6 Then David selected thirty thousand Israeli warriors and gathered them together. 2 He led them to Kiriat-Yearim (formerly called Baalah) in Yehudah to get the box of God (whose name is Yahweh the army commander) who lives between the two winged creatures on the top of it.[ref] 3 They placed the sacred chest on a newly-made cart and started moving it from Abinadab’s house which was on a hill. Uzzah and Ahyo (Abinadab’s sons) were leading the cart.[ref] 4 They took it from Abinadab’s house and Ahyo took the lead in front. 5 David and all the Israelis were celebrating in God’s presence with wooden harps and lyres, along with tambourines, shakers, and cymbals.

6 But when they reached Nakon’s threshing floor the oxen stumbled so Uzzah reached out to steady the sacred chest. 7 Yahweh became furious with Uzzah and killed him right there by the sacred chest because he’d touched it. 8 Now David got angry because of Yahweh’s outburst against Uzzah, and that place has been called Perets-Uzzah (meaning ‘The punishment of Uzzah’) until today. 9 David was afraid of Yahweh that day and asked, “How will Yahweh’s box get to Yerushalem?” 10 So he decided not to take Yahweh’s box there and redirected it instead to the house of Obed-Edom (a Gittite). 11 The sacred chest stayed at Obed-Edom’s house for three months, and Yahweh blessed him and all the household.[ref]

12 Someone told King David, “Yahweh has blessed Obed-Edom’s household because of the sacred chest,” so David went and brought God’s Box from Obed-Edom’s house to Yerusalem with much happiness. 13 When the men who were carrying the sacred chest had walked six steps, they stopped and David sacrificed a bull and a fattened calf there. 14 Then David, wearing a linen apron, danced in front of Yahweh, putting everything into it. 15 David and all the Israelis brought the sacred chest into Yerushalem with shouting and trumpet blasts.

16 However, as they were entering the city, David’s wife Mikal (Sha’ul’s daughter) looked out the window and saw King David leaping and dancing in front of Yahweh, and she felt only despite for him. 17 They took Yahweh’s box and placed it in the middle of the tent that David had erected for it. Then David offered burnt sacrifices to Yahweh, as well as peace offerings. 18 When David had finished offering those sacrifices, he blessed the people in commander Yahweh’s name. 19 He handed out a large bread roll, a cake of pressed dates, and a cake of pressed raisins to each man and woman there, then they all returned to their homes.[ref]

20 Then David returned to bless his own house, but his wife Mikal came out to meet him complaining, “What disgraceful behaviour for Israel’s king today—dancing when he was wearing so little and exposing himself to his female servants like some brainless person!”

21 “It was to thank Yahweh,” David responded, “who chose me (rather than your father and any of his family) by appointing me as leader over Yahweh’s people Israel. I was celebrating in front of Yahweh 22 and I will humiliate and humble myself even more than that. Yet I will end up being honoured by those female servants that you were talking about.”

23 After that, Sha’ul’s daughter Mikal never had any more children.