When David Danced

I. DAVID WAS CELEBRATING ARRIVAL OF GOD’S ARK SAFELY INTO JERUSALEM

A. Ark Of The Covenant

1. Large gold chest / inside stone tablets / Mercy Seat = God’s throne

2. Carried through wilderness, across Jordan, around Jericho, into battles

a. in battle, Philistines captured ark

b. all got sick & gave it back

3. First attempt to bring it into Jerusalem – ox cart – messed up

B. Now, With Baby Steps, They Try Again – God’s Way

1. Six paces by Levites – all is safe - Sacrifices

2. David in jubilation begins sacred dance before the Lord – with all his might

3. Uh Oh -- Micah is watching up in the palace window & not happy

4. Part of me sympathizes with this woman

a. after all, David is her husband & appears he’s dancing naked

b. wouldn’t any wife be upset & jealous – what is that man thinking

II. TAKING A CLOSER LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENED

A. First, There’s No Question - David Was Dancing (but was he even really naked?)

B. Second Of All, There’s No Evidence That He Was Totally Naked

1. “…and David was wearing a linen ephod”

a. the robe – characteristically used by ordinary priests

b. it wasn’t a loincloth, thong, g-string, underwear, nightgown

c. the outer (not even inner) garment of the common priest, Levite

2. The narrative never describes him as naked or nude

b. compare narrative of 2 Sam 6 with Gen 9:20-23

- Gen 9:20-23 “And Noah . . . was drunk, and became uncovered in his tent. And Ham . . . saw the nakedness of his father. . .”

- 2 Samuel 6 uses “uncovered” but stops there and doesn’t further describe David as “naked”

c. Disrobed of royal garments & put on garment of commoner

3. It’s the reaction of David’s wife that leaves the impression of nudity - How glorious was the king of Israel today, uncovering himself. . . as one of the base fellows shamelessly uncovers himself!"

a. “base fellows” – not pervert in Wal-Mart exposing to little girls

b. referring to the common priests & Levites in their temple work

c. Micah angry – he took off the regalia and became a regular!

d. yet so many translations fuel idea David was dirty dancing

-- (NIV) "How the king of Israel has distinguished himself today, disrobing in the sight of the slave girls of his servants as any vulgar fellow would!" (Note: Vulgar = “common”; During the Reformation, Calvin’s efforts to translate scriptures from Latin Vulgate to common languages of English, German, etc was considered “vulgar”; Latin Vulgate – named “vulgate” for “vulgar” because when written, Latin was common language of Roman Empire)

--(Living Bible) "How glorious the king of Israel looked today! He exposed himself to the girls along the street like a common pervert!"

--(The Message) "How wonderfully the king has distinguished himself today — exposing himself to the eyes of the servants’ maids like some burlesque street dancer!"

d. again, her words might leave impression of total nakedness

- but back then to dress anything less than your status was consider “vulgar” or “obscene”

- vulgarity = lacking refinement, relating to commoner

e. did he wear cloths unbecoming of a king? Yes - “You’re a great soldier, statesman, and monarch. Act like it!”

f. instead, he wore cloths of common priest – (empty; worthless)

III. WHAT WAS MICHAL’S PROBLEM? WHY DID SHE “DISPISE HIM IN HER HEART”?

A. It Probably Wasn’t Jealousy or Covetousness That Got Her Upset

1. Not a jealous wife fearing she’d loose her husband to maidens

2. If he was streaking in the streets – no question she’d have a point

3. But scripture isn’t sympathetic and no clear evidence he was dirty dancing

B. Yet Maybe It Was Jealousy or Covetousness That Got Her Upset (dissect this)

1. Notice where Micah was when David came into the city

a. she wasn’t down with the common people celebrating

b. she was perched in a window – in safety of her palace

c. why wasn’t she there to meet her husband?

d. why wasn’t she down there celebrating arrival of the ark?

2. Notice – Micah is described as “the daughter of Saul” when she met David

a. not “the wife of David” but “daughter of Saul”

b. more “like” her father, than “like” David

3. Two reasons Micah resented David, each way Micah was like Saul

a. Saul resented David’s ascent to power, so did Micah

- royalty is to be “born into” not bumped into

- David was put in charge when Saul died, not Micah

- as Saul resented David’s power ascent, so did Micah

- he has to remind her that it was God, not himself that put him in this position