2 Samuel 6
6
David Brings the Ark to Jerusalem
1 David again assembled#tn The translation understands the verb to be a defective spelling of וַיְּאֱסֹף (vayyÿ’esof) due to quiescence of the letter א (alef). The root therefore is אסף (’sf, “to gather”). The Masoretes, however, pointed the verb as וַיֹּסֶף (vayyosef), understanding it to be a form of יָסַף (yasaf, “to add”). This does not fit the context, which calls for a verb of gathering. all the best#tn Or “chosen.” men in Israel, thirty thousand in number. 2 David and all the men who were with him traveled#tn Heb “arose and went.” to#tn Heb “from,” but the following context indicates they traveled to this location. Baalah#tn This is another name for Kiriath-jearim (see 1 Chr 13:6). in Judah to bring up from there the ark of God which is called by the name#tc The MT has here a double reference to the name (שֵׁם שֵׁם, shem shem). Many medieval Hebrew mss in the first occurrence point the word differently and read the adverb שָׁם (sham, “there”). This is also the understanding of the Syriac Peshitta (Syr., taman). While this yields an acceptable understanding to the text, it is more likely that the MT dittographic here. The present translation therefore reads שֵׁם only once. of the Lord of hosts, who sits enthroned between the cherubim that are on it. 3 They loaded the ark of God on a new cart and carried it from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, were guiding the new cart. 4 They brought#tn Heb “lifted.” it with the ark of God up from the house of Abinadab on the hill. Ahio was walking in front of the ark, 5 while David and all Israel#tn Heb “all the house of Israel.” were energetically celebrating before the Lord, singing#tc Heb “were celebrating before the Lord with all woods of fir” (cf. KJV, ASV, NASB). If the text is retained, the last expression must be elliptical, referring to musical instruments made from fir wood. But it is preferable to emend the text in light of 1 Chr 13:8, which reads “were celebrating before the Lord with all strength and with songs.” and playing various stringed instruments,#tn Heb “with zithers [?] and with harps.” tambourines, rattles,#tn That is, “sistrums” (so NAB, NIV); ASV, NASB, NRSV, CEV, NLT “castanets.” and cymbals.
6 When they arrived at the threshing floor of Nacon,#tn 1 Chr 13:9 has “Kidon.” Uzzah reached out and grabbed hold of#tn Or “steadied.” the ark of God,#tn Heb “and Uzzah reached out toward the ark of God and grabbed it.” because the oxen stumbled. 7 The Lord was so furious with Uzzah,#tn Heb “and the anger of the Lord burned against Uzzah.” he#tn Heb “God.” killed him on the spot#tc Heb “there.” Since this same term occurs later in the verse it is translated “on the spot” here for stylistic reasons. for his negligence.#tc The phrase “his negligence” is absent from the LXX. He died right there beside the ark of God.
8 David was angry because the Lord attacked#tn Heb “because the Lord broke out [with] a breaking out [i.e., an outburst] against Uzzah.” Uzzah; so he called that place Perez Uzzah,#sn The name Perez Uzzah means in Hebrew “the outburst [against] Uzzah.” which remains its name to this very day. 9 David was afraid of the Lord that day and said, “How will the ark of the Lord ever come to me?” 10 So David was no longer willing to bring the ark of the Lord to be with him in the City of David. David left it in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite. 11 The ark of the Lord remained in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite for three months. The Lord blessed Obed-Edom and all his family.#tn Heb “house,” both here and in v. 12. 12 David was told,#tn Heb “and it was told to David, saying.” “The Lord has blessed the family of Obed-Edom and everything he owns because of the ark of God.” So David went and joyfully brought the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David. 13 Those who carried the ark of the Lord took six steps and then David#tn Heb “he”; the referent (David) has been specified in the translation for clarity. sacrificed an ox and a fatling calf. 14 Now David, wearing a linen ephod, was dancing with all his strength before the Lord.#tn Heb “and David was dancing with all his strength before the Lord, and David was girded with a linen ephod.” 15 David and all Israel#tc Heb “all the house of Israel.” A few medieval Hebrew mss and the Syriac Peshitta lack the words “the house.” were bringing up the ark of the Lord, shouting and blowing trumpets.#tn Heb “the shophar” (the ram’s horn trumpet).
16 As the ark of the Lord entered the City of David, Saul’s daughter Michal looked out the window. When she saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, she despised him.#tn The Hebrew text adds “in her heart.” Cf. CEV “she was disgusted (+ with him TEV)”; NLT “was filled with contempt for him”; NCV “she hated him.” 17 They brought the ark of the Lord and put it in its place#tc The Syriac Peshitta lacks “in its place.” in the middle of the tent that David had pitched for it. Then David offered burnt sacrifices and peace offerings before the Lord. 18 When David finished offering the burnt sacrifices and peace offerings, he pronounced a blessing over the people in the name of the Lord of hosts. 19 He then handed out to each member of the entire assembly of Israel,#tn Heb “to all the people, to all the throng of Israel.” both men and women, a portion of bread, a date cake,#tn The Hebrew word used here אֶשְׁפָּר (’espar) is found in the OT only here and in the parallel passage found in 1 Chr 16:3. Its exact meaning is uncertain, although the context indicates that it was a food of some sort (cf. KJV “a good piece of flesh”; NRSV “a portion of meat”). The translation adopted here (“date cake”) follows the lead of the Greek translations of the LXX, Aquila, and Symmachus (cf. NASB, NIV, NLT). and a raisin cake. Then all the people went home.#tn Heb “and all the people went, each to his house.” 20 When David went home to pronounce a blessing on his own house,#tn Heb “and David returned to bless his house.” Michal, Saul’s daughter, came out to meet him.#tn Heb “David.” The name has been replaced by the pronoun (“him”) in the translation for stylistic reasons. She said, “How the king of Israel has distinguished#tn Heb “honored.” himself this day! He has exposed himself today before his servants’ slave girls the way a vulgar fool#tn Heb “one of the foolish ones.” might do!”
21 David replied to Michal, “It was before the Lord! I was celebrating before the Lord, who chose me over your father and his entire family#tn Heb “all his house”; CEV “anyone else in your family.” and appointed me as leader over the Lord’s people Israel. 22 I am willing to shame and humiliate myself even more than this!#tn Heb “and I will shame myself still more than this and I will be lowly in my eyes.” But with the slave girls whom you mentioned let me be distinguished!” 23 Now Michal, Saul’s daughter, had no children to the day of her death.
Currently Selected:
2 Samuel 6: NET
Highlight
Share
Compare
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
1996 - 2007 by Biblical Studies Press, LLC
2 Samuel 6
6
1 David again gathered together all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand. 2David arose and went with all the people who were with him from Baale Judah, to bring up from there God’s ark, which is called by the Name, even the name of the LORD of Hosts who sits above the cherubim. 3They set God’s ark on a new cart, and brought it out of Abinadab’s house that was on the hill; and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drove the new cart. 4They brought it out of Abinadab’s house which was in the hill, with God’s ark; and Ahio went before the ark. 5David and all the house of Israel played before the LORD with all kinds of instruments made of cypress wood, with harps, with stringed instruments, with tambourines, with castanets, and with cymbals.
6 When they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah reached for God’s ark and took hold of it, for the cattle stumbled. 7The LORD’s anger burned against Uzzah, and God struck him there for his error; and he died there by God’s ark. 8David was displeased because the LORD had broken out against Uzzah; and he called that place Perez Uzzah#6:8 “Perez Uzzah” means “outbreak against Uzzah”. to this day. 9David was afraid of the LORD that day; and he said, “How could the LORD’s ark come to me?” 10So David would not move the LORD’s ark to be with him in David’s city; but David carried it aside into Obed-Edom the Gittite’s house. 11The LORD’s ark remained in Obed-Edom the Gittite’s house three months; and the LORD blessed Obed-Edom and all his house. 12King David was told, “The LORD has blessed the house of Obed-Edom, and all that belongs to him, because of God’s ark.”
So David went and brought up God’s ark from the house of Obed-Edom into David’s city with joy. 13When those who bore the LORD’s ark had gone six paces, he sacrificed an ox and a fattened calf. 14David danced before the LORD with all his might; and David was clothed in a linen ephod. 15So David and all the house of Israel brought up the LORD’s ark with shouting and with the sound of the shofar.
16 As the LORD’s ark came into David’s city, Michal the daughter of Saul looked out through the window and saw King David leaping and dancing before the LORD; and she despised him in her heart. 17They brought in the LORD’s ark, and set it in its place in the middle of the tent that David had pitched for it; and David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD. 18When David had finished offering the burnt offering and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD of Hosts. 19He gave to all the people, even among the whole multitude of Israel, both to men and women, to everyone a portion of bread, dates, and raisins. So all the people departed, each to his own house.
20 Then David returned to bless his household. Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, “How glorious the king of Israel was today, who uncovered himself today in the eyes of his servants’ maids, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovers himself!”
21 David said to Michal, “It was before the LORD, who chose me above your father, and above all his house, to appoint me prince over the people of the LORD, over Israel. Therefore I will celebrate before the LORD. 22I will be yet more undignified than this, and will be worthless in my own sight. But the maids of whom you have spoken will honor me.”
23 Michal the daughter of Saul had no child to the day of her death.
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Compare
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
PUBLIC DOMAIN