2 Samuel 6:21

2 Samuel 6:21 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)David said to Michal, “It was before the Lord, who chose me rather than your father or anyone from his house when he appointed me ruler over the Lord’s people Israel—I will celebrate before the Lord.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And 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.
• New King James Version (NKJV)So David said to Michal, “It was before the Lord, who chose me instead of your father and all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the Lord, over Israel. Therefore I will play music before the Lord.

Context of 2 Samuel 6:21

19He also distributed to all the people—to the whole crowd of Israelites, both men and women—one loaf of bread, one date cake, and one raisin cake. Then all the people went home. 20When David returned to bless his family, Saul’s daughter Michal came out to meet him. “How dignified Israel’s king was today! He was exposing himself before the eyes of the slave girls of his palace staff—like a mindless fool might expose himself!” David answered Michal, “⌞I didn’t dance in front of the slave girls but⌟ in front of the Lord. He chose me rather than your father or anyone in your father’s house, and he appointed me leader of Israel, the Lord’s people. I will celebrate in the Lord’s presence, 22and I will degrade myself even more than this. Even if I am humiliated in your eyes, I will be honored by these slave girls you speak about.” 23So Saul’s daughter Michal was childless her entire life.

2 Samuel 6:21 word by word

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר דָּוִד֮ אֶל־מִיכַל֒ לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר בָּֽחַר־בִּ֤י מֵֽאָבִיךְ֙ וּמִכָּל־בֵּית֔וֹ לְצַוֹּ֨ת אֹתִ֥י נָגִ֛יד עַל־עַ֥ם יְהוָ֖ה עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְשִׂחַקְתִּ֖י לִפְנֵ֥י יְהוָֽה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And Davidדָּוִדdâvid dâvîyd · DavidH1732
• saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• unto Michalמִיכַלmîykâl · MichalH4324
• beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
• the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• which choseבָּחַרbâchar · to chooseH977
• me before thy fatherאָב'âb · fatherH1
• and before all his houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: householdH1004
• to appointצָוָהtsâvâh · to commandH6680
• me rulerנָגִידnâgîyd nâgid · leaderH5057
• over the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• over Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
• therefore will I playשָׂחַקώâchaq · to laughH7832

Cross-references for 2 Samuel 6:21

• 2 Samuel 6:14Wearing a linen ephod, David danced in the Lord’s presence with all his might.
• 1 Corinthians 10:31So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything to the glory of God.
• 1 Samuel 13:14But now your kingdom will not last. The Lord has searched for a man after his own heart. The Lord has appointed him as ruler of his people, because you didn’t follow the command of the Lord.”
• 1 Samuel 15:28Samuel told him, “The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today. He has given it to your neighbor who is better than you.
• 1 Samuel 16:1The Lord asked Samuel, “How long are you going to mourn for Saul now that I have rejected him as king of Israel? Fill a flask with olive oil and go. I’m sending you to Jesse in Bethlehem because I’ve selected one of his sons to be king.”
• Psalms 78:70He chose his servant David. He took him from the sheep pens.
• Psalms 89:19Once in a vision you said to your faithful ones: “I set a boy above warriors. I have raised up one chosen from the people.
• Acts 13:22God removed Saul and made David their king. God spoke favorably about David. He said, ‘I have found that David, son of Jesse, is a man after my own heart. He will do everything I want him to do.’
• 2 Samuel 6:5David and the entire nation of Israel were celebrating in the Lord’s presence with all kinds of instruments made from cypress wood and with lyres, harps, tambourines, sistrums, and cymbals.
• 1 Chronicles 15:29When the ark of the Lord’s promise came to the City of David, Saul’s daughter Michal looked out of a window and saw King David dancing and celebrating, so she despised him.

Commentaries on 2 Samuel 6:21

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21It was before the Lord, which chose me - David felt the reproach, and was strongly irritated, and seems to have spoken to Michal with sufficient asperity.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. 21David’s response to Michal may suggest the deeper reason for her anger. She may have resented David’s success because her father’s family was losing power and honor.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 6:21

• David
• Family
• Malice
• Michal
• Retaliation
• Sarcasm
• Thankfulness
• Women

In the dictionaries

• David
• Israel
• Israel, Israelites
• Jacob, Israel
• Chronicles, Books of
• Cornet
• Fatling
• Heart
• Lack
• Sacrifice

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