2 Samuel

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

1David gathered the best soldiers of Israel again. There were thirty thousand of them.

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.

2David and all his men set out from Baale of Judah. They went to bring back the ark of God. The ark was a gold-covered box that held God's own name. He is the Lord of armies. He sits like a king above the golden angel figures on the ark's lid.

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.

3They put the ark of God on a new cart. They brought it out of Abinadab's house on the hill. Uzzah and Ahio, Abinadab's sons, guided 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.

4They brought the cart out of Abinadab's house and walked beside the ark of God. Ahio walked in front of 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.

5David and all the people of Israel celebrated in front of the Lord. They played wooden instruments, harps, other stringed instruments, tambourines, rattles, and 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.

6They came to Nachon's threshing floor, a flat place where grain was beaten. The oxen stumbled there. So Uzzah reached out and grabbed the ark of God.

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.

7The Lord grew angry with Uzzah. God struck him down right there for what he had done. Uzzah died beside 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 Perezuzzah to this day.

8David was upset that the Lord had burst out against Uzzah. He named that place Perez-uzzah. It still has that name today.

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

9That day David was afraid of the Lord. He asked, "How can the ark of the Lord ever 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 Obededom the Gittite.

10So David would not move the ark into his own city. Instead he took it aside to the house of Obed-edom, a man from the town of Gath.

11And the ark of the LORD continued in the house of Obededom the Gittite three months: and the LORD blessed Obededom, and all his household.

11The ark of the Lord stayed at Obed-edom's house for three months. The Lord blessed Obed-edom and everyone who lived with him.

12And it was told king David, saying, The LORD hath blessed the house of Obededom, 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 Obededom into the city of David with gladness.

12Someone told King David, "The Lord has blessed Obed-edom's house and everything he owns. It is because of the ark of God." So David went and brought the ark up to his city. He did it with great joy.

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

13The men carrying the ark of the Lord walked six steps and stopped. Then David gave God an ox and a fattened calf as gifts.

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

14David danced in front of the Lord with all his strength. He wore a linen ephod, a plain vest that priests wore.

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

15So David and all the people of Israel brought the ark up. They shouted, and a ram's horn was blown.

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.

16The ark of the Lord came into the City of David. Michal, Saul's daughter, watched from a window. She saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord. Deep inside, she looked down on him.

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.

17They carried the ark of the Lord in and set it in its place. It went inside the tent David had put up for it. Then David gave the Lord burnt offerings and peace offerings. These were animals given to God as gifts.

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.

18When David had finished giving the offerings, he blessed the people. He blessed them in the name of the Lord of armies.

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.

19Then he gave food to every man and woman in the huge crowd. Each person got a loaf of bread, a date cake, and a raisin cake. After that, everyone went home.

NoteThe KJV says "a good piece of flesh" and "a flagon of wine." The old Hebrew words mean a pressed cake of dates and a pressed cake of raisins, not meat and a drink.

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!

20David went home to bless his own family. Michal, Saul's daughter, came out to meet him. She said, "What a grand king Israel had today! You uncovered yourself in front of your servants' slave girls. You acted like a rude, worthless man."

NoteMichal says "How glorious was the king of Israel to day." She means the opposite of what she says. She is making fun of David.

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.

21David said to Michal, "I was dancing for the Lord. He chose me instead of your father and his whole family. He made me ruler over his people Israel. So I will keep celebrating 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.

22"I will make myself even lower than this. I will be small in my own eyes. But those slave girls you spoke of will honor me."

NoteIn 1611 English, "vile" and "base" meant low or humble. They did not mean wicked. David is saying he will make himself even more lowly.

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

23So Michal, Saul's daughter, never had a child for the rest of her life.