II Samuel 6

1David again assembled all the best soldiers in Israel, thirty thousand strong.

2Then David and all the troops that were with him set out from Baalim of Judah to bring up from there the Ark of God to which the Name was attached, the name GOD of Hosts Enthroned on the Cherubim.

3They loaded the Ark of God onto a new cart and conveyed it from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill; and Abinadab’s sons, Uzza and Ahio, guided the new cart.

4They conveyed it from Abinadab’s house on the hill, [Uzza walking] alongside the Ark of God and Ahio walking in front of the Ark.

5Meanwhile, David and all the House of Israel danced before GOD to [the sound of] all kinds of cypress wood [instruments], with lyres, harps, hand-drums, sistrums, and cymbals.

6But when they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah reached out for the Ark of God and grasped it, for the oxen had stumbled.

7GOD was incensed at Uzzah. And God struck him down on the spot for his indiscretion, and he died there beside the Ark of God.

8David was distressed because GOD had inflicted a breach upon Uzzah; and that place was named Perez-uzzah, as it is still called.

9David was afraid of GOD that day; he said, “How can I let the Ark of GOD come to me?”

10So David would not bring the Ark of GOD to his place in the City of David; instead, David diverted it to the house of Obed-edom the Gittite.

11The Ark of GOD remained in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite three months, and GOD blessed Obed-edom and his whole household.

12It was reported to King David: “GOD has blessed Obed-edom’s house and all that belongs to him because of the Ark of God.” Thereupon David went and brought up the Ark of God from the house of Obed-edom to the City of David, amid rejoicing.

13When the bearers of the Ark of GOD had moved forward six paces, he sacrificed an ox and a fatling.

14David whirled with all his might before GOD; David was girt with a linen ephod.

15Thus David and all the House of Israel brought up the Ark of GOD with shouts and with blasts of the horn.

16As the Ark of GOD entered the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul looked out of the window and saw King David leaping and whirling before GOD; and she despised him for it.

17They brought in the Ark of GOD and set it up in its place inside the tent that David had pitched for it, and David sacrificed burnt offerings and offerings of well-being before GOD.

18When David finished sacrificing the burnt offerings and the offerings of well-being, he blessed the people in the name of GOD of Hosts.

19And he distributed among all the people—the entire multitude of Israel, man and woman alike—to each a loaf of bread, a cake made in a pan, and a raisin cake. Then all the people left for their homes.

20David went home to greet his household. And Michal daughter of Saul came out to meet David and said, “Didn’t the king of Israel do himself honor today—exposing himself today in the sight of the maidservants of his subjects, as one of the riffraff might expose himself!”

21David answered Michal, “It was before GOD—who chose me instead of your father and all his family and appointed me ruler over Israel, GOD’s people! I will dance before GOD

22and dishonor myself even more, and be low in my own esteem; but among the maidservants that you speak of I will be honored.”

23So to her dying day Michal daughter of Saul had no children.