2 Samuel 6
1AGAIN David assembled all the young men of Israel, about seventy thousand.
2And David arose, and set out on his march, he and all the people with him, and some of the chiefs of Juda, to bring up thence the ark of God, which is called by the name of the Lord of hosts enthroned on the cherubims, which are on it.
3And having put the ark of the Lord in a new car, they brought it from the house of Aminadab, who dwelt on the mount. And Oza, and his brothers the sons of Aminadab, led the car with the ark.
4His brothers marched before the ark.
5And David and the Israelites played on well-tuned instruments of music, accompanied with sons, and on harps and on lutes, and on tympani, and on cymbals, and on pipes.
6But when they came to the threshing floor of Nachor, Oza stretched forth his hand upon the ark of God to stay it, and took hold of it, because the young bull shook it.
7And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Oza, and he smote him there, by the ark of the Lord, in the presence of God.
8Now David was disheartened because the Lord had broke out upon Oza, and that place is to this day called Breach of Oza;
9and David was afraid of the Lord that day, saying, How shall the ark of the Lord come to me?
10So David was not willing that the ark of the covenant of the Lord should turn aside to him, into the city of David, and David caused it to turn aside to the house of Abeddara, the Gethite.
11And the ark of the Lord abode in the house of Abeddara the Gethite three months, and the Lord blessed the whole house of Abeddara, and all belonging to him.
12And when they told king David saying, The Lord hath blessed the house of Abeddara, and all belonging to him, on account of the ark of God, David went and brought up the ark of the Lord out of the house of Abeddara, into the city of David, with rejoicing.
13Now there were with him seven choirs carrying the ark, and for a sacrifice a young bull and lambs.
14And David played on well-tuned instruments of music before the Lord; and David having put on an unusual robe,
15he, and all the house of Israel, brought up the ark of the Lord, with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet.
16And as the ark was entering the city of David, Melchol the daughter of Saul looked out at a window, and saw king David dancing, and playing before the Lord, and despised him in her heart.
17So they brought the ark of the Lord, and when they had set it in its place, in the middle of the tabernacle, which David had erected for it, David offered whole burnt offerings before the Lord, and peace offerings.
18And when David had made an end of offering the whole burnt offerings, and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of Hosts,
19and distributed to all the people through the whole host of Israel, from Dan to Bersabee, both to the men and women, to everyone a piece of bread, and a piece of roasted meat, and a sweet cake baked in the pan. Then all the people departed, everyone to his house,
20and David returned to salute his household. And Melchol, the daughter of Saul, came out to meet David, and when she had saluted him, she said, How was the king of Israel glorified to-day in the eyes of his maid servants, disrobed as he was like one of the dancers!
21Whereupon David said to Melchol, I will dance before the Lord. Blessed be the Lord, Who hath chosen me in preference to thy father, and in preference to all His house, to make me ruler over His people, over Israel. Wherefore I will play and dance before the Lord,
22and I will again disrobe myself in the same manner, though I should be despicable in thy sight, and with the maidens, by whom thou hast intimated that I am not honoured.
23Hence Melchol, the daughter of Saul, had no child to the day of her death.