David Proposes to Bring the Ark to Jerusalem

131 Then David had discussions with the captains of thousands and the captains of hundreds and with every chief. 2 And David said to all the men of Israel who had come together there, If it seems good to you and if it is the purpose of the Lord our God, let us send to all the rest of our brothers, everywhere in the land of Israel, and to the priests and the Levites in their towns and the country round them, and get them to come together here to us; 3 And let us get back for ourselves the ark of our God: for in the days of Saul we did not go to it for directions. 4 And all the people said they would do so, for it seemed right to them.

David Goes to Get the Ark

5 So David sent for all Israel to come together, from Shihor, the river of Egypt, as far as the way into Hamath, to get the ark of God from Kiriath-jearim. 6 And David went up, with all Israel, to Baalah, that is, to Kiriath-jearim in Judah, to get up from there the ark of God, over which the holy Name is named, the name of the Lord whose place is between the winged ones. 7 And they put the ark of God on a new cart, and took it out of the house of Abinadab; and Uzza and Ahio were the drivers of the cart. 8 Then David and all Israel made melody before God with all their strength, with songs and corded instruments of music, and with brass instruments and horns.

9 And when they came to the grain-floor of Chidon, Uzza put out his hand to keep the ark in its place, for the oxen were slipping. 10 And the wrath of the Lord, burning against Uzza, sent destruction on him because he had put his hand on the ark, and death came to him there before God. 11 And David was angry because of the Lord's outburst of wrath against Uzza, and he gave that place the name Perez-uzza, to this day. 12 And so great was David's fear of God that day, that he said, How may I let the ark of God come to me? 13 So David did not let the ark come back to him to the town of David, but had it turned away and put into the house of Obed-edom the Gittite. 14 And the ark of God was in the house of Obed-edom for three months; and the Lord sent a blessing on the house of Obed-edom and on all he had.

Hiram's Recognition of David

141 And Hiram, king of Tyre, sent men to David with cedar-trees, and stoneworkers and woodworkers for the building of his house. 2 And David saw that the Lord had made his position safe as king over Israel, lifting up his kingdom on high because of his people Israel.

David's Children Born at Jerusalem

3 And while he was living in Jerusalem, David took more wives and became the father of more sons and daughters. 4 These are the names of the children he had in Jerusalem: Shammua and Shobab, Nathan and Solomon 5 And Ibhar and Elishua and Elpelet 6 And Nogah and Nepheg and Japhia 7 And Elishama and Beeliada and Eliphelet.

David Defeats the Philistines

8 And when the Philistines had news that David had been made king over all Israel, they went up in search of David, and David, hearing of it, went out against them. 9 Now the Philistines had come, and had gone out in every direction in the valley of Rephaim. 10 And David, desiring directions from God, said, Am I to go up against the Philistines? and will you give them into my hands? And the Lord said, Go up; for I will give them into your hands. 11 So they went up to Baal-perazim, and David overcame them there, and David said, God has let the forces fighting against me be broken by my hand, as a wall is broken down by rushing water; so they gave that place the name of Baal-perazim. 12 And the Philistines did not take their images with them in their flight; and at David's orders they were burned with fire. 13 Then the Philistines again went out in every direction in the valley. 14 And David went for directions to God; and God said to him, You are not to go up after them; but, turning away from them, come face to face with them opposite the spice-trees. 15 And at the sound of footsteps in the tops of the trees, go out to the fight, for God has gone out before you to overcome the army of the Philistines. 16 And David did as the Lord had said; and they overcame the army of the Philistines, attacking them from Gibeon as far as Gezer. 17 And David's name was honoured in all lands; and the Lord put the fear of him on all nations.

The Ark Brought to Jerusalem

151 And David made houses for himself in the town of David; and he got ready a place for the ark of God, and put up a tent for it. 2 Then David said, The ark of God may not be moved by any but the Levites, for they have been marked out by God to take the ark of God, and to do his work for ever. 3 And David made all Israel come together at Jerusalem, to take the ark of the Lord to its place, which he had got ready for it. 4 And David got together the sons of Aaron, and the Levites; 5 Of the sons of Kohath: Uriel the chief, and his brothers, a hundred and twenty; 6 Of the sons of Merari: Asaiah the chief, and his brothers, two hundred and twenty; 7 Of the sons of Gershom: Joel the chief, and his brothers, a hundred and thirty; 8 Of the sons of Elizaphan: Shemaiah the chief, and his brothers, two hundred; 9 Of the sons of Hebron: Eliel the chief, and his brothers, eighty; 10 Of the sons of Uzziel: Amminadab the chief, and his brothers, a hundred and twelve. 11 And David sent for Zadok and Abiathar the priests, and for the Levites, Uriel, Asaiah and Joel, Shemaiah and Eliel and Amminadab, 12 And said to them, You are the heads of the families of the Levites: make yourselves holy, you and your brothers, so that you may take the ark of the Lord, the God of Israel, to the place which I have made ready for it. 13 For because you did not take it at the first, the Lord our God sent punishment on us, because we did not get directions from him in the right way. 14 So the priests and the Levites made themselves holy to take up the ark of the Lord, the God of Israel. 15 And the sons of the Levites took up the ark of God, lifting it by its rods, as the Lord had said to Moses. 16 And David gave orders to the chief of the Levites to put their brothers the music-makers in position, with instruments of music, corded instruments and brass, with glad voices making sounds of joy. 17 So Heman, the son of Joel, and, of his brothers, Asaph, the son of Berechiah; and of the sons of Merari their brothers, Ethan, the son of Kushaiah, were put in position by the Levites; 18 And with them their brothers of the second order, Zechariah, Bani and Jaaziel and Shemiramoth and Jehiel and Unni, Eliab and Benaiah and Maaseiah and Mattithiah and Eliphelehu and Mikneiah, and Obed-edom and Jeiel, the door-keepers. 19 So those who made melody, Heman, Asaph, and Ethan, were put in position, with brass instruments, sounding loudly; 20 And Zechariah and Aziel and Shemiramoth and Jehiel, Unni and Eliab and Maaseiah and Benaiah, with corded instruments put to Alamoth. 21 And Mattithiah and Eliphelehu and Mikneiah and Obed-edom and Jeiel and Azaziah, with corded instruments on the octave, to give the first note of the song. 22 And Chenaniah, chief of the Levites, was master of the music: he gave directions about the song, because he was expert. 23 And Berechiah and Elkanah were door-keepers for the ark. 24 And Shebaniah and Joshaphat and Nethanel and Amasai and Zechariah and Benaiah and Eliezer, the priests, made music on the horns before the ark of God; and Obed-edom and Jehiah were door-keepers for the ark.

25 So David, and the responsible men of Israel, and the captains over thousands, went with joy to get the ark of the agreement of the Lord out of the house of Obed-edom. 26 And when God gave help to the Levites who were lifting up the ark of the agreement of the Lord, they made an offering of seven oxen and seven sheep. 27 And David was clothed with a robe of fair linen, as were all the Levites who took up the ark, and those who made melody, and Chenaniah the master of those who made melody; and David had on a linen ephod; 28 So all Israel took up the ark of the agreement of the Lord, with loud cries and with horns and brass and corded instruments sounding loudly. 29 And when the ark of the agreement of the Lord came into the town of David, Michal, the daughter of Saul, looking out of the window, saw King David dancing and playing; and to her mind he seemed foolish.

The Unbelief of Jesus' Brethren

71 After this, Jesus went from place to place in Galilee. He did not go about in Judaea, because the Jews were looking for a chance to put him to death. 2 But the feast of the Jews, the feast of tents, was near. 3 So his brothers said to him, Go away from here into Judaea so that your disciples may see the works which you do. 4 Because no man does things secretly if he has a desire that men may have knowledge of him. If you do these things, let yourself be seen by all men. 5 For even his brothers had no belief in him. 6 Jesus said to them, My time is still to come, but any time is good for you. 7 It is not possible for you to be hated by the world; but I am hated by it, because I give witness that what it does is evil. 8 Go you up to the feast: I am not going up now to the feast because my time has not fully come. 9 Having said these things to them, he still kept in Galilee.

Jesus at the Feast of Tabernacles

10 But after his brothers had gone up to the feast, then he went up, not publicly, but in secret. 11 At the feast the Jews were looking for him and saying, Where is he? 12 And there was much discussion about him among the mass of the people. Some said, He is a good man; but others said, No, he is giving people false ideas. 13 But no man said anything about him openly for fear of the Jews.

14 Now in the middle of the feast Jesus went up to the Temple and was teaching. 15 Then the Jews were surprised and said, How has this man got knowledge of books? He has never been to school. 16 Jesus gave them this answer: It is not my teaching, but his who sent me. 17 If any man is ready to do God's pleasure he will have knowledge of the teaching and of where it comes from—from God or from myself. 18 The man whose words come from himself is looking for glory for himself, but he who is looking for the glory of him who sent him—that man is true and there is no evil in him. 19 Did not Moses give you the law? Even so, not one of you keeps the law. Why have you a desire to put me to death? 20 The people said in answer, You have an evil spirit: who has any desire to put you to death? 21 This was the answer of Jesus: I have done one work and you are all surprised at it. 22 Moses gave you circumcision—not that it comes from Moses, but from the fathers—and even on the Sabbath you give a child circumcision. 23 If a child is given circumcision on the Sabbath so that the law of Moses may not be broken, why are you angry with me because I made a man completely well on the Sabbath? 24 Let not your decisions be based on what you see, but on righteousness.

Is This the Christ?

25 Then some of the people of Jerusalem said, Is not this the man whose death is desired? 26 And here he is talking openly and they say nothing to him! Is it possible that the rulers have knowledge that this is truly the Christ? 27 However, it is clear to us where this man comes from: but when the Christ comes no one will have knowledge where he comes from.

Matthew Henry's Commentary on John 7:1-27

Commentary on John 7:1-13

(Read John 7:1-13)

The brethren or kinsmen of Jesus were disgusted, when they found there was no prospect of worldly advantages from him. Ungodly men sometimes undertake to counsel those employed in the work of God; but they only advise what appears likely to promote present advantages. The people differed about his doctrine and miracles, while those who favoured him, dared not openly to avow their sentiments. Those who count the preachers of the gospel to be deceivers, speak out, while many who favour them, fear to get reproach by avowing regard for them.

Commentary on John 7:14-24

(Read John 7:14-24)

Every faithful minister may humbly adopt Christ's words. His doctrine is not his own finding out, but is from God's word, through the teaching of his Spirit. And amidst the disputes which disturb the world, if any man, of any nation, seeks to do the will of God, he shall know whether the doctrine is of God, or whether men speak of themselves. Only those who hate the truth shall be given up to errors which will be fatal. Surely it was as agreeable to the design of the sabbath to restore health to the afflicted, as to administer an outward rite. Jesus told them to decide on his conduct according to the spiritual import of the Divine law. We must not judge concerning any by their outward appearance, but by their worth, and by the gifts and graces of God's Spirit in them.

Commentary on John 7:25-30

(Read John 7:25-30)

Christ proclaimed aloud, that they were in error in their thoughts about his origin. He was sent of God, who showed himself true to his promises. This declaration, that they knew not God, with his claim to peculiar knowledge, provoked the hearers; and they sought to take him, but God can tie men's hands, though he does not turn their hearts.