2 Samuel 6:12-21

New American Standard Bible

The Ark Is Brought to Jerusalem

¹² Now it was reported to King David, saying, “The Lord has blessed the house of Obed-edom and all that belongs to him, on account of the ark of God.” ^(A)So David went and brought the ark of God up from the house of Obed-edom to ^(B)the city of David with joy. ¹³ And so it was, that ^[a]when ^(C)those carrying the ark of the Lord marched six paces, he sacrificed an ^(D)ox and a fattened steer. ¹⁴ And ^(E)David was dancing before the Lord with all his strength, and David was ^(F)wearing a linen ephod. ¹⁵ So David and all the house of Israel were bringing up the ark of the Lord with joyful shouting and the sound of the trumpet.

¹⁶ Then it happened, as the ark of the Lord was coming into the city of David, that ^(G)Michal the daughter of Saul looked down through the window and saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord; and she was contemptuous of him in her heart.

¹⁷ Now they brought in the ark of the Lord and set it ^(H)in its place inside the tent which David had pitched for it; and ^(I)David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord. ¹⁸ When David had finished offering the burnt offering and the peace offerings, ^(J)he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of armies. ¹⁹ Further, he distributed to all the people, to all the multitude of Israel, both to men and women, a cake of bread, one of dates, and one of raisins to each one. Then all the people left, each to his house.

²⁰ But when David returned to bless his own household, Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David and said, “How the king of Israel dignified himself today! For ^(K)he exposed himself today in the sight of his servants’ female slaves, as one of the ^(L)rabble shamelessly exposes himself!” ²¹ But David said to Michal, “^(M)I was before the Lord, who preferred me to your father and to all his house, to appoint me as ruler over the people of the Lord, over Israel. So I will ^[b]celebrate before the Lord!