II Samuel 6 · The Lantern

David Fetches the Ark

And David again gathered all the chosen men in Israel — thirty thousand.

And David rose and went, with all the people who were with him, from Baale-judah, to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the Name — the name of the LORD of hosts, who sits enthroned on the cherubim above it.

And they mounted the ark of God on a new cart, and carried it from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill; and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, were driving the new cart.

And they carried it from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill, with the ark of God; and Ahio was walking before the ark.

Uzzah Touches the Ark

And David and all the house of Israel were celebrating before the LORD with all kinds of instruments of cypress wood — with lyres, and with harps, and with tambourines, and with rattles, and with cymbals.

And they came to the threshing floor of Nacon; and Uzzah reached out to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen had stumbled.

When the people of the Hebrews were bringing back the ark of the Lord to Jerusalem, Uzzah, from the house of Abinadab the Israelite, who had touched the side of the ark without having examined his conscience, was slain. And yet he had drawn near not to take anything from it but to hold it up when it was leaning because of the stumbling of a young ox.

They [the Galatians] had, in fact, only introduced one or two commandments, circumcision and the observance of days, but he [Paul] says that the gospel was subverted, in order to show that a slight adulteration vitiates the whole.

We read in the law that even those who seem to have acted lightly against the sacred commandments have, nevertheless, been punished most severely. This is that we might understand that nothing which pertains to God must be considered lightly, because even what seems to be very little in fault is made great by the injury to God.

And the anger of the LORD burned against Uzzah, and God struck him there for the offense; and he died there, beside the ark of God.

And it burned in David, because the LORD had burst out against Uzzah with a bursting; and he called that place Perez-uzzah, to this day.

And David was afraid of the LORD on that day, and he said, “How can the ark of the LORD come to me?”

And David was not willing to move the ark of the LORD to himself, to the city of David; and David diverted it to the house of Obed-edom the Gittite.

And the ark of the LORD stayed in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite three months; and the LORD blessed Obed-edom and all his house.

The Ark Brought to Jerusalem

And it was told to King David, saying, “The LORD has blessed the house of Obed-edom and all that is his, because of the ark of God.” And David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom to the city of David with joy.

And it was, when those carrying the ark of the LORD had stepped six steps, that he sacrificed an ox and a fatling.

And David was whirling with all his strength before the LORD; and David was girded with a linen ephod.

And that David danced before the Lord does in no way encourage faithful Christians to take seats in the theater. He did not distort his body in obscene movements and dance out the drama of Grecian libido.… Therefore, no approval whatever is given for spectators of illicit things.

For our vows are celebrated when the church is united to Christ, as John says: "The one who has the bride is the bridegroom." Because of this marriage, therefore, it behooves us to dance, for David, at once king and prophet, is also said to have danced before the ark of the covenant with much singing.

But because secret pride of heart is reproved by this, which Eliu says, "All who seem to themselves to be wise will not dare to contemplate Him"; it seems good to observe what great gifts of virtues David had obtained, and in all these with how firm a humility he maintained himself.

And David and all the house of Israel were bringing up the ark of the LORD with shouting and with the sound of the trumpet.

Michal’s Contempt for David

And it was, as the ark of the LORD came into the city of David, that Michal, Saul’s daughter, looked down through the window and saw King David leaping and whirling before the LORD — and she despised him in her heart.

And they brought in the ark of the LORD and set it in its place, in the middle of the tent that David had pitched for it; and David offered up burnt offerings before the LORD, and peace offerings.

And David finished offering up the burnt offering and the peace offerings, and he blessed the people in the name of the LORD of hosts.

And he distributed to all the people, to the whole multitude of Israel, from man to woman — to each one loaf of bread, and one date cake, and one raisin cake. And all the people went, each to his house.

And David returned to bless his house. And Michal, Saul’s daughter, came out to meet David and said, “How honored today was the king of Israel — who uncovered himself today in the eyes of his servants’ slave women, as one of the worthless fellows shamelessly uncovers himself!”

And David said to Michal: “It was before the LORD, who chose me over your father and over all his house, to appoint me leader over the people of the LORD, over Israel — before the LORD I celebrated.

And I will make myself lighter still than this, and be lowly in my own eyes; but with the slave women of whom you spoke — with them I will be honored.”