Keraia
2 Samuel 6

2 Samuel 6:17

Michal’s Contempt for David · 2 Samuel 6:16–23
Read 2 Samuel 6

Translations

Modern
So they brought the ark of the LORD and set it in its place inside the tent that David had pitched for it. Then David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD.
Traditional
And they brought in the ark of the Lord, and set it in his place, in the midst of the tabernacle that David had pitched for it: and David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord.
Literal
And they brought the ark of YHWH and set it in its place in the midst of the tabernacle that David had erected for it, and David offered burnt offerings before the face of YHWH, and peace offerings.
Latin
Et introduxerunt arcam Domini, et imposuerunt eam in loco suo in medio tabernaculi, quod tetenderat ei David: et obtulit David holocausta et pacifica coram Domino.

Original

Hebrew
English
So they brought the ark of the LORD and set it in its place inside the tent that David had pitched for it. Then David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD.

Notes

2 Samuel 6:17

The special tent that David made for the ark was not as rich as the tent used during the wilderness wanderings. Even so, it returned Israel to an older wilderness tradition that had ended two generations earlier, when Shiloh was destroyed (Psalm 78:60–61).

David’s tent was the final form of the tabernacle. Solomon, David’s successor, later built a permanent temple for the Lord.

This event was a time of joy, not sorrow for sin. Because of this, the people offered burnt offerings and peace offerings, but they did not offer sin offerings or guilt offerings.

2 Samuel 6:1–23

Except for a brief reference in 1 Samuel 14:18 (see note), the ark of the covenant does not appear again after 1 Samuel 7:1–2. In that passage, the Philistines returned the captured ark to Beth-shemesh, and it was later taken to Kiriath-jearim. There, the ark was placed in the home of Abinadab.

The ark’s long absence during the reign of Saul is significant. It shows that Saul did not seek the Lord and was spiritually insensitive (see 1 Chronicles 10:13–14; 13:3). During Saul’s forty-year reign, the ark played little or no role in Israel’s worship or leadership.

In contrast, David brought the ark to Jerusalem. By doing this, David publicly acknowledged the Lord as Israel’s true king in the new capital (see 2 Samuel 6:2). The ark’s arrival showed that Israel’s political center was now also a place of worship.

Theme notes and profiles

David Michal Celebration The Ark of the Covenant

Events

Parallels

1 Chronicles 15:29–16:3

People

David: Anointed king of Israel, ancestor of Jesus Christ

Glossary

Ark of the Covenant David Jerusalem Judah, Tribe of Kiriath-jearim Michal Music Samuel, Books of First and Second Temple

Topics

Ark of the Covenant: David Made a Tent For Ark: in the Tabernacle--Called the Ark of the Covenant: Set up in Jerusalem David: King of Israel: Offers Sacrifice, Distributes Gifts, and Blesses the People Jerusalem: The Ark of the Covenant Brought To, by David Peace offerings: Offered by David Peace-Offerings by David on Bringing up the Ark