Philiſlines ſhould atrempr to diſturb them in this work
2 And * David aroſe, and went with all the people that were with him 6b, from Baale of Judah c, to bring up from thence the Ark of God 4, || whoſe name is cal- led by the name of the LORD of hoſts e, that dwelleth berween the cherubims.
þ With the whoie body of the People : for theſe ſeem to be a
LOAD of differing Party from the z3cooo now mentioned. See 1 Chron. I3:
beſts was called upon
i Oeb. maze to r.a?.
* Fee 1Sam:6 7. | Ur, the h:l}
| Or, his broth. x.
9 Gr.
1,2. c Nu. How from it, when they went to it ; as is evident, both from 1 Chron. 13. 6. and becauſe the Ark was there,and to be ferched thence ? Anſw. Some afhrm, That the Hebrew Prepoſition Mem, ſometimes figiiſies 38, as Ger. 13. 1. But there is no need of that : for, 1 Chren. 13. 6. mentions their going to Baalah ; and this place mentions their going from .1t ;and the one of theſe doth manifeſtly ſuppoſe the orher : for they went thither, that they might return thence. So the ſence is plain, They went from Baal:h of judah, ro bring ( or rathcc ro carry ; for the Word ſignifies either ) up from thence the ark, Whereby it is ſuppoſed, that they firſt went thither, which 1s related, 1 Chron. 13: 6. More- over, this place 1s commonly called Kiriath jearim, 1 Sam. 7. 1. and 1 Chris. 13: 5- and formerly, Kiriath-baal, Joſh. 15- 6o. and Baalah, 7oſh 15. 9. and here Bazle of Judah, fo called, becauſe it was in the Tribe of Ju1ak, as is evident from Jeſh 15. 1, &c. da Unto 7eriſaltem, «hich, in many reſpect;, was fitter for it than Baalai; becauſe this was a more publick place, where it would be more obierved and regardcd ; and in the Center of the Kingdom, to which racy might more eaftiy come from all Parts ; and the Royai City, where ir might be always at hand for Dav.d to enquire at, as occaſion requied ; and the place which God had allorred for it. e Thus,whoje, belongs not to the 4k, but to God: for what follows 1s not the name-ot the Ark, bur of God. The place may well be, and 1s by fome rendred thus, Upen ( or 4, or Beſide, or Before, ) which ( Ark ) the name, even the name of the Lord of hoſts, that awelleth between the Cherubims is called upon : i. e. By, or before which,they were to preſent their Prayers ro God for Counſel and Succour upon all occalions. And this is mentioned here as the reaſon why David put himfielf and his People to fo great trouble and charge, becaule it was to fetch vp the choiceſt Trealure which they had, and ſo the benefit wouid abundantly recompenle the INCONVENIENCE.
3 And they Þ ſet the ark of God * upon a new cart f, and brought it out of the houſe of Abinadab that was in |] Gibeahg : and Uzzah and || Ahio the fons of Abi- nadab h, drave the new cart. |
f Being tanghr, azd encouraged to do fo,by the Example of the Poil:imes, who did {0 withour any roken of God's diſpleature upon them for lo doing. But they did not tufficicntly conſider, that God might wink at the Poliftnes, becauſe they were ignorant of God's Laws ; and yer be angry with them for the fame thing,be- cauſe they knew, or might, and thould have known the Law of God, whica commanded the Prictts to bear it upon their Shoulders, Numb. 4. 14, 15. and 7. 9, But their preſent tranſports of Joy at
the happy change of their Affairs, and their greedy deſire of hav- |
ing the Ark removed, made them haſty and inconiiderate. g Or, 9 the h.ll, as 1 Sam. 7. 1. h For 46 nadab himlieif ſeems now to
FM» 24234% J 4 4 . p _ > . . have been dead ; or at leaſt, derained ar home through infirmity or indiipeniavic occations.
4 And they brought it out of * the houſe of Abina-
S4HUER
| | [
!
| Chap. dab whlch as at Gibeah, accompanying the Ark of God, and Ahio went before the ark 5.
; To [lead the Oxen that drew it-
5 And David and all the liouſe of Iſrael played be- fore the LORD, on all manner of I=#-uments made of fir-wood, even on harps, and on pſalteries, and on timbrels, and on corners, and on cymballs,
6 © And * when they came to Nachons & threſh- *: Chron. i ing floor, Uzz3h * put forth his hand to the ark of God, ;
and took ho!d of ir, for the oxen || thook it 1.
& Otherwiſe called Caidm, 1 Chron. 13. 9. 1 For they ſtambled, | Or pum. þ 1 Chron. 13. 9. : - - bled, or, \\f 7 And the anger of the LORD was kindled againſt ;z-ew ir
VI.
3: 9. See
Num:4:15 |
Uzzah, and God {mote him m there for his || error x, down ;
and there he died o by the ark of God. 2
Kings 9.
m With ſome deadly Diſeaſe or Stroke, as it follows; = Either, ? Oc, raſh=
1. For his touching the Ark, when he was no Levite, as Joſephus reports ; nor indeed was Kiriath-jearim a. Levitical City : or, that being bur a Levite, he touched the bare Ark,which only the Prieſts might do, Numb. 5: 15.and 18.3. And though the Ark was ordi- narily covered, yet it 1s not impoſſible bur the covering might be either looſe,and ſo blown aſide by the Wind ; or worn out, and ſo he might touch the Ark it ſelf. Or, 2. Becauſe he put the Ark into a Carr, and thereby expoſed it to the danger of falling, which would have been a great diſcouragement ro the ſraelitzs, and a reproach to the Ark. And though 40 alſo might have an hand in puting it into the Cart, yet Uzzah only is ſmitten ; either, be- cauſe he was the Elder Brother, and the Perſon to whole care the Ark was more eſpecially committed ; or, becauſe he was the chief Author of this Counſel of putting it into a Cart ; or, becauſe he added a new fault of touching the Ark, and that our of diftruſt of God's care over it. 0 This may ſeem very ſevere,contidering that his Intention was Pious, and his Tranſgrefſion not great, Bur, be- ſides that, Men are very improper Judges of the Actions of God ; and that God's Judgments are always juſt, though tometimes-ob- {cure: There are many things to be ſaid of this,and ſuch like caſes.