6:1 David again gathered1 all the chosen men in Israel, thirty thousand in number. 6:2 David and all the men who were with him traveled2 from Baalah in Judah in order to bring up from there the ark of God which is called by the name3 of the LORD of hosts who resides with the cherubim that are on it. 6:3 They positioned the ark of God on a new cart and carried it from the house of Abinadab which was in Gibeah. Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, were leading the new cart. 6:4 As they took it up with the ark of God from the house of Aminadab which was in Gibeah, Ahio was walking in front of the ark. 6:5 David and all the house of Israel were having a good time before the LORD with all kinds of musical instruments made from fir,4 harps, lyres, tambourines, rattles, and cymbals.
6:6 As they approached the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah stretched out his hand toward the ark of God and grasped it, because the oxen had stumbled. 6:7 The LORD then became angry with Uzzah, and God struck him there for his negligence.5 He died right there next to the ark of God.
6:8 Then David became angry because the LORD had so severely broken forth against Uzzah. To this very day that place is known as Perez Uzzah.6 6:9 David feared the LORD on that day saying, “How can the ark of the LORD come to me?” 6:10 And David was no longer willing to bring the ark of the LORD to him in the city of David. David instead turned it aside to the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite. 6:11 The ark of the LORD remained at the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite for three months. And the LORD blessed Obed-Edom and all his house.
6:12 When it was related to David that the LORD had blessed the house of Obed-Edom and everything that he possessed because of the ark of God, David went and joyously brought the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the city of David. 6:13 It so happened that when the carriers of the ark of the LORD took six paces they would sacrifice an ox and a fattling. 6:14 And David was dancing with all his strength before the LORD, gird7 with a linen ephod. 6:15 So David and all the house8 of Israel were bringing up the ark of the LORD with joy and amid the sound of the horn.9 6:16 When10 the ark of the LORD came to the city of David, Michal the daughter of Saul looked out the window and saw king David leaping and dancing before the LORD, and she felt contempt for him in her heart.
6:17 So David brought the ark of the LORD and positioned it in its place11 in the midst of the tent that he had pitched for it. Then David offered whole burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD. 6:18 When David finished offering whole burnt offerings and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD of hosts. 6:19 He then apportioned to all the people—all this crowd of Israel—to both man and woman a portion of bread, a date-cake,12 and a raisin-cake apiece. Then all the people went each to his own home. 6:20 When David returned to bless his own home, Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet him.13 She said, “How the king of Israel has distinguished himself this day! He has bared himself today in the presence of his servants’ maidens the way a bum might do!”
6:21 David replied to Michal, “It is in the presence of the LORD who chose me over your father and all his house, appointing me as a leader over Israel the LORD’s people, that I was having a good time in the LORD’s presence. 6:22 But I will be yet more reckless than this! Not only will I be humiliated in my own estimation, but even with the maidens of whom you spoke let me be distinguished!”
6:23 Now Michal the daughter of Saul had no child right up to the day of her death.