2 Samuel 6:14

14 Wearing a linen ephod, David was dancing before the LORD with all his might,

2 Samuel 6:14 in Other Translations

King James Version (KJV)
14 And David danced before the LORD with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod.
English Standard Version (ESV)
14 And David danced before the LORD with all his might. And David was wearing a linen ephod.
New Living Translation (NLT)
14 And David danced before the LORD with all his might, wearing a priestly garment.
The Message Bible (MSG)
14 David, ceremonially dressed in priest's linen, danced with great abandon before God.
American Standard Version (ASV)
14 And David danced before Jehovah with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod.
GOD'S WORD Translation (GW)
14 Wearing a linen ephod, David danced in the LORD's presence with all his might.
Holman Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
14 David was dancing with all his might before the Lord wearing a linen ephod.
New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
14 David was wearing a sacred linen apron. He danced in the sight of the LORD with all his might.

2 Samuel 6:14 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 6:14

And David danced before the Lord with all [his] might
That is, before the ark of the Lord; not a set dance, or along with others; but he leaped and skipped as "car", a lamb, does, and that for joy that the ark was like to be brought home to his house, without any token of the divine displeasure, as before; the Targum is,

``he praised before the Lord with all his might;''

exerted himself to the uttermost in singing the praises of God vocally, or by playing on an instrument; to which sense are the Septuagint, Syriac, and Arabic versions, which is approved of by Castel F16; who observes, it nowhere appears to have been a custom to dance before the ark; but it might be now done, though not usual, and therefore was observed by Michal with contempt, ( 2 Samuel 6:16 ) ; a later writer F17 shows that dancing is the proper sense of the word:

and David [was] girded with a linen ephod;
which others, besides priests, sometimes wore, as Samuel did, and which David might choose to appear in, rather than in his royal robes, as being more agreeable to the service of God, and lighter for him both to walk and dance in on this occasion.


FOOTNOTES:

F16 Lexic. col. 1793.
F17 Hackman. Praecidan. Sacr. p. 156, 157.

2 Samuel 6:14 In-Context

12 Now King David was told, “The LORD has blessed the household of Obed-Edom and everything he has, because of the ark of God.” So David went to bring up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David with rejoicing.
13 When those who were carrying the ark of the LORD had taken six steps, he sacrificed a bull and a fattened calf.
14 Wearing a linen ephod, David was dancing before the LORD with all his might,
15 while he and all Israel were bringing up the ark of the LORD with shouts and the sound of trumpets.
16 As the ark of the LORD was entering the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King David leaping and dancing before the LORD, she despised him in her heart.

Cross References 2

  • 1. Exodus 19:6; S 1 Samuel 2:18
  • 2. S Exodus 15:20
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