| Back to Home Page | Back to Book Index
|
2 Samuel
Chapter Six
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO SECOND SAMUEL 6
In
this chapter we are told that David fetched the ark from Baale of Judah, with
an intent to bring it to his own city, 2 Samuel 6:1; but
Uzzah being smitten for his error concerning it, David was displeased, and left
it at the house of Obededom, where it remained three months, and proved a
blessing to his house, 2 Samuel 6:6; which
David hearing of, went and brought it from thence with great expressions of joy
before it as it came along, and offered offerings to the Lord at the setting it
in its place, and gave gifts to the people, 2 Samuel 6:12; but
Michal his wife was displeased with some of his gestures on that occasion,
which made some difference between them, and which, on Michal's part, was
resented by the Lord himself; for she became barren for it to the time of her
death, 2 Samuel 6:20.
2 Samuel 6:1 Again
David gathered all the choice men of Israel, thirty thousand.
YLT
1And David gathered again
every chosen one in Israel, thirty thousand,
Again, David gathered together all the chosen men of
Israel, thirty thousand. Which was done by the advice of his officers, 1 Chronicles 13:1;
the word "again" refers either to the gathering of them when they
made him king in Hebron, as the Jewish writers generally observe; but then they
gathered themselves, and not David: or rather to his gathering them to fight
the Philistines a little while ago; and as they were the choice and young men
that were gathered for war, as being the fittest, so now to fetch up the ark
with dancing and singing, and to protect it; the Septuagint version says they
were about seventy thousand; but the Targum, Syriac, and Arabic versions, have
thirty thousand, agreeably to the Hebrew text.
2 Samuel 6:2 2 And David arose and went
with all the people who were with him from Baale Judah to bring up from
there the ark of God, whose name is called by the Name,[a] the Lord of Hosts, who
dwells between the cherubim.
YLT
2and David riseth and goeth,
and all the people who [are] with him, from Baale-Judah, to bring up thence the
ark of God, whose name hath been called -- the name of Jehovah of Hosts,
inhabiting the cherubs -- upon it.
And David arose, and went with all the people that were with
him,.... The thirty thousand chosen men gathered together, and as
many else as chose to go:
from Baale of Judah, to bring up from thence the ark of God; that is, they
first went to this place, as in 1 Chronicles 13:6;
in order to fetch the ark from thence, as here expressed, and then they came
from thence with it; this place is the same that is called Baalah and
Kirjathbaal, a city in the tribe of Judah; hence Judah is added to it, and the
same with Kirjathjearim, Joshua 15:9; the
place where it was brought to when fetched from Bethshemesh, 1 Samuel 7:1; and
had been here now near fifty years; nor was it any where else during this time,
only once at Gibeah of Saul with him, 1 Samuel 14:18;
whose name he called by the name of the Lord of hosts, that
dwelleth between the cherubim; not the ark, but the
Lord, whose is the ark; his name is called by the name of Jehovah, the infinite,
incomprehensible, eternal, and immutable Being, the Lord of armies above and
below; whose habitation was between the cherubim that overshadowed the mercy
seat, which was above the ark; all this is said, not only to express the
greatness and majesty of God, but for the honour of the ark, which belonged to
him.
2 Samuel 6:3 3 So they set the ark of God
on a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was on
the hill; and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drove the new cart.[b]
YLT
3And they cause the ark of
God to ride on a new cart, and lift it up from the house of Abinadab, which
[is] in the height, and Uzzah and Ahio sons of Abinadab are leading the new
cart;
And they set the ark of God upon a new cart,.... Which was
a great mistake, since it ought not to have been put upon a cart, old or new;
it was to be borne upon men's shoulders, and carried by Levites only, and those
of the family of Kohath, to whom no wagons were given, when others had them,
for the above reason, Numbers 7:9; it is
strange that so many priests and Levites, and of the people of Israel gathered
together on that account, and David also, so well versed in the law of God,
should not refer to it; perhaps they were led by the example of the
Philistines, who put it in a new cart, and set it forward towards Bethshemesh,
and were not punished for it; but it should have been considered they were an
ignorant Heathen people, and who had no proper persons among them to bear it,
and so might be dispensed with. This mistake was afterwards seen by David, and
rectified, 1 Chronicles 15:2;
wherefore there is no reason to charge the text with an error or escape, and
that the word "Kirjathjearim" is wanting, and to be supplied, as
SpinosaF4Tractat. Theol. Politic. c. 9. p. 176. suggests:
and brought it out, or "after they had brought it
out"F5וישאהו "quum
extulissent", Piscator. :
of the house of Abinadab that was in Gibeah; or which was
on the hill in Kirjathjearim, 1 Samuel 7:1,
and Uzzah and Ahio the sons of Abinadab drew the new cart; perhaps not
only Abinadab himself was dead, but Eleazar also, his eldest son, who was
sanctified to keep the ark, as in 1 Samuel 7:1; and
these might be his younger sons who at this time had the care of it, and it may
be especially Uzzah.
2 Samuel 6:4 4 And they brought it out of
the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill, accompanying the ark of
God; and Ahio went before the ark.
YLT
4and they lift it up from
the house of Abinadab, which [is] in the height, with the ark of God, and Ahio
is going before the ark,
And they brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was
at Gibeah,.... That is, the new cart, which is the last thing spoken of, 2 Samuel 6:3; and
the bringing of the ark out of his house is mentioned before; though some take
this to be the coffer in which were the presents of the Philistines, which was
now brought out along with the ark, see 1 Samuel 6:8,
accompanying the ark of God; or "with the ark of
God"F6עם ארון
האלהים "cum arca Dei", Pagninus, Montanus,
Tigurine version, Piscator. ; that is, they brought the new cart
"from" the house of Abinadab on the hill, with the ark of God upon
it:
and Ahio went before the ark; guiding the oxen that
drew it, and Uzzah might go behind, or on one side, to take care that the ark
fell not out of it.
2 Samuel 6:5 5 Then David and all the
house of Israel played music before the Lord on all kinds
of instruments of fir wood, on harps, on stringed instruments, on
tambourines, on sistrums, and on cymbals.
YLT
5and David and all the house
of Israel are playing before Jehovah, with all kinds of [instruments] of
fir-wood, even with harps, and with psalteries, and with timbrels, and with
cornets, and with cymbals.
And David and all the house of Israel played before the Lord,.... That is,
before the ark, which was a symbol of the presence of the Lord:
on all manner of instruments made of fir wood: which is a
general expression, the particulars follow; though instruments of different
sorts are mentioned, and even some of metal, as cymbals, which were vessels of
brass, they struck one against another, and gave a very acute sound, being
hollowF7Suidas in voce κυμβαλα.
:
even on harps, and on psalteries, and on timbrels, and on cornets,
and on cymbals; harps, psalteries, and timbrels, are frequently met with;
cornets, according to Kimchi, are such sort of instruments, that in playing
upon them it required an agitation of the whole body. Now it was that David
penned the sixty eighth psalm, which begins, "let God arise", &c.
Psalm 68:1, words
used by Moses when the ark set forward, Numbers 10:35.
2 Samuel 6:6 6 And when they came to
Nachon’s threshing floor, Uzzah put out his hand to the ark of God and
took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled.
YLT
6And they come unto the
threshing-floor of Nachon, and Uzzah putteth forth [his hand] unto the ark of
God, and layeth hold on it, for they released the oxen;
And when they came to Nachon's threshingfloor,.... Who is
called Chidon, 1 Chronicles 13:9;
he seems to have had two names; or it was a place that had two names, as say
the JewsF8T. Bab Sotah, fol. 35. 2. ; according to a tradition of
theirsF9Hieron. Trad. Heb. in lib. Paralipom. fol. 83. G. , Chidon
is the name of the place where it was said to Joshua, stretch out the spear or
shield in thine hand towards Ai, Joshua 8:18; so
indeed the word signifies, nor was it unusual to stretch out the shield as a
signal on occasion. Thus Aeneas lifted up his shield in his left hand, as a
token to his Trojans that he was come to relieve themF11Virgil.
Aeneid. 10. ver. 261, 262. Vid. Diodor. Sic. l. 20. p. 787. : where this
threshingfloor was is not said; some sayF12Gloss. in T. Bab. Sotah,
fol. 35. 3. it was the threshingfloor of Araunah the Jebusite; it could not be
far from Jerusalem, since Baalejudah or Kirjathjearim was but about a mile from
it, according to BuntingF13Travels, &c. p. 138. , from whence
they fetched the ark:
Uzzah put forth his hand to the ark of God, and took hold of it; to keep it
from falling: the reason was:
for the oxen shook it; the same word is used in
1 Chronicles 13:9;
and there it is rendered, "for the oxen stumbled"; and by their
stumbling the cart was shaken, and the ark in it, and in danger of falling, as
Uzzah thought: or "the oxen shook", for the word "it" is a
supplement; they shook as if their members were plucking asunder and parting,
as Kimchi expresses it, because of the holiness of the ark; as if they were
sensible it was wrong for them to draw it, when it ought to have been carried
on the shoulders of Levites; and by this way, as well as by the death of Uzzah
the error committed was pointed out: but others render it, "for the oxen
stuck in the clay"F14כי שמטו הבקר "nam luto
haeserunt boves", Noldius, p. 396. No. 1343. so Bochart. Hierozoic. par.
1. l. 2. c. 37. col. 374. ex Arabica Lingua. , and could not go on; which Uzzah
observing, and fearing that in their struggle to get out the cart should be
overturned, or that the procession would be retarded too much, took hold of the
ark to take it out, and carry it the remainder of the way, it not being far
from Jerusalem.
2 Samuel 6:7 7 Then the anger of the Lord was aroused
against Uzzah, and God struck him there for his error; and he died there
by the ark of God.
YLT
7and the anger of Jehovah
burneth against Uzzah, and God smiteth him there for the error, and he dieth
there by the ark of God.
And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah,.... And which
was manifest by smiting him:
and God smote him there for his error; committed at
this time, which was complicated; as that the ark was put upon a cart, to which
he might be the chief adviser, as Procopius Gazaeus notes, when it should have
been carried on the shoulders of the Levites; and that be touched it with his
hand, which none but priests might do, supposing him to be a Levite, which it
is not clear he was, however not a Kohathite; and he took hold of it in order
to carry it in his arms, which even Levites, and those Kohathites, might not
do, but with staves put into it, which only they were to hold; and besides, as
Abarbinel observes, he showed little faith in the power and providence of God,
as if he could not take care of the ark without him:
and there he died by the ark of God; directly, upon the spot,
by the side of it; whether he was struck by lightning, or in what way, cannot
be said; however, he died by the immediate hand of God, in token of his
displeasure: and this shows that it is dangerous in matters of worship to act
contrary to the command of God, even in things that may seem small and trivial;
and though what may be done may be done with a good intention, as this was, yet
that will not excuse the sin; nor are those who are the most forward and
zealous in religious matters exempted from marks of God's displeasure when they
go wrong.
2 Samuel 6:8 8 And David became angry
because of the Lord’s
outbreak against Uzzah; and he called the name of the place Perez Uzzah[c] to this
day.
YLT
8And it is displeasing to
David, because that Jehovah hath broken forth a breach upon Uzzah, and [one]
calleth that place Perez-Uzzah, unto this day;
And David was displeased, because the Lord had made a breach upon
Uzzah,.... He could not easily submit, and be reconciled to the
providence; his heart was ready to rise up against God, and murmur at him for
striking him dead in such an awful manner, for so small a matter as this might
seem to be; and the rather, as this put a stop to the procession, and cast a
damp upon their joy and mirth on this occasion, and might seem to be an ill
omen to David, and be improved by his enemies against him:
and he called the name of the place Perezuzzah unto this day; the name he
gave the place, which signifies "the breach of Uzzah", continued to
the time of writing this book.
2 Samuel 6:9 9 David was afraid of the Lord that day; and
he said, “How can the ark of the Lord come to me?”
YLT
9and David feareth Jehovah
on that day, and saith, `How doth the ark of Jehovah come in unto me?'
And David was afraid of the Lord that day,.... Lest he
should be smitten for his error also, and especially as he had discovered some
resentment at the Lord's dealing with Uzzah; when he ought to have been still
and quiet, and submitted to the will of God, and owned his justice in it,
confessed his own error, and been thankful for his sparing mercy vouchsafed to
him:
and said, how shall the ark of the Lord come to me? the meaning
of which is not, how it should be brought to the place provided by him in
Jerusalem, now Uzzah was dead, for there were Levites enough to carry it, as
they afterwards did; but as signifying that it would be either boldness and
presumption in him to do it, since God had shown such a mark of his displeasure
at their proceeding, that he might be in doubt whether it was the will of God
it should come to him; or as fearing it would be dangerous to him to have it
with him, since he might be guilty of such an error, of the same, or like it,
that had been committed.
2 Samuel 6:10 10 So David would not move
the ark of the Lord
with him into the City of David; but David took it aside into the house of Obed-Edom
the Gittite.
YLT
10And David hath not been
willing to turn aside unto himself the ark of Jehovah, to the city of David,
and David turneth it aside to the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite,
So David would not remove the ark of the Lord unto him into the
city of David,.... As yet, but wait a little longer, until he had more
thoroughly considered of it, and made himself acquainted with everything
relative to the ark, that he might know how to behave for the future, without
giving offence:
but David carried it aside into the house of Obededom the Gittite; which was
close by, on one side of the place where they were; this man was a Levite, as
appears from his being afterwards appointed to be doorkeeper for the ark, and
to sing praise before it, and so a proper person to commit the care of it to, 1 Chronicles 15:18;
he is called a Gittite, either because he had sojourned in Gath some time, or
rather because he was of Gathrimmon, a city of the Levites, Joshua 21:24.
2 Samuel 6:11 11 The ark of the Lord remained in
the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite three months. And the Lord blessed
Obed-Edom and all his household.
YLT
11and the ark of Jehovah doth
inhabit the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite three months, and Jehovah blesseth
Obed-Edom and all his house.
And the ark of the Lord continued in the house of Obededom the
Gittite three months,.... David, and those with him, returned to their habitations,
where they continued during this time:
and the Lord blessed Obededom, and all his household; him, and all
his family, with spiritual blessings, and with an affluence of temporal good
things; for godliness has the promise of this life, and of that which is to
come; men are not losers but gainers, even in things temporal, for their
attachment to the cause of religion, and the service of God, and their regard
to that in their own houses, as well as in the house of God. JosephusF15Antiqu.
l. 7. c. 4. sect. 2. says, that Obededom was very poor before, and in a low
condition, out of which he soon emerged, and came into affluent circumstances,
so as to be taken notice of by his neighbours, and reported abroad; by which
means David came to the hearing of it, as follows.
2 Samuel 6:12 12 Now it was told King
David, saying, “The Lord
has blessed the house of Obed-Edom and all that belongs to him, because
of the ark of God.” So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house
of Obed-Edom to the City of David with gladness.
YLT
12And it is declared to king
David, saying, `Jehovah hath blessed the house of Obed-Edom, and all that he
hath, because of the ark of God;' and David goeth and bringeth up the ark of
God from the house of Obed-Edom to the city of David with joy.
And it was told King David,.... By some of his
courtiers who had heard of it:
saying, the Lord hath blessed the house of Obededom, and all that pertaineth
unto him, because of the ark of the Lord; it was so suddenly, in
so short a time, and so largely, that it could not escape the notice and
observation of men that knew him; and this increase was not in any natural way
by which it could be accounted for; so that it could be ascribed to no other
cause but the blessing of God, and that on account of the ark of God that was
with him; nothing else could be thought of:
so David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of
Obededom into the city of David with gladness: being animated and
encouraged by the blessing of God on the house of Obededom, because of it, and
thereby freed from those slavish fears he was before possessed of, and filled
with hopes of being blessed also on account of it; if not with temporal
blessings, he needed not, yet with spiritual ones.
2 Samuel 6:13 13 And so it was, when those
bearing the ark of the Lord
had gone six paces, that he sacrificed oxen and fatted sheep.
YLT
13And it cometh to pass, when
those bearing the ark of Jehovah have stepped six steps, that he sacrificeth an
ox and a fatling.
And it was so, that when they that bare the ark of the Lord,.... The
Levites; for now David had seen the former mistake, and rectified it, and
ordered the Levites to "carry" it, as they did upon their shoulders,
with the staves therein, see 1 Chronicles 15:2;
when these
had gone six paces, he sacrificed oxen and fatlings; upon an
altar, which was at once erected for that purpose; the number and kind of
sacrifices offered were seven bullocks and seven rams, 1 Chronicles 15:26;
and these David offered, not by himself, but by the priests that were with him,
and that as soon as they had gone six paces from the house of Obededom; whereby
they perceived the Levites, were able to carry the ark, with what was in it,
the Lord helping them, as in 1 Chronicles 15:2,
and without stumbling and falling, or any evil attending them; and Kimchi
thinks these six paces were just the measure of the ground Uzzah went before
what befell him; but it is highly probable that he had gone further; however,
no doubt by the order of David, the Levites set down the ark, and sacrifices
were offered by way of thanksgiving to God, and for the continuance of his goodness,
and for atonement for former errors. Some think these seven oxen and rams were
offered, at seven different times and places, at every six paces an ox and a
ram; but this is not very likely.
2 Samuel 6:14 14 Then David danced before
the Lord
with all his might; and David was wearing a linen ephod.
YLT
14And David is dancing with
all strength before Jehovah, and David is girded with a linen ephod,
And David danced before the Lord with all his might,.... That is,
before the ark of the Lord; not a set dance, or along with others; but he
leaped and skipped as "car", a lamb, does, and that for joy that the
ark was like to be brought home to his house, without any token of the divine
displeasure, as before; the Targum is,"he praised before the Lord with all
his might;'exerted himself to the uttermost in singing the praises of God
vocally, or by playing on an instrument; to which sense are the Septuagint,
Syriac, and Arabic versions, which is approved of by CastelF16Lexic.
col. 1793. ; who observes, it nowhere appears to have been a custom to dance
before the ark; but it might be now done, though not usual, and therefore was
observed by Michal with contempt, 2 Samuel 6:16; a
later writerF17Hackman. Praecidan. Sacr. p. 156, 157. shows that
dancing is the proper sense of the word:
and David was girded with a linen ephod; which others,
besides priests, sometimes wore, as Samuel did, and which David might choose to
appear in, rather than in his royal robes, as being more agreeable to the
service of God, and lighter for him both to walk and dance in on this occasion.
2 Samuel 6:15 15 So David and all the house
of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting and with
the sound of the trumpet.
YLT
15and David and all the house
of Israel are bringing up the ark of Jehovah with shouting, and with the voice
of a trumpet,
So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the
Lord,.... The elders of Israel, and the captains over thousands, 1 Chronicles 15:25;
besides the common people; there might be as large a number with him now as
before:
with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet; with the
shouts of the people in common, and with blowing of trumpets by those who were
appointed for that purpose, and with other instruments of music, see 1 Chronicles 15:27;
Josephus saysF18Antiqu. l. 7. c. 4. sect. 2. , that seven choirs
went before the priests bearing the ark, as the king commanded, he himself
playing on the harp; so the Septuagint version.
2 Samuel 6:16 16 Now 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 whirling before the Lord; and she despised him in
her heart.
YLT
16and it hath come to pass,
the ark of Jehovah hath come in to the city of David, and Michal daughter of
Saul, hath looked through the window, and seeth king David moving and dancing
before Jehovah, and despiseth him in her heart.
And as the ark of the Lord came into the city of David,.... Being
brought thither on the shoulders of the Levites:
Michal, Saul's daughter, looked through a window; in the king's
palace, to see the procession, which was very grand, and in great pomp,
attended by a vast number of people, and with music of all sorts. She is said
to be Saul's daughter, though David's wife, as having a good deal of her
father's haughty temper and disposition, as appears by what follows:
and saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord; the ark of
the Lord, by these outward gestures expressing the inward joy of his heart on
this occasion:
and she despised him in her heart; as acting a mean part,
quite beneath himself, and unbecoming his royal dignity.
2 Samuel 6:17 17 So they brought the ark of
the Lord,
and set it in its place in the midst of the tabernacle that David had erected
for it. Then David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord.
YLT
17And they bring in the ark
of Jehovah, and set it up in its place, in the midst of the tent which David
hath spread out for it, and David causeth to ascend burnt-offerings before
Jehovah, and peace-offerings.
And they brought in the ark of the Lord,.... Into the
city of David, the strong hold of Zion:
and set it in his place, in the midst of the tabernacle that David
had pitched for it: or "stretched out"; for this was not the tabernacle of
Moses, David pitched any where; that was at this time at Gibeon, where it
continued to the time of Solomon, 1 Chronicles 21:29;
but this was a curtain, or curtains, which he had stretched out or drawn around
for the ark to be pitched in the midst of; and this was not in his own house,
for he is afterwards said to go to that, but somewhere in Jerusalem or the city
of David:
and David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the
Lord; that is, before the ark, and that by way of thanksgiving for its
being brought safe thither, without any error or mistake on the side of him,
the Levites, and the people, and without offence to God, and any mark of his
displeasure as before. This must be supposed to be done by priests, and not by
David himself, who was no priest.
2 Samuel 6:18 18 And when David had
finished offering burnt offerings and peace offerings, he blessed the people in
the name of the Lord
of hosts.
YLT
18And David finisheth from
causing to ascend the burnt-offering, and the peace-offerings, and blesseth the
people in the name of Jehovah of Hosts,
And as soon as David had made an end of offering burnt offerings
and peace offerings,.... Or these were performed according to his order:
he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of hosts; not as a
priest, but as a prince, as the common father of them, wishing them all
happiness and prosperity outward and inward, praying to God to bless them with
all blessings temporal and spiritual, who is the God of armies above and below,
and can do what he pleases, and more than his people can ask or think.
2 Samuel 6:19 19 Then he distributed among
all the people, among the whole multitude of Israel, both the women and the
men, to everyone a loaf of bread, a piece of meat, and a cake of
raisins. So all the people departed, everyone to his house.
YLT
19and he apportioneth to all
the people, to all the multitude of Israel, from man even unto woman, to each,
one cake of bread, and one eshpar, and one ashisha, and all the people go, each
to his house.
And he dealt among all the people,.... Gave a dole unto
them, divided among them:
even among the
whole multitude of Israel: and if there were so many as at first,
there were thirty thousand of them, 2 Samuel 6:1; and
perhaps more, since it follows:
as well to the women as men; to both the one and the
other; and the women, it is very probable, were not among those that went to
fetch the ark, but assembled to attend the entrance of it into the city, and
were present at the solemnities of its settlement:
to everyone a cake of bread; or a loaf of bread, of
what quantity is not said, no doubt sufficient for anyone person, or more:
and a good piece of flesh: not only that was good
in quality, but large in quantity, a very large piece of it; the Jews sayF19T.
Bab. Pesachim, fol. 36. 3. the sixth part of a bullock, they dividing it into
six parts as we into four quarters; but it is not likely that such a quantity
of flesh should be given to each person:
and a flagon of wine; but what such a vessel
held cannot be said, though at least we may suppose it equal to a bottle of
ours, or more; see Song of Solomon 2:5,
so all the people departed everyone to his house; to refresh
themselves with the provisions David had given them.
2 Samuel 6:20 20 Then 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 today, uncovering himself today
in the eyes of the maids of his servants, as one of the base fellows
shamelessly uncovers himself!”
YLT
20And David turneth back to
bless his house, and Michal daughter of Saul goeth out to meet David, and
saith, `How honourable to-day was the king of Israel, who was uncovered to-day
before the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain ones is
openly uncovered!'
Then David returned to bless his household,.... His wife,
children, and servants, to wish all happiness to them on this occasion, and
pray to God for blessings on them temporal and spiritual. This was done when he
came from the place where the ark was set, and was come to his own palace:
and Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David; before he had
gotten quite to his own house:
and said, how glorious was the king of Israel today; which she
spoke in an ironical jeering way, meaning the reverse, how inglorious, mean,
and despicable he had made himself to be, by his airs and gestures:
who uncovered himself today in the eyes of the handmaids of his
servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovereth himself! because he
had put off his royal robes, and put on a linen ephod; for that he had stripped
himself naked cannot be supposed, nor do her words import so much though a
passionate exaggeration of the case.
2 Samuel 6:21 21 So David said to Michal, “It
was before the Lord,
who chose me instead of your father and all his house, to appoint me ruler over
the people of the Lord,
over Israel. Therefore I will play music before the Lord.
YLT
21And David saith unto
Michal, `-- Before Jehovah, who fixed on me above thy father, and above all his
house, to appoint me leader over the people of Jehovah, and over Israel, --
yea, I played before Jehovah;
And David said unto Michal, it was before the Lord,.... Before
the ark of the Lord, what was done was done there; she upbraided him with his
dancing and singing, which was designed for the honour and glory of God, and in
thankfulness to him for the bringing the ark to his city, and therefore she
ought not to have reproached him with it, and he adds:
which chose me before thy father, and before all his house; see 1 Samuel 13:14;
which he observed to humble her pride, and mortify her, as well as to remark
the distinguishing goodness of God to him, which laid him under obligation to
express his thankfulness to him in every shape:
to appoint me ruler over the people of the Lord, over Israel; which was a
high honour conferred upon him, and required the utmost gratitude:
therefore will I play before the Lord; upon the
harp, or praise before him, as the Targum, sing his praise before the ark, unto
any instrument of music, without once imagining I disgrace myself, on the
contrary think it to be the highest honour to me to be employed in such
service.
2 Samuel 6:22 22 And I will be even more
undignified than this, and will be humble in my own sight. But as for the
maidservants of whom you have spoken, by them I will be held in honor.”
YLT
22and I have been more vile
than this, and have been low in mine eyes, and with the handmaids whom thou
hast spoken of, with them I am honoured.'
And I will yet be more vile than thus,.... If this
is to be vile, I will endeavour to be viler still; if to dance before the ark,
and sing the praises of God, be reckoned a lessening of me, I will more and
more be found in doing such things, or what is similar to them:
and will be base in mine own sight: humble himself, and lie
low in his own eyes, admiring the grace and goodness of God to him, thinking he
could never condescend too low to exalt the Lord, and magnify the riches of his
goodness:
and of the maidservants which thou hast spoken of, of them shall I
be had in honour; who the more humble I am, and the more I condescend, by laying
aside all state in acts of devotion and religion, the more shall I be honoured
and spoken well of by them.
2 Samuel 6:23 23 Therefore Michal the
daughter of Saul had no children to the day of her death.
YLT
23As to Michal daughter of
Saul, she had no child till the day of her death.
Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no child until the day
of her death. The children she brought up for Adriel were not her own, but
adopted ones, or Adriel's by another woman, 2 Samuel 21:8;
however, she had none after this time, whatever she had before, and it does not
appear that she had any, though the Jews say she was Eglah, and Ithream her
son; see Gill on 2 Samuel 3:5. And
thus she that vilified David brought a reproach upon herself, as barrenness was
always reckoned, and no one descending from her arrived to royal dignity, and
sat on the throne of David; and so it was ordered in Providence, as Abarbinel
observes, that the seed of David and of Saul might not be mixed.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)