ISSL Reflections September 12 2021 2 Samuel 6:1-5, 14-19 Post 3

IX.
Let’s read our focus passage once again.

2 Samuel 6:1-5 (NRSV)

David again gathered all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand. David and all the people with him set out and went from Baale-judah, to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the name of the Lord of hosts who is enthroned on the cherubim. They carried the ark of God on a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, were driving the new cart with the ark of God; and Ahio went in front of the ark. David and all the house of Israel were dancing before the Lord with all their might, with songs and lyres and harps and tambourines and castanets and cymbals.

2 Samuel 6:14-19 (NRSV)

David danced before the Lord with all his might; David was girded with a linen ephod. So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet.

As the ark of the Lord came into the city of David, Michal daughter of Saul looked out of the window, and saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord; and she despised him in her heart.

They brought in the ark of the Lord, and set it in its place, inside the tent that David had pitched for it; and David offered burnt offerings and offerings of well-being before the Lord. When David had finished offering the burnt offerings and the offerings of well-being, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of hosts, and distributed food among all the people, the whole multitude of Israel, both men and women, to each a cake of bread, a portion of meat, and a cake of raisins. Then all the people went back to their homes.

X.
Take a moment and notice what might be some differences in “tone” as you walk with David and the people.

At the beginning I see a lot of sound and movement. A number of musical instruments are mentioned as well as the dancing. There is a lot of energy in the music, in the shouts, and in David (and I suspect others) dancing “with all his might.

Does something of the “tone” change when the Ark is placed in its new home?

David offers “burnt offerings and offerings of well-being” And blesses the people.
This seems more “solemn” than the dancing and music that we saw and heard on the journey to and into the city of David.

Is it any more or less full of praise and worship?

Then David gives food to the people to take to their homes.

Is it a formal and solemn distribution of food or a joyful sharing of the fruit of the land.

If you had been there, what expression would have been on your face as you walked home with your family. What would you have been talking about?

What stands out to you from this day?

charles
{ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est}


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