God Continues to Instruct David as King

1. David became king about 1000 B.C. and reigned in Israel's golden age. He helped to unify Israel by capturing the city of Jerusalem, which was in the middle of the country, and making it his capital. Under David's leadership a series of successful military campaigns secured Israel's borders against the neighboring peoples.

2. The Ark of the Covenant was an embodiment of God's presence with the Israelites.

When the ark was moved, it was covered with at least 3 layers of cloth by the priests to protect others from seeing it; the priests/Levites carried it and everyone else had to stay about a thousand yards away. These laws enforced the concept of God's holiness: sinful people couldn't be in his presence, not even the high priest.

Hence, when Uzzah touched the ark, he was profaning it and disobeying God; he should have grabbed the poles used for carrying the ark instead, for that was their purpose.

Furthermore, the ark shouldn't have been on a cart anyway, but should have been carried on people's shoulders.