Home People Uzzah Uzzah was the son of Abinadab, in whose house the Ark of the Covenant had been kept for many years. He is best known for his death when he reached out his hand to steady the Ark during its transport to Jerusalem, and God struck him down because he touched the holy object. His death served as a warning about the importance of respecting God's holiness and following His commands.
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Key events The Ark of the Covenant was placed in Abinadab's house after it was returned from the Philistines, and Uzzah and his brother Ahio were responsible for it.
1 So the men of Kiriath-jearim came and took up the ark of the LORD and brought it to the house of Abinadab on the hill, and they consecrated his son Eleazar to keep watch over the ark of the LORD. Heb וַיָּבֹ֜אוּ אַנְשֵׁ֣י ׀ קִרְיַ֣ת יְעָרִ֗ים וֽ͏ַיַּעֲלוּ֙ אֶת־אֲר֣וֹן יְהוָ֔ה וַיָּבִ֣אוּ אֹת֔וֹ אֶל־בֵּ֥ית אֲבִינָדָ֖ב בַּגִּבְעָ֑ה וְאֶת־אֶלְעָזָ֤ר בְּנוֹ֙ קִדְּשׁ֔וּ לִשְׁמֹ֖ר אֶת־אֲר֥וֹן יְהוָֽה׃ פ
2 From the day the ark came to rest at Kiriath-jearim a long time passed—twenty years—and the whole house of Israel lamented and longed after the LORD. Heb וַיְהִ֗י מִיּ֞וֹם שֶׁ֤בֶת הָֽאָרוֹן֙ בְּקִרְיַ֣ת יְעָרִ֔ים וַיִּרְבּוּ֙ הַיָּמִ֔ים וַיִּֽהְי֖וּ עֶשְׂרִ֣ים שָׁנָ֑ה וַיִּנָּה֛וּ כָּל־בֵּ֥ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל אַחֲרֵ֥י יְהוָֽה׃ ס
David decided to move the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem, and Uzzah and Ahio drove the new cart on which the Ark was placed.
3 They set the ark of God on a new cart and carried it from the house of Abinadab on the hill. Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, were guiding the new cart, Heb וַיַּרְכִּ֜בוּ אֶת־אֲר֤וֹן הָֽאֱלֹהִים֙ אֶל־עֲגָלָ֣ה חֲדָשָׁ֔ה וַיִּשָּׂאֻ֔הוּ מִבֵּ֥ית אֲבִינָדָ֖ב אֲשֶׁ֣ר בַּגִּבְעָ֑ה וְעֻזָּ֣א וְאַחְי֗וֹ בְּנֵי֙ אֲבִ֣ינָדָ֔ב נֹהֲגִ֖ים אֶת־הָעֲגָלָ֥ה חֲדָשָֽׁה׃[t]
4 bringing it with the ark of God from the house of Abinadab on the hill, and Ahio walked ahead of the ark. Heb [t]וַיִּשָּׂאֻ֗הוּ מִבֵּ֤ית אֲבִֽינָדָב֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בַּגִּבְעָ֔ה עִ֖ם אֲר֣וֹן הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים וְאַחְי֕וֹ הֹלֵ֖ךְ לִפְנֵ֥י הָאָרֽוֹן׃
When the oxen stumbled at Nod's threshing floor, Uzzah reached out his hand and grabbed the Ark of the Covenant to prevent it from falling.
6 When they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah reached out to the ark of God and took hold of it, because the oxen had stumbled. Heb וַיָּבֹ֖אוּ עַד־גֹּ֣רֶן נָכ֑וֹן וַיִּשְׁלַ֨ח עֻזָּ֜א אֶל־אֲר֤וֹן הָֽאֱלֹהִים֙ וַיֹּ֣אחֶז בּ֔וֹ כִּ֥י שָׁמְט֖וּ הַבָּקָֽר׃
The Lord was angry with Uzzah for his irreverence, and God struck him down there by the ark. He died by God's ark.
7 The anger of the LORD blazed against Uzzah, and God struck him down there for his irreverence, and he died there beside the ark of God. Heb וַיִּֽחַר[c]אַ֤ף יְהוָה֙ בְּעֻזָּ֔ה וַיַּכֵּ֥הוּ שָׁ֛ם הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים עַל־הַשַּׁ֑ל וַיָּ֣מָת שָׁ֔ם עִ֖ם אֲר֥וֹן הָאֱלֹהִֽים׃
David's joy at bringing the ark to Jerusalem turned into fear and anger over the Lord's outburst against Uzzah, and he named the place Perez-uzzah.
8 David was angry because the LORD had broken out against Uzzah, so he named that place Perez-uzzah, and it is called so to this day. Heb וַיִּ֣חַר לְדָוִ֔ד עַל֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר פָּרַ֧ץ יְהוָ֛ה פֶּ֖רֶץ בְּעֻזָּ֑ה וַיִּקְרָ֞א לַמָּק֤וֹם הַהוּא֙ פֶּ֣רֶץ עֻזָּ֔ה עַ֖ד הַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה׃
9 David was afraid of the LORD that day, and he said, "How can the ark of the LORD ever come to me?" Heb וַיִּרָ֥א דָוִ֛ד אֶת־יְהוָ֖ה בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֑וּא וַיֹּ֕אמֶר אֵ֛יךְ יָב֥וֹא אֵלַ֖י אֲר֥וֹן יְהוָֽה׃
The parallel account in 1 Chronicles retells the event and emphasizes that Uzzah died because he reached out his hand toward the ark.
9 When they came to the threshing floor of Kidon, Uzzah reached out his hand to steady the ark, because the oxen had stumbled. Heb וַיָּבֹ֖אוּ עַד־גֹּ֣רֶן כִּידֹ֑ן וַיִּשְׁלַ֨ח עֻזָּ֜א אֶת־יָד֗וֹ לֶאֱחֹז֙ אֶת־הָ֣אָר֔וֹן כִּ֥י שָֽׁמְט֖וּ הַבָּקָֽר׃
10 Then the anger of the LORD burned against Uzzah, and he struck him down because he had put out his hand to the ark, and he died there before God. Heb וַיִּֽחַר־אַ֤ף יְהוָה֙ בְּעֻזָּ֔א וַיַּכֵּ֕הוּ עַ֛ל אֲשֶׁר־שָׁלַ֥ח יָד֖וֹ עַל־הָאָר֑וֹן וַיָּ֥מָת שָׁ֖ם לִפְנֵ֥י אֱלֹהִֽים׃
11 David was angry because the LORD had broken out against Uzzah, so he named that place Perez Uzzah, and it is called that to this day. Heb וַיִּ֣חַר לְדָוִ֔יד כִּֽי־פָרַ֧ץ יְהוָ֛ה פֶּ֖רֶץ בְּעֻזָּ֑א וַיִּקְרָ֞א לַמָּק֤וֹם הַהוּא֙ פֶּ֣רֶץ עֻזָּ֔א עַ֖ד הַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה׃
Mentioned in the Bible (11)