2 Samuel 6 - GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)

David Brings the Ark to Jerusalem(A)

6 David again assembled all the best soldiers in Israel, 30,000 men. 2 He and all the people with him left Baalah in Judah [a] to bring God’s ark ⌞to Jerusalem⌟. (The ark is called by the name of the Lord of Armies, who is enthroned over the angels.[b]) 3 David and his men put God’s ark on a new cart and brought it from Abinadab’s home on the hill. Uzzah and Ahio, Abinadab’s sons, were guiding the new cart. 4 They brought it from Abinadab’s home, with Ahio walking ahead of the ark. 5 David and the entire nation of Israel were celebrating in the Lord’s presence with all kinds of instruments made from cypress wood [c] and with lyres, harps, tambourines, sistrums,[d] and cymbals.

6 But when they came to Nacon’s threshing floor,[e] the oxen stumbled. So Uzzah reached out for the ark of God and grabbed it. 7 The Lord became angry with Uzzah, so God killed him there for his lack of respect. He died beside the ark of God.

8 David was angry because the Lord had struck Uzzah so violently. (That place is still called Perez Uzzah [The Striking of Uzzah] today.) 9 David was afraid of the Lord that day. “How can the ark of the Lord come to my ⌞city⌟?” he asked. 10 So David wouldn’t bring the ark of the Lord with him to the City of David. Instead, he rerouted it to the home of Obed Edom, who was from Gath. 11 The ark of the Lord stayed at the home of Obed Edom from Gath for three months, and the Lord blessed Obed Edom and his whole family.

12 King David was told, “The Lord has blessed Obed Edom’s home and everything he owns because of the ark of God.” Then David joyfully went to get the ark of God from Obed Edom’s house and bring it to the City of David. 13 When those who carried the ark of the Lord had gone six steps, David sacrificed a bull and a fattened calf.

14 Wearing a linen ephod,[f] David danced in the Lord’s presence with all his might. 15 He and the entire nation of Israel brought the ark of the Lord with shouts of joy and the sounding of rams’ horns. 16 When the ark of the Lord came to the City of David, Saul’s daughter Michal looked out of a window and saw King David leaping and dancing in the Lord’s presence, so she despised him.

17 The men carrying the ark set it in its place inside the tent David had put up for it. David sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings in the Lord’s presence. 18 When David had finished sacrificing the burnt offerings and the fellowship offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of Armies. 19 He also distributed to all the people—to the whole crowd of Israelites, both men and women—one loaf of bread, one date cake, and one raisin cake. Then all the people went home.

20 When David returned to bless his family, Saul’s daughter Michal came out to meet him. “How dignified Israel’s king was today! He was exposing himself before the eyes of the slave girls of his palace staff—like a mindless fool might expose himself!”

21 David answered Michal, “⌞I didn’t dance in front of the slave girls but⌟ in front of the Lord. He chose me rather than your father or anyone in your father’s house, and he appointed me leader of Israel, the Lord’s people. I will celebrate in the Lord’s presence, 22 and I will degrade myself even more than this. Even if I am humiliated in your eyes, I will be honored by these slave girls you speak about.”

23 So Saul’s daughter Michal was childless her entire life.

Footnotes

  1. 6:2 Or “Baal in Judah” or “the citizens of Judah”; Dead Sea Scrolls and 1 Chronicles 13:6 “Baalah in Kiriath Jearim.”
  2. 6:2 Or “cherubim.”
  3. 6:5 Or “with all their might.” See 1 Chronicles 13:8.
  4. 6:5 A type of rattle used as a musical instrument.
  5. 6:6 A threshing floor is an outdoor area where grain is separated from its husks.
  6. 6:14 Ephod   is a technical term for a part of the priest’s clothes. Its exact usage and shape are unknown.

Cross references

  1. 2 Samuel 6:1 : 1 Chronicles 13:5–14; 15:25–16:3, 43

You Might Also Like:

2 Samuel 6 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

6 And David gathered again every chosen one in Israel, thirty thousand, 2 and David riseth and goeth, and all the people who [are] with him, from Baale-Judah, to bring up thence the ark of God, whose name hath been called -- the name of Jehovah of Hosts, inhabiting the cherubs -- upon it. 3 And they...
Read More

2 Samuel 6 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

6 Forsooth David gathered again all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand. (Then David gathered together all the chosen, or all the best, out of Israel, yea, thirty thousand men.) 2 And David rose, and went, and all the people that was with him of the men of Judah, to bring the ark of God, on wh...
Read More

2 Samuel 6 - World English Bible (WEB)

6 David again gathered together all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand. 2 David 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 Yahweh of Armies who sits above the cherubim. 3 They set G...
Read More

2 Samuel 6 - The Voice (VOICE)

6 Once again David gathered the elite soldiers of Israel, some 30,000, 2 and they went down to Baale-judah to bring back the covenant chest of the True God, called by the Name: the Eternal One, Commander of heavenly armies, who sits enthroned above the winged creatures who protect the chest. 3-4 Th...
Read More

2 Samuel 6 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

Ark Comes Into Jerusalem6 Now David again gathered all the chosen men of Israel, 30,000. 2 Then David and all the people who were with him arose and set out from Baale-judah to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the Name[a], the very Name of Adonai-Tzva’ot who is enthroned betwe...
Read More

2 Samuel 6 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

David Brings the Ark to Jerusalem6 David again gathered all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand. 2 And David arose and went with all the people who were with him from Ba′ale-judah, to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the name of the Lord of hosts who sits enthroned on th...
Read More

2 Samuel 6 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

David Brings the Ark to Jerusalem6 David again gathered all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand. 2 And David arose and went with all the people who were with him from Ba′ale-judah, to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the name of the Lord of hosts who sits enthroned on th...
Read More

2 Samuel 6 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

David Brings the Ark to Jerusalem6 David again gathered all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand. 2 David and all the people with him set out and went from Baale-judah, to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the name of the Lord of hosts who is enthroned on the cherubim. 3 ...
Read More

2 Samuel 6 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

David Brings the Ark to Jerusalem6 David again gathered all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand. 2 David and all the people with him set out and went from Baale-judah to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the name of the Lord of hosts who is enthroned on the cherubim.(A)3 T...
Read More

2 Samuel 6 - New Living Translation (NLT)

Moving the Ark to Jerusalem6 Then David again gathered all the elite troops in Israel, 30,000 in all. 2 He led them to Baalah of Judah[a] to bring back the Ark of God, which bears the name of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies,[b] who is enthroned between the cherubim. 3 They placed the Ark of God on a new...
Read More

2 Samuel 6 - New Life Version (NLV)

The Special Box Is Brought to Jerusalem6 Again David gathered all the chosen men of Israel. There were 30,000. 2 He got up and went with all the people who were with him to Baale-judah to bring from there the special box of God. It is called by the name of the Lord of All Who sits on His throne abo...
Read More

2 Samuel 6 - New King James Version (NKJV)

The Ark Brought to Jerusalem(A)6 Again David gathered all the choice men of Israel, thirty thousand. 2 And (B)David arose and went with all the people who were with him from [a]Baale Judah to bring up from there the ark of God, whose name is called [b]by the Name, the Lord of Hosts, (C)who dwells b...
Read More

2 Samuel 6 - New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

The ark brought to Jerusalem6 David again brought together all the able young men of Israel – thirty thousand. 2 He and all his men went to Baalah[a] in Judah to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the Name,[b] the name of the Lord Almighty, who is enthroned between the cherubim ...
Read More

2 Samuel 6 - New International Version (NIV)

The Ark Brought to Jerusalem(A)(B)6 David again brought together all the able young men of Israel—thirty thousand. 2 He and all his men went to Baalah[a](C) in Judah to bring up from there the ark(D) of God, which is called by the Name,[b](E) the name of the Lord Almighty, who is enthroned(F) betwee...
Read More

2 Samuel 6 - New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

David Brings the Ark to Jerusalem6 Again David brought together the best soldiers in Israel. The total number was 30,000. 2 He and all his men went to Baalah in Judah. They wanted to bring the ark of God up to Jerusalem from there. The ark is named after the Lord. He is the Lord who rules over all....
Read More

2 Samuel 6 - New English Translation (NET)

David Brings the Ark to Jerusalem6 David again assembled[a] all the best[b] men in Israel, 30,000 in number. 2 David and all the men who were with him traveled[c] to[d] Baalah[e] in Judah to bring up from there the ark of God which is called by the name[f] of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, who sits e...
Read More