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 6:1

David Brings the Ark to Jerusalem

6:1 David again assembled ⁵  all the best ⁶  men in Israel, thirty thousand in number.

2 Samuel 15:29

15:29 So Zadok and Abiathar took the ark of God back to Jerusalem and remained there.

[6:5]  ¹ tn Heb “all the house of Israel.”

[6:5]  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.”

[6:5]  ³ tn Heb “with zithers [?] and with harps.”

[6:5]  ⁴ tn That is, “sistrums” (so NAB, NIV); ASV, NASB, NRSV, CEV, NLT “castanets.”

[6:1]  ⁵ tn The translation understands the verb to be a defective spelling of וַיְּאֱסֹף (vayyÿ’esof) due to quiescence of the letter א (alef). The root therefore is אסף (’sf, “to gather”). The Masoretes, however, pointed the verb as וַיֹּסֶף (vayyosef), understanding it to be a form of יָסַף (yasaf, “to add”). This does not fit the context, which calls for a verb of gathering.

[6:1]  ⁶ tn Or “chosen.”