John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 3. And all the elders of Israel came , etc.] To Zion, the city of David: and the priests took up the ark ; from thence; in ( 2 Chronicles 5:4) it is said the Levites did it, whose business it was, ( Deuteronomy 31:25), and so the priests might be called; for every priest was a Levite, though every Levite was not a priest, and the priests did at all times bear the ark; (see Joshua 3:15 6:4 2 Samuel 15:29).
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-11 - The bringing in the ark, is the end which must crown the work: this wa done with great solemnity. The ark was fixed in the place appointed for its rest in the inner part of the house, whence they expected God to speak to them, even in the most holy place. The staves of the ark wer drawn out, so as to direct the high priest to the mercy-seat over the ark, when he went in, once a year, to sprinkle the blood there; so tha they continued of use, though there was no longer occasion to carry it by them. The glory of God appearing in a cloud may signify, 1. The darkness of that dispensation, in comparison with the light of the gospel, by which, with open face, we behold, as in a glass, the glor of the Lord. 2. The darkness of our present state, in comparison with the sight of God, which will be the happiness of heaven, where the Divine glory is unveiled.
Original Hebrew ויבאו935 כל3605 זקני2205 ישׂראל3478 וישׂאו5375 הכהנים3548 את853 הארון׃727
