The Torah Network

2 yrs

SERIES K --- ISRAEL’S GOLDEN AGE --- LESSON 02

SANCTIFY YOURSELVES

BRINGING YHVH’S ARK TO JERUSALEM

From 2 Samuel 6:12-19; 1 Chronicles 15:1-16:3

Before long King David learned that Adonai was blessing Obed-Edom’s household because the Ark was there. He again made plans to bring it to Jerusalem, as he had started to do three months earlier. In addition to the palace which David had built for himself in Jerusalem, he had prepared a place for the Ark of YHVH and set up a tent there. He gave orders that only the Levites could carry the Ark to this tent, for YHVH had chosen them for this kind of work, to be His servants forever. Once more King David called a general assembly of all Israelites to celebrate as the Ark was brought into Jerusalem and placed in the new Tabernacle, he had set up for it. He gathered a number of priests and Levites; one hundred and twenty of the descendants of Kohath, led by Uriel; two hundred and twenty descendants of Merari, led by Asaiah; one hundred and thirty descendants of Gershom, led by Joel; two hundred descendants of Elizaphan, led by Shemaiah; eighty descendants of Hebron, led by Eliel; and one hundred and twelve descendants of Uzziel, led by Amminadab. He also summoned Zadok and Abiathar, the high priests, as well as the leaders of the Levites; Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel and Amminadab. ‘You are the leaders of the Levites,’ King David told them. ‘Sanctify yourselves with your fellow Levites, so that you may be prepared to bring the Ark of YHVH to the place I have prepared for it. Adonai struck out at us the last time we moved it because you Levites were not carrying it.’ The Levites and their leaders went through the consecration ceremonies to sanctify themselves, preparing to carry the Ark of YHVH. Then David went with the Levites to the home of Obed-Edom to bring the Ark to Jerusalem. The Levites lifted the Ark to their shoulders by the poles which went through rings on the sides of the Ark, as Adonai had told Moses that it should be carried. It was a joyous occasion, with singers and musicians playing loudly and happily on psalteries, harps and cymbals. The leaders of the Levites, at David’s orders, organized the musicians and singers into groups, led by Heman the son of Joel, Asaph the son of Berechiah and Ethan the son of Kushaiah, all descendants of Merari. Their assistants were Zechariah, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Elipheleh, Mikneiah, Obededom and Jeiel. Three singers, Heman, Asaph and Ethan were assigned to sound the bronze cymbals. Eight harp players; Zechariah, Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah and Benaiah; played music set to Alamoth. In addition, Mattithiah, Elipheleh, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, Jeiel and Azaziah played the harps set to Sheminith. Chenaniah led the singing and taught the others his skills. Berechiah and Elkanah guarded the Ark. Shebaniah, Jehoshaphat, Nethaneel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah and Eliezer were priests who marched before the Ark of YHVH, blowing their trumpets. Obed-Edom and Jehiah marched with them to guard the Ark. With great joy, David and the leaders of Israel went to the house of Obed-Edom to bring the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem. When the men carrying the Ark had advanced six paces, they stopped while an ox and a fat lamb were sacrificed. When it became apparent that YHVH had put His hand of blessing upon the Levites who carried the Ark, they sacrificed seven young bulls and seven rams. King David was dressed in a white linen robe with a linen ephod. The Levites in the procession, including those who carried the Ark, the singers and their leader Chenaniah, also wore white linen robes. There was great shouting and sounds of trumpets, comets, cymbals, lyres and harps. David began to dance with great joy while the rams’ horns were sounded. But when the Ark was carried into the city, David’s wife Michal, Saul’s daughter, looked through a window and saw David leaping and dancing in his expression of joy to Adonai. Michal was angry when she saw this and she despised David in her heart. Before long the Ark arrived at the tabernacle which David had prepared for it. Then, King David presented burnt offerings and peace offerings to Adonai and blessed the people in Adonai’s Name. He also celebrated the occasion with a gift for each man and woman in Israel; a loaf of bread, a portion of meat and a cake of raisins.

COMMENTARY

THE ARK: A MYSTERIOUS GOLD CHEST

For almost a thousand years, the people of Israel clung to a golden chest called the Ark, claiming it not only as a national treasure, but a focal point of their worship and even a place where YHVH dwelt. The Ark must have been a stunning sight. It was only two feet by two feet by less than four feet, made of acacia wood and plated with gold. On its lid were two golden cherubim, with outstretched wings. In tabernacle and temple, the Ark was kept in a small windowless room called the Holy of Holies, a place so sacred that no one could enter except the high priest and he could go in only once each year. Inside this golden chest were two stone tablets which YHVH gave Moses, with the Ten Commandments on them. In the earlier years, it also held a jar filled with manna and Aaron’s rod which had budded. During the Ark’s long history, it travelled to many places, as recorded below.

CONSTRUCTION IN THE WILDERNESS

The Ark was made in the wilderness, according to instructions which Adonai gave to Moses. Throughout the approximately thirty-eight years the Israelites remained in the wilderness; they carried the Ark wherever they went.

CROSSING THE JORDAN RIVER

As the Israelites gathered on the Jordan River bank to enter the Promised Land, they were blocked by the flooded river. Using the Ark, YHVH worked a miracle to part the waters. Covered by goatskin wrappings, the Ark was carried by the priests into the river. As soon as they stepped into the water with the Ark, the river parted to let the Israelites cross.

CAPTURED BY THE PHILISTINES

For about three hundred and fifty years, the Ark remained in the tabernacle, most of that time at Shiloh. Then in a battle in which the Philistines defeated Israel, the Ark was captured and taken to Philistine cities, the first time it had been in enemy hands.

RETURNED TO ISRAEL

After the Philistines capture the Ark, they put it in the temple of their god Dagon in Ashdod. But misfortune and plague struck in the city. It was moved to Gath and then to Ekron, with plagues following wherever it went. At last, the Philistines recognized the problem and returned the Ark to Beth-Shemesh in Israel.

MOVED TO JERUSALEM

After one unsuccessful attempt, David finally moved the Ark to the tent he had prepared for it in Jerusalem, his capital city. It was moved successfully only after arrangements had been made exactly according to the Law of Moses.

HOUSED IN SOLOMON’S TEMPLE

By the time Solomon placed the Ark in the newly built temple, only two tablets of stone remained inside. Aaron’s rod and the pot of manna had been removed for some unknown reason.

Comment

Discover Posts

The Messiah and the Resurrections of the Dead -