Uzza Touches the Ark and Dies—Why? Samuel vs. Chronicles

Immediately after the dedication of the tabernacle, Aaron’s two sons bring “a strange fire” that God had not commanded, and they die:

^{ויקרא י:א} וַיִּקְחוּ בְנֵי אַהֲרֹן נָדָב וַאֲבִיהוּא אִישׁ מַחְתָּתוֹ וַיִּתְּנוּ בָהֵן אֵשׁ וַיָּשִׂימוּ עָלֶיהָ קְטֹרֶת וַיַּקְרִיבוּ לִפְנֵי יְ־הֹוָה אֵשׁ זָרָה אֲשֶׁר לֹא צִוָּה אֹתָם. ^י:ב וַתֵּצֵא אֵשׁ מִלִּפְנֵי יְ־הֹוָה וַתֹּאכַל אוֹתָם וַיָּמֻתוּ לִפְנֵי יְ־הֹוָה.

^{Lev 10:1} Now Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu each took his fire pan, put fire in it, and laid incense on it; and they offered before YHWH strange fire—which He had not commanded them. ^10:2 And fire came forth from YHWH and consumed them; thus they died at the instance of YHWH.^[1]

The nature of Nadab and Abihu’s sin is not clear, but it is undeniable that they engaged in some pre-meditated act (of offering “strange fire”) that “YHWH had not commanded them.”^[2]

Uzzah Touches the Ark and Dies: The Haftarah

The haftarah for Parashat Shemini, which contains this episode, also relates a cultic ceremony that was marred by an abrupt and unexpected death.^[3] It describes King David transporting the ark of God from its erstwhile temporary location in Kiryat Ye’arim^[4] (modern-day Telz Stone), where it was kept at the house of Abinadab,^[5] to David’s new capital city of Jerusalem.

The story begins with a celebratory procession that accompanies the transport of the ark:

^{שמואל ב ו:ג} וַיַּרְכִּבוּ אֶת אֲרוֹן הָאֱלֹהִים אֶל עֲגָלָה חֲדָשָׁה וַיִּשָּׂאֻהוּ מִבֵּית אֲבִינָדָב אֲשֶׁר בַּגִּבְעָה וְעֻזָּא וְאַחְיוֹ בְּנֵי אֲבִינָדָב נֹהֲגִים אֶת הָעֲגָלָה חֲדָשָׁה. ^ו:ד וַיִּשָּׂאֻהוּ מִבֵּית אֲבִינָדָב אֲשֶׁר בַּגִּבְעָה עִם אֲרוֹן הָאֱלֹהִים וְאַחְיוֹ הֹלֵךְ לִפְנֵי הָאָרוֹן. ^ו:ה וְדָוִד  וְכׇל בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל מְשַׂחֲקִים לִפְנֵי יְהֹוָה בְּכֹל עֲצֵי בְרוֹשִׁים וּבְכִנֹּרוֹת וּבִנְבָלִים וּבְתֻפִּים וּבִמְנַעַנְעִים וּבְצֶלְצֱלִים.

^{2 Sam 6:3} They loaded the Ark of God onto a new cart and conveyed it from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill; and Abinadab’s sons, Uzza and Ahio, guided the new cart. ^6:4 They conveyed it from Abinadab’s house on the hill, [Uzza walking] alongside the Ark of God and Ahio walking in front of the Ark. ^6:5 Meanwhile, David and all the House of Israel danced before the LORD to [the sound of] all kinds of cypress wood [instruments], with lyres, harps, timbrels, sistrums, and cymbals.

The Incident in Chronicles

The Book of Chronicles is one of the later books of the Hebrew Bible. It is often regarded as having been composed in the transition period between Persian and Greek domination of the Land of Israel (first half of the fourth century B.C.E.).^[6] In rehearsing Israel’s history from the reign of David through the edict of Cyrus permitting the Babylonian Jewish exiles to return to their land, the author of Chronicles (henceforth the Chronicler) appears to be heavily reliant on the Books of Samuel and Kings, to which he often inserts significant additions reflecting his own worldview.

This latter phenomenon can be clearly appreciated by examining the Peretz-uzza story which the Chronicler retells but leaves out that non-Levites carried the ark (C.f. 2 Sam 6:4, more on this later):^[7]

^{דברי הימים א יג:ז} וַיַּרְכִּיבוּ אֶת אֲרוֹן הָאֱלֹהִים עַל עֲגָלָה חֲדָשָׁה מִבֵּית אֲבִינָדָב וְעֻזָּא וְאַחְיוֹ נֹהֲגִים בָּעֲגָלָה.^יג:ח וְדָוִיד וְכׇל יִשְׂרָאֵל מְשַׂחֲקִים לִפְנֵי הָאֱלֹהִים בְּכׇל עֹז וּבְשִׁירִים וּבְכִנֹּרוֹת וּבִנְבָלִים וּבְתֻפִּים וּבִמְצִלְתַּיִם וּבַחֲצֹצְרוֹת.

^{1 Chr 13:7} They transported the Ark of God on a new cart from the house of Abinadab; Uzza and Ahio guided the cart, ^13:8 and David and all Israel danced before God with all their might—with songs, lyres, harps, timbrels, cymbals, and trumpets.^[8]

At some point during the festive procession, the oxen pulling the cart stumble, and Uzza reaches out to steady the ark:

^{שמואל ב ו:ו} וַיָּבֹאוּ עַד גֹּרֶן נָכוֹן וַיִּשְׁלַח עֻזָּה אֶל אֲרוֹן הָאֱלֹהִים וַיֹּאחֶז בּוֹ כִּי שָׁמְטוּ הַבָּקָר. ^ו:ז וַיִּחַר אַף יְ־הֹוָה בְּעֻזָּה וַיַּכֵּהוּ שָׁם הָאֱלֹהִים עַל הַשַּׁל וַיָּמׇת שָׁם עִם אֲרוֹן הָאֱלֹהִים. ^ו:ח וַיִּחַר לְדָוִד עַל אֲשֶׁר פָּרַץ יְ־הֹוָה פֶּרֶץ בְּעֻזָּה וַיִּקְרָא לַמָּקוֹם הַהוּא פֶּרֶץ עֻזָּה עַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה.

^{2 Sam 6:6} But when they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah reached out for the Ark of God and grasped it, for the oxen had stumbled. ^6:7 YHWH was incensed at Uzzah. And God struck him down on the spot for his indiscretion, and he died there beside the Ark of God. ^6:8 David was distressed because YHWH had inflicted a breach upon Uzzah; and that place was named Perez-uzzah [breach of Uzza], as it is still called.

The opaque term השל, bolded in v. 7, is rendered “indiscretion” on the basis of an Aramaic cognate.^[9] Alternatively, following the text of the Samuel scroll from Qumran 4QSam^a, many modern commentators view עַל־הַשַּׁל as an abbreviated form of עַל אֲשֶׁר־שָׁלַח יָדוֹ עַל־הָאָרוֹן “because he laid his hand on the ark,”^[10] as we find in Chronicles:

^{דברי הימים א יג:ט} וַיָּבֹאוּ עַד גֹּרֶן כִּידֹן וַיִּשְׁלַח עֻזָּא אֶת יָדוֹ לֶאֱחֹז אֶת הָאָרוֹן כִּי שָׁמְטוּ הַבָּקָר. ^יג:י וַיִּחַר אַף יְ־הֹוָה בְּעֻזָּא וַיַּכֵּהוּ עַל אֲשֶׁר שָׁלַח יָדוֹ עַל הָאָרוֹן וַיָּמׇת שָׁם לִפְנֵי אֱלֹהִים. ^יג:יא וַיִּחַר לְדָוִיד כִּי פָרַץ יְ־הֹוָה פֶּרֶץ בְּעֻזָּא וַיִּקְרָא לַמָּקוֹם הַהוּא פֶּרֶץ עֻזָּא עַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה.

^{1 Chr 13:9} But when they came to the threshing floor of Chidon, Uzza put out his hand to hold the Ark of God because the oxen had stumbled. ^13:10 YHWH was incensed at Uzza, and struck him down, because he laid a hand on the Ark; and so he died there before God. ^13:11 David was distressed because YHWH had burst out against Uzza; and that place was named Perez-uzza, as it is still called.

But even if this be the case, there is no ready explanation for why Uzza’s offense should be considered so grave that he deserves instant death. Edward L. Greenstein, in “The Incident of Nadav and Avihu: A Mysterious Transgression or a Mysterious Deity?” (2014) explains that we need to judge Uzza’s fate not in rational terms, but in metaphysical terms. He argues that the radical, mysterious holiness of God includes destructive qualities that underscore the unbridgeable divide between the divine and the mortal spheres.

When Uzza reached out his hand to steady the ark and came into direct contact with it, he encroached upon the boundary between the profane and holy, and, as Greenstein explains, “God could not tolerate for a second the less-than-divine hand of Uzza making contact with the holy Ark, the seat of God’s presence.” God’s power is awe-inspiring and wondrous, but also unpredictable and dangerous. David’s reaction to the incident provides corroborative support for Greenstein’s thesis:

^{שמואל ב ו:ט} וַיִּרָא דָוִד אֶת יְ־הֹוָה בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא וַיֹּאמֶר אֵיךְ יָבוֹא אֵלַי אֲרוֹן יְ־הֹוָה.^ו:י וְלֹא אָבָה דָוִד לְהָסִיר אֵלָיו אֶת אֲרוֹן יְ־הֹוָה עַל עִיר דָּוִד וַיַּטֵּהוּ דָוִד בֵּית עֹבֵד אֱדֹם הַגִּתִּי.

^{2 Sam 6:9} David was afraid of YHWH that day; he said, “How can I let the Ark of YHWH come to me?” ^6:10 So David would not bring the Ark of YHWH to his place in the City of David; instead, David diverted it to the house of Obed-edom the Gittite.^[11]

Chronicles’ description of David’s reaction is nearly identical:

^{דברי הימים א יג:יב‎}וַיִּירָא דָוִיד אֶת־הָאֱלֹהִים בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא לֵאמֹר הֵיךְ אָבִיא אֵלַי אֵת אֲרוֹן הָאֱלֹהִים. ^יג:יג‎וְלֹא־הֵסִיר דָּוִיד אֶת־הָאָרוֹן אֵלָיו אֶל־עִיר דָּוִיד וַיַּטֵּהוּ אֶל־בֵּית עֹבֵד־אֱדֹם הַגִּתִּי.

^{1 Chr 13:12} David was afraid of God that day; he said, “How can I bring the Ark of God here?” ^13:13 So David did not remove the Ark to his place in the City of David; instead, he diverted it to the house of Obed-edom the Gittite.

David’ s reaction gives expression to the fear and resignation that he feels in response to God’s display of overwhelming, terrifying, numinous power. In his distress, he even calls a halt to the transport of the ark, afraid of the danger it poses to those in its proximity.

God’s Ark is also a Blessing

What happens next makes it clear that the ark’s presence can be a source of blessing, if it is handled correctly.

^{שמואל ב ו:יא} וַיֵּשֶׁב אֲרוֹן יְ־הֹוָה בֵּית עֹבֵד אֱדֹם הַגִּתִּי שְׁלֹשָׁה חֳדָשִׁים וַיְבָרֶךְ יְ־הֹוָה אֶת־עֹבֵד אֱדֹם וְאֶת־כׇּל־בֵּיתוֹ.

^{2 Sam 6:11} The Ark of YHWH remained in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite three months, and YHWH blessed Obed-edom and his whole household

In Chronicles:

^{דברי הימים א יג:יד} וַיֵּשֶׁב אֲרוֹן הָאֱלֹהִים עִם־בֵּית עֹבֵד אֱדֹם בְּבֵיתוֹ שְׁלֹשָׁה חֳדָשִׁים וַיְבָרֶךְ יְהֹוָה אֶת־בֵּית עֹבֵד־אֱדֹם וְאֶת־כׇּל־אֲשֶׁר־לוֹ׃

^{1 Chr 13:14} The Ark of God remained in the house of Obed-edom, in its own abode, three months, and the LORD blessed the house of Obed-edom and all he had.

The Ark Finally Arrives in Jerusalem, in Samuel

Once David learns of this, he is reassured:

^{שמואל ב ו:יב} וַיֻּגַּד לַמֶּלֶךְ דָּוִד לֵאמֹר בֵּרַךְ יְ־הֹוָה אֶת בֵּית עֹבֵד אֱדֹם וְאֶת כׇּל אֲשֶׁר לוֹ בַּעֲבוּר אֲרוֹן הָאֱלֹהִים וַיֵּלֶךְ דָּוִד וַיַּעַל אֶת אֲרוֹן הָאֱלֹהִים מִבֵּית עֹבֵד אֱדֹם עִיר דָּוִד בְּשִׂמְחָה.

It was reported to King David: “The LORD has blessed Obed-edom’s house and all that belongs to him because of the Ark of God.” Thereupon David went and brought up the Ark of God from the house of Obed-edom to the City of David, amid rejoicing.

Here, in Samuel, David resumes transporting the ark to Jerusalem, this time without incident, and the episode ends with the ark safely delivered to its new home among much fanfare and celebration (2 Sam 6:13-19).

Chronicles, however, provides an interlude of no less than forty-one verses before again picking up the thread of the narrative relating to the second, successful procession of the ark. This interlude can be divided into two major units.

God is with David Despite Uzza’s Offence: 1 Chronicles 14

The first major unit includes all of chapter 14, in which the following topics appear:

1. The Tyrian king Hiram’s initiative to assist David in building a palace (v. 1–2)
2. A list of David’s sons that were born in Jerusalem (v. 3–7)
3. A Philistine attack on the southern flank of Jerusalem that was successfully repelled by David at a place that he named “Baal-Perazim.” (v. 8–17)

According to both Chronicles and Samuel, only three months elapse between the two stages of the ark narrative (1 Chr 13:14, paralleling 2 Sam 6:11). Chronicles’ inclusion of these events within this three-month gap cannot fit in this brief period, and thus the addition must reflect thematic rather than chronological concerns.^[12] David’s successes in Jerusalem, no matter when they occurred, are cited by the Chronicler as a means of expressing that God was still with David, even after the Peretz-uzza fiasco.^[13]

In contrast, in the book of Samuel, these events are related sequentially after David’s successful conquest of Jerusalem (2 Sam 5:6-10) and before the ark narrative (2 Sam 6), which is then related in its entirety.^[14]

Only the Levites Can Carry the Ark: 1 Chronicles 15

The second block of text that forms the interlude in the ark story (1 Chr 15:1–24) is unique to the Book of Chronicles, and most likely giving expression to the Chronicler’s particular outlook. After preparing the tent in which the ark will reside in Jerusalem, arrangements are made to transport the ark:

^{דברי הימים א טו׃ב} אָז אָמַר דָּוִיד לֹא לָשֵׂאת אֶת אֲרוֹן הָאֱלֹהִים כִּי אִם הַלְוִיִּם כִּי בָם  בָּחַר יְ־הֹוָה לָשֵׂאת אֶתאֲרוֹן יְ־הֹוָה וּלְשָׁרְתוֹ עַד עוֹלָם.

^{1 Chr 15:2} Then David gave orders that none but the Levites were to carry the Ark of God, for YHWH had chosen them to carry the Ark of YHWH and to minister to Him forever.

This verse echoes instructions regarding the transport of the Ark in Deuteronomy:

^{דברים י:ח} בָּעֵת הַהִוא הִבְדִּיל יְ־הֹוָה אֶת שֵׁבֶט הַלֵּוִי לָשֵׂאת אֶת אֲרוֹן בְּרִית יְ־הֹוָה לַעֲמֹד לִפְנֵי יְ־הֹוָה לְשָׁרְתוֹ וּלְבָרֵךְ בִּשְׁמוֹ עַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה.

^{Deut 10:8} At that time YHWH set apart the tribe of Levi to carry the Ark of YHWH’s Covenant, to stand in attendance upon YHWH, and to bless in His name, as is still the case.

After reassembling the people, David addresses the chief priests and the heads of the Levites specifically:

^{דברי הימים א טו:יב} וַיֹּאמֶר לָהֶם אַתֶּם רָאשֵׁי הָאָבוֹת לַלְוִיִּם הִתְקַדְּשׁוּ אַתֶּם וַאֲחֵיכֶם וְהַעֲלִיתֶם אֵת אֲרוֹן יְ־הֹוָה אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶל הֲכִינוֹתִי לוֹ. ^טו:יג כִּי לְמַבָּרִאשׁוֹנָה לֹא אַתֶּם פָּרַץ יְ־הֹוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ בָּנוּ כִּי לֹא דְרַשְׁנֻהוּ כַּמִּשְׁפָּט.

^{1 Chr 15:12} He said to them, “You are the heads of the clans of the Levites; sanctify yourselves, you and your kinsmen, and bring up the Ark of YHWH God of Israel to [the place] I have prepared for it. ^15:13 Because you were not there the first time, YHWH our God burst out against us, for we did not show due regard for him.”

Once again the Chronicler uses the key root .פ.ר.צ, “burst out” with reference to God’s wrath. David’s orders are then followed precisely:

^{דברי הימים א טו:יד} וַיִּתְקַדְּשׁוּ הַכֹּהֲנִים וְהַלְוִיִּם לְהַעֲלוֹת אֶת אֲרוֹן יְ־הֹוָה אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל. ^טו:טו וַיִּשְׂאוּ בְנֵי הַלְוִיִּם אֵת אֲרוֹן הָאֱלֹהִים כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה מֹשֶׁה כִּדְבַר יְ־הֹוָה בִּכְתֵפָם בַּמֹּטוֹת עֲלֵיהֶם.

^{1 Chr 15:14} The priests and Levites sanctified themselves in order to bring up the Ark of YHWH God of Israel. ^15:15 The Levites carried the Ark of God by means of poles on their shoulders, as Moses had commanded in accordance with the word of YHWH.

The Levites carrying the ark is in the spirit of the instructions found in the Book of Numbers regarding the tabernacle:

^{במדבר א:נ} וְאַתָּה הַפְקֵד אֶת הַלְוִיִּם עַל מִשְׁכַּן הָעֵדֻת וְעַל כׇּל כֵּלָיו וְעַל כׇּל אֲשֶׁר לוֹ הֵמָּה יִשְׂאוּ אֶת הַמִּשְׁכָּן וְאֶת כׇּל כֵּלָיו וְהֵם יְשָׁרְתֻהוּ וְסָבִיב לַמִּשְׁכָּן יַחֲנוּ. ^א:נא וּבִנְסֹעַ הַמִּשְׁכָּן יוֹרִידוּ אֹתוֹ הַלְוִיִּם וּבַחֲנֹת הַמִּשְׁכָּן יָקִימוּ אֹתוֹ הַלְוִיִּם וְהַזָּר הַקָּרֵב יוּמָת.

^{Num 1:50} You shall put the Levites in charge of the Tabernacle of the Pact, all its furnishings, and everything that pertains to it: they shall carry the Tabernacle and all its furnishings, and they shall tend it; and they shall camp around the Tabernacle. ^1:51 When the Tabernacle is to set out, the Levites shall take it down, and when the Tabernacle is to be pitched, the Levites shall set it up; any outsider who encroaches shall be put to death.[15]

In view of the Chronicler’s position that only Levites are authorized to carry the ark (on poles, so they don’t touch it directly), we can now understand why already in the first part of the story, he omitted the description of anonymous individuals carrying the ark without incurring any punishment (2 Sam 6:3–4).

The Chronicler’s stance stems from his assumption that David and subsequent kings were aware of the totality of Moses’s Torah, including its Priestly elements (cf. also 1 Chr. 16:37–40; 2 Chr. 8:12–13), as opposed to the Deuteronomistic History (the books of Joshua, Judges, 1-2 Samuel, and 1-2 Kings), in which kings are only assumed to have been aware of Deuteronomic law.^[16] Thus, according to the Chronicler, David deduced the reason for the Peretz-uzza tragedy and made provisions to prevent its reoccurrence simply by referring to Deuteronomic and Priestly law.^[17]

This is a far cry indeed from the Book of Samuel’s David, who undertook the resumption of the ark transport merely based on his supposition that God’s wrath had blown over, seeing that the ark’s temporary guardian, Obed-Edom the Gittite, was prospering.

Obed-Edom Was a Levite

To be sure, the Chronicler hardly ignores Obed-Edom either. In Samuel, Obed-Edom’s identification as a Gittite indicates that he is from the Philistine city of Gath, which implies that he is a Philistine. Additionally, having “Edom” as part of his name may suggest that he is an Edomite. Either way, it is clear from the way he is identified in 2 Samuel 6 that he is not an Israelite.

For the Chronicler, since only Levites are permitted to tend to the ark, it is unacceptable for someone who is not a Levite (and not even an Israelite, for that matter), to host the ark in his home for three months. Therefore, the Chronicler makes Obed-Edom a Levite, and in fact includes him among the groups of Levitical gatekeepers, singers, and musicians that David organizes in advance of the imminent resumption of the ark transport:^[18]

^{דברי הימים א טו:יח} וְעִמָּהֶם אֲחֵיהֶם הַמִּשְׁנִים זְכַרְיָהוּ בֵּן וְיַעֲזִיאֵל וּשְׁמִירָמוֹת וִיחִיאֵל  וְעֻנִּי אֱלִיאָב וּבְנָיָהוּ וּמַעֲשֵׂיָהוּ וּמַתִּתְיָהוּ וֶאֱלִיפְלֵהוּ וּמִקְנֵיָהוּ וְעֹבֵד אֱדֹם וִיעִיאֵל הַשֹּׁעֲרִים.

^{1 Chr 15:18} Together with them were their kinsmen of second rank, Zechariah, Ben, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphalehu, Mikneiah, Obed-edom and Jeiel the gatekeepers

^{דברי הימים א טו:כא} וּמַתִּתְיָהוּ וֶאֱלִיפְלֵהוּ וּמִקְנֵיָהוּ וְעֹבֵד אֱדֹם וִיעִיאֵל וַעֲזַזְיָהוּ בְּכִנֹּרוֹת עַל־הַשְּׁמִינִית לְנַצֵּחַ.

^{1 Chr 15:21} also Mattithiah, Eliphalehu, Mikneiah, Obed-edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah, with lyres to lead on the sheminith;

^{דברי הימים א טו:כד} וּשְׁבַנְיָהוּ וְיוֹשָׁפָט וּנְתַנְאֵל וַעֲמָשַׂי וּזְכַרְיָהוּ וּבְנָיָהוּ וֶאֱלִיעֶזֶר הַכֹּהֲנִים (מחצצרים) [מַחְצְרִים] בַּחֲצֹצְרוֹת לִפְנֵי אֲרוֹן הָאֱלֹהִים וְעֹבֵד אֱדֹם וִיחִיָּה שֹׁעֲרִים לָאָרוֹן.

^{1 Chr 15:24} Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah, and Eliezer the priests sounded the trumpets before the Ark of God, and Obed-edom and Jehiah were gatekeepers for the Ark.

Obed-Edom’s inclusion in these Levitical groupings reflects the Chronicler’s view that Obed-Edom, rather than being a “Gittite” whose ethnic origins could be questioned, is a full-fledged Levite, eminently suited for the task at hand.

The Ark Finally Arrives in Jerusalem, in Chronicles

After a forty-one verse interlude, the Chronicler finally returns to the ark narrative’s second, successful stage.^[19] In 2 Samuel David offers sacrifices:

^{שמואל ב ו:יג}‎ וַיְהִי כִּי צָעֲדוּ נֹשְׂאֵי אֲרוֹן יְ־הֹוָה שִׁשָּׁה צְעָדִים וַיִּזְבַּח שׁוֹר וּמְרִיא.

^{2 Sam 6:13} When the bearers of the Ark of YHWH had moved forward six paces, he sacrificed an ox and a fatling.

In Chronicles, the Levites offer these sacrifices:

^{דברי הימים א טו:כו} וַיְהִי בֶּעְזֹר הָאֱלֹהִים אֶת הַלְוִיִּם נֹשְׂאֵי אֲרוֹן בְּרִית יְ־הֹוָה וַיִּזְבְּחוּ שִׁבְעָה פָרִים וְשִׁבְעָה אֵילִים.

^{1 Chr 15:26} Since God helped the Levites who were carrying the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD, they sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams.

In Samuel, David is whirling in front of the ark:

^{שמואל ב ו:יד} וְדָוִד מְכַרְכֵּר בְּכׇל־עֹז לִפְנֵי יְ־הֹוָה וְדָוִד חָגוּר אֵפוֹד בָּד.

^{2 Sam 6:14} David whirled with all his might before YHWH; David was girt with a linen ephod.

The Chronicler expands the description of David’s rejoicing to include the Levite ark carriers:

^{דברי הימים א טו:כז} וְדָוִיד מְכֻרְבָּל  בִּמְעִיל בּוּץ וְכׇל הַלְוִיִּם הַנֹּשְׂאִים אֶת הָאָרוֹן וְהַמְשֹׁרְרִים וּכְנַנְיָה הַשַּׂר הַמַּשָּׂא הַמְשֹׁרְרִים וְעַל־דָּוִיד אֵפוֹד בָּד.

^{1 Chr 15:27} Now David and all the Levites who were carrying the Ark, and the singers and Chenaniah, officer of song of the singers, were wrapped in robes of fine linen, and David wore a linen ephod.^[20]

In Samuel, the procession is accompanied with a shofar:

^{שמואל ב ו:טו} וְדָוִד וְכׇל בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל מַעֲלִים אֶת אֲרוֹן יְ־הֹוָה בִּתְרוּעָה וּבְקוֹל שׁוֹפָר.

^{2 Sam 6:15} Thus David and all the House of Israel brought up the Ark of YHWH with shouts and with blasts of the horn.

The Chronicler includes the trumpets that were blown by the priests and the various percussion and string instruments that were played by the Levites:

^{דברי הימים א טו:כח} וְכׇל־יִשְׂרָאֵל מַעֲלִים אֶת־אֲרוֹן בְּרִית־יְ־הֹוָה בִּתְרוּעָה וּבְקוֹל שׁוֹפָר וּבַחֲצֹצְרוֹת וּבִמְצִלְתָּיִם מַשְׁמִעִים בִּנְבָלִים וְכִנֹּרוֹת.

^{1 Chr 15:28} All Israel brought up^[21] the Ark of the Covenant of YHWH with shouts and with blasts of the horn, with trumpets and cymbals, playing on harps and lyres.

The Chronicler and the Cult

The Chronicler’s insistence that only Levites could handle the ark reflects the cultic norms of his time, given the likelihood that by that period, the various Pentateuchal provisions relating to the Levites were considered operative and binding.^[22] The role of the Levites (and priests) is emphasized repeatedly in Chronicles, to the extent that some scholars maintain that the Chronicler was a Levite himself.^[23]

The Chronicler’s View of Reward and Punishment

The Chronicler was influenced not only by the priestly tradition, but also by the prophet most associated with that tradition, namely Ezekiel. Ezekiel is famous, among other things, for promoting the doctrine of individual accountability for sins. Rejecting the notion that people suffer on account of the sins of previous generations, Ezekiel insists that הַנֶּפֶשׁ הַחֹטֵאת הִיא תָמוּת – “the person who sins, he alone shall die” (Ezek 18:4, 20), a stance embraced by the Chronicler.[24]

Because of this conviction that only those who sin will be punished, in the context of Peretz-uzza, the Chronicler is not satisfied with what we have termed the “metaphysical” explanation for God’s wrath at Uzza, even though this itself is rooted in priestly ideology. Rather, the Chronicler finds it necessary to offer a more concrete, tangible explanation for Uzza’s fatal punishment, namely that he transgressed a specific Torah precept forbidding non-Levitical contact with the ark, or as Num 1:51 puts it with reference to a non-Levite who handles the tabernacle and its vessels, וְהַזָּר הַקָּרֵב יוּמָת, “any outsider who encroaches shall be put to death.”

Closing thought

To this very day, some people of faith, in the face of seemingly unexplained tragedy, attribute it to the mysterious ways of God, while others insist on viewing such tragedy as the consequence of sin, whether individual or collective. The comparison of the Peretz-uzza episode in Samuel and Chronicles shows that both camps have an important precedent in different biblical books.