New English Translation
2 Samuel 6:21
21David replied to Michal, “It was before the Lord! I was celebrating before the Lord, who chose me over your father and his entire family and appointed me as leader over the Lord’s people Israel.
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 then handed out to each member of the entire assembly of Israel, both men and women, a portion of bread, a date cake, and a raisin cake. Then all the people went home. 20When David went home to pronounce a blessing on his own house, Michal, Saul’s daughter, came out to meet him. She said, “How the king of Israel has distinguished himself this day! He has exposed himself today before his servants’ slave girls the way a vulgar fool might do!” David replied to Michal, “It was before the Lord! I was celebrating before the Lord, who chose me over your father and his entire family and appointed me as leader over the Lord’s people Israel. 22I am willing to shame and humiliate myself even more than this! But with the slave girls whom you mentioned let me be distinguished!” 23Now Michal, Saul’s daughter, had no children to the day of her death.
Read all of 2 Samuel 62 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 6:14Now David, wearing a linen ephod, was dancing with all his strength before the Lord.
- 1 Corinthians 10:31So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God.
- 1 Samuel 13:14But now your kingdom will not continue! The Lord has sought out for himself a man who is loyal to him and the Lord has appointed him to be leader over his people, for you have not obeyed what the Lord commanded you.”
- 1 Samuel 15:28Samuel said to him, “The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this day and has given it to one of your colleagues who is better than you!
- 1 Samuel 16:1The Lord said to Samuel, “How long do you intend to mourn for Saul? I have rejected him as king over Israel. Fill your horn with olive oil and go! I am sending you to Jesse in Bethlehem, for I have selected a king for myself from among his sons.”
- Psalms 78:70He chose David, his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds.
- Psalms 89:19Then you spoke through a vision to your faithful followers and said: “I have energized a warrior; I have raised up a young man from the people.
- Acts 13:22After removing him, God raised up David their king. He testified about him: ‘I have found David the son of Jesse to be a man after my heart, who will accomplish everything I want him to do.’
- 2 Samuel 6:5while David and all Israel were energetically celebrating before the Lord, singing and playing various stringed instruments, tambourines, rattles, and cymbals.
- 1 Chronicles 15:29As the ark of the Lord’s covenant entered the City of David, Michal, Saul’s daughter, looked out the window. When she saw King David jumping and celebrating, 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
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
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