This verse shows that God’s presence brings blessing when revered.
“Thus the ark of God remained with the family of Obed-edom in his house three months; and the LORD blessed the family of Obed-edom with all that he had.” (1 Chronicles 13:14)
In this verse, King David’s attempt to bring the ark of God to Jerusalem has encountered a detour, resulting in the ark residing in the home of Obed-edom. David, who reigned over Israel from about 1010-970 BC, initially tried to transport the ark in a celebratory procession. When this effort was interrupted by the tragic death of Uzza, David chose to leave the ark in Obed-edom’s house, a location believed to be near the route from Kiriath-jearim to Jerusalem. This act of pausing the journey allowed David time to reflect on how to reverently handle the sacred ark, which represented God’s covenantal presence among His people.
The text states that the LORD blessed Obed-edom’s family and all he possessed during the period the ark remained there. The blessing underscores the ark’s role as a powerful symbol of God’s favor. Obed-edom, whose name appears again in various Chronicles passages, may have been a Levite—a musician and gatekeeper—thus entrusted with caring for things pertaining to worship. For three months, his household experienced abundance and God’s protection, signaling that the ark brought profound spiritual significance and tangible goodness when it was honored as God intended.
King David, seeing how the presence of the ark resulted in blessing, soon recognized the importance of carefully transporting it to the capital city. Properly instructed in the Levites’ God-ordained duties, David later moved the ark successfully to Jerusalem, signifying a renewed commitment to worship in the heart of the kingdom. This short but powerful verse depicts both Obed-edom’s family as willing hosts to the presence of God and David’s continuing journey of spiritual growth to lead Israel under God’s guidance.
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1 Chronicles 13:14 meaning
“Thus the ark of God remained with the family of Obed-edom in his house three months; and the LORD blessed the family of Obed-edom with all that he had.” (1 Chronicles 13:14)
In this verse, King David’s attempt to bring the ark of God to Jerusalem has encountered a detour, resulting in the ark residing in the home of Obed-edom. David, who reigned over Israel from about 1010-970 BC, initially tried to transport the ark in a celebratory procession. When this effort was interrupted by the tragic death of Uzza, David chose to leave the ark in Obed-edom’s house, a location believed to be near the route from Kiriath-jearim to Jerusalem. This act of pausing the journey allowed David time to reflect on how to reverently handle the sacred ark, which represented God’s covenantal presence among His people.
The text states that the LORD blessed Obed-edom’s family and all he possessed during the period the ark remained there. The blessing underscores the ark’s role as a powerful symbol of God’s favor. Obed-edom, whose name appears again in various Chronicles passages, may have been a Levite—a musician and gatekeeper—thus entrusted with caring for things pertaining to worship. For three months, his household experienced abundance and God’s protection, signaling that the ark brought profound spiritual significance and tangible goodness when it was honored as God intended.
King David, seeing how the presence of the ark resulted in blessing, soon recognized the importance of carefully transporting it to the capital city. Properly instructed in the Levites’ God-ordained duties, David later moved the ark successfully to Jerusalem, signifying a renewed commitment to worship in the heart of the kingdom. This short but powerful verse depicts both Obed-edom’s family as willing hosts to the presence of God and David’s continuing journey of spiritual growth to lead Israel under God’s guidance.