2 Samuel 6:7

2 Samuel 6:7 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)The Lord’s anger burned against Uzzah because of his irreverent act; therefore God struck him down, and he died there beside the ark of God.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah, and God struck him down there because of his error, and he died there beside the ark of God.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then the anger of the Lord was aroused against Uzzah, and God struck him there for his error; and he died there by the ark of God.

Context of 2 Samuel 6:7

5Meanwhile, David and all the house of Israel were celebrating and dancing before the Lord with all kinds of instruments made of fir or cypress wood, with lyres, harps, tambourines, castanets, and cymbals. 6When they came to Nacon’s threshing floor, Uzzah reached out [with his hand] to the ark of God and took hold of it, because the oxen [stumbled and] nearly overturned it. And the anger of the Lord burned against Uzzah, and God struck him there for his irreverence; and he died there by the ark of God. 8David became angry and grieved and offended because of the Lord’s outburst against Uzzah, and that place has been called Perez-uzzah (outburst against Uzzah) to this day. 9So David was afraid of the Lord that day; and he said, “How can the ark of the Lord come to me?”

2 Samuel 6:7 word by word

וַיִּֽחַר־אַ֤ף יְהוָה֙ בְּעֻזָּ֔ה וַיַּכֵּ֥הוּ שָׁ֛ם הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים עַל־הַשַּׁ֑ל וַיָּ֣מָת שָׁ֔ם עִ֖ם אֲר֥וֹן הָאֱלֹהִֽים׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And the angerאַף'aph · face: angerH639
• of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• was kindledחָרָהchârâh · to be incensedH2734
• against Uzzahעֻזָּא‛ûzzâ' ‛ûzzâh · UzzahH5798
• and Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• smoteנָכָהnâkâh · to smiteH5221
• errorשַׁלshal · faultH7944
• and there he diedמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
• by the arkאֲרוֹן'ârôn 'ârôn · arkH727

Cross-references for 2 Samuel 6:7

• Leviticus 10:1Now Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took their respective [ceremonial] censers, put fire in them, placed incense on it and offered strange (unauthorized, unacceptable) fire before the Lord, [an act] which He had not commanded them to do.
• 1 Samuel 6:19The Lord struck down some of the men of Beth-shemesh because they had looked into the ark of the Lord. He struck down 50,070 men among the people, and the people mourned because the Lord had struck the people with a great slaughter.
• 1 Chronicles 13:10The anger of the Lord burned against Uzza, and He struck him down because he touched the ark; and there he died before God.
• 1 Chronicles 15:2Then David said, “No one is to carry the ark of God except the Levites; for the Lord chose them to carry the ark of God and to minister to Him forever.”
• 1 Corinthians 11:30That [careless and unworthy participation] is the reason why many among you are weak and sick, and a number sleep [in death].

Commentaries on 2 Samuel 6:7

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 7Smote him there for his error - Uzzah sinned through ignorance and precipitancy; he had not time to reflect, the oxen suddenly stumbled; and, fearing lest the ark should fall, he suddenly stretched out his hand to prevent it. Had he touched the ark with impunity, the populace might have lost their respect for it and its sacred service, the example of Uzzah must have filled them with fear and sacred reverence; and, as to Uzzah, no man can doubt of his…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 7For his error - The Hebrew is difficult, and some prefer the reading of the parallel passage, “because … ask” 1 Chronicles 13:10.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 6-11Verses 6-11 Uzzah was struck dead for touching the ark. God saw presumption and irreverence in Uzzah's heart. Familiarity, even with that which is most awful, is apt to breed contempt. If it were so great a crime for one to lay hold on the ark of the covenant who had no right to do so, what is it for those to lay claim to the privileges of the covenant that come not up to the terms of it? Obed-edom opened his doors without fear, knowing the ark was a…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 6-7took hold of the ark: Uzzah likely acted with good intentions and responded quickly. However, by touching the ark, he disobeyed God’s command (see Exodus 19:12–13; Numbers 4:15). As a result, he received the same punishment as the people of Beth-shemesh (1 Samuel 6:19). Later, David had the Levites carry the ark into Jerusalem, following God’s instructions (see 1 Chronicles 15:2, 13–15).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 6-86-8. they came to Nachon's threshing-floor--or Chidon's (1Ch 13:9). The Chaldee version renders the words, "came to the place prepared for the reception of the ark," that is, near the city of David (2Sa 6:13). the oxen shook it--or, "stumbled" (1Ch 13:9). Fearing that the ark was in danger of being overturned, Uzzah, under the impulse of momentary feeling, laid hold of it to keep it steady. Whether it fell and crushed him, or some sudden disease attacked…Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Samuel 6:7

• Anger
• Ark
• David
• Judgments
• Kirjath-Jearim
• Miracles
• Nachon
• Presumption
• Rashness
• Sacrilege
• Uzzah

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Ark
• Chronicles, Books of
• Cornet
• David
• Fatling
• Heart
• Lack
• ObedEdom

Commentaries on 2 Samuel 6

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings