John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 3. And they set the ark of God upon a new cart , etc.] Which was a great mistake, since it ought not to have been put upon a cart, old or new; it was to be borne upon men’s shoulders, and carried by Levites only, and those of the family of Kohath, to whom no wagons were given, when others had them, for the above reason, ( Numbers 7:9); it is strange that so many priests and Levites, and of the people of Israel gathered together on that account, and David also, so well versed in the law of God, should not refer to it; perhaps they were led by the example of the Philistines, who put it in a new cart, and set it forward towards Bethshemesh, and were not punished for it; but it should have been considered they were an ignorant Heathen people, and who had no proper persons among them to bear it, and so might be dispensed with. This mistake was afterwards seen by David, and rectified, ( 1 Chronicles 15:2); wherefore there is no reason to charge the text with an error or escape, and that the word “Kirjathjearim” is wanting, and to be supplied, as Spinosa suggests: and brought it out , or “after they had brought it out” f106 , of the house of Abinadab that [was] in Gibeah; or which was on the hill in Kirjathjearim , ( 1 Samuel 7:1); and Uzzah and Ahio the sons of Abinadab drew the new cart ; perhaps not only Abinadab himself was dead, but Eleazar also, his eldest son, who was sanctified to keep the ark, as in ( 1 Samuel 7:1); and these might be his younger sons who at this time had the care of it, and it may be especially Uzzah.
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 וירכבו7392 את853 ארון727 האלהים430 אל413 עגלה5699 חדשׁה2319 וישׂאהו5375 מבית1004 אבינדב41 אשׁר834 בגבעה1389 ועזא5798 ואחיו283 בני1121 אבינדב41 נהגים5090 את853 העגלה5699 חדשׁה׃2319
