< 2 Samuel 6 >

1 And David again gathered together all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand. 2 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 of hosts enthroned on the cherubim. 3 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; and Ahio was walking in front of the ark. 5 And David and all 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 And when they came to the threshing floor of Nodan, Uzza reached out his hand to the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the cattle stumbled. 7 And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzza; and God struck him there for his error; and there he died before God. 8 And David was displeased, because the LORD had broken forth on Uzza; and he called that place Perez Uzza, to this day. 9 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 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 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 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 And it was so, that, when those who bore the ark of the LORD had gone six steps, he sacrificed an ox and a fattened calf. 14 And David danced before the LORD with all his might; and David was clothed in a linen ephod. 15 So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet. 16 Now, as the ark of the LORD was entering into 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 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 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 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 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 handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovers himself." 21 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 the people of the LORD, over Israel; therefore I will celebrate before the LORD. 22 And I will be yet more vile than this, and will be lowly in your eyes. But of the handmaids of whom you have spoken, they shall honor me." 23 And Mikal the daughter of Saul had no child to the day of her death.

< 2 Samuel 6 >