Uzzah

The ark was brought out of Abinadab’s house, and his two sons, Uzzah and Ahio, were elected to drive the oxen. “Since Uzzah and Ahio had exercised supervisory care of the ark while it was in their home, the responsibility of transferring it to Jerusalem was now placed in their charge. This, however, was definitely out of line with the Lord’s explicit directions that the ark was to be borne upon the shoulders of Kohathite Levites (Num. 4:15; 7:9).

There was no valid excuse for a disregard of the divine directions in this matter.” Apparently, Ahio walked in front and Uzzah slightly to the rear to keep watch on the ark (2 Samuel 6:4, 6). Things were going well until the cart passed a threshing floor (1 Chronicles 13:9; 2 Samuel 6:6). Here the cart lurched, and Uzzah reached out his hand to steady the ark.

He was instantly struck dead. “The ark was holy. None but the priests, descendants of Aaron, were to touch it. . . . God is strict regarding His requirements.” “To those accompanying Uzzah it might have seemed as if Uzzah’s intentions were perfectly honorable—he was only trying to assist when he stretched forth his hand to steady the ark. . . . His act of touching the ark was one of presumption. A sinful being should not have dared to touch that which symbolized the presence of God. The Lord could not permit to pass unnoticed this flagrant disregard of His express command. If Uzzah’s sins had been allowed to go unpunished, his guilt might have involved many others. Those who knew of Uzzah’s defections would have become greatly emboldened in sin if they had been allowed to conclude that faults like Uzzah’s could go uncorrected and the offender be accepted of God. Uzzah’s death served as a warning to many that the Lord is a righteous God, who requires strict obedience from all.” “And the people said unto Joshua, The LORD our God will we serve, and his voice will we obey” (Joshua 24:24).