As the ark of the LORD came into the city: see the comments above on the verb used here. Good News Translation changes this to a passive expression, “… was being brought into the city.” But in many languages it may be necessary to take the additional step of converting this meaning into an active expression such as “As they [the people of Israel] were bringing the Covenant Box into the city.” Regarding the location of the city of David, see the comments on 5.7.

Michal, one of David’s wives, was last mentioned in 3.13-16.

The Hebrew participle translated leaping suggests the idea of being agile and of hopping quickly. The participle translated dancing refers to a whirling motion (Revised English Bible and New Jerusalem Bible, “whirling”). Rather than translate literally before the LORD, Good News Translation says “in the sacred dance.” The rendering in Bible en français courant, “in front of the [covenant] box,” correctly expresses the meaning and may be a good model for other languages.

Despised him in her heart: Michal apparently did not feel the same joy as David and the others. She felt repulsed and offended by David’s actions. Some commentators find it significant that she is called the daughter of Saul in this passage rather than “the wife of David,” since she was behaving in a way that was more supportive of her father than of her husband. New Century Version describes her attitude toward her husband in very direct terms: “she hated him.” New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh makes it clear that her attitude was because of his actions: “she despised him for it.”

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on the First and Second Books of Samuel, Volume 2. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2001. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .