1 Again David summoned all the picked troops of Isra’el, 30,000 men.
2 Then David, taking along the entire force he had with him then, set out for Ba‘alei-Y’hudah to bring up from there the ark of God, which bears the Name, the name ofAdonai-Tzva’otenthroned above thek’ruvim.
3 They set the ark of God on a new cart and brought it out of the house of Avinadav on the hill, with ‘Uzah and Achyo, the sons of Avinadav, driving the new cart.
4 They led it from the house of Avinadav on the hill, with the ark of God; Achyo walked in front of the ark.
5 David and the whole house of Isra’el celebrated in the presence ofAdonaiwith all kinds of musical instruments made of cypress-wood, including lyres, lutes, tambourines, rattles and cymbals.
6 When they arrived at Nakhon’s threshing-floor, the oxen stumbled; and ‘Uzah put out his hand to steady the ark of God.
7 ButAdonai’s anger blazed up against ‘Uzah, and God struck him down on the spot for his offense, so that he died there by the ark of God.
8 It upset David thatAdonaihad broken out against ‘Uzah; that place has been called Peretz-‘Uzah [breaking-out of ‘Uzah] ever since.
9 David was frightened ofAdonaithat day; he asked, “How can the ark ofAdonaicome to me?”
10 So David would not bring the ark ofAdonaiinto the City of David; rather, David took it over to the house of ‘Oved-Edom the Gitti.
11 The ark ofAdonaistayed in the house of ‘Oved-Edom the Gitti for three months; andAdonaiblessed ‘Oved-Edom and all his household.
12 King David was told, “Adonaihas blessed the house of ‘Oved-Edom and everyone who belongs to him, thanks to the ark of God.” So David went and joyously brought the ark of God up from the house of ‘Oved-Edom into the City of David.
13 When those bearing the ark ofAdonaihad gone only six paces, he sacrificed an ox and a fattened sheep.
14 Then David danced and spun around with abandon beforeAdonai, wearing a linen ritual vest.
15 So David and all the house of Isra’el brought up the ark ofAdonaiwith shouting and the sound of theshofar.
16 As the ark ofAdonaientered the City of David, Mikhal the daughter of Sha’ul, watching from the window, saw King David leaping and spinning beforeAdonai; and she was filled with contempt for him.
17 They brought the ark ofAdonaiin and put it in its place inside the tent that David had set up for it. David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings beforeAdonai.
18 When David had finished offering the burnt offering and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name ofAdonai-Tzva’ot.
19 Then he distributed to all the people of Isra’el, to everyone there, both men and women, a loaf of bread, a portion of meat and a raisin cake, after which the people all left for their homes.
20 When David returned to bless his household, Mikhal the daughter of Sha’ul came out to meet him and said, “Such honor the king of Isra’el earned for himself today — exposing himself before his servants’ slave-girls like some vulgar exhibitionist!”
21 David answered Mikhal, “In the presence ofAdonai—who chose me over your father and over everyone in his family to make me chief overAdonai’s people, over Isra’el — I will celebrate in the presence ofAdonai!
22 I will make myself still more contemptible than that, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes, but those slave-girls you mentioned will honor me!”
23 Mikhal the daughter of Sha’ul remained childless until the day she died.