Why did David take the ark to Obededom’s house instead of the city of David?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

After Oza died for touching the ark, David feared God and asked how he could bring it to himself; he therefore took it to Obededom the Gethite’s house, where it stayed for three months.

Chapter breakdown

The ark is brought from Cariathiarim, and Oza is struck dead for touching it.

David consulted the captains of thousands and hundreds and all the commanders. He proposed to Israel’s assembly that, if it pleased them and if his words came from the Lord their God, they should send to the rest of their brethren throughout Israel and to the priests and Levites living in the suburbs of the cities, asking them to gather. They would bring the ark of their God back to them, because they had not sought it in Saul’s days. The whole multitude agreed, because the proposal pleased all the people.

David assembled all Israel from Sihor of Egypt to the entrance of Emath to bring the ark of God from Cariathiarim. He went with all the men of Israel to the hill of Cariathiarim in Juda. They went to bring the ark of the Lord God, who sits upon the cherubims, where his name is called upon.

They carried the ark of God out of Abinadab’s house on a new cart. Oza and his brother drove it. David and all Israel played before God with all their might, with hymns, harps, psalteries, timbrels, cymbals and trumpets.

At the floor of Chidon, Oza reached out his hand to hold up the ark, because the unruly ox had made it lean a little to one side. The Lord was angry with Oza and struck him because he had touched the ark. Oza died there before the Lord. David was troubled because the Lord had struck Oza, and he named the place the Breach of Oza. The chapter says that the name remained to its day.

David feared God at that time and asked how he could bring the ark of God to himself. Therefore he did not bring it home into the city of David. He took it aside to the house of Obededom the Gethite. The ark remained there for three months, and the Lord blessed Obededom’s house and all that he had.

The story inside

The chapter begins with consultation and a proposal that keeps two conditions: whether the assembly is pleased and whether David’s words come from the Lord. The people agree to gather their brethren, priests and Levites and bring back the ark they had not sought in Saul’s days. David assembles Israel from Sihor to Emath and goes to Cariathiarim. A new cart carries the ark out of Abinadab’s house, driven by Oza and his brother, while David and Israel play before God. At Chidon, the ox makes the ark lean, and Oza reaches out to hold it up. The chapter gives touching the ark as the reason the Lord strikes him. David’s trouble and fear follow that death; he names the place and takes the ark aside instead of bringing it into his city. The account ends with the three-month stay at Obededom’s house and the Lord’s blessing of his house and possessions.

Lessons worth keeping

1
David’s proposal has stated conditions and a stated reason. He asks whether the assembly is pleased and whether his words come from the Lord. He says they had not sought the ark during Saul’s days. Keeping those words avoids turning the proposal into an invented first royal act, a claim about his highest priority or a description of Saul’s personal motives.
2
The account gives both Oza’s action and the reason for his death. The ark leans a little because of the ox, so he reaches out to support it. The Lord strikes him because he touches it. The chapter does not call his act casual or presumptuous, describe fire consuming him, or give a further explanation of his intentions.
3
David’s fear changes the ark’s destination. After Oza’s death, he asks how he can bring it to himself and takes it to Obededom instead of his own city. The ark stays there three months, and God blesses the house and all Obededom has. The text does not identify the blessings as specific kinds of wealth or say that a particular act of hospitality earned them.

Test your recall

David proposes bringing back the ark they had not sought in Saul’s days → the people agree → Israel gathers and brings it on a new cart. The ox makes the ark lean → Oza touches it to hold it up → the Lord strikes him and he dies. David is troubled and fears God → he takes the ark to Obededom’s house instead of his city → it stays three months and the Lord blesses the house and all Obededom has.

Source edition and notes

Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.

Lines 42759–42762
1 Paralipomenon Chapter 13 The ark is brought from Cariathiarim. Oza for touching it is struck dead.
Lines 42764–42777
13:1. David consulted with the captains of thousands, and of hundreds, and with all the commanders. 13:2. And he said to all the assembly of Israel: If it please you; and if the words which I speak come from the Lord our God, let us send to the rest of our brethren into all the countries of Israel, and to the priests, and the Levites, that dwell in the suburbs of the cities, to gather themselves to us, 13:3. And let us bring again the ark of our God to us: for we sought it not in the days of Saul. 13:4. And all the multitude answered that it should be so: for the word pleased all the people.
Lines 42779–42784
13:5. So David assembled all Israel from Sihor of Egypt, even to the entering into Emath, to bring the ark of God from Cariathiarim. 13:6. And David went up with all the men of Israel to the hill of Cariathiarim which is in Juda, to bring thence the ark of the Lord God sitting upon the cherubims, where his name is called upon.
Lines 42786–42791
13:7. And they carried the ark of God upon a new cart out of the house of Abinadab. And Oza and his brother drove the cart. 13:8. And David and all Israel played before God with all their might with hymns, and with harps, and with psalteries, and timbrels, and cymbals, and trumpets,
Lines 42793–42801
13:9. And when they came to the floor of Chidon, Oza put forth his hand, to hold up the ark: for the ox being wanton had made it lean a little on one side. 13:10. And the Lord was angry with Oza, and struck him, because he had touched the ark; and he died there before the Lord. 13:11. And David was troubled because the Lord had divided Oza: and he called that place the Breach of Oza to this day.
Lines 42803–42813
13:12. And he feared God at that time, saying: How can I bring in the ark of God to me? 13:13. And therefore he brought it not home to himself, that is, into the city of David, but carried it aside into the house of Obededom the Gethite. 13:14. And the ark of God remained in the house of Obededom three months: and the Lord blessed his house, and all that he had.