Village Schools of the Bible

A Devotional Study of 2 Samuel 6
by Max Frazier, Jr.

In Second Samuel chapter 6, the story is told of the return of the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem. A story that should have been full of celebration ended with a tragic twist. Two people - Uzzah and Michal missed the joy.

I. The ark is brought to Jerusalem (vs. 1-5)

II. Uzzah's disobedience and death (vs. 6-7)

III. Ark taken to the house of Obed-Edom (vs. 8-11)

IV. David rejoices in the ark's return (vs. 12-23)

A time of celebration became an occasion for grief. Triumph turned into tragedy. In his eagerness to bring the Ark of the Lord into the City of David, the newly crowned king had failed to consult the priests concerning the proper way to transport the Ark. If only David had taken time to have done his homework Uzzah would not have died. God had commanded centuries earlier that only the priests could move the Ark and that was to be done by means of carrying it on poles, not an ox cart. David is to be applauded for his enthusiasm but it needed to be directed properly. But, often through our errors in judgment, God causes us to grow and to mature. That happened for David and I have experienced that in my life as well. Mistakes in judgment can be beneficial. It all depends upon how we react to them.

The attitude of Michal has intrigued me. When we were first introduced to her in First Samuel 18:20, we were told that she loved David. Saul, her father, then gave her in marriage to David. Because of her love, she sided with her husband in his escape from her father (1 Samuel 19:11-17). It would appear that Saul then gave Michal to another in marriage (2 Samuel 3:15). David, after being established as king, desired her to return to his harem, and so she was brought. But there was no love this time. She returned with a measure of contempt that played itself out in this chapter (see verses 16 and 20). Her heart was no longer with David. Her heart belonged to another whom she could not have and she despised David and his actions. David accuses her of speaking out for her father and not for him, but I think David erred here. I think Michal grieved her separation from her husband. If David had read her heart, I believe healing would have occurred. But, to our knowledge, Michal probably died a bitter, lonely woman. How sad!

2Samuel 5 Return to the Table of Contents 2Samuel 7