2 Samuel 6:21

Contextual Overview

²⁰When David returned home to bless his household, 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.” ²⁰ Then David returned to bless his household. Mikhal the daughter of Sha'ul came out to meet David, and said, How glorious was the king of Yisra'el today, who uncovered himself today in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovers himself! ²⁰ Then David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, How glorious was the king of Israel to day, who uncovered himself to day in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovereth himself! ²⁰ When David returned to bless his household, Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David. She said, "How the king of Israel honored himself today by uncovering himself before the eyes of the maids of his servants, as the total exposure of a worthless one." ²⁰ And David returned to bless his household. But Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David and said, "How the king of Israel honored himself today, uncovering himself today before the eyes of his servants' female servants, as one of the vulgar fellows shamelessly uncovers himself!" ²⁰ David went back to bless the people in his home, but Saul's daughter Michal came out to meet him. She said, "With what honor the king of Israel acted today! You took off your clothes in front of the servant girls of your officers like one who takes off his clothes without shame!" ²⁰ When David went home to pronounce a blessing on his own house, Michal, Saul's daughter, came out to meet him. She said, "How the king of Israel has distinguished himself this day! He has exposed himself today before his servants' slave girls the way a vulgar fool might do!" ²⁰Then David returned to bless his household. But [his wife] Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David and said, "How glorious and distinguished was the king of Israel today, who uncovered himself and stripped [off his kingly robes] in the eyes of his servants' maids like one of the riffraff who shamelessly uncovers himself!" ²⁰ But when David returned to bless his own household, Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David and said, "How the king of Israel dignified himself today! For he exposed himself today in the sight of his servants' female slaves, as one of the rabble shamelessly exposes himself!" ²⁰ The Dauid returned to blesse his house, and Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meete Dauid, and sayde, O howe glorious was the King of Israel this day, which was vncouered to day in the eyes of the maidens of his seruantes, as a foole vncouereth himselfe.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

before: 2 Samuel 6:14, 2 Samuel 6:16, 1 Corinthians 10:31

chose: 1 Samuel 13:14, 1 Samuel 15:28, 1 Samuel 16:1, 1 Samuel 16:12, Psalms 78:70-72, Psalms 89:19, Psalms 89:20, Acts 13:22

play: 2 Samuel 6:5, 1 Chronicles 15:29

Reciprocal: Judges 21:21 - dance 2 Samuel 7:8 - ruler 2 Samuel 21:9 - before the Lord 1 Chronicles 17:7 - ruler Job 2:10 - as one Psalms 75:7 - he putteth Acts 7:46 - found 2 Corinthians 5:13 - it is to 1 Thessalonians 3:9 - before

Cross-References

Job 38:41
Who provides the raven’s foodwhen its young cry out to Godand wander about for lack of food?

Job 38:41
Who provides for the raven his prey, When his young ones cry to God, And wander for lack of food?

Job 38:41
Who provideth for the raven his food? when his young ones cry unto God, they wander for lack of meat.

Job 38:41
Who provides for the raven its prey, when its young ones cry to God for help, and wander about for lack of food?

Job 38:41
Who gives food to the birds when their young cry out to God and wander about without food?

Job 38:41
Who prepares prey for the raven, when its young cry out to God and wander about for lack of food?

Job 38:41
"Who provides prey for the raven When its young cry to God And wander about without food?

Job 38:41
"Who prepares feed for the raven When its young cry to God, And wander about without food?

Job 38:41
Who provides for the raven his prey, When his young ones cry to God, And wander for lack of food?

Job 38:41
Who prepareth for the rauen his meate, when his birdes crie vnto God, wandering for lacke of meate?

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And David said unto Michal, [it was] before the Lord,.... Before the ark of the Lord, what was done was done there; she upbraided him with his dancing and singing, which was designed for the honour and glory of God, and in thankfulness to him for the bringing the ark to his city, and therefore she ought not to have reproached him with it, and he adds,

which chose me before thy father, and before all his house; see

1 Samuel 13:14; which he observed to humble her pride, and mortify her, as well as to remark the distinguishing goodness of God to him, which laid him under obligation to express his thankfulness to him in every shape:

to appoint me ruler over the people of the Lord, over Israel; which was a high honour conferred upon him, and required the utmost gratitude:

therefore will I play before the Lord; upon the harp, or praise before him, as the Targum, sing his praise before the ark, unto any instrument of music, without once imagining I disgrace myself, on the contrary think it to be the highest honour to me to be employed in such service.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Play - See 2 Samuel 6:5 note. The speech might be paraphrased, Before the Lord which chose me, etc., yea, before the Lord have I danced. He humbles Michal’s pride by the allusion to her father’s rejection, and shows by Saul’s example how little pride contributes to the stability of greatness. Therefore, for his part, he will not think anything done for the glory of God too mean for him; and if he cannot have honor from Saul’s daughter, he will be content to be honored by the maid-servants.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Samuel 6:21. It was before the Lord, which chose me — David felt the reproach, and was strongly irritated, and seems to have spoken to Michal with sufficient asperity.