2 Samuel 6

1 Once again David called up all specially chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand in total.

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

2 He went with all his men to Baalah in Judah to bring back the Ark of God, which belongs to the Lord Almighty who sits between the cherubim that are on the Ark.

And David arose, and went with all the people who were with him to Baalah, that is, Kiriath Jearim of Judah, to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called there by the name of the LORD enthroned on 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 directing the cart

And they set the ark of God on a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab that was on the hill. And Uzza and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, guided the cart

4 with the Ark of God on it, with Ahio walking in front of it.

with the ark; and Ahio was walking in front of the ark.

5 David and all the Israelites were celebrating in the Lord's presence, singing songs accompanied by zithers, harps, tambourines, rattles, and cymbals.

And David and the children of Israel played before the LORD with all their strength and with songs, and with harps, and with stringed instruments, and with tambourines, and with castanets, and with cymbals.

6 But when they came to the threshing floor of Nachon, the oxen stumbled, so Uzzah reached out to stop the Ark of God from falling.

And when they came to the threshing floor of Nodan, Uzza reached out his hand to the ark of God, to steady it; for the oxen stumbled.

7 The Lord was angry with Uzzah, and God struck him down right there for his disobedience, and he died beside the Ark of God.

And the LORD became angry at Uzza; and God struck him there for his error; and there he died before God.

8 David was angry because of the Lord's violent outburst against Uzzah. He called the place Perez-uzzah, which is still its name today.

And David was displeased, because the LORD had broken forth on Uzza; and he called that place Perez Uzza, to this day.

9 David became afraid of the Lord that day. “How can I ever bring back the Ark of God home to me?” he asked.

And David was afraid of the LORD that day; and he said, "How can the ark of God come to me?" Now the ark of the LORD arrived,

10 Not wanting to bring the Ark of the Lord to be with him in the City of David, he had it taken to the home of Obed-edom the Gittite.

but David was not willing to move the ark of the LORD with him to the City of David; so David diverted it to the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite.

11 The Ark of the Lord remained in Obed-edom's home for three months, and the Lord blessed Obed-edom's whole household.

And the ark of the LORD remained in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite three months, and the LORD blessed Obed-Edom and all his house.

12 King David was told, “The Lord has blessed Obed-edom's household and all that he has because of the Ark of God.” So David went and had the Ark of God brought from Obed-edom's house to the City of David. There was a lot of celebration!

And 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." And David said, "I will bring back the blessing to my house." And David went and brought up the ark of the LORD from the house of Obed-Edom into the City of David with joy.

13 After those carrying the Ark of the Lord had taken six steps, he sacrificed a bull and a fattened calf.

And it was so, that, when those who bore the ark had gone six steps, he sacrificed an ox and a fattened calf.

14 Wearing a priest's ephod, David danced as hard as he could before the Lord

And David danced before the LORD with all his might; and he was clothed in a linen ephod.

15 as he and all the Israelites brought along the Ark of the Lord, with plenty of shouting and the sound of horns being blown.

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

16 As the Ark of the Lord was carried into the City of David, Saul's daughter Michal looked down from a window. She watched King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, and she really loathed him.

Now, as the ark entered the City of David, Mikal the daughter of Saul looked out at the window, and saw king David leaping and dancing before the LORD; and she despised him in her heart.

17 They brought the Ark of the Lord and put it on its place inside the tent that David had set up for it. Then David offered burnt offerings and friendship offerings before the Lord.

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

18 Once he had finished offering the sacrifices, David blessed the people in the name of the Lord Almighty.

And when David had made an end of offering the burnt offering and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD of hosts.

19 He gave all the Israelites, both men and women, a loaf of bread, a date cake, and a raisin cake. Then he sent everyone home.

And he gave to all the people, even among the whole multitude of Israel, both to men and women, to everyone a portion of bread, a date cake, and a raisin cake. So all the people departed everyone to his house.

20 When David got home to bless his family, Michal, Saul's daughter came out to meet him and said, “How distinguished the king of Israel made himself look today, taking off his robes so everyone's servant girls could see, just as somebody crude would expose himself!”

And then David returned to bless his household. Mikal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David. And she greeted him, and said, "How glorious the king of Israel was today, who uncovered himself today in the eyes of the servants of his servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovers himself."

21 David told Michal, “I was dancing before the Lord, who chose me instead of your father and all his family when he named me ruler over the Lord's people Israel. I will continue to celebrate before the Lord,

And David said to Mikal, "I was dancing before the LORD. Blessed be the LORD, who chose me above your father, and above all his house, to appoint me prince over his people Israel; therefore I will celebrate before the LORD.

22 in fact I'm going to make myself even less distinguished, become even more humble. However, I will be respected by those servant girls you spoke about.”

And I will be yet more vile than this, and will be lowly in your eyes. But of the servants of whom you have spoken, they shall honor me."

23 And Michal, Saul's daughter, never had any children.

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