And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzza, and he smote him, because he put his hand to the ark: and there he died before God.
Parallel translations
- WEB Yahweh’s anger burned against Uzza, and he struck him, because he put his hand on the ark; and he died there before God.
- BSB And the anger of the LORD burned against Uzzah, and He struck him down because he had put his hand on the ark. So he died there before God.
- NKJV Then the anger of the Lord was aroused against Uzza, and He struck him because he put his hand to the ark; and he died there before God.
- NASB But the anger of the Lord burned against Uzza, so He struck him because he had put out his hand toward the ark; and he died there before God.
- NLT Then the Lord’s anger was aroused against Uzzah, and he struck him dead because he had laid his hand on the Ark. So Uzzah died there in the presence of God.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The LORD struck Uzza dead for touching the ark, and he died on the spot. The severity reveals the holiness of God and the seriousness of disobedience.
Overview
God's anger 'burned against Uzza' and he died instantly for laying his hand on the ark. Though Uzza's intent may seem good, the act violated God's explicit command and treated the holy as common. This sobering judgment teaches that God's holiness is not to be trifled with and that good intentions cannot replace obedience. It anticipates the gospel truth that sinful humanity can approach a holy God only on His terms, ultimately through Christ.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 9
- 1 Chr 15:15And the children of the Levites bare the ark of God upon their shoulders with the staves thereon, as Moses commanded according to the word of the LORD.
- 1 Chr 15:13For because ye did it not at the first, the LORD our God made a breach upon us, for that we sought him not after the due order.
- Num 4:15And when Aaron and his sons have made an end of covering the sanctuary, and all the vessels of the sanctuary, as the camp is to set forward; after that, the sons of Kohath shall come to bear it: but they shall not touch any holy thing, lest they die. These things are the burden of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of the congregation.
- 1 Sam 6:19And he smote the men of Bethshemesh, because they had looked into the ark of the LORD, even he smote of the people fifty thousand and threescore and ten men: and the people lamented, because the LORD had smitten many of the people with a great slaughter.
- Lev 10:1–3And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the LORD, which he commanded them not.
- 2 Chr 26:16–20But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction: for he transgressed against the LORD his God, and went into the temple of the LORD to burn incense upon the altar of incense.
- 1 Cor 11:30–32For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.
- Josh 6:6And Joshua the son of Nun called the priests, and said unto them, Take up the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark of the LORD.
- Num 16:35And there came out a fire from the LORD, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense.
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Original language
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