2 Samuel 6

1 Then David chose 30,000 Israeli men and gathered them together.

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

2 He led them to the place in Judah [formerly] called Baalah, [now called Kiriath-Jearim]. They went in order to bring from there [to Jerusalem] the sacred chest, which had the name of Yahweh, the leader of the armies of [the angels in] heaven, written on it, and which had the [statues of the] winged creatures on top of it. Between those statues was where Yahweh spoke messages about ruling his people [MTY].

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, whereupon is called the Name, even the name of the LORD of hosts that sitteth upon the cherubim.

3 The sacred chest was in the house of Abinadab, on top of a hill. They went there, and they put the chest on a new cart. Uzzah and Ahio, the two sons of Abinadab, were guiding [the oxen that were pulling the cart].

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

4 Uzzah walked alongside the cart, and Ahio walked in front of it.

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

5 David and all the Israeli men were celebrating in God’s presence, singing with all their strength and [playing] lyres and harps, and beating tambourines, and clashing castanets and cymbals.

And David and all the house of Israel played before the LORD with all manner of instruments made of cypress-wood, and with harps, and with psalteries, and with timbrels, and with sistra, and with cymbals.

6 But when they came to the place where Nacon threshed grain, the oxen stumbled. So Uzzah put his hand on the sacred chest to (steady it/prevent it from falling [off the cart]).

And when they came to the threshing-floor of Nacon, Uzzah put forth his hand to the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the oxen stumbled.

7 Yahweh immediately became very angry with Uzzah, and he killed him right there alongside the sacred chest, because he had touched the chest, [and Yahweh had commanded that only the descendants of Levi who help the priests should touch the sacred chest].

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

8 David was angry because Yahweh had punished Uzzah. So ever since that time, that place has been called ‘The Punishment of Uzzah’.

And David was displeased, because the LORD had broken forth upon Uzzah; and that place was called Perez-uzzah, unto this day

9 David was [also] afraid of [what else] Yahweh [would do to punish them], so he said, “(How can I take the sacred chest with me [to Jerusalem]?/I am afraid to take the sacred chest with me [to Jerusalem].)” [RHQ]

And David was afraid of the LORD that day; and he said: 'How shall the ark of the LORD come unto me?'

10 So he did not want to take the sacred chest to Jerusalem. Instead, they took it to another place; they took it to the house of Obed-Edom, from Gath [city].

So David would not remove the ark of the LORD unto him into the city of David; but David carried it aside into the house of Obed-edom the Gittite.

11 They left the sacred chest in the house of Obed-Edom for three months, and [during that time] Yahweh blessed Obed-Edom and his family.

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 Later, people told David, “Yahweh has blessed Obed-Edom and his family because [he is taking care] of the sacred chest!” When David heard that, he [and some other men] went to Obed-Edom’s house, and very joyfully brought the sacred chest from there to Jerusalem.

And it was told king David, saying: 'The LORD hath blessed the house of Obed-edom, and all that pertaineth unto him, 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 [This time, descendants of Levi] were carrying the sacred chest, but when they had walked only six steps, they stopped, and there David killed a bull and a fat calf, and offered them to Yahweh for a sacrifice.

And it was so, that when they that bore the ark of the LORD had gone six paces, he sacrificed an ox and a fatling.

14 David was wearing [only] a linen cloth wrapped around his waist, and was dancing very energetically to honor Yahweh.

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

15 David and the Israeli men took the sacred chest up [to Jerusalem], shouting [loudly] and blowing trumpets.

So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouting, and with the sound of the horn.

16 While they were carrying the sacred chest into the city, [David’s wife] Michal, who was Saul’s daughter, looked out the window [of her house]. She saw King David leaping and dancing to honor Yahweh. So she was disgusted with him.

And it was so, as the ark of the LORD came into the city of David, that Michal 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 sacred chest into the tent that David had erected for it. Then David gave to Yahweh offerings to be completely burned [on an altar], and other offerings to maintain fellowship with Yahweh.

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

18 When David had finished offering those sacrifices, he asked Yahweh, the Commander of the armies [of the angels], to bless the people.

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 also distributed food to all the people. To each Israeli man and woman he gave a loaf of bread, some meat, and a raisin cake. Then all the people returned to their homes.

And he dealt among all the people, even among the whole multitude of Israel, both to men and women, to every one a cake of bread, and a cake made in a pan, and a sweet cake. So all the people departed every one to his house.

20 When David went home to [ask Yahweh to] bless his family, his wife Michal came out to meet him. She said to him, “Maybe you, the king of Israel, [think that you] [IRO] were honoring yourself today, but really, you acted like a fool, uncovering yourself while the female servants of your officials were watching!”

Then David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said: 'How did the king of Israel get him honour to-day, who uncovered himself to-day in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovereth himself!'

21 David replied to Michal, “[I was doing that] to honor Yahweh, who chose me instead of your father and other members of his family, to be the king of the Israeli people, the people who belong to Yahweh. And I will [continue to] dance to honor Yahweh!

And David said unto Michal: 'Before the LORD, who chose me above thy father, and above all his house, to appoint me prince over the people of the LORD, over Israel, before the LORD will I make merry.

22 [Even though you think that what I did] was disgraceful, I will continue to do it even more. You may despise me [because of what I did], but the women whom you were talking about will honor me!”

And I will be yet more vile than thus, and will be base in mine own sight; and with the handmaids whom thou hast spoken of, with them will I get me honour.'

23 [As a result, ] Saul’s daughter Michal never gave birth to any children.

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