1 Chronicles 13:6

And David went up, and all Israel, to Baalah, that is, to Kirjath-jearim, which belonged to Judah, to bring up thence the ark of God the LORD, that dwelleth between the cherubims, whose name is called on it.

David went up with all Israel to Baalah, that is to Kirjath-jearim which belonged to Judah, to bring up the ark from there to Jerusalem. The ark to be brought up was the ark of God the LORD, the sacred sign of His presence dwelling between the cherubim, His glory and covenant ark, bearing His name that is called upon it. After its capture by the Philistines and its return to Israel it had remained at Kirjath-jearim until David moved it, and it had not returned to the tabernacle at Shiloh.

David's purpose to bring the ark to Jerusalem was right and his motives were good, but the ark was set on a new cart as the Philistines had done instead of being carried on the shoulders by the Kohathite Levites and priests as God had commanded through Moses. Agreement among the people and leaders, sincere worship, joyful celebration, and popular praise did not make the plan right, and a good purpose did not excuse disobedience to God's prescribed order.

When the ark shook and the oxen stumbled, Uzzah touched and steadied it and was struck down in judgment, turning Israel's celebration to grief, so David stopped the journey and left the ark at the house of Obed-edom. David repented and acknowledged that the first attempt failed because they had not sought the LORD according to due order and that only the Levites should carry the ark. When the Levites afterward carried it on their shoulders as commanded, God helped them and the ark was brought up successfully to Jerusalem.

The account shows that a prophet's instruction remains authoritative after the prophet's death and that human judgment is unsafe when it ignores that instruction. The ark's successful entry into Jerusalem was accompanied by the song about the King of glory, which will be sung again when God's people enter heaven.

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