2 Samuel 6

Chapter 6

Moving the Ark to Jerusalem

1 Then David again gathered all the elite troops in Israel, 30,000 in all.2 He led them to Baalah of Judaht to bring back the Ark of God, which bears the name of the LORD of Heaven’s Armies,t 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 as it left the house,4 carrying the Ark of God. Ahio walked in front of the Ark.

5 David and all the people of Israel were celebrating before the LORD, singing songst 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.t 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.t

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,t 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.

2 SAMUEL 6

David Brings the Sacred Chest //Back to Jerusalem

(1 Chronicles 13.1-14; 15.1—16.3,43)

1 David brought together 30,000 of Israel's best soldiers and

2 t led them to Baalah in Judah, which was also called Kiriath-Jearim. They were going theret to get the sacred chest and bring it back to Jerusalem. The throne of the [Lord] All-Powerful is above the winged creaturest on top of this chest, and he is worshiped there.t
3  t They put the sacred chest on a new ox cart and started bringing it down the hill from Abinadab's house. Abinadab's sons Uzzah and Ahio were guiding the ox cart, 4 with Ahiot walking in front of it.

5 Some of the people of Israel were playing music on small harps and other stringed instruments, and on tambourines, castanets, and cymbals. David and the others were happy, and they danced for the [Lord] with all their might.
6 But when they came to Nacon's threshing-floor, the oxen stumbled, so Uzzah reached out and took hold of the sacred chest.

7 The [Lord] God was very angry with Uzzah for doing this, and he killed Uzzah right there beside the chest.

8 David got angry with God for killing Uzzah. He named that place “Bursting Out Against Uzzah,”t and that's what it's still called.
9 David was afraid of the [Lord] and thought, “Should I really take the sacred chest to my city?”

10 He decided not to take it there. Instead, he turned off the road and took it to the home of Obed Edom, who was from Gath.t

11-12  t The chest stayed there for three months, and the [Lord] greatly blessed Obed Edom, his family, and everything he owned. Then someone told King David, “The [Lord] has done this because the sacred chest is in Obed Edom's house.”
At once, David went to Obed Edom's house to get the chest and bring it to David's City. Everyone was celebrating. 13 The people carrying the chest walked six steps, then David sacrificed an ox and a choice cow. 14 He was dancing for the [Lord] with all his might, but he wore only a linen cloth.t

15 He and everyone else were celebrating by shouting and blowing horns while the chest was being carried along.

16 Saul's daughter Michal looked out her window and watched the chest being brought into David's City. But when she saw David jumping and dancing for the [Lord], she was disgusted.
17 They put the chest inside a tent that David had set up for it. David worshiped the [Lord] by sacrificing animals and burning them on an altar, t 18 then he blessed the people in the name of the [Lord] All-Powerful.

19 t He gave all the men and women in the crowd a small loaf of bread, some meat, and a handful of raisins, then everyone went home.

Michal Talks to David

20 David went home so he could ask the [Lord] to bless his family. But Saul's daughter Michal went out and started yelling at him. “You were really great today!” she said. “You acted like a dirty old man, dancing around half-naked in front of your servants' slave-girls.”
21 David told her, “The [Lord] didn't choose your father or anyone else in your family to be the leader of his people. The [Lord] chose me, and I was celebrating in honor of him.

22 I'll show you just how great I can be! I'll even be disgusting to myself. But those slave-girls you talked about will still honor me!”
23 Michal never had any children.