| 1 CHRONICLES |
| Explanatory Footnotes - page 2 |
| ark from tipping over. In 1 Chronicles the reason is clearer. David explained (15:13) that the Lord had been angry at them for moving the ark in a way disobedient to God's law. Numbers 4:15-15 and Exodus 37:5 specify that Levites were to carry the ark with poles - and never touch it, on pain of death. Uzzah and his brother, non-Levites, were carrying it on an oxcart - the same vehicle the Philistines had used (1 Samuel 6:7). When the oxen stumbled and Uzzah stepped in to catch the ark, that was the final straw. Uzzah's death resulted from prolonged (though possibly well-intentioned) disobedience to God's direction. God had told them how to honor the ark, a sign of his presence. Their sloppiness revealed a lack of concern for God's honor. 16:39 Two Tabernacles For a number of years, Israel had two tabernacles. David had constructed a new tent for the ark of the covenant when it came to Jerusalem. Yet the old tent, dating from Moses' time, still stood at Gibeon, five miles away. Sacrifices were offered at both locations. When the temple was built under David's son Solomon, worship was centralized at Jerusalem. 23:6 Keeping the Temple Ever since the time of Moses, the Levites had been in charge of carrying and caring for the tabernacle - the portable tent where God was worshiped. But now that the ark had been placed permanently in Jerusalem, and a temple was to be built, the Levites needed new duties and organization. Chapters 23-26 describe those duties in detail. 28:9 A Condition on the Promise God's promise to David of unending descendants on the throne was so important to Israel that it was reported, in different forms, several times. (See Chapter 17, for instance.) Sometimes it reads as though God would bless a line of successful kings regardless of their behavior. Here, |
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