with the ark of God, and Ahio went before the ark.
We have not heard a word of the ark since it was lodged in Kirjath-jearim, immediately after its return out of its captivity among the Philistines (Sa1 7:1, Sa1 7:2), except that, once, Saul called for it, Sa1 14:18. That which in former days had made so great a figure is now thrown aside, as a neglected thing, for many years.
Commenting on 2 Samuel 6:1-5
And David and all the house of Israel played before the Lord,.... That is, before the ark, which was a symbol of the presence of the Lord: on all manner of instruments made of fir wood: which is a general expression, the particulars follow; though instruments of different sorts are mentioned, and even some of metal, as cymbals, which were vessels of brass, they struck...
2Sa 6:3-4 “They set the ark of God upon a new cart, and took it away from the house of Abinadab.” הרכּיב means here “to put (load) upon a cart,” and נשׂא dn to take away, i.e., drive off: for there are grammatical (or syntactical) reasons which make it impossible to render וישּׂאהוּ as a pluperfect (“they had taken”), on account of the previous וירכבו.
Commenting on 2 Samuel 6:3-4