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The Ark Is Brought to Jerusalem

^1 (C1)Then David again gathered all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand.² And David arose and went with all the people who were with him ^(F1)from ^(F2)(C1)Baale-judah, to bring up from there the ark of God which is called by the ^(C2)Name, the very name of Yahweh of hosts who ^(C3)is ^(F3)enthroned above the cherubim.³ And they ^(F1)drove the ark of God on ^(C1)a new cart that they might bring it from the house of Abinadab which was on the hill; and ^(F2)Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, were leading the new cart.⁴ So ^(C1)they brought it with the ark of God from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill; and Ahio was walking ahead of the ark.⁵ Now David and all the house of Israel ^(C1)were celebrating before Yahweh ^(C2)with all kinds of instruments made of ^(F1)fir wood, and with lyres, harps, tambourines, castanets, and cymbals.

⁶ Then they came to the ^(C1)threshing floor of Nacon. And ^(F1)Uzzah ^(C2)reached out toward the ark of God and took hold of it, because the oxen nearly upset it.⁷ And the anger of Yahweh burned against Uzzah, and ^(C1)God struck him down there for ^(F1)his irreverence; and he died there by the ark of God.⁸ And David became angry because ^(F1)of Yahweh's breaking out against Uzzah; and that place is called ^(F2)Perez-uzzah to this day.⁹ So ^(C1)David was afraid of Yahweh that day; and he said, "How can the ark of Yahweh come to me?"¹⁰ And David was unwilling to move the ark of Yahweh into the city of David with him; but David took it aside to the house of ^(C1)Obed-edom the Gittite.¹¹ Thus the ark of Yahweh remained in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite three months, and Yahweh ^(C1)blessed Obed-edom and all his household.

¹² Then it was told to King David, saying, "Yahweh has blessed the house of Obed-edom and all that belongs to him, on account of the ark of God." So ^(C1)David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom into ^(C2)the city of David with gladness.¹³ And so it happened, that when those ^(C1)who were carrying the ark of Yahweh had gone six paces, he sacrificed an ^(C2)ox and a fatling.¹⁴ And ^(C1)David was dancing before Yahweh with all his strength, and David was ^(C2)girded with a linen ephod.¹⁵ So David and all the house of Israel were bringing up the ark of Yahweh with shouting and the sound of the trumpet.

David Dances Before Yahweh

¹⁶ Then it happened as the ark of Yahweh came into the city of David, that ^(C1)Michal the daughter of Saul looked out of the window and saw King David leaping and dancing before Yahweh; and she despised him in her heart.

¹⁷ And they brought in the ark of Yahweh and placed it ^(C1)in its place inside the tent which David had pitched for it; and ^(C2)David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before Yahweh.¹⁸ Then David completed offering the burnt offerings and the peace offerings. And ^(C1)he blessed the people in the name of Yahweh of hosts.¹⁹ And he apportioned to all the people, to all the multitude of Israel, both to men and women, a cake of bread and one of dates and one of raisins to each one. Then all the people went each to his house.

²⁰ But David returned to bless his household, and Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David and said, "How the king of Israel has glorified himself today! ^(C1)He uncovered himself today in the eyes of his servants' maids as one of the ^(C2)worthless ones shamelessly uncovers himself!"²¹ So David said to Michal, "^(C1)It was before Yahweh, who chose me above your father and above all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of Yahweh, over Israel; therefore I will celebrate before Yahweh.²² "And I will be esteemed even more lightly than this and will be humble in my own eyes, but with the maids of whom you have spoken, with them I will be glorified."²³ And Michal the daughter of Saul had no child to the day of her death.