2 Samuel

1David 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 Armies 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.

6When 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 Uzzahto 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 trumpet.

16As 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 Armies.

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.

20Then 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!”

21David 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.”

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

David Fetches the Ark

1David again assembled the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand in all.

2And he and all his troops set out for Baale of Judahto bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the Name—the name of the LORD of Hosts, who is enthroned between the cherubim that are on it.

3They set the ark of God on a new cart and brought it from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, were guiding the new cart,

4bringing with it the ark of God.And Ahio was walking in front of the ark.

Uzzah Touches the Ark

5David and all the house of Israel were celebrating before the LORD with all kinds of wood instruments,harps, stringed instruments, tambourines, sistrums, and cymbals.

6When they came to the threshing floor of Nacon,Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark of God, because the oxen had stumbled.

7And the anger of the LORD burned against Uzzah, and God struck him down on the spot for his irreverence,and he died there beside the ark of God.

8Then David became angry because the LORD had burst forth against Uzzah. So he named that place Perez-uzzah,as it is called to this day.

9That day David feared the LORD and asked, “How can the ark of the LORD ever come to me?”

10So he was unwilling to move the ark of the LORD to the City of David; instead, he took it aside to the house of Obed-edom the Gittite.

11Thus the ark of the LORD remained in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite for three months, and the LORD blessed him and all his household.

The Ark Brought to Jerusalem

12Now it was reported to King David, “The LORD has blessed the house of Obed-edom and all that belongs to him, because of the ark of God.” So David went and had the ark of God brought up from the house of Obed-edom into the City of David with rejoicing.

13When those carrying the ark of the LORD had advanced six paces, he sacrificed an ox and a fattened calf.

14And David, wearing a linen ephod, danced with all his might before the LORD,

15while he and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouting and the sounding of the ram’s horn.

Michal’s Contempt for David

16As the ark of the LORD was entering the City of David, Saul’s daughter Michal looked down from a window and saw King David leaping and dancing before the LORD, and she despised him in her heart.

17So they brought the ark of the LORD and set it in its place inside the tent that David had pitched for it. Then David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD.

18When David had finished sacrificing the burnt offerings and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD of Hosts.

19Then he distributed to every man and woman among the multitude of Israel a loaf of bread, a date cake,and a raisin cake. And all the people departed, each to his own home.

20When David returned home to bless his own household, Saul’s daughter Michal came out to meet him. “How the king of Israel has distinguished himself today!” she said. “He has uncovered himself today in the sight of the maidservants of his subjects, like a vulgar person would do.”

21But David said to Michal, “I was dancing before the LORD, who chose me over your father and all his house when He appointed me ruler over the LORD’s people Israel. I will celebrate before the LORD,

22and I will humiliate and humble myself even more than this. Yet I will be honored by the maidservants of whom you have spoken.”

23And Michal the daughter of Saul had no children to the day of her death.