1 Chronicles 13:5, commentary and pictures

David gathered all Israel together, including representatives from across the land, to bring the ark of God from Kirjath-jearim to Jerusalem in order to restore worship there. The gathering drew people from Shihor of Egypt even unto the entering of Hemath, meaning from the extreme south at Egypt's boundary to the extreme north at the entrance of Hamath, showing that the removal of the ark was a national affair of nationwide scope. At that time the ark had remained at Abinadab's house in Kirjath-jearim, and its removal marked its long absence from the sanctuary at Shiloh, to which it never returned.

Although the gathering was united in purpose with agreement and celebration, the plan was wrong because the ark was transported on a cart in the Philistines' way instead of as God had commanded through Moses that the Kohathites, the priests, should carry it on their shoulders. The violation brought a deadly rebuke when Uzzah touched the ark and died, having been struck down, which turned Israel's celebration to grief. David was displeased and abandoned his plan to bring the ark to Jerusalem at that time, then repented, and the ark was later carried correctly on the priests' shoulders.

The episode shows that human judgment and good intentions cannot replace prophetic instruction, and that a prophet's testimony remains binding after the prophet's death.