And let us bring again the ark of our God to us: for we enquired not at it in the days of Saul.
The verse records David's proposal to bring the ark of God back to Jerusalem because Israel had not sought God through it in the days of Saul. That proposal belonged to the account of David's plan to bring the ark to Jerusalem, an event connected with his plans for the house of God. The ark was God's glory and the ark of His covenant, which had been taken by the Philistines after God forsook the sanctuary at Shiloh and never returned to that sanctuary.
Before reaching Jerusalem the ark had been kept at Kirjathjearim and then at Obed-edom, and David eventually brought it to Jerusalem and placed it in a tabernacle he had pitched there. David's decision to bring the ark was right, but the first attempt was contrary to God's prescribed and prophetic instruction. Instead of being carried on the shoulders of the priests, specifically the Kohathites, it was put on a cart.
Zeal and unanimous agreement did not excuse moving the ark contrary to God's prescribed order. Good motives, agreement, and public worship did not make their approach right when they disregarded the prophetic instruction for carrying the ark. Uzzah's death stopped the procession and turned its celebration to grief.
Afterward David repented and acknowledged that the breach came because they had not sought God according to due order, and he arranged for the ark to be brought as God had commanded. The incident shows that human judgment is unsafe when it ignores instruction given by God's prophet. A prophet's death does not weaken the force of that instruction.
The verse records David's proposal to bring the ark of God back to Jerusalem because Israel had not sought God through it in the days of Saul. That proposal belonged to the account of David's plan to bring the ark to Jerusalem, an event connected with his plans for the house of God. The ark was God's glory and the ark of His covenant, which had been taken by the Philistines after God forsook the sanctuary at Shiloh and never returned to that sanctuary.
Before reaching Jerusalem the ark had been kept at Kirjathjearim and then at Obed-edom, and David eventually brought it to Jerusalem and placed it in a tabernacle he had pitched there. David's decision to bring the ark was right, but the first attempt was contrary to God's prescribed and prophetic instruction. Instead of being carried on the shoulders of the priests, specifically the Kohathites, it was put on a cart.
Zeal and unanimous agreement did not excuse moving the ark contrary to God's prescribed order. Good motives, agreement, and public worship did not make their approach right when they disregarded the prophetic instruction for carrying the ark. Uzzah's death stopped the procession and turned its celebration to grief.
Afterward David repented and acknowledged that the breach came because they had not sought God according to due order, and he arranged for the ark to be brought as God had commanded. The incident shows that human judgment is unsafe when it ignores instruction given by God's prophet. A prophet's death does not weaken the force of that instruction.