Obed-Edom

When David was afraid to bring the ark of God into Jerusalem, he “carried it aside into the house of Obededom the Gittite.” It stayed there, and it was reported that “the LORD hath blessed the house of Obededom, and all that pertaineth unto him.” That news gave David courage to bring it on with gladness. The name then turns up in the Chronicles, where Obededom is a doorkeeper for the ark, one of the many who served in the music and the gates. Start with 2 Samuel 6, then follow him into 1 Chronicles 15.

5 verses

2 Samuel

2 Samuel 6:10

So David would not remove the ark of the LORD unto him into the city of David: but David carried it aside into the house of Obededom the Gittite.

2 Samuel 6:12

And it was told king David, saying, The LORD hath blessed the house of Obededom, and all that pertaineth unto him, because of the ark of God. So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obededom into the city of David with gladness.

1 Chronicles

1 Chronicles 15:18

And with them their brethren of the second degree, Zechariah, Ben, and Jaaziel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Unni, Eliab, and Benaiah, and Maaseiah, and Mattithiah, and Elipheleh, and Mikneiah, and Obededom, and Jeiel, the porters.

1 Chronicles 15:24

And Shebaniah, and Jehoshaphat, and Nethaneel, and Amasai, and Zechariah, and Benaiah, and Eliezer, the priests, did blow with the trumpets before the ark of God: and Obededom and Jehiah were doorkeepers for the ark.

2 Chronicles

2 Chronicles 25:24

And he took all the gold and the silver, and all the vessels that were found in the house of God with Obededom, and the treasures of the king's house, the hostages also, and returned to Samaria.

From Easton's Bible Dictionary

Matthew George Easton, 1897

Servant of Edom. (1.) “The Gittite” (probably so called because he was a native of Gath-rimmon), a Levite of the family of the Korhites (1 Chr. 26:1, 4-8), to whom was specially intrusted the custody of the ark (1 Chr. 15:18). When David was bringing up the ark “from the house of Abinadab, that was in Gibeah” (probably some hill or eminence near Kirjath-jearim), and had reached Nachon’s threshing-floor, he became afraid because of the “breach upon Uzzah,” and carried it aside into the house of Obededom (2 Sam. 6:1-12). There it remained for six months, and was to him and his house the occasion of great blessing. David then removed it with great rejoicing to Jerusalem, and set it in the midst of the tabernacle he had pitched for it.

Read the full entry

(2.) A Merarite Levite, a temple porter, who with his eight sons guarded the southern gate (1 Chr. 15:18, 21; 26:4, 8, 15).

(3.) One who had charge of the temple treasures (2 Chr. 25:24).

From Smith's Bible Dictionary

William Smith, 1884

(servant of Edom).

(1.) A Levite, described as a Gittite, (2 Samuel 6:10,11) that is, probably, a native of the Levitical city of Gath-rimmon in Manasseh, which was assigned to the Kohathites. (Joshua 21:25) (B.C. 1045.) After the death of Uzzah, the ark, which was being conducted from the house of Abinadab in Gibeah to the city of David, was carried aside into the house of Obed edom, where it continued three months. It was brought thence by David. (2 Samuel 6:12; 1 Chronicles 15:25)

(2.) "Obed-edom the son of Jeduthun" (1 Chronicles 16:38) a Merarite Levite, appears to be a different person from the last mentioned. He was a Levite of the second degree and a gate-keeper for the ark, (1 Chronicles 15:18,24) appointed to sound "with harps on the Sheminith to excel." (1 Chronicles 15:21; 16:5) (B.C. 1043.)