After the men who were carrying the Ark of the Lord had gone six steps, David sacrificed a bull and a fattened calf.
Parallel translations
- WEB When those who bore Yahweh’s ark had gone six paces, he sacrificed an ox and a fattened calf.
- KJV And it was so, that when they that bare the ark of the LORD had gone six paces, he sacrificed oxen and fatlings.
- BSB When those carrying the ark of the LORD had advanced six paces, he sacrificed an ox and a fattened calf.
- NKJV And so it was, when those bearing the ark of the Lord had gone six paces, that he sacrificed oxen and fatted sheep.
- NASB And so it was, that when those carrying the ark of the Lord marched six paces, he sacrificed an ox and a fattened steer.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
After the ark-bearers took six steps, David offered sacrifices of an ox and a fattened calf. Worship and sacrifice marked every stage of bringing God's presence home.
Overview
This time the ark was 'borne' by bearers, in keeping with God's command, not carted. The early sacrifice expressed gratitude and consecration of the whole journey to the LORD. David's lavish, reverent worship shows that bringing God's presence among His people is fittingly accompanied by costly devotion.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 8
- 1 Chr 15:15The children of the Levites bore God’s ark on their shoulders with its poles, as Moses commanded according to Yahweh’s word.
- 1 Kgs 8:5King Solomon and all the congregation of Israel, who were assembled to him, were with him before the ark, sacrificing sheep and cattle, that could not be counted or numbered for multitude.
- Num 4:15“When Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary, and all the furniture of the sanctuary, as the camp moves forward; after that, the sons of Kohath shall come to carry it: but they shall not touch the sanctuary, lest they die. These things are the burden of the sons of Kohath in the Tent of Meeting.
- Num 7:9But to the sons of Kohath he gave none, because the service of the sanctuary belonged to them; they carried it on their shoulders.
- Josh 3:3and they commanded the people, saying, “When you see the ark of Yahweh your God’s covenant, and the priests the Levites bearing it, then leave your place, and follow it.
- 1 Chr 15:2Then David said, “No one ought to carry God’s ark but the Levites. For Yahweh has chosen them to carry God’s ark, and to minister to him forever.”
- 1 Chr 15:25–26So David, the elders of Israel, and the captains over thousands, went to bring the ark of Yahweh’s covenant up out of the house of Obed-Edom with joy.
- 2 Chr 5:6King Solomon and all the congregation of Israel, who were assembled to him, were before the ark, sacrificing sheep and cattle that could not be counted or counted for multitude.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
God's covenant with David — a son whose throne and kingdom would last forever (7:12–16) — finds its yes in Jesus, the Son of David who reigns without end.
How 2 Samuel 6:13 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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