2 Samuel 6:3-7

6:3 They loaded the ark of God on a new cart and carried it from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, were guiding the new cart. 6:4 They brought ¹  it with the ark of God up from the house of Abinadab on the hill. Ahio was walking in front of the ark, 6:5 while David and all Israel ²  were energetically celebrating before the Lord, singing ³  and playing various stringed instruments, ⁴  tambourines, rattles, ⁵  and cymbals.

6:6 When they arrived at the threshing floor of Nacon, ⁶  Uzzah reached out and grabbed hold of ⁷  the ark of God, ⁸  because the oxen stumbled. 6:7 The Lord was so furious with Uzzah, ⁹  he ¹⁰  killed him on the spot ¹¹  for his negligence. ¹²  He died right there beside the ark of God.

¹ tn Heb “lifted.”

² tn Heb “all the house of Israel.”

³ tc Heb “were celebrating before the Lord with all woods of fir” (cf. KJV, ASV, NASB). If the text is retained, the last expression must be elliptical, referring to musical instruments made from fir wood. But it is preferable to emend the text in light of 1 Chr 13:8, which reads “were celebrating before the Lord with all strength and with songs.”

⁴ tn Heb “with zithers [?] and with harps.”

⁵ tn That is, “sistrums” (so NAB, NIV); ASV, NASB, NRSV, CEV, NLT “castanets.”

⁶ tn 1 Chr 13:9 has “Kidon.”

⁷ tn Or “steadied.”

⁸ tn Heb “and Uzzah reached out toward the ark of God and grabbed it.”

⁹ tn Heb “and the anger of the Lord burned against Uzzah.”

¹⁰ tn Heb “God.”

¹¹ tc Heb “there.” Since this same term occurs later in the verse it is translated “on the spot” here for stylistic reasons.

¹² tc The phrase “his negligence” is absent from the LXX.