A mudança da arca
(2 Sm 6.1-11)
1Depois de ter consultado todos os seus chefes e comandantes militares, 2David dirigiu-se à assembleia de Israel da seguinte maneira: “Visto que vos parece bem que eu seja vosso rei, e visto que temos a aprovação do Senhor, nosso Deus, mandemos uma mensagem aos nossos irmãos em toda a terra de Israel, incluindo os sacerdotes e os levitas, convidando-os a juntar-se a nós. 3Tornemos também a trazer para junto de nós a arca de Deus, porque tem ficado esquecida, desde que Saul se tornou rei.”
4Houve consenso geral e toda a gente esteve de acordo com a iniciativa. 5David convocou todo o povo de Israel, desde Sior, na fronteira do Egito, até à entrada de Hamate, para que estivesse presente quando a arca de Deus fosse trazida de Quiriate-Jearim.
6Então David e todo o Israel foram a Baalá, ou seja Quiriate-Jearim, em Judá, para trazer a arca do Senhor Deus, cujo trono está acima dos querubins. 7Foram-na buscar a casa de Abinadabe, num carro novo. Uzá e Aiô conduziam o carro. 8David e todo o povo dançaram perante Deus, com grande entusiasmo, acompanhados de cânticos, harpas, liras, tamborins, címbalos e cornetas.
9Quando chegaram à eira de Quidom, os bois tropeçaram e Uzá estendeu a mão para segurar a arca. 10A ira do Senhor acendeu-se contra ele e matou-o, por ter tocado na arca. E ficou ali estendido diante de Deus. 11David ficou muito contristado devido àquilo que o Senhor fizera e deu àquele lugar o nome Perez-Uzá (brecha de Uzá). Ainda hoje é assim chamado.
12O rei ficou com medo de Deus e interrogava-se: “Como hei de trazer a arca de Deus para junto de mim?” 13Finalmente, decidiu-se por trazê-la até à casa de Obede-Edom, originário de Gate, em lugar de a levar para a sua própria casa, na Cidade de David. 14A arca permaneceu ali com a família de Obede-Edom durante três meses. E o Senhor abençoou-o, a ele e à sua casa.
David Brings Back the Ark
1David talked with each of his officers. He wanted to get their advice. Some of them were commanders of thousands of men. Others were commanders of hundreds. 2David spoke to the whole community of Israel. He said, “Let’s send word to the rest of our people no matter how far away they live. They live in all the territories of Israel. Let’s also send word to the priests and Levites who are with them in their towns and on their grasslands. Let’s invite everyone to come and join us. Let’s do it if it seems good to you and if that’s what the Lord our God wants. 3Let’s bring the ark of our God back here to us. We didn’t use it to ask God for advice during the whole time Saul was king.” 4So that’s what the whole community agreed to do. It seemed right to them.
5David gathered together all the Israelites. They came from the area between the Shihor River in Egypt and Lebo Hamath. They came to bring the ark of God from Kiriath Jearim to Jerusalem. 6David went to Baalah of Judah. The whole community of Israel went with him. Baalah is also called Kiriath Jearim. All the people went there to get the ark of God the Lord. He sits on his throne between the cherubim. The ark is named after the Lord.
7The ark of God was placed on a new cart. Then it was moved from Abinadab’s house. Uzzah and Ahio were guiding it. 8David was celebrating with all his might in front of God. So was the whole community of Israel. All of them were singing songs. They were also playing harps, lyres, tambourines, cymbals and trumpets.
9They came to the threshing floor of Kidon. The oxen nearly fell there. So Uzzah reached out his hand to hold the ark steady. 10Then the Lord became very angry with Uzzah. The Lord struck him down because he had put his hand on the ark. So Uzzah died there in front of God.
11David was angry because the Lord’s great anger had broken out against Uzzah. That’s why the place is still called Perez Uzzah to this day.
12David was afraid of God that day. David asked, “How can I ever bring the ark of God back here to me?” 13So he didn’t take the ark to be with him in the City of David. Instead, he took it to the house of Obed-Edom. Obed-Edom was from Gath. 14The ark of God remained with the family of Obed-Edom. It stayed in his house for three months. And the Lord blessed his family. He also blessed everything that belonged to him.
