Moving the Ark to Jerusalem
1 Then David again gathered all the elite troops in Israel, 30,000 in all.
2 He led them to Baalah of Judahto bring back the Ark of God, which bears the name of theLordof Heaven’s Armies,who is enthroned between the cherubim.
3 They placed the Ark of God on a new cart and brought it from Abinadab’s house, which was on a hill. Uzzah and Ahio, Abinadab’s sons, were guiding the cart
4 that carried the Ark of God.Ahio walked in front of the Ark.
5 David and all the people of Israel were celebrating before theLord, singing songsand playing all kinds of musical instruments—lyres, harps, tambourines, castanets, and cymbals.
6 But when they arrived at the threshing floor of Nacon, the oxen stumbled, and Uzzah reached out his hand and steadied the Ark of God.
7 Then theLord’s anger was aroused against Uzzah, and God struck him dead because of this.So Uzzah died right there beside the Ark of God.
8 David was angry because theLord’s anger had burst out against Uzzah. He named that place Perez-uzzah (which means “to burst out against Uzzah”), as it is still called today.
9 David was now afraid of theLord, and he asked, “How can I ever bring the Ark of theLordback into my care?”
10 So David decided not to move the Ark of theLordinto the City of David. Instead, he took it to the house of Obed-edom of Gath.
11 The Ark of theLordremained there in Obed-edom’s house for three months, and theLordblessed Obed-edom and his entire household.
12 Then King David was told, “TheLordhas blessed Obed-edom’s household and everything he has because of the Ark of God.” So David went there and brought the Ark of God from the house of Obed-edom to the City of David with a great celebration.
13 After the men who were carrying the Ark of theLordhad gone six steps, David sacrificed a bull and a fattened calf.
14 And David danced before theLordwith all his might, wearing a priestly garment.
15 So David and all the people of Israel brought up the Ark of theLordwith shouts of joy and the blowing of rams’ horns.
Michal’s Contempt for David
16 But as the Ark of theLordentered the City of David, Michal, the daughter of Saul, looked down from her window. When she saw King David leaping and dancing before theLord, she was filled with contempt for him.
17 They brought the Ark of theLordand set it in its place inside the special tent David had prepared for it. And David sacrificed burnt offerings and peace offerings to theLord.
18 When he had finished his sacrifices, David blessed the people in the name of theLordof Heaven’s Armies.
19 Then he gave to every Israelite man and woman in the crowd a loaf of bread, a cake of dates,and a cake of raisins. Then all the people returned to their homes.
20 When David returned home to bless his own family, Michal, the daughter of Saul, came out to meet him. She said in disgust, “How distinguished the king of Israel looked today, shamelessly exposing himself to the servant girls like any vulgar person might do!”
21 David retorted to Michal, “I was dancing before theLord, who chose me above your father and all his family! He appointed me as the leader of Israel, the people of theLord, so I celebrate before theLord.
22 Yes, and I am willing to look even more foolish than this, even to be humiliated in my own eyes! But those servant girls you mentioned will indeed think I am distinguished!”
23 So Michal, the daughter of Saul, remained childless throughout her entire life.
—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/6/32k/2SA/6-36b0263f35cb3fcad1872af72c771184.mp3?version_id=116—