In 1 Samuel chapter 6 and 7, we read the well-known biblical account of King David’s desire to bring the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem and his intention to build a permanent dwelling place for it.
The Ark of the Covenant represents God’s throne on earth and is central to His manifest presence, the Shekinah. This was vividly demonstrated when the cloud of glory settled over the tabernacle.
Numbers 7:89 (NKJV):
“Now when Moses went into the tabernacle of meeting to speak with Him, he heard the voice of One speaking to him from above the mercy seat that was on the ark of the Testimony, from between the two cherubim; thus He spoke to him.”
Since His Shekinah dwelled between the two cherubim on the Ark, it was holy and set apart. Clear, specific instructions governed how the Ark and all sacred furnishings in the tabernacle and temple were to be handled, with clear boundaries that could not be crossed.
The Levites were responsible for the care and transport of holy items and could not act on impulse or personal feelings. Everything had to be done according to God’s exact instructions in the Torah. To host His presence, they had to follow His commands, even if they believed they were honouring Him. God’s holiness is not only pure but perilous when approached with irreverence or carelessness.
A New Cart
Because of King David’s zealous love for God, he gathered 30,000 choice men of Israel and went up to Baale Judah (also known as Kirjath-Jearim) to retrieve the Ark of God. In 2 Samuel 6:3, it describes how they placed the Ark on a new cart.
2 Samuel 6:3-4 (NKJV):
“So they set the ark of God on a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill; and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drove the new cart. And they brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill, accompanying the ark of God; and Ahio went before the ark.”
The 30,000 men David had gathered were filled with excitement as they brought the ark toward Jerusalem, celebrating with songs and instruments -until they reached the threshing floor of Nacon and witnessed the tragic fate of Uzzah.
2 Samuel 6:6-7 (NKJV):
“And when they came to Nachon’s threshing floor, Uzzah put out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled. Then the anger of the Lord was aroused against Uzzah, and God struck him there for his error; and he died there by the ark of God.”
So what exactly happened here – why did he die? Wasn’t King David doing a good and righteous thing by bringing the Ark into Jerusalem? It doesn’t seem fair. Wouldn’t you feel frustrated? Or perhaps even angry, like David was, as described in 2 Samuel 6:8?
Whether it was under King David’s direction or not, the reality is that they did not handle the Ark – this holy, consecrated furniture piece – the way God had instructed.
So what did they do wrong? Exodus 25:14–15, Numbers 4:4–6, and Numbers 4:15, 17–20 lays out clear instructions on how the Ark was to be handled and moved.
To summarize these verses:
- It was to be handled by the Kohathites, a family in the Levitical line.
- It had to be carried by the poles on the Kohathites shoulder, not a cart.
- It needed to be covered in the veil that separated the holy of holies and holy place, then layered with badgers’ skin and finally a blue cloth.
If we turn our attention to Uzzah’s actions, some might argue that his response was simply instinctive. Interestingly, though the Scripture doesn’t label it as a sin – it calls it an error. Yet the result was the same, the consequence remained unchanged.
The Hebrew word for “error” is shalah, which means negligence – specifically, Uzzah’s negligence in stretching out his hand. Another interpretation of shalah is “take away.” In this case, through Uzzah’s negligence, his error resulted in his soul being taken away.
Corrective Insight
It’s easy to look at this account and ask, “What were King David and the Levites thinking?” While we aren’t Levite priests responsible for the temple’s furnishings or sacrifices, God still calls us to live holy lives, with many Torah instructions that even we, as Gentiles, are called to follow.
In 1 Peter 2, Peter refers to believers in Messiah as a royal priesthood — a kingdom of priests in Him.
1 Peter 2:9 (NKJV):
“But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvellous light;”
We are not Levitical priests, but we are part of the royal priesthood in Messiah. We have been immersed in water, anointed for service, and empowered by the Holy Spirit to be His disciples – sent out to do His will and live according to the ways of His Kingdom stipulated in the bible.
We, too, must avoid defiling what is sacred and refrain from tampering with what is consecrated. For example:
- By taking the name of the Lord your God in vain.
- By speaking ill against his holy people, Israel.
- By distorting and teaching his holy word incorrectly.
- By blaspheming against the holy spirit to name a few.
God’s holiness is not to be taken lightly, and we cannot excuse our behaviour simply because of negligence. While loving God is essential in our relationship with Him, it is equally important to have a reverential fear of God and His instructions.
Six Steps Forward
It would be three months before King David attempted again, to bring the Ark up to Jerusalem. This time, however, it was done differently. In 1 Chronicles 15, we see King David give the Levites the proper instructions from God, and the Ark was carried accordingly.
After the first six steps of them carrying ark, David offered a sacrifice and the Levites offered 7 bulls and 7 rams, because the Lord helped them carry the ark. (1 Chronicles 15:26).
There are many thoughts and questions about why sacrifices were offered after the first six steps. Most commentators suggest it was to ensure they were in right standing before God, a powerful expression of humility and caution, repentance, deep reverence, joy, and holiness.
Looking a little deeper, could it be because man was created on the sixth day, these six steps symbolise our human nature and limitations without God? This deliberate pause at the sixth step may represent intentionality – a moment to acknowledge God’s holiness before continuing the journey. Moreover, the ark was meant to be carried by the Levites – by human hands – not pulled by animals on a cart. This underscores the truth that God desires to be carried in our lives as we walk with Him daily.
The 7 bulls and 7 rams sacrificed by the Levites after these six steps isn’t random. Seven represents wholeness and completeness. These offerings reflect a full and complete peace offering – a kind of perfect act of devotion and thanksgiving to God.
Just as the Ark paused every six steps, we too must pause in our journey to acknowledge our human limitations and our deep need for God’s presence, even in our weaknesses and negligence. These offerings foreshadow Yeshua’s perfect sacrifice – complete, sufficient, and once for all (Hebrews 10:10–14) – the ultimate act of mediation that reconciles us to God.
If you would like to study the Haftarah, join Kelly Clancy every second Friday from 12.30pm to 1.30pm AEST (Brisbane) at https://thetorahportion.org
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