13:1 David consulted with his military officers, including those who led groups of a thousand and those who led groups of a hundred.¹ 13:2 David said to the whole Israelite assembly, “If you desire and the LORD our God approves,² let’s spread the word³ to our brothers who remain in all the regions of Israel, and to the priests and Levites in their cities,⁴ so they might join us. 13:3 Let’s move the ark of our God back here,⁵ for we did not seek his will⁶ throughout Saul’s reign.”⁷ 13:4 The whole assembly agreed to do this,⁸ for the proposal seemed right to all the people.⁹ 13:5 So David assembled all Israel from Shichor in Egypt to Lebo Hamath,¹⁰ so they might bring the ark of God from Kiriath Jearim. 13:6 David and all Israel went up to Baalah (that is, Kiriath Jearim) in Judah to bring up from there the ark of God the LORD, who sits enthroned between the cherubim—the ark that is called by his name.¹¹

13:7 They transported the ark on a new cart from the house of Abinadab; Uzza and Achio were guiding the cart, 13:8 while David and all Israel were energetically¹² celebrating before God, singing and playing various stringed instruments,¹³ tambourines, cymbals and trumpets. 13:9 When they arrived at the threshing floor of Kidon, Uzza reached out his hand to grab¹⁴ the ark, because the oxen stumbled. 13:10 The LORD was so furious with Uzza,¹⁵ he killed him, because he reached out his hand and touched the ark.¹⁶ He died right there before God.¹⁷

13:11 David was angry because the LORD attacked Uzza;¹⁸ so he called that place Perez Uzza,¹⁹ which remains its name to this very day. 13:12 David was afraid of God that day and said, “How will I ever be able to bring the ark of God up here?” 13:13 So David did not move the ark to the city of David; he left it in the house of Obed Edom the Gittite. 13:14 The ark of God remained in Obed Edom’s house for three months; the LORD blessed Obed Edom’s family and all that belonged to him.