2 Samuel 6–7

¹And David gathered again every chosen one in Israel, thirty thousand, 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. 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; 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, 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.

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; 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. 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; ⁹and David feareth Jehovah on that day, and saith, ‘How doth the ark of Jehovah come in unto me?’ 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, 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.

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. ¹³And it cometh to pass, when those bearing the ark of Jehovah have stepped six steps, that he sacrificeth an ox and a fatling. ¹⁴And David is dancing with all strength before Jehovah, and David is girded with a linen ephod, ¹⁵and David and all the house of Israel are bringing up the ark of Jehovah with shouting, and with the voice of a trumpet, 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. 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. 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, 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.

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!’ 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; 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.’ ²³As to Michal daughter of Saul, she had no child till the day of her death.

Chapter 7

¹And it cometh to pass, when the king sat in his house, and Jehovah hath given rest to him round about, from all his enemies, ²that the king saith unto Nathan the prophet, ‘See, I pray thee, I am dwelling in a house of cedars, and the ark of God is dwelling in the midst of the curtain.’ ³And Nathan saith unto the king, ‘All that is in thine heart—go, do, for Jehovah is with thee.’

⁴And it cometh to pass in that night, that the word of Jehovah is unto Nathan, saying, ⁵‘Go, and thou hast said unto My servant, unto David, Thus said Jehovah, Dost thou build for Me a house for My dwelling in? ⁶for I have not dwelt in a house even from the day of My bringing up the sons of Israel out of Egypt, even unto this day, and am walking up and down in a tent and in a tabernacle. ⁷During all the time that I have walked up and down among all the sons of Israel, a word have I spoken with one of the tribes of Israel which I commanded to feed my people Israel, saying, ‘Why have ye not built to Me a house of cedars? ⁸and now, thus dost thou say to My servant, to David: ‘Thus said Jehovah of Hosts, I have taken thee from the comely place, from after the flock, to be leader over My people, over Israel; ⁹and I am with thee whithersoever thou hast gone, and I cut off all thine enemies from thy presence, and have made for thee a great name, as the name of the great ones who are in the earth, ¹⁰and I have appointed a place for My people, for Israel, and have planted it, and it hath tabernacled in its place, and it is not troubled any more, and the sons of perverseness do not add to afflict it any more, as in the beginning, ¹¹even from the day that I appointed judges over My people Israel; and I have given rest to thee from all thine enemies, and Jehovah hath declared to thee that Jehovah doth make for thee a house.

¹²‘When thy days are full, and thou hast lain with thy fathers, then I have raised up thy seed after thee which goeth out from thy bowels, and have established his kingdom; ¹³He doth build a house for My Name, and I have established the throne of his kingdom unto the age. ¹⁴I am to him for a father, and he is to Me for a son; whom in his dealings perversely I have even reproved with a rod of men, and with strokes of the sons of Adam, ¹⁵and My kindness doth not turn aside from him, as I turned it aside from Saul, whom I turned aside from before thee, ¹⁶and stedfast is thy house and thy kingdom unto the age before thee, thy throne is established unto the age.’ ¹⁷According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so spake Nathan unto David.

¹⁸And king David cometh in and sitteth before Jehovah, and saith, ‘Who am I, Lord Jehovah? and what my house, that Thou hast brought me hitherto? ¹⁹And yet this is little in Thine eyes, Lord Jehovah, and Thou dost speak also concerning the house of Thy servant afar off; and this is the law of the Man, Lord Jehovah. ²⁰And what doth David add more to speak unto Thee? and Thou, Thou hast known Thy servant, Lord Jehovah. ²¹Because of Thy word, and according to Thy heart, Thou hast done all this greatness, to cause Thy servant to know it. ²²Therefore Thou hast been great, Jehovah God, for there is none like Thee, and there is no God save Thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears.

²³‘And who is as Thy people, as Israel—one nation in the earth, whom God hath gone to redeem to Him for a people, and to make for Him a name—and to do for you the greatness—even fearful things for Thy land, at the presence of Thy people, whom Thou hast redeemed to Thee out of Egypt—among the nations and their gods? ²⁴Yea, Thou dost establish to Thee Thy people Israel, to Thee for a people unto the age, and Thou, Jehovah, hast been to them for God.

²⁵‘And now, Jehovah God, the word which Thou hast spoken concerning Thy servant, and concerning his house, establish unto the age, and do as Thou hast spoken; ²⁶And Thy Name is great unto the age, saying, Jehovah of Hosts is God over Israel, and the house of Thy servant David is established before Thee, ²⁷For Thou, Jehovah of Hosts, God of Israel, Thou hast uncovered the ear of Thy servant, saying, A house I build for thee, therefore hath Thy servant found his heart to pray unto Thee this prayer; ²⁸And now, Lord Jehovah, Thou art God Himself, and Thy words are truth, and Thou speakest unto Thy servant this goodness, ²⁹And now, begin and bless the house of Thy servant, to be unto the age before Thee, for Thou, Lord Jehovah, hast spoken, and by Thy blessing is the house of Thy servant blessed—to the age.’

Chapter 8