Study Guide: 2 Samuel 6
*This study guide can be used in conjunction with the message preached on July 27, 2025 during the series Imperfect Heroes.
Pray
Lord, as I read 2 Samuel 6 today, stir up a sense of joy in my spirit. Remind me of the privilege I have to come into Your presence. Show me any areas of my life where I’ve lost a sense of wonder or treated Your presence casually. Amen.
Read
2 Samuel 6
Observe
vv. 1-2 | Bringing the ark of God to Jerusalem
David gathered thirty thousand of Israel’s best soldiers and went with all the people to Baale Judah to bring the ark of God to Jerusalem. This ark was called by the Name of the LORD of Hosts, who sits between the cherubim. David knew this was an important step to establish a central place of worship for Israel. The ark, made at God’s command during Moses’ time over 400 years earlier, was a wooden box covered in gold with a gold lid called the mercy seat. It was about 3 feet 9 inches long, 2 feet 3 inches wide, and 2 feet 3 inches high, and contained the stone tablets of the law, a jar of manna, and Aaron’s rod. The ark represented God’s immediate presence and glory, which David wanted to restore to Israel. The last time the ark was mentioned was when it returned from the Philistines in 1 Samuel 7, where it had been left in Abinadab’s house for twenty years. David wanted Israel to once again experience the closeness of God.
vv. 3-5 | The ark is brought out with great joy
They put the ark on a new cart and brought it out of Abinadab’s house, with Uzzah and Ahio, Abinadab’s sons, guiding it. Ahio walked in front of the ark. Meanwhile, David and the whole house of Israel celebrated with music played on all kinds of instruments, including harps, stringed instruments, tambourines, sistrums, and cymbals. However, moving the ark on a cart broke God’s specific command that the ark must only be carried by the Kohathite Levites using poles. God wanted the ark carried personally, not with a cart, so it would represent His presence resting on His people’s shoulders. The Israelites ignored God’s instructions, likely thinking the new cart was impressive enough to please Him. But God wanted obedience, not flashy innovations copied from the Philistines. The celebration was joyful and exciting, but it did not honor God because it disobeyed His word.
vv. 6-7 | Uzzah is struck dead for touching the ark
When they reached Nachon’s threshing floor, the oxen pulling the cart stumbled, and Uzzah reached out to steady the ark. Because touching the holy ark was forbidden in Numbers 4:15, God’s anger burned against Uzzah, and He struck him dead on the spot. This moment was like a threshing floor separating wheat from chaff, revealing the people’s disobedience. Uzzah’s mistake was more than just a reflex; it showed he thought it didn’t matter who carried the ark, how it was carried, or that God needed his help. He also wrongly assumed the ground was dirtier than his own hand. His familiarity with the ark from living near it had led him to treat it casually, and God responded to his disregard for His holiness.
vv. 8-9 | David reacts with anger and fear
David became angry because the LORD had struck Uzzah dead and called the place Perez Uzzah, meaning “outburst against Uzzah.” He also became afraid of the LORD that day, wondering how he could possibly bring the ark to himself. David’s anger came from confusion about why his good intentions weren’t enough; he didn’t yet understand that God requires both good intentions and obedience. Though David wanted God’s presence in Israel, he now felt unable to complete what God had asked. Later, David realized the answer lay in God’s Word, as Isaiah 8:20 says, “To the law and to the testimony!” David discovered the importance of obeying God’s commands.
vv. 10-12a | David leaves the ark with Obed-Edom
Because he was afraid to bring the ark into Jerusalem, David left it in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite, where it stayed for three months. During that time, the LORD blessed Obed-Edom and his entire household. When David heard that God had blessed Obed-Edom because of the ark, he realized the ark could bring blessing instead of judgment when treated with respect. Obed-Edom was a Levite from the family chosen to care for the ark, which showed that obedience to God’s instructions brought His favor.
vv. 12b-15 | The ark successfully comes to Jerusalem
David went to bring the ark from Obed-Edom’s house to Jerusalem with great joy. After those carrying the ark had taken six steps, David sacrificed oxen and fattened sheep. Then he danced before the LORD with all his might, wearing a linen ephod. David and all Israel brought the ark to Jerusalem with shouting and the sound of trumpets. This time they obeyed God’s command that the ark be carried by priests on their shoulders, and worship was still full of gladness. David explained in 1 Chronicles 15:13 that the failure the first time happened because they hadn’t followed God’s instructions. The joyful worship showed that order and obedience do not kill joy; they actually allow true joy. David’s excessive sacrifices showed his dedication, and his dancing was a heartfelt expression of worship, not an attempt to show off. His linen ephod showed he humbled himself, taking off his royal robes to dress like everyone else.
vv. 16-19 | David brings everyone into the worship experience
As the ark entered Jerusalem, Michal, Saul’s daughter and David’s wife, watched from a window. Seeing David leaping and dancing before the LORD, she despised him in her heart. The ark was placed in the tent David had prepared, and he offered burnt and peace offerings before God. Afterward, David blessed the people and gave everyone a loaf of bread, a piece of meat, and a cake of raisins. This turned the event into a day of worship and fellowship, uniting the people in celebration of God’s presence.
v. 20 | Michal’s complaint
When David returned home to bless his family, Michal met him with sarcasm, criticizing him for dancing and saying he acted shamelessly in front of servant girls. She believed David had acted in a way unfit for a king, focusing on appearances and royal dignity rather than worshipping God.
vv. 21-23 | David’s rebuke of Michal
David replied that he danced before the LORD who had chosen him over her father’s family to rule Israel. He said he would become even more undignified in his own eyes if it meant honoring God, and the servant girls she mentioned would respect him for it. Because of her attitude, Michal had no children for the rest of her life. Whether this was divine judgment or simply because David distanced himself from her, it showed the danger of a critical, prideful spirit leading to barrenness in life and faith.
Credit: Guzik, David. “2 Samuel 6 - David Brings the Ark of God Into Jerusalem.” Enduring Word, n.d., https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/2-samuel-6.
Apply
1. Good intentions don’t replace obedience to God’s Word.
David’s first attempt to bring the ark shows that even when we have the right motives, ignoring God’s instructions can lead to failure or even harm. We must seek God’s guidance and follow His Word carefully in every area of life, not just act based on what feels right or looks impressive.
2. Worship should focus on honoring God, not impressing people.
The joyful, heartfelt worship of David in the second attempt reminds us that true worship is about pleasing God, not performing for others. Whether in church or our daily lives, our focus should be on bringing glory to God rather than worrying about what people think of us.
3. A critical or prideful attitude can block blessings.
Michal’s disdain for David’s genuine worship caused a rift in her relationship with him and ended with her having no children. This teaches us that criticizing others’ sincere efforts to honor God—or holding on to pride—can lead to spiritual or emotional barrenness in our own lives.
Pray (ACTS)
A – Praise God for being holy and worthy of all our praise.
C – Confess a time you followed your own ways instead of obeying His commands.
T – Thank God for the gift of guidance through His Word.
S – Ask for help to worship Him with a humble and obedient heart.
DISCUSS
Questions for personal reflection, spiritual insight, or group interaction.
Why do you think David’s first attempt to bring the ark failed, even though he had good intentions?
How does this chapter show the importance of obeying God’s Word, even in things we might consider “minor” details?
In what ways do you sometimes try to serve God on your own terms rather than seeking His guidance first?
What does David’s joy and dancing before the Lord teach you about expressing genuine worship?
Why do you think Michal reacted so negatively to David’s worship, and how can a critical spirit affect our own relationship with God?
How does the blessing on Obed-Edom’s house encourage you about the rewards of respecting God’s holiness?
David corrected his mistakes by consulting God’s Word—what steps can you take to make sure your own plans line up with Scripture?
How do you balance enthusiasm and reverence in your personal or corporate worship?
What “new carts” (human strategies or shortcuts) do you rely on instead of carrying God’s presence through obedience and faith?
When have you experienced God’s correction, and how did it help you grow in your faith?
How can we support each other in pursuing heartfelt, biblical worship without worrying about what others might think?
What did you learn about God’s character—His holiness, mercy, and desire for relationship—from this chapter?
Resources for Further Study of 2 Samuel