2 Samuel 6

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
2 Samuel 6
The pages containing the Books of Samuel (1 & 2 Samuel) Leningrad Codex (1008 CE).
BookFirst book of Samuel
Hebrew Bible partNevi'im
Order in the Hebrew part3
CategoryFormer Prophets
Christian Bible partOld Testament
Order in the Christian part10

2 Samuel 6 is the sixth chapter of the Second Book of Samuel in the Old Testament of the Christian Bible or the second part of Books of Samuel in the Hebrew Bible.[1] According to Jewish tradition the book was attributed to the prophet Samuel, with additions by the prophets Gad and Nathan,[2] but modern scholars view it as a composition of a number of independent texts of various ages from c. 630–540 BCE.[3][4] This chapter contains the account of David's reign in Jerusalem.[5][6] This is within a section comprising 2 Samuel 2–8 which deals with the period when David set up his kingdom.[7]

Text

This chapter was originally written in the Hebrew language. It is divided into 23 verses.

Textual witnesses

Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter in Hebrew are of the Masoretic Text tradition, which includes the Codex Cairensis (895), Aleppo Codex (10th century), and Codex Leningradensis (1008).[8] Fragments containing parts of this chapter in Hebrew were found among the Dead Sea Scrolls including 4Q51 (4QSama; 100–50 BCE) with extant verses 2–18.[9][10][11][12]

Extant ancient manuscripts of a translation into Koine Greek known as the Septuagint (originally was made in the last few centuries BCE) include Codex Vaticanus (B; B; 4th century) and Codex Alexandrinus (A; A; 5th century).[13][a]

Old Testament references

Places

class=notpageimage|
Places mentioned in this chapter

Analysis

The chapter has the following structure:[16]

A. David gathered the people to bring up the ark: Celebrations began (6:1–5)
B. Interruption: Uzzah's death; celebrations suspended (6:6–11)
C. The ark entered the City of David: joy and offerings (6:12–15)
B'. Interruption: Michal despised David (6:16)
A'. The reception of the ark: David blessed the people and the people went home (6:17–19)
Epilogue. Confrontation between Michal and David (6:20–23)

The center of the narrative was the entrance of the

City of David with proper religious solemnity. The conclusion (A') was when David blessed the people, invoking "the name of the Lord of hosts" (verse 18) which was introduced at the start of celebrations (A; verse 2). The A C A' structure is replete with 'festive language' that is not found in the 'interruptions' nor 'epilogue'.[16]

Taking the Ark to Jerusalem (6:1–11)

Verses 1–19 of this chapter is a continuation of the ark narrative in 1 Samuel 4:1–7:1, although it may not be a continuous piece as there are significant differences in the names of place and persons, as well as the characters of the narratives.

Gittite, one of David's loyal servants since his time in Ziklag
, who was a non-Israelite (and possibly a worshipper of another god), but willingly housed the ark.[17]

Verse 2

And David arose and went with all the people who were with him from Baale Judah to bring up from there the ark of God, whose name is called by the Name, the LORD of Hosts, who dwells between the cherubim.[18]
  • "Baale Judah": also known as Baalah or Kirjathbaal, a city in the tribe of Judah, and the same with
    1 Samuel 7:1) and remained there until this time, nearly fifty years.[19]

Verse 3

So they set the ark of God on a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill; and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drove the new cart.[20]
  • "A new cart": after these words, Septuagint has an addition "with the ark".[21] The use of cart might be intended as a mark of respect (cf. 1 Samuel 6:7), but it was against the words of Torah (Numbers 7:9) that requires the ark to be carried by the Levites, although this might to be considered impractical at the time due to the condition of the terrain ("on the hill").[22]
  • "House of Abinadab": At this time Abinadab himself may have been long dead, so Uzzah and Ahio could be either his sons, now advanced in life, or his grandsons.[22]
  • "On the hill": rendered in
    1 Samuel 7:1.[22]

The Ark of the Covenant entered Jerusalem (6:12–23)

Despite some bitter experience with the ark, David was adamant to bring it to Jerusalem, this time with a blessing (verse 12), and again with much celebration and sacrifice.[17] As the ark finally entered Jerusalem, the celebration reached its peak, with David, only wearing 'a linen ephod' (a priestly garment, which only covered the body and loins), leading vigorous circular dances with the assembly of people accompanied by blasts on the trumpet, the sopar or ram's horn for this joyous event.[17] The ark was housed in a tent specially made for it by David (verse 17), not the same as the original wilderness 'tabernacle', but was probably constructed with some features that were later adopted when constructing the Temple for the ark.[17] The whole festive ceremony was concluded with sacrifices, blessings, and gifts; it may well become annually repeated celebrations.[17] Psalm 132 could be based on the story of the transfer of the ark to Jerusalem in this chapter (not having any referrals only found in parallel chapters).[17]

Michal, Saul's daughter and David's first wife, was not pleased with the scantily clothed David dancing ("exposed himself") to 'his servants' maids', among the people (her story was inserted in verse 16 and continued in verses 19–23). She rebuked David with an irony that 'the king honoring himself', but David vowed to make himself even 'more contemptible than this' in showing his piety to YHWH.[17] The statement in verse 23 of Michal's childlessness is significant in relation to David's relations with the house of Saul and with David's own descendants.[23]

Verse 13

And so it was, when those bearing the ark of the Lord had gone six paces, that he sacrificed oxen and fatted sheep.[24]
  • "Had gone six paces" refers to 'repeated sacrifice every six steps', not just one sacrifice after the first six steps.[17]

See also

  • Related Bible parts: 1 Samuel 4, 1 Samuel 5, 1 Samuel 6, 1 Samuel 7, 1 Chronicles 12, 1 Chronicles 13, 1 Chronicles 15, 1 Chronicles 16, Psalm 132

    • Notes

    1. ^ The whole book of 2 Samuel is missing from the extant Codex Sinaiticus.[14]

    References

    1. ^ Halley 1965, p. 184.
    2. ^ Hirsch, Emil G. "SAMUEL, BOOKS OF". www.jewishencyclopedia.com.
    3. ^ Knight 1995, p. 62.
    4. ^ Jones 2007, p. 197.
    5. ^ Jones 2007, p. 216.
    6. ^ Coogan 2007, p. 450 Hebrew Bible.
    7. ^ Jones 2007, p. 215.
    8. ^ Würthwein 1995, pp. 35–37.
    9. ^ Ulrich 2010, pp. 297–298.
    10. ^ Dead sea scrolls - 2 Samuel
    11. ^ Fitzmyer 2008, p. 35.
    12. ^ 4Q51 at the Leon Levy Dead Sea Scrolls Digital Library
    13. ^ Würthwein 1995, pp. 73–74.
    14. ^  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Codex Sinaiticus". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
    15. ^ a b 2 Samuel 6, Berean Study Bible
    16. ^ a b Morrison 2013, p. 81.
    17. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Jones 2007, p. 218.
    18. ^ 2 Samuel 6:2 NKJV
    19. ^ Gill, John. Exposition of the Entire Bible. "2 Samuel 6". Published in 1746-1763.
    20. ^ 2 Samuel 6:3 NKJV
    21. ^ Note on 2 Samuel 6:3 in NKJV
    22. ^ a b c Ellicott, C. J. (Ed.) (1905). Ellicott's Bible Commentary for English Readers. 2 Samuel 6. London : Cassell and Company, Limited, [1905-1906] Online version: (OCoLC) 929526708. Accessed 28 April 2019.
    23. ^ Jones 2007, p. 219.
    24. ^ 2 Samuel 6:13 NKJV

    Sources

    Commentaries on Samuel

    General

    External links
    Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=2_Samuel_6&oldid=1146061322"