1 Chronicles 13:1-43

1 Chronicles 13:1 David’s Transfer of the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem. The ark signified the Mosaic covenant. It also symbolized God’s presence on earth. It had been neglected throughout Saul’s reign, being kept in the village of Kiriath-jearim (1 Chronicles 13:3, 1 Chronicles 13:5). The Chronicler departs from his source’s order (2 Samuel 5:1) to present David’s first attempt to retrieve the ark (1 Chronicles 13:5 = 2 Samuel 6:1); he places this event before David’s establishment of his home and family in Jerusalem and his defeat of the Philistines (1 Chronicles 14:1 = 2 Samuel 5:11). He changes the order of these events to show that David’s true priority is his commitment to God.