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 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 burnt offerings and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of hosts. 19Then he distributed among all the people, among the whole multitude of Israel, both the women and the men, to everyone a loaf of bread, a piece of meat, and a cake of raisins. So all the people departed, everyone to his house. 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!” 21So 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. 22And I will be even more undignified than this, and will be humble in my own sight. But as for the maidservants of whom you have spoken, by them I will be held in honor.”

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 6:18And when David had finished offering burnt offerings and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of hosts.
• Genesis 18:19For I have known him, in order that he may command his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of the Lord, to do righteousness and justice, that the Lord may bring to Abraham what He has spoken to him.”
• Joshua 24:15And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of 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, every man to his house; and David returned to bless his house.
• Psalms 30:1I will extol You, O Lord, for You have lifted me up, And have not let my foes rejoice over me.
• Psalms 101:2I will behave wisely in a perfect way. Oh, when will You come to me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart.
• 2 Samuel 6:16Now as the ark of the Lord came into the City of David, Michal, Saul’s daughter, looked through a window and saw King David leaping and whirling before the Lord; and she despised him in her heart.
• Psalms 69:7Because for Your sake I have borne reproach; Shame has covered my face.
• Mark 3:21But when His own people heard about this, they went out to lay hold of Him, for they said, “He is out of His mind.”
• Nehemiah 4:3Now Tobiah the Ammonite was beside him, and he said, “Whatever they build, if even a fox goes up on it, he will break down their stone wall.”
• Isaiah 53:2For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, And as a root out of dry ground. He has no form or comeliness; And when we see Him, There is no beauty that we should desire Him.
• John 13:6Then He came to Simon Peter. And Peter said to Him, “Lord, are You washing 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 distinguished, but we are dishonored!
• Philippians 2:7but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.
• 2 Samuel 6:14Then David danced before the Lord with all his might; and David was wearing a linen ephod.
• 1 Samuel 19:23So he went there to Naioth in Ramah. Then the Spirit of God was upon him also, and he went on and 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

• 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