And David was afraid of God that day, saying, How shall I bring the ark of God home to me?
After Uzzah was struck dead for touching the ark while it was being moved, David was afraid of God that day and asked how he could bring the ark of God home to himself, to Jerusalem, into his city. He feared to bring it home lest he die as Uzzah had died. The verse marks that fearful response as the ark was being brought toward Jerusalem during its removal from the house of Obed-edom.
The judgment halted David's plan and made him hesitate and reconsider how the ark should be handled, so the ark was left at the house of Obed-edom instead of being brought on into his city. The disaster followed violation of God's instructions given through Moses, for the ark had been put on a cart, as the Philistines had done, instead of being carried on the shoulders of the priests, the Kohathite Levites. David should have considered and followed those directions for carrying the ark before beginning the procession.
David's question reflects the realization that this carrying of the ark was a serious mistake even though he and the people had good motives, agreed on the plan, and worshiped with great enthusiasm. It shows that human agreement and reason cannot replace obedience to God's instruction, and that a prophet's guidance remains binding after the prophet's death. David repented of the mistake and acknowledged that the judgment was justified, then had the ark brought up as God had commanded, carried on the priests' shoulders rather than on a cart.
After Uzzah was struck dead for touching the ark while it was being moved, David was afraid of God that day and asked how he could bring the ark of God home to himself, to Jerusalem, into his city. He feared to bring it home lest he die as Uzzah had died. The verse marks that fearful response as the ark was being brought toward Jerusalem during its removal from the house of Obed-edom.
The judgment halted David's plan and made him hesitate and reconsider how the ark should be handled, so the ark was left at the house of Obed-edom instead of being brought on into his city. The disaster followed violation of God's instructions given through Moses, for the ark had been put on a cart, as the Philistines had done, instead of being carried on the shoulders of the priests, the Kohathite Levites. David should have considered and followed those directions for carrying the ark before beginning the procession.
David's question reflects the realization that this carrying of the ark was a serious mistake even though he and the people had good motives, agreed on the plan, and worshiped with great enthusiasm. It shows that human agreement and reason cannot replace obedience to God's instruction, and that a prophet's guidance remains binding after the prophet's death. David repented of the mistake and acknowledged that the judgment was justified, then had the ark brought up as God had commanded, carried on the priests' shoulders rather than on a cart.