v. 1. And David consulted with the captains of thousands and hundreds, and with every leader, this item supplementing the account in 2Sa_6:1-11, where only the total number is given as having been thirty thousand.
v. 2. And David said unto all the congregation of Israel, in its representatives, if it seem good unto you and that it be of the Lord, our God, let us send abroad unto our brethren everywhere, literally, "let us break through and send," that is, let us use all diligence, putting aside every show of hesitation, joining with all the other true believers, that are left in all the land of Israel, and with them also to the priests and Levites which are in their cities and suburbs, living in obscurity in the various cities allotted to them, that they may gather themselves unto us.
v. 3. and let us bring again the ark of our God to us, which, after having been returned by the Philistines to Bethshemesh, had been brought up as far as Kirjath-jearim, 1Sa_7:1, for we enquired not at it in the days of Saul. The worship of Jehovah had, in general, been neglected during the reign of Saul, the ark having been away from the Sanctuary for so many years. The more serious believers had offered their sacrifices at Gibeon, but without considering that the ark was the chief part of the Tabernacle. David, clear-sighted as usual, realized that the presence of the ark in his capital, where he intended to locate the Sanctuary, would be of great help in maintaining the worship of Jehovah in the nation.
v. 4. And all the congregation said that they would do so, they were inspired by the fervent piety of the king; for the thing was right in the eyes of all the people, it met with their full approval and promise of cooperation.
v. 5. So David gathered all Israel together, from Shihor of Egypt, the small stream forming the boundary between Palestine and Egypt, even unto the entering of Hemath, in the extreme north, in the mountain ranges of Syria, to bring the ark of God from Kirjathjearim.
v. 6. And David went up and all Israel, the great multitudes that had responded to his summons, to Baalah, that is, to Kirjath-jearim, which belonged to Judah, a town in its western part, to bring up thence the ark of God the Lord, that dwelleth between the cherubim, for it was above the mercy-seat that the glory of Jehovah appeared to Moses and to His servants, Exo_25:22, whose name is called on it; for religious worship includes the act of calling on His name.
v. 7. And they carried the ark of God in a new cart out of the house of Abinadab, which lay on a hill near the city; and Uzza and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drave the cart.
v. 8. And David and all Israel played before God with all their might, and with singing, with songs of rejoicing, and with harps, and with psalteries, and with timbrels, tambourines, and with cymbals, and with trumpets, those of the Sanctuary probably being in use. Such feasts of rejoicing in honor of the Lord are well-pleasing to Him; but all sinful elements must be carefully kept away.