1 Chronicles 13

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Bringing Back the Box of the Agreement

13 <1> David talked with all the officers of his army. <2> Then he called the Israelites together and said, "If you think it is a good idea, and if it is what the Lord wants, let us send a message to our brothers in all the areas of Israel. Let's also send the message to the priests and Levites[100] who live with our brothers in their towns and the fields near those towns. Let the message tell them to come and join us. <3> Let's bring the Box of the Agreement[101] back to us in Jerusalem. We did not take care of the Box of the Agreement while Saul was king." <4> So all the Israelites agreed with David. They all thought it was the right thing to do .

<5> So David gathered all the Israelites from the Shihor River in Egypt to the town of Lebo Hamath. They came together to bring the Box of the Agreement back from the town of Kiriath Jearim. <6> David and all the Israelites with him went to Baalah of Judah. (Baalah is another name for Kiriath Jearim.) They went there to bring out the Box of the Agreement, that is, the Box of God the Lord who sits above the Cherub angels.[102] It is the Box that is called by the Lord's Name.

<7> The people moved the Box of the Agreement from Abinadab's house and put it on a new wagon. Uzzah and Ahio were driving the wagon.

<8> David and all the Israelites were celebrating before God. They were praising God and singing songs. They were playing harps, lyres,[103] drums, cymbals,[104] and trumpets.

<9> They came to Kidon's threshing[105] floor. The bulls pulling the wagon stumbled, and the Box of the Agreement almost fell. Uzzah reached out with his hand to catch the Box. <10> The Lord became very angry with Uzzah and killed him because he touched the Box. So Uzzah died there in front of God. <11> God showed his anger at Uzzah, and this made David angry. Since that time until now that place has been called "Perez Uzzah."[106]

<12> David was afraid of God that day. David said, "I cannot bring the Box of the Agreement here to me!" <13> So he did not take the Box of the Agreement with him to the City of David.[107] He left the Box of the Agreement at Obed Edom's house. Obed Edom was from the city of Gath. <14> The Box of the Agreement stayed with Obed Edom's family in his house for three months. The Lord blessed Obed Edom's family and everything Obed Edom owned.