1 Chronicles 15:26

1 Chronicles 15:26

And it came to pass, when God helped the Levites that bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, that they offered seven bullocks and seven rams.

1. “And it came to pass, when God helped the Levites that bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD…”

a. it came to pass [Strong: 1961 * hayah haw-yaw a primitive root (Compare 1933); to exist, i.e. be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary):--beacon, X altogether, be(-come), accomplished, committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint, fall, + follow, happen, X have, last, pertain, quit (one-)self, require, X use.]

b. when God [Strong: 430 * 'elohiym el-o-heem' plural of 433; gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative:--angels, X exceeding, God (gods)(-dess, -ly), X (very) great, judges, X mighty.]

c. helped [Strong: 5826 * `azar aw-zar' a primitive root; to surround, i.e. protect or aid:--help, succour.]

1). There are a number of estimates of the weight of the Ark of the Covenant. They are all over the map as far as the numbers go. Some give the weight at 183 pounds all the way up to over 2000 pounds. Some scholars teach there was divine assistance demonstrated here. I agree completely and personally believe that regardless of the weight there was little burden. The various translations confirm it.

a). Stone Edition Torah/Prophets/Writings: “It happened that because God helped the Levites who were carrying the Ark of the Covenant…”

b). Septuagint: “And it came to pass when God strengthened the Levites bearing the ark of the covenant…”

c). Amplified Bible Classic: “And when God helped the Levites who carried the ark of the covenant…”

d). NIV: “Because God had helped the Levites who were carrying the ark of the covenant…”

e). There is a rabbinic note in 2 Samuel 6:7 of Stone Edition Torah/Prophets/Writings that says. “The Ark was so holy that its customary bearers, the Levites, never felt its great weight; they were borne by it.”

2). Under the Old Covenant there was no ‘born-again experience” because Jesus had not died yet. The presence of God did not abide within the Old Covenant believer, but during special instances the presence of God would come upon them only temporarily. Because of that the presence of God which resided in the Ark of the Covenant had to be carried.

3). Under the New Covenant we carry the presence of God and God graciously gives us the grace to do so. The words of Jesus in Matthew are extremely appropriate.

a). Matthew 11:28-30 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

11:30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

3). All the laboring we do under the New Covenant to walk in the Spirit to fulfill God’s will for our lives is accomplished through the grace of God, His help.

a). 1 Corinthians 15:10 But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

b). 2 Corinthians 6:1, 2 We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.

6:2 (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)

d. the Levites [Strong: 3881 * Leviyiy lay-vee-ee' or Leviy {lay-vee'}; patronymically from 3878; a Levite or descendant of Levi:--Levite.]

e. that bare [Strong: 5375 *  nasa' naw-saw' or nacah (Psalm 4 : 6 (7)) {naw-saw'}; a primitive root; to lift, in a great variety of applications, literal and figurative, absol. and rel. (as follows):--accept, advance, arise, (able to, (armor), suffer to) bear(-er, up), bring (forth), burn, carry (away), cast, contain, desire, ease, exact, exalt (self), extol, fetch, forgive, furnish, further, give, go on, help, high, hold up, honorable (+ man), lade, lay, lift (self) up, lofty, marry, magnify, X needs, obtain, pardon, raise (up), receive, regard, respect, set (up), spare, stir up, + swear, take (away, up), X utterly, wear, yield.]

f. the ark [Strong: 727 * 'arown aw-rone' or laron {aw-rone'}; from 717 (in the sense of gathering); a box:--ark, chest, coffin.]

g. of the covenant [Strong: 1285 * briyth ber-eeth' from 1262 (in the sense of cutting (like 1254)); a compact (because made by passing between pieces of flesh):--confederacy, (con-)feder(-ate), covenant, league.]

h. of the LORD [Strong: * 3068 * Yhovah yeh-ho-vaw' from 1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish national name of God:--Jehovah, the Lord.]

2. “…that they offered seven bullocks and seven rams.”

a. that they offered [Strong: 2076 * zabach zaw-bakh' a primitive root; to slaughter an animal (usually in sacrifice):--kill, offer, (do) sacrifice, slay.]

b. seven [Strong: 7651 * sheba` sheh'-bah or (masculine) shibrah {shib-aw'}; from 7650; a primitive cardinal number; seven (as the sacred full one); also (adverbially) seven times; by implication, a week; by extension, an indefinite number:--(+ by) seven(-fold),-s, (-teen, -teenth), -th, times).]

c. bullocks [Strong: 6499 * par par or par {pawr}; from 6565; a bullock (apparently as breaking forth in wild strength, or perhaps as dividing the hoof):--(+ young) bull(-ock), calf, ox.]

d. and seven [Strong: 7651 * sheba` sheh'-bah or (masculine) shibrah {shib-aw'}; from 7650; a primitive cardinal number; seven (as the sacred full one); also (adverbially) seven times; by implication, a week; by extension, an indefinite number:--(+ by) seven(-fold),-s, (-teen, -teenth), -th, times).]

e. rams [Strong: 352 * 'ayil ah'-yil from the same as 193; properly, strength; hence, anything strong; specifically a chief (politically); also a ram (from his strength); a pilaster (as a strong support); an oak or other strong tree:--mighty (man), lintel, oak, post, ram, tree.]

1). The corresponding verse in 2 Samuel appears to contradict with 1 Chronicles 15:26. There are various explanations for the difference.

a). 2 Samuel 6:13 And it was so, that when they that bare the ark of the LORD had gone six paces, he sacrificed oxen and fatlings.

b). 1 Chronicles 15:26 And it came to pass, when God helped the Levites that bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, that they offered seven bullocks and seven rams.

2). Pulpit commentary: Pulpit commentary: What is there said is that at starting, after stepping six paces, David sacrificed an ox and a fatling (by the hands, of course, of the priests), to ask a blessing upon the removal of the ark, and avert all misfortune. In Chronicles we read nothing of this, but of a sacrifice of seven bullocks and seven rams, offered by the Levites. The one was David's offering made at the beginning, to consecrate the removal; the other was made at the end, and was a thank offering of the Levites, because they had carried the ark safely (1 Chronicles 15:26).

a). 2 Samuel 6:17, 18 And they brought in the ark of the LORD, and set it in his place, in the midst of the tabernacle that David had pitched for it: and David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD.

6:18 And as soon as David had made an end of offering burnt offerings and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD of hosts.

3). Cambridge Bible For Schools and Colleges: seven bullocks and seven rams] In Samuel an ox and a fatling (so R.V., not, oxen and fatlings as A.V.). The smaller sacrifice of Samuel is represented as the king’s own offering, the larger sacrifice of Chronicles as that of the king and his elders combined.