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2 Samuel 6
Holman Christian Standard Bible

David Moves the Ark

6 David again assembled all the choice men in Israel,(A) 30,000. 2 He and all his troops set out(B) to bring the ark of God from Baale-judah.[a] The ark is called by the Name, the name of Yahweh of Hosts who dwells 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 celebrating 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 an 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 move the ark of the Lord to the city of David;(H) instead, he took it to the house of Obed-edom the Gittite. 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 set up 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 Yahweh of Hosts. 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 left, each to his own 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, “I was dancing[g] 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 celebrate before the Lord, 22 and I will humble myself even more and humiliate myself.[h][i] I will be honored by the slave girls you spoke about.” 23 And Saul’s daughter Michal had no child to the day of her death.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 6:2 = Kiriath-jearim in 1Sm 7:1; 1Ch 13:6; 2Ch 1:4
  2. 2 Samuel 6:3 Or and his brothers
  3. 2 Samuel 6:5 DSS, LXX read with tuned instruments with strength, with songs; 1Ch 13:8
  4. 2 Samuel 6:5 = an Egyptian percussion instrument
  5. 2 Samuel 6:8 Or Perez-uzzah; 2Sm 5:20
  6. 2 Samuel 6:14 Or whirling
  7. 2 Samuel 6:21 LXX; MT omits I was dancing
  8. 2 Samuel 6:22 LXX reads more and I will be humble in your eyes
  9. 2 Samuel 6:22 Lit more and I will be humble in my own eyes
Close NLT

2 Samuel 6
New Living Translation

Moving the Ark to Jerusalem

6 Then David again gathered all the elite troops in Israel, 30,000 in all. 2 He led them to Baalah of Judah[a] to bring back the Ark of God, which bears the name of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies,[b] who is enthroned between the cherubim. 3 They placed the Ark of God on a new cart and brought it from Abinadab’s house, which was on a hill. Uzzah and Ahio, Abinadab’s sons, were guiding the cart 4 that carried the Ark of God.[c] Ahio walked in front of the Ark. 5 David and all the people of Israel were celebrating before the Lord, singing songs[d] and playing all kinds of musical instruments—lyres, harps, tambourines, castanets, and cymbals.

6 But when they arrived at the threshing floor of Nacon, the oxen stumbled, and Uzzah reached out his hand and steadied the Ark of God. 7 Then the Lord’s anger was aroused against Uzzah, and God struck him dead because of this.[e] So Uzzah died right there beside the Ark of God.

8 David was angry because the Lord’s anger had burst out against Uzzah. He named that place Perez-uzzah (which means “to burst out against Uzzah”), as it is still called today.

9 David was now afraid of the Lord, and he asked, “How can I ever bring the Ark of the Lord back into my care?” 10 So David decided not to move the Ark of the Lord into the City of David. Instead, he took it to the house of Obed-edom of Gath. 11 The Ark of the Lord remained there in Obed-edom’s house for three months, and the Lord blessed Obed-edom and his entire household.

12 Then King David was told, “The Lord has blessed Obed-edom’s household and everything he has because of the Ark of God.” So David went there and brought the Ark of God from the house of Obed-edom to the City of David with a great celebration. 13 After the men who were carrying the Ark of the Lord had gone six steps, David sacrificed a bull and a fattened calf. 14 And David danced before the Lord with all his might, wearing a priestly garment.[f] 15 So David and all the people of Israel brought up the Ark of the Lord with shouts of joy and the blowing of rams’ horns.

Michal’s Contempt for David

16 But as the Ark of the Lord entered the City of David, Michal, the daughter of Saul, looked down from her window. When she saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, she was filled with contempt for him.

17 They brought the Ark of the Lord and set it in its place inside the special tent David had prepared for it. And David sacrificed burnt offerings and peace offerings to the Lord. 18 When he had finished his sacrifices, David blessed the people in the name of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. 19 Then he gave to every Israelite man and woman in the crowd a loaf of bread, a cake of dates,[g] and a cake of raisins. Then all the people returned to their homes.

20 When David returned home to bless his own family, Michal, the daughter of Saul, came out to meet him. She said in disgust, “How distinguished the king of Israel looked today, shamelessly exposing himself to the servant girls like any vulgar person might do!”

21 David retorted to Michal, “I was dancing before the Lord, who chose me above your father and all his family! He appointed me as the leader of Israel, the people of the Lord, so I celebrate before the Lord. 22 Yes, and I am willing to look even more foolish than this, even to be humiliated in my own eyes! But those servant girls you mentioned will indeed think I am distinguished!” 23 So Michal, the daughter of Saul, remained childless throughout her entire life.

Footnotes

  1. 6:2a Hebrew Baale of Judah, another name for Kiriath-jearim; compare 1 Chr 13:6.
  2. 6:2b Or the Ark of God where the Name is proclaimed—the name of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
  3. 6:4 As in Dead Sea Scrolls and some Greek manuscripts; Masoretic Text reads 4 and they brought it from Abinadab’s house, which was on a hill, with the Ark of God.
  4. 6:5 As in Dead Sea Scrolls and Greek version (see also 1 Chr 13:8); Masoretic Text reads before the Lord with all manner of cypress wood.
  5. 6:7 As in Dead Sea Scrolls; Masoretic Text reads because of his irreverence.
  6. 6:14 Hebrew a linen ephod.
  7. 6:19 Or a portion of meat. The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain.
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