2Sa 6:1-19 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for 2Sam 6:1-23: 6:1-23 Except for the brief reference in 1 Sam 14:18 (see note), the Ark of the Covenant has not been mentioned since 1 Sam 7:1-2 , when the Philistines returned the captured Ark to Beth-shemesh and then to Kiriath-jearim, where it was placed in Abinadab’s home. The Ark’s virtual absence during Saul’s forty-year reign highlights that Saul, in his spiritual insensitivity, did not seek the Lord (see 1 Chr 10:13-14 ; 13:3 ). David brought the Ark into Jerusalem, effectively acknowledging and enthroning (see 2 Sam 6:2 ) Yahweh as the true king over Israel in the new capital.

Summary for 2Sam 6:1-23: 6:1-23 ^a Except for the brief reference in 1 Sam 14:18 ^b (see note), the Ark of the Covenant has not been mentioned since 1 Sam 7:1-2 ^c, when the Philistines returned the captured Ark to Beth-shemesh and then to Kiriath-jearim, where it was placed in Abinadab’s home. The Ark’s virtual absence during Saul’s forty-year reign highlights that Saul, in his spiritual insensitivity, did not seek the Lord (see 1 Chr 10:13-14 ^d; 13:3 ^e). David brought the Ark into Jerusalem, effectively acknowledging and enthroning (see 2 Sam 6:2 ^f) Yahweh as the true king over Israel in the new capital.
6:2 ^g is enthroned between the cherubim: See also 1 Sam 4:4 ^h; 2 Kgs 19:15 ⁱ; Pss 80:1 ^j; 99:1 ^k.
Summary for 2Sam 6:3-4: 6:3-4 ^l According to God’s instructions (Exod 25:14 ^m; 37:5 ⁿ; Num 4:6 ^o), the Ark was to be carried by Levites of the clan of Kohath, holding two poles slipped through four rings at the corners of the Ark. God’s instructions were ignored in this instance.

• Uzzah and Ahio: In 1 Sam 7:1 ^p, Eleazar, another son of Abinadab, was put in charge of the Ark.
6:5 ^q The musical instruments were played by Levites (1 Chr 16:4-6 ^r).
Summary for 2Sam 6:6-7: 6:6-7 ^s steadied the Ark: Although Uzzah meant well and acted instinctively, he violated the Ark by touching it (cp. Exod 19:12-13 ^t; Num 4:15 ^u). He suffered the same penalty as the people from Beth-shemesh (1 Sam 6:19 ^v). David later had the Levites carry the Ark into Jerusalem in accordance with God’s will (see 1 Chr 15:2 ^w, 13-15 ^x).
6:8 ^y David was angry ... the Lord’s anger: Cp. Gen 4:5 ^z; 1 Sam 15:11 ^aa; Jon 4:1 ^ab; Luke 15:27-28 ^ac.

• Perez-uzzah: The first part of this name appears in 2 Sam 5:20 ^ad (Baal-perazim) as the place where God burst through the Philistine ranks.
6:9 ^ae David was ... afraid: Similarly, Moses trembled at the display of divine wrath (Deut 9:19 ^af) and at the dramatic display of God’s fiery presence (see Heb 12:21 ^ag).
6:10 ^ah Obed-edom was a Levite (1 Chr 15:18 ^ai, 21 ^aj; 16:38 ^ak; 26:4 ^al, 8 ^am, 15 ^an; 2 Chr 25:24 ^ao) who lived either in the Philistine city of Gath or in an Israelite town of a similar name (e.g., Gath-rimmon, a city given to the Levites, Josh 21:25 ^ap).
6:11 ^aq God blessed Obed-edom with health, prosperity, and family. God’s presence, which is a curse to the ungodly (1 Sam 5 ^ar), is a blessing to his people. Obed-edom must have taken care to preserve the Ark’s sanctity.
6:12 ^as David reasoned that if God blessed Obed-edom simply for storing the Ark, God would surely bless David for placing the Ark in a dwelling specifically built for it in the capital city.
6:13 ^at David offered this sacrifice of praise to God immediately, just six steps into the journey.
6:14 ^au priestly garment: This word (Hebrew ’epod, “ephod”) is associated with an Akkadian word, epattu, meaning “a costly garment.” Richly ornamented with gold, this garment was used for robing statues of gods. Because priests and (sometimes) kings were considered sacred persons, they traditionally used garments of this type (see 1 Sam 2:18 ^av, 28 ^aw; 14:3 ^ax; 22:18 ^ay; 23:6 ^az, 9 ^ba).
6:15 ^bb In 15:10 ^bc, rams’ horns announce the crowning of a new king; in 20:1 ^bd, they proclaim rebellion. Here they celebrate placing the Ark in its own tent (see study note on 6:17), which in effect installed Yahweh’s throne in Jerusalem.
6:16 ^be Michal is identified as the daughter of Saul three times (6:16 ^bf, 20 ^bg, 23 ^bh). The use of her father’s name underscores the ambiguity of David’s relationship to her. Was she more David’s wife or Saul’s daughter? Had David reunited with her (3:13 ^bi) because he loved her or because she was politically useful to him?

• Michal might have been filled with contempt for any of the following reasons: (1) She thought David’s behavior was too sexually suggestive in front of a young female audience; (2) she was jealous over the glory David was receiving while she sat at home, a neglected wife; (3) she resented David’s indifference to her for many years, his taking of other wives, and her being torn away from her second husband Palti (3:16-17 ^bj); or (4) she felt sorrow for her late father and David’s success at the expense of Saul’s dynasty (see study note on 6:21).
6:17 ^bk While the special tent for the Ark was not as opulent as the tent used during the wilderness wandering, this tent was a return to the wilderness tradition suspended two generations earlier at the destruction of Shiloh (Ps 78:60-61 ^bl). David’s special tent was the very last Tabernacle; Solomon, David’s successor, built a permanent Temple for the Lord. Because this occasion was joyous, not penitential, the sacrifice included burnt offerings and peace offerings but not sin or guilt offerings.
6:18 ^bm blessed the people: Although blessing was typically the express function of priests, kings also offered blessings at significant national occasions (Solomon, 1 Kgs 8:14 ^bn, 55 ^bo; 2 Chr 6:3 ^bp; Hezekiah, 2 Chr 31:8 ^bq).
6:19 ^br David’s gifts of food to every Israelite anticipated other royal gifts they would receive under his reign.