2 Samuel 6:11
in 2 Samuel 6Thus the ark of the LORD remained in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite for three months, and the LORD blessed him and all his household.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And the ark of Jehovah remained in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite three months: and Jehovah blessed Obed-edom, and all his house.
KJV
And the ark of the Lord continued in the house of Obed–edom the Gittite three months: and the Lord blessed Obed–edom, and all his household.
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This verse in 2 Samuel 6
Commentary
7 notes on this verseThe Lord blessed, &c. - The same hand that punished Uzzah's presumption, rewarded Obed-edom's humble boldness. None ever had, or ever shall have reason to say, that it is in vain to serve God. Piety is the best friend to prosperity.
This site's exposition
afraid of the Lord that day
on 2 Samuel 6:9-11
David's fear is not defiance but the shock of a plan that has just killed a man, and for three months he leaves the ark in the house of Obed-edom rather than risk it further. Obed-edom is called the Gittite, most likely a Levite connected to Gath-rimmon rather than a Philistine of Goliath's city, and 1 Chronicles 15:18 and 24 to 25 place a man of that name among the gatekeepers David later appoints. The report that the Lord has blessed his house for the ark's sake is what turns David back toward Jerusalem, and 1 Chronicles 15:13 preserves his own later confession of what the first attempt had lacked: we sought him not after the due order.
This site's exposition
the LORD blessed him and all his household
Three months under his roof brought blessing to Obed-edom and his whole house. John Wesley sets it against Uzzah: the same hand that struck presumption rewarded humble boldness. Matthew Henry calls the ark a guest none lose by welcoming.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
And the ark of the Lord continued in the house of Obededom the Gittite three months,....
None ever had, nor ever shall have, reason to say that it is in vain to serve God. Let masters of families be encouraged to keep up religion in their families, and to serve God and the interests of his kingdom with their houses and estates, for that is the way to bring a blessing upon all they have. The ark is a guest which none shall lose by that bid it welcome.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
Obed-edom the Gittite--a Levite (1Ch 15:18, 21, 24; He is called a Gittite, either from his residence at Gath, or more probably from Gath-rimmon, one of the Levitical cities (Jos 21:24, 25).
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
The Lord blessed Obed-edom - And why? Because he had the ark of the Lord in his house. Whoever entertains God’s messengers, or consecrates his house to the service of God, will infallibly receive God’s blessing.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
And Hashem blessed. His wife and her eight daughters-in-law each gave birth to six children in one stomach. Pregnancy. as it is said, (Divrei Hayomim I,:5–8) "Poualti, the eigth. Child of Oveid Edom. … sixty-two [belonging] to Oveid Edom. 11 See Berachos 63b.
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
Oveid Edom. He was a Levite as it is wriiten in Divrei Hayomim (I,:24) and he was one of the gatekeepers. 8 Of the Bais HaMikdosh.
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. 5 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
17 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיֵּשֶׁב֩ | vaiyeshev | and it remained | H3427 → | 1079 times |
| אֲר֨וֹן | ʾaron | [the] ark of | H727 → | 202 times |
| יְהוָ֜ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| בֵּ֣ית | beit | [the] house of | H1004 → | 2046 times |
| עֹבֵ֥ד | ʾoved | Obed- | H5654 → | 40 times |
| אֱדֹ֛ם | ʾedom | Edom | H5654 → | 40 times |
| הַגִּתִּ֖י | hagiti | the Gittite | H1663 → | 10 times |
| שְׁלֹשָׁ֣ה | sheloshah | three | H7969 → | 432 times |
| חֳדָשִׁ֑ים | chodashim | months | H2320 → | 284 times |
| וַיְבָ֧רֶךְ | vayvarekh | and he blessed | H1288 → | 330 times |
| יְהוָ֛ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| עֹבֵ֥ד | ʾoved | Obed- | H5654 → | 40 times |
| אֱדֹ֖ם | ʾedom | Edom | H5654 → | 40 times |
| וְאֶת־ | veet | and <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| בֵּיתֽוֹ׃ | beito | household his | H1004 → | 2046 times |
וַיֵּשֶׁב֩and it remained
vaiyeshevH3427 →1079 times
אֲר֨וֹן[the] ark of
ʾaronH727 →202 times
יְהוָ֜הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
בֵּ֣ית[the] house of
beitH1004 →2046 times
עֹבֵ֥דObed-
ʾovedH5654 →40 times
אֱדֹ֛םEdom
ʾedomH5654 →40 times
הַגִּתִּ֖יthe Gittite
hagitiH1663 →10 times
שְׁלֹשָׁ֣הthree
sheloshahH7969 →432 times
חֳדָשִׁ֑יםmonths
chodashimH2320 →284 times
וַיְבָ֧רֶךְand he blessed
vayvarekhH1288 →330 times
יְהוָ֛הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
עֹבֵ֥דObed-
ʾovedH5654 →40 times
אֱדֹ֖םEdom
ʾedomH5654 →40 times
וְאֶת־and <obj.>
veetH853 →10935 times
כָּל־all
kol-H3605 →5413 times
בֵּיתֽוֹ׃household his
beitoH1004 →2046 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
Malachi 3:10Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house. Test Me in this,” says the LORD of Hosts. “See if I will not open the windows of…
it leads to
- 2 Corinthians 9:6–8
Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.
- Matthew 6:33
But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you.
- Proverbs 3:9–10
Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your harvest;
- Psalms 37:3
Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness.
- Deuteronomy 28:12
The LORD will open the heavens, His abundant storehouse, to send rain on your land in season and to bless all the work of your hands. You will lend to many nations, but borrow…
- 2 Corinthians 9:6–8
Through
Genesis 39:23The warden did not concern himself with anything under Joseph’s care, because the LORD was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did.
it leads to
- Isaiah 43:2
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you go through the rivers, they will not overwhelm you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched;…
- Psalms 1:3
He is like a tree planted by streams of water, yielding its fruit in season, whose leaf does not wither, and who prospers in all he does.
- Isaiah 43:2
Through
Genesis 30:27But Laban replied, “If I have found favor in your eyes, please stay. I have learned by divination that the LORD has blessed me because of you.”
it leads to
- Acts 7:10
and rescued him from all his troubles. He granted Joseph favor and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king of Egypt, who appointed him ruler over Egypt and all his household.
- Acts 7:10
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About 2 Samuel

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the 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; Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Books of Samuel; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and W. G. Blaikie, The Second Book of Samuel (Expositor's Bible).
