1Ch 13:13-14 | KingComments | STEP | David does not readily agree with this judgment, but is displeased, he is angry. It is the anger of powerlessness. He feels his own powerlessness to bring the ark to Jerusalem. He also doesn’t feel worthy that the ark comes to him. Perez means ‘breakthrough’, because what has happened is a breakthrough, an outburst of God’s wrath. It is precisely in such a noble pursuit as bringing the ark to where it belongs that it is important to follow the instructions of God’s Word. The LORD says: “By those who come near Me I will be treated as holy” ( ; cf. ). Then the ark gets a home with Obed-edom, which means ‘servant of Edom’. We may wonder who or what David’s anger is directed at. David may not understand the reason for Uzza’s death. His anger then can be called frustration because the ark does not get the place he desires. Perhaps David should learn that it is not the main thing to bring the ark of God “to me”, as he says in . It is the place that the LORD has chosen and all attention must have been drawn to it. It takes some time to discover that, but then it will be all right. He understands that he should have consulted the LORD as it should have been, for then he would have discovered in God’s light what was lacking. The house of Obed-edom is blessed, as is later done with Aquila and Priscilla when they open their house for the church and the service of the Word ( ; ). Obed-edom is later rewarded for his faithfulness. He becomes a gatekeeper with a harp ( ). He doesn’t lose anything when the ark leaves his house, but he gets more and more. This is always the case when we share with others what we ourselves have received. Obed-edom does this by not keeping the ark to himself, but by sharing it with all of Israel. What a blessing David missed just because he did not ask the LORD how He wanted everything to go. In the next chapter he is restored and does so ( ).

‏ 1 Chronicles 13:13-14

The Ark in the House of Obed-edom

David does not readily agree with this judgment, but is displeased, he is angry. It is the anger of powerlessness. He feels his own powerlessness to bring the ark to Jerusalem. He also doesn’t feel worthy that the ark comes to him. Perez means ‘breakthrough’, because what has happened is a breakthrough, an outburst of God’s wrath. It is precisely in such a noble pursuit as bringing the ark to where it belongs that it is important to follow the instructions of God’s Word. The LORD says: “By those who come near Me I will be treated as holy” (Lev 10:3; cf. Est 9:4-6). Then the ark gets a home with Obed-edom, which means ‘servant of Edom’.

We may wonder who or what David’s anger is directed at. David may not understand the reason for Uzza’s death. His anger then can be called frustration because the ark does not get the place he desires. Perhaps David should learn that it is not the main thing to bring the ark of God “to me”, as he says in 1Chr 13:12. It is the place that the LORD has chosen and all attention must have been drawn to it. It takes some time to discover that, but then it will be all right. He understands that he should have consulted the LORD as it should have been, for then he would have discovered in God’s light what was lacking.

The house of Obed-edom is blessed, as is later done with Aquila and Priscilla when they open their house for the church and the service of the Word (Acts 18:24-28; Rom 16:3-5). Obed-edom is later rewarded for his faithfulness. He becomes a gatekeeper with a harp (1Chr 15:18 ; 21 ; 1Chr 16:38). He doesn’t lose anything when the ark leaves his house, but he gets more and more. This is always the case when we share with others what we ourselves have received. Obed-edom does this by not keeping the ark to himself, but by sharing it with all of Israel. What a blessing David missed just because he did not ask the LORD how He wanted everything to go. In the next chapter he is restored and does so (1Chr 14:10 ; 14).