1 Chronicles 13:4

And all the congregation said that they would do so: for the thing was right in the eyes of all the people.

And all the congregation {H6951} said {H559} that they would do so {H6213}: for the thing {H1697} was right {H3474} in the eyes {H5869} of all the people {H5971}.

The whole assembly said they would do this, for in the view of all the people it seemed right.

And because this proposal seemed right to all the people, the whole assembly agreed to it.

And all the assembly said that they would do so; for the thing was right in the eyes of all the people.

Commentary

1 Chronicles 13:4 describes the unanimous agreement of the entire Israelite congregation regarding King Davidโ€™s proposal to retrieve the Ark of the Covenant. This verse highlights the initial enthusiasm and widespread support for a seemingly righteous endeavor.

Context

Following the reign of King Saul, during which the Ark of God had been largely neglected and remained at Kirjath-jearim, King David gathered all Israel to bring it back to Jerusalem. In 1 Chronicles 13:3, David articulates his desire to seek God, emphasizing the Ark's importance as the symbol of God's presence among His people. Verse 4 captures the immediate and overwhelming positive response from the assembly, indicating a collective desire to restore proper worship and honor to God.

Key Themes

  • Unity and Consensus: The verse powerfully illustrates a moment of national unity. "All the congregation said that they would do so," reflecting a rare and strong consensus among the people and their leaders. This collective agreement underscores the widespread desire to honor God.
  • Popular Approval vs. Divine Will: The phrase "the thing was right in the eyes of all the people" signifies human approval. While positive, this popular sentiment, as subsequent events reveal, did not guarantee divine approval of the method used to achieve the goal. This foreshadows the tragic outcome involving Uzza (see 1 Chronicles 13:9-10), when Godโ€™s specific instructions for transporting the Ark were violated.
  • Zeal for God's Presence: Despite the procedural error, the underlying zeal to bring God's presence (symbolized by the Ark) back into the center of national life was commendable. It reflects a turning point from Saul's neglect to David's earnest pursuit of God.

Linguistic Insight

The KJV phrase "right in the eyes" translates the Hebrew idiom yashar b'einei (ื™ืฉืจ ื‘ืขื™ื ื™), which literally means "straight in the eyes" or "pleasing to the eyes." This indicates something that appears correct, proper, or agreeable from a human perspective. While human consensus can be valuable, biblical narrative often contrasts what seems "right to a man" with what is truly right in the sight of God, as seen in Numbers 4:15 concerning the specific protocol for handling the Ark.

Practical Application

This verse offers a vital lesson for believers today. While unity and enthusiasm for God's work are highly desirable, they must always be coupled with diligent adherence to God's revealed will and methods. Good intentions alone are not sufficient; our zeal must be guided by God's wisdom and His Word. We are called to seek not just what seems "right in our eyes" or popular opinion, but what is truly pleasing and perfect in God's eyes.

Note: If the commentary doesnโ€™t appear instantly, please allow 2โ€“5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated โ€” the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • 2 Samuel 3:36 (2 votes)

    And all the people took notice [of it], and it pleased them: as whatsoever the king did pleased all the people.

  • Esther 8:5 (2 votes)

    And said, If it please the king, and if I have found favour in his sight, and the thing [seem] right before the king, and I [be] pleasing in his eyes, let it be written to reverse the letters devised by Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, which he wrote to destroy the Jews which [are] in all the king's provinces:

  • 2 Chronicles 30:4 (2 votes)

    And the thing pleased the king and all the congregation.

  • 1 Samuel 18:20 (2 votes)

    And Michal Saul's daughter loved David: and they told Saul, and the thing pleased him.