2 Samuel 6 is the sixth
chapter of the Second Book of Samuel in the
Old Testament
The Old Testament (often abbreviated OT) is the first division of the Christian biblical canon, which is based primarily upon the 24 books of the Hebrew Bible or Tanakh, a collection of ancient religious Hebrew writings by the Israelites. The ...
of the
Christian
Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...
Bible
The Bible (from Koine Greek , , 'the books') is a collection of religious texts or scriptures that are held to be sacred in Christianity, Judaism, Samaritanism, and many other religions. The Bible is an anthologya compilation of texts of a ...
or the second part of
Books of Samuel
The Book of Samuel (, ''Sefer Shmuel'') is a book in the Hebrew Bible, found as two books (1–2 Samuel) in the Old Testament. The book is part of the narrative history of Ancient Israel called the Deuteronomistic history, a series of books (Joshu ...
in the
Hebrew Bible
The Hebrew Bible or Tanakh (;["Tanach"](_blank)
''Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary''. Hebrew: ''Tān ...
. According to Jewish tradition the book was attributed to the prophet
Samuel
Samuel ''Šəmūʾēl'', Tiberian: ''Šămūʾēl''; ar, شموئيل or صموئيل '; el, Σαμουήλ ''Samouḗl''; la, Samūēl is a figure who, in the narratives of the Hebrew Bible, plays a key role in the transition from the bibl ...
, with additions by the prophets
Gad and
Nathan
Nathan or Natan may refer to:
People
*Nathan (given name), including a list of people and characters with this name
*Nathan (surname)
*Nathan (prophet), a person in the Hebrew Bible
* Nathan (son of David), biblical figure, son of King David an ...
,
but modern scholars view it as a composition of a number of independent texts of various ages from c. 630–540 BCE. This chapter contains the account of
David
David (; , "beloved one") (traditional spelling), , ''Dāwūd''; grc-koi, Δαυΐδ, Dauíd; la, Davidus, David; gez , ዳዊት, ''Dawit''; xcl, Դաւիթ, ''Dawitʿ''; cu, Давíдъ, ''Davidŭ''; possibly meaning "beloved one". w ...
's reign in Jerusalem. This is within a section comprising
2 Samuel 2
2 Samuel 2 is the second chapter of the Second Book of Samuel in the Old Testament of the Christian Bible or the second part of Books of Samuel in the Hebrew Bible. According to Jewish tradition the book was attributed to the prophet Samuel, wit ...
–8 which deals with the period when David set up his kingdom.
Text
This chapter was originally written in the
Hebrew language
Hebrew (; ; ) is a Northwest Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Historically, it is one of the spoken languages of the Israelites and their longest-surviving descendants, the Jews and Samaritans. It was largely preserved ...
.
It is divided into 23 verses.
Textual witnesses
Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter in
Hebrew
Hebrew (; ; ) is a Northwest Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Historically, it is one of the spoken languages of the Israelites and their longest-surviving descendants, the Jews and Samaritans. It was largely preserved ...
are of the
Masoretic Text
The Masoretic Text (MT or 𝕸; he, נֻסָּח הַמָּסוֹרָה, Nūssāḥ Hammāsōrā, lit. 'Text of the Tradition') is the authoritative Hebrew and Aramaic text of the 24 books of the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh) in Rabbinic Judaism. ...
tradition, which includes the
Codex Cairensis
The Codex Cairensis (also: ''Codex Prophetarum Cairensis'', ''Cairo Codex of the Prophets'') is a Hebrew manuscript containing the complete text of the Hebrew Bible's Nevi'im (Prophets). It has traditionally been described as "the oldest dated He ...
(895),
Aleppo Codex
The Aleppo Codex ( he, כֶּתֶר אֲרָם צוֹבָא, romanized: , lit. 'Crown of Aleppo') is a medieval bound manuscript of the Hebrew Bible. The codex was written in the city of Tiberias in the tenth century CE (circa 920) under the ...
(10th century), and
Codex Leningradensis
The Leningrad Codex ( la, Codex Leningradensis [Leningrad Book]; he, כתב יד לנינגרד) is the oldest complete manuscript of the Hebrew Bible in Hebrew, using the Masoretic Text and Tiberian vocalization. According to its colopho ...
(1008). Fragments containing parts of this chapter in Hebrew were found among the
Dead Sea Scrolls
The Dead Sea Scrolls (also the Qumran Caves Scrolls) are ancient Jewish and Hebrew religious manuscripts discovered between 1946 and 1956 at the Qumran Caves in what was then Mandatory Palestine, near Ein Feshkha in the West Bank, on the nor ...
including 4Q51 (4QSam; 100–50 BCE) with extant verses 2–18.
[Dead sea scrolls - 2 Samuel]
/ref>
Extant ancient manuscripts of a translation into Koine Greek
Koine Greek (; Koine el, ἡ κοινὴ διάλεκτος, hē koinè diálektos, the common dialect; ), also known as Hellenistic Greek, common Attic, the Alexandrian dialect, Biblical Greek or New Testament Greek, was the common supra-reg ...
known as the Septuagint
The Greek Old Testament, or Septuagint (, ; from the la, septuaginta, lit=seventy; often abbreviated ''70''; in Roman numerals, LXX), is the earliest extant Greek translation of books from the Hebrew Bible. It includes several books beyond th ...
(originally was made in the last few centuries BCE) include Codex Vaticanus
The Codex Vaticanus ( The Vatican, Bibl. Vat., Vat. gr. 1209), designated by siglum B or 03 (in the Gregory-Aland numbering), δ 1 ( von Soden), is a fourth-century Christian manuscript of a Greek Bible, containing the majority of the Greek Old ...
(B; B; 4th century) and Codex Alexandrinus
The Codex Alexandrinus (London, British Library, Royal MS 1. D. V-VIII), designated by the siglum A or 02 (in the Gregory-Aland numbering of New Testament manuscripts), δ 4 (in the von Soden numbering of New Testament manuscripts), is a manu ...
(A; A; 5th century).
Old Testament references
*: [2 Samuel 6]
Berean Study Bible
*: ; [
]
Places
* Baale of Judah
*City of David "City of David" is a biblical and religious epithet for the ancient city of Jerusalem.
It may also refer to:
* City of David (archaeological site) - an archaeological excavation associated with ancient Jerusalem
* Jerusalem Walls National Park
...
*Gibeah
Gibeah (; he, גִּבְעָה ''Gīḇəʿā''; he, גִּבְעַת, link=no ''Gīḇəʿaṯ'') is the name of three places mentioned in the Hebrew Bible, in the tribes of Benjamin, Judah, and Ephraim respectively.
Gibeah of Benjamin is th ...
*Jerusalem
Jerusalem (; he, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם ; ar, القُدس ) (combining the Biblical and common usage Arabic names); grc, Ἱερουσαλήμ/Ἰεροσόλυμα, Hierousalḗm/Hierosóluma; hy, Երուսաղեմ, Erusałēm. i ...
*Perez-uzzah
According to the Tanakh, עזה, Uzzah or Uzza, meaning "Her Strength", was an Israelite whose death is associated with touching the Ark of the Covenant. The account of Uzzah appears in two places in scripture: 2 Samuel 6:3-8 and 1 Chronicles ...
Analysis
The chapter has the following structure:
:A. David gathered the people to bring up the ark: Celebrations began (6:1–5)
::B. Interruption: Uzzah's death; celebrations suspended (6:6–11)
:::C. The ark entered the City of David: joy and offerings (6:12–15)
::B'. Interruption: Michal despised David (6:16)
:A'. The reception of the ark: David blessed the people and the people went home (6:17–19)
:Epilogue. Confrontation between Michal and David (6:20–23)
The center of the narrative was the entrance of the Ark of the Covenant
The Ark of the Covenant,; Ge'ez: also known as the Ark of the Testimony or the Ark of God, is an alleged artifact believed to be the most sacred relic of the Israelites, which is described as a wooden chest, covered in pure gold, with an e ...
into the City of David "City of David" is a biblical and religious epithet for the ancient city of Jerusalem.
It may also refer to:
* City of David (archaeological site) - an archaeological excavation associated with ancient Jerusalem
* Jerusalem Walls National Park
...
with proper religious solemnity. The conclusion (A') was when David blessed the people, invoking "the name of the Lord of hosts" (verse 18) which was introduced at the start of celebrations (A; verse 2). The A C A' structure is replete with 'festive language' that is not found in the 'interruptions' nor 'epilogue'.
Taking the Ark to Jerusalem (6:1–11)
Verses 1–19 of this chapter is a continuation of the ark narrative in 1 Samuel 4:1–7:1, although it may not be a continuous piece as there are significant differences in the names of place and persons, as well as the characters of the narratives. Chronologically David could be in a position to bring the ark to Jerusalem only after a decisive victory over the Philistines (such as the one recorded in 1 Samuel 5:17–25). Since its return from the Philistines (1 Samuel 7:1), the Ark of the Covenant
The Ark of the Covenant,; Ge'ez: also known as the Ark of the Testimony or the Ark of God, is an alleged artifact believed to be the most sacred relic of the Israelites, which is described as a wooden chest, covered in pure gold, with an e ...
had presumably remained in Kirjath-Jearim
Kiriath-Jearim (also Kiryat Ye'arim; he, קִרְיַת-יְעָרִים ', "city of woods"; grc, Καριαθιαριμ ; Latin: ') was a city in the Land of Israel. It is mentioned 18 times in the Hebrew Bible. The biblical place was identi ...
, known in this passage as "Baale-judah" (4QSam has 'Baalah'). Similarity to 1 Samuel 4:4 can be observed in referring the ark as 'the ark of God HWH HWH may refer to:
*HWH, the Indian Railways code for Howrah railway station, West Bengal, India
*HWH, the National Rail code for Haltwhistle railway station, Northumberland, England
{{Disambiguation ...
, and YHWH
The Tetragrammaton (; ), or Tetragram, is the four-letter Hebrew theonym (transliterated as YHWH), the name of God in the Hebrew Bible. The four letters, written and read from right to left (in Hebrew), are ''yodh'', '' he'', ''waw'', and '' ...
as 'enthroned on the cherubim', whereas 'new cart' echoes 1 Samuel 6:7. 'The house of Abinadab' is also known from 1 Samuel 7:1, but his sons 'Uzzah
According to the Tanakh, עזה, Uzzah or Uzza, meaning "Her Strength", was an Israelite whose death is associated with touching the Ark of the Covenant. The account of Uzzah appears in two places in scripture: 2 Samuel 6:3-8 and 1 Chronicles 1 ...
and Ahio Ahio - brotherly.
# One of the sons of Beriah (biblical figure) (1 Chr. 8:14).
# One of the sons of Jehiel the Gibeonite (1 Chr. 8:31; 9:37).
# One of the other sons of Abinadab, father of Eleazar. While his brother Uzzah went by the side of the ...
' appear here instead of 'Eleazar', who was in charge of the ark in the previous narrative. The transport of the ark was an occasion of joy and celebration, as David and his people dancing vigorously ('with all his strength' in verse 14 and 1 Chronicles 13:8 in Hebrew 'with instruments of might') accompanied with 'songs' (following 4QSam, Septuagint and 1 Chronicles 13:8, instead of 'fir-trees' in Masoretic Text), but it was interrupted by Uzzah's sudden death when he touched the ark, due to the same power that brought plagues upon the Philistines ( 1 Samuel 5) and devastation to the town of Beth-shemesh (1 Samuel 6:19). David was unwilling to take more risks, so the ark was left for three months at the place of Obed-Edom Obed-Edom is a biblical name which in Hebrew means "servant of Edom," and which appears in the books of 2 Samuel and 1 and 2 Chronicles. The relationship between these passages has been the subject of scholarly discussions which express uncertaint ...
the Gittite, one of David's loyal servants since his time in Ziklag Ziklag ( he, צִקְלַג) is the biblical name of a town that was located in the Negev region in the south-west of what was the Kingdom of Judah. It was a provincial town within the Philistine kingdom of Gath when Achish was king. Its exact loca ...
, who was a non-Israelite (and possibly a worshipper of another god), but willingly
housed the ark.
Verse 2
:''And David arose and went with all the people who were with him from Baale Judah to bring up from there the ark of God, whose name is called by the Name, the LORD of Hosts, who dwells between the cherubim.''
*"Baale Judah": also known as Baalah or Kirjathbaal, a city in the tribe of Judah, and the same with Kiriath-Jearim
Kiriath-Jearim (also Kiryat Ye'arim; he, קִרְיַת-יְעָרִים ', "city of woods"; grc, Καριαθιαριμ ; Latin: ') was a city in the Land of Israel. It is mentioned 18 times in the Hebrew Bible. The biblical place was identif ...
(Joshua 15:9; 1 Chronicles 13:6). After the return from the Philistines, the ark was transported from Bethshemesh to this place ( 1 Samuel 7:1) and remained there until this time, nearly fifty years.[ Gill, John]
''Exposition of the Entire Bible''. "2 Samuel 6".
Published in 1746-1763.
Verse 3
:''So they set the ark of God on a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill; and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drove the new cart.''
*"A new cart": after these words, Septuagint has an addition "with the ark". The use of cart might be intended as a mark of respect (cf. 1 Samuel 6:7), but it was against the words of Torah (Numbers 7:9) that requires the ark to be carried by the Levites, although this might to be considered impractical at the time due to the condition of the terrain ("on the hill").[
*"House of Abinadab": At this time Abinadab himself may have been long dead, so Uzzah and Ahio could be either his sons, now advanced in life, or his grandsons.][
*"On the hill": rendered in ]KJV
The King James Version (KJV), also the King James Bible (KJB) and the Authorized Version, is an English translation of the Christian Bible for the Church of England, which was commissioned in 1604 and published in 1611, by sponsorship of K ...
and some English versions as "in Gibeah
Gibeah (; he, גִּבְעָה ''Gīḇəʿā''; he, גִּבְעַת, link=no ''Gīḇəʿaṯ'') is the name of three places mentioned in the Hebrew Bible, in the tribes of Benjamin, Judah, and Ephraim respectively.
Gibeah of Benjamin is th ...
" (cf. 1 Samuel 7:1.[ Ellicott, C. J. (Ed.) (1905)]
''Ellicott's Bible Commentary for English Readers''. 2 Samuel 6.
London : Cassell and Company, Limited, 905-1906Online version: (OCoLC) 929526708. Accessed 28 April 2019.
The Ark of the Covenant entered Jerusalem (6:12–23)
Despite some bitter experience with the ark, David was adamant to bring it to Jerusalem, this time with a blessing (verse 12), and again with much celebration and sacrifice. As the ark finally entered Jerusalem, the celebration reached its peak, with David, only wearing 'a linen ephod' (a priestly garment, which only covered the body and loins), leading vigorous circular dances with the assembly of people accompanied by blasts on the trumpet, the sopar or ram's horn for this joyous event. The ark was housed in a tent specially made for it by David (verse 17), not the same as the original wilderness 'tabernacle', but was probably constructed with some features that were later adopted when constructing the Temple for the ark. The whole festive ceremony was concluded with sacrifices, blessings, and gifts; it may well become annually repeated celebrations. Psalm 132
Psalm 132 is the 132nd psalm of the biblical Book of Psalms. It is the longest of the 15 psalms which begin with the words "A song of ascents" (Shir Hama'alot). Its author is not known.Barnes, A. (1834)Barnes' Noteson Psalm 132, accessed 16 June ...
could be based on the story of the transfer of the ark to Jerusalem in this chapter (not having any referrals only found in parallel chapters).
Michal
Michal (; he, מיכל , gr, Μιχάλ) was, according to the first Book of Samuel, a princess of the United Kingdom of Israel; the younger daughter of King Saul, she was the first wife of David (), who later became king, first of Judah, ...
, Saul
Saul (; he, , ; , ; ) was, according to the Hebrew Bible, the first monarch of the United Kingdom of Israel. His reign, traditionally placed in the late 11th century BCE, supposedly marked the transition of Israel and Judah from a scattered tri ...
's daughter and David's first wife, was not pleased with the scantily clothed David dancing ("exposed himself") to 'his servants' maids', among the people (her story was inserted in verse 16 and continued in verses 19–23). She rebuked David with an irony that 'the king honoring himself', but David vowed to make himself even 'more contemptible than this' in showing his piety to YHWH. The statement in verse 23 of Michal's childlessness is significant in relation to David's relations with the house of Saul and with David's own descendants.
Verse 13
:''And so it was, when those bearing the ark of the Lord had gone six paces, that he sacrificed oxen and fatted sheep.''[ NKJV]
*"Had gone six paces" refers to 'repeated sacrifice every six steps', not just one sacrifice after the first six steps.
See also
*Related Bible
The Bible (from Koine Greek , , 'the books') is a collection of religious texts or scriptures that are held to be sacred in Christianity, Judaism, Samaritanism, and many other religions. The Bible is an anthologya compilation of texts of a ...
parts: 1 Samuel 4
1 Samuel 4 is the fourth chapter of the First Book of Samuel in the Old Testament of the Christian Bible or the first part of the Books of Samuel in the Hebrew Bible. According to Jewish tradition the book was attributed to the prophet Samuel, ...
, 1 Samuel 5, 1 Samuel 6, 1 Samuel 7
1 Samuel 7 is the seventh chapter of the First Book of Samuel in the Old Testament of the Christian Bible or the first part of the Books of Samuel in the Hebrew Bible. According to Jewish tradition the book was attributed to the prophet Samuel, ...
, 1 Chronicles 12, 1 Chronicles 13, 1 Chronicles 15
1 Chronicles 15 is the fifteenth chapter of the Books of Chronicles in the Hebrew Bible or the First Book of Chronicles in the Old Testament of the Christian Bible. The book is compiled from older sources by an unknown person or group, designa ...
, 1 Chronicles 16, Psalm 132
Psalm 132 is the 132nd psalm of the biblical Book of Psalms. It is the longest of the 15 psalms which begin with the words "A song of ascents" (Shir Hama'alot). Its author is not known.Barnes, A. (1834)Barnes' Noteson Psalm 132, accessed 16 June ...
Notes
References
Sources
Commentaries on Samuel
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General
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External links
* Jewish
Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...
translations:
*
Samuel II - II Samuel - Chapter 6 (Judaica Press)
Hebrew text and English translation ith_Rashi's_commentary.html"_;"title="Rashi.html"_;"title="ith_Rashi">ith_Rashi's_commentary">Rashi.html"_;"title="ith_Rashi">ith_Rashi's_commentaryat_Chabad.org
*_Christian_
Christians_()_are_people_who_follow_or_adhere_to_Christianity,_a__monotheistic__Abrahamic_religion_based_on_the_life_and_teachings_of_Jesus_Christ._The_words_''Christ''_and_''Christian''_derive_from_the_Koine_Greek_title_''Christós''_(Χρι_...