2 Samuel 6:12

FINALLY DAVID SUCCESSFULLY BROUGHT THE ARK TO JERUSALEM

"And it was told King David, "The Lord has blessed the household of Obed-edom and all that belongs to him, because of the ark of God." So David went and brought up the ark from the house of Obed-edom to the city of David with rejoicing; and when those who bore the ark of the Lord had gone six paces, he sacrificed an ox and a fatling. And David danced before the Lord with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod. So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting, and with the sound of the horn."

We read from the parallel account in First Chronicles that on this second attempt to bring the ark to Jerusalem, David honored the requirements laid down in Moses' Law for doing so. Well, at least he honored some of them. If the Pentateuch had not even been written (when David was king), as the late-daters of the Law of Moses falsely allege, where did David learn how to move the ark? As a matter of certainty, the Pentateuch had already existed since the times of Moses, and the specific directions for moving the ark of the covenant were followed by Joshua and the Israelites during the conquest, long centuries prior to the times of the monarchy.

"So David went and brought up the ark from the house of Obed-edom" (2 Samuel 6:12). The use of the word `so' in this place prompted H. P. Smith to write that, "The blessing conferred upon Obed-edom is the reason why David renewed his effort."[18]

"When those who bore the ark had gone six paces, he sacrificed an ox and a fatling" (2 Samuel 6:13). This appears to have been a test by David to find out if the Lord would allow the ark to proceed. The parallel account mentions the sacrifice of `seven' of the animals, indicating that this test was repeated.

"And David danced before the Lord with all his might ... girded with a linen ephod" (2 Samuel 6:14). The linen ephod was the garment of a priest, another indication of David's priestly services. The ephod was, "A small apron used on ceremonial occasions ... David obviously wore nothing else, for this was the cause of Michal's contempt."[19] We read from the parallel account that David also wore a fine linen robe as did all of the Levites who carried the ark (1 Chronicles 15:27); however, the robe might very well have been laid aside during the dancing. There seems to be little doubt that David exposed himself by this dancing. Willis wrote that, "Michal despised David because she assumed that his purpose was to expose himself in some sort of orgiastic sexual gyrations before the maids of his servants."[20]

This writer finds no way to justify this dancing ritual. If he was dressed as the text seems to indicate, his indecent exposure was almost a certainty. "The scantiness of his dress was the grounds of Michal's contempt."[21] "The word used for `dancing' in 2 Samuel 6:14 is found nowhere else in the Bible and seems to mean whirling like the devotional dancing of the dervishes."[22]

This type of conduct was forbidden to the priests of God who were specifically commanded to wear "breeches" for the specific purpose of concealing their nakedness when they were offering sacrifices (Exodus 28:40-43). "The purpose of those breeches was specifically to prevent the exposure of their private parts."[23] Why this instruction? "Ritual nakedness, especially for priests, was a feature of some ancient pagan religions; it was to be quite otherwise in Israel."[24] To say the least, David was offering sacrifices without the prescribed breeches which God commanded.