Bible Strands
2 Samuel 6:14
And David, wearing a linen ephod, danced with all his might before the LORD,
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — David leads the procession bringing the ark of the LORD to Jerusalem after a sacrifice is offered at the sixth pace. He performs publicly before the assembled house of Israel.
The words — The text highlights מְכַרְכֵּ֥ר (me.khar.Ker), meaning "[was] dancing," and עֹ֖ז ('oz), meaning "strength." These terms describe David's physical exertion while wearing a linen ephod.
The thread — The linen ephod appears earlier on the boy Samuel ministering before the LORD (1 Samuel 2:18). Public dancing with tambourines accompanies worship in Exodus 15:20 and Judges 11:34.
Why it lands — The passage records a king performing vigorous, unreserved movement before Yahweh while dressed in priestly attire. It requires the reader to acknowledge the raw physicality of the worship without smoothing it into polite ritual.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And David danced before the Lord with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod.
Cross-references
- 1 Samuel 2:18 Now Samuel was ministering before the LORD—a boy wearing a linen ephod.
- Exodus 15:20 Then Miriam the prophetess, Aaron’s sister, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women followed her with tambourines and dancing.
- Judges 11:34 And when Jephthah returned home to Mizpah, there was his daughter coming out to meet him with tambourines and dancing! She was his only child; he had no son or daughter besides her.
- Psalms 149:3 Let them praise His name with dancing, and make music to Him with tambourine and harp.
- Psalms 150:4 Praise Him with tambourine and dancing; praise Him with strings and flute.
- 1 Samuel 2:28 And out of all the tribes of Israel I selected your father to be My priest, to offer sacrifices on My altar, to burn incense, and to wear an ephod in My presence. I also gave to the house of your father all the food offerings of the Israelites.
- Psalms 30:11 You turned my mourning into dancing; You peeled off my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,
- Colossians 3:23 Whatever you do, work at it with your whole being, as for the Lord and not for men,
- Exodus 19:6 And unto Me you shall be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you are to speak to the Israelites.”
- Deuteronomy 6:5 And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.