The Ark Brought to Jerusalem(A)(B)

David again brought together all the able young men of Israel—thirty thousand. He and all his men went to Baalah[a](C) in Judah to bring up from there the ark(D) of God, which is called by the Name,[b](E) the name of the Lord Almighty, who is enthroned(F) between the cherubim(G) on the ark. They set the ark of God on a new cart(H) and brought it from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill.(I) Uzzah and Ahio, sons of Abinadab, were guiding the new cart with the ark of God on it,[c] and Ahio was walking in front of it. David and all Israel were celebrating(J) with all their might before the Lord, with castanets,[d] harps, lyres, timbrels, sistrums and cymbals.(K)

When they came to the threshing floor of Nakon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of(L) the ark of God, because the oxen stumbled. The Lord’s anger burned against Uzzah because of his irreverent act;(M) therefore God struck him down,(N) and he died there beside the ark of God.

Then David was angry because the Lord’s wrath(O) had broken out against Uzzah, and to this day that place is called Perez Uzzah.[e](P)

David was afraid of the Lord that day and said, “How(Q) can the ark of the Lord ever come to me?” 10 He was not willing to take the ark of the Lord to be with him in the City of David. Instead, he took it to the house of Obed-Edom(R) the Gittite. 11 The ark of the Lord remained in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite for three months, and the Lord blessed him and his entire household.(S)

12 Now King David(T) was told, “The Lord has blessed the household of Obed-Edom and everything he has, because of the ark of God.” So David went to bring up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David with rejoicing. 13 When those who were carrying the ark of the Lord had taken six steps, he sacrificed(U) a bull and a fattened calf. 14 Wearing a linen ephod,(V) David was dancing(W) before the Lord with all his might, 15 while he and all Israel were bringing up the ark of the Lord with shouts(X) and the sound of trumpets.(Y)

16 As the ark of the Lord was entering the City of David,(Z) Michal(AA) daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, she despised him in her heart.

17 They brought the ark of the Lord and set it in its place inside the tent that David had pitched for it,(AB) and David sacrificed burnt offerings(AC) and fellowship offerings before the Lord. 18 After he had finished sacrificing(AD) the burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, he blessed(AE) the people in the name of the Lord Almighty. 19 Then he gave a loaf of bread, a cake of dates and a cake of raisins(AF) to each person in the whole crowd of Israelites, both men and women.(AG) And all the people went to their homes.

20 When David returned home to bless his household, Michal daughter of Saul came out to meet him and said, “How the king of Israel has distinguished himself today, going around half-naked(AH) in full view of the slave girls of his servants as any vulgar fellow would!”

21 David said to Michal, “It was before the Lord, who chose me rather than your father or anyone from his house when he appointed(AI) me ruler(AJ) over the Lord’s people Israel—I will celebrate before the Lord. 22 I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes. But by these slave girls you spoke of, I will be held in honor.”

23 And Michal daughter of Saul had no children to the day of her death.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 6:2 That is, Kiriath Jearim (see 1 Chron. 13:6)
  2. 2 Samuel 6:2 Hebrew; Septuagint and Vulgate do not have the Name.
  3. 2 Samuel 6:4 Dead Sea Scrolls and some Septuagint manuscripts; Masoretic Text cart and they brought it with the ark of God from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill
  4. 2 Samuel 6:5 Masoretic Text; Dead Sea Scrolls and Septuagint (see also 1 Chron. 13:8) songs
  5. 2 Samuel 6:8 Perez Uzzah means outbreak against Uzzah.

The Ark Brought to Jerusalem(A)

Again David gathered all the choice men of Israel, thirty thousand. And (B)David arose and went with all the people who were with him from [a]Baale Judah to bring up from there the ark of God, whose name is called [b]by the Name, the Lord of Hosts, (C)who dwells between the cherubim. So they set the ark of God on a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was on (D)the hill; and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drove the new [c]cart. And they brought it out of (E)the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill, accompanying the ark of God; and Ahio went before the ark. Then David and all the house of Israel (F)played music before the Lord on all kinds of instruments of fir wood, on harps, on stringed instruments, on tambourines, on sistrums, and on cymbals.

And when they came to (G)Nachon’s threshing floor, Uzzah put out his (H)hand to the ark of God and [d]took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled. Then the anger of the Lord was aroused against Uzzah, and God struck him there for his [e]error; and he died there by the ark of God. And David became angry because of the Lord’s outbreak against Uzzah; and he called the name of the place [f]Perez Uzzah to this day.

(I)David was afraid of the Lord that day; and he said, “How can the ark of the Lord come to me?” 10 So David would not move the ark of the Lord with him into the (J)City of David; but David took it aside into the house of Obed-Edom the (K)Gittite. 11 (L)The ark of the Lord remained in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite three months. And the Lord (M)blessed Obed-Edom and all his household.

12 Now it was told King David, saying, “The Lord has blessed the house of Obed-Edom and all that belongs to him, because of the ark of God.” (N)So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David with gladness. 13 And so it was, when (O)those bearing the ark of the Lord had gone six paces, that he sacrificed (P)oxen and fatted sheep. 14 Then David (Q)danced[g] before the Lord with all his might; and David was wearing (R)a linen ephod. 15 (S)So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting and with the sound of the trumpet.

16 Now as the ark of the Lord came into the City of David, (T)Michal, Saul’s daughter, looked through a window and saw King David leaping and whirling before the Lord; and she despised him in her heart. 17 So (U)they brought the ark of the Lord, and set it in (V)its place in the midst of the tabernacle that David had erected for it. Then David (W)offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord. 18 And when David had finished offering burnt offerings and peace offerings, (X)he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of hosts. 19 (Y)Then he distributed among all the people, among the whole multitude of Israel, both the women and the men, to everyone a loaf of bread, a piece of meat, and a cake of raisins. So all the people departed, everyone to his house.

20 (Z)Then David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, “How glorious was the king of Israel today, (AA)uncovering himself today in the eyes of the maids of his servants, as one of the (AB)base fellows [h]shamelessly uncovers himself!”

21 So David said to Michal, “It was before the Lord, (AC)who chose me instead of your father and all his house, to appoint me ruler over the (AD)people of the Lord, over Israel. Therefore I will play music before the Lord. 22 And I will be even more undignified than this, and will be humble in my own sight. But as for the maidservants of whom you have spoken, by them I will be held in honor.”

23 Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no children (AE)to the day of her death.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 6:2 Baalah, Kirjath Jearim, Josh. 15:9; 1 Chr. 13:6
  2. 2 Samuel 6:2 LXX, Tg., Vg. omit by the Name; many Heb. mss., Syr. there
  3. 2 Samuel 6:3 LXX adds with the ark
  4. 2 Samuel 6:6 held it
  5. 2 Samuel 6:7 Or irreverence
  6. 2 Samuel 6:8 Lit. Outburst Against Uzzah
  7. 2 Samuel 6:14 whirled about
  8. 2 Samuel 6:20 openly

約櫃停放在俄別·以東的家(A)

大衛又聚集以色列中所有揀選出來的三萬人。 大衛和與他在一起的眾人起程前去,要從巴拉.猶大把 神的約櫃運來,這約櫃的名稱是以坐在二基路伯之上萬軍之耶和華的名字而起的。 他們把 神的約櫃從山岡上亞比拿達的家裡抬出來,安放在一輛新車上;亞比拿達的兩個兒子,烏撒和亞希約趕著這輛新車, 車上有 神的約櫃(按《七十士譯本》和《死海古卷》;《馬索拉文本》在本句前有“他們從山崗上亞比拿達的家裡抬出來”,可能是抄寫員無意中重複了3節的字句)。亞希約走在約櫃的前面。 大衛和以色列全家在耶和華面前用各種松木製造的樂器,就是用琴、瑟、鼓、鈸、鑼,作樂跳舞。

他們到了拿艮的打禾場的時候,因為牛幾乎絆倒,烏撒就伸手扶住 神的約櫃。 耶和華的怒氣向烏撒發作; 神因這錯誤的舉動,就當場擊殺他,他就死在 神的約櫃旁邊。 大衛因為耶和華擊殺了烏撒,就很生氣,因此稱那地方為毘列斯.烏撒,直到今日。 那一天,大衛懼怕耶和華,說:“耶和華的約櫃怎可以到我這裡來呢?” 10 於是大衛不肯把耶和華的約櫃運進大衛的城到他那裡去,卻轉運到迦特人俄別.以東的家裡去。 11 耶和華的約櫃在迦特人俄別.以東的家停留了三個月,耶和華賜福給俄別.以東和他的全家。

約櫃運進大衛城(B)

12 有人告訴大衛王:“耶和華因為 神的約櫃的緣故,賜福給俄別.以東的家和一切屬他的。”大衛就去,歡歡喜喜把 神的約櫃從俄別.以東的家中抬上大衛的城裡去。 13 那些抬耶和華的約櫃的人走了六步,大衛就獻一頭公牛和一隻肥畜為祭。 14 大衛束著細麻布的以弗得,在耶和華面前極力跳舞。 15 這樣,大衛和以色列全家,以歡呼和角聲,把耶和華的約櫃抬了上來。

大衛跳舞,米甲鄙視(C)

16 耶和華的約櫃運進大衛城的時候,掃羅的女兒米甲從窗戶往外觀看,看見大衛王在耶和華面前跳躍舞蹈,心裡就鄙視他。 17 他們把耶和華的約櫃抬進去,安放在帳棚裡它自己的地方,就是安放在大衛給它支搭的帳棚裡,大衛就在耶和華面前獻上燔祭和平安祭。 18 大衛獻完了燔祭和平安祭,就奉萬軍之耶和華的名給人民祝福。 19 又分給眾人,就是分給以色列全體群眾,無論男女,每人一個餅、一個棗餅、一個葡萄乾餅;然後眾人就各歸各家去了。

20 大衛回去要給自己的家人祝福。掃羅的女兒米甲出來迎見大衛,說:“以色列王今天多麼榮耀啊!他今天竟在眾臣僕的婢女眼前,赤身露體,就像一個卑賤的人無恥地露體一樣。” 21 大衛對米甲說:“我是在耶和華面前跳舞(《馬索拉文本》無“跳舞”;現參照《七十士譯本》補上);耶和華揀選了我,使我高過你父親和他的全家,立我作耶和華的子民以色列的領袖,所以我要在耶和華面前跳舞作樂。 22 我還要比今天這樣更卑賤,我要自視卑微(按照《七十士譯本》,“自視卑微”作“在你的眼中看為卑微”)。至於你所說的那些婢女,她們倒要尊重我。” 23 掃羅的女兒米甲,一直到她死的日子,都沒有生育。