2 Samuel 6

David Fetches the Ark

1David again assembled the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand in all.

1And David gathered again every chosen one of Israel, thirty thousand.

2And he and all his troops set out for Baale of Judah to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the Name—the name of the LORD of Hosts, who is enthroned between the cherubim that are on it.

2And David arose and went, and all the people who were with him, from Baale of Judah to bring up from there the ark of God, whose name is called by the name of YHWH of Hosts who dwells between the cherubim on it.

3They set the ark of God on a new cart and brought it from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, were guiding the new cart,

3And they mounted the ark of God on a new cart, and they carried it out of the house of Abinadab that was on the hill, with Uzzah and Ahio the sons of Abinadab driving the new cart,

4bringing with it the ark of God. And Ahio was walking in front of the ark.

4bringing with it the ark of God, and Ahio went before the face of the ark.

Uzzah Touches the Ark

5David and all the house of Israel were celebrating before the LORD with all kinds of wood instruments, harps, stringed instruments, tambourines, sistrums, and cymbals.

5And David and all the house of Israel were playing before the face of YHWH on all kinds of wood instruments of cypress, and on harps, and on stringed instruments, and on tambourines, and on sistrums, and on cymbals.

6When they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark of God, because the oxen had stumbled.

6And they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, and Uzzah reached out to the ark of God and took hold of it, because the oxen had stumbled.

7And the anger of the LORD burned against Uzzah, and God struck him down on the spot for his irreverence, and he died there beside the ark of God.

7And the anger of YHWH was kindled against Uzzah, and God struck him there for the error, and he died there by the ark of God.

8Then David became angry because the LORD had burst forth against Uzzah. So he named that place Perez-uzzah, as it is called to this day.

8And David became hot upon that YHWH had burst forth a breach against Uzzah, and he called the name of that place Perez-uzzah to this day.

9That day David feared the LORD and asked, “How can the ark of the LORD ever come to me?”

9And David was afraid of YHWH that day, and he said, “How can the ark of YHWH come to me?”

10So he was unwilling to move the ark of the LORD to the City of David; instead, he took it aside to the house of Obed-edom the Gittite.

10And David would not turn aside to himself the ark of YHWH into the City of David, and David took it aside into the house of Obed-edom the Gittite.

11Thus the ark of the LORD remained in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite for three months, and the LORD blessed him and all his household.

11And the ark of YHWH remained in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite three months, and YHWH blessed Obed-edom and all his house.

The Ark Brought to Jerusalem

12Now it was reported to King David, “The LORD has blessed the house of Obed-edom and all that belongs to him, because of the ark of God.”

So David went and had the ark of God brought up from the house of Obed-edom into the City of David with rejoicing.

12And it was told to King David, saying, “YHWH has blessed the house of Obed-edom, and all that is unto him, because of the ark of God.” And David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom to the City of David with joy.

13When those carrying the ark of the LORD had advanced six paces, he sacrificed an ox and a fattened calf.

13And it came to pass, when those carrying the ark of YHWH had gone six paces, that he sacrificed an ox and a fattened calf.

14And David, wearing a linen ephod, danced with all his might before the LORD,

14And David danced with all his might before the face of YHWH, and David was wearing a linen ephod.

15while he and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouting and the sounding of the ram’s horn.

15And David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of YHWH with shouting and with the voice of the shofar.

Michal’s Contempt for David

16As the ark of the LORD was entering the City of David, Saul’s daughter Michal looked down from a window and saw King David leaping and dancing before the LORD, and she despised him in her heart.

16And as the ark of YHWH came into the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul looked through a window and saw King David leaping and whirling before the face of YHWH, and she despised him in her heart.

17So they brought the ark of the LORD and set it in its place inside the tent that David had pitched for it. Then David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD.

17And they brought the ark of YHWH and set it in its place in the midst of the tabernacle that David had erected for it, and David offered burnt offerings before the face of YHWH, and peace offerings.

18When David had finished sacrificing the burnt offerings and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD of Hosts.

18And David had finished offering the burnt offerings and the peace offerings, and he blessed the people in the name of YHWH of hosts.

19Then he distributed to every man and woman among the multitude of Israel a loaf of bread, a date cake, and a raisin cake. And all the people departed, each to his own home.

19And he distributed among all the people, among the whole multitude of Israel, from the men and to the women, to everyone, one loaf of bread, and one date cake, and one cake of raisins. And all the people departed, each to his house.

20When David returned home to bless his own household, Saul’s daughter Michal came out to meet him. “How the king of Israel has distinguished himself today!” she said. “He has uncovered himself today in the sight of the maidservants of his subjects, like a vulgar person would do.”

20And David returned to bless his house. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, “How honored today was the king of Israel, who has uncovered himself today in the eyes of the maidservants of his servants, as one of the vain ones is openly uncovered.”

21But David said to Michal, “I was dancing before the LORD, who chose me over your father and all his house when He appointed me ruler over the LORD’s people Israel. I will celebrate before the LORD,

21And David said to Michal, “It was before YHWH, who chose me instead of your father and all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of YHWH, over Israel. And I will play before the face of YHWH.

22and I will humiliate and humble myself even more than this. Yet I will be honored by the maidservants of whom you have spoken.”

22And I will be even more undignified than this, and I will be humble in my eyes, and as for the maidservants of whom you have spoken, by them I will be honored.”

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

23And to Michal the daughter of Saul there were, unto her no children until the day of her death.