2 Samuel 6:23

_THEREFORE MICHAL THE DAUGHTER OF SAUL HAD NO CHILD UNTO THE DAY OF HER DEATH._ Therefore Michal ... had no child unto the day of her death - (see the notes at 2 Samuel 21:8.)...

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....

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

THEREFORE MICHAL THE DAUGHTER OF SAUL HAD NO CHILD UNTIL THE DAY OF HER DEATH. The children she brought up for Adriel were not her own, but adopted ones, or Adriel's by another woman, 2 Samuel 21:8; however, she had none after this time, whatever she had before, and it does not appear that she had any, though the Jews say she was Eglah, and Ithream her son, 2 Samuel 3:5. And thus she that vilified David brought a reproach upon herself, as barrenness was always reckoned, and no one descending from her arrived to royal dignity, and sat on the throne of David; and so it was ordered in Providence, as Abarbinel observes, that the seed of David and of Saul might not be mixed....

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....

THEREFORE MICHAL, THE DAUGHTER OF SAUL, HAD NO CHILD, &C.— Either neglected from henceforth by David, or, as is more probable, immediately punished by God himself, Michal had no children from this time till the day of her death; or rather, as the Jews say, with whom Bishop Patrick agrees, she never had any children. See the note on chap. 2 Samuel 21:8 and Pfeiffer's Dubia Vexata. REFLECTIONS.—1. The exercises of religion often provoke the contempt of carnal minds. Having no senses exercised to relish holy joys, they despise them. 2. It is no new thing for the enemies of God's people to charge them with lewdness, and to reproach their assemblies as indecent. 3. Ridicule, not reason, is the weapon chiefly employed by the enemies of truth. 4. We must not be laughed out of a religious profession, nor be ashamed of it; but the more we are opposed, or insulted, the more resolute

_Michal Cursed._ 2 Samuel 6:20-23 20 Then 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, who uncovered himself today in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovereth himself! 21 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. 22 And I will yet be more vile than thus, and will be base in mine own sight: and of the maidservants which thou hast spoken of, of them shall I be had in honor. 23 Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no child unto the day of her death. _13._ Why did Michal reprove David?...

THE BRINGING OF THE ARK FROM KIRJATH-JEARIM TO JERUSALEM 1. Again] This probably refers to the previous assembling of the chosen men of Israel to repel the Philistine invasion (2 Samuel 5:22)....