2 Samuel 6:21

And David said unto Michal, 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.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(21) Therefore will I play.—Rather, have I danced. (See 2Samuel 6:5.)

Before the Lord.—David first gives the true and sufficient reason of his conduct—what he had done was before the Lord, in honouring whom no man can be really humbled; and then he turns with a reproof to Michal, which should have shown her the utter unworthiness of her objections. God had set aside her father and his house for this very spirit of pride in which she was now indulging, and had chosen him instead.

Benson Commentary

2 Samuel 6:21-22. It was before the Lord — In his presence and service, which, though contemptible to thee, is and ever shall be honourable in my eyes. Who chose me before thy father — Who took away the honour from him and his, and transferred it unto me, whereby he hath obliged me to love and serve him with all my might. I will yet be more vile than thus — The more we are vilified for well-doing, the more resolute therein we should be, binding our religion the closer to us, for the endeavours of Satan’s agents to shame us out of it. And will be base — I will always be ready to abase myself before God, and think nothing too mean to stoop to for his honour. Of them I shall be had in honour — So far will they be from despising me on this account, that they will honour me the more.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

6:20-23 David returned to bless his household, to pray with them, and for them, and to offer up family thanksgiving for this national mercy. It is angels' work to worship God, surely that cannot lower the greatest of men. But even the palaces of princes are not free from family troubles. Exercises of religion appear mean in the eyes of those who have little or no religion themselves. If we can approve ourselves to God in what we do in religion, and do it as before the Lord, we need not heed reproach. Piety will have its praise: let us not be indifferent in it, nor afraid or ashamed to own it. David was contented to justify himself, and he did not further reprove or blame Michal's insolence; but God punished her. Those that honour God, he will honour; but those that despise him, and his servants and service, shall be lightly esteemed.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Play - See 2 Samuel 6:5 note. The speech might be paraphrased, Before the Lord which chose me, etc., yea, before the Lord have I danced. He humbles Michal's pride by the allusion to her father's rejection, and shows by Saul's example how little pride contributes to the stability of greatness. Therefore, for his part, he will not think anything done for the glory of God too mean for him; and if he cannot have honor from Saul's daughter, he will be content to be honored by the maid-servants.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

2Sa 6:20-23. Michal's Barrenness.

20-22. Michal … came out to meet David, &c.—Proud of her royal extraction, she upbraided her husband for lowering the dignity of the crown and acting more like a buffoon than a king. But her taunting sarcasm was repelled in a manner that could not be agreeable to her feelings while it indicated the warm piety and gratitude of David.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

It was before the Lord; in his presence and service, which though contemptible to thee, is, and ever shall be, honourable in mine eyes.

Which chose me before thy father, and before all his house; which took away the honour from him and his, and transferred it upon me, whereby he hath obliged me to love and serve him with all my might.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And David said unto Michal, it was before the Lord,.... Before the ark of the Lord, what was done was done there; she upbraided him with his dancing and singing, which was designed for the honour and glory of God, and in thankfulness to him for the bringing the ark to his city, and therefore she ought not to have reproached him with it, and he adds:

which chose me before thy father, and before all his house; see 1 Samuel 13:14; which he observed to humble her pride, and mortify her, as well as to remark the distinguishing goodness of God to him, which laid him under obligation to express his thankfulness to him in every shape:

to appoint me ruler over the people of the Lord, over Israel; which was a high honour conferred upon him, and required the utmost gratitude:

therefore will I play before the Lord; upon the harp, or praise before him, as the Targum, sing his praise before the ark, unto any instrument of music, without once imagining I disgrace myself, on the contrary think it to be the highest honour to me to be employed in such service.

Geneva Study Bible

And David said unto Michal, {k} 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.

(k) It was for no worldly affection, but only for that zeal that I bore to God's glory.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

21. It was before the Lord] Before the LORD, who chose me rather than thy father, &c. … yea I will play before the LORD. “Before the Lord” stands emphatically at the beginning of David’s answer. No service offered to the God to whom he owed all his advancement could be degrading. Thus he defends his own conduct, and at the same time he humbles Michal’s pride by alluding to Saul’s rejection.

The Sept. (B) reads, “Before the Lord will I dance: blessed be the Lord who chose, &c.”

It is related of Sir Thomas More that he used, even when Lord Chancellor, to put on a surplice and sing in his parish church at Chelsea. The Duke of Norfolk one day found him doing so, and expostulated with him: “A parish clarke, lord chancellour, a parish clarke! you dishonour the King and his office.” “Nay,” quoth Sir Thomas, smiling upon the duke, “your grace may not thinke that the King, your maister and myne, will be offended with men for serving of God his Maister; or by this my present behaviour account his office dishonoured.” Wordsworth’s Eccles. Biogr. II. p. 68.

ruler] See note on “captain” in ch. 2 Samuel 5:2.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 21. - It was before the Lord. The Hebrew is much more forcible than the confused rendering of our version. "Before Jehovah, who chose me above thy father, and above all his house, to appoint me prince over Jehovah's people, over Israel, yea, before Jehovah I have rejoiced" (Authorized Version, "played;" but see notes on ver. 5). The preference of David over Saul was proof that that king's affectation of royal state, and his self-importance, were not pleasing in God's eyes. 2 Samuel 6:21

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

David replied, "Before Jehovah, who chose me before thy father and all his house, to appoint me prince over the people of Jehovah, over Israel, before Jehovah have I played (lit. joked, given utterance to my joy). And I will be still more despised, and become base in my eyes: and with the maidens of whom thou hast spoken, with them will I be honoured." The copula vav before שׂהקתּי serves to introduce the apodosis, and may be explained in this way, that the relative clause appended to "before Jehovah" acquired the power of a protasis on account of its length; so that, strictly speaking, there is an anakolouthon, as if the protasis read thus: "Before Jehovah, as He hath chosen me over Israel, I have humbled myself before Jehovah" (for "before him"). With the words "who chose me before thy father and all his house," David humbles the pride of the king's daughter. His playing and dancing referred to the Lord, who had chosen him, and had rejected Saul on account of his pride. He would therefore let himself be still further despised before the Lord, i.e., would bear still greater contempt from men than that which he had just received, and be humbled in his own eyes (vid., Psalm 131:1): then would he also with the maidens attain to honour before the Lord. For whoso humbleth himself, him will God exalt (Matthew 23:12). בּעיני is not to be altered into בּעיניך, as in the lxx. This alteration has arisen from a total misconception of the nature of true humility, which is of no worth in its own eyes. The rendering given by De Wette is at variance with both the grammar and the sense ("with the maidens, ... with them will I magnify myself"); and so also is that of Thenius ("with them will I be honoured, i.e., indemnify myself for thy foolish contempt!").