2 Samuel 6

1 Then David again gathered together all the elect men of Israel, thirty thousand.

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

2 And David arose and went away, with the entire people who were with him from the men of Judah, so that they might lead back the ark of God, over which is invoked the name of the Lord of hosts, who sits upon the cherubim above it.

And 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.

3 And they placed the ark of God on a new cart. And they took it from the house of Abinadab, who was in Gibeon. And Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drove the new cart.

They 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,

4 And when they had taken it from the house of Abinadab, who was in Gibeon, Ahio preceded the ark as the keeper of the ark of God.

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

5 But David and all of Israel played before the Lord on every kind of musical instrument made of wood, and on harps, and lyres, and timbrels, and bells, and cymbals.

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

6 And after they had arrived at the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah extended his hand to the ark of God, and he touched it, because the oxen were kicking and had caused it to tip.

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

7 And the indignation of the Lord was enraged against Uzzah. And he struck him for his temerity. And there he died, beside the ark of God.

And 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.

8 Then David was saddened because the Lord had struck Uzzah. And the name of that place was called: the Striking of Uzzah, even to this day.

Then 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.

9 And David was very fearful of the Lord on that day, saying, “How shall the ark of the Lord be brought to me?”

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

10 And he was not willing to send the ark of the Lord to himself in the city of David. Instead, he sent it into the house of Obededom, the Gittite.

So 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.

11 And the ark of the Lord dwelt in the house of Obededom the Gittite, for three months. And the Lord blessed Obededom, and all his household.

Thus 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.

12 And it was reported to king David that the Lord had blessed Obededom, and all that was his, because of the ark of God. Therefore, David went and brought the ark of God, from the house of Obededom, into the city of David with joy. And there were with David seven choirs, and calves for victims.

Now 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.

13 And when those who were carrying the ark of the Lord had traveled six steps, he immolated an ox and a ram.

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

14 And David danced with all his ability before the Lord. And David was girded with the linen ephod.

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

15 And David, and all the house of Israel, were leading the ark of the testament of the Lord, with jubilation and the sound of the trumpet.

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

16 And when the ark of the Lord had entered into the city of David, Michal, the daughter of Saul, looking out through a window, saw king David leaping and dancing before the Lord. And she despised him in her heart.

As 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.

17 And they led in the ark of the Lord. And they set it in its place in the middle of the tabernacle, which David had pitched for it. And David offered holocausts and peace offerings in the sight of the Lord.

So 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.

18 And when he had completed offering holocausts and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of hosts.

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

19 And he distributed to the entire multitude of Israel, as much to men as to women, to each one: one loaf of bread, and one piece of roasted beef, and fine wheat flour fried with oil. And all the people went away, each one to his own house.

Then 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 for his own home.

20 And David returned, so that he might bless his own house. And Michal, the daughter of Saul, going out to meet David, said: “How glorious was the king of Israel today, uncovering himself before the handmaids of his servants, and being unclothed, as if one of the performers were unclothed.”

As soon as 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.”

21 And David said to Michal: “Before the Lord, who chose me rather than your father, and rather than his entire house, and who commanded me, that I should be the leader over the people of the Lord in Israel,

But 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,

22 I will both play and demean myself, more so than I have done. And I will be little in my own eyes. And with the handmaids, about whom you are speaking, I will appear more glorious.”

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

23 And so, there was no child born to Michal, the daughter of Saul, even to the day of her death.

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