^6:1David again assembled¹ all the best² men in Israel, thirty thousand in number. ^6:2David and all the men who were with him traveled³ to⁴ Baalah⁵ in Judah to bring up from there the ark of God which is called by the name⁶ of the Lord of hosts, who sits enthroned between the cherubim that are on it. ^6:3They 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. ^6:4They brought⁷ it with the ark of God up from the house of Abinadab on the hill. Ahio was walking in front of the ark, ^6:5while David and all Israel⁸ were energetically celebrating before the Lord, singing⁹ and playing various stringed instruments,¹⁰ tambourines, rattles,¹¹ and cymbals.

^6:6When they arrived at the threshing floor of Nacon,¹² Uzzah reached out and grabbed hold of¹³ the ark of God,¹⁴ because the oxen stumbled. ^6:7The Lord was so furious with Uzzah,¹⁵ he¹⁶ killed him on the spot¹⁷ for his negligence.¹⁸ He died right there beside the ark of God.

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Footnotes

1 The translation understands the verb to be a defective spelling of וַיְּאֱסֹף (vayyé’esof) due to quiescence of the letter א (alef). The root therefore is אסף (’sf, “to gather”). The Masoretes, however, pointed the verb as וַיֹּסֶף (vayyosef), understanding it to be a form of יָסַף (yasaf, “to add”). This does not fit the context, which calls for a verb of gathering.
2 Or “chosen.”
3 Heb “arose and went.”
4 Heb “from,” but the following context indicates they traveled to this location.
5 This is another name for Kiriath-jearim (see 1 Chr 13:6).
6 The has here a double reference to the name (שֵׁם שֵׁם, shem shem). Many medieval Hebrew in the first occurrence point the word differently and read the adverb שָׁם (sham, “there”). This is also the understanding of the (, taman). While this yields an acceptable understanding to the text, it is more likely that the dittographic here. The present translation therefore reads שֵׁם only once.
7 Heb “lifted.”
8 Heb “all the house of Israel.”
9 Heb “were celebrating before the Lord with all woods of fir” (cf. , , ). 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.”
10 Heb “with zithers [?] and with harps.”
11 That is, “sistrums” (so , ); , , , , “castanets.”
12 1 Chr 13:9 has “Kidon.”
13 Or “steadied.”
14 Heb “and Uzzah reached out toward the ark of God and grabbed it.”
15 Heb “and the anger of the Lord burned against Uzzah.”
16 Heb “God.”
17 Heb “there.” Since this same term occurs later in the verse it is translated “on the spot” here for stylistic reasons.
18 The phrase “his negligence” is absent from the .

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

David again gathered all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand. And David arose and went with all the people who were with him from Baale-judah to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the name of the Lord of hosts who sits enthroned on the cherubim. And they carried the ark of God on a new cart and brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. And Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, were driving the new cart, with the ark of God, and Ahio went before the ark.

And David and all the house of Israel were celebrating before the Lord, with songs and lyres and harps and tambourines and castanets and cymbals. And when they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah put out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled. And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah, and God struck him down there because of his error, and he died there beside the ark of God.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

David again brought together all the able young men of Israel—thirty thousand. He and all his men went to Baalah in Judah to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the Name, the name of the Lord Almighty, who is enthroned between the cherubim on the ark. They set the ark of God on a new cart and brought it from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. Uzzah and Ahio, sons of Abinadab, were guiding the new cart with the ark of God on it, and Ahio was walking in front of it. David and all Israel were celebrating with all their might before the Lord, with castanets, harps, lyres, timbrels, sistrums and cymbals.

When they came to the threshing floor of Nakon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark of God, because the oxen stumbled. The Lord’s anger burned against Uzzah because of his irreverent act; therefore God struck him down, and he died there beside the ark of God.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

David again assembled all the fit young men in Israel: thirty thousand. He and all his troops set out to bring the ark of God from Baale-judah. The ark bears the Name, the name of the Lord of Armies who is enthroned between the cherubim. They set the ark of God on a new cart and transported it from Abinadab’s house, which was on the hill. Uzzah and Ahio, sons of Abinadab, were guiding the cart and brought it with the ark of God from Abinadab’s house on the hill. Ahio walked in front of the ark. David and the whole house of Israel were dancing before the Lord with all kinds of fir wood instruments, lyres, harps, tambourines, sistrums, and cymbals.

When they came to Nacon’s threshing floor, Uzzah reached out to the ark of God and took hold of it because the oxen had stumbled. Then the Lord’s anger burned against Uzzah, and God struck him dead on the spot for his irreverence, and he died there next to the ark of God.

NLTNew Living Translation

Then David again gathered all the elite troops in Israel, 30,000 in all. He led them to Baalah of Judah to bring back the Ark of God, which bears the name of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, who is enthroned between the cherubim. They placed the Ark of God on a new cart and brought it from Abinadab’s house, which was on a hill. Uzzah and Ahio, Abinadab’s sons, were guiding the cart that carried the Ark of God. Ahio walked in front of the Ark. David and all the people of Israel were celebrating before the Lord, singing songs and playing all kinds of musical instruments—lyres, harps, tambourines, castanets, and cymbals.

But when they arrived at the threshing floor of Nacon, the oxen stumbled, and Uzzah reached out his hand and steadied the Ark of God. Then the Lord’s anger was aroused against Uzzah, and God struck him dead because of this. So Uzzah died right there beside the Ark of God.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

David again gathered all the chosen men in Israel, thirty thousand. David got up and went and all the people who were with him, from Baale-judah to bring up from there the ark of God which is called the name, the name of Yahweh of hosts, upon which the cherubim sit. They loaded the ark of God on a new utility cart, and they carried it from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. Now Uzza and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, were driving the new utility cart along. So they brought it out from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill with the ark of God, and Ahio was going before the ark. Now David and all the house of Israel were dancing before Yahweh, with all kinds of musical instruments made from ash trees, and with zithers, harps, tambourines, sistrums, and cymbals. When they came to the threshing floor of Nakon, Uzza reached out to the ark of God and took hold of it, because the oxen had stumbled. Then the anger of Yahweh was kindled against Uzza, and God struck him down there because of the indiscretion, and he died there beside the ark of God.

KJV 1900King James Version

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

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