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And David again gathered all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand.

And David arose and went with all the people that were with him from Baale-Judah, to bring up from thence the ark of God which is called by the name, the name of Jehovah of hosts who sitteth between the cherubim.

And they set the ark of God upon a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was upon the hill; and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drove the new cart.

And they brought it with the ark of God out of the house of Abinadab which was upon the hill; and Ahio went before the ark.

And David and all the house of Israel played before Jehovah on all manner of [instruments made of] cypress wood, with harps, and with lutes, and with tambours, and with sistra, and with cymbals.

And when they came to Nachon's threshing-floor, Uzzah reached after the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the oxen had stumbled.

And the anger of Jehovah was kindled against Uzzah; and God smote him there for his error; and there he died by the ark of God.

And David was indignant, because Jehovah had made a breach upon Uzzah; and he called that place Perez-Uzzah to this day.

And David was afraid of Jehovah that day, and said, How shall the ark of Jehovah come to me?

10 So David would not bring the ark of Jehovah home unto himself into the city of David; but David carried it aside into the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite.

11 And the ark of Jehovah remained in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite three months; and Jehovah blessed Obed-Edom and all his household.

12 And it was told king David, saying, Jehovah has blessed the house of Obed-Edom, and all that is his, because of the ark of God. And David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom into the city of David with joy.

13 And it was so, that when they that bore the ark of Jehovah had gone six paces, he sacrificed an ox and a fatted beast.

14 And David danced before Jehovah with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod.

15 And David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of Jehovah with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet.

16 And as the ark of Jehovah came into the city of David, Michal the daughter of Saul looked through a window, and saw king David leaping and dancing before Jehovah; and she despised him in her heart.

17 And they brought in the ark of Jehovah, and set it in its place, in the midst of the tent that David had spread for it. And David offered up burnt-offerings and peace-offerings before Jehovah.

18 And when David had ended offering up the burnt-offerings and the peace-offerings, he blessed the people in the name of Jehovah of hosts.

19 And he dealt to all the people, to the whole multitude of Israel, both men and women, to every one a cake of bread, and a measure [of wine], and a raisin-cake. And all the people departed every one to his house.

20 And David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, How honourable did the king of Israel make himself to-day, who uncovered himself to-day in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the lewd fellows shamelessly uncovers himself!

21 And David said to Michal, It was before Jehovah, who chose me rather than thy father, and than all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of Jehovah, over Israel; and I played before Jehovah.

22 And I will make myself yet more vile than thus, and will be base in mine own sight; and of the handmaids that thou hast spoken of, of them shall I be had in honour.

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

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.