David Sets out for the Ark
6 1 Once again David gathered all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand. 2 David set out with all his people from Baale-judah to bring up from there the ark of our Father, called by the Name, the name of the Father of heaven's armies seated on the cherubim. 3 They put the ark of our Father on a new cart and brought it from Abinadab's house on the hill; Uzzah and Ahio, sons of Abinadab, drove the new cart. 4 with the ark of our Father, and Ahio walked ahead of the ark.
5 David and all Israel's house celebrated before our Father with all their might—songs, lyres, harps, tambourines, castanets, and cymbals.
6 When they arrived at Nacon's threshing floor, Uzzah reached out and grabbed our Father's ark, for the oxen had stumbled. 7 The anger of our Father burned against Uzzah; he struck him there for his irreverence, and he died there beside the ark of our Father. a a v7 Our Father had given careful instructions for carrying the ark; this tragedy reveals the weight of his holy presence among his people, not a Father eager to strike his children. 8 David was angry that our Father broke out against Uzzah; the place is still called Perez-uzzah today. b b v8 Perez-uzzah means "the outbreak against Uzzah" — the place was named for what happened there. 9 David feared our Father that day and said, "How can the ark of our Father come to me?" 10 David refused to bring the ark of our Father into the City of David, taking it instead to Obed-edom the Gittite's house. 11 The ark of our Father stayed three months in Obed-edom the Gittite's house, and our Father blessed Obed-edom and his whole household.
12 King David was told, "Our Father has blessed Obed-edom's household and all he owns because of the ark." So David went and brought the ark of our Father up from Obed-edom's house to the city of David, rejoicing.
13 When those carrying our Father's ark had gone six steps, David sacrificed an ox and a fattened calf. 14 Then David danced before our Father with all his might, wearing a linen ephod. c c v14 A linen ephod was a simple priestly tunic — practical for worship, but not the formal robes expected of a king. 15 David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of our Father with shouts and ram's-horn blasts.
Michal's Contempt for David
16 As the ark of our Father entered David's city, Michal, Saul's daughter, looked down from the window and saw King David leaping and dancing before our Father—and despised him in her heart. 17 They brought in the ark of our Father, set it in its place inside the tent David had pitched for it, and David offered burnt and peace offerings before our Father. 18 Once David finished offering burnt offerings and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Father of heaven's armies. 19 He gave all the people — Israel's whole crowd, man and woman alike — one loaf of bread, one date cake, and one raisin cake. Then everyone went, each to his own home.
20 When David returned to bless his own household, Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet him and said, "How the king of Israel has honored himself today, uncovering himself before the eyes of the household servant girls, as any vulgar man would shamelessly uncover himself!"
21 David told Michal, "Before our Father, who chose me over your father and all his house to make me ruler over our Father's people, over Israel—so I will celebrate before him." 22 I will humble myself even more than this, low in my own eyes; but with the maidservants you spoke of, with them I will be honored.
23 And Michal the daughter of Saul had no child until the day she died.
