The Ark of Covenent; how it ended up to the house of Abinadab

The Ark of the Covenant was originally made (Exodus 40:20) for containing the two stone tablets of the Ten Commandments, which had been handed to Moses from the God himself. During the time of priest Eli, probably about a hundred years later from the time of Moses, The Ark was temporary captured by Philistines, enemy of the Israelites, and was kept by them for about seven months (1 Samuel 6:1).

When Philistines decided to return the Ark to Israelites due to the spread of plagues, the Ark was moved to a town called Beth-shemesh. Although the Ark ‘was unloaded by Levites (1 Sam 6:15); and sacrifices were offered before it that day’ (http://globalchristiancenter.com/lesser-known-bible-people-series/the-house-of-abinadab-and-the-ark-of-god.html), ‘the Beth-shemeshites incurred upon themselves the curse of God, in which 50,070 men were slaughtered (1 Sam 6:19)’ (ibid) because they openend it and looked inside of the Ark. Therefore, the people there decided to send the Ark to ‘the people of Kirjath-jearim, who were slaves and serviced the House of God with water and wood, to come and fetch the Ark. (1Sa 6:21)’ (ibid).

The Ark of Covenant

The Old Testament continues that 'the men of Kirjath-jearim came, and fetched up the Ark and ‘brought it into the house of Abinadab in the hill, and sanctified… his son to keep the ark of the LORD (1Samuel 7:1)’ (ibid). The web  site above additionally quotes from the following verse, saying ‘The Ark remained in the house of Abinadab for 20 years (1Sa 7:2)’ (ibid). It gives further details about the place and person in question; whilst ‘The village of Kirjath-jearim was grouped with Gibeah, Gibeon, Ramah and Jerusalem (Joshua 18:25-28)’ (ibid) and the area belonged to the tribe of Benjamin, Abinadab was a son of King Saul, who was ruling Israel at that time.

 

For reading the text in full: http://wrex2009.wordpress.com/2011/12/05/the-ark-of-covenant-and-the-reign-of-king-david/