The Meaning of 2 Samuel 6:16 Explained

2 Samuel 6:16

KJV: And as the ark of the LORD came into the city of David, Michal Saul's daughter looked through a window, and saw king David leaping and dancing before the LORD; and she despised him in her heart.

YLT: and it hath come to pass, the ark of Jehovah hath come in to the city of David, and Michal daughter of Saul, hath looked through the window, and seeth king David moving and dancing before Jehovah, and despiseth him in her heart.

Darby: And as the ark of Jehovah came into the city of David, Michal the daughter of Saul looked through a window, and saw king David leaping and dancing before Jehovah; and she despised him in her heart.

ASV: And it was so, as the ark of Jehovah came into the city of David, that Michal the daughter of Saul looked out at the window, and saw king David leaping and dancing before Jehovah; and she despised him in her heart.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And as the ark  of the LORD  came  into the city  of David,  Michal  Saul's  daughter  looked  through a window,  and saw  king  David  leaping  and dancing  before  the LORD;  and she despised  him in her heart. 

What does 2 Samuel 6:16 Mean?

Context Summary

2 Samuel 6:12-23 - The Ark Tabernacled In The City Of David
Josephus tells us that from the moment the Ark rested beneath Obed-edom's roof, a tide of golden prosperity set in, and he passed from poverty to wealth. But 1 Chronicles 26:4-10 sheds a new light on the subject, for there we learn that the whole family became attached to the service of the Lord's house, and even the grandchildren became mighty. If only we would open our homes to God's Ark-that is, if we maintained the observances of religion for our children and dependents-for us also there would be similar blessing. One likes to imagine the reverence and joy with which those boys and girls lay down to sleep at night, feeling that the symbol of God's presence was in the house.
This time the prescribed ritual was minutely observed. The warning given by Uzzah's death had aroused the entire nation to a realization of their indifference and neglect. The stroke had been terrible, but the effect was eminently salutary. It seemed as if the flood-gates of David's joy had been thrown wide open, and he could not contain his ecstasy. Then from an overflowing heart, he turned to bless his people. The one event that marred the day was poor Michal's bitter speech. There is no perfect joy in this world; every rose has its thorn. [source]

Chapter Summary: 2 Samuel 6

1  David fetches the ark from Kirjath Jearim on a new cart,
6  Uzzah is smitten at Perez Uzzah
9  God blesses Obed-Edom for the ark
12  David brings the ark into Zion with sacrifices, and dances before it;
16  for which Michal despises him
17  He places it in a tabernacle with great joy and feasting
20  Michal, reproving David for his joy, is childless to her death

What do the individual words in 2 Samuel 6:16 mean?

And as the ark of Yahweh came into the City of David and Michal daughter of Saul looked through a window and saw - King David leaping and whirling before Yahweh and she despised him in her heart
וְהָיָה֙ אֲר֣וֹן יְהוָ֔ה בָּ֖א עִ֣יר דָּוִ֑ד וּמִיכַ֨ל בַּת־ שָׁא֜וּל נִשְׁקְפָ֣ה ׀ בְּעַ֣ד הַחַלּ֗וֹן וַתֵּ֨רֶא אֶת־ הַמֶּ֤לֶךְ דָּוִד֙ מְפַזֵּ֤ז וּמְכַרְכֵּר֙ לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֔ה וַתִּ֥בֶז ל֖וֹ בְּלִבָּֽהּ

וְהָיָה֙  And  as 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
אֲר֣וֹן  the  ark 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct
Root: אֲרֹון  
Sense: chest, ark.
יְהוָ֔ה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
בָּ֖א  came  into 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
עִ֣יר  the  City 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: עִיר 
Sense: excitement, anguish.
דָּוִ֑ד  of  David 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּוִד  
Sense: youngest son of Jesse and second king of Israel.
וּמִיכַ֨ל  and  Michal 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִיכַל  
Sense: daughter of king Saul, sister of Jonathan, wife of king David, and mother of five; given to David as wife for the bride price of 00 Philistine foreskins; while still married to David, her father gave her in marriage to another, Phaltiel; at the death of Saul, David forced her to return.
בַּת־  daughter 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: בַּת  
Sense: daughter.
שָׁא֜וּל  of  Saul 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: שָׁאוּל  
Sense: a Benjamite, son of Kish, and the st king of Israel.
נִשְׁקְפָ֣ה ׀  looked 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: שָׁקַף  
Sense: to overlook, look down or out, overhang, look out and down.
בְּעַ֣ד  through 
Parse: Preposition
Root: בַּעַד 
Sense: behind, through, round about, on behalf of, away from, about.
הַחַלּ֗וֹן  a  window 
Parse: Article, Noun, common singular
Root: חַלֹּון 
Sense: window (piercing of the wall).
וַתֵּ֨רֶא  and  saw 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הַמֶּ֤לֶךְ  King 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
דָּוִד֙  David 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּוִד  
Sense: youngest son of Jesse and second king of Israel.
מְפַזֵּ֤ז  leaping 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Participle, masculine singular
Root: פָּזַז  
Sense: to bound, be agile, be supple.
וּמְכַרְכֵּר֙  and  whirling 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Participle, masculine singular
Root: כָּרַר  
Sense: (Pilpel) to whirl, dance.
לִפְנֵ֣י  before 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, common plural construct
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
יְהוָ֔ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
וַתִּ֥בֶז  and  she  despised 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: בָּזָה 
Sense: to despise, hold in contempt, disdain.
בְּלִבָּֽהּ  in  her  heart 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person feminine singular
Root: לֵב 
Sense: inner man, mind, will, heart, understanding.