



Mary's visit to Elizabeth was no ordinary family visit. Why does the baby leap in Elizabeth's womb? What other historical event happened in Saint Elizabeth's neighborhood? And what does King David have to do with all this?









2) And David arose and went with all the people who were with him from Ba′ale-judah, to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the name of the Lord of hosts who sits enthroned on the cherubim ... (5) And David and all the house of Israel were making merry before the Lord with all their might, with songs and lyres and harps and tambourines and castanets and cymbals.And when they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah put out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled. And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah; and God smote him there because he put forth his hand to the ark; and he died there beside the ark of God. And David was angry because the Lord had broken forth upon Uzzah; and that place is called Pe′rez-uz′zah, to this day. And David was afraid of the Lord that day; and he said, “How can the ark of the Lord come to me?” So David was not willing to take the ark of the Lord into the city of David; but David took it aside to the house of O′bed-e′dom the Gittite. And the ark of the Lord remained in the house of O′bed-e′dom the Gittite three months; and the Lord blessed O′bed-e′dom and all his household.

(12) And it was told King David, “The Lord has blessed the household of O′bed-e′dom and all that belongs to him, because of the ark of God.” So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of O′bed-e′dom to the city of David with rejoicing; and when those who bore the ark of the Lord had gone six paces, he sacrificed an ox and a fatling. And David danced before the Lord with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod. So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting, and with the sound of the horn.

(16) As the ark of the Lord came into the city of David, Michal the daughter of Saul looked out of the window, and saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord; and she despised him in her heart ... (22) And Michal the daughter of Saul had no child

[until] the day of her death.





In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a city of Judah, and she entered the house of Zechari′ah and greeted Elizabeth. And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why is this granted me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, when the voice of your greeting came to my ears, the babe in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.” [Mary sings her Magnificat] ... And Mary remained with her about three months, and returned to her home.

Visitation: Mary is the New Ark

"And why is this granted me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?"

quoting

The babe "leaped for joy"

"Three months"

"Arose and went" & "The hill country" of Judah



Church of the Visitation and Gorny Monastery, Ein Karem, near Jerusalem





"Exclaimed"













"Overshadow"





Then the cloud covered the meeting tent, and the glory of the LORD filled the Tabernacle. Moses could not enter the meeting tent, because the cloud settled down upon it and the glory of the LORD filled the Tabernacle.





Perpetual Virginity of Mary

The Incident with Uzzah

"Until the day of her death"

When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took his wife, but knew her not until she had borne a son ...

Footnotes for the Visitation & the Ark