2 Samuel 6:1

_AGAIN, DAVID GATHERED TOGETHER ALL THE CHOSEN MEN OF ISRAEL, THIRTY THOUSAND._ Again, David gathered together all the chosen men of lsrael - (see 2 Samuel 5:1.) The object of this second assembly was to commence a national movement for establishing the ark in Jerusalem, after it had continued nearly fifty years in the house of Abinadab (see the notes at 1 Chronicles 13:1)....

1-5 God is present with the souls of his people, when they want the outward tokens of his presence; but now David is settled in the throne, the honour of the ark begins to revive. Let us learn hence, to think and to speak highly of God; and to think and speak honourably of holy ordinances, which are to us as the ark was unto Israel, the tokens of God's presence, Matthew 28:20. Christ is our Ark; in and by him God manifests his favour, and accepts our prayers and praises. The ark especially typified Christ and his mediation, in which the name of Jehovah and all his glories are displayed. The priests should have carried the ark upon their shoulders. Philistines may carry the ark in a cart without suffering for it; but if Israelites do so, it is at their peril, because this was not what God appointed....

CHAPTER VI _David goes with thirty thousand men to being the ark from_ _Kiriath-jearim to Jerusalem_, 1-5. _The ox stumbling, Uzzah, who drove the cart on which the ark_ _was placed, put forth his hand to save it from falling: the_ _Lord was displeased, and smote him so that he died_, 6, 7. _David, being alarmed, carries the ark to the house of_ _Obed-edom_, 8-10. _Here it remained three months; and God prospered Obed-edom, in_ _whose house it was deposited_, 11. _David, hearing of this, brings the ark, with sacrifices and_

AGAIN - It should be, “and David again gathered,” etc., i. e. after the previous gathering, either for his election to the kingdom 2 Samuel 5:1 or for the Philistine war 2 Samuel 5:17, he assembled them again for the peaceful purpose of bringing up the ark to Mount Zion (see marginal reference). The whole narrative indicates the progressive consolidation of David’s power, and the settlement of his monarchy on strong foundations....

EXPOSITION 2 SAMUEL 6:1 AND DAVID GATHERED TOGETHER. The long subjection to the Philistines was at an end, and David's first care is to bring the ark of Jehovah from Kirjath-jearim to Jerusalem. In this he had a twofold object. For, first, it was an act of piety, testifying David's gratitude to God, who had so quickly raised him from the condition of a despairing fugitive hiding away in the cave of Adullam to that of a victorious king reigning over an independent and free people. But David had also a political purpose. The weakness of Israel in the past was the result of its divisions, he would heal this by giving it a capital, whither the tribes would come up for worship, and where they would feel that they formed one nation. David had seen the evils of a divided sovereignty, when he and Ishbosheth were wasting the strength of Israel in

AGAIN, DAVID GATHERED TOGETHER ALL [THE] CHOSEN [MEN] OF ISRAEL, THIRTY THOUSAND. Which was done by the advice of his officers, 1 Chronicles 13:1; the word "again" refers either to the gathering of them when they made him king in Hebron, as the Jewish writers generally observe; but then they gathered themselves, and not David: or rather to his gathering them to fight the Philistines a little while ago; and as they were the choice and young men that were gathered for war, as being the fittest, so now to fetch up the ark with dancing and singing, and to protect it; the Septuagint version says they were about seventy thousand; but the Targum, Syriac, and Arabic versions, have thirty thousand, agreeably to the Hebrew text....

3. THE ARK BROUGHT TO ZION CHAPTER 6 _ 1. The ark fetched by David (2 Samuel 6:1)_ 2. Uzzah: his error and death (2 Samuel 6:6) 3. The ark in the house of Obed-edom (2 Samuel 6:10) 4. The ark brought into David's city (2 Samuel 6:12) 5. Michal's mockery of David (2 Samuel 6:20) It is of importance to read 1 Chronicles 13 for a better understanding of how the ark was brought from Kirjathjearim to David's c

2 SAMUEL 6. DAVID BRINGS THE ARK TO JERUSALEM. MICHAL'S SCORN. HER PUNISHMENT (J). (_Cf._ p. 286.) Nothing has been heard of the Ark since 1 Samuel 7:2, before the accession of Saul. The introduction of the Ark in I S 2 Samuel 14:18, is due to corruption of the text. This silence is sometimes accounted for by supposing that the Ark was under the control of the Philistines and inaccessible to the Israelites (_cf._ Cent.B, and EBi, Ark). David's action gave added importance to the new capital; and the building of Solomon's Temple probably provided Jerusalem with the chief sanctuary in Israel. 2 SAMUEL 6:1. David and the people go to Baal, or Baalah, Judah (not Baale), to fetch the Ark. This place is

Removal of the Ark from Kirjath-jearim. Uzzah smitten for his irreverence 1. _Again, David gathered together_ AND DAVID GATHERED TOGETHER AGAIN. "Again" refers either to the assembly convened for David's coronation (ch. 2 Samuel 5:1-3), or to the muster for the Philistine war recorded in the verses immediately preceding (ch. 2 Samuel 5:17-25). A more elaborate account of David's preparations for this ceremony is given in 1 Chronicles 13:1-5. We are there told how David consulted with the representatives of the people, and gathered a general assembly of the whole nation. This important step towards the re-establishment of religious worship must be a _national_act. T

_Before Christ 1044._ _2 SAMUEL 6:1. AGAIN DAVID GATHERED TOGETHER ALL THE CHOSEN MEN,_ &C.— _Afterwards David levied yet thirty thousand men, the chosen strength of Israel; i.e._ thirty thousand more than he had before his late victory over the Philistines. Houb....