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Chapter 6 records David's attempt to bring the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem. Lets review what has happened to the Ark up to this point. In First Samuel Chapter 4, the Philistines defeated the armies of Israel. They captured the Ark and took it to their capitol city of Ashdod and set it in their temple to their god Dagon. The next morning, Dagon was laying face down on the floor. They set him back up but the following morning, he was face down on the threshold to the temple and his head and both hands were broken off. This was 1048 BC. The Philistines had the Ark for 7 months during which time every city into which they took it, had a plague. Finally, they sent it back home on a cart pulled by two fresh cows. It ended up in Beth-she-mesh where it was improperly handled and many of the men were killed. Finally, the men of Ramah came and got the Ark and gave it a proper resting place. It stayed there until now (997 BC) 0r about 51 years.
Ramah had many names. At times it was called Baal-judah also Kirinth-jearim. At the time of Christ it is believed to have been called Arimathaea. The Ark was housed there in the home of A-bin-a-dab. David went there to pick up the Ark and the trip back to Jerusalem, about 7 miles, was quite eventful. They placed the Ark on a new cart and started out from the home of Abinadab. Abinadab's sons, were responsible for managing the cart. Ahio walked in front, probably leading the oxen while Uzzah walked beside the cart to make sure the Ark did not fall off. David and the other leaders of Israel followed behind.
Now, what was wrong with this? In Numbers Chapter 7, it says, only the Kohathites, the descendants of Levi's son Kohath, could carry the Ark also it was to be carried by placing two long poles through the rings on each side and transporting it upon their shoulders. To break this Law was to do so at your own peril. We wonder why David, a student of the Law, would have made such a mistake.
Further reading shows us that it did not go unpunished. When they arrived at the threshing floor of a man named Nacon, the oxen stumbled and Uzzah put his hand out to steady the Ark and God's anger was kindled against him and he died there beside the cart. Then David got angry because God had killed Uzzah and he called the place "Perez-uzzah", meaning, "The Place of Wrath Upon Uzzah."
This incident brought great fear into the heart of David so he decided not to take the Ark into Jerusalem. Instead, he took it to the home of Obed-edom, a Levite, who at one time had lived in Gath, a Philistine City. We are told this so that we know that Obededom was aware of the past history of those who had attempted to house the Ark, yet he cheerfully received it into his home and the Lord blessed him and all his household as he had Abinadab. WHY? Because he was a Levite and properly handled it with due honor and respect. It would remain there for 3 months.
When David saw that no harm had come to Obedodom, he decided to go on and bring the Ark into Jerusalem. Notice, this time, the care he took in transporting the Ark.
This joyous occasion prompted David to write the 132 Psalm.
Now there always had to be a "party pooper" in every crowd. This time it was Michal, David's first wife, the Daughter of Saul. After David dismissed the people, he returned to his home with great joy and enthusiasm, but Michal was waiting for him and when he came she let him have it. WHY? She thought he had degraded himself by dancing in the streets in public, improperly robed. Was it her pride that made her angry? She taunted him, "How glorious was the King of Israel today." She accused him of being indiscrete in the eyes of the maidservants.
But notice how David replied. He did what he did to honor God. He would debase himself to do this. He doubted that his association with the common people would cause them to think less of him. So David spoke no more of this but from this point on, Michal was childless.
We might, at this point, attempt to gleam from the Hebrew exactly what David did that caused Michal to be so angry.
The Hebrew word is ga'lah which means to de-nude in a disgraceful way, to dis-robe or to strip.
The Hebrew word is ga'lal which means to cause or make light of or to be abased.
Some believe that all David had on was the ephod, an apron like garment wore by priests. Others believe he simple disposed of his kingly robes and dressed like a common man, which may have seemed to Michal that he "exposed himself". As to what would constitute vile, contemptible, undignified and foolish behavior, would probably be in the eyes of the beholder. It would also appear that he was debasing himself to do honor to God and to express his enthusiasm and appreciation for God allowing him to bring the Ark into Jerusalem.
The same event recorded in 1st. Chron. 15:27 says, "David wore a robe of fine linen as were the Levites and the singers." He also wore a ephod." also in 1st Chron. 15:29 it says, "Michal saw David dancing and making merry and she despised him in her heart."
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