2 Samuel 6
Christian Standard Bible
David Moves the Ark
6 David again assembled all the fit young men in Israel:(A) thirty thousand. 2 He and all his troops set out(B) to bring the ark of God from Baale-judah.[a] The ark bears the Name, the name of the Lord of Armies who is enthroned between the cherubim.(C) 3 They set the ark of God on a new cart and transported it from Abinadab’s house, which was on the hill. Uzzah and Ahio,[b] sons of Abinadab, were guiding the cart(D) 4 and brought it with the ark of God from Abinadab’s house on the hill. Ahio walked in front of the ark. 5 David and the whole house of Israel were dancing before the Lord with all kinds of fir wood instruments,[c] lyres, harps, tambourines, sistrums,[d] and cymbals.(E)
6 When they came to Nacon’s threshing floor, Uzzah reached out to the ark of God and took hold of it because the oxen had stumbled. 7 Then the Lord’s anger burned against Uzzah,(F) and God struck him dead on the spot for his irreverence,(G) and he died there next to the ark of God. 8 David was angry because of the Lord’s outburst against Uzzah, so he named that place Outburst Against Uzzah,[e] as it is today. 9 David feared the Lord that day and said, “How can the ark of the Lord ever come to me?” 10 So he was not willing to bring the ark of the Lord to the city of David;(H) instead, he diverted it to the house of Obed-edom of Gath. 11 The ark of the Lord remained in his house three months, and the Lord blessed Obed-edom(I) and his whole family.
12 It was reported to King David, “The Lord has blessed Obed-edom’s family and all that belongs to him because of the ark of God.” So David went and had the ark of God brought up from Obed-edom’s house to the city of David with rejoicing.(J) 13 When those carrying the ark of the Lord advanced six steps, he sacrificed an ox and a fattened calf.(K) 14 David was dancing[f] with all his might before the Lord wearing a linen ephod.(L) 15 He and the whole house of Israel were bringing up the ark of the Lord with shouts and the sound of the ram’s horn. 16 As the ark of the Lord was entering the city of David,(M) Saul’s daughter Michal looked down from the window and saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, and she despised him in her heart.
17 They brought the ark of the Lord and set it in its place inside the tent David had pitched for it.(N) Then David offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings in the Lord’s presence. 18 When David had finished offering the burnt offering and the fellowship offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of Armies. 19 Then he distributed a loaf of bread, a date cake, and a raisin cake to each one in the entire Israelite community, both men and women.(O) Then all the people went home.
20 When David returned home to bless his household,(P) Saul’s daughter Michal came out to meet him. “How the king of Israel honored himself today!” she said. “He exposed himself today in the sight of the slave girls of his subjects like a vulgar person would expose himself.”
21 David replied to Michal, “It was before the Lord who chose me over your father and his whole family to appoint me ruler over the Lord’s people Israel.(Q) I will dance before the Lord, 22 and I will dishonor myself and humble myself even more.[g][h] However, by the slave girls you spoke about, I will be honored.” 23 And Saul’s daughter Michal had no child to the day of her death.
Footnotes
- 6:2 = Kiriath-jearim in 1Sm 7:1; 1Ch 13:6; 2Ch 1:4
- 6:3 Or And his brothers
- 6:5 DSS, LXX read with tuned instruments with strength, with songs; 1Ch 13:8
- 6:5 = an Egyptian percussion instrument
- 6:8 Or Perez-uzzah; 2Sm 5:20
- 6:14 Or whirling
- 6:22 LXX reads more and I will be humble in your eyes
- 6:22 Lit more and I will be humble in my own eyes
2 Samuel 6
New Catholic Bible
Chapter 6
The Ark Brought to Jerusalem. 1 David again gathered all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand in all. 2 Then he set forth with his entire force to Baalah of Judah to bring up from there the Ark of God, which bears the name of the Lord of hosts who is enthroned above the cherubim.
3 They placed the Ark of God on a new cart and brought it forth from the house of Abinadab, which stood on the hill. Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, were guiding the new cart. 4 Uzzah walked alongside the Ark of God, with Ahio walking in front. 5 David and the entire house of Israel danced joyfully before the Lord with all their might, singing to the accompaniment of lyres, harps, tambourines, castanets, and cymbals.
6 When they arrived at the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah reached out his hand to the Ark of God and steadied it because the oxen were stumbling. 7 This aroused the Lord’s anger against Uzzah because of his irreverent act, and he died there beside the Ark of God. 8 David became greatly upset because the Lord had vented his anger against Uzzah, and to this very day that place is called Perez-uzzah.
9 David greatly feared the Lord that day, and he said: “How can the Ark of the Lord be placed in my care?” 10 Therefore, he decided not to take the Ark of the Lord to be in his care in the City of David. Instead he took it to the house of Obed-edom the Gittite. 11 The Ark of the Lord remained in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite for three months, and the Lord blessed Obed-edom and his entire household.
12 When King David was informed that the Lord had blessed the family of Obed-edom and everything that belonged to him because of the Ark of God, David went and brought up the Ark of God from the house of Obed-edom to the City of David amid great rejoicing.
13 When the bearers of the Ark of the Lord had advanced six steps, David sacrificed an ox and a fattened calf. 14 [a]Then, girded with a linen ephod, he danced before the Lord with all his might, 15 as he and all the Israelites brought up the Ark of the Lord with shouts of joy and the blowing of trumpets.
16 As the Ark of the Lord entered the City of David, Michal, the daughter of Saul, watched from a window. When she saw King David leaping and whirling around before the Lord, she despised him in her heart.
17 They brought in the Ark of the Lord and set it in its place inside the tent that David had erected for it. Then David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings in the name of the Lord of hosts. 18 When he had finished making these offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of hosts. 19 Then he distributed food to all of the people, both men and women, giving to each person in the multitude a loaf of bread, a portion of meat, and a raisin cake. Then all the people returned to their homes.
20 When David returned to bless his household, Michal, the daughter of Saul, came out to meet him. She said: “What an exhibition the king of Israel has made of himself today, exposing himself in the view of the slave girls of his followers like any vulgarian who chooses to shamelessly expose himself before them!”[b]
21 David replied to Michal: “I was dancing in gratitude for the Lord, not for them. The Lord chose me instead of your father and his entire family and appointed me as leader over Israel, the people of the Lord. I shall continue to dance before the Lord in gratitude, 22 and I will demean myself even more. I will be lowly in your esteem, but I will be held in honor by those slave girls of whom you speak.”
23 Saul’s daughter Michal had no children to the day of her death.
Footnotes
- 2 Samuel 6:14 Amid great pomp and circumstance and wearing a priestly vestment, King David leads the procession that would return the Ark to Jerusalem.
- 2 Samuel 6:20 Saul’s daughter Michal considers King David’s exuberant display of joy undignified, but it does not dissuade him from his unbridled happiness and choice to freely praise God without restraint or fear of judgment.
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