Page:The Books of Chronicles (1916).djvu/170

106 ephod of linen. Thus all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the with shouting, and with sound of the cornet, and with trumpets, and with cymbals, sounding aloud with psalteries and harps. And it came to pass, as the ark of the covenant of the came to the city of David, that Michal the daughter of Saul looked out at the window, and saw king David dancing and playing; and she despised him in her heart. And they brought in the ark of God, and set it in the midst of the tent that David had pitched for it: and they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before God. And when David had made an end of offering the burnt offering and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the. And he dealt to every one of Israel, both man and woman, to every one a loaf of bread, and a portion of flesh, and a cake of raisins.

an ephod of linen] worn exceptionally by David for the purpose of the religious procession. A linen ephod was the ordinary vestment for all priests (1 Sam. xxii. 18). The high-priest's ephod was a more elaborate garment (Ex. xxviii. 6—12), fitted with the means of divination (1 Sam. xxiii. 6, 9—12).

28. with shouting] The Heb. word (těrū'ah) is technical in the sense of a blast with the festal trumpets (Num. x. 1—10), and in this sense it should be taken here, since the Chronicler has expanded the account given in Sam. by introducing a mention of these trumpets.

29. playing] a synonym of dancing, obsolete in modern English. The closest rendering is perhaps, leaping as in sport. The unrestrained joyousness of this action might easily degenerate (as in idolatrous worship) into licence. The Chronicler omits to say that the dancing was "before the Lord" (2 Sam. vi. 16). David's subsequent interview with Michal (ib. vv. 20—23) is also passed over in Chron.

XVI.

1. the tent] Cp. xv. 1, note.

they offered] In 2 Sam. vi. 17, David offered. The Chronicler associates the elders with David as in xv. 26.

burnt offerings] Cp. Lev. i. 1—9.

peace offerings] The "peace offering" (Heb. shelem) was a thank-offering or an offering made in expiation of a vow; cp. Prov. vii. 14.

2. blessed the people] Cp. 2 Chr. vi. 3.

3. a loaf of bread] A flat round cake such as is still made in Egypt is meant.

a portion of flesh] mg. "of wine." The meaning of the Heb. word is unknown. Of flesh is rightly in italics here as in 2 Sam. vi. 19.