1 Chronicles 13:3
in 1 Chronicles 13Then let us bring back the ark of our God, for we did not inquire of Him in the days of Saul.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
and let us bring again the ark of our God to us: for we sought not unto it in the days of Saul.
KJV
And let us bring again the ark of our God to us: for we enquired not at it in the days of Saul.
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This verse in 1 Chronicles 13
Commentary
6 notes on this verseAnd let us bring again the ark of our God to us,.... The symbol of the divine Presence, than which nothing was more desirable to David, and he chose to begin his reign overall Israel with it: for we inquired not at it in the days of Saul; he being indifferent to religion, and careless about it, and the enjoyment of the presence of God, and having direction from him; and the people also content with worship at the tabernacle at Gibeah, though the token of the divine Presence was absent.
This site's exposition
the captains of thousands and hundreds
on 1 Chronicles 13:1-3
David's first act as reigning king in Chronicles is not a war but the ark, placed before the battles of chapter 14 and its palace building, the worship-first shape of the whole book. He consults the captains of thousands and hundreds and then the whole congregation of Israel, a national deliberation wider than Samuel's account, which simply reports David gathering thirty thousand chosen men. Verse 3's confession, that Israel enquired not at the ark in the days of Saul, reaches back to the verdict Chronicles already stated on Saul at 10:13-14: he died for asking counsel of a familiar spirit and not enquiring of the LORD. David's first move corrects exactly that failure.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
This part of the story we had not in Samuel. We may observe in this proposal, 1. That as soon as David was well seated on his throne he had thoughts concerning the ark of God: Let us bring the ark to us,
For, &c. - The ark was then neglected; and the generality of the people contented themselves with going to Gibeon and offering sacrifices there, not caring, though the ark, the soul of the tabernacle, was in another place.
Note, It ought to be the first and great care of those that are enriched and preferred to honour God with their honours, and to serve him, and the interests of his kingdom among men, with their wealth and power. David said not, "What pompous thing shall I do now?" or, "What pleasant thing?" but, "What pious thing?" (2.) To have the comfort and benefit of that sacred oracle.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
During the reign of the late king, the ark had been left in culpable neglect. Consequently the people had, to a great extent, been careless about the ordinances of divine worship, or had contented themselves with offering sacrifices at Gibeon, without any thought of the ark, though it was the chief and most vital part of the tabernacle.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
it has been opened The fence that was closed until now has been opened, for no one has yet inquired of God. let us send to our brethren remaining because of the honor of the Ark.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 4 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
10 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְנָסֵ֛בָּה | venasebah | and let us bring round | H5437 → | 161 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| אֲר֥וֹן | ʾaron | [the] ark of | H727 → | 202 times |
| אֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ | ʾeloheinu | God our | H430 → | 2601 times |
| אֵלֵ֑ינוּ | ʾeleinu | to us | H413 → | 5510 times |
| כִּי־ | ki- | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| לֹ֥א | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| דְרַשְׁנֻ֖הוּ | derashnuhu | we sought it | H1875 → | 164 times |
| בִּימֵ֥י | bimei | in [the] days of | H3117 → | 2304 times |
| שָׁאֽוּל׃ | shaul | Saul | H7586 → | 402 times |
וְנָסֵ֛בָּהand let us bring round
venasebahH5437 →161 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
אֲר֥וֹן[the] ark of
ʾaronH727 →202 times
אֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּGod our
ʾeloheinuH430 →2601 times
אֵלֵ֑ינוּto us
ʾeleinuH413 →5510 times
כִּי־for
ki-H3588 →4482 times
לֹ֥אnot
lo'H3808 →5168 times
דְרַשְׁנֻ֖הוּwe sought it
derashnuhuH1875 →164 times
בִּימֵ֥יin [the] days of
bimeiH3117 →2304 times
שָׁאֽוּל׃Saul
shaulH7586 →402 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
1 Samuel 23:2So David inquired of the LORD, “Should I go and attack these Philistines?” And the LORD said to David, “Go and attack the Philistines and save Keilah.”
it leads to
- 1 Samuel 23:4
Once again, David inquired of the LORD, and the LORD answered him: “Go at once to Keilah, for I will deliver the Philistines into your hand.”
- 2 Samuel 5:23
So David inquired of the LORD, who answered, “Do not march straight up, but circle around behind them and attack them in front of the balsam trees.
- 2 Samuel 5:19
So David inquired of the LORD, “Should I go up against the Philistines? Will You deliver them into my hand?” “Go,” replied the LORD, “for I will surely deliver the Philistines into your hand.”
- 1 Samuel 23:6
(Now Abiathar son of Ahimelech had brought the ephod with him when he fled to David at Keilah.)
- 1 Samuel 30:8
and David inquired of the LORD: “Should I pursue these raiders? Will I overtake them?” “Pursue them,” the LORD replied, “for you will surely overtake them and rescue the captives.”
- 1 Samuel 23:4
Through
1 Samuel 14:36And Saul said, “Let us go down after the Philistines by night and plunder them until dawn, leaving no man alive!” “Do what seems good to you,” the troops replied. But the priest said,…
it leads to
- Psalms 73:28
But as for me, it is good to draw near to God. I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, that I may proclaim all Your works.
- Isaiah 48:1–2
“Listen to this, O house of Jacob, you who are called by the name of Israel, who have descended from the line of Judah, who swear by the name of the LORD, who invoke…
- Numbers 27:21
He shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who will seek counsel for him before the LORD by the judgment of the Urim. At his command, he and all the Israelites with him—the entire congregation—will…
- Psalms 73:28
About 1 Chronicles
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Jamieson Fausset and Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.