Obed-edom

Biblical Account

While David was bringing the Ark of the Covenant to the City of David, Uzzah took hold of the ark when it was shaken and was struck dead (2 Samuel 6:6-7). Afraid, David did not bring the ark into the City of David but carried it aside to the house of "Obed-edom the Gittite." The ark remained there for three months. During that time word reached David that the LORD had blessed the house of Obed-edom and all that he had, and David then brought the ark up to the City of David (2 Samuel 6:10-12; 1 Chronicles 13:13-14; 15:25).

Chronicles identifies Obed-edom as one of the Levites. His name appears in the lists of gatekeepers and harpists when the ark was moved (1 Chronicles 15:18, 21, 24), and after the ark was installed he was again appointed a gatekeeper (1 Chronicles 16:38). First Chronicles 26:4-8 lists the names of his eight sons and adds, "for God blessed him." According to the same passage, sixty-two of his descendants served as gatekeepers. Second Chronicles 25:24 records that in the days of King Amaziah, Joash (Jehoash) king of Israel carried off the gold, silver, and vessels of the temple "that were found in the house of God with Obededom." The Obed-edom of this verse is commonly understood to refer to the family descended from him.

Significance within the Bible

The text sets the death of Uzzah alongside the blessing of Obed-edom's household. The same Ark of the Covenant brought judgment in one case and blessing in the other. This episode prompts David to resolve to move the ark again. Chronicles emphasizes that in the second attempt the Levites carried the ark according to the prescribed ordinance (1 Chronicles 15:2, 13-15). Obed-edom is not mentioned in the New Testament.

Interpretations and Debated Points

• Origin: There are two interpretations of "the Gittite." One takes him to be a Gentile from Gath, a city of the Philistines, and draws attention to the fact that the ark rested in a Gentile household. The other takes him to be from Gath-rimmon, a Levitical city (Joshua 21:24-25), giving weight to the fact that Chronicles records him as a Levite.
• Identity: Opinions also differ on whether the gatekeeper and musician Obed-edom in Chronicles is the same person as the figure in 2 Samuel, or whether several men bore the same name. First Chronicles 16:38 mentions both "Obededom with their brethren, threescore and eight" and "Obededom also the son of Jeduthun" in a single verse.
• Meaning of the name: The name is usually explained as "servant of Edom" or "one who serves Edom," but its precise meaning has not been settled.
• Nature of the blessing: Second Samuel and 1 Chronicles 13 state only that the blessing extended to his household and possessions, without specifying what the blessing was. Many interpreters connect it with the eight sons listed in 1 Chronicles 26. By contrast, claims that Obed-edom gladly welcomed the ark or that his wealth greatly increased do not appear directly in the text; they are additions made in preaching.
• Application: The story is generally read as a lesson about a life that keeps God's presence close. Those wary of prosperity theology criticize readings that generalize it into a promise of material prosperity.

In the Korean Church

In Korean church preaching, Obed-edom is presented as "the man who received the ark of God and was blessed," and the phrase "the blessing of Obed-edom" is sometimes used as a sermon title. In Sunday school, he is usually taught together with the story of David bringing up the Ark of the Covenant.