Now it came to pass, when David was dwelling in his house, that David said to Nathan the prophet, "See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of the covenant of the LORD [is] under tent curtains."

So they departed from the mountain of the LORD on a journey of three days; and the ark of the covenant of the LORD went before them for the three days' journey, to search out a resting place for them.

"Take this Book of the Law, and put it beside the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, that it may be there as a witness against you;

"Then you shall answer them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD; when it crossed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. And these stones shall be for a memorial to the children of Israel forever."

So the children of Israel inquired of the LORD (the ark of the covenant of God [was] there in those days,

And when the people had come into the camp, the elders of Israel said, "Why has the LORD defeated us today before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD from Shiloh to us, that when it comes among us it may save us from the hand of our enemies."

"Then it shall come to pass, when you are multiplied and increased in the land in those days," says the LORD, "that they will say no more, 'The ark of the covenant of the LORD.' It shall not come to mind, nor shall they remember it, nor shall they visit [it,] nor shall it be made anymore.

which had the golden censer and the ark of the covenant overlaid on all sides with gold, in which [were] the golden pot that had the manna, Aaron's rod that budded, and the tablets of the covenant;

Now as the ark of the LORD came into the City of David, Michal, Saul's daughter, looked through a window and saw King David leaping and whirling before the LORD; and she despised him in her heart.

therefore David arose and went, he and his men, and killed two hundred men of the Philistines. And David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full count to the king, that he might become the king's son-in-law. Then Saul gave him Michal his daughter as a wife.

Thus Saul saw and knew that the LORD [was] with David, and [that] Michal, Saul's daughter, loved him;

Saul also sent messengers to David's house to watch him and to kill him in the morning. And Michal, David's wife, told him, saying, "If you do not save your life tonight, tomorrow you will be killed."

And Michal took an image and laid [it] in the bed, put a cover of goats' [hair] for his head, and covered [it] with clothes.

Then Saul sent the messengers [back] to see David, saying, "Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may kill him."

Then Saul said to Michal, "Why have you deceived me like this, and sent my enemy away, so that he has escaped?" And Michal answered Saul, "He said to me, 'Let me go! Why should I kill you?' "

But Saul had given Michal his daughter, David's wife, to Palti the son of Laish, who [was] from Gallim.

And [David] said, "Good, I will make a covenant with you. But one thing I require of you: you shall not see my face unless you first bring Michal, Saul's daughter, when you come to see my face."

So David sent messengers to Ishbosheth, Saul's son, saying, "Give [me] my wife Michal, whom I betrothed to myself for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines."

Then Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took the timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances.

You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness,

Let them praise His name with the dance; Let them sing praises to Him with the timbrel and harp.

Praise Him with the timbrel and dance; Praise Him with stringed instruments and flutes!

A time to weep, And a time to laugh; A time to mourn, And a time to dance;

Then out of them shall proceed thanksgiving And the voice of those who make merry; I will multiply them, and they shall not diminish; I will also glorify them, and they shall not be small.

'the voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the voice of those who will say: "Praise the LORD of hosts, For the LORD [is] good, For His mercy [endures] forever" -- [and] of those [who will] bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the LORD. For I will cause the captives of the land to return as at the first,' says the LORD.

Then David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, "How glorious was the king of Israel today, uncovering himself today in the eyes of the maids of his servants, as one of the base fellows shamelessly uncovers himself!"

"And I will be even more undignified than this, and will be humble in my own sight. But as for the maidservants of whom you have spoken, by them I will be held in honor."

Because for Your sake I have borne reproach; Shame has covered my face.

Because zeal for Your house has eaten me up, And the reproaches of those who reproach You have fallen on me.

Others mocking said, "They are full of new wine."

But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know [them,] because they are spiritually discerned.

For if we are beside ourselves, [it is] for God; or if we are of sound mind, [it is] for you.