2 Samuel 6:14

Brenton's Septuagint

And David sounded with well-tuned instruments before the Lord, and David was clothed with a fine long robe.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
David was dancing with all his might before the Lord wearing a linen ephod.

Hebrew Names Version
David danced before the LORD with all his might; and David was girded with a linen efod.

King James Version
And David danced before the Lord with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod.

Lexham English Bible
Now David was dancing with all his might before Yahweh, and David was wearing a linen ephod.

English Standard Version
And David danced before the Lord with all his might. And David was wearing a linen ephod.

New Century Version
Then David danced with all his might before the Lord . He had on a holy linen vest.

New English Translation
Now David, wearing a linen ephod, was dancing with all his strength before the Lord .

Amplified Bible
And David was dancing before the LORD with great enthusiasm, and David was wearing a linen ephod [a priest's upper garment].

New American Standard Bible
And David was dancing before the LORD with all his strength, and David was wearing a linen ephod.

Geneva Bible (1587)
And Dauid danced before the Lorde with al his might, & was girded with a linnen Ephod.

Legacy Standard Bible
And David was dancing before Yahweh with all his strength, and David was girded with a linen ephod.

Contemporary English Version
He was dancing for the Lord with all his might, but he wore only a linen cloth.

Complete Jewish Bible
Then David danced and spun around with abandon before Adonai , wearing a linen ritual vest.

Darby Translation
And David danced before Jehovah with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod.

Easy-to-Read Version
David was dancing in front of the Lord . He was wearing a linen ephod.

George Lamsa Translation
And David sang praises before the LORD with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod.

Good News Translation
David, wearing only a linen cloth around his waist, danced with all his might to honor the Lord .

Literal Translation
And David was dancing with all his might before Jehovah. And David was girded with a linen ephod.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And Dauid daunsed wt all his mighte before the LORDE, and was girded with an ouerbody cote of lynne.

American Standard Version
And David danced before Jehovah with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod.

Bible in Basic English
And David, clothed in a linen ephod, was dancing before the Lord with all his strength.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And Dauid daunced before the Lorde with all his might, & was girded with a linnen Ephod.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
And David danced before the LORD with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod.

King James Version (1611)
And Dauid daunced before the Lord with all his might, and Dauid was girded with a linnen Ephod.

English Revised Version
And David danced before the LORD with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod.

Berean Standard Bible
And David, wearing a linen ephod, danced with all his might before the LORD,

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
and daunside with alle strengthis bifor the Lord; sotheli Dauid was clothid with a lynnun surplis.

Young's Literal Translation
And David is dancing with all strength before Jehovah, and David is girded with a linen ephod,

Update Bible Version
And David danced before Yahweh with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod.

Webster's Bible Translation
And David danced before the LORD with all [his] might; and David [was] girded with a linen ephod.

World English Bible
David danced before Yahweh with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod.

New King James Version
Then David danced before the LORD with all his might; and David was wearing a linen ephod.

New Living Translation
And David danced before the Lord with all his might, wearing a priestly garment.

New Life Bible
He was dancing before the Lord with all his strength. And he was wearing a linen vest.

New Revised Standard
David danced before the Lord with all his might; David was girded with a linen ephod.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And, David, was dancing with all boldness before Yahweh, - David, being girt with an ephod of linen.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And David danced with all his might before the Lord: and David was girded with a linen ephod.

Revised Standard Version
And David danced before the LORD with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
And David was dancing before the LORD with all his might, and David was wearing a linen ephod.

Contextual Overview

¹² And it was reported to king David, saying, The Lord has blessed the house of Abeddara, and all that he has, because of the ark of the Lord. And David went, and brought up the Ark of the Lord from the house of Abeddara to the city of David with gladness. ¹³ And there were with him bearing the ark seven bands, and for a sacrifice a calf and lambs. ¹⁴ And David sounded with well-tuned instruments before the Lord, and David was clothed with a fine long robe. ¹⁵ And David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting, and with the sound of a trumpet. ¹⁶ And it came to pass as the ark arrived at the city of David, that Melchol the daughter of Saul looked through the window, and saw king David dancing and playing before the Lord; and she despised him in her heart. ¹⁷ And they bring the ark of the Lord, and set it in its place in the midst of the tabernacle which David pitched for it: and David offered whole-burnt-offerings before the Lord, and peace-offerings. ¹⁸ And David made an end of offering the whole-burnt-offerings and peace-offerings, and blessed the people in the name of the Lord of Hosts. ¹⁹ And he distributed to all the people, even to all the host of Israel from Dan to Bersabee, both men and women, to every one a cake of bread, and a joint of meat, and a cake from the frying-pan: and all the people departed every one to his home.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

danced: Exodus 15:20, Judges 11:34, Judges 21:21, Psalms 30:11, Psalms 149:3, Psalms 150:4, Luke 15:25

with all his: Deuteronomy 6:5, Ecclesiastes 9:10, Colossians 3:23

girded: 1 Samuel 2:18, 1 Samuel 2:28, 1 Samuel 22:18, 1 Chronicles 15:27

Reciprocal: Exodus 28:4 - ephod Exodus 32:19 - the dancing 1 Samuel 19:24 - stripped 2 Samuel 6:20 - uncovered 2 Samuel 6:21 - before 2 Chronicles 20:27 - forefront Ezekiel 46:10 - General Hosea 3:4 - ephod

Cross-References

Exodus 2:3
And when they could no longer hide him, his mother took for him an ark, and besmeared it with bitumen, and cast the child into it, and put it in the ooze by the river.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And David danced before the Lord with all [his] might,.... That is, before the ark of the Lord; not a set dance, or along with others; but he leaped and skipped as "car", a lamb, does, and that for joy that the ark was like to be brought home to his house, without any token of the divine displeasure, as before; the Targum is,

"he praised before the Lord with all his might;''

exerted himself to the uttermost in singing the praises of God vocally, or by playing on an instrument; to which sense are the Septuagint, Syriac, and Arabic versions, which is approved of by Castel p; who observes, it nowhere appears to have been a custom to dance before the ark; but it might be now done, though not usual, and therefore was observed by Michal with contempt, 2 Samuel 6:16; a later writer q shows that dancing is the proper sense of the word:

and David [was] girded with a linen ephod; which others, besides priests, sometimes wore, as Samuel did, and which David might choose to appear in, rather than in his royal robes, as being more agreeable to the service of God, and lighter for him both to walk and dance in on this occasion.

p Lexic. col. 1793. q Hackman. Praecidan. Sacr. p. 156, 157.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Danced - The Hebrew word is found only here and in 2 Samuel 6:16. It means “to dance in a circle,” hence, simply to dance. The parallel passage in 1 Chronicles 15:27 gives a widely different sense.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Samuel 6:14. And David danced before the Lord — Dancing is a religious ceremony among the Hindoos, and they consider it an act of devotion to their idols. It is evident that David considered it in the same light. What connection dancing can have with devotion I cannot tell. This I know, that unpremeditated and involuntary skipping may be the effect of sudden mental elation.