The Ark Brought to Jerusalem

6 Again David gathered all the choice men of Israel, thirty thousand. 2 And aDavid arose and went with all the people who were with him from 1Baale Judah to bring up from there the ark of God, whose name is called 2by the Name, the Lord of Hosts, bwho dwells between the cherubim. 3 So they set the ark of God on a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was on cthe hill; and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drove the new 3cart. 4 And they brought it out of dthe house of Abinadab, which was on the hill, accompanying the ark of God; and Ahio went before the ark. 5 Then David and all the house of Israel eplayed music before the Lord on all kinds of instruments of fir wood, on harps, on stringed instruments, on tambourines, on sistrums, and on cymbals.

6 And when they came to fNachon’s threshing floor, Uzzah put out his ghand to the ark of God and 4took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled. 7 Then the anger of the Lord was aroused against Uzzah, and God struck him there for his 5error; and he died there by the ark of God. 8 And David became angry because of the Lord’s outbreak against Uzzah; and he called the name of the place 6Perez Uzzah to this day.

9 hDavid was afraid of the Lord that day; and he said, “How can the ark of the Lord come to me?” 10 So David would not move the ark of the Lord with him into the iCity of David; but David took it aside into the house of Obed-Edom the jGittite. 11 kThe ark of the Lord remained in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite three months. And the Lord lblessed Obed-Edom and all his household.

12 Now it was told King David, saying, “The Lord has blessed the house of Obed-Edom and all that belongs to him, because of the ark of God.” mSo David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David with gladness. 13 And so it was, when nthose bearing the ark of the Lord had gone six paces, that he sacrificed ooxen and fatted sheep. 14 Then David pdanced 7before the Lord with all his might; and David was wearing qa linen ephod. 15 rSo David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting and with the sound of the trumpet.

16 Now as the ark of the Lord came into the City of David, sMichal, Saul’s daughter, looked through a window and saw King David leaping and whirling before the Lord; and she despised him in her heart. 17 So tthey brought the ark of the Lord, and set it in uits place in the midst of the tabernacle that David had erected for it. Then David voffered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord. 18 And when David had finished offering burnt offerings and peace offerings, whe blessed the people in the name of the Lord of hosts. 19 xThen he distributed among all the people, among the whole multitude of Israel, both the women and the men, to everyone a loaf of bread, a piece of meat, and a cake of raisins. So all the people departed, everyone to his house.

20 yThen David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, “How glorious was the king of Israel today, zuncovering himself today in the eyes of the maids of his servants, as one of the abase fellows 8shamelessly uncovers himself!”

21 So David said to Michal, “It was before the Lord, bwho chose me instead of your father and all his house, to appoint me ruler over the cpeople of the Lord, over Israel. Therefore I will play music before the Lord. 22 And I will be even more undignified than this, and will be humble in my own sight. But as for the maidservants of whom you have spoken, by them I will be held in honor.”

23 Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no children dto the day of her death.

God’s Covenant with David

7 Now it came to pass awhen the king was dwelling in his house, and the Lord had given him rest from all his enemies all around, 2 that the king said to Nathan the prophet, “See now, I dwell in ba house of cedar, cbut the ark of God dwells inside tent dcurtains.”

3 Then Nathan said to the king, “Go, do all that is in your eheart, for the Lord is with you.”

4 But it happened that night that the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying, 5 “Go and tell My servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord: f“Would you build a house for Me to dwell in? 6 For I have not dwelt in a house gsince the time that I brought the children of Israel up from Egypt, even to this day, but have moved about in ha tent and in a tabernacle. 7 Wherever I have imoved about with all the children of Israel, have I ever spoken a word to anyone from the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded jto shepherd My people Israel, saying, ‘Why have you not built Me a house of cedar?’ ” ’ 8 Now therefore, thus shall you say to My servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts: k“I took you from the sheepfold, from following the sheep, to be ruler over My people, over Israel. 9 And lI have been with you wherever you have gone, mand have 1cut off all your enemies from before you, and have made you a great name, like the name of the great men who are on the earth. 10 Moreover I will appoint a place for My people Israel, and will nplant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own and move no more; onor shall the sons of wickedness oppress them anymore, as previously, 11 psince the time that I commanded judges to be over My people Israel, and have caused you to rest from all your enemies. Also the Lord 2tells you qthat He will make you a 3house.

12 r“When your days are fulfilled and you srest with your fathers, tI will set up your seed after you, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 uHe shall build a house for My name, and I will vestablish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 wI will be his Father, and he shall be xMy son. If he commits iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men and with the 4blows of the sons of men. 15 But My mercy shall not depart from him, yas I took it from Saul, whom I removed from before you. 16 And zyour house and your kingdom shall be established forever before 5you. Your throne shall be established forever.” ’ ”

17 According to all these words and according to all this vision, so Nathan spoke to David.

David’s Thanksgiving to God

18 Then King David went in and sat before the Lord; and he said: a“Who am I, O Lord God? And what is my house, that You have brought me this far? 19 And yet this was a small thing in Your sight, O Lord God; and You have also spoken of Your servant’s house for a great while to come. bIs this the manner of man, O Lord God? 20 Now what more can David say to You? For You, Lord God, cknow Your servant. 21 For Your word’s sake, and according to Your own heart, You have done all these great things, to make Your servant know them. 22 Therefore dYou are great, 6O Lord God. For ethere is none like You, nor is there any God besides You, according to all that we have heard with our fears. 23 And who is like Your people, like Israel, gthe one nation on the earth whom God went to redeem for Himself as a people, to make for Himself a name—and to do for Yourself great and awesome deeds for Your land—before hYour people whom You redeemed for Yourself from Egypt, the nations, and their gods? 24 For iYou have made Your people Israel Your very own people forever; jand You, Lord, have become their God.

25 “Now, O Lord God, the word which You have spoken concerning Your servant and concerning his house, establish it forever and do as You have said. 26 So let Your name be magnified forever, saying, ‘The Lord of hosts is the God over Israel.’ And let the house of Your servant David be established before You. 27 For You, O Lord of hosts, God of Israel, have revealed this to Your servant, saying, ‘I will build you a house.’ Therefore Your servant has found it in his heart to pray this prayer to You.

28 “And now, O Lord God, You are God, and kYour words are true, and You have promised this goodness to Your servant. 29 Now therefore, let it please You to bless the house of Your servant, that it may continue before You forever; for You, O Lord God, have spoken it, and with Your blessing let the house of Your servant be blessed lforever.”