Thank you for the interpretive question on the motivation of King David sending the Ark to Obed-Edom’s house, “Did David send the Ark to Obed-edom’s house after Uzzah fiasco because Obed was so poor he was of no reckon, or to which (wish) him evil according to I Chr. 13:13–14?”
As one reads II Samuel 6 and I Chronicle 13, one finds that they are parallel passages while Chronicle emphasis more of the Temple worship while I Samuel to II Kings emphasizes the kings of Judah and Israel.
The text being question is David’s motivation. The context for this event is this: “David conferred with each of his officers, the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds. 2He then said to the whole assembly of Israel, “If it seems good to you and if it is the will of the LORD our God, let us send word far and wide to the rest of our people throughout the territories of Israel, and also to the priests and Levites who are with them in their towns and pasturelands, to come and join us. 3Let us bring the ark of our God back to us, for we did not inquire of it during the reign of Saul.” 4The whole assembly agreed to do this, because it seemed right to all the people…They moved the ark of God from Abinadab’s house on a new cart, with Uzzah and Ahio guiding it. 8David and all the Israelites were celebrating with all their might before God, with songs and with harps, lyres, timbrels, cymbals and trumpets.
9When they came to the threshing floor of Kidon, Uzzah reached out his hand to steady the ark, because the oxen stumbled. 10The LORD’s anger burned against Uzzah, and he struck him down because he had put his hand on the ark. So he died there before God.
11Then David was angry because the LORD’s wrath had broken out against Uzzah, and to this day that place is called Perez Uzzah. 12David was afraid of God that day and asked, “How can I ever bring the ark of God to me?” 13He did not take the ark to be with him in the City of David. Instead, he took it to the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite. 14The ark of God remained with the family of Obed-Edom in his house for three months, and the LORD blessed his household and everything he had” (NIV).
Let’s observe the context and text more closely.
A. The Ark was housed in the house of Abinadab in verse 4.
The Ark was the national treasure of Israel and the most sacred furniture as it represented the Presence of God. One would not conclude that the Ark was placed in the poor man’s house of Abinadab. Would one put their national treasure in a poor man’s house of Abinadab? It is unlikely that the house of Abinadab was a dilapidated place, but the home of one of the priest of Israel.
David had established Jerusalem as his capitol for Israel. He wanted to solidify that by making Jerusalem the worship center for Israel. Wherever the Ark was present, there the people would bring their sacrifices. David probably did not want two centers: one capitol for ruling and one capitol for worshiping God. He wanted to centralize the capitol and the place to worship God with the Ark being in Jerusalem.
B. David failed to realize the holiness of God and God’s stipulation in moving the Ark. David started to move the Ark from Abinadab’s house in a cart. As it near Jerusalem, the cart stumble and the Ark was about to fall out. Uzzah steadied the Ark but was killed.
The text states that David was afraid to bring the Ark into Jerusalem. He may have reasoned if God struck down Uzzah from keeping the Ark from falling out of the cart, what will it be like if God saw the sins of David or her people. David wasn’t too sure what to do as the celebration turned into a funeral procession for Uzzah.
David couldn’t abandon the Ark on the road. He needed to find an appropriate place to put the Ark. The home of Obed-Edom was selected as the nearest and most worthy place to house the Ark. It is most likely that Obed-Edom was a member of the priest hood or a Levite.
It must be remembered that sacrifices were offered before the Ark. The home of a common Israelites or a poor Israelite would not be appropriate that sacrifices be done at a poor man’s house.
For the Ark to enter into anyone’s home would have been the greatest honor that one can have as the priests would be at that property. It would have to be large enough of a property to set up the Tabernacle with all of its furniture pieces and accommodations for the priests and the people.
C. David needed time to ascertain why God struck down Uzzah. In the intervening three months, David learned that the Ark has to be carried. David further learned that God didn’t strike down Obed-Edom but bless his house. David reasoned that if he followed the Law of carrying the Ark into Jerusalem that God would also bless him and his people. He prepared the place to put the Ark of God.
King David relocated the Ark into the house of Obed-Edom, a member of the tribe of Levi until he could determine what and where he wanted the Ark to have its permanent place. He had no intention of causing harm to Obed-Edom’s household but needed a temporary place to house the Ark.
SUMMARY: The home of Obed-Edom was honored to host the Ark in his house as a member of the tribe of Levi.
For more perspectives: