2 Samuel 6

The Ark Brought to Jerusalem

1 aDavid again gathered all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand. 2And David arose and went with all the people who were with him from bBaale-judah cto bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the name of the Lord of hosts dwho sits enthroned on the cherubim. 3And they carried the ark of God eon a new cart and brought it fout of the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. And Uzzah and Ahio,
Or  and his brother; also verse 4
the sons of Abinadab, were driving the new cart,
Compare Septuagint; Hebrew  the new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill
4with the ark of God, and Ahio went before the ark.

Uzzah and the Ark

5And David and all the house of Israel were celebrating before the Lord, with isongs
Septuagint, 1 Chronicles 13:8; Hebrew fir trees
and lyres and harps and tambourines and castanets and cymbals.
6And when they came to the threshing floor of kNacon, Uzzah lput out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled. 7And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah, and mGod struck him down there because of his error, and he died there beside the ark of God. 8And David was angry because the Lord had broken out against Uzzah. And that place is called Perez-uzzah
 Perez-uzzah means the breaking out against Uzzah
to this day.
9And David was afraid of the Lord that day, and he said, “How can the ark of the Lord come to me?” 10So David was not willing to take the ark of the Lord into the city of David. But David took it aside oto the house of Obed-edom the Gittite. 11And the ark of the Lord remained in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite three months, pand the Lord blessed Obed-edom and all his household.

12And it was told King David, “The Lord has blessed the household of Obed-edom and all that belongs to him, because of the ark of God.” qSo David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom rto the city of David with rejoicing. 13And when sthose who bore the ark of the Lord had gone six steps, the sacrificed an ox and a fattened animal. 14And David udanced before the Lord with all his might. And David was vwearing a linen ephod. 15So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting and with the sound of the horn.

David and Michal

16As the ark of the Lord came into the city of David, Michal the daughter of Saul looked out of the window and saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, and she despised him in her heart. 17And they brought in the ark of the Lord and set it win its place, inside the tent that David had pitched for it. xAnd David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord. 18And when David had finished offering the burnt offerings and the peace offerings, yhe blessed the people in the name of the Lord of hosts 19and distributed among all the people, the whole multitude of Israel, both men and women, a cake of bread, a portion of meat,
Vulgate; the meaning of the Hebrew term is uncertain
and a cake of raisins to each one. aaThen all the people departed, each to his house.

20And 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, abuncovering himself today before the eyes of his servantsfemale servants, as one of the acvulgar fellows shamelessly uncovers himself!” 21And David said to Michal, “It was before the Lord, adwho chose me above your father and above all his house, to appoint me as prince
Or leader
over Israel, the people of the Lord—and I will celebrate before the Lord.
22I will make myself yet more contemptible than this, and I will be abased in your
Septuagint; Hebrew my
eyes. But by the female servants of whom you have spoken, by them I shall be held in honor.”
23And Michal the daughter of Saul had no child to the day of her death.

2 Samuel 18

Absalom Killed

1Then David mustered the men who were with him and set over them commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds. 2And David sent out the army, one third under the command of Joab, one third under the command of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, and one third under the command of agIttai the Gittite. And the king said to the men, “I myself will also go out with you.” 3 ahBut the men said, “You shall not go out. For if we flee, they will not care about us. If half of us die, they will not care about us. But you are worth ten thousand of us. Therefore it is better that you send us help from the city.” 4The king said to them, “Whatever seems best to you I will do.” So the king stood at the side of the gate, while all the army marched out by hundreds and by thousands. 5And the king ordered Joab and Abishai and Ittai, “Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom.” aiAnd all the people heard when the king gave orders to all the commanders about Absalom.

6So the army went out into the field against Israel, and the battle was fought in the ajforest of Ephraim. 7And the men of Israel were defeated there by the servants of David, and the loss there was great on that day, twenty thousand men. 8The battle spread over the face of all the country, and the forest devoured more people that day than the sword.

9And Absalom happened to meet the servants of David. Absalom was riding on his mule, and the mule went under the thick branches of a great oak,
Or terebinth; also verses 10, 14
aland his head caught fast in the oak, and he was suspended between heaven and earth, while the mule that was under him went on.
10And a certain man saw it and told Joab, “Behold, I saw Absalom hanging in an oak.” 11Joab said to the man who told him, “What, you saw him! Why then did you not strike him there to the ground? I would have been glad to give you ten pieces of silver and a belt.” 12But the man said to Joab, “Even if I felt in my hand the weight of a thousand pieces of silver, I would not reach out my hand against the king’s son, for amin our hearing the king commanded you and Abishai and Ittai, ‘For my sake protect the young man Absalom.’ 13On the other hand, if I had dealt treacherously against his life
Or at the risk of my life
(and there is nothing hidden from the king), then you yourself would have stood aloof.”
14Joab said, “I will not waste time like this with you.” And he took three javelins in his hand and thrust them into the heart of Absalom while he was still alive in the oak. 15And ten young men, Joab’s armor-bearers, surrounded Absalom and struck him and killed him.

16Then Joab blew the trumpet, and the troops came back from pursuing Israel, for Joab restrained them. 17And they took Absalom and threw him into a great pit in the forest and raised over him aoa very great heap of stones. And all Israel apfled every one to his own home. 18Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and set up for himself aqthe pillar that is in arthe King’s Valley, for he said, as“I have no son to keep my name in remembrance.” He called the pillar after his own name, and it is called Absalom’s monument
Or Absalom’s hand
to this day.

David Hears of Absalom’s Death

19Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, auLet me run and carry news to the king that avthe Lord has delivered him from the hand of his enemies.” 20And Joab said to him, “You are not to carry news today. You may carry news another day, but today you shall carry no news, because the king’s son is dead.” 21Then Joab said to the Cushite, “Go, tell the king what you have seen.” The Cushite bowed before Joab, and ran. 22Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said again to Joab, “Come what may, let me also run after the Cushite.” And Joab said, “Why will you run, my son, seeing that you will have no reward for the news?” 23“Come what may,” he said, “I will run.” So he said to him, “Run.” Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of awthe plain, and outran the Cushite.

24Now David axwas sitting between the two gates, and aythe watchman went up to the roof of the gate by the wall, and when he lifted up his eyes and looked, he saw a man running alone. 25The watchman called out and told the king. And the king said, “If he is alone, there is news in his mouth.” And he drew nearer and nearer. 26The watchman saw another man running. And the watchman called to the gate and said, “See, another man running alone!” The king said, “He also brings news.” 27The watchman said, “I think the running of the first is azlike the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok.” And the king said, baHe is a good man and comes with good news.”

28Then Ahimaaz cried out to the king, “All is well.” And he bowed before the king with his face to the earth and said, bbBlessed be the Lord your God, who has delivered up the men who raised their hand against my lord the king.” 29And the king said, bc“Is it well with the young man Absalom?” Ahimaaz answered, “When Joab sent the king’s servant, your servant, I saw a great commotion, but I do not know what it was.” 30And the king said, “Turn aside and stand here.” So he turned aside and stood still.

David’s Grief

31And behold, the Cushite came, and the Cushite said, “Good news for my lord the king! For bdthe Lord has delivered you this day from the hand of all who rose up against you.” 32The king said to the Cushite, be“Is it well with the young man Absalom?” And the Cushite answered, bf“May the enemies of my lord the king and all who rise up against you for evil be like that young man.” 33
Ch 19:1 in Hebrew
And the king was deeply moved and went up bhto the chamber over the gate and wept. And as he went, he said, bi“O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!”

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