2 Samuel 6:1–23 The Ark Brought to Jerusalem
[Study Aired October 26, 2026]
Our study today highlights David moving the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem. In his first attempt to move the ark to Jerusalem, he failed when Uzzah died by touching the cart-driven ark. This resulted in the ark being left with Obededom for three months. Finally, David successfully brought the ark home with joy, dancing, making sacrifices, and drawing scorn from Michal, his wife.
What Does the Ark Signify?
In order to understand the passage of scripture we are reviewing today, we need to understand spiritually what an ark signifies. The first time the word “ark” appeared in the Bible was when the Lord commanded Noah to build an ark.
Gen 6:13 And God said unto Noah, the end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and behold, I will destroy them with the earth.
Gen 6:14 Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch.
Later, Moses built an ark for the Lord to be placed in the tent of meeting or the tabernacle. These two arks are similar in the sense that they both represent Christ. The following verses of scriptures bring out this assertion clearly:
Num 10:33 And they departed from the mount of the LORD three days’ journey: and the ark of the covenant of the LORD went before them in the three days’ journey, to search out a resting place for them.
Num 10:35 And it came to pass, when the ark set forward, that Moses said, Rise up, LORD, and let thine enemies be scattered; and let them that hate thee flee before thee.
Jdg 20:27 And the children of Israel enquired of the LORD, (for the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days,
From these verses, it becomes obvious that the ark of the covenant represents our Lord Jesus Christ, just like the ark the Lord commanded Noah to build is also Christ. When we are in Him, we are delivered from the flood waters of false doctrines, carnality, traditions, human wisdom, etc.
Gen 6:17 And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein the breath of life is, from under heaven; and everything that is in the earth shall die.
Gen 6:18 But with thee will I establish my covenant; and thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons’ wives with thee.
Noah, his wife and sons, and his son’s wives represent the elect who have fled to take refuge in our Lord Jesus Christ. We need to note that it is through the Lord’s judgment of the flood that Noah and all those saved took refuge in the ark. Our Lord’s judgment of our old man is what facilitates our being found in Christ. Noah’s ark resting on the seventh month is another way of saying that the Lord rested on the seventh day from all His work. All of these are to confirm to us that the ark represents the Lord Jesus Christ.
Gen 8:4 And the ark rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, upon the mountains of Ararat.
Gen 2:2 And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.
The First Attempt to Bring the Ark to Jerusalem
2Sa 6:1 Again, David gathered together all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand.
2Sa 6:2 And David arose, and went with all the people that were with him from Baale of Judah, to bring up from thence the ark of God, whose name is called by the name of the LORD of hosts that dwelleth between the cherubims.
The men of Israel that David chose to bring the ark of God was thirty thousand. In the scriptures, the number thirty thousand represents the Lord’s elect in every generation. These are the men of valor, who are battling their flesh to victory in this age.
Jos 8:3 So Joshua arose, and all the people of war, to go up against Ai: and Joshua chose out thirty thousand mighty men of valour, and sent them away by night.
It is instructive to note that according to verse 2, the ark of God’s name is the Lord of Hosts that dwells between the cherubims. Cherubims are the same as the living creatures and from the Book of Revelation, we know that the living creatures represent the Lord’s elect of every generation as indicated in Revelation chapter 5. Therefore, the Cherubims signify the Lord’s elect where the Lord dwells within them.
Eze 10:20 This is the living creature that I saw under the God of Israel by the river of Chebar; and I knew that they were the cherubims.
The four living creatures or the cherubims represent the whole of the Lord’s elect of every generation. This conclusion was based on Revelation chapter 5 where the living creatures are symbolized by the four beasts and the twenty four elders before the throne, and they all confessed to represent every tongue and tribe.
Rev 5:8 And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.
Rev 5:9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;
Rev 5:10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.
As we are aware, in our walk with Christ, it takes awhile for Christ to come and take residence in our hearts and minds. This is because our hearts and minds are first occupied by our carnal minds or the wicked, before the Lord comes to consume and destroy the wicked with the spirit of His mouth and the brightness of His coming. This is a process that takes time.
2Th 2:7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
2Th 2:8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
Therefore, the thirty thousand men who went from Judah to bring up the ark signifies what we go through as the Lord’s elect for the Lord to dwell in our hearts and minds.
2Sa 6:3 And they set the ark of God upon a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab that was in Gibeah: and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drave the new cart.
2Sa 6:4 And they brought it out of the house of Abinadab which was at Gibeah, accompanying the ark of God: and Ahio went before the ark.
It is important to note in verse 3 that in transporting the ark of God to Jerusalem, David and his men, together with children of Abinadab, Uzzah and Ahio set the ark of the God upon a cart and drove the new cart. When the Philistines captured the ark and wanted to send it back later, their priests and diviners instructed them to place the ark on a new unguided cart pulled by milk cows.
1 Samuel 6:7-8 Now, therefore, make a new cart, take two milk cows which have never been yoked, and hitch the cows to the cart; and shut their calves up at home, away from them. Then take the ark of the LORD and set it on the cart; and put the articles of gold which you are returning to Him as a trespass offering in a chest by its side. Then let it go away and be on its way. (NKJV)
We can therefore see that what David and his men did in transporting the ark is the same as what the Philistines did. As we have indicated, the Philistines represent our flesh. The new cart transporting the ark were pulled by two milking cows, which are beasts, which signify our flesh. Therefore, what we are being told is that even though we are the Lord’s elect, represented by David and his men, it is our carnal mind of our flesh that sits in our hearts and minds, directing our affairs at a certain stage of our walk.
2Th 2:7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
2Th 2:8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
Ahio was not a priest and therefore going before the ark in verse 4 shows us how as the Lord’s elect, we are led astray by our leaders in Babylon who are not priests of the Lord and therefore do not have an inkling of His words in the spirit which guides us to have the Lord in our hearts and minds.
Uzzah and the Ark
2Sa 6:5 And David and all the house of Israel played before the LORD on all manner of instruments made of fir wood, even on harps, and on psalteries, and on timbrels, and on cornets, and on cymbals.
2Sa 6:6 And when they came to Nachon’s threshingfloor, Uzzah put forth his hand to the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the oxen shook it.
2Sa 6:7 And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzzah; and God smote him there for his error; and there he died by the ark of God.
David and his house playing all manner of instruments before the ark signifies worshiping the Lord in the beauty of His holiness. Our response to the presence of the Lord or the ark, is our worship. For example, when the disciples saw Jesus after His resurrection, they spontaneously worshiped Him, even though some doubted.
Mat 28:16 Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them.
Mat 28:17 And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted.
Verses 6 and 7 demonstrate that although we are to worship the Lord in His presence, we must do it the Lord’s way. In Romans 12:1-2, the worship that pleases the Lord is offering our bodies as a living sacrifice which entails not conforming ourselves to the standards of this world, but being transformed by the renewing of our minds.
Rom 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
David and the house of Israel worshiping the Lord while the driving force was their carnal mind, was offensive to the Lord. It is instructive to note that Uzzah means ‘strength’ and what Uzzah did by touching the ark when he perceived that it may fall, signifies using our fleshly strength to worship the Lord. The Lord’s anger was therefore kindled against Uzzah, resulting in his death. We are all like Uzzah at a certain stage of our walk when we worshiped the Lord based on our carnal minds. Fortunately, this was the occasion the Lord was seeking to come and judge us, His elect, so that we will worship the Lord in spirit and in truth.
Joh 4:23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
Joh 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
2Sa 6:8 And David was displeased, because the LORD had made a breach upon Uzzah: and he called the name of the place Perezuzzah to this day.
2Sa 6:9 And David was afraid of the LORD that day, and said, How shall the ark of the LORD come to me?
David getting angry with the Lord for killing Uzzah means that David, a symbol of the Old Testament prophets, was not given to know the mysteries of the kingdom in relation to how the Lord comes with His judgment to destroy our old man and replace it with our new man who is after the image of Christ. In verse 9, David being afraid of the Lord and wondering how the ark of the Lord would come to him means that David did not understand that the dying of our carnal minds is the birthing of Christ’s presence within us. Uzzah’s death was therefore the result of the Lord’s judgment with the view of birthing the new man in us.
Eph 4:22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
Eph 4:23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
Eph 4:24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
2Sa 6:10 So David would not remove the ark of the LORD unto him into the city of David: but David carried it aside into the house of Obededom the Gittite.
2Sa 6:11 And the ark of the LORD continued in the house of Obededom the Gittite three months: and the LORD blessed Obededom, and all his household.
David not removing the ark of the Lord into the city of David, but carrying the ark into the house of Obededom, the Gittite means that our obedience was not complete when we came into the church of the Lord’s elect or the city of David. We, therefore, have to be judged for the destruction of our carnal minds with the spirit of his mouth and the brightness of his coming.
The name Obededom means ‘servant of Edom’, which indicates our subjection by our flesh. A Gittite is someone belonging to Gath and Gath means ‘a winepress, which is a symbol of our judgment. Obededom being a Gittite or coming from Gath therefore means that when we are of the flesh, we must be judged before the Lord can inhabit within us. The fact that the ark stayed in Obededom for three months implies that it is the process of spiritual maturity through the Lord’s judgment that the Lord comes to live in our hearts and minds. The Lord blessing Obededom and all his household suggests that those of us who are being judged through the spirit of His mouth and His brightness for the Lord to come into our temple or hearts and minds are blessed!
2Th 2:8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
2Sa 6:12 And it was told king David, saying, The LORD hath blessed the house of Obededom, and all that pertaineth unto him, because of the ark of God. So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obededom into the city of David with gladness.
2Sa 6:13 And it was so, that when they that bare the ark of the LORD had gone six paces, he sacrificed oxen and fatlings.
The blessing of the house of Obededom during the time the ark of the covenant was there shows us how when the Lord takes His residence in our hearts and minds, we are blessed.
Joh 14:18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
Joh 14:19 Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.
Joh 14:20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.
This second attempt to bring the ark of God to Jerusalem was successful because David chose Levite priests who carried the ark on their shoulders as David sacrificed oxen and fatlings, as seen in verse 13. When it is time for the Lord to come to us and dwell in our hearts and minds, He opens our eyes to see and understand His requirement through His words. This was what happened to David.
1Ch 15:11 And David called for Zadok and Abiathar the priests, and for the Levites, for Uriel, Asaiah, and Joel, Shemaiah, and Eliel, and Amminadab,
1Ch 15:12 And said unto them, Ye are the chief of the fathers of the Levites: sanctify yourselves, both ye and your brethren, that ye may bring up the ark of the LORD God of Israel unto the place that I have prepared for it.
1Ch 15:13 For because ye did it not at the first, the LORD our God made a breach upon us, for that we sought him not after the due order.
1Ch 15:14 So the priests and the Levites sanctified themselves to bring up the ark of the LORD God of Israel.
1Ch 15:15 And the children of the Levites bare the ark of God upon their shoulders with the staves thereon, as Moses commanded according to the word of the LORD.
2Sa 6:14 And David danced before the LORD with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod.
2Sa 6:15 So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet.
Dancing before the Lord is an expression of our worship. David dancing with his might before the Lord and girded with a linen ephod therefore implies that it is the Lord’s elect, who are priests of the Lord (significance of David wearing a linen ephod), who are given to offer their bodies as a living sacrifice to the Lord, which is our spiritual form of worship.
Exo 28:4 And these are the garments which they shall make; a breastplate, and an ephod, and a robe, and a broidered coat, a mitre, and a girdle: and they shall make holy garments for Aaron thy brother, and his sons, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office.
It is important to note that the linen ephod that David was wearing represents the righteousness of Christ accredited to us.
Rev 19:7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.
Rev 19:8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.
David, and all the house of Israel in verse 15, signifies the Lord’s elect in this case. Bringing up the ark of the Lord means Christ coming to dwell in our hearts and minds. David and the house of Israel shouting as they brought up the ark indicates that when Christ is in us, we are able to offer our spiritual form of worship by offering our bodies as living sacrifices to the Lord as shouting is a form of worship. The sound of the trumpet is the voice of the Lord. This implies that as Christ comes to take residence in our hearts and minds, we are able to speak just like Christ.
Rev 1:10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,
Rev 1:12 And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks;
Rev 1:13 And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.
David and Michal
2Sa 6:16 And as the ark of the LORD came into the city of David, Michal Saul’s daughter looked through a window, and saw king David leaping and dancing before the LORD; and she despised him in her heart.
2Sa 6:17 And they brought in the ark of the LORD, and set it in his place, in the midst of the tabernacle that David had pitched for it: and David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD.
2Sa 6:18 And as soon as David had made an end of offering burnt offerings and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD of hosts.
Michal symbolizes the church system of this world or Babylon. Verse 16 indicates that while we are rejoicing in the Lord for His goodness toward us, we are despised by our brothers and sisters in Babylon, just as Jesus was despised by men including the church system of His day.
Isa 53:3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
The ark of the Lord being set in his place, in the midst of the tabernacle in verse 17, confirms to us that it is within us that the Lord comes to establish His kingdom, since the tabernacle signifies our hearts and minds. It is when Christ takes His residence within us that we are able to offer burnt and peace offerings before the Lord. The burnt offering indicates the destruction of our flesh through the Lord’s judgment or fire, which is a sweet savor to the Lord even as we make peace with the Lord.
Exo 29:18 And thou shalt burn the whole ram upon the altar: it is a burnt offering unto the LORD: it is a sweet savour, an offering made by fire unto the LORD.
2Sa 6:19 And he dealt among all the people, even among the whole multitude of Israel, as well to the women as men, to everyone a cake of bread, and a good piece of flesh, and a flagon of wine. So all the people departed everyone to his house.
We must understand that David represents our Lord Jesus. David dwelling among the people, and even the whole multitude of Israel as well as the women, shows us how the Lord dwells in our hearts and minds and also among us in our gathering or the church of the firstborn.
Mat 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
It is in our midst that the Lord is giving to each one of us a cake of bread, a good piece of flesh and a flagon of wine. The cake of bread, the piece of flesh and the wine all represent the truth of the word of the Lord, which is given to us in the body of Christ through what every joint supplies.
Eph 4:15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
Eph 4:16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
2Sa 6:20 Then David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, How glorious was the king of Israel to day, who uncovered himself to day in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovereth himself!
Here in verse 20, Michal was describing David’s worship of the Lord as uncovering himself in the eyes of his servants and as one of the vain fellows, who uncover himself. This shows how the church system of this world sees us. They regard us as those who are uncover themselves before men. In the Bible, uncovering oneself means being naked, and being naked means being sinful. Thus, the whole church system of this world or Babylon regards us as sinful, just as the Jews regarded Jesus as sinful. As He is, so are we in this world.
Joh 5:18 Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.
1Jn 4:17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.
2Sa 6:21 And David said unto Michal, It was before the LORD, which chose me before thy father, and before all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the LORD, over Israel: therefore will I play before the LORD.
2Sa 6:22 And I will yet be more vile than thus, and will be base in mine own sight: and of the maidservants which thou hast spoken of, of them shall I be had in honour.
2Sa 6:23 Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no child unto the day of her death.
David’s response to Michal was that all that he did before the Lord was because of his election.
Rom 11:5 Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.
Rom 11:7 What then? Israel (the church system of this world) hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded.
Just as our Lord Jesus was despised and rejected for our sake, we are to follow in His footprint in this age. This is because the joy that is set before us far outweighs the rejection we are going through in this age.
Isa 53:3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
Rom 8:18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
Michal not being able to have a child in verse 23 shows us how the Lord has made the church system of this world barren, such that they cannot produce children of the Lord. On the surface, they seem to have many people but none of these are truly the children of the Lord, because they are not given to understand the mysteries of the kingdom. We all start our walk with Christ in Babylon, but if we are called and chosen, then we must leave Babylon at a certain stage of our walk and be nurtured by the church of the firstborn.
Gal 4:25 For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.
Gal 4:26 But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.
Gal 4:27 For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband.
Amen!!