David fetches the ark from Kirjath-jearim on a new cart, 1-5. Uzzah is smitten at Perez-uzzah, 6-8. God blesses Obed-edom for the ark, 9-11. David brings the ark into Zion with sacrifices and dances before it, 12-15. Michal despises him for his dancing, 16. He places it in a tabernacle with great joy and feasting, 17-19. Michal, reproving David for his religious joy, is childless to her death, 20-23.
1 Again, David assembled all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand, 2 And David arose and went with all the people who were with him from Baale of Judah to bring up from there the ark of God, whose name is called by the name of the LORD of hosts who dwells between the cherubim. 3 And they set the ark of God upon a new cart and brought it out of the house of Abinadab that was in Gibeah. And Uzzah and Ahio the sons of Abinadab drove the new cart. 4 And they brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was at Gibeah, accompanying the ark of God. And Ahio went before the ark. 5 And David and all the house of Israel played before the LORD on all manner of instruments made of fir wood, even on harps, on psalteries, on tambourines, on horns, and on cymbals.
6 And when they came to Nachon's threshing-floor, Uzzah put forth his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen shook it. 7 And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzzah, and God smote him there for his error. And there he died by the ark of God. 8 And David was displeased because the LORD had made a breach upon Uzzah. And he called the name of the place Perez-uzzah to this day. 9 And David was afraid of the LORD that day and said, "How shall the ark of the LORD come to me?" 10 So David would not move the ark of the LORD with him into the city of David. But David carried it aside into the house of Obed-edom the Gittite. 11 And the ark of the LORD continued in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite three months. And the LORD blessed Obed-edom and all his household.
12 And it was told to king David, saying, "The LORD has blessed the house of Obed-edom and all that pertains to him because of the ark of God." So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom into the city of David with gladness. 13 And it was so, that when those who bore the ark of the LORD had gone six paces, he sacrificed oxen and fattened calves. 14 And David danced before the LORD with all his might. And David was girded with a linen ephod. 15 So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouting and with the sound of the trumpet.
16 And as the ark of the LORD came into the city of David, Michal, Saul's daughter, looked through a window and saw king David leaping and dancing before the LORD, and she despised him in her heart.
17 And they brought in the ark of the LORD and set it in its place in the midst of the tabernacle that David had pitched for it. And David offered burnt-offerings and peace-offerings before the LORD. 18 And as soon as David had made an end of offering burnt-offerings and peace-offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD of hosts. 19 And he dealt among all the people, even among the whole multitude of Israel, to the women as well as the men, to everyone a cake of bread, a good piece of flesh, and a flagon of wine. So all the people departed each to his house.
20 Then David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David and said, "How glorious the king of Israel was today, who uncovered himself today in the eyes of his servants' women-servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovers himself!" 21 And David said to Michal, "It was before the LORD, who chose me before your father and before all his house to appoint me ruler over the people of the LORD, over Israel; therefore, I will play before the LORD. 22 And I shall yet be more vile than this and be base in my own sight. And by the women-servants which you have spoken of, by them I shall be had in honor." 23 Therefore, Michal the daughter of Saul had no child until the day of her death.
Matthew Henry Commentary - 2nd Samuel, Chapter 6[➚]
[v.7] - The punishment of Uzzah seems a little harsh. On the surface, it would appear that Uzzah was simply providing a brace to keep the ark of the Lord from falling. To the untrained eye, he would be doing the Lord a service by holding the ark when the oxen stumbled; however, there was an act of disobedience. Verses 8 and 9 show that David became angry with the Lord for such severe punishment. It says that he, "was displeased, because the LORD had made a breach upon Uzzah... And David was afraid of the LORD that day, and said, 'How shall the ark of the LORD come to me?'" The disobedience did not come from David's anger, but rather his disregard to the Lord's command concerning the carrying of the ark. The Lord's command was for the Levites to be in charge of carrying the ark. The command was given to Moses for the tribe of Levi to be separated and, "bear the ark of the covenant of the LORD" (Deuteronomy 10:8). Uzzah was not a Levite. Instead, he was of the genealogy of Benjamin (1st Chronicles 8:1-7). That was the act of disobedience that was committed.
[v.21] - Reference, 1st Samuel 13:14, 15:28, 28:17.