2 Samuel 6

1 David [the youngest son of Jesse, a king of Israel] again [still, once more] assembled [gathered together, called up] the chosen [selected, elite] men of Israel [Jacob’s descendants], thirty [a large number, a company of] thousand [a multitude, many] in all [everything, the whole]. word study 2 And he [David, the king of Judah] and all his troops set out for Baale [also known as Kiriath-jearim] of Judah to bring up from there [that place] the ark [a sacred chest] of God [Elohim, the supreme God], which is called by the Name [a designation of divine authority]— the name of the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] of Hosts [armies, a multitude of heavenly beings], who is enthroned [sitting in power, dwelling] between the cherubim [angelic beings, guardians of God’s throne] that are on it. word study 3 They set the ark [sacred chest] of God [Elohim, the supreme Creator] on a new [recently created, fresh] cart and brought it from the house [dwelling place, family home] of Abinadab [a man who sheltered the ark], which was on the hill [a small elevation]. Uzzah [a man of strength] and Ahio [a brother of several notable men], the sons [descendants, male offspring] of Abinadab, were guiding [leading, directing] the new [recently made, modern] cart, word study 4 bringing with it the ark [a sacred chest] of God [Elohim, the supreme Creator]. And Ahio [a brother of several notable men] was walking [to go, to proceed] in front of [before the face, in the presence of] the ark. word study 5 David [the youngest son of Jesse, a king of Israel] and all [every single one] the house [family, community] of Israel [the symbolic name of Jacob, referring to his descendants] were celebrating [playing, making music] before [in the presence of] the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] with all [every kind of] kinds of wood [cypress, evergreen] instruments [lyres], harps [a musical instrument], stringed instruments [a harp or skin-bag], tambourines [a musical instrument used in celebrations], sistrums [a musical instrument like castanets], and cymbals [a loud clattering sound]. word study 6 When they came [to the point of, as far as] to the threshing floor [an open area for separating grain] of Nacon, Uzzah [a Levite, one of the ark’s caretakers] reached out and took hold [grasped, laid hands on] of the ark [a chest, the container of God’s presence] of God [Elohim, the supreme Being], because [for the reason that, since] the oxen [domesticated cattle, used for work] had stumbled [lost their footing, shaken the cart]. word study 7 And the anger [burning wrath, kindled against] of the LORD [Yehovah, the one true God] burned against Uzzah, and God [the supreme Elohim] struck him down on the spot [right there, in the same place] for his irreverence [error, rashness, or fault], and he died [passed away, met his end] there beside the ark [the sacred chest] of God. word study 8 Then David [became incensed, was deeply angered] became angry because the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] had burst forth [broken out, made a breach] against Uzzah; so he named that place [called it, gave it a name] Perez-uzzah [the breach of Uzzah, the outburst against Uzzah], as it is called [known, referred to] to this day [until now, as far as today]. word study 9 That day [in that moment, at that instant] David [the youngest son of Jesse, a king of Israel] feared [stood in awe of, reverenced] the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] and asked [said, spoke], “How [in what way, by what means] can the ark [a box or chest, the Ark of the Covenant] of the LORD [the supreme God, Yehovah] ever come [approach, enter] to me [towards me, into my presence]?” word study 10 So he was unwilling [did not want, refused] to move the ark [a sacred chest] of the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] to the City of David [the capital city, Jerusalem]; instead, he took it aside [turned it away, diverted it] to the house [dwelling place, home] of Obed-edom [a faithful Levite, a servant of God] the Gittite [a resident of Gath, a foreigner]. word study 11 Thus the ark [sacred chest] of the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] remained [dwelt, stayed] in the house [dwelling place, family home] of Obed-edom [faithful servant of God] the Gittite [person from Gath, a city in Palestine] for three [a quantity of three, thrice] months [lunar cycles, periods of new moon], and the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] blessed [praised, honored] him and all [everything, the whole] his household [family, those belonging to him]. word study 12 Now it was reported to King David [the king of Israel], “The LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] has blessed [praised or honored] the house of Obed-edom [a faithful Levite] and all that belongs to him, because of the ark [a sacred chest] of God [the one supreme God].” So David went and had the ark of God brought up from the house of Obed-edom into the City of David [the capital city of Judah] with rejoicing [joy or gladness]. word study 13 When those carrying [lifting, bearing] the ark [a chest, the Ark of the Covenant] of the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] had advanced [marched, stepped] six [the number six, a few] paces [steps, strides], he sacrificed [offered, slaughtered] an ox [a bull, cattle] and a fattened calf [a fatling, a well-fed young animal]. word study 14 And David [the youngest son of Jesse, a king of Israel], wearing a linen [made from flax] ephod [a special vest worn by priests], danced [with joyful movement, whirling around] with all [everything, his entire being] his might [strength, physical power] before [in the presence of, facing] the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God], word study 15 while he and all [the entire nation] the house [family, descendants] of Israel [Jacob’s descendants, God’s chosen people] brought up [ascended, lifted] the ark [chest, covenant box] of the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] with shouting [joyful cries, loud cheers] and the sounding [blast, voice] of the ram’s horn [trumpet]. word study 16 As the ark [chest, sacred container] of the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] was entering the City [settlement, walled town] of David, Saul’s daughter Michal [the daughter of a king, a woman of royalty] looked down from a window [hole in the wall, opening for observation] and saw King David [the youngest son of Jesse, a king of Israel] leaping [being agile, moving quickly] and dancing [whirling around, joyful movement] before the LORD [in the presence of God], and she despised [held in contempt, looked down on] him in her heart [the center of feelings, will, and intellect]. word study 17 So they brought the ark [sacred chest, container of God’s presence] of the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] and set it in its place [permanent location, established position] inside the tent [tabernacle, nomad’s home] that David had pitched [stretched out, spread out] for it. Then David offered [caused to ascend, presented] burnt offerings [steps to the altar, voluntary sacrifices] and peace offerings [expressions of gratitude, voluntary sacrifices] before the LORD [in God’s presence, face to face with Yehovah]. word study 18 When David [the youngest son of Jesse, a king of Israel] had finished [completed, ended] sacrificing the burnt offerings [voluntary acts of worship, ascending to God] and peace offerings [thanksgiving sacrifices, expressing gratitude], he blessed [praised, honored] the people [a nation, community] in the name [identity, character] of the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] of Hosts [armies, heavenly forces]. word study 19 Then he distributed [dealt, apportioned] to every man [male person, individual] and woman [female, wife] among the multitude [large crowd, assembly] of Israel [God’s chosen people, descendants of Jacob] a loaf of bread [food, provision], a date cake [sweet treat, raisin bun], and a raisin cake [measured portion, ashisha]. And all [every one, the whole] the people departed [walked, went], each [every individual, man] for his own [personal, private] home [house, dwelling place]. word study 20 As soon as David [the youngest son of Jesse, a king of Israel] returned home to bless [to praise or honor God, often by kneeling in worship] his own household, Saul’s daughter Michal came out to meet him. “How the king [a royal person, like King David or King Saul] of Israel [the symbolic name of Jacob, also referring to his descendants] has distinguished [honored, made weighty] himself today [a literal 24-hour period or a figurative space of time]!” she said. “He has uncovered [revealed, made known] himself today in the sight [the eyes, a source of something] of the maidservants [female slaves or servants] of his subjects, like a [worthless, empty] vulgar person would do [act shamelessly, without honor].” word study 21 But David said to Michal, “I was dancing [with joyful expression, celebrating] before the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God], who chose [selected, appointed] me over your father [Saul, the former king] and all his house [family, dynasty] when He appointed [commanded, ordained] me ruler [leader, prince] over the LORD’s [Yehovah’s] people Israel [the nation, God’s chosen]. I will celebrate [play, rejoice] before the LORD [in His presence, with reverence], word study 22 and I will humiliate [make myself low, become vile] and humble [abase, bring down] myself even more than this [beyond what I have done]. Yet I will be honored [held in esteem, respected] by the maidservants [female servants, handmaids] of whom you have spoken [said, mentioned].” word study 23 And Michal [Saul’s daughter, the king’s child] the daughter [female child, woman] of Saul had no [none, not any] children to [until, as far as] the day [24-hour period, time] of her death [end of life, mortal termination]. word study