It is pleasant to see a believer growing in the knowledge of the Word of God, and this we observe in David now (verse 2), having learned from it the divine order he had neglected in chapter 13 verse 4 and following. He had no doubt been reading in Numbers 3 and 4, for there he would find that the Kohathites and their brethren of the tribe of Levi, the Merarites and the Gershomites were chosen of God to carry the ark and to minister to God. The "due order" (verse 13), and the "word of the Lord" (verse 15) are now observed.
The sons of Elizaphan, Hebron and Uzziel (verses 8-10) were all Kohathites. Asaph (verses 17 and 19) has his name attached to twelve psalms, numbers 50 and 73 to 83. "Alamoth" (verse 20), is not understood; the same word is found in the title of Psalm 46; it is thought to refer to soprano voices. "Sheminith" (verse 21) was probably a musical instrument of eight strings, or the lowest notes of the scale as sung by men. The word appears in the headings of Psalms 6 and 12.
What a happy company it must have been, singing on the way from the house of Obed-edom to the city of David, as the children of Levi carried the ark on their shoulders. And "God helped the Levites" —, in what way, we are not told, but they owned His gracious dealing, and offered sacrifices of thanksgiving.
As a united people ("all Israel," verse 28) they brought up the ark of the covenant, token of God's presence among them, but one at least saw little to find delight in, in that which occupied David and the Levites that day; Michal "despised him in her heart." Of little moment to her was it that God was owned and His authority and presence recognized by her husband and the nation; she thought of things seen and natural and temporal, and overlooked the unseen and eternal (2 Corinthians 4:1818While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:18)). We shall not find further mention of this daughter of Saul, but we shall either meet her in glory among those whose robes have been made white in the blood of the Lamb; or see her at the great white throne of judgment. Knowing the terror of the Lord, we persuade men (2 Corinthians 5:1111Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences. (2 Corinthians 5:11)).
Let not the reader be like King Agrippa in Acts 26:28: "almost persuaded," and perhaps lost.