וַיָּ֣קָם׀way·yā·qāmH6965 √ qûwm — to rise (in various applications, literal, figurative, intensive and causative)Conjunctive wawVerbQalConsecutive imperfectthird person masculine singular
qûwm — to rise, stand up A narrative starter-verb, but not empty: after seventy years of the ark's neglect, the first thing the text records of the king is that he got up.
√ Dâvid — David, the youngest son of JesseNounpropermasculine singular
√ kôl — properly, the wholeConjunctive wawNounmasculine singular construct
הָעָם֙hā·‘āmhis troopsH5971 √ ʻam — a people (as a congregated unit)ArticleNounmasculine singular
ʻam — a people as a congregated unit Not “his troops” only. Poole presses the distinction: “with the whole body of the people; for these seem to be a differing party from the thirty thousand now mentioned.”
√ ʼăsher — who, which, what, thatPronounrelative
√ ʼêth — properly, nearness (used only as a preposition or an adverb), nearPrepositionthird person masculine singular
וַיֵּ֣לֶךְway·yê·leḵset outH1980 √ hâlak — to walk (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively)Conjunctive wawVerbQalConsecutive imperfectthird person masculine singular
מִֽבַּעֲלֵ֖יmib·ba·‘ă·lêvvvH1184 √ Baʻălêy Yᵉhûwdâh — Baale-Jehudah, a place in PalestinePreposition
יְהוּדָ֑הyə·hū·ḏāhfor Baale of JudahH1184 √ Baʻălêy Yᵉhûwdâh — Baale-Jehudah, a place in PalestinePrepositionNounproperfeminine singular
לְהַעֲל֣וֹתlə·ha·‘ă·lō·wṯto bring upH5927 √ ʻâlâh — to ascend, intransitively (be high) or actively (mount)Preposition-lVerbHifilInfinitive construct
ʻâlâh — to ascend; Hifil, to bring up The technical verb for moving the ark toward a sanctuary, and the same root behind the whole-burnt offering that goes up. The Hifil makes David and the people the agents of an ascent — which, in this unit, is precisely the claim the narrative will test.
מִשָּׁ֗םmiš·šāmfrom thereH8033 √ shâm — there (transferring to time) thenPreposition-mAdverb
√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Direct object marker
אֲר֣וֹן’ă·rō·wnthe arkH727 √ ʼârôwn — a boxNouncommon singular construct
ʼârôwn — a box Strong's gloss is deliberately flat, and the flatness matters: the most sacred object in Israel is lexically a chest, a coffer. Maclaren sees it in the procession as “the unadorned wooden chest.” Everything weighty about it comes from the Name called over it, not from the noun.
הָאֱלֹהִ֔יםhā·’ĕ·lō·hîmof GodH430 √ ʼĕlôhîym — gods in the ordinary senseArticleNounmasculine plural
ʼĕlôhîym — God (plural form, singular sense) The unit calls it “the ark of the God” four times and never once “the ark of the covenant” or “of the testimony” — a small lexical fact that keeps the emphasis on presence rather than on the tablets inside.
√ ʼăsher — who, which, what, thatPronounrelative
נִקְרָ֣אniq·rāis calledH7121 √ qârâʼ — to call out to (iVerbNifalPerfectthird person masculine singular
√ shêm — an appellation, as amark or memorial of individualityNounmasculine singular
shêm — an appellation, as a mark or memorial of individuality Cambridge notes that “in later Jewish writings ‘the Name’ is commonly used to signify God, and especially as an equivalent for the sacred name Jehovah which might not be pronounced”; Pulpit calls this verse “a most interesting sign of the existence at this early date of a special reverence” for it. The ark is not holy as furniture; it is holy as a named possession.
√ shêm — an appellation, as amark or memorial of individualityNounmasculine singular construct
יְהוָ֧הYah·wehof the LORDH3068 √ Yᵉhôvâh — Jehovah, Jewish national name of GodNounpropermasculine singular
Yᵉhôvâh — the Jewish national name of God Gill unfolds it as “the infinite, incomprehensible, eternal, and immutable Being.” In this clause the Name is not spoken to God but stamped on a box.
צְבָא֛וֹתṣə·ḇā·’ō·wṯof HostsH6635 √ tsâbâʼ — a mass of persons (or figuratively, things), especially regNouncommon plural
tsâbâʼ — a mass of persons or things, especially an army “Of Hosts” is a war-title, and it arrives in a chapter about a peaceful procession — Gill: “the Lord of armies above and below.” ⚙ The title sits oddly beside a cart drawn by oxen, and the narrative that follows will show why.
יֹשֵׁ֥בyō·šêḇwho is enthronedH3427 √ yâshab — properly, to sit down (specifically as judgeVerbQalParticiplemasculine singular
yâshab — to sit down, specifically as judge The lexicon's own secondary sense is judicial. The One who sits above the cherubim is the One before whom the cart is about to be judged; Maclaren says the solemn designation “by emphasising its awful sanctity, prepares for the incidents which are to follow.”
הַכְּרֻבִ֖יםhak·kə·ru·ḇîmbetween the cherubimH3742 √ kᵉrûwb — a cherub or imaginary figureArticleNounmasculine plural
kᵉrûwb — a cherub The throne-guardians of Eden and of the mercy seat. They are mentioned here only as a location for God's sitting — the text's interest is in the Sitter.
עָלָֽיו׃‘ā·lāwthat are on itH5921 √ ʻal — above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applicationsPrepositionthird person masculine singular
ʻal — upon, over A preposition, but a contested one: K&D devote a paragraph to whether ʻālāw attaches to the cherubim or to the calling of the Name.