Uzzah

David’s first attempt to bring the ark of God toward Jerusalem put it on a new cart driven by Uzzah and Ahio, sons of Abinadab. At Nachon’s threshingfloor the oxen shook it, and Uzzah put out his hand to hold it. The story is hard: 2 Samuel 6:7 says the anger of the LORD was kindled and God struck him there, and he died beside the ark. David was displeased and afraid, and he named the place Perezuzzah. The passage does not explain everything, and readers have weighed it in different ways. Many point out that the ark was to be carried by poles, not hauled on a cart. Read 2 Samuel 6:1-11.

4 verses

2 Samuel

2 Samuel 6:3

And they set the ark of God upon a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab that was in Gibeah: and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drave the new cart.

2 Samuel 6:6

And when they came to Nachon's threshingfloor, Uzzah put forth his hand to the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the oxen shook it.

2 Samuel 6:7

And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzzah; and God smote him there for his error; and there he died by the ark of God.

2 Samuel 6:8

And David was displeased, because the LORD had made a breach upon Uzzah: and he called the name of the place Perezuzzah to this day.

From Easton's Bible Dictionary

Matthew George Easton, 1897

Strength, a son of Abinadab, in whose house the men of Kirjath-jearim placed the ark when it was brought back from the land of the Philistines (1 Sam. 7:1). He with his brother Ahio drove the cart on which the ark was placed when David sought to bring it up to Jerusalem. When the oxen stumbled, Uzzah, in direct violation of the divine law (Num. 4:15), put forth his hand to steady the ark, and was immediately smitten unto death. The place where this occurred was henceforth called Perez-uzzah (1 Chr. 13:11). David on this feared to proceed further, and placed the ark in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite (2 Sam. 6:2-11; 1 Chr. 13:6-13).

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