2 Samuel 6:5

Translations

Modern

David and all the house of Israel were celebrating before the LORD with all kinds of wood instruments, harps, stringed instruments, tambourines, sistrums, and cymbals.

Traditional

And David and all the house of Israel played before the Lord on all manner of instruments made of fir wood, even on harps, and on psalteries, and on timbrels, and on cornets, and on cymbals.

Literal

And David and all the house of Israel were playing before the face of YHWH on all kinds of wood instruments of cypress, and on harps, and on stringed instruments, and on tambourines, and on sistrums, and on cymbals.

Latin

David autem et omnis Israël ludebant coram Domino in omnibus lignis fabrefactis, et citharis et lyris et tympanis et sistris et cymbalis.

Original

Hebrew

English

David and all the house of Israel were celebrating before the LORD with all kinds of wood instruments, harps, stringed instruments, tambourines, sistrums, and cymbals.

Notes

2 Samuel 6:5

The musical instruments were played by Levites (1 Chronicles 16:4–6).

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 Celebration Music in Ancient Israel The Ark of the Covenant

Events

Reign of David

Related verses

1 Chronicles 13:8
David and all the Israelites were celebrating before God with all their might, with songs and on harps and lyres, with tambourines, cymbals, and trumpets.
Psalm 150:3–5
Praise Him with the sound of the horn; praise Him with the harp and lyre.
Amos 5:23
Take away from Me the noise of your songs! I will not listen to the music of your harps.
Psalm 68:25–27
The singers lead the way, the musicians follow after, among the maidens playing tambourines.
Daniel 3:15
Now when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes, and all kinds of music, if you are ready to fall down and worship the statue I have made, very good. But if you refuse to worship, you will be thrown at once into the blazing fiery furnace. Then what god will be able to deliver you from my hands?”
1 Chronicles 15:10–24
…and from the Uzzielites, Amminadab the chief and 112 of his relatives.
Daniel 3:5
As soon as you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes, and all kinds of music, you must fall down and worship the golden statue that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up.
1 Samuel 10:5
After that you will come to Gibeah of God, where the Philistines have an outpost. As you approach the city, you will meet a group of prophets coming down from the high place, preceded by harps, tambourines, flutes, and lyres, and they will be prophesying.
1 Samuel 18:6–7
As the troops were returning home after David had killed the Philistine, the women came out of all the cities of Israel to meet King Saul with singing and dancing, with joyful songs, and with tambourines and other instruments.
Daniel 3:10
You, O king, have issued a decree that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes, and all kinds of music must fall down and worship the golden statue,
Psalm 47:5
God has ascended amid shouts of joy, the LORD with the sound of the horn.
Amos 6:5
You improvise songs on the harp like David and invent your own musical instruments.

Parallels

1 Chronicles 13:8–14

People

David: Anointed king of Israel, ancestor of Jesus Christ Israel: Patriarch, son of Isaac, father of twelve tribes

Glossary

Ark of the Covenant Castanet Cymbal David Egypt, Egyptian Jerusalem Judah, Tribe of Kiriath-jearim Music Musical Instruments Pine Tree Samuel, Books of First and Second Sistrum Temple Uzzah

Topics

Ark of the Covenant: Removed from Kirjath-Jearim to the House of Obed-Edom Bullock: Uses of with Wagons Cymbal used in the Tabernacle Service David: Assembles Thirty-Thousand Men to Escort the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem with Music and Thanksgiving David: King of Israel: Devoutness of Fir Tree: Instruments of Music Made of Kirjath-Jearim: David Brings the Ark of the Covenant From Miracles: Catalogue of The Death of Uzzah Music: Instruments of Made of Fir Wood Music: The Jews Used in Sacred Processions Musicians Psaltery used in Religious Services Timbrel used in Religious Services Trumpet: At the Bringing up of the Ark of the Covenant from the Household of Obed-Edom

2 Samuel 6:5

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