2 Samuel 6:21
New International Version
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.

New Living Translation
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.

English Standard Version
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.

Berean Standard Bible
But David said to Michal, “I was dancing before the LORD, who chose me over your father and all his house when He appointed me ruler over the LORD’s people Israel. I will celebrate before the LORD,

King James Bible
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 King James Version
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.

New American Standard Bible
But David said to Michal, “I was before the LORD, who preferred me to your father and to all his house, to appoint me as ruler over the people of the LORD, over Israel. So I will celebrate before the LORD!

NASB 1995
So David said to Michal, “It was before the LORD, who chose me above your father and above all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the LORD, over Israel; therefore I will celebrate before the LORD.

NASB 1977
So David said to Michal, “It was before the LORD, who chose me above your father and above all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the LORD, over Israel; therefore I will celebrate before the LORD.

Legacy Standard Bible
So David said to Michal, “It was before Yahweh, who chose me above your father and above all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of Yahweh, over Israel; therefore I will celebrate before Yahweh.

Amplified Bible
So David said to Michal, “It was before the LORD [that I did this], who chose me above your father and all his house, to appoint me as ruler over Israel, the people of the LORD. Therefore I will celebrate [in pure enjoyment] before the LORD.

Christian Standard Bible
David replied to Michal, “It was before the LORD who chose me over your father and his whole family to appoint me ruler over the LORD’s people Israel. I will dance before the LORD,

Holman Christian Standard Bible
David replied to Michal, “I was dancing before the LORD who chose me over your father and his whole family to appoint me ruler over the LORD’s people Israel. I will celebrate before the LORD,

American Standard Version
And David said unto Michal, It was before Jehovah, who chose me above thy father, and above all his house, to appoint me prince over the people of Jehovah, over Israel: therefore will I play before Jehovah.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And David said to Malkel: “It was in the presence of LORD JEHOVAH who chose me from your father and from all his house and commanded me that I would be the Leader over the people of LORD JEHOVAH over Israel; because of that I danced before LORD JEHOVAH

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And David said to Melchol, I will dance before the Lord. Blessed be the Lord who chose me before thy father, and before all his house, to make me head over his people, even over Israel: therefore I will play, and dance before the Lord.

Contemporary English Version
David told her, "The LORD didn't choose your father or anyone else in your family to be the leader of his people. The LORD chose me, and I was celebrating in honor of him.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And David said to Michol: Before the Lord, who chose me rather than thy father, and than all his house, and commanded me to be ruler over the people of the Lord in Israel,

English Revised Version
And David said unto Michal, It was before the LORD, which chose me above thy father, and above all his house, to appoint me prince over the people of the LORD, over Israel: therefore will I play before the LORD.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
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,

Good News Translation
David answered, "I was dancing to honor the LORD, who chose me instead of your father and his family to make me the leader of his people Israel. And I will go on dancing to honor the LORD,

International Standard Version
But David replied to Michal, "It was in front of the LORD, who appointed me to replace your father and his entire household by selecting me as Commander-in-Chief over Israel, the people of the LORD, that I danced in front of the LORD.

JPS Tanakh 1917
And David said unto Michal: 'Before the LORD, who chose me above thy father, and above all his house, to appoint me prince over the people of the LORD, over Israel, before the LORD will I make merry.

Literal Standard Version
And David says to Michal, “Before YHWH, who fixed on me above your father, and above all his house, to appoint me leader over the people of YHWH, and over Israel—indeed, I played before YHWH;

Majority Standard Bible
But David said to Michal, “I was dancing before the LORD, who chose me over your father and all his house when He appointed me ruler over the LORD’s people Israel. I will celebrate before the LORD,

New American Bible
But David replied to Michal: “I was dancing before the LORD. As the LORD lives, who chose me over your father and all his house when he appointed me ruler over the LORD’s people, Israel, not only will I make merry before the LORD,

NET Bible
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.

New Revised Standard Version
David said to Michal, “It was before the LORD, who chose me in place of your father and all his household, to appoint me as prince over Israel, the people of the LORD, that I have danced before the LORD.

New Heart English Bible
And David said to Mikal, "I was dancing before the LORD. Blessed be the LORD, who chose me above your father, and above all his house, to appoint me prince over the people of the LORD, over Israel; therefore I will celebrate before the LORD.

Webster's Bible Translation
And David said to Michal, It was before the LORD, who 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.

World English Bible
David said to Michal, “It was before Yahweh, who chose me above your father, and above all his house, to appoint me prince over the people of Yahweh, over Israel. Therefore I will celebrate before Yahweh.

Young's Literal Translation
And David saith unto Michal, ' -- Before Jehovah, who fixed on me above thy father, and above all his house, to appoint me leader over the people of Jehovah, and over Israel, -- yea, I played before Jehovah;

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Michal's Contempt for David
20As soon as David returned home to bless his own household, Saul’s daughter Michal came out to meet him. “How the king of Israel has distinguished himself today!” she said. “He has uncovered himself today in the sight of the maidservants of his subjects, like a vulgar person would do.” 21But David said to Michal, “I was dancing before the LORD, who chose me over your father and all his house when He appointed me ruler over the LORD’s people Israel. I will celebrate before the LORD, 22and I will humiliate and humble myself even more than this. Yet I will be honored by the maidservants of whom you have spoken.”…

Cross References
1 Samuel 13:14
But now your kingdom will not endure; the LORD has sought a man after His own heart and appointed him ruler over His people, because you have not kept the command of the LORD."

1 Samuel 15:28
So Samuel said to him, "The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to your neighbor who is better than you.

2 Samuel 6:22
and I will humiliate and humble myself even more than this. Yet I will be honored by the maidservants of whom you have spoken."

2 Samuel 7:8
Now then, you are to tell My servant David that this is what the LORD of Hosts says: I took you from the pasture, from following the flock, to be the ruler over My people Israel.


Treasury of Scripture

And David said to Michal, It was before the LORD, which chose me before your 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.

before

2 Samuel 6:14,16
And David danced before the LORD with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod…

1 Corinthians 10:31
Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.

chose

1 Samuel 13:14
But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the LORD hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the LORD hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the LORD commanded thee.

1 Samuel 15:28
And Samuel said unto him, The LORD hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbour of thine, that is better than thou.

1 Samuel 16:1,12
And the LORD said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons…

play

2 Samuel 6:5
And David and all the house of Israel played before the LORD on all manner of instruments made of fir wood, even on harps, and on psalteries, and on timbrels, and on cornets, and on cymbals.

1 Chronicles 15:29
And it came to pass, as the ark of the covenant of the LORD came to the city of David, that Michal the daughter of Saul looking out at a window saw king David dancing and playing: and she despised him in her heart.

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2 Samuel 6
1. David fetches the ark from Kirjath Jearim on a new cart,
6. Uzzah is smitten at Perez Uzzah
9. God blesses Obed-Edom for the ark
12. David brings the ark into Zion with sacrifices, and dances before it;
16. for which Michal despises him
17. He places it in a tabernacle with great joy and feasting
20. Michal, reproving David for his joy, is childless to her death














(21) Therefore will I play.--Rather, have I danced. (See 2Samuel 6:5.)

Before the Lord.--David first gives the true and sufficient reason of his conduct--what he had done was before the Lord, in honouring whom no man can be really humbled; and then he turns with a reproof to Michal, which should have shown her the utter unworthiness of her objections. God had set aside her father and his house for this very spirit of pride in which she was now indulging, and had chosen him instead.

Verse 21. - It was before the Lord. The Hebrew is much more forcible than the confused rendering of our version. "Before Jehovah, who chose me above thy father, and above all his house, to appoint me prince over Jehovah's people, over Israel, yea, before Jehovah I have rejoiced" (Authorized Version, "played;" but see notes on ver. 5). The preference of David over Saul was proof that that king's affectation of royal state, and his self-importance, were not pleasing in God's eyes.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
But David
דָּוִד֮ (dā·wiḏ)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1732: David -- perhaps 'beloved one', a son of Jesse

said
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

to
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

Michal,
מִיכַל֒ (mî·ḵal)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 4324: Michal -- wife of David

“I was dancing before
לִפְנֵ֣י (lip̄·nê)
Preposition-l | Noun - common plural construct
Strong's 6440: The face

the LORD
יְהוָ֗ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

who
אֲשֶׁ֨ר (’ă·šer)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

chose
בָּֽחַר־ (bā·ḥar-)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 977: To try, select

me
בִּ֤י (bî)
Preposition | first person common singular
Strong's Hebrew

over your father
מֵֽאָבִיךְ֙ (mê·’ā·ḇîḵ)
Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person feminine singular
Strong's 1: Father

and all
וּמִכָּל־ (ū·mik·kāl-)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

his house
בֵּית֔וֹ (bê·ṯōw)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 1004: A house

when He appointed
לְצַוֺּ֨ת (lə·ṣaw·wōṯ)
Preposition-l | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct
Strong's 6680: To lay charge (upon), give charge (to), command, order

me
אֹתִ֥י (’ō·ṯî)
Direct object marker | first person common singular
Strong's 853: Untranslatable mark of the accusative case

ruler
נָגִ֛יד (nā·ḡîḏ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5057: A commander, civil, military, religious, honorable themes

over
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

the LORD’s
יְהוָ֖ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

people
עַ֥ם (‘am)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock

Israel.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל (yiś·rā·’êl)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3478: Israel -- 'God strives', another name of Jacob and his desc

I will celebrate
וְשִׂחַקְתִּ֖י (wə·śi·ḥaq·tî)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 7832: To laugh, to play

before
לִפְנֵ֥י (lip̄·nê)
Preposition-l | Noun - common plural construct
Strong's 6440: The face

the LORD,
יְהוָֽה׃ (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel


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OT History: 2 Samuel 6:21 David said to Michal It was before (2Sa iiSam 2 Sam ii sam)
2 Samuel 6:20
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