1 Chronicles 15:29

And it came to pass, [as] the ark of the covenant of the LORD came to the city of David, that Michal the daughter of Saul looking out at a window saw king David dancing and playing: and she despised him in her heart.

And it came to pass, as the ark {H727} of the covenant {H1285} of the LORD {H3068} came {H935} to the city {H5892} of David {H1732}, that Michal {H4324} the daughter {H1323} of Saul {H7586} looking out {H8259} at a window {H2474} saw {H7200} king {H4428} David {H1732} dancing {H7540} and playing {H7832}: and she despised {H959} him in her heart {H3820}.

As the ark for the covenant of ADONAI entered the City of David, Mikhal the daughter of Sha'ul, watching from the window, saw King David dancing and celebrating; and she was filled with contempt for him.

As the ark of the covenant of the LORD was entering the City of David, Saulโ€™s daughter Michal looked down from a window and saw King David dancing and celebrating, and she despised him in her heart.

And it came to pass, as the ark of the covenant of Jehovah came to the city of David, that Michal the daughter of Saul looked out at the window, and saw king David dancing and playing; and she despised him in her heart.

Commentary

1 Chronicles 15:29 records a significant moment during the triumphant procession of the Ark of the Covenant into Jerusalem, the City of David. It highlights a stark contrast in attitudes towards worship and divine reverence between King David and his wife, Michal.

Historical and Cultural Context

This verse is part of a larger narrative detailing David's successful second attempt to bring the Ark of the Covenant, God's dwelling place among His people, to Jerusalem. The first attempt, recorded in 1 Chronicles 13, ended tragically with Uzzah's death because the Ark was not transported according to God's specific instructions for the Levites (Numbers 4:15). Learning from this, David meticulously followed the divine protocol, ensuring the Ark was carried by the priests and Levites (1 Chronicles 15:2). The atmosphere was one of immense national rejoicing, with music, sacrifices, and fervent celebration, culminating in David's uninhibited dancing before the Lord (2 Samuel 6:14).

Key Themes and Messages

  • Heart of Worship: The verse vividly portrays two opposing heart attitudes. David's spontaneous and passionate dancing demonstrates a humble, unreserved devotion to God, prioritizing divine honor over royal dignity. He was "playing" or celebrating with all his might. In contrast, Michal, the daughter of King Saul, viewed David's enthusiastic display as undignified and shameful for a king. Her scorn reveals a focus on human appearances and social propriety rather than spiritual fervor.
  • Humility vs. Pride: David, though king, humbled himself before God, stripping away royal decorum to express his joy and reverence. Michal, perhaps still clinging to the pride of her father's royal house, despised this humility, seeing it as a degradation of kingship. This conflict highlights the tension between worldly status and spiritual devotion.
  • Authenticity in Faith: The passage challenges believers to consider the authenticity of their worship. Is it performative, or does it stem from a genuine, unreserved love for God? Michal's internal contempt serves as a cautionary tale against judging sincere expressions of faith based on external standards or personal preferences.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "despised him in her heart" is particularly insightful. The Hebrew word for "despised" is bazah (ื‘ึผึธื–ึธื”), which conveys a strong sense of contempt, scorn, or looking down upon someone. It signifies an inward feeling of utter disdain, not just disagreement, but a deep-seated devaluation. This internal attitude in Michal's heart foreshadows the later confrontation in 2 Samuel 6:20-23, where her contempt leads to a significant marital rift and, ultimately, her barrenness (2 Samuel 6:23), symbolizing a spiritual unfruitfulness.

Practical Application

This verse serves as a powerful reminder for believers today:

  • Examine Your Heart in Worship: Are you truly free to worship God with all your being, or are you constrained by what others might think? True worship is about God's glory, not human approval.
  • Guard Against Judgmentalism: Be careful not to scorn or despise the genuine expressions of faith and joy in others, even if they differ from your own preferred style of worship. God looks at the heart (1 Samuel 16:7).
  • Prioritize God's Honor: Like David, we are called to prioritize honoring God above personal reputation, social norms, or the expectations of others. Humility before God is more valuable than maintaining an image before people.

Note: If the commentary doesnโ€™t appear instantly, please allow 2โ€“5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated โ€” the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • 2 Samuel 6:20 (5 votes)

    ยถ Then David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, How glorious was the king of Israel to day, who uncovered himself to day in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovereth himself!

  • 2 Samuel 6:23 (5 votes)

    Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no child unto the day of her death.

  • 2 Samuel 6:16 (4 votes)

    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.

  • 1 Samuel 4:3 (2 votes)

    And when the people were come into the camp, the elders of Israel said, Wherefore hath the LORD smitten us to day before the Philistines? Let us fetch the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of Shiloh unto us, that, when it cometh among us, it may save us out of the hand of our enemies.

  • Deuteronomy 31:26 (2 votes)

    Take this book of the law, and put it in the side of the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, that it may be there for a witness against thee.

  • Numbers 10:33 (2 votes)

    And they departed from the mount of the LORD three days' journey: and the ark of the covenant of the LORD went before them in the three days' journey, to search out a resting place for them.

  • Judges 20:27 (2 votes)

    And the children of Israel enquired of the LORD, (for the ark of the covenant of God [was] there in those days,