2 Samuel 6
English Standard Version Anglicised
The Ark Brought to Jerusalem
6 (A)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 from (B)Baale-judah (C)to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the name of the Lord of hosts (D)who sits enthroned on the cherubim. 3 And they carried the ark of God (E)on a new cart and brought it (F)out of the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. And Uzzah and Ahio,[a] the sons of Abinadab, were driving the new cart,[b] 4 with the ark of God, and Ahio went before the ark.
Uzzah and the Ark
5 And David and all the house of Israel were making merry before the Lord, with (G)songs[c] and lyres and harps and tambourines and castanets and cymbals. 6 And when they came to the threshing floor of (H)Nacon, Uzzah (I)put out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled. 7 And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah, and (J)God struck him down there because of his error, and he died there beside the ark of God. 8 And David was angry because the Lord had burst forth against Uzzah. And that place is called Perez-uzzah,[d] to this day. 9 And David was afraid of the Lord that day, and he said, “How can the ark of the Lord come to me?” 10 So David was not willing to take the ark of the Lord into the city of David. But David took it aside (K)to the house of Obed-edom the Gittite. 11 And the ark of the Lord remained in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite for three months, (L)and the Lord blessed Obed-edom and all his household.
12 And it was told King David, “The Lord has blessed the household of Obed-edom and all that belongs to him, because of the ark of God.” (M)So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom (N)to the city of David with rejoicing. 13 And when (O)those who bore the ark of the Lord had gone six steps, (P)he sacrificed an ox and a fattened animal. 14 And David (Q)danced before the Lord with all his might. And David was (R)wearing a linen ephod. 15 So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting and with the sound of the horn.
David and Michal
16 As the ark of the Lord came into the city of David, Michal the daughter of Saul looked out of the window and saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, and she despised him in her heart. 17 And they brought in the ark of the Lord and set it (S)in its place, inside the tent that David had pitched for it. (T)And David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord. 18 And when David had finished offering the burnt offerings and the peace offerings, (U)he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of hosts 19 and distributed among all the people, the whole multitude of Israel, both men and women, a cake of bread, a portion of meat,[e] and a cake of raisins to each one. (V)Then all the people departed, each to his house.
20 And David returned to bless his household. But Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David and said, “How the king of Israel honoured himself today, (W)uncovering himself today before the eyes of his servants' female servants, as one of the (X)vulgar fellows shamelessly uncovers himself!” 21 And David said to Michal, “It was before the Lord, (Y)who chose me above your father and above all his house, to appoint me as prince over Israel, the people of the Lord—and I will make merry before the Lord. 22 I will make myself yet more contemptible than this, and I will be abased in your[f] eyes. But by the female servants of whom you have spoken, by them I shall be held in honour.” 23 And Michal the daughter of Saul had no child to the day of her death.
Footnotes
- 2 Samuel 6:3 Or and his brother; also verse 4
- 2 Samuel 6:3 Compare Septuagint; Hebrew the new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill
- 2 Samuel 6:5 Septuagint, 1 Chronicles 13:8; Hebrew fir trees
- 2 Samuel 6:8 Perez-uzzah means the bursting forth upon Uzzah
- 2 Samuel 6:19 Vulgate; the meaning of the Hebrew term is uncertain
- 2 Samuel 6:22 Septuagint; Hebrew my
2 Samuel 6
Complete Jewish Bible
6 Again David summoned all the picked troops of Isra’el, 30,000 men. 2 Then David, taking along the entire force he had with him then, set out for Ba‘alei-Y’hudah to bring up from there the ark of God, which bears the Name, the name of Adonai-Tzva’ot enthroned above the k’ruvim. 3 They set the ark of God on a new cart and brought it out of the house of Avinadav on the hill, with ‘Uzah and Achyo, the sons of Avinadav, driving the new cart. 4 They led it from the house of Avinadav on the hill, with the ark of God; Achyo walked in front of the ark. 5 David and the whole house of Isra’el celebrated in the presence of Adonai with all kinds of musical instruments made of cypress-wood, including lyres, lutes, tambourines, rattles and cymbals.
6 When they arrived at Nakhon’s threshing-floor, the oxen stumbled; and ‘Uzah put out his hand to steady the ark of God. 7 But Adonai’s anger blazed up against ‘Uzah, and God struck him down on the spot for his offense, so that he died there by the ark of God. 8 It upset David that Adonai had broken out against ‘Uzah; that place has been called Peretz-‘Uzah [breaking-out of ‘Uzah] ever since. 9 David was frightened of Adonai that day; he asked, “How can the ark of Adonai come to me?” 10 So David would not bring the ark of Adonai into the City of David; rather, David took it over to the house of ‘Oved-Edom the Gitti. 11 The ark of Adonai stayed in the house of ‘Oved-Edom the Gitti for three months; and Adonai blessed ‘Oved-Edom and all his household.
12 King David was told, “Adonai has blessed the house of ‘Oved-Edom and everyone who belongs to him, thanks to the ark of God.” So David went and joyously brought the ark of God up from the house of ‘Oved-Edom into the City of David. 13 When those bearing the ark of Adonai had gone only six paces, he sacrificed an ox and a fattened sheep. 14 Then David danced and spun around with abandon before Adonai, wearing a linen ritual vest. 15 So David and all the house of Isra’el brought up the ark of Adonai with shouting and the sound of the shofar. 16 As the ark of Adonai entered the City of David, Mikhal the daughter of Sha’ul, watching from the window, saw King David leaping and spinning before Adonai; and she was filled with contempt for him.
17 They brought the ark of Adonai in and put it in its place inside the tent that David had set up for it. David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before Adonai. 18 When David had finished offering the burnt offering and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of Adonai-Tzva’ot. 19 Then he distributed to all the people of Isra’el, to everyone there, both men and women, a loaf of bread, a portion of meat and a raisin cake, after which the people all left for their homes.
20 When David returned to bless his household, Mikhal the daughter of Sha’ul came out to meet him and said, “Such honor the king of Isra’el earned for himself today — exposing himself before his servants’ slave-girls like some vulgar exhibitionist!” 21 David answered Mikhal, “In the presence of Adonai — who chose me over your father and over everyone in his family to make me chief over Adonai’s people, over Isra’el — I will celebrate in the presence of Adonai! 22 I will make myself still more contemptible than that, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes, but those slave-girls you mentioned will honor me!” 23 Mikhal the daughter of Sha’ul remained childless until the day she died.
2 Samuel 6
New King James Version
The Ark Brought to Jerusalem(A)
6 Again David gathered all the choice men of Israel, thirty thousand. 2 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. 3 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. 4 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. 5 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.
6 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. 7 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. 8 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.
9 (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
- 2 Samuel 6:2 Baalah, Kirjath Jearim, Josh. 15:9; 1 Chr. 13:6
- 2 Samuel 6:2 LXX, Tg., Vg. omit by the Name; many Heb. mss., Syr. there
- 2 Samuel 6:3 LXX adds with the ark
- 2 Samuel 6:6 held it
- 2 Samuel 6:7 Or irreverence
- 2 Samuel 6:8 Lit. Outburst Against Uzzah
- 2 Samuel 6:14 whirled about
- 2 Samuel 6:20 openly
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.
Copyright © 1998 by David H. Stern. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
