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 offering the burnt offering and the fellowship offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of Armies. 19Then he distributed a loaf of bread, a date cake, and a raisin cake to each one in the entire Israelite community, both men and women. Then all the people went home. When David returned home to bless his household, Saul’s daughter Michal came out to meet him. “How the king of Israel honored himself today!” she said. “He exposed himself today in the sight of the slave girls of his subjects like a vulgar person would expose himself.” 21David replied to Michal, “It was before the Lord who chose me over your father and his whole family to appoint me ruler over the Lord’s people Israel. I will dance before the Lord, 22and I will dishonor myself and humble myself even more. However, by the slave girls you spoke about, I will be honored.”

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

Words taken from the KJV.

• Then Davidדָּוִדdâvid dâvîyd · DavidH1732
• returnedשׁוּבshûb · to return: returnH7725
• to blessבָּרַךְbârak · to blessH1288
• his householdבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: householdH1004
• And Michalמִיכַלmîykâl · MichalH4324
• the daughterבַּתbath · daughterH1323
• of Saulשָׁאוּלshâ'ûl · SaulH7586
• came outיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: comeH3318
• to meetקִרְאָהqir'âh · befallH7125
• and saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• How gloriousכָּבֵדkâbad kâbêd · to honor: honourH3513
• was the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
• to dayיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
• who uncoveredגָּלָהgâlâh · to reveal: uncoverH1540
• in the eyesעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eyeH5869
• of the handmaidsאָמָה'âmâh · maidservantH519
• of his servantsעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · servant/slaveH5650
• as oneאֶחָד'echâd · oneH259
• of the vain fellowsרֵיקrêyq rêq · worthlessH7386

Cross-references for 2 Samuel 6:20

• 2 Samuel 6:18When David had finished offering the burnt offering and the fellowship offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of Armies.
• Genesis 18:19For I have chosen him so that he will command his children and his house after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just. This is how the Lord will fulfill to Abraham what he promised him.”
• Joshua 24:15But if it doesn’t please you to worship the Lord, choose for yourselves today: Which will you worship — the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living? As for me and my family, we will worship the Lord.”
• 1 Chronicles 16:43Then all the people went home, and David returned home to bless his household.
• Psalms 30:1I will exalt you, Lord, because you have lifted me up and have not allowed my enemies to triumph over me.
• Psalms 101:2I will pay attention to the way of integrity. When will you come to me? I will live with a heart of integrity in my house.
• 2 Samuel 6:16As the ark of the Lord was entering the city of David, Saul’s daughter Michal looked down from the window and saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, and she despised him in her heart.
• Psalms 69:7For I have endured insults because of you, and shame has covered my face.
• Mark 3:21When his family heard this, they set out to restrain him, because they said, “He’s out of his mind.”
• Nehemiah 4:3Then Tobiah the Ammonite, who was beside him, said, “Indeed, even if a fox climbed up what they are building, he would break down their stone wall!”
• Isaiah 53:2He grew up before him like a young plant and like a root out of dry ground. He didn’t have an impressive form or majesty that we should look at him, no appearance 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 distinguished, but we are dishonored!
• Philippians 2:7Instead he emptied himself by assuming the form of a servant, taking on the likeness of humanity. And when he had come as a man,
• 2 Samuel 6:14David was dancing with all his might before the Lord wearing a linen ephod.
• 1 Samuel 19:23So he went to Naioth in Ramah. The Spirit of God also came on him, and as he walked along, he prophesied until he entered 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