King James Version

2 Samuel 6:20

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 to day, who uncovered himself to day in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovereth himself!

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Hebrew

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וַיָּ֥שָׁבvayashavand againשׁוּבconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and again”, the next action in the storyH7725to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily with the idea of return to the starting point); generally to retreat; often adverbial, again((break, build, circumcise, dig, do anything, do evil, feed, lay down, lie down, lodge, make, rejoice, send, take, weep)) [idiom] again, (cause to) answer ([phrase] again), [idiom] in any case (wise), [idiom] at all, averse, bring (again,…דָּוִ֖דdavidDavidדָּוִדnoun, proper name — “David”H1732David, the youngest son of JesseDavid.לְבָרֵ֣ךְlevarekheto blessבָרַךְpreposition, verb, piel, infinitive construct — “to bless”, the to-form of the verbH1288to kneel; by implication to bless God (as an act of adoration), and (vice-versa) man (as a benefit); also (by euphemism) to curse (God or the king, as treason)[idiom] abundantly, [idiom] altogether, [idiom] at all, blaspheme, bless, congratulate, curse, [idiom] greatly, [idiom] indeed, kneel (down), praise, salute, [idiom] still, thank.אֶתetobject markerאֵתparticle, direct object marker — “object marker”H853properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)(as such unrepresented in English).בֵּית֑וֹbeytvofamilyבַּיִתnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “family”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1004a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.)court, daughter, door, [phrase] dungeon, family, [phrase] forth of, [idiom] great as would contain, hangings, home(born), (winter) house(-hold), inside(-ward), palace, place, [phrase] prison, [phrase] steward, [phrase] tablet, temple, web,…וַתֵּצֵ֞אvatetseand bring forthיָצָאconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, feminine, singular — “and bring forth”, the next action in the storyH3318to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively, direct and proxim.[idiom] after, appear, [idiom] assuredly, bear out, [idiom] begotten, break out, bring forth (out, up), carry out, come (abroad, out, thereat, without), [phrase] be condemned, depart(-ing, -ure), draw forth, in the end, escape, exact, fail…מִיכַ֤לmikhalMichalמִיכָלnoun, proper name — “Michal”H4324Mikal, Saul's daughterMichal.בַּתbatdaughterבַּתnoun, common, feminine, singular, construct — “daughter”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1323a daughter (used in the same wide sense as other terms of relationship, literally and figuratively)apple (of the eye), branch, company, daughter, [idiom] first, [idiom] old, [phrase] owl, town, village.שָׁאוּל֙shaulShaulשָׁאוּלnoun, proper name — “Shaul”H7586Shaul, the name of an Edomite and two IsraelitesSaul, Shaul.לִקְרַ֣אתliqratto helpקִרְאָהpreposition, verb, qal, infinitive construct — “to help”, the to-form of the verbH7125an encountering, accidental, friendly or hostile (also adverbially, opposite)[idiom] against (he come), help, meet, seek, [idiom] to, [idiom] in the way.דָּוִ֔דdavidDavidדָּוִדnoun, proper name — “David”H1732David, the youngest son of JesseDavid.וַתֹּ֗אמֶרvatomerand sayאָמַרconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, feminine, singular — “and say”, the next action in the storyH559to say (used with great latitude)answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [id…מַהmahhowמָהparticle, interrogative — “how”H4100properly, interrogative what? (including how? why? when?); but also exclamation, what! (including how!), or indefinitely what (including whatever, and even relatively, that which); often used with prefixes in various adverbial or conjunctive senseshow (long, oft, (-soever)), (no-) thing, what (end, good, purpose, thing), whereby(-fore, -in, -to, -with), (for) why.נִּכְבַּ֨דnikhbadbe chargeableכָּבַדverb, niphal, perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “be chargeable”, a completed actionH3513to be heavy, i.e. in a bad sense (burdensome, severe, dull) or in a good sense (numerous, rich, honorable; causatively, to make weighty (in the same two senses)abounding with, more grievously afflict, boast, be chargeable, [idiom] be dim, glorify, be (make) glorious (things), glory, (very) great, be grievous, harden, be (make) heavy, be heavier, lay heavily, (bring to, come to, do, get, be had in…הַיּ֜וֹםhayomthe as long asיוֹםdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “the as long as”, the ordinary formH3117a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb)age, [phrase] always, [phrase] chronicals, continually(-ance), daily, ((birth-), each, to) day, (now a, two) days (agone), [phrase] elder, [idiom] end, [phrase] evening, [phrase] (for) ever(-lasting, -more), [idiom] full, life, as (so) lon…מֶ֣לֶךְmelekhkingמֶלֶךְnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “king”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH4428a kingking, royal.יִשְׂרָאֵ֗לyisraelIsraelיִשְׂרָאֵלnoun, proper name — “Israel”H3478Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterityIsrael.אֲשֶׁ֨רasherbecauseאֲשֶׁרparticle, relative — “because”H834who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.[idiom] after, [idiom] alike, as (soon as), because, [idiom] every, for, [phrase] forasmuch, [phrase] from whence, [phrase] how(-soever), [idiom] if, (so) that ((thing) which, wherein), [idiom] though, [phrase] until, [phrase] whatsoever,…נִגְלָ֤הniglahexileגָּלָהverb, niphal, perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “exile”, a completed actionH1540to denude (especially in a disgraceful sense); by implication, to exile (captives being usually stripped); figuratively, to reveal[phrase] advertise, appear, bewray, bring, (carry, lead, go) captive (into captivity), depart, disclose, discover, exile, be gone, open, [idiom] plainly, publish, remove, reveal, [idiom] shamelessly, shew, [idiom] surely, tell, uncover.הַיּוֹם֙hayomthe as long asיוֹםdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “the as long as”, the ordinary formH3117a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb)age, [phrase] always, [phrase] chronicals, continually(-ance), daily, ((birth-), each, to) day, (now a, two) days (agone), [phrase] elder, [idiom] end, [phrase] evening, [phrase] (for) ever(-lasting, -more), [idiom] full, life, as (so) lon…לְעֵינֵ֨יleeyneto eye , , -sightעַיִןpreposition, noun, common, both genders, dual, construct — “to eye , , -sight”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH5869an eye (literally or figuratively); by analogy, a fountain (as the eye of the landscape)affliction, outward appearance, [phrase] before, [phrase] think best, colour, conceit, [phrase] be content, countenance, [phrase] displease, eye((-brow), (-d), -sight), face, [phrase] favour, fountain, furrow (from the margin), [idiom] him…אַמְה֣וֹתamhotbondmaidאָמָהnoun, common, feminine, plural, construct — “bondmaid”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH519a maidservant or female slave(hand-) bondmaid(-woman), maid(-servant).עֲבָדָ֔יוavadayvservantעֶבֶדnoun, common, masculine, plural, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “servant”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH5650a servant[idiom] bondage, bondman, (bond-) servant, (man-) servant.כְּהִגָּל֥וֹתkehigalotas exileגָּלָהpreposition, verb, niphal, infinitive construct — “as exile”, the to-form of the verbH1540to denude (especially in a disgraceful sense); by implication, to exile (captives being usually stripped); figuratively, to reveal[phrase] advertise, appear, bewray, bring, (carry, lead, go) captive (into captivity), depart, disclose, discover, exile, be gone, open, [idiom] plainly, publish, remove, reveal, [idiom] shamelessly, shew, [idiom] surely, tell, uncover.נִגְל֖וֹתniglotexileגָּלָהverb, niphal, infinitive construct — “exile”, the to-form of the verbH1540to denude (especially in a disgraceful sense); by implication, to exile (captives being usually stripped); figuratively, to reveal[phrase] advertise, appear, bewray, bring, (carry, lead, go) captive (into captivity), depart, disclose, discover, exile, be gone, open, [idiom] plainly, publish, remove, reveal, [idiom] shamelessly, shew, [idiom] surely, tell, uncover.אַחַ֥דachadfirstאֶחָדadjective, cardinal, masculine, singular, absolute — “first”, the ordinary formH259properly, united, i.e. one; or (as an ordinal) firsta, alike, alone, altogether, and, any(-thing), apiece, a certain, (dai-) ly, each (one), [phrase] eleven, every, few, first, [phrase] highway, a man, once, one, only, other, some, together,הָרֵקִֽיםhareqimthe emptiedרֵיקdefinite article, adjective, adjective, masculine, plural, absolute — “the emptied”, the ordinary formH7386empty; figuratively, worthlessemptied(-ty), vain (fellow, man).

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

Then David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said: 'How did the king of Israel get him honour to-day, who uncovered himself to-day in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovereth himself!'

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

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 to-day, who uncovered himself to-day in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovereth himself!

Young’s Literal Translation

And David turneth back to bless his house, and Michal daughter of Saul goeth out to meet David, and saith, 'How honourable to-day was the king of Israel, who was uncovered to-day before the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain ones is openly uncovered!'

World English Bible

Then David returned to bless his household. Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, “How glorious the king of Israel was today, who uncovered himself today in the eyes of his servants’ maids, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovers himself!”

Darby Translation

And David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, How honourable did the king of Israel make himself to-day, who uncovered himself to-day in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the lewd fellows shamelessly uncovers himself!

Douay-Rheims

And David returned to bless his own house: and Michol the daughter of Saul coming out to meet David, said: How glorious was the king of Israel today, uncovering himself before the handmaids of his servants, and was naked, as if one of the buffoons should be naked.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

And David returned to bless his house. And Melchol the daughter of Saul came out to meet David and saluted him, and said, How was the king of Israel glorified to-day, who was to-day uncovered in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the dancers wantonly uncovers himself!

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Καὶ ἐπέστρεψε Δαυὶδ εὐλογῆσαι τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ· καὶ ἐξῆλθε Μελχὸλ ἡ θυγάτηρ Σαοὺλ εἰς ἀπάντησιν Δαυὶδ, καὶ εὐλόγησεν αὐτὸν, καὶ εἶπε, τί δεδόξασται σήμερον ὁ βασιλεὺς Ἰσραὴλ, ὃς ἀπεκαλύφθη σήμερον ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς παιδισκῶν τῶν δούλων ἑαυτοῦ, καθὼς ἀποκαλύπτεται ἀποκαλυφθεὶς εἷς τῶν ὀρχουμένων;