2 Samuel 6:22

_AND DAVID SAID UNTO MICHAL, IT WAS BEFORE THE LORD, WHICH CHOSE ME BEFORE THY FATHER, AND BEFORE ALL HIS HOUSE, TO APPOINT ME RULER OVER THE PEOPLE OF THE LORD, OVER ISRAEL: THEREFORE WILL I PLAY BEFORE THE LORD._ No JFB commentary on these verses....

20-23 David returned to bless his household, to pray with them, and for them, and to offer up family thanksgiving for this national mercy. It is angels' work to worship God, surely that cannot lower the greatest of men. But even the palaces of princes are not free from family troubles. Exercises of religion appear mean in the eyes of those who have little or no religion themselves. If we can approve ourselves to God in what we do in religion, and do it as before the Lord, we need not heed reproach. Piety will have its praise: let us not be indifferent in it, nor afraid or ashamed to own it. David was contented to justify himself, and he did not further reprove or blame Michal's insolence; but God punished her. Those that honour God, he will honour; but those that despise him, and his servants and service, shall be lightly esteemed....

Verse 2 Samuel 6:22. _I WILL YET BE MORE VILE_] The plain meaning of these words appears to be this: "I am not ashamed of _humbling_ myself before that God who rejected thy father because of his _obstinacy_ and _pride_, and chose me in his stead to rule his people; and even those maid-servants, when they come to know the motive of my conduct, shall acknowledge its propriety, and treat me with additional respect; and as for thee, thou shalt find that thy conduct is as little pleasing to God as it is to me." Then it is said, _Michal had no child till the day of her death_: probably David never more took her to his bed; or God, in his providence, might have subjected her to _barrenness_ which in Palestine was considered both a misfortune and a _reproach_. Michal formed her judgment without reason, and meddled with that which she did not understand. We should...

EXPOSITION 2 SAMUEL 6:1 AND DAVID GATHERED TOGETHER. The long subjection to the Philistines was at an end, and David's first care is to bring the ark of Jehovah from Kirjath-jearim to Jerusalem. In this he had a twofold object. For, first, it was an act of piety, testifying David's gratitude to God, who had so quickly raised him from the condition of a despairing fugitive hiding away in the cave of Adullam to that of a victorious king reigning over an independent and free people. But David had also a political purpose. The weakness of Israel in the past was the result of its divisions, he would heal this by giving it a capital, whither the tribes would come up for worship, and where they would feel that they formed one nation. David had seen the evils of a divided sovereignty, when he and Ishbosheth were wasting the strength of Israel in

AND I WILL YET BE MORE VILE THAN THUS,.... If this is to be vile, I will endeavour to be viler still; if to dance before the ark, and sing the praises of God, be reckoned a lessening of me, I will more and more be found in doing such things, or what is similar to them: AND WILL BE BASE IN MINE OWN SIGHT: humble himself, and lie low in his own eyes, admiring the grace and goodness of God to him, thinking he could never condescend too low to exalt the Lord, and magnify the riches of his goodness: AND OF THE MAIDSERVANTS WHICH THOU HAST SPOKEN OF, OF THEM SHALL I BE HAD IN HONOUR; who the more humble I am, and the more I condescend, by laying aside all state in acts of devotion and religion, the more shall I be honoured and spoken well of by them....

3. THE ARK BROUGHT TO ZION CHAPTER 6 _ 1. The ark fetched by David (2 Samuel 6:1)_ 2. Uzzah: his error and death (2 Samuel 6:6) 3. The ark in the house of Obed-edom (2 Samuel 6:10) 4. The ark brought into David's city (2 Samuel 6:12) 5. Michal's mockery of David (2 Samuel 6:20) It is of importance to read 1 Chronicles 13 for a better understanding of how the ark was brought from Kirjathjearim to David's c

2 SAMUEL 6. DAVID BRINGS THE ARK TO JERUSALEM. MICHAL'S SCORN. HER PUNISHMENT (J). (_Cf._ p. 286.) Nothing has been heard of the Ark since 1 Samuel 7:2, before the accession of Saul. The introduction of the Ark in I S 2 Samuel 14:18, is due to corruption of the text. This silence is sometimes accounted for by supposing that the Ark was under the control of the Philistines and inaccessible to the Israelites (_cf._ Cent.B, and EBi, Ark). David's action gave added importance to the new capital; and the building of Solomon's Temple probably provided Jerusalem with the chief sanctuary in Israel. 2 SAMUEL 6:1. David and the people go to Baal, or Baalah, Judah (not Baale), to fetch the Ark. This place is

Michal's contemptuous pride rebuked by David 20. _And Michal_, &c. The account of David's meeting with Michal is omitted in 1 Chr. _How glorious_, &c. Better, HOW HONOURABLE DID THE KING OF ISRAEL MAKE HIMSELF TO-DAY. The E. V. weakens the point of David's answer in 2 Samuel 6:22 by translating the same Hebrew word differently in the two verses. _who uncovered himself_, &c. Stripped off his royal robe, and appeared in a plain ephod, as a worthless buffoon strips off his outer garment to play immodest antics. _vain_ = -empty," -worthless....

DISCOURSE: 313 DAVID DANCING BEFORE THE LORD 2 Samuel 6:22._ I will yet be more vile than thus, and will be base in mine own sight._ A MEASURE of firmness is necessary in the whole of our intercourse with mankind, to prevent us from being drawn aside from the path of wisdom into a compliance with the prejudices and passions of those around us. But in all that pertains to religion it is more especially necessary; because in opposition to true piety the current is exceeding strong; and we must inevitably be borne away by it, if we do not cleave unto our God with full purpose of heart. The great and powerful may be supposed to be more free than others from the influence of public opinion: but their very elevation exposes them to storms and tempests more than others; and they have therefore the more need of firmness, to bear up against the taunts with which they will be assa

I WILL YET BE MORE VILE—AND—BASE— The words נקלתי _nekalloti,_ and שׁפל _shapal,_ which, we render _vile_ and _base,_ by no means convey the ideas which those English words convey. The first is twice rendered in our version by _despised;_ Genesis 16:4. The almost constant sense of the latter is _humble;_ and the passage before us should be rendered, _And I will be more despicable than this, and humble in mine own eyes._ David's reply is severe, but just, and suited to the nature of Michal's reproach: "Have I descended beneath the dignity of my character, as king of Israel, by divesting myself of my royal robes, and, by dancing, acted like one of the vain people? It was _before the Lord, who chose me before thy father,_ &c. And _I will play_ (_viz._ on my musical instruments) _before the Lord,_ And if this be to make myself cheap