Uzzah

Fausset's Bible Dictionary

Son of Abinadab at whose house in Kirjath Jearim the ark stayed 20 years. Eleazar was his elder brother ( 1 Samuel 7:1), Ahio his younger brother. The latter and Uzzah drove the new cart wherein the ark was carried from Abinadab's house for removal to Zion ( 1 Chronicles 13:7). The oxen drawing it stumbled, slipping over the smooth rock at "the threshing floor of Chidon" ( 1 Chronicles 13:9) or "Nachon" ( 2 Samuel 6:6), or rather "of disaster" ( Chidon from Chid ) or "the stroke" ( Nachon) from Naachah ). Perez Uzzah (the breach on Uzzah) was eventually the name (contrast Jehovah's "breaking forth upon David's enemies as the breach of waters," Baal Perazim,  2 Samuel 5:20) Uzzah tried with his hand to prevent the ark's shaking, but, God smote him for the offense (fault: Shal ).

David felt displeased or excited, not toward God, but at the calamity which he attributed to himself and his undertaking. Uzzah though with good intentions had in his rash act forgotten the reverence due to the ark, the earthly throne and visible pledge of the presence of the unseen God. The Lord's service is no excuse for self-willed service. We must not in presumptuous haste try to sustain God's cause, as if it must fall unless it have our support; God can guard His own ark. We are reverently, and in the way of God's call, to put forth our efforts, believing that His true church is safe, however threatened, because it is His. God's law (Numbers 4;  Ezekiel 25:14) had ordained that the ark was to be carried on the Levites' shoulders, not in a carriage.

Even the Levites ( Ezekiel 25:15) were not to touch it, on pain of death. Instead of this David and Israel had followed the Philistines' method ( 1 Samuel 6:7, ff). David's excitement changed into fear of Jehovah; not daring to bring the ark near him, since a touch proved so fatal, he removed it to the house of Obed Edom the Gathite. Contrast the blessed effect of the touch of faith toward the ark's Antitype, Jesus ( Matthew 9:20-22;  Mark 5:25-34). Uzzah was evidently a Levite, for otherwise the ark would not have been allowed to remain at his father Abinadab's house 20 years. Moreover, if Abinadab had not been a Levite his son Eleazar would not have been consecrated to take charge of the ark ( 1 Samuel 7:2). (For the site (See Perez UZZAH.)

Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary

We have the short but striking history of this man, in  2 Samuel 6:3-8. His name, if it be as is supposed, derived from Hazaz, means strength. In consequence of his sudden death, David called the place where the Lord smote Uzzah, Perez-Uzzah, that is, as the margin of the Bible renders it, The breach of Uzzah. I refer the reader to the passage for the account of it.

It hath been a subject of much enquiry with some, what there was so highly offensive in Uzzah's conduct to bring forth so awful a judgment. But the answer is not far. It appears that the ark was exposed to view, whereas it ought to have been concealed. For upon a former occasion the Lord made a great slaughter among the men of Bethshe-mesh, for looking into the ark. (See  1 Samuel 6:19) This Uzzah, as a Levite, should have prevented. And certainly the carrying the ark on a cart, and causing it to be drawn by oxen, was a violation of the law; for the Lord provided how the sons of Aaron were to prepare for the covering of the ark, and how the sons of Kohath, were to bear it on their shoulders. (See  Numbers 4:5-15; Num 7:9) Add to these, the hasty and irreverent touch of Uzzah might have been done in such a way as incurred the just judgment of the Lord. We may at least learn from hence with what reverence and godly fear the Lord is to be approached in ordinances. And we ought to learn moreover the blessedness of our privileges, in having such an High Priest as the Lord Jesus, in whom, and through whom, we have access to a mercy seat, "to obtain mercy and find grace to help in all time of need."

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Uz'zah. (Strength). One of the sons of Abinadab, in whose house at Kirjath-jearim, the Ark rested for twenty years. Uzzah probably was the second son and Ahio was the third son. They both accompanied the ark's removal when David first undertook to carry it to Jerusalem. (B.C. 1043). Ahio apparently went before the new cart,  1 Chronicles 13:7, on which it was placed, and Uzzah walked by the side.

"At the threshing-floor of Nachon,"  2 Samuel 6:6, or Chidon  1 Chronicles 13:9, perhaps slipping over the smooth rock, the oxen stumbled. Uzzah caught the Ark to prevent its falling. The profanation was punished by his instant death to the great grief of David, who named the place Perez-Uzzah ( The Breaking-Forth On Uzzah ).

But Uzzah's fate was not merely the penalty of his own rashness. The improper mode of transporting the ark, which ought to have been borne on the shoulders of the Levites was the primary cause of his unholy deed; and David distinctly recognized it as a punishment on the people in general "because we sought him not after the due order."

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

A son of Abinadab, who fell dead while conducting the ark from Kirjath-jearim towards Jerusalem,  2 Samuel 6:1-23;  1 Chronicles 13:1-14 . In his person God chastised the prevalent irreverence, which was intimated in the rude jolting along of the ark by oxen, exposed both to sight and to touch, while the law required it to be carefully covered by the priests, and then borne by staves on the shoulders of the Levites, who were not to look upon or touch the ark itself on pain of death,  Exodus 25:14;  Numbers 4:5,15,19,20 . Perhaps Uzzah was not even a Levite. Compare  1 Chronicles 15:2,13 .

Holman Bible Dictionary

 2 Samuel 6:1-5 Exodus 25:10-25 1 Samuel 6:7-12  2 Samuel 6:6-8Perez-Uzzah

Easton's Bible Dictionary

 1 Samuel 7:1 Numbers 4:15 1 Chronicles 13:11 2 Samuel 6:2-11 1 Chronicles 13:6-13

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

UZZAH . 1 . A Merarite family (  1 Chronicles 6:29 (14)). 2 . See Uzza, 3.

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

(Heb. Uzzah ‘ , עֻזָּה , Strength, I. q. Uzza, whiich in a few passages stands instead of it; Sept. Ο᾿Ζά [and so Josephus] v.r. Ἀζά ; Vulg. Oza), the name of two Hebrews.

1. A Merarite Levite, son of Shimei (q.v.) and father of Shimeai ( 1 Chronicles 6:29 [Hebrews 4]; A.V. "Uzza"). B.C. ante 1043. For a refutation of some arbitrary hypotheses of interpreters on this genealogy, see Keil ad loc.

2. One of the sons of Abinadab, in whose house at Kirjath-jearim the ark rested for twenty years. In 2 Samuel ( 2 Samuel 6:3 in the A.V.; and in  Hebrews 4:6-8 in the Heb, also) he is invariably called "Uzzah;" but in 1 Chronicles ( 1 Chronicles 13:7;  1 Chronicles 13:9;  1 Chronicles 13:11) as invariably "Uzza." The eldest son of Abinadab ( 1 Samuel 7:1) seems to have been Eleazar, who was consecrated to look after the ark. Uzzail, probably, was the, second, and Ahio (q.v.) the third. The latter two accompanied its removal when David first undertook to carry it to Jerusalem. B.C. 1043. Ahio apparently went before the cart- the new cart ( 1 Chronicles 13:7) on which the ark was placed, and Uzzah walked by its side. The procession, with all manner of music, advanced as far as a spot variously called "the threshing-floor" ( 1 Chronicles 13:9); "the threshing floor of Chidon" (ibid.); "the threshing floor of Nachotn" ( 2 Samuel 6:6, Sept. "Nachor"). At this point perhaps slipping over the smooth rock the oxen (Sept. "the calf") stumbled (Sept. "overturned the ark'"). Uzzah caught it to prevent its falling. He died immediately by the side of the ark. H is death, by whatever means it was accomplished, was so sudden and awful that, in the sacred language of the Old Test., it is ascribed directly to the divine anger. "The anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah, and God smote him there." "For his error," עִלאּהִשִּׁל , adds the Hebrew text, "because he put his hand to the ark" ( 1 Chronicles 13:10). Josephus (Ant. 7:4, 2) makes the sin to be because he touched the ark not being a priest (see below). But the narrative seems to imply that there was a rough, hasty handling of the sacred coffer. The event produced a deep sensation. David, with a mixture of awe and resentment, was afraid to carry the ark farther; and the place, apparently changing its ancient name, (See Garden Of Uzza), was henceforth called "Perez-Uzzah" (q.v.), the "breaking" or "disaster" of Uzzah ( 2 Samuel 6:8;  1 Chronicles 13:11). (See David).

Josephus distinctly says that Uzzah was of a Levitical family (Ant. 6:1 4). It was because Abinadab, his father, was a Levite, no doubt, that the ark was taken into his house at Kirjath-jearim, as it was afterwards taken into the: house of Obed-edom, the Gittite, for the same reason. Nor can it be very well understood how, if Abinadab was not a Levite, his son Eleazar should have been consecrated to take charge of the ark ( 1 Samuel 7:2). It is possible that Abinadab (Sept. Ἀμιναδάβ , Josephus, Ἀμινδάαβος ) was the same as Amminadab, spoken of in  1 Chronicles 15:10 as one of the chiefs of the Levites appointed by David to bring up the ark from the house of Obed-edom to Jerusalem. It is most reasonable to suppose that the person who had entertained the ark at Kirjath-jearim should have the honor of attending its coming up afterwards from the house of Obed-edoin to Jerusalem; and Amminadab was a son of Uzziel, and therefore of the family of Kohath, who were the persons appointed to bear the ark ( 1 Chronicles 6:18;  Numbers 4:15). But they were forbidden to touch the ark. It was only a priest of Aaron's family, i.e. of the high-priest's family, that was allowed to touch the, ark  Numbers 4:5;  Numbers 4:15). The sin of Uzzah, therefore, was not, as commonly represented, that of a layman or an unordained person presuming to encroach upon the office of the ministry, but, if all irregularity at all in this respect, the sin of those who, being ministers, dare to arrogate to themselves powers and prerogatives which belong only to higher officers. — Fairbairn. The whole proceeding was very disorderly, and contrary to the distinct and far from unmeaning regulations of the law, which prescribed that the ark should be carried on the shoulders of the Levites ( Exodus 25:4), whereas here it was conveyed in a cart drawn by oxen. The ark ought to have been enveloped in its coverings, and thus wholly-concealed before the Levites approached it; but it does not appear that any priest took part in the matter, and it would seem as if the ark was brought forth, exposed to the common gaze, in the same manner in which it had been brought back by the Philistines ( 1 Samuel 6:13-19). It was the duty of Uzzah, as LeVite, to have been acquainted with the proper course of proceeding; he was therefore the person justly accountable for, the neglect, and the judgment upon him seems to have been the most effectual course of insuring attention to the proper course of proceeding, and of checking the growing disposition to treat the holy mysteries with undue familiarity. That it had this effect is expressly stated in  1 Chronicles 15:2;  1 Chronicles 15:13 (See Ark).

Kitto's Popular Cyclopedia of Biblial Literature

Uz´zah (strength), son of Abinadab, a Levite, who, with his brother Ahio, conducted the new cart on which the ark was taken from Kirjath-jearim to Jerusalem. When the procession reached the threshing-floor of Nachon, the oxen drawing the cart became unruly, and Uzzah hastily put forth his hand to stay the ark, which was shaken by their movements. For this the anger of the Lord smote him, and he died on the spot. This judgment appeared to David so severe, or even harsh, that he was much distressed by it, and becoming afraid to take the ark any farther, left it there, in charge of Obed-edom, till three months after, when he finally took it to Jerusalem . The whole proceeding was very irregular, and contrary to the distinct and far from unmeaning regulations of the law, which prescribed that the ark should be carried on the shoulders of the Levites , whereas here it was conveyed in a cart drawn by oxen. The ark ought to have been enveloped in its coverings, and thus wholly concealed before the Levites approached it; but it does not appear that any priest took part in the matter, and it would seem as if the ark was brought forth, exposed to the common gaze, in the same manner in which it had been brought back by the Philistines . It was the duty of Uzzah, as a Levite, to have been acquainted with the proper course of proceeding: he was therefore the person justly accountable for the neglect; and the judgment upon him seems to have been the most effectual course of ensuring attention to the proper course of proceeding, and of checking the growing disposition to treat the holy mysteries with undue familiarity. That it had this effect is expressly stated in; .