Bible Strands

2 Samuel 6:4

bringing with it the ark of God. And Ahio was walking in front of the ark.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The narrator describes the transport of the ark during David’s procession to Jerusalem. This occurs at the moment the cart departs from Abinadab’s residence on the hill.

The words — וַ/יִּשָּׂאֻ֗/הוּ (va/i.yi.sa.'U./hu) denotes "and they carried it," while אֲר֣וֹן הָ/אֱלֹהִ֑ים (a.Ron ha./'E.lo.Him) literally means "the ark of the God."

The thread — The same transport event is recorded in 1 Chronicles 13:7, which notes Uzzah and Ahio guiding the cart. The ark’s prior placement at Abinadab’s house on the hill appears in 1 Samuel 7:1.

Why it lands — The text records a specific logistical detail of moving a sacred object before addressing the consequences of improper handling. It requires the reader to note the human agents involved in transporting the ark rather than assuming divine oversight alone.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וַיִּשָּׂאֻ֗הוּva/i.yi.sa.'U./huand/ they carried/ itמִבֵּ֤יתmi./Beitfrom/ [the] house ofאֲבִֽינָדָב֙'a.vi.na.DavAbinadabאֲשֶׁ֣ר'a.Sherwhichבַּגִּבְעָ֔הba./giv.'Ah[was] on the/ hillעִ֖ם'imwithאֲר֣וֹן'a.Ron[the] ark ofהָאֱלֹהִ֑יםha./'E.lo.Him<the>/ Godוְאַחְי֕וֹve./'ach.Yoand/ Ahioהֹלֵ֖ךְho.Lekh[was] walkingלִפְנֵ֥יli/f.Nei<to>/ beforeהָאָרֽוֹן׃ha./'a.Ronthe/ ark

King James Version

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.

Cross-references

People named

AbinadabAhio