II Samuel 6

¹Again, David gathered together all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand.

²And David arose, and went with all the people that were with him from Baale of Judah, to bring up from thence the ark of God, whose name is called by the name of the Lord of hosts that dwelleth between the cherubims.

³And they set the ark of God upon a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab that was in Gibeah: and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drave the new cart.

⁴And they brought it out of the house of Abinadab which was at Gibeah, accompanying the ark of God: and Ahio went before the ark.

⁵And David and all the house of Israel played before the Lord on all manner of instruments made of fir wood, even on harps, and on psalteries, and on timbrels, and on cornets, and on cymbals.

⁶And when they came to Nachon’s threshingfloor, Uzzah put forth his hand to the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the oxen shook it.

⁷And 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.

⁸And David was displeased, because the Lord had made a breach upon Uzzah: and he called the name of the place Perez–uzzah to this day.

⁹And David was afraid of the Lord that day, and said, How shall the ark of the Lord come to me?

¹⁰So 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.

¹¹And the ark of the Lord continued in the house of Obed–edom the Gittite three months: and the Lord blessed Obed–edom, and all his household.

¹²And 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. So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed–edom into the city of David with gladness.

¹³And it was so, that when they that bare the ark of the Lord had gone six paces, he sacrificed oxen and fatlings.

¹⁴And David danced before the Lord with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod.

¹⁵So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet.

¹⁶And as the ark of the Lord came into the city of David, Michal Saul’s daughter looked through a window, and saw king David leaping and dancing before the Lord; and she despised him in her heart.

¹⁷And they brought in the ark of the Lord, and set it in his place, in the midst of the tabernacle that David had pitched for it: and David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord.

¹⁸And as soon as David had made an end of offering burnt offerings and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of hosts.

¹⁹And he dealt among all the people, even among the whole multitude of Israel, as well to the women as men, to every one a cake of bread, and a good piece of flesh, and a flagon of wine. So all the people departed every one to his house.

²⁰Then David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, How glorious was the king of Israel 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!

²¹And David said unto Michal, It was before the Lord, which chose me before thy father, and before all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the Lord, over Israel: therefore will I play before the Lord.

²²And I will yet be more vile than thus, and will be base in mine own sight: and of the maidservants which thou hast spoken of, of them shall I be had in honour.

²³Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no child unto the day of her death.

II Samuel 6

¹And David got together all the fighting-men of Israel to the number of thirty thousand;

²And David, and all the people who were with him, went to Baal of Judah to get the ark of God, over which the holy name is named, the name of the Lord of armies, whose place is between the winged ones.

³And they put the ark of God on a new cart and took it out of the house of Abinadab which was on the hill: and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, were the drivers of the cart.

⁴And Uzzah went by the side of the ark, while Ahio went before it.

⁵And David and all the men of Israel made melody before the Lord with all their power, with songs and with corded instruments and instruments of brass.

⁶And when they came to Nacon's grain-floor, Uzzah put his hand on the ark of God to keep it safe in its place, for the oxen were out of control.

⁷And the wrath of the Lord, burning against Uzzah, sent destruction on him because he had put his hand on the ark, and death came to him there by the ark of God.

⁸And David was angry because of the Lord's outburst of wrath against Uzzah: and he gave that place the name Perez-uzzah, which is its name to this day.

⁹And such was David's fear of the Lord that day, that he said, How may I let the ark of God come to me?

¹⁰So David did not let the ark of the Lord come back to him to the town of David: but had it turned away and put into the house of Obed-edom the Gittite.

¹¹And the ark of the Lord was in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite for three months: and the Lord sent a blessing on Obed-edom and all his family.

¹²And they said to King David, The blessing of the Lord is on the family of Obed-edom and on all he has, because of the ark of God. And David went and took the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom into the town of David with joy.

¹³And when those who were lifting the ark of the Lord had gone six steps, he made an offering of an ox and a fat young beast.

¹⁴And David, clothed in a linen ephod, was dancing before the Lord with all his strength.

¹⁵So David and all the men of Israel took up the ark of the Lord with cries of joy and sounding of horns.

¹⁶And when the ark of the Lord came into the town of David, Michal, Saul's daughter, looking out of the window, saw King David dancing and jumping before the Lord; and to her mind he seemed foolish.

¹⁷And they took in the ark of the Lord, and put it in its place inside the tent which David had put up for it: and David made burned offerings and peace-offerings to the Lord.

¹⁸And after David had made the burned offerings and the peace-offerings, he gave the people a blessing in the name of the Lord of armies.

¹⁹And he gave to every man and woman among all the people, among all the masses of Israel, a cake of bread and a measure of wine and a cake of dry grapes. Then all the people went away, every man to his house.

²⁰Then David came back to give a blessing to his family. And Michal, Saul's daughter, came out to him and said, How full of glory was the king of Israel today, who let himself be seen uncovered by his servant-girls like a foolish person uncovering himself without shame!

²¹And David said to Michal, I was dancing before the Lord, who put me over your father and all his sons, to make me a ruler over the people of the Lord, over his people Israel: and I will go on playing before the Lord;

²²And I will do even worse than this, and make myself even lower in your eyes: but the servant-girls of whom you were talking will give me honour.

²³And Michal, Saul's daughter, had no child till the day of her death.