John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 1. And the men of Kirjathjearim came and fetched up the ark of the Lord , etc.] From Bethshemesh, which was near unto them, as Josephus f136 says; they made no difficulty of fetching it, but gladly received it; for if they knew of what happened to the men of Bethshemesh, they knew it was not owing to the presence of the ark among them, but to their irreverent behaviour to it; and though Kirjathjearim was not a Levite city, and so the men of it could not bear the ark themselves, yet they might have proper persons from Bethshemesh to do this service: and brought it into the house of Abinadab in the hill ; which; hill was within the city of Kirjathjearim, and is mentioned either to distinguish this Abinadab that dwelt on it from another of the same name in the city, as Kimchi observes; or else to remark the propriety of the place, and the reason of the choice of it for the ark to be placed in; hills and high places being in those times accounted fittest for sacred services to be performed in, as well as places of safety; who this man was is not certain. Josephus f137 says he was a Levite, but if so he could only be a sojourner in this place; however he might be, as he suggests he was, a man of great esteem for religion and righteousness: and sanctified Eleazar his son to keep the ark of the Lord ; not only to watch it that it might not be taken away, but to keep persons from it, from touching it, or using it irreverently; and such as were not allowed to come nigh it; as well as to keep the place clean where it was put; and for this he was appointed by the priests, or the elders of the city; and was set apart for this service, and prepared for it by washings and sacrifices; and the rather he and not his father was invested with this office, because he was a young man, and his father might be old and decrepit; and this his son also a holy goodman, wise and prudent, and active and zealous for God, and true religion; and on all accounts a fit person for this post.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-4 - God will find a resting-place for his ark; if some thrust it from them the hearts of others shall be inclined to receive it. It is no ne thing for God's ark to be in a private house. Christ and his apostle preached from house to house, when they could not have public places Twenty years passed before the house of Israel cared for the want of the ark. During this time the prophet Samuel laboured to revive tru religion. The few words used are very expressive; and this was one of the most effectual revivals of religion which ever took place in Israel.
Original Hebrew ויבאו935 אנשׁי376 קרית יערים7157 ויעלו5927 את853 ארון727 יהוה3068 ויבאו935 אתו853 אל413 בית1004 אבינדב41 בגבעה1389 ואת853 אלעזר499 בנו1121 קדשׁו6942 לשׁמר8104 את853 ארון727 יהוה׃3068
