David Transfers The Ark Of The Covenant To Yerusalem
A further stroke of genius on David's part was his decision, shortly after he settled in Yerusalem, to transfer the Ark of the Covenant there.9 In future therefore the mountain of Zion was to become the political capital of the united kingdom of Yahudah and Yisrael, but in addition, and more especially, the spiritual capital of the People of YAHWEH. The Ark of acacia wood, covered with gold leaf, made a little more than two centuries previously at the foot of Sinai by order of Mosheh at the demand of YAHWEH, was regarded by the Hebrews as the throne of YAHWEH, the one and invisible YAHWEH. Although by his two-fold anointing David intended to be proclaimed king before YAHWEH, he insisted on a public affirmation that the real king of the sons of Yacob was YAHWEH. The earthly sovereign was only the servant of YAHWEH and he had to strive in all his acts to apply and fulfill the Law.
We have obviously come to a turning point in the history of the Chosen People. Through Mosheh, YAHWEH led the tribes of nomad shepherds across the desert towards the Promised Land. Through David, he guided the destiny of the new kingdom made up of city-dwellers and farmers. In their journey across the plains the People of YAHWEH followed the Ark of the Covenant, carried by the Levites. The People of YAHWEH, now established in the land 'where milk and honey flowed' would fix their eyes on the qadash mountain where dwelt YAHWEH, their Sovereign Ruler who protected them.
9 We do not know the exact date of this transfer. By comparison of the information provided by certain texts we can perhaps fix the arrival of the Ark of the Covenant in Yerusalem in about the year 1000.
Where Was The Ark?
After its return by the Philistines the Ark had been taken to Yisraelite territory, at first to the little village of Beth-shemesh and then to Kiriath-jearim where a humble peasant, Abinadab, had been made its guardian. David was not the man to let the Ark fall into oblivion, relegated to a private house in a small village under the care of a family which did not even belong to the tribe of Levi. Directly David announced his plan of bringing back the Ark the elders of the various tribes expressed their enthusiastic approval. It can be seen that David desired to complete his political achievement by an imposing spiritual gesture, yet there were some who were by no means content, like the kohens of Gibeah whose Benjaminite tabernacle was situated very near to Yerusalem. Here were preserved the set apart objects dating from the time of Mosheh: the Tent of Meeting (the mobile tabernacle of the Hebrews at the time of the 'forty years' in the desert), and the altar of bronze. All these evocative spiritual relics drew many pilgrims to Gibeah, but what was to become of it if nearby Yerusalem was transformed into a holy city, the repository of the Ark of the Covenant? It would mean the ruin of the tabernacle of Gibeah.
Consequently, the kohens of the place found excellent reasons for not associating themselves with the transfer of the Ark to Yerusalem. In addition, they belonged to the tribe of Benjamin from which Saul had come, and these people were reluctant to accept David whom they considered a usurper. Thus they formally refused to take part in the ceremony. David did not insist on their attendance.
'False Start' Of The Ark Of The Covenant
The great day had arrived. David decided to take the Ark of YAHWEH Sabaoth up to the mountain of Zion. Thousands of the faithful were gathered at Kiriathjearim to form the escort of the Ark. As was fitting, David as the conqueror of Yerusalem, was there to lead the triumphal procession.
The Ark was taken out from the house of Abinadab, and placed on a new cart drawn by oxen. Here a ritual error must be pointed out: according to the rules it was essential for the Ark to be transported by the Levites using two transversal bars which were never removed, since even the Levites had not the right to touch the set apart object. Though it must be admitted that these details are possibly a later addition.
The imposing procession went forward to sounds of gladness. In front of the cart walked Abinadab with his two sons by his side. All along the processional route hymns and chants arose, lyres and zithers resounded, and the clashing of sistrum and cymbal was to be heard; tambourines and trumpet blasts punctuated the progress of the Ark.
It is possible that this is the context of the 'Gradual
Tehillim' (Tehillim 132), in which YAHWEH himself, with his symbolic dwelling,
came to take his glorious place in David's city:
YAHWEH, remember David
and all the hardships he suffered,
and the oath he swore to YAHWEH,
not to enter tent or house
not to
climb into bed,
not to allow himself to sleep,
not even to close his eyes,
until he
had found a place for YAHWEH,
a home for the Mighty One of Yacob!
YAHWEH, go up to YOUR resting place,
YOU and YOUR ark of power.
YOUR kohens are vesting in virtue
and
YOUR devout are shouting for joy.
For YAHWEH has chosen Zion,
desiring this to be his home,
'Here will I
stay for ever,
this is the house I have chosen.'
The procession was drawing near to Yerusalem and came to the threshing floor of Nacon (this place has not been identified). At that moment the cart tilted: dangerously on the uneven path and might have overturned. To prevent the Ark falling to the ground Uzzah, one of Abinadab's sons, tried to steady it. But directly he touched the Ark he fell to the ground, struck dead on account of his sacrilegious action. This event is very characteristic of the beliefs of the period and gives us an idea of the still primitive notion of the set apart, whose purpose was to show the power of YAHWEH. For this crime YAHWEH struck him down on the spot, reads the Hebrew text; but the text of the whole paragraph is very corrupt.
The whole procession was filled with horror; it came to a halt. David, who believed that this punishment showed the anger of YAHWEH, decided that, at least for the time being, they should not enter the city of Yerusalem. He ordered the Ark to be kept provisionally in the house close to the threshing floor of Nacon, in the house of a private individual Obed-edom. Later on a final decision could be made.
Triumphant Entry Of The Ark Of The Covenant Into Yerusalem
For the three months that the Ark remained under the roof of Obed-edom the whole family was much blessed Reassured by the results of this test David thought that the time had come for the Ark to continue its interrupted journey to Mount Zion.
This time care was taken not to place it on a cart;
according to the Mosaic ritual four Levites bore it in the proper manner on
their shoulders by means of two transversal wooden bars. For greater safety, the
men entrusted with the set apart burden advanced six paces and then stopped.
Nothing abnormal happened. In this way they ascertained that YAHWEH agreed with
the proposed move. In thanksgiving, on the spot, an ox and a fat sheep were
sacrificed. Free now from anxiety the procession went joyfully toward the
citadel. David had put off his royal garments and now wore the ritual ephod, a
sort of linen loin cloth, the obligatory sacerdotal costume for the sacrifice
which he had just offered on the altar; this ephod would also be necessary when
he blessed the people in the name of YAHWEH. Thus simply clothed, David took his
place at the head of the set apart dancers; there, before the Ark, he leapt,
whirled round and danced, while the horns of the Levites sounded and musical
instruments of all kinds were played. Thus the Ark went forward, towards the
city. On arrival before the walls the procession had to come to a halt: the
gates of Yerusalem were closed. It was a moving scene as the people requested
that the house of the king of heaven should be allowed to enter the city of the
king of Yerusalem. A signal was given and in alternate choirs those present
began the chant of a psalm composed for the occasion of which some verses may
have survived in Tehillim 24:7-10.
Gates, raise your arches,
rise you ancient doors,
let the king of glory in!
Who is the king of splendour?
YAHWEH
the strong, the valiant,
YAHWEH valiant in battle!
The procession went through the city from north to south and then returned to
the terrace to the north of the royal residence. There with much pomp and
circumstance the Ark was placed in a tent. The kohens of Gibeah, of course, had
refrained from coming forward with a present of the Tent of Meeting which had
sheltered the Ark in its incredible wanderings on the plain of Sinai. It did not
matter; a completely new one was made for the occasion. Before it stood an altar
on which David made ready to officiate for the second time that day, at
holocausts, thanksgivings and communion sacrifices.
Then in the name of YAHWEH Sabaoth he gave the blessing to those present. In conclusion to each of the men and women from Yisrael and Yahudah there, he gave as a present a roll of bread, a portion of dates and a raisin cake.
Directly after this public ceremony David returned to his palace where he was to bless his own family. One of the first persons whom he encountered was Michal, his first wife, Saul's daughter. Like all the women of the royal harem she had watched the passing of the procession from behind a barred window, and had been unable to prevent herself sniggering at the sight of the king, her husband, wearing only an ephod, dancing half naked before the Ark. She must have been a rather sour-tempered woman, and the remark she made to the hero of the day was somewhat unexpected: 'What a fine reputation the king of Yisrael has won himself today, displaying' 10 himself under the eyes of his servant-maids, as any buffoon might display himself'. Michal, brought up in the court of Gibeah, did not seem to have grasped the profound meaning of the translation of the Ark to Zion; she had regarded it as a merely human spectacle, with the king leaping and capering amid a contemptible crowd. With understandable heat David put matters in their true perspective: 'I was dancing for YAHWEH,' he explained, 'not for them. As YAHWEH lives, WHO chose me in preference to your father and his whole house to make me leader of Yisrael, YAHWEH's people, I shall dance before YAHWEH and demean myself even more. In your eyes I may be base, but by the maids you speak of I shall be held in honour.' They were the words of a believer inspired by a generous and vivid faith. David turned away from this wife (who, after all, had previously saved his life): 'And to the day of her death, concludes the Scriptural account. Michal, the daughter of Saul, had no children.'
Thus the Ark had finally taken its place in the imposing setting formed by Yerusalem. Hitherto, the new capital had remained merely a political capital. With the presence of the Ark within its walls it became the spiritual centre of the Chosen People as well; the rock of the Ophel made its entrance into the spiritual history of Yisrael.
David was anxious that this set apart casket containing the stone Tablets of the Law should not return to that partial obscurity which had surrounded it for so long. He wanted the Ark to become a centre of attraction for the faithful of YAHWEH, who would come in pilgrimage to pay it devout homage. An imposing form of worship, a moving liturgy, was organized around this important relic. Many Hebrews went up to Yerusalem; when they came down from it and returned to their homes they were dazzled by all they had witnessed and, by the same token, were more firmly attached to the royal house, whose majesty they had been able to admire. There is no need to exaggerate here; if David's ulterior motives are undeniable, it is true nonetheless that he was animated by a profound faith which was sincere and radiant. He possessed a clear understanding of his responsibilities as leader of the Chosen People in relation to YAHWEH. It was through him that Yerusalem became the qadash city.
10 This ephod, probably copied from the Egyptian loincloth, consisted merely of a piece of material knotted at the waist. For the sake of decency the Shemoth required kohens to wear drawers beneath it.
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