English Standard Version
2 Samuel 6:20
20And 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!"
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!”
- 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!”
- New Living Translation (NLT)When David returned home to bless his own family, Michal, the daughter of Saul, came out to meet him. She said in disgust, “How distinguished the king of Israel looked today, shamelessly exposing himself to the servant girls like any vulgar person might do!”
Context of 2 Samuel 6:20
18And when David had finished offering the burnt offerings and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of hosts 19and distributed among all the people, the whole multitude of Israel, both men and women, a cake of bread, a portion of meat, and a cake of raisins to each one. Then all the people departed, each to his house. 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!" 21And David said to Michal, "It was before the Lord, who chose me above your father and above all his house, to appoint me as prince over Israel, the people of the Lord—and I will celebrate before the Lord. 22I will make myself yet more contemptible than this, and I will be abased in your eyes. But by the female servants of whom you have spoken, by them I shall be held in honor."
Read all of 2 Samuel 62 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 6:18And when David had finished offering the burnt offerings and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of hosts
- Genesis 18:19For I have chosen him, that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice, so that the Lord may bring to Abraham what he has promised him."
- Joshua 24:15And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."
- 1 Chronicles 16:43Then all the people departed each to his house, and David went home to bless his household.
- Psalms 30:1I will extol you, O Lord, for you have drawn me up and have not let my foes rejoice over me.
- Psalms 101:2I will ponder the way that is blameless. Oh when will you come to me? I will walk with integrity of heart within my house;
- 2 Samuel 6:16As the ark of the Lord came into the city of David, Michal the daughter of Saul looked out of the window and saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, and she despised him in her heart.
- Psalms 69:7For it is for your sake that I have borne reproach, that dishonor has covered my face.
- Mark 3:21And when his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for they were saying, "He is out of his mind."
- Nehemiah 4:3Tobiah the Ammonite was beside him, and he said, "Yes, what they are building—if a fox goes up on it he will break down their stone wall!"
- Isaiah 53:2For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him.
- John 13:6He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, "Lord, do you wash my feet?"
- 1 Corinthians 4:10We are fools for Christ's sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are held in honor, but we in disrepute.
- Philippians 2:7but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
- 2 Samuel 6:14And David danced before the Lord with all his might. And David was wearing a linen ephod.
- 1 Samuel 19:23And he went there to Naioth in Ramah. And the Spirit of God came upon him also, and as he went he prophesied 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
In the dictionaries
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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries