2 Samuel 6:17 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And they brought in the ark of the Lord and set it in its place, inside the tent that David had pitched for it. And David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord.

NIV: They brought the ark of the Lord and set it in its place inside the tent that David had pitched for it, and David sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings before the Lord.

NASB: Now they brought in the ark of the Lord and set it in its place inside the tent which David had pitched for it; and David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord.

CSB: They brought the ark of the Lord and set it in its place inside the tent David had pitched for it. Then David offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings in the Lord’s presence.

NLT: They brought the Ark of the Lord and set it in its place inside the special tent David had prepared for it. And David sacrificed burnt offerings and peace offerings to the Lord.

KJV: And they brought in the ark of the Lord, and set it in his place, in the midst of the tabernacle that David had pitched for it: and David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord.

NKJV: So they brought the ark of the Lord, and set it in its place in the midst of the tabernacle that David had erected for it. Then David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord.

For the first time, the ark of the covenant has entered the Israelites' political capital, Jerusalem. Its centuries of traveling—from Shiloh to the Philistines to Beth-shemesh to Kiriath Jearim to Saul's battles—is over. It will not leave again until it disappears sometime during the divided kingdom. David has built a tent specifically for the ark. It may be in the City of David, the small, eight-acre section southwest of what will become the temple mount, or it may be on the mount, itself.

But the tent isn't the tabernacle of Moses where the priests perform the sacrifices. The Levites carried the tabernacle across the Jordan River and assembled it in Shiloh (Joshua 18:1; 1 Samuel 1:3). Archaeologists believe the Philistines destroyed Shiloh after the ark was taken. The tabernacle was rebuilt in Nob until Saul killed the priests there (1 Samuel 21:1–6; 22:6–19). At the time of the events recorded here, it's in Gibeon (1 Chronicles 16:39–40). When Solomon builds the temple, the ark and the altar will be together again (2 Chronicles 5:5).

David doesn't physically perform the sacrifices. He may provide the animals, but the priests and Levites do the work. Burnt offerings are an ancient and common tradition. The entire animal, except for the hide, is completely burned up, usually while the person offering the animal asks God for absolution for sin (Leviticus 1:3–4). Fellowship or peace offerings are meant to restore relationships or to give thanks. In a peace offering, part of the animals is burned up and part is eaten. It's a way to invite God to a meal (1 Samuel 1:3–4).

Second 2 Samuel 6:16–19 continues a celebration over the ark of the covenant. In the time of the priest Eli, Philistines took the ark of the covenant (1 Samuel 4:11). They returned it, and it sat in Baale-judah / Kiriath-jearim for twenty years (1 Samuel 7:1–2). Then it apparently traveled with the army (1 Samuel 14:18). David wants God's presence closer, so he brought the ark to Jerusalem. The entire journey is filled with sacrifices and celebration, and now David adds feasting. Michal, however, isn't impressed by David's "vulgar" behavior. First Chronicles 15:29—16:1–3 records the same information, while 16:4–42 gives more detail, including David's psalm.

In 2 Samuel 6, David decides to bring the ark of God (Exodus 25:10–22) to Jerusalem. This includes an enormous crowd and a great procession. Unfortunately, he doesn't follow the Mosaic law, and a man dies for inappropriately touching the ark. David leaves the ark at a house for three months before trying again. Moving the symbol of God's presence into the nation's capital delights everyone except David's first wife, Michal. She is disgusted by David's undignified enthusiasm. The same events are noted in 1 Chronicles 13 and 15.

David has established himself as king over all Israel (2 Samuel 5). In 2 Samuel 6, the ark of the covenant reaches Jerusalem. Since its first home in Shiloh, it's been captured by Philistines, sent back home, housed in Kiriath-jearim, carried with the army, and returned to Kiriath-jearim (Joshua 18:1; 1 Samuel 4, 6; 7:1–2; 14:18). David first puts the ark on a cart, but the cart wobbles and God strikes dead the man who tries to save it. Eventually, Levites carry the ark to Jerusalem properly. Soon, David decides that God deserves a proper temple and asks if he can build one (2 Samuel 7).

Second Samuel continues the story of David, who will become king over Judah. The other tribes of Israel are resistant, eventually sparking a civil war. David wins and makes Jerusalem his capital. Early success is followed by moral failure and controversy in David's house. The book of 1 Kings will begin by detailing David's decline and death.