2 Samuel 6:20

2 Samuel 6:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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 to day, who uncovered himself to day in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovereth himself!
• New International Version (NIV)When David returned home to bless his household, Michal daughter of Saul came out to meet him and said, “How the king of Israel has distinguished himself today, going around half-naked in full view of the slave girls of his servants as any vulgar fellow would!”
• English Standard Version (ESV)And David returned to bless his household. But Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David and said, "How the king of Israel honored himself today, uncovering himself today before the eyes of his servants' female servants, as one of the vulgar fellows shamelessly uncovers himself!"
• New King James Version (NKJV)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, uncovering himself today in the eyes of the maids of his servants, as one of the base fellows shamelessly uncovers himself!”

Context of 2 Samuel 6:20

18When David had finished sacrificing the burnt offerings and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD of Hosts. 19Then he distributed to every man and woman among the multitude of Israel a loaf of bread, a date cake, and a raisin cake. And all the people departed, each to his own home. When David returned home to bless his own household, Saul’s daughter Michal came out to meet him. “How the king of Israel has distinguished himself today!” she said. “He has uncovered himself today in the sight of the maidservants of his subjects, like a vulgar person would do.” 21But David said to Michal, “I was dancing before the LORD, who chose me over your father and all his house when He appointed me ruler over the LORD’s people Israel. I will celebrate before the LORD, 22and I will humiliate and humble myself even more than this. Yet I will be honored by the maidservants of whom you have spoken.”

2 Samuel 6:20 word by word

וַיָּ֥שָׁב דָּוִ֖ד לְבָרֵ֣ךְ אֶת־בֵּית֑וֹ וַתֵּצֵ֞א מִיכַ֤ל בַּת־שָׁאוּל֙ לִקְרַ֣את דָּוִ֔ד וַתֹּ֗אמֶר מַה־נִּכְבַּ֨ד הַיּ֜וֹם מֶ֣לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל אֲשֶׁ֨ר נִגְלָ֤ה הַיּוֹם֙ לְעֵינֵ֨י אַמְה֣וֹת עֲבָדָ֔יו כְּהִגָּל֥וֹת נִגְל֖וֹת אַחַ֥ד הָרֵקִֽים׃Read the interlinear

• When Davidדָּוִדdâvid dâvîyd · DavidH1732
• returnedשׁוּבshûb · to return: returnH7725
• home to blessבָּרַךְbârak · to blessH1288
• ·אֵת'êth · [Obj.]H853
• his own householdבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: householdH1004
• Saul’sשָׁאוּלshâ'ûl · SaulH7586
• Saul’sקָרָאqârâ' · to encounter: meetH7122
• daughterבַּתbath · daughterH1323
• Michalמִיכַלmîykâl · MichalH4324
• came outיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: comeH3318
• Howמָהmâh mah mâ ma meh · what?H4100
• the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
• has distinguished himselfכָּבֵדkâbad kâbêd · to honor: honourH3513
• todayיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
• she saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• Heאֲשֶׁר'ăsher · whichH834
• has uncovered himselfהֶגְלָםgâlâh · HeglamH1540
• in the sightעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eyeH5869
• of the maidservantsאָמָה'âmâh · maidservantH519
• of his subjectsעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · servant/slaveH5650
• like aאֶחָד'echâd · oneH259
• vulgar personרֵיקrêyq rêq · worthlessH7386

Cross-references for 2 Samuel 6:20

• 2 Samuel 6:18When David had finished sacrificing the burnt offerings and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD of Hosts.
• Genesis 18:19For I have chosen him, so that he will command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just, in order that the LORD may bring upon Abraham what He has promised.”
• Joshua 24:15But if it is unpleasing in your sight to serve the LORD, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living. As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD!”
• 1 Chronicles 16:43Then all the people departed for their homes, and David returned home to bless his household.
• Psalms 30:1I will exalt You, O LORD, for You have lifted me up and have not allowed my foes to rejoice over me.
• Psalms 101:2I will ponder the way that is blameless— when will You come to me? I will walk in my house with integrity of heart.
• 2 Samuel 6:16As the ark of the LORD was entering the City of David, Saul’s daughter Michal looked down from a window and saw King David leaping and dancing before the LORD, and she despised him in her heart.
• Psalms 69:7For I have endured scorn for Your sake, and shame has covered my face.
• Mark 3:21When His family heard about this, they went out to take custody of Him, saying, “He is out of His mind.”
• Nehemiah 4:3Then Tobiah the Ammonite, who was beside him, said, “If even a fox were to climb up on what they are building, it would break down their wall of stones!”
• Isaiah 53:2He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no stately form or majesty to attract us, no beauty that we should desire Him.
• John 13:6He came to Simon Peter, who asked Him, “Lord, are You going to wash my feet?”
• 1 Corinthians 4:10We are fools for Christ, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are honored, but we are dishonored.
• Philippians 2:7but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in human likeness.
• 2 Samuel 6:14And David, wearing a linen ephod, danced with all his might before the LORD,
• 1 Samuel 19:23So Saul went to Naioth in Ramah. But the Spirit of God came upon even Saul, and he walked along prophesying until he came to Naioth in Ramah.

Commentaries on 2 Samuel 6:20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20To bless his household - This was according to the custom of the patriarchs, who were priests in their own families. It is worthy of remark, that David is called patriarch by Stephen, Acts 2:29, though living upwards of four hundred years after the termination of the patriarchal age. How glorious was the king of Israel - This is a strong irony. From what Michal says, it is probable that David used some violent gesticulations, by means of which some parts…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 20-23Verses 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…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-23Except for a brief reference in 1 Samuel 14:18 (see note), the ark of the covenant does not appear again after 1 Samuel 7:1–2. In that passage, the Philistines returned the captured ark to Beth-shemesh, and it was later taken to Kiriath-jearim. There, the ark was placed in the home of Abinadab. The ark’s long absence during the reign of Saul is significant. It shows that Saul did not seek the Lord and was spiritually insensitive (see 1 Chronicles…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 20-2220-22. Michal ... came out to meet David, &c.--Proud of her royal extraction, she upbraided her husband for lowering the dignity of the crown and acting more like a buffoon than a king. But her taunting sarcasm was repelled in a manner that could not be agreeable to her feelings while it indicated the warm piety and gratitude of David.Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Samuel 6:20

• David
• Family
• Irony
• Michal
• Women

In the dictionaries

• David
• Israel
• Saul
• Israel, Israelites
• Jacob, Israel
• Paul, Saul
• Chronicles, Books of
• Cornet
• Fatling
• Heart

Commentaries on 2 Samuel 6

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings