· Translation: KJV

2 Samuel 6:13It was so, that, when those who bore the ark of Yahweh had gone six paces, he sacrificed an ox and a fattened calf.

The setting

Jerusalem, Israel, ~1000 BC. King David leads a procession bringing the Ark of the Covenant to the newly captured city. Every six steps, the procession stops for sacrificial worship.

The emotion here: reverent chronicling of sacred history while remembering Uzzah's death

The original word

zabach (זָבַח) — to slaughter for sacrifice, emphasizing the cost and reverence of worship

Why it matters

This was David's second attempt; the first ended in death when Uzzah touched the ark

Read with care

What most readers miss in 2 Samuel 6:13

They sacrificed every six paces — this was a very slow, deliberate, expensive procession

Common misconceptionPeople think this was spontaneous celebration, but David learned from his fatal mistake and followed exact Levitical procedures this time.

Bible Genome reading

2 Samuel 6:13 — Bible Genome reading

SpeakerNarrator
EraUnited Kingdom
Primary emotionworship
Literary typenarrative

Emotional genome

Comfort power60%
Quotability70%
Memorability80%
Crisis relevance30%
Standalone60%
Themes:sacrificeworshipgratitude

In context

No verse stands alone.

Read the conversation around it.

Open 2 Samuel 6

2 Samuel 6:13 comes from the book of 2 Samuel, written during the United Kingdom period. These words are attributed to Narrator. The dominant emotion in this verse is worship, with a comfort power of 60% and a tone that is reverent. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include sacrifice, worship, gratitude. Notable phrases: six paces; sacrificed an ox; fattened calf.

Your reflection

What does 2 Samuel 6:13 mean to you, today?

A short note. A question. A prayer. Saved privately to your Soul Garden, dated, and tied to this verse forever.

Speak your heart →

Get 3 verses for "worship"

Delivered to your inbox right now. Free.