2 samuel 5 and 6

Read 2 Samuel 5 and 6 at Bible Gateway.

The Hebrew paragraph divisions:

2 Sam 5:1-3 {s} All the tribes of Israel anoint David king over all Israel
2 Sam 5:4-10 {p} The years of David’s reign/ he defeated the Jebusites of Jerusalem and it became his capital city
2 Sam 5:11-12 {s} Hiram king of Tyre sent cedar and workmen, and built David’s palace in Jerusalem
2 Sam 5:13-16 {p} The sons of David born to him in Jerusalem
2 Sam 5:17-19a {p} The Philistines deployed themselves against David + he inquired his course of the LORD
2 Sam 5:19b-21 {p} The Lord answered, and David defeated the Philistines at Baal Perazim
2 Sam 5:22-25 {p} The Philistines deployed + David inquired a 2nd time + he defeated them from Geba to Gezer
2 Sam 6:1-20a {s} David brought the ark to Jerusalem with joy
2 Sam 6:20b-23 {p} Michal the daughter of Saul reproached David + was childless until her death

The strong themes:

2 Sam 5:1-10 {s+p} Israel anointed David king over all Israel, he defeated the Jebusites and reigned from Jerusalem
2 Sam 5:11-16 {s+p} At Jerusalem, the house of David, his palace + his sons, built up the sake of Israel
2 Sam 5:17-25 {px3} The Philistines deployed themselves against David 2x but he defeated them
2 Sam 6:1-23 {s+p} David brought the ark to Jerusalem with joy, but Michal his wife reproached him and was childless

2 Sam 5:1-6:23 forms a chiastic structure:

1a) 2 Sam 5:1-16 {s+p+s+p} David, king of Israel at Jerusalem, for YHVH of Hosts was with him + his house (wives + sons):

1) 2 Sam 5:1-12 {s+p+s} David anointed king + Jerusalem the city of David his capital + YHVH of Hosts was with him:

1a) 2 Sam 5:1-3 {s} All Israel came to David at Hebron + anointed him king over Israel;
1b) 2 Sam 5:4-9, David took Jerusalem for his capital city, dwelt in it + built it up;
central axis) 2 Sam 5:10 {p} David went on and became great, and YHVH God of Hosts was with him;
2b) 2 Sam 5:11, Hiram king of Tyre built David a house (palace) in Jerusalem;
2a) 2 Sam 5:12 {s} David knew that YHVH had established him as king over Israel/ exalted his kingdom for Israel’s sake.

2) 2 Sam 5:13-16 {p} At Jerusalem, David’s wives + sons through whom he built his house;

1b) 2 Sam 5:17-20, The Philistines deployed against David, but he defeated them at Baal Perazim;

1) 2 Sam 5:17-18, The Philistines heard David was king + deployed themselves in the Valley of Rephaim;
2) 2 Sam 5:19a {p} David inquired of YHVH: Shall I go up against the Philistines;
3) 2 Sam 5:19b, YHVH answered: Go up, for I will deliver them into your hand;
4) 2 Sam 5:20, David defeated them at Baal Perazim, for YHVH broke through his enemies like a breakthrough of water;

central axis) 2 Sam 5:21 {p} The Philistines left their images there + David and his men carried them away;

2b) 2 Sam 5:22-25 {p} The Philistines deployed against David, but he defeated them from Geba to Gezer;

1) 2 Sam 5:22, The Philistines deployed themselves again in the Valley of Rephaim;
2) 2 Sam 5:23a, Therefore David inquired of YHVH;
3) 2 Sam 5:23b-24, YHVH answered: Do not go up until you hear the sound of YHVH before you to strike them;
4) 2 Sam 5:25 {p} David did as YHVH commanded him + he drove back the Philistines from Geba to Gezer;

2a) 2 Sam 6:1-23 {s+p} David, king of Israel, brought the ark of YHVH of Hosts to Jerusalem + his wife who had no sons:

1) 2 Sam 6:1-20a {s} David brought the ark of YHVH of Hosts up to Jerusalem the city of David;

1a) 2 Sam 6:1-2, David gathered Israel to bring up the ark of the Name, YHVH of Hosts, who dwells between the cherubim;
1b) 2 Sam 6:3-6, David brought the ark up from the house of Abinadab with music, on a new cart pulled by oxen;
1c) 2 Sam 6:7a, Then the anger of YHVH was aroused against Uzzah;
central axis) 2 Sam 6:7b, God struck him there for his error + he died there by the ark of God;
2c) 2 Sam 6:8, David became angry because of YHVH’s outbreak against Uzzah + the place is called Perez Uzzah;
2b) 2 Sam 6:9-17, David brought the ark up with gladness, borne by the Levites:

1a) 2 Sam 6:9-10a, David was afraid of YHVH + would not move the ark to the city of David;

1) 2 Sam 6:9, David was afraid of YHVH that day; and he said, “How can the ark of YHVH come to me?”
2) 2 Sam 6:10a, So David would not move the ark of YHVH with him into the City of David;

1b) 2 Sam 6:10b-11a, David took the ark aside into the house of Obed-Edom where it remained 3 months;
central axis) 2 Sam 6:11b-12a, YHVH blessed Obed-Edom and all his household, and it was told King David;
2b) 2 Sam 6:12b, So David brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom;
2a) 2 Sam 6:12c-17, David rejoiced before YHVH + brought up the ark to the city of David;

1) 2 Sam 6:12c-16, David brought up the ark with gladness + dancing + trumpets, but Michal despised him;
2) 2 Sam 6:17, They brought the ark of YHVH to the city of David + set it in the tabernacle David erected;

2a) 2 Sam 6:18-20a {s} David blessed Israel in the name of YHVH of Hosts + everyone departed to his house;

1a) 2 Sam 6:18, David blessed the people in the name of YHVH of Hosts;
1b) 2 Sam 6;19a, Then he distributed among all the people;
central axis) 2 Sam 6:19b, Among the whole multitude of Israel, both the women and the men, to everyone;
2b) 2 Sam 6:19b, A loaf of bread + a piece of meat + a cake of raisins/ the people departed, everyone to his house;
2a) 2 Sam 6:20a {s} Then David returned to bless his household.

2) 2 Sam 6:20b-23 {p} YHVH established David as king, but did not build his house through his wife Michal, for she despised him;

1a) 2 Sam 6:20b, Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David;
1b) 2 Sam 6:20c, “How glorious was the king of Israel, uncovering himself before the maidservants as a base fellow;”
1c) 2 Sam 6:21a, David: It was before YHVH,
central axis) 2 Sam 6:21b, He chose me instead of your father’s house, to be ruler over His people Israel;
2c) 2 Sam 6:21c, Therefore I will play music before YHVH;
2b) 2 Sam 6:22, I will be humble in my own sight, but the maidservants will hold me in honor;
2a) 2 Sam 6:23 {p} Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no children to the day of her death.

The first time David brought up the ark, it was put on a new cart, but Uzzah died before YHVH, resulting in David fearing YHVH. Did you notice that the ark was brought up with music and praise, but Uzzah still died?

The second time the ark was brought up, the Spirit-filled worship and praise music still accompanied it, but the ark was being borne this time by those who were walking, for every six paces, the text says, David sacrificed oxen and sheep. This is in reference to the command in Torah:

But the Levites were not numbered among them by their fathers’ tribe; for the Lord had spoken to Moses, saying: “Only the tribe of Levi you shall not number, nor take a census of them among the children of Israel; but you shall appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of the Testimony, over all its furnishings [of which the ark of the covenant was one], and over all things that belong to it; they shall carry the tabernacle and all its furnishings; they shall attend to it and camp around the tabernacle. And when the tabernacle is to go forward, the Levites shall take it down; and when the tabernacle is to be set up, the Levites shall set it up. The outsider who comes near shall be put to death. The children of Israel shall pitch their tents, everyone by his own camp, everyone by his own standard, according to their armies; but the Levites shall camp around the tabernacle of the Testimony, that there may be no wrath on the congregation of the children of Israel; and the Levites shall keep charge of the tabernacle of the Testimony.” Num 1:47-53

“This is the service of the sons of Kohath [the son of Levi] in the tabernacle of meeting, relating to the most holy things [of which the ark of the covenant was one]: When the camp prepares to journey, Aaron and his sons shall come, and they shall take down the covering veil and cover the ark of the Testimony with it. Then they shall put on it a covering of badger skins, and spread over that a cloth entirely of blue; and they shall insert its poles.” Num 4:4-6

Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying: “Do not cut off the tribe of the families of the Kohathites from among the Levites; but do this in regard to them, that they may live and not die when they approach the most holy things: Aaron and his sons shall go in and appoint each of them to his service and his task. But they shall not go in to watch while the holy things are being covered, lest they die.” Num 4:17-20

Even though David was angry at the death of Uzzah, he learned an important lesson: Spirit-filled worship and praise music does not make up for sloppy disregard of the LORD’s commandments and ways, to walk in them. This is another way of saying,

For I desire mercy and not sacrifice,
And the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings. Hos 6:6

David got the message. He leaned what the ways of God were, so that he could walk in obedience to them first, rather than disregarding them and just offering the sacrifice for sin to cover over his sloppy way of walking later. You can be sure that the next time he attempted to bring the ark up, he had done his research beforehand, and had prepared its place for it to reside in the tabernacle he erected in Jerusalem, according to the commandment; and the Levites, the sons of Kohath, were bearing the ark according to the commandment. I believe it is from this era that David earnestly began studying the Torah himself, developing a deep love for the Torah of God (Psa 119, for that happens for the one who dwells in it to learn from it) to erect, build up (notice how much David built in these chapters!), the tabernacle in Jerusalem, and re-establish all propriety according to the commandment of YHVH (for much had been lost during the years of the judges and Saul).

How loudly this speaks to us, for Jesus is our sin sacrifice! It still grieves the heart of YHVH today when we disdain the knowledge of His ways, and walk uncarefully, all because our sin sacrifice has already been offered!