John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 2. And David arose, and went with all the people that [were] with him , etc.] The thirty thousand chosen men gathered together, and as many else as chose to go: from Baale of Judah, to bring up from thence the ark of God ; that is, they first went to this place, as in ( 1 Chronicles 13:6); in order to fetch the ark from thence, as here expressed, and then they came from thence with it; this place is the same that is called Baalah and Kirjathbaal, a city in the tribe of Judah; hence Judah is added to it, and the same with Kirjathjearim, ( Joshua 15:9,60); the place where it was brought to when fetched from Bethshemesh, ( 1 Samuel 7:1); and had been here now near fifty years; nor was it any where else during this time, only once at Gibeah of Saul with him, ( 1 Samuel 14:18); whose name he called by the name of the Lord of hosts, that dwelleth [between] the cherubim ; not the ark, but the Lord, whose is the ark; his name is called by the name of Jehovah, the infinite, incomprehensible, eternal, and immutable Being, the Lord of armies above and below; whose habitation was between the cherubim that overshadowed the mercy seat, which was above the ark; all this is said, not only to express the greatness and majesty of God, but for the honour of the ark, which belonged to him.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-5 - God is present with the souls of his people, when they want the outwar tokens of his presence; but now David is settled in the throne, the honour of the ark begins to revive. Let us learn hence, to think and to speak highly of God; and to think and speak honourably of holy ordinances, which are to us as the ark was unto Israel, the tokens of God's presence, Mt 28:20. Christ is our Ark; in and by him God manifests his favour, and accepts our prayers and praises. The ar especially typified Christ and his mediation, in which the name of Jehovah and all his glories are displayed. The priests should have carried the ark upon their shoulders. Philistines may carry the ark in a cart without suffering for it; but if Israelites do so, it is a their peril, because this was not what God appointed.
Original Hebrew ויקם6965 וילך1980 דוד1732 וכל3605 העם5971 אשׁר834 אתו854 מבעלי יהודה1184 להעלות5927 משׁם8033 את853 ארון727 האלהים430 אשׁר834 נקרא7121 שׁם8034 שׁם8034 יהוה3068 צבאות6635 ישׁב3427 הכרבים3742 עליו׃5921
