5 And David assembled all Israel from the Shihor of Egypt unto the entrance of Hamath, to bring the ark of God from Kirjath-jearim.
And David again gathered all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand.
And at that time Solomon held the feast, and all Israel with him, a great congregation, from the entrance of Hamath unto the torrent of Egypt, before Jehovah our God, seven days and seven days, fourteen days.
And the border shall turn from Azmon unto the torrent of Egypt, and shall end at the sea. And as west border ye shall have the great sea, and [its] coast. This shall be your west border. And this shall be your north border: from the great sea ye shall mark out for you mount Hor; from mount Hor ye shall mark out the entrance to Hamath, and the end of the border shall be toward Zedad;
from the Shihor, which [floweth] before Egypt, as far as the borders of Ekron northward, [and which] is counted to the Canaanite; five lordships of the Philistines: of Gazah, and of Ashdod, of Eshkalon, of Gath, and of Ekron; also the Avvites; in the south, the whole land of the Canaanites, and Mearah which [belongeth] to the Sidonians, unto Aphek, to the border of the Amorites; and the land of the Giblites, and all Lebanon, toward the sun-rising, from Baal-Gad at the foot of mount Hermon to the entrance into Hamath; all the inhabitants of the hill-country from Lebanon to Misrephoth-maim, all the Sidonians; I will dispossess them from before the children of Israel. Only, partition it by lot to Israel for an inheritance, as I have commanded thee.
and the king of Babylon smote them and put them to death at Riblah in the land of Hamath. Thus Judah was carried away captive out of his land.
And David went up, and all Israel, to Baalah, to Kirjath-jearim, which belonged to Judah, to bring up from thence the ark of God, of Jehovah, who sitteth between the cherubim, whose name is placed [there].
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Commentary on 1 Chronicles 13 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 13
1Ch 13:1-8. David Fetches the Ark from Kirjath-jearim.
1-3. David consulted … And let us bring again the ark of our God—Gratitude for the high and splendid dignity to which he had been elevated would naturally, at this period, impart a fresh animation and impulse to the habitually fervent piety of David; but, at the same time, he was animated by other motives. He fully understood his position as ruler under the theocracy, and, entering on his duties, he was resolved to fulfil his mission as a constitutional king of Israel. Accordingly, his first act as a sovereign related to the interests of religion. The ark being then the grand instrument and ornament of it, he takes the opportunity of the official representatives of the nation being with him, to consult them about the propriety of establishing it in a more public and accessible locality. The assembly at which he spoke of this consisted of the Sheloshim, princes of thousands (2Sa 6:1). During the reign of the late king, the ark had been left in culpable neglect. Consequently the people had, to a great extent, been careless about the ordinances of divine worship, or had contented themselves with offering sacrifices at Gibeon, without any thought of the ark, though it was the chief and most vital part of the tabernacle. The duty and advantages of this religious movement suggested by the king were apparent, and the proposal met with universal approval.
2. If it seem good unto you, and … it be of the Lord—that is, I shall conclude that this favorite measure of mine is agreeable to the mind of God, if it receive your hearty concurrence.
let us send abroad to our brethren everywhere—He wished to make it known throughout the country, in order that there might be a general assembly of the nation, and that preparations might be made on a scale and of a kind suitable to the inauguration of the august ceremonial.
with them also to the priests and Levites … in their cities and suburbs—(See on Nu 35:2). The original terms, "Let us send," imply immediate execution; and, doubtless, the publication of the royal edict would have been followed by the appointment of an early day for the contemplated solemnity, had it not been retarded by a sudden invasion of the Philistines, who were twice repulsed with great loss (2Sa 5:17), by the capture of Jerusalem, and the transference of the seat of government to that city. Finding, however, soon after, peace restored and his throne established, he resumed his preparations for removing the ark to the metropolis.
5. from Shihor of Egypt—(Jos 15:4, 47; Nu 34:5; 1Ki 8:65; 2Ki 24:7; 2Ch 7:8); a small brook flowing into the Mediterranean, near the modern El-arish, which forms the southern boundary of Palestine.
unto the entering of Hemath—the defile between the mountain ranges of Syria and the extreme limit of Palestine on the north.
6-14. David went up, and all Israel, to Baalah—(See on 2Sa 6:1-11).
whose name is called on it—rather, "who is worshipped there" (2Sa 6:2).