2 Samuel 15:24
in 2 Samuel 15Zadok was also there, and all the Levites with him were carrying the ark of the covenant of God. And they set down the ark of God, and Abiathar offered sacrifices until the people had passed out of the city.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And, lo, Zadok also came, and all the Levites with him, bearing the ark of the covenant of God; and they set down the ark of God; and Abiathar went up, until all the people had done passing out of the city.
KJV
And lo Zadok also, and all the Levites were with him, bearing the ark of the covenant of God: and they set down the ark of God; and Abiathar went up, until all the people had done passing out of the city.
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This verse in 2 Samuel 15
Commentary
7 notes on this verseBearing the ark - The priests knew that God had given the kingdom to David; they had no evidence that he had deposed him: they therefore chose to accompany him, and take the ark, the object of their charge, with them.
This site's exposition
bearing the ark of the covenant of God
on 2 Samuel 15:24-26
Zadok and the Levites carry the ark out with the fleeing king, the same box Israel once dragged into battle at Aphek to force God's hand, in 1 Samuel 4. David sends it back. His words at verse 25, if I shall find favour in the eyes of the Lord, and his surrender at verse 26, here am I, let him do to me as seemeth good unto him, refuse to treat the ark as a guarantee of his throne. Clarke reads the order as reverence for the ark joined to confidence in the God it represents rather than in the box itself.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
Note, Those that are friends to the ark in their prosperity will find it a friend to them in their adversity. Formerly David would not rest till he had found a resting-place for the ark; and now, if the priests may have their mind, the ark shall not rest till David return to his rest.
He is very solicitous for the safety of the ark: "By all means carry the ark back into the city, let not that be unsettled and exposed with me, lodge that again in the tent pitched for it; surely Absalom, bad as he is, will do that no harm." David's heart, like Eli's trembles for the ark of God.
Went up - From the ark to the city, which was on higher ground, that so he being high-priest, might use his authority with the people, to persuade them to do their duty; and there he staid until all those whom he could persuade were gone forth.
And, lo, Zadok also,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Abiathar went up - i. e., continued to ascend the Mount of Olives. Abiathar was high priest 1Ki 2:35. Perhaps Zadok is addressed by David 2Sa 15:25 as the chief of those who were actually bearing the ark.
The words behind it
24 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְהִנֵּ֨ה | vehineh | and there! | H2009 → | 843 times |
| גַם־ | gam- | also | H1571 → | 769 times |
| צָד֜וֹק | tzadok | Zadok | H6659 → | 53 times |
| וְכָֽל־ | vekhol | and all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| הַלְוִיִּ֣ם | halviyim | the Levites | H3881 → | |
| אִתּ֗וֹ | ʾito | with him | H854 → | 929 times |
| נֹֽשְׂאִים֙ | noseim | [were] carrying | H5375 → | 656 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| אֲרוֹן֙ | ʾaron | [the] ark of | H727 → | 202 times |
| בְּרִ֣ית | berit | [the] covenant of | H1285 → | 284 times |
| הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים | haelohim | <the> God | H430 → | 2601 times |
| וַיַּצִּ֙קוּ֙ | vaiyatziku | and they set down | H3332 → | |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| אֲר֣וֹן | ʾaron | [the] ark of | H727 → | 202 times |
| הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים | haelohim | <the> God | H430 → | 2601 times |
| וַיַּ֖עַל | vaiyaal | and he went up | H5927 → | 890 times |
| אֶבְיָתָ֑ר | ʾevyatar | Abiathar | H54 → | 30 times |
| עַד־ | ʾad- | until | H5704 → | 1261 times |
| תֹּ֥ם | tom | was finished | H8552 → | 63 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| הָעָ֖ם | haam | the people | H5971 → | 1873 times |
| לַעֲב֥וֹר | laavor | to pass out | H5674 → | 556 times |
| מִן־ | min- | from | H4480 → | 1188 times |
| הָעִֽיר׃ | hair | the city | H5892 → | 1090 times |
וְהִנֵּ֨הand there!
vehinehH2009 →843 times
גַם־also
gam-H1571 →769 times
צָד֜וֹקZadok
tzadokH6659 →53 times
וְכָֽל־and all
vekholH3605 →5413 times
הַלְוִיִּ֣םthe Levites
halviyimH3881 →
אִתּ֗וֹwith him
ʾitoH854 →929 times
נֹֽשְׂאִים֙[were] carrying
noseimH5375 →656 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
אֲרוֹן֙[the] ark of
ʾaronH727 →202 times
בְּרִ֣ית[the] covenant of
beritH1285 →284 times
הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים<the> God
haelohimH430 →2601 times
וַיַּצִּ֙קוּ֙and they set down
vaiyatzikuH3332 →
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
אֲר֣וֹן[the] ark of
ʾaronH727 →202 times
הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים<the> God
haelohimH430 →2601 times
וַיַּ֖עַלand he went up
vaiyaalH5927 →890 times
אֶבְיָתָ֑רAbiathar
ʾevyatarH54 →30 times
עַד־until
ʾad-H5704 →1261 times
תֹּ֥םwas finished
tomH8552 →63 times
כָּל־all
kol-H3605 →5413 times
הָעָ֖םthe people
haamH5971 →1873 times
לַעֲב֥וֹרto pass out
laavorH5674 →556 times
מִן־from
min-H4480 →1188 times
הָעִֽיר׃the city
hairH5892 →1090 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
2 Samuel 8:17Zadok son of Ahitub and Ahimelech son of Abiathar were priests; Seraiah was the scribe;
it leads to
- 1 Chronicles 18:16
Zadok son of Ahitub and Ahimelech son of Abiathar were priests; Shavsha was the scribe;
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 1 Chronicles 18:16
Through
1 Samuel 22:20But one of the sons of Ahimelech son of Ahitub escaped. His name was Abiathar, and he fled to David.
it leads to
- 1 Samuel 23:6
(Now Abiathar son of Ahimelech had brought the ephod with him when he fled to David at Keilah.)
- 1 Samuel 30:7
Then David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, “Bring me the ephod.” So Abiathar brought it to him,
- 1 Samuel 23:6
Through
Numbers 4:15When Aaron and his sons have finished covering the holy objects and all their equipment, as soon as the camp is ready to move, the Kohathites shall come and do the carrying. But they…
it leads to
- 2 Samuel 6:6–7
When they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark of God, because the oxen had stumbled.
- Numbers 7:9
But he did not give any to the Kohathites, since they were to carry on their shoulders the holy objects for which they were responsible.
- Deuteronomy 31:9
So Moses wrote down this law and gave it to the priests, the sons of Levi, who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and to all the elders of Israel.
- 2 Samuel 6:6–7
Through
1 Samuel 4:11The ark of God was captured, and Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, died.
it leads to
- 1 Samuel 2:34
And this sign shall come to you concerning your two sons Hophni and Phinehas: They will both die on the same day.
- Psalms 78:64
His priests fell by the sword, but their widows could not lament.
- 1 Samuel 2:34
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About 2 Samuel

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); 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.
