12 It was reported to King David, “The Lord has blessed Obed-edom’s family and all that belongs to him because of the ark of God.” So David went and had the ark of God brought up from Obed-edom’s house to the city of David with rejoicing.c 13 When those carrying the ark of the Lord advanced six steps, he sacrificed an ox and a fattened calf.d 14 David was dancingB with all his might before the Lord wearing a linen ephod.e 15 He and the whole house of Israel were bringing up the ark of the Lord with shouts and the sound of the trumpet. 16 As the ark of the Lord was entering the city of David,f Saul’s daughter Michal looked down from the window and saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, and she despised him in her heart.

17 They brought the ark of the Lord and set it in its place inside the tent David had pitched for it.g Then David offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings in the Lord’s presence. 18 When David had finished offering the burnt offering and the fellowship offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of Armies. 19 Then he distributed a loaf of bread, a date cake, and a raisin cake to each one in the entire Israelite community, both men and women.h Then all the people went home.

20 When David returned home to bless his household,i Saul’s daughter Michal came out to meet him. “How the king of Israel honored himself today!” she said. “He exposed himself today in the sight of the slave girls of his subjects like a vulgar person would expose himself.”

21 David replied to Michal, “It was before the Lord who chose me over your father and his whole family to appoint me ruler over the Lord’s people Israel.j I will dance before the Lord, 22 and I will dishonor myself and humble myself even more.C,D However, by the slave girls you spoke about, I will be honored.” 23 And Saul’s daughter Michal had no child to the day of her death.