Physical space, imagined space, and "lived space" in ancient Israel

Biblical Theology Bulletin, Spring, 2003 by Victor H. Matthews

When David retrieves the ark from its temporary "warehouse" in Kiriath-jearim, he makes a mistake similar to that of the Philistines. The ark had lain there for a generation (1 Sam 7:1-2) because the Aaronide priesthood was in disarray after the death of Eli and his sons (1 Sam 4:11-18) and because Samuel, a non-Levite, served as judge and prophet during much of that time. None of the judges had ever made any use of the ark and apparently Saul, who is really more judge than king, might claim possession, but could not gain access to it after his massacre of the priests at Nob (1 Sam 22:6-23; van der Toorn: 218-19). David, however, realized that such an important object of power could not lie dormant forever. Eventually, someone among the priesthood or Saul's family would think to use it as a rallying point to oppose the monarchy--either during David's reign or later. Thus it is clear that he determined to gain control of the ark for his own purposes (Hertzberg: 279).

As a means of reminding David's successors that manipulation of sacred objects is dangerous, the Deuteronomist's telling of the story demonstrates that only a leader with the stature of Moses could hope to harness/subdue/muffle the ark's power. This is made quite evident during the journey from Kiriath-jearim to Jerusalem. David chooses not to follow the established protocol for transporting the ark (Exod 25:12-15). Instead, like the Philistines, he places the ark on a cart pulled by oxen (2 Sam 6:2-4). Plus, no Levites are mentioned explicitly as being present. It is not surprising then that a tragedy occurs to remind David and the people involved in this triumphal procession (Carlson: 18-22), which is designed more to demonstrate David's power than that of the ark, that they cannot manipulate this power without consequences. Significantly, as they enter the threshing floor of Nacon, they are also treading on space which is known to be both "living space" as well as a place of judgment (Matthews 1985: 29-31). At that crucial point, one of men accompanying the cart puts out his hand to prevent the ark from falling to the ground, and he is struck dead for his unauthorized contact with the sacred object (2 Sam 6:6-7; see also Num 4:15). Surely, it could not have been lost on the story's audience that the place (a threshing floor) where this happens is one tied symbolically to the well-being and justice of the nation.

At once angry and then fearful of the power inherent to the ark of Yahweh, David repeats the actions of a previous generation, who had also been shocked by the way sudden death could strike the unwary (1 Sam 6:19-7:2). He places the ark in the keeping of Oded-edom the Gittite for three months (a parallel to its previous period at Kiriath-jearim). When it is determined that God's anger had subsided and that the Gittite's household had been rewarded by the ark's presence, David then feels safe to resume the Journey to Jerusalem (2 Sam 6:8-12). However, this time the ark was carried by Levites and proper sacrifices were made to honor God while David humbled himself by removing his kingly garments, a deinvestiture that transformed him into a common Israelite. He then joins in the dancing with the other celebrants as the ark is carried into the city. In this way the Deuteronomist has completed the circle that began with the ark installed at Shiloh (1 Sam 1-4), its loss the Philistines, and its eventual triumphant return to its new sacred site, Jerusalem-thereby initiating a new political and religious era (Anderson: 100; Campbell & O'Brien: 289).