2 Samuel 6

Legacy Standard Bible

The Ark Is Brought to Jerusalem

6 ^(A)Then David again gathered all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand. ² And David arose and went with all the people who were with him ^[a]from ^[b](B)Baale-judah, to bring up from there the ark of God which is called by the ^(C)Name, the very name of Yahweh of hosts who ^(D)is ^[c]enthroned above the cherubim. ³ And they ^[d]drove the ark of God on ^(E)a new cart that they might bring it from the house of Abinadab which was on the hill; and ^[e]Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, were leading the new cart. ⁴ So ^(F)they brought it with the ark of God from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill; and Ahio was walking ahead of the ark. ⁵ Now David and all the house of Israel ^(G)were celebrating before Yahweh ^(H)with all kinds of instruments made of ^[f]fir wood, and with lyres, harps, tambourines, castanets, and cymbals.

⁶ Then they came to the ^(I)threshing floor of Nacon. And ^[g]Uzzah ^(J)reached out toward the ark of God and took hold of it, because the oxen nearly upset it. ⁷ And the anger of Yahweh burned against Uzzah, and ^(K)God struck him down there for ^[h]his irreverence; and he died there by the ark of God. ⁸ And David became angry because ^[i]of Yahweh’s breaking out against Uzzah; and that place is called ^[j]Perez-uzzah to this day. ⁹ So ^(L)David was afraid of Yahweh that day; and he said, “How can the ark of Yahweh come to me?” ¹⁰ And David was unwilling to move the ark of Yahweh into the city of David with him; but David took it aside to the house of ^(M)Obed-edom the Gittite. ¹¹ Thus the ark of Yahweh remained in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite three months, and Yahweh ^(N)blessed Obed-edom and all his household.

¹² Then it was told to King David, saying, “Yahweh has blessed the house of Obed-edom and all that belongs to him, on account of the ark of God.” So ^(O)David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom into ^(P)the city of David with gladness. ¹³ And so it happened, that when those ^(Q)who were carrying the ark of Yahweh had gone six paces, he sacrificed an ^(R)ox and a fatling. ¹⁴ And ^(S)David was dancing before Yahweh with all his strength, and David was ^(T)girded with a linen ephod. ¹⁵ So David and all the house of Israel were bringing up the ark of Yahweh with shouting and the sound of the trumpet.

David Dances Before Yahweh

¹⁶ Then it happened as the ark of Yahweh came into the city of David, that ^(U)Michal the daughter of Saul looked out of the window and saw King David leaping and dancing before Yahweh; and she despised him in her heart.

¹⁷ And they brought in the ark of Yahweh and placed it ^(V)in its place inside the tent which David had pitched for it; and ^(W)David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before Yahweh. ¹⁸ Then David completed offering the burnt offerings and the peace offerings. And ^(X)he blessed the people in the name of Yahweh of hosts. ¹⁹ And he apportioned to all the people, to all the multitude of Israel, both to men and women, a cake of bread and one of dates and one of raisins to each one. Then all the people went each to his house.

²⁰ But David returned to bless his household, and Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David and said, “How the king of Israel has glorified himself today! ^(Y)He uncovered himself today in the eyes of his servants’ maids as one of the ^(Z)worthless ones shamelessly uncovers himself!” ²¹ So David said to Michal, “^(AA)It was before Yahweh, who chose me above your father and above all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of Yahweh, over Israel; therefore I will celebrate before Yahweh. ²² And I will be esteemed even more lightly than this and will be humble in my own eyes, but with the maids of whom you have spoken, with them I will be glorified.” ²³ And Michal the daughter of Saul had no child to the day of her death.