| Easton's Bible Dictionary Strength, a son of Abinadab, in whose house the men of Kirjath-jearim placed the ark when it was brought back from the land of the Philistines (1 Samuel 7:1). He with his brother Ahio drove the cart on which the ark was placed when David sought to bring it up to Jerusalem. When the oxen stumbled, Uzzah, in direct violation of the divine law (Numbers 4:15), put forth his hand to steady the ark, and was immediately smitten unto death. The place where this occurred was henceforth called Perez-uzzah (1 Chronicles 13:11). David on this feared to proceed further, and placed the ark in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite (2 Samuel 6:2-11; 1 Chronicles 13:6-13). Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia UZZA; UZZAH uz'-a, uz'-a ('uzzah (2 Samuel 6:6-8), otherwise `uzza' meaning uncertain):
(1) One of those who accompanied the ark on its journey from Kiriath-jearim toward David's citadel (2 Samuel 6:3-8, "Uzzah" = 1 Chronicles 13:7-11, "Uzza"). From the text of 2 Samuel 6:3-8, as generally corrected with the help of Septuagint, it is supposed that Uzzah walked by the side of the ark while Ahio (or "his brother") went in front of it. The word which describes what happened to the oxen is variously translated; the Revised Version (British and American) has "stumbled"; others render it, "They let the oxen slip," "The oxen shook (the ark)." Uzzah, whatever it be that took place, caught hold of the ark; something else happened, and Uzzah died on the spot. If the word translated "rashness" (Revised Version margin) in 2 Samuel 6:7 (not "error" as English Versions of the Bible) is to be kept in the text, Uzzah would be considered guilty of too little reverence for the ark; but the words "for (his) rashness" are lacking in the Septuagint (Codex Vaticanus), while 1 Chronicles 13:10 has "because he put forth his hand to the ark," and further no such Hebrew word as we find here is known to us. The older commentators regarded the death as provoked by non-observance of the provisions about the ark as given in the Pentateuch, but it is generally believed today that these were not known in David's time.
What is clear is that Uzzah's act led to an accident of some kind, and the event was regarded by David as inauspicious, so that the journey with the ark was discontinued. We know how the Old Testament writers represent events as due to divine intervention where we would perhaps discern natural causes.
(2) The garden of Uzza (2 Kings 21:18, 26). Manasseh the king is said (2 Kings 21:18) to have been "buried in the garden of his own house, in the garden of Uzza"; and Amon (2 Kings 21:26) "was buried in his sepulchre in the garden of Uzza." It has been suggested that "Uzza"-"Uzziah" ('uzziyah) = Azariah" (compare 2 Kings 15:1-6). The garden of Manasseh would then be identical with that of Uzziah, by whom it was originally laid out. 2 Chronicles 33:20 does not mention the garden.
(3) Son of Shimei, a Merarite (1 Chronicles 6:29 (Hebrew 14)), the Revised Version (British and American) "Uzzah," the King James Version "Uzza."
(4) A descendant of Ehud, and head of a Benjamite family (1 Chronicles 8:7, "Uzza"). Hogg, JQR, 102; (1893) (see Curtis, Chron., 156-59), finds a proper name "Iglaam" in 1 Chronicles 8:6, and so reads "and Iglaam begot Uzza and Abishabar."
(5) Head of a Nethinim family that returned from Babylon (Ezra 2:49) = "Uzza" of Nehemiah 7:51.
David Francis Roberts |  | Multi-Version Concordance Uzzah (10 Occurrences) 2 Samuel 6:3 They set the ark of God on a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab that was in the hill: and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drove the new cart. (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) 2 Samuel 6:4 And Uzzah went by the side of the ark, while Ahio went before it. (BBE) 2 Samuel 6:6 When they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah put forth his hand to the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the cattle stumbled. (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) 2 Samuel 6:7 The anger of Yahweh was kindled against Uzzah; and God struck him there for his error; and there he died by the ark of God. (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) 2 Samuel 6:8 David was displeased, because Yahweh had broken forth on Uzzah; and he called that place Perez Uzzah, to this day. (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) 1 Chronicles 6:29 The sons of Merari: Mahli, Libni his son, Shimei his son, Uzzah his son, (WEB JPS ASV BBE YLT NAS RSV NIV) 1 Chronicles 13:7 And they set the ark of God upon a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab; and Uzza and Ahio drove the cart. (See RSV NIV) 1 Chronicles 13:9 And when they came unto the threshing-floor of Chidon, Uzza put forth his hand to hold the ark; for the oxen stumbled. (See RSV NIV) 1 Chronicles 13:10 And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzza, and He smote him, because he put forth his hand to the ark; and there he died before God. (See RSV NIV) 1 Chronicles 13:11 And David was displeased, because the LORD had broken forth upon Uzza; and that place was called Perez-uzza unto this day. (See RSV NIV) |
