The United Kingdom of Israel:
Saul, David & Solomon
Foreshadow Christ the King

Lesson 13 David Brings the Ark to Jerusalem
the Second Book of Samuel 5:6—6:23

Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)*
New American Bible Revised Edition (NABRE)*
Catechism of the Catholic Church
ex libris (in our library)
glossary for The United Kingdom of Israel
cross references in The United Kingdom of Israel
next lesson: God’s Promise to David

This material coordinates with Lesson 13 on pages 80–84 in The United Kingdom of Israel: Saul, David & Solomon Foreshadow Christ the King.

“When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come forth from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom for ever.”
—the Second Book of Samuel 7:12–13

welcome to our in-depth study of Saul, David & Solomon
We invite interested groups and individuals to check out the sample first lesson from this 28-lesson Turning to God’s Word Catholic Bible study. These online study pages link to our free lesson videos, as well as to a glossary and cross references in the biblical text. Other study aids include maps, additional commentary, and prayers based on the primary Scripture in each lesson. The United Kingdom of Israel: Saul, David & Solomon Foreshadow Christ the King has been granted an imprimatur and may be purchased from our website shop. If you have a Bible-related question or comment, click on the “ask us your question” or “what do you think” button on any study page.

open with prayer
It’s always wise to begin any Bible study with prayer, whether reading the Scriptures alone or meeting with others in a discussion study group. You can pray using your own words or use one of the opening prayers on our website. We especially like the following:

Lord Jesus, you promised to send your Holy Spirit
to teach us all things.
As we read and study your word today,
allow it to touch our hearts and change our lives. Amen.

let’s review—the Second Book of Samuel 2:1—5:5
In Lesson 12 David Is Acclaimed King of Judah & King of Israel, after consulting with the LORD, David and his followers set up a center of operations in Hebron in territory allotted by God to the tribe of Judah. The men of Judah anoint David king. In the meantime, Saul’s general Abner lines up military support for Saul’s son Ish-Bosheth, and the remaining 11 tribes fall in line behind Ish-Bosheth. Abner, however, is the real power behind that effort. Men from each side gather at the pool of Gibeon, where they fight each other. The Judahites get the better end of things, but Asahel, one of David’s nephews, is killed by Abner. The fighting escalates into civil war, and David’s house grows stronger while support for Abner and Ish-Bosheth in the house of Saul becomes weaker. After being accused by Ish-Bosheth of having improper relations with Saul’s former concubine Rizpah, Abner abdicates to David’s side. He promises to bring the 11 tribes with him. As a condition, David insists his wife Michal be returned to him. Before the final deal can be brokered, Asahel’s brother Joab kills Abner to avenge Asahel’s death. David takes steps to distance himself from Abner’s death, fasting and mourning. David also criticizes his nephews Joab and Abishai for being hard men, and he implies that they’re evildoers. Ish-Bosheth is murdered by two of his captains, whom David then has killed. Representatives of all of the tribes of Israel then come to David at Hebron, where they anoint him king over all of the descendants of Jacob. 

map notes—Tyre, Baale-Judah, Baal-Perazim & Perez-Uzzah
Tyre is a Phoenician seaport along the Mediterranean coast north of territory allotted to the tribe of Asher. Built on an island, Tyre controlled two harbors and had natural defenses against land invasions. Much of the city that existed during the time of David since has been swallowed by the Mediterranean Sea. The Scriptures record that King Hiram of Tyre was on friendly terms with David and later with David’s son Solomon, providing lumber and other building materials to both of these Judahite kings.

Farther south on the border between territories allotted to the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, Baale-Judah frequently is referred to as Kiriath-Jearim. The ark of God was kept there for 20-some years in the house of Abinadab, overlooking the plains of Yearim. You can learn more about the ark of God and why it was there in “Where Has the Ark Been?” on page 82 of The United Kingdom of Israel: Saul, David & Solomon Foreshadow Christ the King. Baal-Perazim in the Valley of Rephaim is located between Jerusalem and Baale-Judah (Kiriath-Jearim). Perez-Uzzah, almost within the borders of Jerusalem, is where Uzzah was struck dead when he tried to steady the ark of God during transport. Click on the map (above right) to enlarge it. The original map is on page 83 in The United Kingdom of Israel: Saul, David & Solomon Foreshadow Christ the King.

what is God thinking? (24:28)
It’s easy to leap to the conclusion that the Old Testament God is vengeful when reading the account in the Second Book of Samuel 6:6–10 about Uzzah being struck dead during transport of the ark of the covenant. What are the specific circumstances surrounding this event? Consider what there was about Uzzah’s behavior that might have caused such a reaction from God? In the video for Lesson 13, “David Brings the Ark to Jerusalem,” Turning to God’s Word author Matthew Phelps discusses in some depth what’s going on in this passage and how we can think about it to make sense in terms of our own Christian experience of the sacrament of the Eucharist.


The Scripture ranges for the videos that accompany this Catholic Bible study match the Scripture ranges for the sets of questions in The United Kingdom of Israel: Saul, David & Solomon Foreshadow Christ the King. You can follow along as Turning to God’s Word author Matthew Phelps discusses Lesson 13, “David Brings the Ark to Jerusalem,” on pages 80–84 in the study book.

more map notes—history & its implications for God’s people
The seventeenth and eighteenth chapters in the Book of Judges describe the migration of the tribe of Dan from territory originally allotted to them to a location north of the rest of the tribes. The same biblical text points toward a potential problem with the worship practices of the Danites that later will lead to their name being left out of the listing of the 12 tribes that make up the 144,000 in the book of Revelation 7:4–8. The half-tribe of Ephraim also is left off that list, which includes the tribe of Levi and, even more surprisingly, the tribe of Joseph. Learn why these two tribes might have been excised from the list and about other variations in naming the descendants of Jacob by checking out the online study page for Lesson 8 Salvation Belongs to Our God in the Turning to God’s Word Catholic Bible study The Revelation of Jesus Christ: The Faithful Witness.

To explain in a nutshell why the tribe of Dan resettles: As the Philistines grew stronger because of their monopoly on iron weapons, they gradually began to usurp territory from some of the tribes. This made it almost impossible for the tribe to Dan to remain in their originally allotted territory, which is what led the Danites to move north. The loss of the ark of God to the Philistines during the battle at Aphek, recorded in the fourth chapter in the First Book of Samuel, spelled doom for the loose confederation of tribes that had no central authority figure other than God. The neglect of the ark of God for more than 20-some years points to the people’s loss of faith in a government that relied on God for protection. 

what’s going on with the Philistines?
As long as David was king over only the one tribe of Judah, the Philistines were content to let well enough alone. Once David takes over rule of all the descendants of Jacob, however, the Philistines apparently begin to feel threatened. This motivates them to go to war, but David proves to have the upper hand in battle. The Philistines get pushed back to a thin strip of land along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea.

WHAT DO YOU THINK about the way in which God aids David?
The biblical text gives the LORD credit for David’s victories against the Philistines.

?  According to the fifth chapter in the Second Book of Samuel, when the Philistines are defeated at Baal-Perazim, they leave behind their idols, which David and his men carry away. What does this indicate about the relative effectiveness of the gods the Philistines worship when compared to the God of Israel?
?  Consider what David and his men plan to do with the idols that they carry away.
?  When the Philistine forces return to attack again, what advice does the LORD give David about how to gain a battle advantage?
?  For what is David told to listen as a signal to begin fighting the Philistines?
?  What’s unusual about this signal?
?  What do you think the signal is intended to suggest about where David’s help is coming from?
?  Can you name one major battle that occurred after the spread of Christianity in which it seems clear that God played a part in assisting the victorious forces?

ex libris—all about the city that’s spiritual home to three world religions
The title Jerusalem: The Biography says it all. Simon Sebag Montefiore has written a prize-winning work of non-fiction that looks at the Holy City’s 3,000 years of frequently unholy history through the viewpoint of Jews, Christians, and Muslims. A seriously ambitious work, this book treats the city of David as the primary character in a gripping narrative of the location often referred to as the “center of the world.” Jerusalem: The Biography is of particular relevance to any study of the life of David and his successors. The book opens by recounting the Roman attack on the city in 70 A.D., followed by an intensive look at Jewish control of Jerusalem beginning with David’s conquest of the citadel of Zion. At that time, the well-fortified Jebusite stronghold already was considered ancient. Sections on the Christian and Muslim influences on the Holy City follow. Present-day political leaders see Jerusalem as key to peace in the Middle East. Visit ex libris—main bookshelf, to read an excerpt from this book and others related to in-depth Scripture study.

a wise choice for a capital
David’s effectiveness as a military leader was well established before the conquest of Jerusalem. His choice of a capital city demonstrates his administrative capability as a political leader. Because Jerusalem never had been conquered, it wasn’t associated with any of the 12 tribes. This allowed Jerusalem to serve as God’s holy city, eliminating rivalry among the descendants of Jacob about which tribe was most favored by God. The fortress city had a good water supply and good sanitation—things essential for protecting city-dwellers from disease and pestilence that wiped out entire populations of many ancient cities. The descendants of Jacob previously had been protected by their nomadic lifestyle, and they continued to be protected by religious observance of their cleanliness code.  

the significance of moving the ark of God to Jerusalem
David’s military success secures his kingdom geographically, and his conquest of the Jebusite fortress of Jerusalem provides him a well-situated capital city. The next thing David does represents a key development in salvation history: He moves the ark of God to Jerusalem and restores ties to the former religious system that had been weakened during Saul’s reign. Prior to the time that David instituted Jerusalem as the religious center of the nation, the primary worship center was at Shiloh, which was located in hill country in territory allotted to the half-tribe of Ephraim.

confusion over the contents of the ark 
Scripture offers differing accounts of what’s in the ark. In the book of Exodus 25:16, Moses directs the Israelites to build the ark, and he includes this instruction: “And you shall put into the ark the testimony which I shall give you.” The ark of the covenant frequently is called the ark of the testimony. The covenant itself is understood to refer to the tablets of law (the Ten Commandments). This understanding is consistent with most biblical verses about the contents of ark.

Problems arise because a number of other verses in Scripture suggest that additional contents might have been placed in the ark at one time or another. The relevant verses are found in the book of Exodus 16:33–34 (Moses directs the Israelites to place a jar of manna before the covenant), the book of Numbers 17:1–10 (after Aaron’s rod has budded, God tells Moses to put it before the covenant), the book of Deuteronomy 31:26 (Moses instructs the Israelites to put the book of the law by the side of the ark), the First Book of the Kings 8:9 (which records that there was nothing in the ark except the two tables of stone which Moses put there at Horeb), and finally in the New Testament the Letter to the Hebrews 9:4 (in which that author describes the ark being kept in a tent sanctuary and containing a golden urn holding the manna, and Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant). The Turning to God’s Word Catholic Bible study The Letter to the Hebrews: An Explanation of the Mechanism of Our Salvation also suggests the basis for some early New Testament apologetics.

Scholars are divided about these apparent discrepancies. The ark of the covenant has a long biblical history, and it’s possible that the manna and Aaron’s rod might have been removed at some time. Some scholars believe that these items never actually were inside the ark but instead were placed beside it, based on possible meanings of the original Hebrew wording of the Old Testament passages. A case can be made that the author of the Letter to the Hebrews appears to be writing about the tent sanctuary and not Solomon’s Temple. That would mean the Letter to the Hebrews is describing what the author believes to be the contents of the ark at a much earlier time. At any rate, by the time the Letter to the Hebrews was written, the ark had long disappeared. Whatever information the author had about its contents had to be based on secondary reports, possibly the verses in the books of Exodus and Numbers. Old Testament wording of the Revised Standard Version Catholic translations (RSVCE, referenced in printed Turning to God’s Word studies, and RSV2CE, linked on the online study pages)  suggests that neither the jar of manna nor Aaron’s rod ever were put inside the ark.

What appears certain is that the ark of the covenant always was intended to house the tablets of the law. The primary importance of the ark of the covenant, however, is that the mercy seat atop the ark served as the LORD’s dwelling on earth. The law is holy because it provides a direct connection to God and represents the covenant the LORD made with the people. It’s fitting for the tablets of the law to be stored in such close proximity to the mercy seat, pointing to an understanding of the Old Testament God as a deity who’s both just and merciful at the same time.

the Ark of the New Covenant
Aaron’s rod and the jar of manna inside the ark of the covenant becomes significant to Christian understanding of the Blessed Virgin Mary as the Ark of the New Covenant. Mary is given this title because she carried Jesus within her womb. The tablets in the original ark represent the Old Testament law, Aaron’s rod epresents Old Testament priesthood, and the manna represents Old Testament bread from heaven. Consider the ways in which Jesus is the New Testament fulfillment of all three.

read the Catechism—fear of the Lord is a good thing
The Second Book of Samuel 6:9 records that after Uzzah is struck dead while attempting to steady the ark of God during its transport to Jerusalem, David fears the LORD. Paragraph 1831 in the Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that fear of the Lord is spiritually beneficial since such fear is considered one of the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit. The Bible describes fear of the Lord as the beginning of wisdom. How do you think it is that David’s fear of the Lord positions him to gain increased wisdom?  

1831     The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit are wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord. They belong in their fullness to Christ, son of David. They complete and perfect the virtues of those who receive them. They make the faithful docile in readily obeying diving inspirations. 

Let your good spirit lead me on a level path.

For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God …. If children, then heirs, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ.

pray with the Psalms—an Old Testament history of God & his people
Psalm 78 is one of the more lengthy Psalms. In it, the Psalmist recalls the history of God’s people. For the most part, this Psalm tells a story of how God continues to love and protect his people even when they turn their backs on his commandments. That doesn’t mean there are no consequences for failing to comply with God’s statutes, but the Psalmist notes that God remains faithful to the people he calls his own, tending them with a blameless heart and eventually sending David to be their shepherd. Although Psalm 78 recalls Old Testament acts of God, it also anticipates the Incarnation of Jesus Christ to replace David as king and shepherd. Prayed at Thursday Vigils (Week II), Psalm 78 will be included as part of Lesson 23 Hidden Lessons of the Past in the Turning to God’s Word Catholic Bible study Sing a New Psalm: Communicating with God Through the Prayers of the Church—Volume II: Vigils, Day Prayer & Compline, which is scheduled for publication in late summer of 2025.

blessing—you could look it up in our archives
The ark of the covenant is associated with blessing resulting from devotion to God’s law. The Second Book of Samuel 6:18 describes David making sacrifices, then blessing the people. Learn how “blessing” and speech are linguistically related by reading Lost in Translation, an online column in which Turning to God’s Word author Matthew Phelps helps readers connect with ideas expressed in the original languages of the Scriptures. New Lost in Translation entries are posted on Mondays, and past entries are archived on our website. Contact us if you’d like to receive Lost in Translation by email every week.

like father, like daughter
Saul’s daughter Michal fails to understand her husband’s devotion to God. The Second Book of Samuel 6:16–20 describes David dressed as a priest and dancing for joy before the ark of the LORD. Michal, however, considers David’s behavior beneath his status as king. The Second Book of Samuel 6:21 records David’s defense of his actions: “It was before the LORD, who chose me above your father, and above all his house, to appoint me as prince over Israel, the people of the LORD.”

the heart is at the core of our being
The Second Book of Samuel 6:16 records that when David’s wife Michal saw her husband dancing before the ark of God, she despised David in her heart. Scripture goes on to report that Michal had no children, suggesting this was a result of her negative attitude about her husband’s public demonstration of his love for the LORD. It’s worth noting that in the ancient world children always were considered a blessing, and the Second Book of Samuel 5:13–16 lists a large number of children born to David after he conquers Jerusalem. None of them are born to Michal. In terms of the big picture regarding salvation history, this probably is just as well, as Turning to God’s Word author Matthew Phelps explains on the video that accompanies this lesson.

biblical vocabulary—vulgar
Do you know how the word vulgar is related to the name of the Bible that has served as the official Catholic translation from the 16th century? Take a few minutes to read “Vulgar” on page 84 in The United Kingdom of Israel: Saul, David & Solomon Foreshadow Christ the King.

the best Catholic commentary about Scripture
To find out more about how Church teaching is supported by Scripture passages in The United Kingdom of Israel: Saul, David & Solomon Foreshadow Christ the King, check out the Index of Citations in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Links to the primary Scripture passages in the lesson (Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition [RSVCE*]) and relevant paragraphs in the Catechism are provided here. Not every passage in the biblical text for this Catholic study is referenced in a Catechism paragraph, however, including the passage in this lesson from the Second Book of Samuel 5:6—6:23.

ways our glossary might prove helpful
In addition to providing extra information about geographical locations, our glossary also points out persons and places mentioned in the biblical text under multiple names or spellings. If you can remember a name but aren’t sure in which lesson it shows up, you can find it in the glossary, which lists every proper noun that appears in the primary biblical text for The United Kingdom of Israel: Saul, David & Solomon Foreshadow Christ the King.

to learn more, read more Scripture
If you’re having difficulty with a particular passage of Scripture, it can be helpful to read the relevant cross references—but looking these up can take time. To make that easier, we’ve compiled the cross references from the Revised Standard Version Second Catholic Edition (RSV2CE)—the translation that we reprint in our study books. That list can be found at the top of every online study page, and it includes links to cross references in the primary biblical text for The United Kingdom of Israel: Saul, David & Solomon Foreshadow Christ the King.

don’t forget about our indexes & extra online material
If you’re trying to locate information about a specific Scripture passage, you can look it up in the index at the back of the study book or sample lesson. If you want to find a particular commentary, you can look up its title in the topics index. To learn more about another book of the Bible for which there’s a Turning to God’s Word study, visit the online study directories to read the commentaries and watch any accompanying videos. Finally, if you have a question or would like to make a comment about any of our studies, you can use one of the “ask us your question” or “what do you think” buttons to email our authors.

ex libris—Church documents & books about religious topics
Link to magisterial documents referred to in our Bible studies at ex libris—magisterial documents. This listing includes significant recent encyclicals as well as a number of historical Church documents. Recommended books related to Scripture study can be found at ex libris—main bookshelf.

wondering how to pronounce some of these words?
The following link is to a reading from the New International Version (NIV) Bible. To listen, click on the audio icon above the printed text. Although not taken from the translations used in our study materials, the NIV reading provides an audio guide to pronunciation of words in this lesson’s primary biblical text.  A close online version of the translation of the Bible used in Catholic liturgy in the United States as well as an audio guide for daily Mass readings for the current month can be found on the website of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).

the Second Book of Samuel 5:6—6:23 (NIV)

close with Bible-based prayer related to this lesson
Many of our Catholic study groups like to conclude their discussions with a prayer based on the round black dovescriptural focus of their lesson, and some participants include Scripture-specific prayer in their individual study. If you’re uncomfortable composing your own Bible-based prayers you can follow our four easy steps. If you prefer, you can use the following prayer based on the biblical text in this lesson in the study book The United Kingdom of Israel: Saul, David & Solomon Foreshadow Christ the King.

O God, you remained with David through many difficulties
before leading him to establish your holy city of Jerusalem.
Be a refuge for us as well when we meet with obstacles that threaten to overcome us.
Endow us with trust in your goodness and mercy,
and teach us patience as we wait for you to reveal your plans.
We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ,
who sent his Holy Spirit to guide us and teach us all things. Amen.

Lesson 14 God’s Promise to David—the Second Book of Samuel 7:10—10:19
Lesson 12 David Is Acclaimed King of Judah & King of Israel—the Second Book of Samuel 2:1—5:5

you also may like our study of the book of Genesis
The first seven lessons of In the Beginning: The Book of Genesis, a 28-lesson Catholic Bible study with an imprimatur, provide an in-depth look at the very earliest biblical history—including the two accounts of Creation, events surrounding the Fall of Adam and Eve, the relationship between Cain and Abel, and the baptismal foreshadowing present in the account of Noah and the Flood. Remaining lessons look at lives of the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph. Click on the book’s cover to view a sample lesson.

start a Turning to God’s Word Bible study
Thank you for your interest in The United Kingdom of Israel: Saul, David & Solomon Foreshadow Christ the King. Information about beginning a Turning to God’s Word Bible study can be found at start a Bible study. Tami, Matthew, and I are available to answer questions. Contact us if you’d like to start one of our studies or have your schedule listed with other TtGW study groups on our website. —Jennifer

*There are seven deuterocanonical books in the Old Testament—the Books of Tobit, Judith, Wisdom, Sirach, Baruch, and First and Second Maccabees, as well as some passages in the Books of Esther and Daniel. Protestants usually refer to these works as “apocryphal,” a word that means “outside the (Protestant) canon” because they’re excluded from most Protestant Bibles. The word “deuterocanonical” means “second canon”; Catholics use that word to refer to any section of the Catholic Old Testament for which there are no extant, or existing, Hebrew manuscripts. All of the deuterocanonical books appear in the Septuagint, the earliest remaining versions of which date to the 1st century B.C. This Greek translation of the Old Testament was in common use by Jews at the time of Jesus. Learn more by reading How Do Catholic & Protestant Bibles Differ?

Turning to God’s Word printed Bible studies use the 2006 Revised Standard Version Second Catholic Edition (RSV2CE) translation for all Scripture references except those to the Psalms, which are taken from The Abbey Psalms and Canticles, prepared by the Benedictine monks of Conception Abbey and published in 2020 by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). All Scripture links for the online study pages for The United Kingdom of Israel: Saul, David & Solomon Foreshadow Christ the King are to the 1966 Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE) translation. The New International Version (NIV) audio recordings follow the same chapter and verse numbering as the RSV Catholic translations, but the NIV translation doesn’t include the deuterocanonical books and passages.

The 1966 RSVCE uses archaic pronouns and verb forms such as “thee,” “thou,” “didst” in the Psalms and in direct quotations attributed to God. The 2006 RSV2CE replaces these with more accessible English. The few significant translation changes in the RSV2CE include rendering almah as “virgin” in the Book of Isaiah 7:14 and restoring the term “begotten” in the Gospel According to John 3:16.

Numbering varies for some passages in this Bible study. Turning to God’s Word studies (print and digital) follow the numbering in the Revised Standard Version Catholic translations (RSV2CE and RSVCE). Discrepancies in the New American Bible Revised Edition (NABRE) are noted in the Index of Scripture Citations in the study book and the online sample.

You can learn more about the Psalms by viewing a sample lesson from the Turning to God’s Word Catholic Bible study Sing a New Psalm: Communicating with God Through the Prayers of the Church—Volume I: Lauds & Vespers. The second part of that study, Sing a New Psalm: Communicating with God Through the Prayers of the Church—Volume II: Vigils, Day Prayer & Compline, is scheduled for publication in 2025. Some verse numbers may vary in different translations of the Psalms.