David danced before the lord.
In the Bible, David danced before the Lord with all his might. He was clad in a linen ephod, and this event occurred when the ark of the Lord was brought into the city of David.
However, Michal, Saul's daughter, despised him for his dancing.
David’s wife Michal was horrified at her husband’s public dance, but not because he was naked " almost" Scripture says she “watched from a window.
And when she saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, she despised him in her heart” (2 Samuel 6:16). She was embarrassed at his lack of decorum and felt it was beneath his dignity as king.
It shouldn’t be surprising that preachers tend to sensationalize certain Bible verses.
But sometimes they go just a bit too far. The perfect example is that millions of people still believe that King David danced naked, or in his under-roos, when they brought the Ark of the Covenant into Jerusalem.
I’ve ran into many people both online and in real life that are so sure about David dancing naked that they are willing to argue over the issue.
I have heard preachers talk many times about how undignified David was by dancing either naked or in his skivvies……usually after an arousing rendition of the song “Undignified”.
However, according the scriptures, King David most certainly did not dance naked.
The fact of the matter is that the author of 2 Samuel says that he was clothed in an ephod.
Wearing a linen ephod, David was dancing before the Lord with all his might, 15 while he and all Israel were bringing up the ark of the Lord with shouts and the sound of trumpets. (2 Samuel 6:14-15)
In addition to the verse in 2 Samuel, the writer of 1 Chronicles also points out that David was wearing the standard Levite linen as well as an ephod, just like the ones described in Leviticus.
Now David was clothed in a robe of fine linen, as were all the Levites who were carrying the ark, and as were the musicians, and Kenaniah, who was in charge of the singing of the choirs. David also wore a linen ephod. (1 Chronicles 15:27)
So, why do people think he danced naked or mostly unclothed? The reason is because just a few verses later, in 2 Samuel (verse not included in Chronicles), it shows David’s wife criticizing his behavior.
The NIV and other modern translations seem to struggle on an agreed translation and interpretation of the text. Here are a few different translations.
When David returned home to bless his household, Michal daughter of Saul came out to meet him and said, “How the king of Israel has distinguished himself today, going around half-naked in full view of the slave girls of his servants as any vulgar fellow would!” (2 Samuel 6:20 NIV)
But when David returned to bless his household, Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David and said, “How the king of Israel distinguished himself today! He uncovered himself today in the eyes of his servants’ maids as one of the foolish ones shamelessly uncovers himself!”(2 Samuel 6:20 NASB)
When David returned home to bless his own family, Michal, the daughter of Saul, came out to meet him. She said in disgust, “How distinguished the king of Israel looked today, shamelessly exposing himself to the servant girls like any vulgar person might do!”(2 Samuel 6:20 NLT).
From these English passages we seem to get a different understanding of how David was clothed.
The story in both Samuel and Chronicles state that he wore a linen ephod. So, how was David exposing himself if he was wearing a linen ephod?
In one of the most effusive displays of worship recorded in the Bible, King David danced “before the Lord with all his might” (2 Samuel 6:14).
The occasion was the return of the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem. It was a day of rejoicing as David “and all Israel were bringing up the ark of the Lord with shouts and the sound of trumpets” (verse 15).
David had set aside his royal robes and was “wearing a linen ephod” (verse 14)—a clear indication that he was not naked.
The ephod David wore was a garment usually reserved for priests and those ministering before the Lord.
As David led the procession of the ark into the city, he humbly laid aside his royal garments and worshiped the Lord, in ecstatic joy, as the representative of God’s “kingdom of priests” (Exodus 19:6).
The ephod David wore was made of fine linen and consisted of two pieces, covering both back and front (Exodus 28:6–8, 31–32).
The two pieces were fastened together over the shoulders and held at the waist by a belt of some kind.
The ephod worn by the high priests would have been different, as it was embroidered with gold and bright colors and somehow bore the Urim and Thummim by which God directed the people.
David’s wife Michal was horrified at her husband’s public dance, but not because he was naked. Scripture says she “watched from a window.
And when she saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, she despised him in her heart” (2 Samuel 6:16). She was embarrassed at his lack of decorum and felt it was beneath his dignity as king.
In a sarcastic rebuke of her husband, Michal accused him of “going around half-naked in full view of the slave girls of his servants as any vulgar fellow would!” (verse 20).
Other translations render Michal’s complaint as David’s being “exposed” (CSB), “undressed” (ISV), and “shamelessly uncovered” (NKJV).
Some of this wording makes it sound as if David danced naked, but the context is clear that he was wearing the ephod instead of the royal attire.
It should also be noted that Michal’s contempt for David may have had nothing to do with his public performance; rather, it could have stemmed from the fact that he had taken her from her husband and reclaimed her as his wife—most likely without her consent (2 Samuel 3:14–16).
Whatever the reason for her disgust, the Bible notes that Michal never had any children (2 Samuel 6:23), which may indicate a judgment from God or simply that David never sought to have marital relations with her again.
David was undeterred by Michal’s criticism.
In fact, he doubled down, telling her that it was the Lord he was dancing before, and he was quite willing to abase himself in the Lord’s presence: “I will celebrate before the Lord.
I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes” (2 Samuel 6:21–22).
David’s deep passion and exuberant worship are part of what make his psalms so relatable.
He expressed his adoration of God in a variety of ways: through his music, his writings, and his public displays.
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