< 2 Samuel 6 >
1 And again David gathered every chosen one in Israel—thirty thousand,
Once again David called up all specially chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand in total.
2 and David rises and goes, and all the people who [are] with him, from Ba‘ale-Judah, to bring up the Ark of God from there, whose name has been called—the Name of YHWH of Hosts, inhabiting the cherubim—on it.
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.
3 And they cause the Ark of God to ride on a new cart, and lift it up from the house of Abinadab, which [is] in the height, and Uzzah and Ahio sons of Abinadab are leading the new cart;
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
4 and they lift it up from the house of Abinadab, which [is] in the height, with the Ark of God, and Ahio is going before the Ark,
with the Ark of God on it, with Ahio walking in front of it.
5 and David and all the house of Israel are playing before YHWH, with all kinds of [instruments] of fir-wood, even with harps, and with psalteries, and with timbrels, and with horns, and with cymbals.
David and all the Israelites were celebrating in the Lord's presence, singing songs accompanied by zithers, harps, tambourines, rattles, and cymbals.
6 And they come to the threshing-floor of Nachon, and Uzzah puts forth [his hand] to the Ark of God, and lays hold on it, for they released the oxen;
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.
7 and the anger of YHWH burns against Uzzah, and God strikes him there for the error, and he dies there by the Ark of God.
The Lord was angry with Uzzah, and God struck him down right there for his disobedience, and he died beside the Ark of God.
8 And it is displeasing to David, because that YHWH has broken forth a breach on Uzzah, and [one] calls that place Perez-Uzzah to this day;
David was angry because of the Lord's violent outburst against Uzzah. He called the place Perez-uzzah, which is still its name today.
9 and David fears YHWH on that day and says, “How does the Ark of YHWH come to me?”
David became afraid of the Lord that day. “How can I ever bring back the Ark of God home to me?” he asked.
10 And David has not been willing to turn aside the Ark of YHWH to himself, to the City of David, and David turns it aside to the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite,
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.
11 and the Ark of YHWH inhabits the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite [for] three months, and YHWH blesses Obed-Edom and all his house.
The Ark of the Lord remained in Obed-edom's home for three months, and the Lord blessed Obed-edom's whole household.
12 And it is declared to King David, saying, “YHWH has blessed the house of Obed-Edom, and all that he has, because of the Ark of God”; and David goes and brings up the Ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David with joy.
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!
13 And it comes to pass, when those carrying the Ark of YHWH have stepped six steps, that he sacrifices an ox and a fatling.
After those carrying the Ark of the Lord had taken six steps, he sacrificed a bull and a fattened calf.
14 And David is dancing with all [his] strength before YHWH, and David is girded with a linen ephod,
Wearing a priest's ephod, David danced as hard as he could before the Lord
15 and David and all the house of Israel are bringing up the Ark of YHWH with shouting, and with the voice of a horn,
as he and all the Israelites brought along the Ark of the Lord, with plenty of shouting and the sound of horns being blown.
16 and it has come to pass, the Ark of YHWH has come into the City of David, and Michal daughter of Saul has looked through the window and sees King David moving and dancing before YHWH, and she despises him in her heart.
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.
17 And they bring in the Ark of YHWH, and set it up in its place, in the midst of the tent which David has spread out for it, and David causes burnt-offerings and peace-offerings to ascend before YHWH.
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.
18 And David finishes from causing the burnt-offering and the peace-offerings to ascend, and blesses the people in the Name of YHWH of Hosts,
Once he had finished offering the sacrifices, David blessed the people in the name of the Lord Almighty.
19 and he apportions to all the people, to all the multitude of Israel, from man and to woman, to each, one cake of bread, and one eshpar, and one ashisha, and all the people go, each to his house.
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.
20 And David turns back to bless his house, and Michal daughter of Saul goes out to meet David and says, “How honorable was the king of Israel today, who was uncovered today before the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain ones is openly uncovered!”
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!”
21 And David says to Michal, “Before YHWH, who fixed on me above your father, and above all his house, to appoint me leader over the people of YHWH, and over Israel—indeed, I played before YHWH;
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,
22 and I have been more vile than this, and have been low in my eyes, and with the handmaids whom you have spoken of, I am honored with them.”
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.”
23 As for Michal daughter of Saul, she had no child until the day of her death.
And Michal, Saul's daughter, never had any children.