The ark is brought to Jerusalem
1 ① David gathered together once more all the picked men of Israel, numbering thirty thousand in all. 2Then he and all the people with him in Baala-Judah set forth to bring up from there the ark of God on which Yahweh of hosts pronounced and put his Name, he who rests on the cherubim. 3They placed the ark of God on a new cart and brought it out of the house of Abinadab on the hill. Uzzah and Ahio, sons of Abinadab, were guiding the cart 4with the ark of Yahweh, with Ahio walking before it. 5David and the Israelites were joyfully celebrating before Yahweh, singing and playing on lyres, harps, tambourines, castanets and cymbals.
6When they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, the oxen stumbled and Uzzah stretched his hand to the ark of God to hold it. 7Yahweh’s anger burnt against Uzzah and God struck him there; Uzzah died there beside the ark of God. 8David was angry because Yahweh had struck Uzzah, and that place is called Perez-Uzzah to the present day.
9David was afraid of Yahweh that day and said, “How can the ark of Yahweh come to me?” 10So David refused to take the ark of Yahweh into the city of David but had it brought, instead, to the house of Obededom the Gittite. 11Yahweh’s ark remained there for three months and Yahweh blessed Obededom and all his household.
12King David was told that Yahweh had blessed the family of Obededom and all that belonged to him because of the ark of God, so he went to bring up the ark of God from the house of Obededom to the city of David, rejoicing. 13After those who carried the ark of Yahweh had walked six paces, they sacrificed an ox and a fattened calf.
14 ② David whirled round dancing with all his heart before Yahweh, wearing a linen ephod, 15for he and all the Israelites brought up the ark of Yahweh, shouting joyfully and sounding the horn.
16As the ark of Yahweh entered the city of David, Michal, Saul’s daughter, looked out of the window; and when she saw King David leaping and whirling round before Yahweh, she despised him in her heart.
17They brought in the ark of Yahweh and laid it in its place in the tent which David had pitched for it. Then David offered burnt and peace offerings before Yahweh. 18Once the offerings had been made, David blessed the people in the name of Yahweh of hosts, 19and distributed to each of them, to each man and woman of the entire assembly of Israel, a loaf of bread, a portion of meat and a raisin cake. With this, all the people left for their homes.
20When David returned to bless his household, Michal, Saul’s daughter, met him and said, “How the king of Israel honored himself today, exposing himself before his servants’ maids as uncouth men do!” 21But David said to Michal, “I did that before Yahweh who chose me instead of your father and his family, making me commander over Israel, Yahweh’s people. By Yahweh’s life I swear that I will dance and whirl again before him. 22I will humble myself still more and you may look at me, but I will not be rejected by the maids you spoke about.” 23And Michal, Saul’s daughter, had no child to the day she died.
- 2 S 6,1 The Ark was very important to the Israelites. It contained the Law which Moses received from God on Mount Sinai. The Israelites imagined God to be present above the Ark whose golden cap served as a footstool for his feet. God wanted them to understand that he was with his people, in a friendly but demanding presence. But to whom did the Ark belong? It belonged to the twelve tribes and not to any one of them in particular. That is why it stayed in different sanctuaries: Shiloh, Gilgal, Bethel, depending on circumstances. And what is David's intention in bringing it to Jerusalem, his new capital? Is it a political move to establish his authority over Israel? Most surely. But it is an inseparable religious act at a time when separation of political power from religious power was unknown. Until then, Israel was, as a whole, Yahweh's chosen one, God's firstborn. But no Israelite felt worthy of special attention from the God of their people. Now David knows that he is the chosen one of Yahweh, the son of God, as the prophet Nathan says referring to David's descendants. That is why David aspires to have the Ark very close to him, and he wishes God's presence in a temple that serves as a private chapel for his family. Such a temple does not yet exist. God certainly loves all people, but David is the first who becomes aware of this and lives by this truth in a very simple relationship with God. Later the prophets will understand that the promises made to David are for all of us who believe in Christ, God's only Son. In Israel only those of Levi's tribe, being especially consecrated to Yahweh, have the right to serve him and to approach sacred things. Abinadab and his sons have welcomed the Ark into their home. But they cannot touch the Ark without being affected by the awesome power emanating from the Holy God. We are told that Uzzah was stricken by God. This phrase well reflects the mentality of these times when the distinction between sin, error and accidents was hardly made: all that troubled the traditional and divine order was considered as sin. The sudden death of Uzzah has the value of a sign for those who witness it; it helps them to understand how great God is above all, and, at the same time, really present among his people. David had the Ark brought to the house of Obededom. Why is it brought to the house of an alien? Because Yahweh will not ask for an accounting of this non-Israelite? Or because it is better that a foreigner suffer the risk of God's anger? But if the Ark brings blessings on the one who welcomes it, its natural place is beside the king! Luke's gospel discovers other imagery in this story. Like the Ark, and in a more wonderful way, the Virgin Mary carried for nine months God himself who, on becoming man, sealed the Covenant with all the peoples of the world. This is why some have given her the title, Ark of the Covenant. Luke himself had this text before him when he was narrating the Virgin's visit to Elizabeth. (Pay attention to v. 9 and 11 and compare them with Lk 1:39-45 and 56-64.) 2 S 6,14 Let us imagine the transfer of the Ark. There is a huge procession with thousands of people singing, dancing and playing music, with the king himself leading. Sacrifices beyond count are offered. It is a time of great joy, for the Lord is with his people. It is the triumphal entry of the Ark of the Covenant into its rightful place - in the capital of the country. David whirled round dancing with all his heart before Yahweh. David understands very well that to give thanks worthily to God, all this is very little. He does not care what others think of him, when he is showing his joy to the Lord; so he sings and dances. Michal despised David in her heart. Michal, Saul's daughter, understood nothing, being more concerned about what people will say, than about praising God. In this passage, a great king teaches us real greatness and brings to mind examples from daily life: a young man or woman who having finished studies go back to the barrio, and remain as simple as before; a Christian who is not ashamed of his faith and practices it, whether people are looking or not.
- 2 S 6,1 The Ark was very important to the Israelites. It contained the Law which Moses received from God on Mount Sinai. The Israelites imagined God to be present above the Ark whose golden cap served as a footstool for his feet. God wanted them to understand that he was with his people, in a friendly but demanding presence. But to whom did the Ark belong? It belonged to the twelve tribes and not to any one of them in particular. That is why it stayed in different sanctuaries: Shiloh, Gilgal, Bethel, depending on circumstances. And what is David's intention in bringing it to Jerusalem, his new capital? Is it a political move to establish his authority over Israel? Most surely. But it is an inseparable religious act at a time when separation of political power from religious power was unknown. Until then, Israel was, as a whole, Yahweh's chosen one, God's firstborn. But no Israelite felt worthy of special attention from the God of their people. Now David knows that he is the chosen one of Yahweh, the son of God, as the prophet Nathan says referring to David's descendants. That is why David aspires to have the Ark very close to him, and he wishes God's presence in a temple that serves as a private chapel for his family. Such a temple does not yet exist. God certainly loves all people, but David is the first who becomes aware of this and lives by this truth in a very simple relationship with God. Later the prophets will understand that the promises made to David are for all of us who believe in Christ, God's only Son. In Israel only those of Levi's tribe, being especially consecrated to Yahweh, have the right to serve him and to approach sacred things. Abinadab and his sons have welcomed the Ark into their home. But they cannot touch the Ark without being affected by the awesome power emanating from the Holy God. We are told that Uzzah was stricken by God. This phrase well reflects the mentality of these times when the distinction between sin, error and accidents was hardly made: all that troubled the traditional and divine order was considered as sin. The sudden death of Uzzah has the value of a sign for those who witness it; it helps them to understand how great God is above all, and, at the same time, really present among his people. David had the Ark brought to the house of Obededom. Why is it brought to the house of an alien? Because Yahweh will not ask for an accounting of this non-Israelite? Or because it is better that a foreigner suffer the risk of God's anger? But if the Ark brings blessings on the one who welcomes it, its natural place is beside the king! Luke's gospel discovers other imagery in this story. Like the Ark, and in a more wonderful way, the Virgin Mary carried for nine months God himself who, on becoming man, sealed the Covenant with all the peoples of the world. This is why some have given her the title, Ark of the Covenant. Luke himself had this text before him when he was narrating the Virgin's visit to Elizabeth. (Pay attention to v. 9 and 11 and compare them with Lk 1:39-45 and 56-64.) 2 S 6,14 Let us imagine the transfer of the Ark. There is a huge procession with thousands of people singing, dancing and playing music, with the king himself leading. Sacrifices beyond count are offered. It is a time of great joy, for the Lord is with his people. It is the triumphal entry of the Ark of the Covenant into its rightful place - in the capital of the country. David whirled round dancing with all his heart before Yahweh. David understands very well that to give thanks worthily to God, all this is very little. He does not care what others think of him, when he is showing his joy to the Lord; so he sings and dances. Michal despised David in her heart. Michal, Saul's daughter, understood nothing, being more concerned about what people will say, than about praising God. In this passage, a great king teaches us real greatness and brings to mind examples from daily life: a young man or woman who having finished studies go back to the barrio, and remain as simple as before; a Christian who is not ashamed of his faith and practices it, whether people are looking or not.
