2 Samuel 6 22

2 Samuel 6:22 kjv

And I will yet be more vile than thus, and will be base in mine own sight: and of the maidservants which thou hast spoken of, of them shall I be had in honor.

2 Samuel 6:22 nkjv

And 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 6:22 niv

I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes. But by these slave girls you spoke of, I will be held in honor."

2 Samuel 6:22 esv

I 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."

2 Samuel 6:22 nlt

Yes, and I am willing to look even more foolish than this, even to be humiliated in my own eyes! But those servant girls you mentioned will indeed think I am distinguished!"

2 Samuel 6 verses

2 Samuel 6 22 Meaning

In 2 Samuel 6:22, King David passionately declares his unwavering commitment to humble himself even further before the Lord, choosing to appear "vile" and "base" in his own eyes rather than upholding conventional royal dignity. He proclaims that precisely for this self-abasing devotion, he will receive honor not from his critical queen, Michal, but from the common "maidservants" whom she seemingly disdained. This statement articulates David's profound understanding that true honor and approval come from God and His people who recognize genuine worship, not from worldly status or human aristocratic standards.

2 Samuel 6 22 Context

This verse is David's indignant and resolute response to his wife, Michal, after she sharply rebukes him for his fervent, undignified dancing before the Lord when the Ark of the Covenant was brought into Jerusalem (2 Sam 6:16, 20). Michal, a princess by birth and daughter of King Saul, viewed David's enthusiastic, robe-shedding worship as a vulgar display beneath royal decorum, equating his behavior to that of a common person or even a fool "uncovering himself." David, however, saw his actions as a sacred expression of complete devotion and joy before the God who chose him over Saul's house. Historically and culturally, ancient Near Eastern kings were expected to maintain an elevated, dignified presence. David consciously abandoned such pretensions to express his humility and zealous service to Yahweh, challenging the notion that piety should be constrained by human notions of royalty or prestige. His statement underscores a polemic against superficial religious observance or elitism that values human reputation over true spiritual passion.

2 Samuel 6 22 Word analysis

• "And I will be yet more vile" (וְנִקְלֵתִי עוֹד מֵזֹאת, ve-niq'leti od me-zot)
  • "vile" (Niphal perfect of קָלָה, qalah): This Hebrew root means "to be light," "insignificant," "despised," or "treated with contempt." The Niphal conjugation implies either passively "being despised" or actively "making oneself despised." Here, it points to David's intentional embrace of perceived lowliness. It's a powerful declaration of willingly disregarding societal notions of status for the sake of divine worship.
  • "yet more" (עוֹד, od): Signifies continuation and intensification. David implies his present behavior, which Michal deemed "vile," is merely the beginning of his devotion. He is prepared to humble himself even further.
• "than thus" (מֵזֹאת, me-zot): Refers to the behavior Michal just criticized – his dancing and discarding of kingly garments in joyous worship before the Lord.
• "and will be base in mine own sight" (וְהָיִיתִי שָׁפָל בְּעֵינָי, ve-hayiti shafal be-einai)
  • "base" (Qal perfect of שָׁפַל, shafal): Meaning "to be low," "humbled," "abased." While "vile" addresses how he might appear to others, "base" emphasizes his internal state and self-perception. David commits to cultivating internal humility.
  • "in mine own sight": This specifies that David's self-evaluation is key, contrasting with Michal's judgment of him. His ultimate audience and evaluator is God, before whom he considers himself a humble servant.
• "and of the maidservants which thou hast spoken of" (וְעִם הָאֲמָהוֹת אֲשֶׁר אָמַרְתְּ, ve-'im ha-'amahot asher amart)
  • "maidservants" (אֲמָהוֹת, 'amahot): Refers to common female servants, possibly indicating women of lower social standing who might have been among the onlookers admiring David's worship. Michal's mention of them would have been scornful, implying David had degraded himself to the level of these ordinary women.
• "of them shall I be had in honour" (מֵהֵן אֶקָּבֵד, me-hen ekkaved)
  • "had in honour" (Niphal imperfect of כָּבֵד, kabad): Meaning "to be heavy," "weighty," "significant," "respected," "honored." This is the antonym to qalah (vile). The Niphal imperfect denotes that he "will be honored" or "will attain honor." David anticipates a profound reversal of Michal's judgment.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "And I will be yet more vile than thus, and will be base in mine own sight": This forms a single, emphatic statement of radical personal commitment. David is not merely reacting defensively but declaring his determined pursuit of absolute humility before the Lord, both outwardly (how he is perceived) and inwardly (how he sees himself). His desire to appear "vile" in worldly eyes underscores a complete reorientation of values where human prestige pales in comparison to devotion to God.
• "and of the maidservants which thou hast spoken of, of them shall I be had in honour": This passage highlights a divine irony and a prophetic insight. Michal, who exemplifies worldly pride and aristocracy, despises David, yet the very people she disdains – the common and humble – will honor him precisely for his unreserved, passionate worship. This showcases God's pattern of exalting the humble and validating a spirituality rooted in genuine, heart-felt devotion rather than external status or rigid propriety.

2 Samuel 6 22 Bonus section

• Michal's Spiritual Barrenness: It is significant that immediately after this exchange, Michal is described as having "no child unto the day of her death" (2 Sam 6:23). Many interpretations see this as a divine judgment upon her pride, her contempt for God's chosen king's authentic worship, and her inability to understand or embrace the true spirit of worship. Her physical barrenness thus mirrored her spiritual barrenness.
• Kingship Redefined: David's actions and words offered a transformative vision of Israelite kingship. Unlike pagan monarchs who often demanded worship, David willingly humbled himself before God and His people, demonstrating that the ideal king leads by devoted example, not by untouchable aloofness. He blurred the lines between ruler and common worshipper in a unique expression of devotion.
• Prefigurement of Christ: This incident can be seen as foreshadowing Christ's ultimate example of divine self-abasement. Jesus, though fully God, "made Himself of no reputation," took on the form of a servant, and humbled Himself even to the point of death on a cross, yet God highly exalted Him (Phil 2:5-11). David's embrace of being "vile" for the Lord's sake reflects a similar Spirit of ultimate obedience and humble servitude.

2 Samuel 6 22 Commentary

David's words in 2 Samuel 6:22 are a profound theological declaration, directly challenging the prevailing human-centric views of royalty and worship. He boldly redefines honor not by societal prestige or Michal's aristocratic sensibilities, but by radical self-abasement before God. His willingness to become "vile" in the world's eyes signifies that his primary allegiance and identity are as a servant of the Most High, far above his earthly kingship. This isn't self-depreciation for its own sake, but a deliberate act of choosing God's approval and favor over human opinion or perceived dignity. David understood that the Lord exalts the humble and casts down the proud. His prophecy of being honored by the "maidservants" emphasizes that genuine devotion resonates with the truly humble and discerning, those who see past outward appearances to the sincerity of the heart. This stance demonstrates why David was considered "a man after God's own heart" – one whose spiritual passion drove him to discard conventional limitations in his pursuit of God's presence and glory.