiding the new cart 4 with the ark of God on it,[c] and Ahio was walking in front of it. 5 David and all Israel were celebrating with all their might before the Lord, with castanets,[d] harps, lyres, timbrels, sistrums and cymbals.
6 When they came to the threshing floor of Nakon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark of God, because the oxen stumbled. 7 The Lord’s anger burned against Uzzah because of his irreverent act; therefore God struck him down, and he died there beside the ark of God.
6 When they came to the threshing floor of Nakon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark of God, because the oxen stumbled. 7 The Lord’s anger burned against Uzzah because of his irreverent act; therefore God struck him down, and he died there beside the ark of God.
a. 2 Samuel 6:2 That is, Kiriath Jearim (see 1 Chron. 13:6)
b. 2 Samuel 6:2 Hebrew; Septuagint and Vulgate do not have the Name.
c. 2 Samuel 6:4 Dead Sea Scrolls and some Septuagint manuscripts; Masoretic Text cart 4 and they brought it with the ark of God from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill
d. 2 Samuel 6:5 Masoretic Text; Dead Sea Scrolls and Septuagint (see also 1 Chron. 13:8) songs
They thought they had it made. They had a new cart... built specifically for the Ark. In the old days... back when Moses was around.... the Ark had been carried by priests exclusively. Actually, that makes a lot of sense because the priests were always wrestling those bulls, calves, and sheep during the sacrifice. They had to have significant body strength to heft up all that meat. The Ark was a gold laden box with two cold statuettes attached to the lid. It was just the type of heavy object that a cart was just perfect for. What a celebration there was. Everyone, especially the Levites, had to be so very happy. Moving the Ark to the City of David [Jerusalem] was going to be so much easier. They were all singing and dancing and celebrating.... and then poop happened. Uzzah touched the Ark and fell dead.... well that idea didn't work.
Imagine... you're right in the middle of a difficult project.... you think you've got it made.... and then it falls apart. Like moving one of those really fancy cakes from the cart to the serving table and it dropping on the floor... busting into a crumbing sweet mess. After hours of execution and planning... that beautiful cake is mush....
That's what it was like.... David, Uzzah and Ahio, sons of Abinadab thought they had solved the problem of how to move the Ark to Jerusalem without having priests carry it all the way.... but the idea didn't work and Uzzah is now dead. David is really really upset!
This is from the blueletterbible.org.
Transporting the ark on a cart was against God's specific command. The ark was designed to be carried (Exodus 25:12-15) and was only to be carried by Levites of the family of Koath (Numbers 4:15).
This Philistines transported the ark on a cart in 1 Samuel 6:10-11. They got away with it because they were Philistines, but God expected more from His people. Israel was to take their example from God's Word, not from the innovations of the Philistines.
This is from Bible.org.
We find what went wrong here by going back in Israel's history to the time God gave Israel the Law, when He gave them instructions concerning the construction and transporting of the ark. These are the words God spoke to Moses concerning the tabernacle and the ark of the covenant.
GodVine commentary seems to say that God had to strike Uzzah dead because the people might stop respecting the Ark if just anyone [even a cool logistics guy] could touch it.
Smote him there for his error - Uzzah sinned through ignorance and precipitancy; he had not time to reflect, the oxen suddenly stumbled; and, fearing lest the ark should fall, he suddenly stretched out his hand to prevent it. Had he touched the ark with impunity, the populace might have lost their respect for it and its sacred service, the example of Uzzah must have filled them with fear and sacred reverence; and, as to Uzzah, no man can doubt of his eternal safety.
I have to admit... after hearing what happened to Uzzah for just trying to help... I'd be holding my hands close to my body to keep myself from chipping in. I bet that was some party... in the beginning.... David was, after all, a musician.... the music must have been great.... it's a shame it had to end in such a shocking death. They really did think they were doing right... right?
