2 Samuel 6:5

6:5 while David and all Israel ¹  were energetically celebrating before the Lord, singing ²  and playing various stringed instruments, ³  tambourines, rattles, ⁴  and cymbals.

2 Samuel 6:14

6:14 Now David, wearing a linen ephod, was dancing with all his strength before the Lord. ⁵ 

2 Samuel 6:16

6:16 As the ark of the Lord entered the City of David, Saul’s daughter Michal looked out the window. When she saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, she despised him. ⁶ 

¹ tn Heb “all the house of Israel.”

² tc Heb “were celebrating before the Lord with all woods of fir” (cf. KJV, ASV, NASB). If the text is retained, the last expression must be elliptical, referring to musical instruments made from fir wood. But it is preferable to emend the text in light of 1 Chr 13:8, which reads “were celebrating before the Lord with all strength and with songs.”

³ tn Heb “with zithers [?] and with harps.”

⁴ tn That is, “sistrums” (so NAB, NIV); ASV, NASB, NRSV, CEV, NLT “castanets.”

⁵ tn Heb “and David was dancing with all his strength before the Lord, and David was girded with a linen ephod.”

⁶ tn The Hebrew text adds “in her heart.” Cf. CEV “she was disgusted (+ with him TEV)”; NLT “was filled with contempt for him”; NCV “she hated him.”