· Translation: KJV

1 Chronicles 13:13So David didn't move the ark to him into the city of David, but carried it aside into the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite.

The setting

David's procession stops. He makes a split-second decision to leave the ark with Obed-Edom, a foreigner from Gath...

The emotion here: documenting a moment of practical wisdom after chaos

The original word

natah (נָטָה) — to turn aside, stretch out, like pitching a tent in an unplanned place

Why it matters

Obed-Edom was a Gittite — from Gath, the same Philistine city where Goliath came from

Read with care

What most readers miss in 1 Chronicles 13:13

David trusted a foreigner over himself — sometimes God uses outsiders when insiders fail

Common misconceptionPeople see this as David giving up, but he was actually being strategic — he found someone willing to take the risk he couldn't handle.

Bible Genome reading

1 Chronicles 13:13 — Bible Genome reading

SpeakerNarrator
EraUnited Kingdom
Primary emotiondeciding
Literary typenarrative

Emotional genome

Comfort power20%
Quotability20%
Memorability40%
Crisis relevance60%
Standalone30%
Themes:wisdomreverencecaution

In context

No verse stands alone.

Read the conversation around it.

Open 1 Chronicles 13

1 Chronicles 13:13 comes from the book of 1 Chronicles, written during the United Kingdom period. These words are attributed to Narrator. The dominant emotion in this verse is deciding, with a comfort power of 20% and a tone that is reflective. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include wisdom, reverence, caution. Notable phrases: didn't move the ark; carried it aside.

Your reflection

What does 1 Chronicles 13:13 mean to you, today?

A short note. A question. A prayer. Saved privately to your Soul Garden, dated, and tied to this verse forever.

Speak your heart →

Get 3 verses for "deciding"

Delivered to your inbox right now. Free.