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Commentary on 2 Samuel 6 verses 20–23
David, having dismissed the congregation with a blessing, returned to bless his household (Sa2 6:20), that is, to pray with them and for them, and to offer up his family thanksgiving for this national mercy. Ministers must not think that their public performances will excuse them from their family-worship; but when they have, with their instructions and prayers, blessed the solemn assemblies, they must return in the same manner to bless their households, for with them they are in a particular manner charged. David, though he had prophets, and priests, and Levites, about him, to be his chaplains, yet did not devolve the work upon them, but himself blessed his household. It is angels' work to worship God, and therefore surely that can be no disparagement to the greatest of men.
Never did David return to his house with so much pleasure and satisfaction as he did now that he had got the ark into his neighbourhood; and yet even this joyful day concluded with some uneasiness, occasioned by the pride and peevishness of his wife. Even the palaces of princes are not exempt from domestic troubles. David had pleased all the multitude of Israel, but Michal was not pleased with his dancing before the ark. For this, when he was at a distance, she scorned him, and when he came home she scolded him. She was not displeased at his generosity to the people, nor did she grudge the entertainment he gave them; but she thought he degraded himself too much in dancing before the ark. It was not her covetousness, but her pride, that made her fret.
I. When she saw David in the street dancing before the Lord she despised him in her heart, Sa2 6:16. She thought this mighty zeal of his for the ark of God, and the transport of joy he was in upon its coming home to him, was but a foolish thing, and unbecoming so great a soldier, and statesman, and monarch, as he was. It would have been enough for him to encourage the devotion of others, but she looked upon it as a thing below him to appear so very devout himself. "What a fool" (thinks she) "does my husband make of himself now! How fond is he of this ark, that might as well have lain still where it had lain for so many years! Much devotion has almost made him mad." Note, The exercises of religion appear very mean in the eyes of those that have little or no religion themselves.
II. When he came home in the very best disposition she began to upbraid him, and was so full of disdain and indignation that she could not contain till she had him in private, but went out to meet him with her reproaches. Observe,
1.How she taunted him (Sa2 6:20): "How glorious was the king of Israel today! What a figure didst thou make today in the midst of the mob! How unbecoming thy post and character!" Her contempt of him and his devotion began in the heart, but out of the abundance of that the mouth spoke. That which displeased her was his affection to the ark, which she wished he had no greater kindness for than she had: but she basely represents his conduct, in dancing before the ark, as lewd and immodest; and, while really she was displeased at it as a diminution to his honour, she pretended to dislike it as a reproach to his virtue, that he uncovered himself in the eyes of the maid-servants, as no man would have done but one of the vain fellows that cared not how much he shamed himself. We have no reason to think that this was true in fact. David, no doubt, observed decorum, and governed his zeal with discretion. But it is common for those that reproach religion thus to put false colours upon it and lay it under the most odious characters. To have abused any man thus for his pious zeal would have been very profane, but to abuse her own husband thus, whom she ought to have reverenced, and one whose prudence and virtue were above the reach of malice itself to disparage, one who had shown such affection for her that he would not accept a crown unless he might have her restored to him (Sa2 3:13), was a most base and wicked thing, and showed her to have more of Saul's daughter in her than of David's wife or Jonathan's sister.
2.How he replied to her reproach. He did not upbraid her with her treacherous departure from him to embrace the bosom of a stranger. He had forgiven that, and therefore had forgotten it, though, it may be, his own conscience, on this occasion, upbraided him with his folly in receiving her again (for that is said to pollute the land, Jer 3:1), but he justifies himself in what he did.
(1.)He designed thereby to honour God (Sa2 6:21): It was before the Lord, and with an eye to him. Whatever invidious construction she was pleased to put upon it, he had the testimony of his conscience for him that he sincerely aimed at the glory of God, for whom he thought he could never do enough. Here he reminds her indeed of the setting aside of her father's house, to make way for him to the throne, that she might not think herself the most proper judge of propriety: "God chose me before thy father, and appointed me to be ruler over Israel, and now I am the fountain of honour; and, if the expressions of a warm devotion to God were looked upon as mean and unfashionable in thy father's court, yet I will play before the Lord, and thereby bring them into reputation again. And, if this be to be vile (Sa2 6:22), I will be yet more vile." Note, [1.] We should be afraid of censuring the devotion of others though it may not agree with our sentiments, because, for aught that we know, the heart may be upright in it, and who are we that we should despise those whom God has accepted? [2.] If we can approve ourselves to God in what we do in religion, and do it as before the Lord, we need not value the censures and reproaches of men. If we appear right in God's eyes, no matter how mean we appear in the eyes of the world. [3.] The more we are vilified for well-doing the more resolute we should be in it, and hold our religion the faster, and bind it the closer to us, for the endeavours of Satan's agents to shake us and to shame us out of it. I will be yet more vile.
(2.)He designed thereby to humble himself: "I will be base in my own sight, and will think nothing too mean to stoop to for the honour of God." In the throne of judgment, and in the field of battle, none shall do more to support the grandeur and authority of a prince than David shall; but in acts of devotion he lays aside the thought of majesty, humbles himself to the dust before the Lord, joins in with the meanest services done in honour of the ark, and thinks all this no diminution to him. The greatest of men is less than the least of the ordinances of Jesus Christ.
(3.)He doubted not but even this would turn to his reputation among those whose reproach Michal pretended to fear: Of the maid-servants shall I be had in honour. The common people would be so far from thinking the worse of him for these pious condescensions that they would esteem and honour him so much the more. Those that are truly pious are sometimes manifested in the consciences even of those that speak ill of them, Co2 5:11. Let us never be driven from our duty by the fear of reproach; for to be steady and resolute in it will perhaps turn to our reputation more than we think it will. Piety will have its praise. Let us not then be indifferent in it, nor afraid or ashamed to own it.
David was contented thus to justify himself, and did not any further animadvert upon Michal's insolence; but God punished her for it, writing her for ever childless from this time forward, Sa2 6:23. She unjustly reproached David for his devotion, and therefore God justly put her under the perpetual reproach of barrenness. Those that honour God he will honour; but those that despise him, and his servants and service, shall be lightly esteemed.
But the things which viewed corporeally are unseemly, when viewed in regard to holy religion become venerable, so that they who blame such things will involve their own souls in the net of blame. Thus Michal reproves David for his dancing and says to him, How glorious was the king of Israel to day, who uncovered himself to day in the eyes of his handmaids! And David answered her, It was before the Lord, which chose me before thy father, and before all his house to appoint me ruler over the people of the Lord, over Israel: therefore will I play before the Lord, and I will be yet more vile thus, and will be base in mine own sight, and of the maid-servants which thou hast spoken of, of them shall I be had in honour.
You will be blessed if you give thanks to God both in adversity and in prosperity and if you consider the prosperity of this life as smoke and vapor that immediately vanishes. David was a king, yet, in spite of having numerous treasures and ruling countless peoples with a strong hand, he sang of himself as humble and said, “I am afflicted in an agony from my youth.” And again, he said to the daughter of Saul, “I shall walk humbly, and I shall appear humbly before the Lord, who chose me rather than your father.” Likewise, he also said, “I am a wayfarer of earth and a pilgrim like all my fathers.”
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SUMMARY
The somber declaration in 2 Samuel 6:23, "Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no child unto the day of her death," marks the permanent and profound consequence of Michal's contempt for King David's uninhibited and humble worship of the Lord. This verse serves as a stark commentary on the spiritual barrenness that can result from prideful disdain for genuine devotion, highlighting the divine displeasure with those who prioritize human dignity and social propriety over heartfelt reverence for God.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
The passage employs several potent literary devices to convey its message. Juxtaposition is central, contrasting David's uninhibited, humble, and God-focused worship with Michal's proud, critical, and human-focused disdain. This stark contrast highlights the divergent spiritual postures. Symbolism is also evident, as Michal's physical barrenness serves as a powerful symbol of her spiritual barrenness and the barrenness of the house of Saul, which God had rejected. It represents a failure to produce spiritual fruit or contribute to God's redemptive plan through the Davidic line. Furthermore, the narrative functions as an example of Divine Retribution, where a specific action (Michal's contempt) is met with a direct and lasting consequence (lifelong barrenness), underscoring God's active involvement in human affairs and His intolerance for prideful disrespect towards His worship and His anointed.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
The account of Michal's barrenness in 2 Samuel 6:23 is a profound theological statement on the nature of true worship, the consequences of pride, and the sovereignty of God in establishing His chosen lineage. It teaches that God values the posture of the heart above outward appearances or social decorum in worship. Michal's contempt for David's humble devotion was, in essence, contempt for God's choice and His ways, leading to a severe and lasting judgment. This incident serves as a warning against spiritual pride and a reminder that God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. It underscores that spiritual fruitfulness is often tied to a heart submitted to God and His chosen instruments, whereas a critical, scornful spirit can lead to spiritual barrenness.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
The narrative of Michal's barrenness serves as a timeless cautionary tale for believers today. It challenges us to examine our hearts regarding our own worship and our attitudes towards others' expressions of faith. Do we prioritize our comfort, social standing, or personal preferences over genuine, uninhibited devotion to God? Are we quick to judge or criticize those whose worship expressions differ from our own, perhaps dismissing them as undignified or inappropriate? Michal's pride led her to despise David, God's chosen king, for his humility before the Lord. This should prompt us to guard against spiritual pride that can cause us to look down on others, especially those who demonstrate sincere, humble faith. Ultimately, God sees the heart, and He values a humble and contrite spirit far more than any outward display or adherence to human-made protocols. The lasting consequence of Michal's contempt reminds us that disrespecting God's ways or His chosen instruments can have serious, even lifelong, implications for our spiritual fruitfulness and relationship with Him.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Was Michal's barrenness a literal divine judgment, or a natural consequence?
Answer: The biblical text strongly presents Michal's barrenness as a direct divine judgment rather than a natural occurrence. The word "Therefore" (laken in Hebrew) explicitly links her childlessness to her scornful reaction to David's worship. In ancient Israelite thought, childlessness was often seen as a sign of divine displeasure, and the permanence "unto the day of her death" underscores its nature as a deliberate, lifelong consequence meted out by God. This interpretation aligns with other instances in Scripture where God intervenes directly in matters of fertility, such as with Sarah (Genesis 18:10-14), Rachel (Genesis 30:1-2), and Hannah (1 Samuel 1:5-6).
What was the significance of David dancing "uncovered" in Michal's eyes?
Answer: When Michal accused David of "uncovering himself" (2 Samuel 6:20), it does not imply full nudity, but rather a casting off of royal dignity and decorum. David, dressed in a simple linen ephod, danced with such abandon that he may have exposed himself in a way considered undignified for a king in front of lower-class women. Michal, as a princess and queen, was deeply concerned with royal appearance and social hierarchy. She viewed his actions as demeaning to his royal status, making him appear common or even vulgar. Her concern was for outward propriety and kingly image, while David's focus was on humble, uninhibited worship before the Lord, who had chosen him over her father's house.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
The narrative of Michal's barrenness and David's uninhibited worship finds profound Christ-centered fulfillment, illuminating aspects of the Gospel. Michal's spiritual barrenness, a consequence of her prideful rejection of God's chosen king and his humble worship, foreshadows the spiritual barrenness of those who reject Jesus, the ultimate King and Son of David. Just as Michal despised David's humility, many in Jesus' day despised His humble origins and unconventional ministry, failing to recognize His divine authority (e.g., John 1:10-11). David's willingness to set aside royal dignity to worship God with all his might points to Christ, who "did not consider equality with God something to be used to His own advantage; rather, He emptied Himself, by taking the form of a servant" (Philippians 2:6-7). Jesus' entire life was an act of perfect, humble worship and obedience to the Father, culminating in the ultimate sacrifice on the cross, where He "became obedient to death—even death on a cross!" (Philippians 2:8). True worship, as exemplified by David and perfectly fulfilled by Christ, is not about outward show or human approval, but about a heart fully devoted to God in spirit and truth (John 4:23-24). Through Christ, our spiritual barrenness, caused by sin and pride, is overcome, and we are made spiritually fruitful, bearing the fruit of the Spirit, as we embrace His humility and worship Him as our King and Savior (Galatians 5:22-23).