God’s ark remained with the family of Obed-Edom in his house three months; and Yahweh blessed Obed-Edom’s house and all that he had.
Parallel Translations
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God’s ark remained with the family of Obed-Edom in his house three months; and Yahweh blessed Obed-Edom’s house and all that he had.
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And the ark of God remained with the family of Obed-edom in his house three months. And the LORD blessed the house of Obed-edom, and all that he had.
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And the ark of God remained with the family of Obed-edom in his house three months; and the LORD blessed the house of Obed-edom, and all that he had.
Cross-references (6)
Passages linked to 1 Chronicles 13:14 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- 1 Chronicles 26:4-5 Obed-Edom had sons: Shemaiah the firstborn, Jehozabad the second, Joah the third, Sacar the fourth, Nethanel the fifth, Ammiel the sixth, Issachar the seventh, and Peullethai the eighth; for God blessed him.
- Proverbs 10:22 Yahweh’s blessing brings wealth, and he adds no trouble to it.
- Proverbs 3:9-10 Honor Yahweh with your substance, with the first fruits of all your increase: so your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine.
- Genesis 30:27 Laban said to him, “If now I have found favor in your eyes, stay here, for I have divined that Yahweh has blessed me for your sake.”
- Genesis 39:5 From the time that he made him overseer in his house, and over all that he had, Yahweh blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake. Yahweh’s blessing was on all that he had, in the house and in the field.
- Malachi 3:10-11 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house, and test me now in this,” says Yahweh of Armies, “if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there will not be room enough for. I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast its fruit before its time in the field,” says Yahweh of Armies.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (6 sources)
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John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain And the Lord blessed,&c. - Let this encourage us…
And the Lord blessed,&c. - Let this encourage us to welcome God's ordinance into our houses, believing the ark is a guest no body shall lose by. Nor let it be the less precious to us, for its being to others a rock of offense.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 14. The Lord blessed the house of Obed-edom]…
Verse 14. The Lord blessed the house of Obed-edom] That this man was only a sojourner at Gath, whence he was termed Gittite, and that he was originally a Levite, is evident from 1Ch 15:17-18.
The Targum ends this chapter thus: "And the Word of the Lord blessed Obed-edom, and his children, and his grand-children; and his wife conceived, and his eight daughters-in-law: and each brought forth eight at one birth, insomuch that in one day there were found, of fathers and children, fourscore and one; and He blessed and increased greatly all that belonged to him." This exposition will not be generally received; but all rabbins must be allowed to deal in the marvellous.
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For other remarks see on 2Sa 6:1, &c.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 14. with the family of Obed-edom in his house].…
14. with the family of Obed-edom in his house]. Render, by (i.e. near) the house of Obed-edom in its own house. The Chronicler (regarding Obed-edom as a foreigner if not also an idolater) qualifies the expression found in 2Sa_6:11, “in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite.”
blessed] Targ. blessed with sons and sons’ sons. The household, father, sons and grandsons amounted to 81 persons according to the Targ.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (14) With the family.—By (near) the house. The preposition…
(14) With the family.—By (near) the house. The preposition is wanting in Samuel, according to older usage.
In his house.—In its own house (shrine). Instead of this, Samuel has “the Gittite,” and for the concluding words, “And the Lord blessed Obed-edom, and all his house.” (Comp. 2Sa_6:12.) As to the nature of the blessing, see 1Ch_26:4-8; and comp. Psalms 125
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain Responsible service outvied by abounding reward.
Responsible service outvied by abounding reward.
A certain amount of obscurity hangs over the name of Obed-edom, as has been already seen. And supposing that slight amount of obscurity removed or to count for little, it remains to take note of the fact that the signification of the name Obed-edom servant to Edom lends some additional interest to the circumstance of the ark"s entertainment for a space of three months at his house. It reminds one of some two or three occasions in the time of our Saviour and in the first history of the apostles, when those who did not bear the name of Israel did seem to do works better than those of Israel, and to carry a truer heart within them, and received a signal and gracious reward. But on whatever occasion and in whatever way he or the family of which he came became possessed of the name, there is little doubt that this Obed-edom was a Levite, of the Kohathite family. And as his house would appear to have been near the scene of the judgment that befell Uzza, while the ark was now on its way from the house of Abinadab, the Levite of Kirjath-jearim, it the rather invited David to place it there awhile under his care. David is now the victim of panic. Whether the panic were more the offspring of good or bad quality, and had in it preponderance of good element or otherwise, certain it is that it lost David for three months the possession of the ark, where he would fain have it. Again he must have lived on mercy, and had to rest his hope again on this that the will be taken for the deed. It was a shadow of how it would be later on with the building of the glorious temple. But equally certain was another thing that what David lost of honour, privilege) reward, another obtained: "The ark of God remained with the family of Obed-edom in his house three months. And the Lord blessed the house of Obed-edom, and all that he had." We have here a kind of leading instance of responsible trust transferred; lost by one it is gained by another, it is worthily fulfilled, it is bountifully rewarded. Notice
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I THE ARDUOUS TRUST OF THE FIRST MAN IN THE KINGDOM" HAS COME BY CIRCUMSTANCES, WHATEVER THEY MAY BE, TO BE FORFEITED, EITHER TEMPORARILY.OR ALTOGETHER, TO ONE OF THE HUMBLEST. Very much of human life and circumstance often seems to go by chance, often seems to be moss arbitrary, often seems to those who most implicitly strive to believe in providence very unlike the work of an all-wise and beneficent providence. But sometimes we seem more able to get a clue which helps to strengthen, refresh, renew an implicit faith. The mere glimpse of such an explanation does at the same time rebuke our former doubt and failing faith. Have we not help here also? All David"s position, all his holy enthusiasm, all his good intention, do not suffice, it appears, to compensate the absence of some certain, real, moral quality. David had much of the noble, the brave, the forgiving, the generous, about him. But more than once he lets himself down for the want of a calm, unsparing faithfulness with himself. And for want of this, one of the grandest prizes, one of the greatest opportunities, now slips from his fingers. One of the strongest forms of human weakness will be found to consist in want of continuity of moral effort. One of the great victorious forces, despite of all human weakness, will be found in the reverse of this continuance," undespairing tenacity, the importunity which enlists time on its side. This present in one who seems to have no outer advantage of position or grace or other gift will avail more than a score of other gifts of fortune and gifts of character, if this be absent or inconspicuous. Surprising dash is in the long run conquered, for it is exactly for every matter of long run that dash has little persuasion. The lowliest humility of person, place, character, which has power to wait, to endure, to continue, has a career before it which, without one ambitious endeavour or thought, gets borne on irresistibly to the highest goal. But the other style may break down irremediably in a moment. We should not need always to wonder so much when "the mighty are put down from their seats and they of low degree are exalted," if we would just see that the reverse that thus happens is emphatically not that of chance or reckless caprice, but a result of that which God most regards, the presence of some deep-lying, significant moral quality, or the want of it. The unnoticed working of this truth is not equivalent to any uncertainty in the working of it. And the invisible working of it, even when most invisible to man, is no stealthy indication of the indefensibleness of it when God should once arise to reveal and vindicate all. And he it is who is Arbiter of providence. Meantime mankind is ever being offered openly enough its own lesson.
II A TRUST OF THE HIGHEST RELIGIOUS CHARACTER AT HOME IN LOWLY LODGING. The history of real greatness, of genuine goodness, and emphatically of God"s Church, is a continuous illustration of this very thing. The palace has seldom enough been, either of human endeavour or Divine decree, the nursery of the only real thing fit to be called greatness. Abundant privilege, knowledge, opportunity, have not been the seed-bed of signal and bright displays of goodness. The places where these grow are not here. Nay, these two things may be said that it is impossible to calculate or to foresee where they will be found; and that it is the least correct account of them to say that they "grow." They at all events "are born. " "The Spirit bloweth where it listeth," and we ofttimes are startled to hear the sound of it, and are envious that the pinion is heard so fleet and so strong as it passes our own ear or our own abode in order to light upon the head or the roof of some very humble neighbour. No lodging was too humble for Jesus from birth to death, from stable and manger to that cross upon which he "had not where to lay his head." And the nearest approaches to the Godlike visitation in heart and home of man have been in the humble heart, the lowly home, the meek spirit, the Church that "the world knoweth not." Whoever this Obed-edom was, up to this time his name was not inscribed on any roll of fame. And had it not been for his being ready to entertain that ark without the self-depreciation of Moses when he wanted to evade responsibility; without the panic of David when he thought of his own safety rather than of the honour and safe housing of that very ark; without the unmannerly prayer of the stricken Peter, "Depart from me," when he feared his Saviour more than his sin, his name would never have been where it finds now its chiefest glory, nor his home one of the veritable oases of the world"s desert.
Verily the ark of God, the presence of God, the secret of God, the Spirit of God, the Church of God, are all of and with the humble and ungrasping and unexpectant heart. That kind of heart God surprises and makes it his home.
III HIGH RELIGIOUS TRUST FAITHFULLY MET AND FULFILLED BRINGS FULLEST, RICHEST BLESSING. It is well to note the great stress laid upon the shower of blessing that descended upon the house of Obed-edom and himself, "and all that he had." It were well if it were not too much considered old-fashioned to think, to say, heartily to believe, that God"s blessing does go with hospitality shown to his servants, liberality shown to his Church, honour shown to his Word. The history before us tells us the old-day fact plainly. It is not obsolete as a principle. Let the conditions be seen again, and the results will be seen again. If, indeed, a man give wealth and render honour, hoping to receive for it in another way what he would regard as a very ample equivalent, this should earn for itself but the name of another form of simony, and evoke again the just anathema, "Thy money perish with thee thou hast neither part nor lot in the matter thy heart is not right in the sight of God." Therefore we cannot say, and would not say, "Let the experiment be but tried, and await with confidence the result." For so soon as ever it be regarded as experiment, and take the least semblance of any of the shapes of calculation, the Spirit has gone the greater Spirit has sped his flight far enough distant. But when this thing genuinely appears in heart or home, and honour is first shown to God, service first shown to Christ, and the ear listens first of all sounds for the whisper of the Spirit & N then three months" sojourn of all Divine token is none too much condescension for the majesty of Heaven to deign, and perennial blessing upon the family, the business, and all unto which the hand may be set, none too great bounty for the Giver of all to bestow. That house is full of fragrance; the perfume spreads grateful abroad. More and still more of gift is not graspingly, selfishly, anxiously sought. It comes, and the earth yields her prophetic full increase. Little enough is said of what reverence, what care, what holy fear, Obededom and family showed the ark. These are to be supposed. But enough is said of how well God pays his faithful steward.
Household blessing.
says Lord Bacon, "is the blessing of the old covenant, adversity of the new." Certainly Old Testament Scripture abounds in instances of temporal abundance, fertility, and happiness, represented as proofs of the favour of the Most High. In the text Obed-edom is recorded to have received the ark into his house, and with it to have received an abundant blessing upon himself and upon all that pertained to him.
I THE GROUND OF BLESSING. Apparently this was, in the case before us, a regard for what was God"s. But this was doubtless an expression of regard for God himself. The Divine Searcher of hearts and Judge of all sanctions this principle; and although we can give nothing, save our hearts, to God, we can give to his people much that is acceptable to him. Our Lord Jesus often puts this motive before his disciples. What we do we are to do for his sake; and what we do to his people we are deemed to do for him. Still, as in the olden days, God honours those that honour him.
II THE SIGNS AND TOKENS OF BLESSING. Whom God blesses he blesses in them-selves in their own persons. He enriches them with spiritual knowledge; he reveals to them his favour; he fits them for his service. He bestows upon them relative blessings. As God blessed the house of Obed-edom, so there is no more delightful way in which he reveals his favour to his people than by visiting in mercy those most dear to them encompassing them with the protection of his providence, and bringing them to a knowledge of his grace and love. He blesses them in their possessions; sometimes, according to the Hebrew saying, "in their basket and their store," but always by granting them grace to make a sanctified use of all they have. Let all unite in the prayer, "God be merciful unto us, and bless us, and cause his face to shine upon us! T.
Obed-edom"s blessing.
The subject introduced here is "God in the home, God cherished in the home, and God blessing the home." God was pleased to teach Israel by symbols, by incidents, by personal experiences, and by actions , as well as by words. There is given a picture of Obed-edom"s home, and we see that God"s cherished presence is assured blessing for the heart and the home.
I GOD"S PRESENCE WITH US CAN BE GRANTED AND REALIZED. Man can be, and know that he is, the temple of the living God. The possibility of this is the assurance given us in the incarnation of Christ. God can dwell with men; for be has dwelt in the "Man Christ Jesus.
II GOD"S PRESENCE WITH US CAN BE CHERISHED; So David, fearing the Divine removal, prays, "Take not thy Holy Spirit from me." We cherish the Divine indwelling by
(1) daily openness;
(2) dependence; and
(3) prayer;
but especially by daily following, in simplicity and loyalty, the consequent inward Divine leadings. Compare George Macdonald"s sentence, "If any man will do the truth he knows, he shall know all the truth he needs to know." God only stays with the obedient.
III GOD"S PRESENCE TAKES GRACIOUSLY HELPFUL FORM IN CHRISTIANITY, It is the presence of Jesus Christ, and from the records of his earthly life we know what an infinite charm and help that presence can be. Our Lord promised, "I will come to him, and sup with him," and he left this last assurance, "Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.
IV GOD"S PRESENCE STILL ENSURES PERSONAL AND FAMILY BENEDICTIONS. It does not ensure freedom from care, but it does our sanctification through the care. We cannot be alone in any trouble. It brings a gracious actual reward of
(1) soul-prosperity;
(2) family peace and success.
Plead for the recognition of God in the home, by maintaining the habit of family prayer. And show the mystery of grace in God"s even using the incentive of promised rewards of godliness, and giving Scripture examples of such rewards. R.T.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Biblical Illustrator 1887 · Public Domain And the Lord blessed the house of Obed-edom, and…
1Ch_13:14
And the Lord blessed the house of Obed-edom, and all that he had.
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The selection of the house of Obed-edom
Why was the house of Obed-edom selected for the three months sojourn of the ark? The choice of the arks resting-place was Davids first-fruits of repentance. He was terrified at the judgment upon their act of disobedience to the law, which enjoined that none but the Levites of the family of Kohath should bear it, and that upon their shoulders, too; and they at once retraced their steps, so far as they could by conveying the sacred emblem to the house of Obed-edom, the Gittite, that is of Gath. This city was distinguished from several other towns of the same name by the addition of Gath-rimmon (Jos_24:21). It was not only one of the cities of the Levites in general, but of the Kohathites in particular, the very family to whom was specially assigned the post of bearing the ark upon their shoulders. From 1Ch_15:18 we find that Obededom was actually one of the porters employed to bear upon their shoulders, instead of in a cart, after the manner of the idolatrous Philistines, the sacred symbol of the presence of the Lord of hosts on the occasion of its final translation to Jerusalem. (Joseph B. Owen, M. A.)
The house of Obed-edom
I. The service which Obed-edom rendered.
II. The spirit in which he performed the service.
III. The reward which he gained.
1. A personal blessing.
2. A social blessing.
3. An extensive blessing.
None suffer whose guest is the ark of God. Piety is the best friend to prosperity. (J. Wolfendale.)
Churches blessing or a curse
I. What was this ark of God?
1. It was a sign of the covenant God had made with His people.
2. It was a record of Gods dealings with them under all their rebellions.
3. It was an instrument of communion between Him and them.
II. How was this ark to be treated, and what was the consequnce of its presence?
1. See what it was amongst the heathen (1Sa_5:4; 1Sa_5:11).
2. See what it was amongst Gods own people, when they made themselves like unto the Gentiles and learned their works (1Sa_6:19; 1Sa_7:8). In the sight of these judgments we may plainly see that the mere having among them the appointed sign and instrument of Gods presence was no blessing, but the having it for a lawful use, and the treating it after a godly manner. Gods ark was a blessing where it was duly prized; its presence was a blessing or a curse according to the character of those it visited.
III. Those churches which adorn our land are the signs of Gods presence, as the ark was of old. What blesses any district as thus bringing home to it the presence of God? What is the effect on ungodly and irreverent men of seeing and attending churches? It brings down on them Gods heavy judgments. (Bishop Samuel Wilberforce.)
The blessing of God upon those who honour His institutions
The ark was a small elegant chest, which contained the two tables of the law--the Hebrew Bible--written by the finger of God. This was probably the first alphabetical writing in the world. Though the Egyptians and other heathen nations used to employ hieroglyphics, to record past events, and denote the actions and intellectual and moral qualities of men, yet they were totally ignorant of letters which compose words and sentences by their particular sounds. Obed-edom knew that the ark contained the written Word of God, and esteemed it, as David did, better unto him than thousands of gold and silver. The subject is that God will bless those families who treat His Word with proper respect. I shall show:
I. That they ought to treat it with proper respect. Observe--
1. That every family ought to have the Word of God in their house.
2. Parents should read it seriously every day in their families.
3. The Bible ought to be read in a family with a view to understand it.
4. The Bible is to be read and heard in a family with a sincere desire and intention to do whatsoever God has commanded.
II. That if they do read and hear the bible with such proper respect God will bless them.
1. Because such pious families are the preservers of the Word of God.
2. Because they lay the greatest check and restraint upon every species of irreligion and impiety. No evil practices can be found in any family who daily read and love and obey the Bible.
3. God will bless pious families because they are the important instruments of promoting and transmitting pure religion from generation to generation.
Improvement.
1. It is the wisdom as well as duty of every family to pay a cordial and sacred regard to the Bible.
2. Those families that neglect these duties have reason to expect the frowns of Heaven upon them.
3. If those families only are religious who pay proper respect to the Word of God, then there is ground to conclude that there are many families in this place who are not religious.
4. How important it is that heads of families should be truly religious.
5. The great criminality of irreligious children who have been religiously educated. (N. Emmons, D. D.)
The house of Obed-edom
The ark was the symbol of Gods presence. Every truly Christian household now had the blessing that so enriched the home of Obed-edom. The subject is--Religion in the home.
I. It is a power of fulfilment. Religion is the sole power of fulfilment in regard to the very purpose and idea of home. A house may be full of persons who are very dear to each other, very kind to each other; full of precious things--affections, hopes, living interests; but if God is not there as the Ruler and Father of the house, the original and true idea of home will not be realised; vacancy and need will still be at the heart of all. Good things will grow feebly and uncertainly, like flowers in winter, trying to peep out into the sunshine, yet shrinking from the blast. Evil things will grow with strange persistency. Little things will produce great distresses. It will be as when a man of ingenuity tries in vain to put together the separated parts of a complicated piece of mechanism. He tries it this way and that, puts the pieces into every conceivable mode of arrangement, then at last stops and says, There must be a piece wanting. Home without the Divine presence is at best a moral structure with the central element wanting.
II. It is a principle of harmony. Religion is the only principle of harmony in the endeavour after this highest and best home life. It supplies the missing element which unites and quickens all the rest. It conducts its progress as a regulative force. It is hot contended that the principle bears all its proper fruits, and that every Christian home is a scene of unbroken harmony. Some Christian homes are very peaceful. One enters them with the same kind of soothed and comforted feeling with which a traveller, after a toilsome walk over the breezy hills, comes down on a little placid lake, hardly ruffled by the breeze, and fringed with freshest green. Others again are more troubled. But we must not hastily conclude that the uniformly placid house is really further advanced in the harmonies of Christian living than some others which are less serene. It may be so; but it may also be quite the reverse. Sometimes the jarrings are brought out just by the endeavours after the higher harmonies. Failures are more apparent if the efforts are high. The dearest harmonies in all the social life of men are sounding only in the Christian home; and those imperfections of which some make so much, and of which no one ought to make too little, are, after all, but like the flitting shadows of a sunny day--but like the chafing of the stream as it rushes against the rocky barrier on its passage to the peaceful plains which it will fertilise, or to the depths of ocean where it will rest.
III. Religion in the house is a source of prosperity. Life in the present day is more complex; it has greater interests, heavier tasks and higher prizes. The Lord still blesses the house of Obed-edom and all that he has.
1. Character.
2. Plans of usefulness.
3. Controversies with evil principles and with evil men.
4. Reverses. A thoughtful, earnest man now feels himself connected with politics--law--battles--civilisation--churches--religion--life in all its phases. He has some stake, some property in all these things, and in proportion to the earnestness and greatness of his mind, he will feel that these are the real interests of his life, for which he needs blessing from the Lord.
IV. Religion in the house of a good man, is likely to be a legacy to his children. In the piety of the living, and in the laws of Christian family life, he makes provision for what we may call the transmission of religion to those who shall come after. In the rule of their house, and in the spirit of their life, godly parents are casting the forms which will be peopled and animated with the future families of Israel. (A. Raleigh, D. D.)
The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.