2 Samuel 6:12–15
David dances with all his might before YHWH as the ark is brought up
Study it word by word12It was reported to King David, saying, “YHWH has blessed the house of Obed-edom and all that belongs to him, for the sake of the ark of Elohim.” So David went and brought up the ark of Elohim from the house of Obed-edom to the city of David with joy.
13And it happened that when those carrying the ark of YHWH had gone six steps, he sacrificed an ox and a fattened animal.
14David was dancing with all his strength before YHWH, and David was girded with a linen ephod.
15So David and all the house of Israel were bringing up the ark of YHWH with acclamation and with the sound of the horn.
In its context
10So David was not willing to move the ark of YHWH to himself into the city of David; and David turned it aside to the house of Obed-edom the Gittite.
11The ark of YHWH remained in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite three months, and YHWH blessed Obed-edom and all his house.
…
16And as the ark of YHWH was coming into the city of David, Michal the daughter of Saul looked down through the window and saw King David leaping and dancing before YHWH; and she despised him in her heart.
17They brought in the ark of YHWH and set it in its place, inside the tent that David had pitched for it; and David offered up burnt offerings before YHWH, and peace offerings.
Its words in the original
- יֻּגַּדyugad· tell, declare
Tell, make known, report, declare; also explain.
- מֶּלֶךְmelech· king
King: the ruler of a city, a people or a kingdom.
- דָּוִדdavid· David
David, youngest son of Jesse, of Bethlehem; the second king of Israel. The name means "beloved."
- אמֹרmor· say
Say, speak. The most common verb for bringing in what someone says; sometimes "think" (say to oneself) or "command".
- בֵּרַךְberach· bless, kneel
Bless. When God blesses, he gives good: life, children, fruit, prosperity. When a person "blesses God", he gives him nothing: he praises and thanks him. Between people, it is wishing the other the good that comes from God; also greet. The root also means kneel.
- יְהוָהyehva· YHWH
The personal name of the God of Israel, written in Hebrew with four letters, Y-H-W-H, without vowels. Out of reverence Jews stopped pronouncing it and read "Adonai" (Lord), so many Bibles put "the LORD" or "Jehovah". This translation keeps the four letters. The name is related to the verb "to be" (Exodus 3:14-15). He is not a god other than Elohim: "YHWH Elohim" is the same Creator God, called by his name.
- בֵּיתbet· house, household
House. Also the family that lives in it ("the house of Noah") and someone's descendants ("the house of David"); also a temple, "the house of God".
- עֹבֵדoved· Obed-edom
Obed-edom, the name of several men. The best known is the Gittite in whose house the ark stayed three months (2 Samuel 6:10-12). It means "servant of Edom".
- אֲרוֹןaron· chest, ark; coffin
Chest, box. Above all, the ark of the covenant: the chest that held the tablets. Also a coffin.
- אֱלֹהִיםelohim· Elohim, God, gods
The Hebrew word usually translated "God". This translation keeps "Elohim" when it speaks of the one true God, the Creator, the God of Israel. The word ends like a plural, but it does not mean several: for him the verb is singular ("Elohim created"); the plural form expresses greatness. The same word as a common noun names the "gods" of other peoples, and there it is a true plural, translated "gods". It is also used of mighty ones or judges.
- יֵּלֶךְyelech· go, walk
Go, walk, depart; in the causative form, lead or bring.
- יַּעַלyaal· go up, offer up
Go up, ascend, climb. It is also used for "offering" a sacrifice (making it go up), and for coming up from Egypt.
- עִירir· city
City: in ancient times any settlement with protection, however small.
- שִׂמְחָהsimcha· joy
Joy, gladness, celebration.
- יְהִיyehi· be, become, happen
Be, exist; also "become" or "happen". It is the verb of "there was", "it was" and "it came to pass".
- צָעֲדוּtsaadu· march; climb
Step along, march. Also climb.
- נֹשְׂאֵיnose· lift, carry, bear
Lift up, carry, bear. "Bear sin" is to suffer its consequences; said of God, "taking away" sin is forgiving it. "Lift up the eyes" is to look.
- שִׁשָּׁהshisha· six
Six; also "sixth".
- צְעָדִיםtseadim· step
A step: each movement of the foot in walking.
- יִּזְבַּחyizbach· sacrifice
Sacrifice: slaughter an animal to offer it to God.
- שׁוֹרshor· ox, bull
Ox or bull: a head of cattle.
- מְרִיאmeri· fatted animal
Fatted animal: a beast fattened for a meal or a special sacrifice.
- מְכַרְכֵּרmecharker· dance
Dance, whirl around.
- עֹזoz· strength, might
Strength, power.
- פְנֵיfene· face, presence
Face. From there "surface" (the face of something) and "presence" (being before someone's face); with a preposition it means "before" or "in front of".
- חָגוּרchagur· gird
Gird: fasten a garment, a belt or a weapon around the waist for walking, working or fighting.
- אֵפוֹדefod· ephod
Ephod: a garment of the high priest, like a vest or apron, worn over the robe (Exodus 28:6-14). In other passages, an object used in worship.
- בָּדbad· linen
Linen; white linen cloth, and garments made of it.
- יִשְׂרָאֵלyisrael· Israel
Israel, the new name Jacob received from God, explained as "you have striven with God" (Genesis 32:28); then the name of the people that came from him and, after the division, of the northern kingdom.
- תְרוּעָהterua· shout, trumpet blast
A loud sound of acclamation: a blast of a trumpet or horn, a shout of joy or a battle cry.
- קוֹלkol· voice, sound
Voice or sound: what is heard, from a person, an animal or a thing (thunder, steps).
- שׁוֹפָרshofar· horn (shofar)
Shofar: a ram's horn blown like a trumpet.