COMMENTARY

Old Testament: 2 Samuel 6:1-5, 12b-19
David is situated in Jerusalem with his government and he defeated the Philistines. It is time for David to make his capital also the religious center of the nation. With his people he arranges to bring the ark of the covenant which is 10 miles away in Kirjath-jearim. On the way the oxen stumble. To prevent the ark from falling from the new cart, Uzzah steadies the ark and is killed by God. David becomes angry with Yahweh for killing Uzzah, and in fear of Yahweh, David deposits the ark in a nearby home of a Philistine. After three months when David hears that the Philistine was blessed by the presence of the ark, David and his retinue move the ark to Jerusalem with singing and dancing.

Epistle: Ephesians 1:3-14
This is the first of eight p…