· Translation: KJV

2 Samuel 6:14David danced before Yahweh with all his might; and David was clothed in a linen ephod.

The setting

Jerusalem, Israel, ~1000 BC. King David, wearing only a linen priestly garment, dances with wild abandon before the Ark. His wife Michal watches from a window, disgusted by his undignified behavior.

The emotion here: amazed at recording a king's shocking abandonment of dignity for worship

The original word

karkar (כָּרַר) — to whirl, leap, dance in circles with complete abandon

Why it matters

A linen ephod was priestly undergarment — David had stripped off his royal robes to worship as a common priest

Read with care

What most readers miss in 2 Samuel 6:14

David was nearly naked in public — this was scandalous behavior for a king

Common misconceptionPeople think this shows worship should always be emotional and physical, but David faced severe consequences at home for this public display.

Bible Genome reading

2 Samuel 6:14 — Bible Genome reading

SpeakerNarrator
EraUnited Kingdom
Primary emotionworship
Literary typenarrative

Emotional genome

Comfort power40%
Quotability70%
Memorability80%
Crisis relevance30%
Standalone60%
Themes:wholehearted worshipcelebration

In context

No verse stands alone.

Read the conversation around it.

Open 2 Samuel 6

2 Samuel 6:14 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 40% and a tone that is celebratory. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include wholehearted worship, celebration. Notable phrases: danced before Yahweh; with all his might.

Your reflection

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