2 Samuel 6:21 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.
2 Samuel 6:21 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.
2 Samuel 6:21 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.
2 Samuel 6:21 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.
2 Samuel 6:21 nlt
David retorted to Michal, "I was dancing before the LORD, who chose me above your father and all his family! He appointed me as the leader of Israel, the people of the LORD, so I celebrate before the LORD.
2 Samuel 6 21 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Sam 13:14 | "the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him ruler" | God's rejection of Saul, choice of a new leader. |
| 1 Sam 15:28 | "the Lord has torn the kingdom... and has given it to a neighbor..." | God transferring the kingdom from Saul. |
| 1 Sam 16:1 | "I have rejected him... fill your horn and go. I will send you to Jesse... for I have provided for myself a king." | God's decision to choose David. |
| 1 Sam 16:12-13 | "...And the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David from that day forward." | David's divine anointing and God's enablement. |
| Psa 78:70-71 | "He chose David his servant... took him from the sheepfolds... to shepherd Jacob his people..." | God's humble calling of David as shepherd-king. |
| Acts 13:22 | "After removing Saul, he raised up David to be their king..." | New Testament confirmation of God's choice. |
| 2 Sam 5:2 | "The Lord said to you, 'You shall be shepherd of my people Israel...'" | David's acknowledged divine mandate as ruler. |
| 1 Chr 11:2 | "You shall be shepherd of my people Israel..." | David's leadership confirmed as God's will. |
| Psa 78:71-72 | "...to shepherd Jacob his people, Israel his inheritance. With upright heart he shepherded them..." | David's divinely appointed, faithful leadership. |
| Isa 55:3-4 | "I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David. Behold, I made him a witness..." | Messianic promise tied to the Davidic covenant. |
| Psa 149:3 | "Let them praise his name with dancing; let them make melody to him..." | Dancing as a legitimate form of praise. |
| Psa 150:4 | "Praise him with tambourine and dance; praise him with strings and pipe!" | Encouragement for energetic worship. |
| Ex 15:20-21 | "Then Miriam the prophetess... took a tambourine... and all the women went out after her with tambourines and dancing." | Miriam's spontaneous, joyous worship dance. |
| Luke 10:21 | "In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit..." | Christ's joy in spirit, contrasting self-abasement. |
| Col 3:16-17 | "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly... singing psalms and hymns... Do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus..." | Worship flowing from the heart, glorifying God. |
| Phil 2:3-8 | "Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant... Jesus... emptied himself..." | Christ's ultimate humility, pattern for believers. |
| Jas 4:10 | "Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you." | Humility as prerequisite for God's blessing. |
| 1 Pet 5:6 | "Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you." | Encouragement for humble submission to God. |
| Prov 16:18 | "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall." | Warning against Michal's pride. |
| Matt 18:4 | "Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven." | The paradox of humility and greatness in God's kingdom. |
| Luke 14:11 | "For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." | Principle of divine reversal of human pride. |
| 1 Cor 1:26-29 | "God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak... so that no human might boast..." | God often uses humble means, shaming human pride. |
| 1 Sam 2:18 | "Samuel was ministering before the Lord, a boy clothed with a linen ephod." | Linen ephod as a symbol of priestly service and humility. |
2 Samuel 6 verses
2 Samuel 6 21 Meaning
David's reply to Michal highlights that his fervent and undignified worship was directed purely "before the Lord," not for human approval. He justifies his actions by asserting God's sovereign choice of him over Michal's father, Saul, and his entire lineage, to be the divinely appointed leader over God's people, Israel. Therefore, David declares his commitment to continue celebrating with humble abandon in the presence of the Lord, valuing divine pleasure above human scorn or perceived royal decorum.
2 Samuel 6 21 Context
The context for 2 Samuel 6:21 is the momentous event of David bringing the Ark of the Covenant, representing God's presence, into Jerusalem. This endeavor, while initially marred by Uzzah's death for touching the Ark, proceeds with renewed reverence. As the Ark enters Jerusalem with joy, David, dressed in a simple linen ephod, dances with all his might, celebrating before the Lord. Michal, Saul's daughter and David's wife, despises him for what she perceives as an undignified display. This verse is David's direct, theological rebuke of her contempt, firmly rooting his actions in his identity as God's chosen king, not one serving human protocol. Historically, this move symbolized the centralization of both political and religious power in Jerusalem under David, firmly establishing the Davidic kingdom under God's ultimate authority, contrasted with the failure of Saul's house.
2 Samuel 6 21 Word analysis
- Then David said to Michal: Direct, confrontational response, indicating the profound personal and theological rift between them.
- "It was before the Lord" (לִפְנֵי יְהוָה - lifnē Yahweh): Emphasizes that David's actions were witnessed by and performed for God alone, making human judgment irrelevant. This sacred space of encounter dictated his behavior.
- "who chose me" (אֲשֶׁר בָּחַר-בִּי - ʾasher bākhar-bî): Highlights God's sovereign and deliberate election of David. His kingship was by divine initiative, not human hereditary right or popularity.
- "in place of your father and all his house": A direct and explicit contrast, emphasizing God's rejection of Saul's dynasty due to their disobedience and pride, in favor of David. This statement served as a potent theological and political justification for David's rule.
- "to appoint me as prince" (לְצַוֺּת אוֹתִי נָגִיד - lǝtzawwot ʾôtî nāgîd):
- "appoint": Signifies divine command and installation, reinforcing God's active role.
- "prince" (nagid נָגִיד): Often used for a divinely designated leader or one designated to lead under God's ultimate kingship. It implies a sense of accountability to God rather than absolute power.
- "over the people of the Lord, over Israel": This phrase emphasizes God's ownership of the nation. David is a steward over God's people, reinforcing the sacred and spiritual nature of his rule rather than mere political dominion.
- "So I will celebrate before the Lord": David's unwavering resolve to continue his uninhibited worship. The word "celebrate" encompasses joyful, sometimes exuberant, and even humble acts of praise that transcend conventional dignity, rooted in true devotion to God.
Words-group analysis:
- "before the Lord...before the Lord": This phrase frames David's entire defense. It asserts that his conduct, from the very core of his identity to his worship expressions, is exclusively accountable to and primarily observed by God. This intentional repetition emphasizes his singular focus on God's approval.
- "who chose me in place of your father and all his house, to appoint me as prince": This comprehensive statement justifies David's kingship and worship from a theological standpoint. It asserts God's divine right to establish leaders, superseding human dynastic claims (like Saul's) and defining David's rule as a direct divine appointment rather than inherited privilege. This validates David's behavior as an expression of the one chosen by God.
2 Samuel 6 21 Bonus section
- David's wearing of the linen ephod (2 Sam 6:14), typically a priestly garment worn by ordinary Levites or priests in service (not robes of a king), emphasized his humility and identification with the common people and with service, rather than royal splendor.
- Michal's childlessness (2 Sam 6:23) is frequently understood as a divine consequence for her scorn and pride, symbolically terminating the last remnant of Saul's direct lineage within David's household, further cementing God's complete transfer of blessing to David.
- The passage highlights a recurring tension between those who prioritize external religious propriety or social decorum, and those who prioritize sincere, heartfelt, and sometimes uninhibited worship before God, even if it appears foolish to human eyes.
2 Samuel 6 21 Commentary
David's reply to Michal serves as a pivotal moment, contrasting authentic, humble devotion with arrogant, worldly judgment. His exuberant worship was not a king's political display, but the heart of one profoundly grateful for God's undeserved choice. By acting "before the Lord," David exemplified a leader whose ultimate loyalty and audience were divine, rather than human. His choice to embrace apparent undignified behavior highlighted his profound reverence for the God who elevated him from a shepherd, while Michal's aristocratic pride reflected the worldly values that led to her father Saul's downfall. This exchange underscores that true worship prioritizes God's pleasure over human social conventions, humility over pride, and divine calling over perceived earthly status.