2 Samuel 6

1David again gathered all the chosen of Israel, thirty thousand.

2David arose and went with all the people who were with him from Baale of Judah to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the name of Yahweh of hosts who sits above the cherubim.

3They set the ark of God on a new cart and carried it out from Abinadab's house in Gibeah, while Uzzah and Ahio, Abinadab's sons, drove the new cart.

4They carried it from Abinadab's house, which was on Gibeah with the ark of God, and Ahio went before the ark.

5David and all the house of Israel made merry before Yahweh with all fir-wood instruments—harps, lyres, tambourines, castanets, and cymbals.

6They came to Nachon's threshing floor, and Uzzah reached toward the ark of God and seized it because the cattle stumbled.

7Yahweh's anger burned against Uzzah, and God struck him there because of his rashness; there he died beside the ark of God.

8David was angry because Yahweh had broken a breach against Uzzah, and he called that place Perez Uzzah to this day.

9David feared Yahweh that day and said, "How can the ark of Yahweh come to me?"

10David was unwilling to bring the ark of Yahweh with him into the city of David, but he turned it aside to the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite.

11The ark of Yahweh remained in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite three months, and Yahweh blessed Obed-Edom and his whole house.

12King David was told that Yahweh had blessed Obed-Edom's house and everything belonging to him because of God's ark, so he went and brought up God's ark from Obed-Edom's house to David's city with joy.

13It came about that when those carrying the ark of Yahweh had taken six steps, he sacrificed an ox and a fatling.

14David danced before Yahweh with all his strength, and David wore a linen ephod.

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

16As the ark of Yahweh entered David's city, Michal, Saul's daughter, looked out through the window and saw King David leaping and dancing before Yahweh; she despised him in her heart.

17They brought the ark of Yahweh and set it in its place amid the tent that David had pitched for it; then David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before Yahweh.

18When David had finished offering the burnt offering and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of Yahweh of hosts.

19He distributed to all the people, to the whole multitude of Israel, both men and women, to each man one cake of bread, one good piece, and one flagon. Then all the people departed, each to his house.

20David returned to bless his household. Michal daughter of Saul came out to meet David and said, "How honored Israel's king was today, who uncovered himself today before the eyes of his servants' maidservants, like one of the vain ones shamelessly uncovering himself!"

21David said to Michal, "It was before Yahweh, who chose me over your father and over everyone in his house to install me as ruler over Yahweh's people, over Israel; therefore I will rejoice before Yahweh."

22I will make myself even more contemptible than this, and I will be low in my own sight; but with the handmaids whom you spoke of, with them I will be honored.

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