20 And David turneth back to bless his house, and Michal daughter of Saul goeth out to meet David, and saith, `How honourable to-day was the king of Israel, who was uncovered to-day before the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain ones is openly uncovered!'
and it hath come to pass, the ark of Jehovah hath come in to the city of David, and Michal daughter of Saul, hath looked through the window, and seeth king David moving and dancing before Jehovah, and despiseth him in her heart.
And David is dancing with all strength before Jehovah, and David is girded with a linen ephod,
I act wisely in a perfect way, When dost Thou come in unto me? I walk habitually in the integrity of my heart, In the midst of my house.
but did empty himself, the form of a servant having taken, in the likeness of men having been made, and in fashion having been found as a man, he humbled himself, having become obedient unto death -- death even of a cross,
we `are' fools because of Christ, and ye wise in Christ; we `are' ailing, and ye strong; ye glorious, and we dishonoured; unto the present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and wander about, and labour, working with `our' own hands; being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer; being spoken evil of, we entreat; as filth of the world we did become -- of all things an offscouring -- till now.
He cometh, therefore, unto Simon Peter, and that one saith to him, `Sir, thou -- dost thou wash my feet?'
and his friends having heard, went forth to lay hold on him, for they said that he was beside himself,
Yea, he cometh up as a tender plant before Him, And as a root out of a dry land, He hath no form, nor honour, when we observe him, Nor appearance, when we desire him. He is despised, and left of men, A man of pains, and acquainted with sickness, And as one hiding the face from us, He is despised, and we esteemed him not.
for I have known him, that he commandeth his children, and his house after him (and they have kept the way of Jehovah), to do righteousness and judgment, that Jehovah may bring on Abraham that which He hath spoken concerning him.'
For because of Thee I have borne reproach, Shame hath covered my face. A stranger I have been to my brother, And a foreigner to sons of my mother. For zeal for Thy house hath consumed me, And the reproaches of Thy reproachers Have fallen upon me.
Sons of folly -- even sons without name, They have been smitten from the land.
And Tobiah the Ammonite `is' by him and saith, `Also, that which they are building -- if a fox doth go up, then it hath broken down their stone wall.' Hear, O our God, for we have been despised; and turn back their reproach on their own head, and give them for a spoil in a land of captivity;
And David finisheth from causing to ascend the burnt-offering, and the peace-offerings, and blesseth the people in the name of Jehovah of Hosts,
And he goeth thither -- unto Naioth in Ramah, and the Spirit of God is upon him -- him also; and he goeth, going on, and he prophesyeth till his coming in to Naioth in Ramah, and he strippeth off -- he also -- his garments, and prophesieth -- he also -- before Samuel, and falleth down naked all that day and all the night; therefore they say, `Is Saul also among the prophets?'
and if wrong in your eyes to serve Jehovah -- choose for you to-day whom ye do serve; -- whether the gods whom your fathers served, which `are' beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorite in whose land ye are dwelling; and I and my house -- we serve Jehovah.'
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on 2 Samuel 6
Commentary on 2 Samuel 6 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 6
The obscurity of the ark, during the reign of Saul, had been as great a grievance to Israel as the insults of the Philistines. David, having humbled the Philistines and mortified them in gratitude for that favour, and in pursuance of his designs for the public welfare, is here bringing up the ark to his own city, that it might be near him, and be an ornament and strength to his new foundation. Here is,
2Sa 6:1-5
We have not heard a word of the ark since it was lodged in Kirjath-jearim, immediately after its return out of its captivity among the Philistines (1 Sa. 7:1, 2), except that, once, Saul called for it, 1 Sa. 14:18. That which in former days had made so great a figure is now thrown aside, as a neglected thing, for many years. And, if now the ark was for so many years in a house, let it not seem strange that we find the church so long in the wilderness, Rev. 12:14. Perpetual visibility is no mark of the true church. God is graciously present with the souls of his people even when they want the external tokens of his presence. But now that David is settled in the throne the honour of the ark begins to revive, and Israel's care of it to flourish again, wherein also, no doubt, the good people among them had been careful, but they lacked opportunity. See Phil. 4:10.
2Sa 6:6-11
We have here Uzzah struck dead for touching the ark, when it was upon its journey towards the city of David, a sad providence, which damped their mirth, stopped the progress of the ark, and for the present, dispersed this great assembly, which had come together to attend it, and sent them home in a fright.
2Sa 6:12-19
We have here the second attempt to bring the ark home to the city of David; and this succeeded, though the former miscarried.
2Sa 6:20-23
David, having dismissed the congregation with a blessing, returned to bless his household (v. 20), that is, to pray with them and for them, and to offer up his family thanksgiving for this national mercy. Ministers must not think that their public performances will excuse them from their family-worship; but when they have, with their instructions and prayers, blessed the solemn assemblies, they must return in the same manner to bless their households, for with them they are in a particular manner charged. David, though he had prophets, and priests, and Levites, about him, to be his chaplains, yet did not devolve the work upon them, but himself blessed his household. It is angels' work to worship God, and therefore surely that can be no disparagement to the greatest of men.
Never did David return to his house with so much pleasure and satisfaction as he did now that he had got the ark into his neighbourhood; and yet even this joyful day concluded with some uneasiness, occasioned by the pride and peevishness of his wife. Even the palaces of princes are not exempt from domestic troubles. David had pleased all the multitude of Israel, but Michal was not pleased with his dancing before the ark. For this, when he was at a distance, she scorned him, and when he came home she scolded him. She was not displeased at his generosity to the people, nor did she grudge the entertainment he gave them; but she thought he degraded himself too much in dancing before the ark. It was not her covetousness, but her pride, that made her fret.
David was contented thus to justify himself, and did not any further animadvert upon Michal's insolence; but God punished her for it, writing her for ever childless from this time forward, v. 23. She unjustly reproached David for his devotion, and therefore God justly put her under the perpetual reproach of barrenness. Those that honour God he will honour; but those that despise him, and his servants and service, shall be lightly esteemed.