Beginning of the End - Ellen G. White

Jerusalem. It was fitting that the capital of the nation should be
honored with the ark, the token of the divine Presence.
David planned to make the occasion a scene of great rejoicing
and impressive display, and the people responded gladly. The high
priest and the princes and leading men of the tribes assembled at
Kirjath Jearim. David's spirits were brimming with holy zeal. The
ark was brought out from the house of Abinadab and placed on a
new cart drawn by oxen, while two of the sons of Abinadab
accompanied it.
The people of Israel followed with shouts and songs of
rejoicing, a multitude of voices joining in melody with the sound of
musical instruments. "David and the house of Israel played music
before the Lord ... on harps, on stringed instruments, on
tambourines, on sitrums, and on cymbals." With solemn joy the vast
procession wound its way along the hills and valleys toward the
Holy City.
But "when they came to Nachon's threshing floor, Uzzah put
out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen
stumbled. Then the anger of the Lord was aroused against Uzzah,
and God struck him there for his rashness [KJV marginal reading];
and he died there by the ark of God." Terror fell on the rejoicing
crowd. David was greatly alarmed, and in his heart he questioned
the justice of God. Why had that fearful judgment been sent to turn
joy into grief and mourning? Feeling that it would be unsafe to have
the ark near him, David let it stay where it was. They found a place
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