2 Samuel 6:1-11 – Worship With Reverence

Translation & Sermon by Nate Wilson for Christ The Redeemer Church, Manhattan, KS, 27 Feb. 2022

Introduction

vs.1-2 David Mobilizes People To Move the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem

vs.3-5 The Procession Of The Ark from Kiriath Jearim to Jerusalem

Vs. 6-8 Uzzah’s Fatal Mistake

Vs. 9-11 The Point Of This Story

2 Samuel 06:1-11Side-by side comparison of versionsA

LXX

Brenton

DRB

KJV

NAW

MT 2Sa6

MT 1Ch13B

NAW







1‎ ויִּוָּעַץ דָּוִיד עִם־שָׂרֵי הָאֲלָפִים וְהַמֵּאוֹת Cלְכָל־נָגִיד׃

1 Presently, David took counsel with the officers of the thousands and of the hundredsD - that is, every leader,







2 וַיֹּאמֶר דָּוִיד לְכֹל קְהַל יִשְׂרָאֵל אִם־ עֲלֵיכֶם טוֹב וּמִן־יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ נִפְרְצָה נִשְׁלְחָה עַל־ אַחֵינוּ הַנִּשְׁאָרִים בְּכֹל אַרְצוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל וְעִמָּהֶם הַכֹּהֲנִים וְהַלְוִיִּם בְּעָרֵי מִגְרְשֵׁיהֶם וְיִקָּבְצוּ אֵלֵינוּ׃

2 then David said to all the assembly of Israel, “If, as far as y’all are concerned, it is good and it is from Yahweh our God, let us split up sending messages to our remaining brothers in all the lands of Israel (and the priests with them, and the Levites in the towns of their parishes), and let them be assembled to us,







3 וְנָסֵבָּה אֶת־ אֲרוֹן אֱלֹהֵינוּ אֵלֵינוּ כִּי־לֹא דְרַשְׁנֻהוּ בִּימֵי שָׁאוּל׃

3 and let the ark of our God be brought round to us, for we did not seek it out in the days of Saul.”







4 וַיֹּאמְרוּ כָל־הַקָּהָל לַעֲשׂוֹת כֵּן כִּי־יָשַׁר הַדָּבָר בְּעֵינֵי כָל־הָעָם׃

4 And they said that all the assembly should do it that way, for the thing seemed right in the eyes of all the people.

1 Καὶ συν­ήγαγεν ἔτι Δαυιδ πάντα νεανίαν ἐξ Ισραηλ ὡς ἑβδομήκοντα Eχιλιάδας.

1 And David again gathered all the young men of Israel, about seventy thousand.

1 And David again gathered together all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand.

1 X Again, David gathered together all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand.

1 Presently, David again gathered together all the army-recruits {from} Israel – 30,000 there were,

1 וַיֹּסֶף עוֹד דָּוִד אֶת- כָּל-בָּחוּר Fבְּיִשְׂרָאֵל שְׁלֹשִׁים אָלֶף:

5 וַיַּקְהֵל X דָּוִיד אֶת־כָּל־ x Xיִשְׂרָאֵל X X מִן־ שִׁיחוֹר מִצְרַיִם וְעַד־לְבוֹא חֲמָת לְהָבִיא אֶת־ אֲרוֹן הָאֱלֹהִים מִקִּרְיַת יְעָרִים׃

5 So David assembled all Israel - from Sihor of Egypt even to the entrance of Hamath - to bring the ark of God from Kiraith Jearim,

2 καὶ ἀνέστη καὶ ἐπορεύθη Δαυιδ καὶ πᾶς ὁ λαὸς ὁ μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ τῶν ἀρχόντων Ιουδα ἐν ἀναβά­σει τοῦ ἀναγαγεῖν ἐκεῖθεν τὴν κιβωτὸν τοῦ θεοῦ, [ἐφ᾿] ἣν ἐπεκλήθη X τὸ ὄνομα κυρίου τῶν δυνάμεων καθημένου [ἐπὶ] τῶν χερουβιν ἐπ᾿ αὐτῆς.

2 And David arose, and went, [he] and all the people that were with him, [andG] some of the rulers of Juda, [on an expedition to a distant placeH], to bring back thence the ark of God, [on] which X the name of the Lord of HostX who dwells [between] the cherubs upon it is called.

2 And David arose and went, with all the people that were with him of the men of Juda to fetch X X the ark of God, [upon] which X the name of the Lord of Hosts is invoked, who sitteth over it [upon] the cherubims.

2 And David arose, and went with all the people that were with him from Baale of Judah, to bring up from thence the ark of God, whose name is called by the name of the LORD of hosts that dwelleth between X the cherubims.

2 and David got up and went (with all the people who were with him from among the lords of of Judah to bring up from there the ark of God who is called by {} the name of Yahweh of Armies, sitting with the cherubim on it.

2 וַיָּקָם וַיֵּלֶךְ דָּוִד וְכָל-הָעָם אֲשֶׁר אִתּוֹ מִבַּעֲלֵי יְהוּדָהI לְהַעֲלוֹת מִשָּׁם אֵת אֲרוֹן הָאֱלֹהִים אֲשֶׁר-נִקְרָאJ שֵׁם שֵׁם יְהוָה צְבָאוֹתK יֹשֵׁב הַכְּרֻבִים עָלָיו:

6 וַיַּעַל דָּוִיד וְכָל־יִשְׂרָאֵל X בַּעֲלָתָה אֶל־קִרְיַת יְעָרִים אֲשֶׁר לִיהוּדָה לְהַעֲלוֹת מִשָּׁם אֵת אֲרוֹן הָאֱלֹהִים X יְהוָהX יוֹשֵׁב הַכְּרוּבִים X אֲשֶׁר־נִקְרָא שֵׁם׃

6 and David went up, and all Israel was going up to Kiriath Jearim which belongs to Judah, to bring up from there the ark of the God Yahweh, who sits with the cherubim, who is called by the Name.

3 καὶ ἐπεβίβασεν τὴν κιβωτὸν κυρίου ἐφ᾿ ἅμαξαν καινὴν καὶ ἦρεν αὐτὴν ἐξ οἴκου Αμιναδαβ τοῦ ἐν τῷ βουνῷ· καὶ Οζα καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοὶ αὐτοῦ υἱοὶ Αμιναδαβ ἦγον τὴν ἅμαξαν X

3 And they put the ark of the Lord on a new waggon, and took it out of the house of Aminadab who [lived] on the hill, and Oza and his brethrenL the sons of Aminadab drove the waggon X

3 And they laid the ark of God upon a new cart: and took it out of the house of Abinadab, who was in Gabaa, and Oza and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drove the new cart.

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

3 So they {loaded} the ark of {Yahweh on} a new cart, and they carried it from the house of Abi­nidab which was at the hill, and Uzzah and Achio, the sons of Abi­nidab, led the {} cart away

3 וַיַּרְכִּבוּN אֶת- אֲרוֹן הָאֱלֹהִיםO אֶל-עֲגָלָהP חֲדָשָׁה וַיִּשָּׂאֻהוּ מִבֵּית אֲבִינָדָב אֲשֶׁר בַּגִּבְעָהQ וְעֻזָּא וְאַחְיוֹ בְּנֵי אֲבִינָדָב נֹהֲגִים אֶת- הָעֲגָלָה חֲדָשָׁהR:

7 וַיַּרְכִּיבוּ אֶת־אֲרוֹן הָאֱלֹהִים עַל־עֲגָלָה חֲדָשָׁה מִבֵּית אֲבִינָדָב X X וְעֻזָּא X X וְאַחְיוֹ נֹהֲגִים X בָּעֲגָלָה X׃

7 And they carted the ark of God upon a new cart from the house of Abinidab, and Uzzah and Achio were leading it away in the cart.

4 X X X X X X X X σὺν τῇ κιβωτῷ X, καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοὶ αὐτοῦ ἐπορεύοντο ἔμπροσθεν τῆς κιβωτοῦ.

X X X X X X X X with the ark X.
4 And his brethren went before the ark.

4 And when they had taken it out of the house of Abinadab, who was in Gabaa, X Ahio [having care] of the ark of God went before the ark.

4 And they brought it out of the house of Abinadab which was at Gibeah, accompanying the ark of God: and Ahio went before the ark.

4 {} with the ark of God, and Achio walked in front of the ark.

4 וַיִּשָּׂאֻהוּ מִבֵּית אֲבִינָדָב אֲשֶׁר בַּגִּבְעָהS עִם אֲרוֹן הָאֱלֹהִים וְאַחְיוֹ הֹלֵךְ לִפְנֵי הָאָרוֹן:



5 καὶ Δαυιδ καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ Ισραηλ παίζοντες ἐνώπιον κυρίου [ἐν ὀργάνοις ἡρμοσμένοις] ἐν ἰσχύι καὶ ἐν ᾠδαῖς καὶ ἐν κινύραις καὶ ἐν νάβλαις καὶ ἐν τυμπάνοις καὶ ἐν κυμβάλοις καὶ ἐν αὐλοῖς.

5 And David and the children of Israel were playing before the Lord [on well-tunedT instruments] mightily, and with songs, and with harps, and with lutes, and with drumsU, and with cymbals, and with pipes.

5 But David and all X Israel played before the Lord on all manner of instruments [made of] wood, on harps and lutes and timbrels and cornets and cymbals.

5 And David and all the house of Israel played before the LORD on all manner of instruments made of fir wood, even on harps, and on psalteries, and on timbrels, and on cornets, and on cymbals.

5 And David along with all the {children} of Israel were playing before the presence of Yahweh with all [their] {might, that is with songs} and with guitars and with harps and with tamborines and with shakers and with {flutes}.

5 וְדָוִד וְכָל- בֵּיתV יִשְׂרָאֵל מְשַׂחֲקִים לִפְנֵי יְהוָה בְּכֹל עֲצֵי בְרוֹשִׁיםW וּבְכִנֹּרוֹת וּבִנְבָלִים וּבְתֻפִּים וּבִמְנַעַנְעִיםX וּבְצֶלְצֶלִיםY:

8 וְדָוִיד וְכָל־X יִשְׂרָאֵל מְשַׂחֲקִים לִפְנֵי הָאֱלֹהִים בְּכָל־עֹז וּבְשִׁירִים וּבְכִנֹּרוֹת וּבִנְבָלִים וּבְתֻפִּים וּבִמְצִלְתַּיִם וּבַחֲצֹצְרוֹת׃

8 And David along with every Israelite were playing before the presence of God with all [their] might, that is, with songs and with guitars and with harps and with tamborines and with cymbals and with the trumpets.

6 καὶ παραγίν­ονται ἕως ἅλω Νωδαβ, καὶ ἐξ­έτεινεν Οζα [τὴν χεῖρα αὐτοῦ] ἐπὶ τὴν κιβωτὸν τοῦ θεοῦ κατα­σχεῖν αὐτὴν καὶ ἐκράτ­ησεν αὐτήν, ὅτι περιέσπασεν αὐτὴν ὁ μόσ­ος, [τοῦ κατα­σχεῖν αὐτήν].

6 And they come as far as the threshing floor of NachorZ: and Oza reached forth [his hand] to the ark of God to keep it steady, and took hold of it; for the ox shook it [out of its place].

6 And when they came to the floor of Nachon, Oza put forth [his hand] to the ark of God, and took hold of it: because the oxen kicked [and made it lean aside].

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.

6 And when they walked toward the threshing-floor of {Nodon}, Uzzah reached out {his hand} toward the ark of God {to} hold onto it because the oxen had come loose.

6 וַיָּבֹאוּ עַד- גֹּרֶן נָכוֹןAA וַיִּשְׁלַח עֻזָּאAB אֶל-אֲרוֹן הָאֱלֹהִים ACוַיֹּאחֶז בּוֹ כִּי שָׁמְטוּ הַבָּקָר:AD

9 וַיָּבֹאוּ עַד־ גֹּרֶן כִּידֹן וַיִּשְׁלַח עֻזָּא אֶת־יָדוֹ לֶאֱחֹז אֶת־הָאָרוֹןX כִּי שָׁמְטוּ הַבָּקָר׃

9 And when they walked toward the threshing-floor of Kidon, Uzzah reached out his hand to hold onto the ark, because the oxen had come loose.

7 καὶ ἐθυμώθη X κύριος τῷ Οζα, καὶ ἔπαισεν αὐτὸν ἐκεῖ ὁ θεός, X X καὶ ἀπέθανεν ἐκεῖ παρὰ τὴν κιβωτὸν τοῦ [κυρίου ἐνώπιον] τοῦ θεοῦ.

7 And the Lord was veryAE angry with Oza; and God smote him there X X: and he died there by the ark of [the Lord before] God.

7 And the indignation of the Lord was enkindled against Oza, and he struck him X for his rashness: and he died there before the ark of God.

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.

7 Then the anger of Yahweh grew hot against Uzzah, and God struck him down there on the basis of his devience, and he died there beside the ark of God.

7 וַיִּחַר-אַף יְהוָה בְּעֻזָּה וַיַּכֵּהוּ שָׁם הָאֱלֹהִים עַל- AFהַשַּׁל וַיָּמָת שָׁם עִם אֲרוֹן הָאֱלֹהִים:

10 וַיִּחַר־אַף יְהוָה בְּעֻזָּא וַיַּכֵּהוּ X X עַל אֲשֶׁר־ שָׁלַח יָדוֹ עַל־הָאָרוֹן וַיָּמָת שָׁם לִפְנֵי X אֱלֹהִים׃

10 Then the anger of Yahweh grew hot against Uzzah and struck him down because he had reached out his hand upon the ark, so he died there before God.

8 καὶ ἠθύμη­σεν X Δαυιδ ὑπὲρ οὗ διέκοψεν κύρ­ιος διακοπὴν ἐν τῷ Οζα· καὶ ἐκλήθη ὁ τόπος ἐκεῖνος Διακοπὴ Οζα ἕως τῆς ἡμέρ­ας ταύτης.

8 And X David was dispirited because the Lord made a breach upon Oza; and that place was called the breach of Oza until this day.

8 And X David was grieved because the Lord had struck X Oza, and the name of that place was called: The striking of Oza, to this day.

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

8 Then it got hot for David due to Yahweh bursting out with an outburst against Uzzah (and that place is called the Uzzah Outburst to this day),

8 וַיִּחַר לְדָוִד עַל אֲשֶׁר פָּרַץ יְהוָה פֶּרֶץ בְּעֻזָּה וַיִּקְרָא לַמָּקוֹם הַהוּא פֶּרֶץ עֻזָּה עַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה:

11 וַיִּחַר לְדָוִיד X כִּי־פָרַץ יְהוָה פֶּרֶץ בְּעֻזָּא וַיִּקְרָא לַמָּקוֹם הַהוּא פֶּרֶץ עֻזָּא עַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה׃

11 Then it got hot for David, because Yahweh had burst out with an outburst against Uzzah (and the place is called Uzzah Outburst to this day),

9 καὶ ἐφοβήθη Δαυιδ τὸν κύριον ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ X λέγων Πῶς εἰσελεύσεται πρός με ἡ κιβωτὸς κυρίου;

9 And David feared the Lord in that day, X saying, How shall the ark of the Lord come in to me?

9 And David was afraid of the Lord that day, X saying: How shall the ark of the Lord come to me?

9 And David was afraid of the LORD that day, and said, How shall the ark of the LORD come to me?

9 and David became afraid of Yahweh on that day, {saying}, “How can the ark of Yahweh come to me?”

9 וַיִּרָא דָוִד אֶת-יְהוָה בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא AGוַיֹּאמֶר אֵיךְ יָבוֹא אֵלַיAH אֲרוֹן יְהוָה:

12 וַיִּירָא דָוִיד אֶת־הָאֱלֹהִים בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא לֵאמֹר הֵיךְ אָבִיא אֵלַי אֵת אֲרוֹן הָאֱלֹהִים׃

12 and David became afraid of God on that day, saying, “How can I bring the ark of God to myself?”

10 καὶ οὐκ ἐβούλετο Δαυ­ιδ τοῦ ἐκκλῖ­ναι πρὸς αὑτὸν τὴν κιβωτὸν [δια­θήκης] κυρίου εἰς τὴν πόλιν Δαυιδ, καὶ ἀπέκλινεν αὐτὴν Δαυιδ [εἰς] οἶκον Αβεδδαρα τοῦ Γεθθαίου.

10 And David would not bring in the ark [of the covenant] of the Lord to himself into the city of David: and David turned it aside into the house of Abeddara the Gethite.

10 And X he would not have the ark of the Lord brought in to himself into the city of David: but he caused it to be carried into the house of Obededom the Gethite.

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.

10 So David was not willing to move the ark {of the covenant} of Yahweh away with him into the City of David. Instead, David diverted it {to} the house of Obed Edom the Gittite,

10 וְלֹא-אָבָה דָוִד לְהָסִיר אֵלָיו אֶת- אֲרוֹןAI יְהוָה AJעַל-עִיר דָּוִד וַיַּטֵּהוּ דָוִד AKבֵּית עֹבֵד- אֱדוֹם הַגִּתִּי:

13 וְלֹא־xהֵסִיר דָּוִיד X אֶת־הָאָרוֹן אֵלָיו אֶל־עִיר דָּוִיד וַיַּטֵּהוּ אֶל־בֵּית עֹבֵד־אֱדֹם הַגִּתִּי׃

13 So David didn’t move the ark away with him into the City of David. Instead he diverted it to the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite,

11 καὶ ἐκάθι­σεν ἡ κιβωτὸς τοῦ κυρίου εἰς οἶκον Αβεδ­δαρα τοῦ Γεθ­θαίου μῆνας τρεῖς· καὶ εὐλόγησεν κύριος ὅλον τὸν οἶκον Αβεδδαρα καὶ [πάντα τὰ αὐτοῦ].

11 And the ark of the Lord lodged in the house of Abeddara the Gethite three months, and the Lord blessed all the house of Abeddara, and [all his possessions].

11 And the ark of the Lord abode in the house of Obededom the Gethite three months: and the Lord blessed Obededom, and all his household.

11 And the ark of the LORD continued in the house of Obededom the Gittite three months: and the LORD blessed Obededom, and all his household.

11 and the ark of Yahweh sat at the house of Obed Edom the Gittite for three months. And Yahweh blessed Obed Edom and all his household.

11 וַיֵּשֶׁב אֲרוֹן יְהוָה
בֵּית עֹבֵד אֱדֹם הַגִּתִּי שְׁלֹשָׁה חֳדָשִׁים וַיְבָרֶךְ יְהוָה אֶת
-עֹבֵד אֱדֹם וְאֶת- כָּל-בֵּיתוֹ:

14 וַיֵּשֶׁב אֲרוֹן הָאֱלֹהִים עִם־בֵּית עֹבֵד אֱדֹם בְּבֵיתוֹ שְׁלֹשָׁה חֳדָשִׁים וַיְבָרֶךְ יְהוָה אֶת־בֵּית עֹבֵד־ אֱדֹם וְאֶת־ כָּל־אֲשֶׁר־לוֹ׃ פ

14 and the ark of God sat with the household of Obed Edom – inside his house – for three months. And Yahweh blessed the household of Obed-Edom and all who belonged to him.


1In the New International Commentry on the Old Testament, Tsumura suggested that “Uzzah and Eliazar may have been the same person, since it is phonetically possible that ‘Uzzah’ (‘z), a hypocoristicon of the throphoric name ‘uzzi’el, is a variation of ‘Eliazar’...”

2With the exception of Keil & Delitzsch, who posited 70 years, and Tsumara who posited 20 years, but they didn’t change the average.

3Actually “ark” in Hebrew can be either feminine or masculine.

41 Sam. 4:4; 2 Ki. 19:15; 1 Chr. 13:6; Ps. 80:2; Psalm 99:1; Isa. 37:16

5Hebrews 9:4-5 “… the ark of the covenant covered all-over with gold, in which was a golden jar containing the manna, and the rod of Aaron which sprouted, and the tablets of the covenant, and above it, cherubim-angels of the Glory casting shade on the atonement-place...” (NAW)

6“[P]erhaps not only Abinadab himself was dead, but Eleazar also, his eldest son, who was sanctified to keep the ark, as in 1Sam. 7:1.” ~John Gill (It’s also possible that Uzzah and Achio were not sons but grandsons.)

7cf. 2 Samuel 15:18 “Then all his servants passed before him; and all the Cherethites, all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites, six hundred men who had followed him from Gath, passed before the king.” (NKJV) Alternately it could be that he was from the Levite town of Gathrimmon (Josh. 21:24).

8“instruments” is not in the Hebrew, so Tsumura suggested translating it “all branches of firs,” interpreting that tree branches were cut off and waved to celebrate like the Israelites did in Matt. 21:8 to welcome a king into his royal city.

9The Dead Sea Scrolls and the Septuagint. K&D surprisingly called this “evidently the correct reading.”

10“[T]he two accounts complete each other.” ~K&D

11The Hebrew is actuallly singular “ox,” but perhaps the singular can also stand for the plural.

12cf. John Gill: “...not, how it should be brought to the place provided by him in Jerusalem, now Uzzah was dead, for there were Levites enough to carry it, as they afterwards did; but as signifying that it would be either boldness and presumption in him to do it, since God had shown such a mark of his displeasure at their proceeding, that he might be in doubt whether it was the will of God it should come to him...”

13I like to call this the “Informed Principle of Worship” based on a sermon series I read from Steve Schlissel on this topic.

AMy original chart includes the NASB, ESV, and NIV, but their copyright restrictions have forced me to remove them from the publicly-available edition of this chart. (NAW is my translation.) When a translation adds words not in the Hebrew text, but does not indicate it has done so by the use of italics (or greyed-out text), I put the added words in [square brackets]. When one version chooses a wording which is different from all the other translations, I underline it. When a version chooses a translation which, in my opinion, either departs too far from the root meaning of the Hebrew word or departs too far from the grammar form of the original text, I use strikeout. And when a version omits a word which is in the original text, I insert an X. (I also place an X at the end of a word if the original word is plural but the English translation is singular.) I occasionally use colors to help the reader see correlations between the various editions and versions when there are more than two different translations of a given word. The only known Dead Sea Scroll containing 2 Samuel 6 is 4Q51Samuela, which contains fragments of vs. 2-18, and which has been dated between 50-25 B.C. Where the DSS is legible and in agreement with the MT, the MT is colored purple. Where the DSS supports the LXX (or Vulgate) with omissions or text not in the MT, I have highlighted with yellow the LXX and its translation into English, and where I have accepted that into my NAW translation, I have marked it with {pointed brackets}.

BI have marked up the parallel passage in the MT of 1 Chronicles 13 by placing a capital X where a whole word found in the 2Sam text is not found in the 1Chr text, a lower case “x” when a letter of a word is in 2Sam but not 1Chr, grey text to indicate words in the 1Chr text not found in 2Sam, and orange text to indicate words where a synonym was substituted.

CSyriac & Latin add “and,” but not LXX or Targum. There is no DSS of 1 Chron.

DThese army officials over thousands and hundreds are also mentioned in 1 Samuel 22:7 and 2 Sam. 18:1

E The ancient Targums, Syriac, Latin, and Arabic versions all affirm the number in the MT over the LXX number.

FSyriac & Targums omit the beth prefix (“in”), and the Vulgate and LXX translators appear to have been translating from a Hebrew document that did not have that beth there either. Without that prepositional prefix, the default would be a construct state (“of”), which is the way the LXX and Vulgate translated it. Furthermore, the parallel passage in the MT of 1Chr has a preposition that means “out of.”

GVaticanus adds a και here, which is not in MT or Vulgate or standard LXX.

HVaticanus adds αναβασει here, which is not in MT or Vulgate or standard LXX.

IVulgate and LXX support the MT text here, translating “Baale” as “lords,” rather than transliterating it into a place name (cf. Luther: “from, the citizens of Judah”). All the commentators I read abandoned this in favor of a place name, but I think there are strong textual reasons in favor of the older interpretation. If it is a place name, it is considered to be the same place as Kiriath Jearim, which is the reading of the parallel passage in 1 Chron 13 and the reading of the DSS here: hwhyl r?a <yruy tyrq ayh hlub (“while he went up to Kiriath Jearim which belongs to Judah”).

JContrary to the KJV and Geneva Bibles, Willett understood this relative pronoun to refer to the ark rather than to God: “Some doe referre these words vnto God, reading thus, ‘to fetch from thence the Arke of God, whose name is called by the name of Iehovah:’ B.G.V. but it seemeth rather to be a description of the Arke, shewing the excellencie and dignitie of it, that there the Lord was called vpon, and from thence gaue answer, and shewed there euident signes of his presence.” Most modern English versions follow Willett’s interpretation. But John Gill affirmed the opposite with equal confidence: “not the ark, but the Lord, whose is the ark; his name is called by the name of Jehovah…” cf. K&D “above which (ark) the name of Jehovah-Zebaoth is named, i.e. above which Jehovah reveals His glory or His divine nature to His people...”

KDSS follows the 1Chr parallel account which omits “Sabbaoth,” but refers to the same Yahweh. Vulgate and LXX retain the “Sabbaoth” in the MT here.

L “Achio” means “his brethren” in Hebrew.

M“Gibeah” means “hill” in Hebrew.

NAlthough the MT “carted/made to ride” matches the verb in the parallel passage in 1 Chron, both the LXX and Vulgate were obviously reading a different Hebrew word which meant “put on,” and most English versions follow them. The Targum has yet another verb meaning “go down.” Syriac is וסמוהי, which appears to be yet another root. DSS is illegible at this spot.

ODSS, Targums, and LXX render “YHWH/the LORD.” It’s the same person, and the parallel account in 1Chr uses “God.” The next word in the DSS, LXX, Vulgate, and Syriac, as well as in the parallel passage in 1Chr is על (“upon”), clarifying the more ambiguous preposition in the MT.

P1 Samuel 6:7 is the only other story in the Bible where this phrase “new cart” occurs, when the Philistines used an oxcart to return the ark to the Israelites. The Israelites “did what was right in their eyes” (1 Chron 13:2&4), which meant carrying the ark the way they had seen the Philistines do it, rather than carrying it the way God had said to carry it, which was manually - on foot with poles to hold it (Numbers 4).

QDSS is obliterated at this point, but there is room between the legible portions of this verse to add 10 more Hebrew consonants or spaces. No other manuscript has extra text to suggest, although the name “Kiriath Jearim” would fit this extra space in the DSS.

RDSS and LXX omit this word “new.” It doesn’t change the meaning because it’s obviously referring to the same cart described as “new” earlier in the verse.

SDSS is obliterated for all but the next-to-last word of this verse, which is “ark,” but it contains space for 35-45 Hebrew characters total. The MT has 64 characters (including spaces), 28 characters of which are repeated, seemingly unnecessarily, from the former verse, which, if subtracted, would bring the total characters of the MT in range with the DSS. The LXX omits those repeated words, supporting the DSS.

TOr “orchestral” – possibly this addition was an attempt to provide two alternate translations of this phrase in light of some uncertainty concerning it.

UThe LXX simply transcribed the Hebrew words for the stringed instruments and the drum, and the Vulgate does similarly.

VDSS and LXX read “sons” rather than “house,” and Vulgate and the parallel passage in 1 Chron omit the word altogether, but it effectively means the same thing.

WDSS reads <yry?bw zu (“might and with songs”) along with the parallel passage in 1 Chron, and the LXX seems to be following this (“with strength and with odes”). Compare the MT of 1 Chron ‘ozubeshirim with 2 Sam ‘atzeyberoshim (“trees of cypress”), and it’s easy to see how they could get mixed up. The Vulgate seems to be following the MT with “instruments of wood.”

XHapex Legomenon

YAll but the last letter of this word has been obliterated in the DSS. The LXX reads “flutes” instead of “cymbals,” and the Hebrew word for “flute” [חָלִילים] has the same number of letters and ends with the same letter as the Hebrew word for “cymbals,” so it seems possible as a reconstruction of the DSS text. This seems even more possible since the last instrument in the list in the parallel passage in 1 Chron is a wind instrument rather than another percussion instrument. This was a relatively “big band sound” for this culture, and these are a lot of the same instruments used in the prophetic band that young Saul met with back in 1 Samuel 10:5 (and also that Isaiah mentioned later on in the court parties of his day).

ZLXX = “Nodab,” Vaticanus = “Nachor,” MT & Vulgate = “Nachon,” DSS= “Nodon,” Syriac = “Adra,” 1 Chron 13 MT = “Kidon” “Chidon is the name of the place where it was said to Joshua, ‘stretch out the spear [kidon] or shield in thine hand towards Ai’ (Josh. 8:18).” ~John Gill, citing T. Bab Sotah, fol. 35. 2. and Hieron. Trad. Heb. in lib. Paralipom. fol. 83. G.

AADSS instead /dwn

ABDSS and other Hebrew manuscripts and commentaries (including Targums) insert wdy ta (“his hand”), which is also in the parallel passage in 1 Chron. 13. The LXX, Vulgate, and Syriac also have this insertion. Since there is nothing else it could mean, it doesn’t change the meaning.

ACLXX follows the 1 Chron. 13 infinitive form without the vav prefix, shortening the Hebrew word by one letter. The DSS is obliterated at this point, but the full MT form would run the line of text in the DSS longer than any other line on the page, so that would tend to support the shorter 1 Chron/LXX reading, but both forms mean the same thing.

ADLXX & Vulgate read as though there were another Hebrew word at the end, but the DSS and Targums supports the MT here with no extra text.

AEActually the Vaticanus follows the MT closely and does not omit “anger” like the LXX does. Brenton’s translation is a bit loose here.

AFVulgate supports the MT, as does the LXX except for the omission of this word, which is a Hapex Legomenon. Vulgate translated this word temeritate, and Targum = דְאִשׁתְלִי (“error/inaction”), and Syriac‎ דאושׁט is similar. BDB suggests it is from the root שלה (“mislead/be negligent/draw off”), which is used in a similar context later on, when King Hezekiah says to the priests, “My sons, do not be negligent now, for the LORD has chosen you to stand before Him, to serve Him, and that you should minister to Him and burn incense." (2 Chron. 29:11, NKJV ). DSS, on the other hand has the 1 Chron 13 text word-for-word from here through the end of the verse, except that it omits the שם (“there”) toward the end.

AGDSS, LXX, and Vulgate follow the spelling of the MT of 1 Chron. 13 with “said” in the infinitive construct (“saying”) instead of vav consecutive (“and he said”). It means the same thing, though. (Curiously, the DSS, LXX, and Vulgate do not follow 1 Chron 13’s spelling of the next verb: It is first person Hiphil in 1 Chron 13 “I bring,” but third person qal “come” here.)

AHDSS has extra space here for a couple more words, but no extra words are suggested in other manuscripts. The extra marker (אֵת) signifying that “ark” is the direct object in 1 Chron. 13 isn’t enough to account for the difference.

AIAlthough the DSS is obliterated at this point, it has room for one more word than the MT has, supporting the insertion of the word “covenant,” found here in the LXX, describing the ark. Vulgate and Targums support the MT, while the Syriac supports the more-abbreviated reading of the parallel passage in 1 Chron. 13 which leaves “ark” standing alone without any descriptors. Any way you cut it, however, it is the same ark [of the covenant] [of Yahweh][God] being referred to.

AJSyriac, Teargums, LXX, Vulgate, and the parallel passage in 1 Chron point toward the preposition אל (“to”) instead of the MT’s almost-synonymous preposition על (“upon”).

AKAlthough the DSS is obliterated at this point, there is plenty of room to add a lamed prefix to this word, as the Syriac and Targums do. The LXX (εις) and Vulgate (in) have explicit prepositions here, as well as the MT of the parallel passage in 1 Chron. 13. It doesn’t change the meaning, since even the English versions which follow the MT instead of the LXX understood the preposition to be implied and rendered the phrase “to the house.”

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