6When they came to Nacon’s threshing floor, Uzzah reached out to the ark of God and took hold of it because the oxen had stumbled.

7Then the Lord’s anger burned against Uzzah,6:7 Ex 25:14; Nm 4:5,15,20 and God struck him dead on the spot for his irreverence,6:7 1Sm 6:19–20 and he died there next to the ark of God.

8David was angry because of the Lord’s outburst against Uzzah, so he named that place Outburst Against Uzzah,6:8 Or Perez-uzzah; 2Sm 5:20 as it is today.

9David feared the Lord that day and said, “How can the ark of the Lord ever come to me?”

10So he was not willing to bring the ark of the Lord to the city of David;6:10 Lk 2:4 instead, he diverted it to the house of Obed-edom of Gath.

11The ark of the Lord remained in his house three months, and the Lord blessed Obed-edom6:11 1Ch 26:4–8 and his whole family.

12It was reported to King David, “The Lord has blessed Obed-edom’s family and all that belongs to him because of the ark of God.” So David went and had the ark of God brought up from Obed-edom’s house to the city of David with rejoicing.6:12 1Ch 15:25

13When those carrying the ark of the Lord advanced six steps, he sacrificed an ox and a fattened calf.6:13 1Kg 8:1–5

14David was dancing6:14 Or whirling with all his might before the Lord wearing a linen ephod.6:14 Ex 28:4–28; 1Sm 2:18

15He and the whole house of Israel were bringing up the ark of the Lord with shouts and the sound of the ram’s horn.

16As the ark of the Lord was entering the city of David,6:16 Lk 2:4 Saul’s daughter Michal looked down from the window and saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, and she despised him in her heart.

17They brought the ark of the Lord and set it in its place inside the tent David had pitched for it.6:17 1Ch 15:1; 2Ch 1:4 Then David offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings in the Lord’s presence.

18When David had finished offering the burnt offering and the fellowship offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of Armies.

19Then he distributed a loaf of bread, a date cake, and a raisin cake to each one in the entire Israelite community, both men and women.6:12–19 1Ch 15:25–16:3 Then all the people went home.

20When David returned home to bless his household,6:20 1Ch 16:43 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.”

21David replied to Michal, “It was before the Lord who chose me over your father and his whole family to appoint me ruler over the Lord’s people Israel.6:21 1Sm 13:14; 15:28 I will dance before the Lord,

22and I will dishonor myself and humble myself even more.6:22 LXX reads more and I will be humble in your eyes6:22 Lit more and I will be humble in my own eyes However, by the slave girls you spoke about, I will be honored.”

23And Saul’s daughter Michal had no child to the day of her death.