1 Chronicles 13:9
When they came to the threshing floor of Chidon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark, because the oxen had stumbled.
Sermons
Uzza and the ArkF. Whitfield 1 Chronicles 13:7, 9-12
The Imperfections of Human ServiceW. Clarkson 1 Chronicles 13:7-13
Warnings Against IrreverenceR. Tuck 1 Chronicles 13:9, 10
Perez-UzzaJ. Wolfendale.1 Chronicles 13:9-11
Touching the Ark, and Touching the SaviourJoseph B. Owen, M. A.1 Chronicles 13:9-11
Uzza's TransgressionN. Marshall, D. D.1 Chronicles 13:9-11














Read who the Church would cleanse, and mark
How stern the warning runs:
There are two ways to guard her ark -
As patrons and as sons."


(Lyra Apostolica.') The fair prospects of a great enterprise are sometimes darkened, as by a thunderstorm, in consequence of the improper manner in which it is conducted. The forbearance of God toward those who transgress his ordinances is often unheeded, and becomes an occasion of further transgression, until the occurrence of a signal disaster fills them with fear and trembling. The act of one man, it may be, gives definite expression to the spirit which influences many, and on him falls the lightning stroke of Heaven, as a punishment for his sin and a chastisement of all who are associated with him; a solemn call to consideration and amendment.

"Give unto Jehovah, O ye sons of God,
Give unto Jehovah glory and strength;
Give unto Jehovah the glory of his Name;
Worship Jehovah in holy attire.
The voice of Jehovah is upon the waters.
The God of glory thundereth."


(Psalm 29:1-3.)

I. A SEEMING EXIGENCY. The ark in danger! "For [at the threshing floor of Nachon, or Chidon] the oxen shook it [kicked, broke loose, or stumbled]," so that the support of Uzzah was apparently needful to arrest its fall. In like manner religion - the Church, its worship, sacraments, doctrines - sometimes appears in perilous need of human help. But the apparent exigency:

1. Is commonly the result of previous neglience and disobedience on the part of those to whom its interests are entrusted, and the false position in which it is placed. If the "due order" (1 Chronicles 15:13) had been observed, the danger would never have arisen.

2. Serves the purpose of testing and manifesting the character of men. Will it lead them to consider, Perceive their error, and amend; or occasion further aberrations?

3. Can never warrant an interference which is expressly prohibited, however great the danger or sincere the desire to avert it. "You must rather leave the ark to shake, if it so please God, than put unworthy hands to hold it up" (Bacon).

4. Is not so great as it appears; for God is able to prevent its fall or overrule it for good. "The special moral of this warning is that no one, on the plea of zeal for the ark of God's Church, should resort to doubtful expedients and unlawful means for the attainment of his end" (Wordsworth).

II. A SERIOUS ERROR. "Uzzah reached forth to the ark of God, and took hold of it." The Levites (of whom Uzzah was one) were to carry it on staves; but "not touch any holy thing, lest they die" (Numbers 4:15). His error was practical; though in itself trivial, a direct breach of the legal requirement; and (as is often the case with an apparently insignificant act) indicated an unsanctified mind. He was "a type of all who, with good intentions, humanly speaking, yet with unsanctified minds, interfere in the affairs of the kingdom of God from the notion that they are in danger and with the hope of saving them" (O. von Gerlach).

1. He acted "unnecessarily, and from the precipitate impulse of human nature" (Ewald), unregulated and unrestrained by proper thought and a higher will.

2. With rashness, irreverence, and profanity; begotten of long familiarity with the venerable relic (see 1 Samuel 6:19). He looked upon it as little other than a piece of sacred furniture.

3. In a spirit of official pride and presumption, as its hereditary guardian and immediate conductor. "Perhaps he affected to show before this great assembly how bold he could make with the ark, having been so long acquainted with it" (Matthew Henry). Men of high position, great possessions, and eminent gifts in the Church, sometimes display a similar spirit, and even affect to patronize the worship of God!

4. With improper anxiety about the means of progress and success, and want of faith in the Divine presence and might. "In our own days there are not awanting men like Uzzah, who act as if it were all over with Christianity if they did not maintain it against the power of modern negations." Their zeal is shown in various ways. But "this zeal, notwithstanding its good intention, is yet unholy, because it is as faint-hearted as it is presumptuous. The Lord needs not such helpers" (Krummacher).

III. A STARTLING JUDGMENT. "And the anger of Jehovah was kindled .... and he died there by the ark of God." A flash of lightning, an apoplectic stroke, or other secondary cause, was the instrument thereof; in the presence of all Israel, and even before the mercy seat, he suffered the penalty of his error ("rashness," ver. 7); and the spot where he fell became a monument of the wrath of God and his power to protect his "holy things" (Ezekiel 22:8).

1. On those who continue to break the Divine Law "the fiery indignation," though long delayed, breaks forth suddenly and "without remedy" (Hebrews 10:31).

2. Punishment is most severe on those who are most honoured, and who ought to be a pattern to others of reverence and obedience (Numbers 3:4; 1 Samuel 5:6; 1 Samuel 6:19; 2 Chronicles 26:21; Acts 5:5; Acts 12:23).

3. The consequences of sin reveal the measure of its sinfulness.

4. The judgment inflicted on one affects many, and represents their desert, The procession was stopped, the enterprise hindered, rejoicing turned into mourning, "and great fear came upon all" (Acts 5:11). "When many have sinned God commonly punishes one or two of the leaders, in order that others may remember their sin and beg forgiveness" (Osiander). Judgment is mingled with mercy. The punishment of one is for the good of many.

IV. A SALUTARY ADMONITION.

1. To consider the awful holiness and majesty of the great King (Malachi 1:11, 14); "for our God is a consuming fire" (Hebrews 12:29).

2. To learn the spiritual meaning and sanctity of his ordinances.

3. To cherish a spirit of profound humility and reverence in his service.

4. To exercise repentance and trust, and new and faithful obedience to his will in all things. Then -

"Jehovah will give strength to his people;
Jehovah will bless his people with peace."


(Psalm 29:11.) D.

And when they came unto the threshing-floor of Chidon, Uzza put forth his hand to hold the ark.
Learn —

I. IF GOD BE ABSENT FROM A PEOPLE AND THE ARK BE LONG IN OBSCURITY, THAT PEOPLE WILL LOSE A SENSE OF REVERENCE.

II. THAT GOD, MINDFUL OF HIS HONOURS, OFTEN SINGLES OUT GUILTY MEN TO BE MONUMENTS OF HIS DISPLEASURE.

III. THAT BY SUCH EXAMPLES OF TERROR GOD WARNS OTHERS.

(J. Wolfendale.)

Consider —

I. THE IMPORTANCE OF RITUAL AND POSITIVE INSTITUTIONS, WITH THE PUNCTUAL OBSERVANCE WHICH GOD EXPECTS TO THEM. Amongst all the trials which have been made of human nature, in the way of worshipping a superior power, there hath been no instance of a pure and holy worship without somewhat of institution to fix the forms of it. Even a state of innocence did not subsist without a positive law for trial of our first parents' obedience. The first recorded act of worship after the Fall was apparently of a ritual and positive nature; since human reason doth no more direct to those sacrifices which we find offered to God by Cain and Abel, than it directs us to baptism or the celebration of the Holy Eucharist. The gross superstitions of the heathen world were manifestly owing to the want of an authorised ceremonial in their worship.

II. THE ENCLOSURE OF THE SACERDOTAL OR PRIESTLY FUNCTION, WITH THE DANGER OF INVADING OR THROWING IT OPEN.

III. THE RESPECT WHICH IS DUE TO A RELATIVE HOLINESS.

IV. THE INSUFFICIENCY OF A GOOD OR INNOCENT INTENTION TO WARRANT AN IRREGULAR OR FORBIDDEN ACTION.

V. THE REVERENCE AND PREPARATION OF HEART WHEREWITH WE SHOULD APPROACH THE SOLEMN OFFICES OF DIVINE WORSHIP.

VI. THE DANGER OF AN UNAUTHORISED, OFFICIOUS ZEAL.

(N. Marshall, D. D.)

(ver. 10 with Matthew 9:21): — How characteristic are these two incidents of the two dispensations under which they respectively occurred? What a comment upon the declaration, "The letter killeth, the spirit giveth life."

I. I observe that the Old and New Testaments present many such instructive contrasts, serving to illustrate THE DIFFERENT SPIRIT OF THE LEGAL AS COMPARED WITH THE EVANGELICAL ECONOMY — the one being mostly miracles of judgment, the other almost exclusively miracles of mercy. For instance, there is the confusion of tongues at Babel — the gift of tongues at Pentecost; the water turned into blood in Egypt — the water turned into wine at Cana; the darkness of Egypt issuing in the death of the first-born — the darkness of Calvary bringing many sons to glory. And so in the text: the death of Uzza on touching the ark — the healing of the sufferer that touched our Lord. It was in either case a touch; but the one was fatal, the other a cure. The one was a case of presumption, if not of unbelief; the other a case of humility and of the deepest faith. The Lord, the heart-searcher, saw a difference in the intrinsic similarity of the acts which man saw not. It was not altogether the difference in the dispensations, but the difference in the persons. Uzza not only overlooked the law that prescribed the Kohathite as the ark-bearer, but sacrilegiously intruded his hand to support an emblem which had vindicated the sufficiency of its self-reliance by its superhuman inflictions in the house of Dagon, and by its miraculous over-rulings of natural instincts in the leading of the kine from their calves when its mystic pilgrimage lay in an opposite direction; whereas the woman in the Gospels ascribed merit and virtue even to the hem of the Redeemer's garment, and much more therefore to Himself. Hence the two, Uzza and the woman, enacted in type the Pharisee and the publican, whereof the one "went down to her house justified rather than the other." Both intrinsically were slight, inconsiderable acts in themselves — A mere touch externally in either case; the one touching the sign, the other the thing signified. But the one brought his support to the covenant ark, the other drew her support from the Ark; the one approached in self-sufficiency, and was smitten for his presumption, the other drew nigh in self-abasement, and was healed for her faith. Upon the one, therefore, fell the terrible anathema of "the letter" that "killeth"; upon the other descended as the dews of heaven "the Spirit" that "giveth life."

II. In their contrast is presented THE LIGHT AND SHADE OF THE PROFESSION-LIFE IN THE CHURCH. It is more agreeable to our natural pride to feel our personal hand to be the stay of a declining Church, than to creep with a poor, dejected sinner to the hem of the garment, the lowest place, the door-keeper's post in the house of our God. The pride of ecclesiastical office is in various shapes and degrees the besetting sin of clergy and laity. It leads the former to rest upon functional relations, those pretensions and reliances due only to the endowments of grace, to the conscientious cultivation of gifts, and to the exercise of personal influence. It tempts the priest alike to supersede the man and lose sight of God. Alas! for this thrusting the unbidden hand of the creature upon the ark of God! It displays itself among the laity, too, in the love of office in the Church, for the mere office sake, as a platform for self-parade. It escapes even in the mode and amount of contributions to the Church, in laying them like the corban on the altar, not for the glory of God, but as the price of redemption from some unpalatable duty. There are men who can be brought to church with the idea of playing the patron, to indulge the vanity of their sense of being necessary to her standing and well-doing, who thus lay unhallowed hands on her altar, like an Uzza, but who would disdain to be indebted to that lowly touch of her spiritual garment, for the feeling that it was that, and not their presumptuous handling of the ark of her strength, that made them whole.

III. The doctrine of the contrast is twofold — NAMELY, THE PERIL OF THE LEAST SIN, AND THE PEACE OF THE LEAST ACT OF FAITH. As to the first: you are always in danger so long as you allow yourselves in any known sin under the plea of Lot, who, by the side of the enormities of Sodom, contended "is it not a little one?" The effect of that friction with the world into which men's eagerness in business or pursuit of pleasure leads them, is to rub off the bloom from the fruits of the Spirit, and to rub off, though in minutest particles, the fine gold, and turn it dim in lustre and less in substance. The little sin, as you imagine it, of putting your hand, say, upon a portion of the Sabbath, to do something in your business, or to spend it in recreation, or in reading the news, or in secular gossiping, leaving the sound of the service chimes to die away among the graves of the dead, who are no more insensible to its calling than yourselves — in these supposed little sins begins the course, that deceiving and being deceived, waxes worse and worse, until the man's life becomes at last a mere chapter of practical Atheism, without prayer, without faith, without obedience. Or suppose the little sin take another direction, confining its action to within the sanctuary, and the moral delinquent lays his hand upon the ark in another shape. Perhaps he does not realise Christ's sufficiency as to an atonement or a justifying righteousness, and must have a hand in the satisfaction of the one, and the completeness of the other, and therefore looks to a baptism, or a eucharist, or to his social charities, or moral duties, or evangelical sentiments, or enthusiastic feelings and sensations, or the suffrages of fellow-sinners, or even fellow-saints, if the phrase be more acceptable. If by these, by all of them or by any of them, the man looks to commend himself in the sight of God, and supplement that which was lacking, in his theory, in the finished work of Christ, his hand is on the ark, and unless it be removed betimes, the hand of an indignant God will be upon him, and he that "sinneth with a high hand," for whom neither, law nor Gospel provided an atonement, "shall suddenly be cut off, and that without remedy." On the other hand, the contrast exhibits the peace and advantage of the least act of faith, even if the faith be so weak and feeble as to be likened to "a grain of mustard seed, which is the least of all seeds." Faith as little as that, like the woman's touch, has strength to remove mountains. A spark of Omnipotence is struck out of the rock by its feeblest blow.

(Joseph B. Owen, M. A.)

People
Abinadab, Ahio, David, Hemath, Israelites, Levites, Obededom, Perez, Saul, Uzza, Uzzah
Places
Baalah, Egypt, Hebron, Kiriath-jearim, Lebo-hamath, Nile River, Perez-uzza
Topics
Ark, Chidon, Floor, Forth, Grain-floor, Hold, Kidon, Nearly, Oxen, Putteth, Reached, Released, Seize, Slipping, Steady, Stumbled, Threshing, Threshingfloor, Threshing-floor, Upset, Uzza, Uzzah
Outline
1. David fetches the ark with great solemnity from Kirjath Jearim
9. Uzza being smitten, the ark is left at the house of Obed-Edom

Dictionary of Bible Themes
1 Chronicles 13:9

     4524   threshing-floor

1 Chronicles 13:1-14

     5089   David, significance

1 Chronicles 13:3-14

     7306   ark of the covenant

1 Chronicles 13:9-10

     6218   provoking God

1 Chronicles 13:9-11

     5484   punishment, by God

Library
Importance of Small Things in Religion
You have before you now the picture. I shall want you to look at it, first, in detail, to bring out certain truths which I think it teaches to us; and then, I shall want you to regard the picture as a whole, to run your eye along the whole length of the canvas, and sea the fullness of its meaning. I. First, then, we shall take THE PICTURE IN ITS DETAIL. 1. The first observation I make upon it is this, that God's judgment of sin must differ exceedingly from ours. Who among us when be has read this
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 6: 1860

Emmaus. Kiriath-Jearim.
"From Beth-horon to Emmaus it was hilly."--It was sixty furlongs distant from Jerusalem.--"To eight hundred only, dismissed the army, (Vespasian) gave a place, called Ammaus, for them to inhabit: it is sixty furlongs distant from Jerusalem." I inquire, whether this word hath the same etymology with Emmaus near Tiberias, which, from the 'warm baths,' was called Chammath. The Jews certainly do write this otherwise... "The family (say they) of Beth-Pegarim, and Beth Zipperia was out of Emmaus."--The
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica

Of Preparation.
That a Christian ought necessarily to prepare himself before he presume to be a partaker of the holy communion, may evidently appear by five reasons:-- First, Because it is God's commandment; for if he commanded, under the pain of death, that none uncircumcised should eat the paschal lamb (Exod. xii. 48), nor any circumcised under four days preparation, how much greater preparation does he require of him that comes to receive the sacrament of his body and blood? which, as it succeeds, so doth it
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety

Chronicles
The comparative indifference with which Chronicles is regarded in modern times by all but professional scholars seems to have been shared by the ancient Jewish church. Though written by the same hand as wrote Ezra-Nehemiah, and forming, together with these books, a continuous history of Judah, it is placed after them in the Hebrew Bible, of which it forms the concluding book; and this no doubt points to the fact that it attained canonical distinction later than they. Nor is this unnatural. The book
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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