What Does 2 Samuel 6:13 Mean in the King James?
And it was so, that when they that bare the ark of the LORD had gone six paces, he sacrificed oxen and fatlings.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
Reverence here has weight: what is borne toward God moves in measured steps and is answered with an offering.
THE MEANING
The ark is carried forward in a measured walk, and after six steps oxen and fatlings are offered. The scene speaks now of reverence taking physical form: what is held sacred is borne step by step, and the movement meets an offering of living creatures.
THE ROOT
נֹשְׂאֵי
nos'ei
GROWS FROM
נשׂא
nasa
to lift, carry, or bear
The word translated “bare” names the carriers by what they do: they lift and bear the ark. A related Hebrew word, מַשָּׂא (massa), means a burden or load, so the root keeps the physical weight of carrying in view.
ALSO GROWS
massa: burden, load
מַשָּׂא
It shows the carriers’ action as bearing weight, not merely accompanying the ark.
nasi: leader, prince; one lifted up
נָשִׂיא
This related form extends the root’s image of lifting into a title for someone raised to a position.
וַיִּזְבַּח
wayyizbaḥ
GROWS FROM
זבח
zabach
to slaughter for sacrifice
“sacrificed” in this verse is wayyizbaḥ. The root keeps the offering concrete: an animal is slaughtered. Its related word for altar names the place associated with that act, tying the offering to an actual giving of life.
ALSO GROWS
zevaḥ: sacrifice, sacrificial meal
זֶבַח
It names the offering itself and clarifies the action performed after the six steps.
mizbeaḥ: altar
מִזְבֵּחַ
This related word connects sacrifice to the place where an offering is made.
THE PATTERN
Encounter with God takes physical form in offerings of life, body, and praise.
And he sent young men of the children of Israel, which offered burnt offerings, and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen unto the LORD.I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.THE THREAD
Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.The carriers here are named with a form of נָשָׂא (nasa, to bear), and Isaiah uses that same root in “he hath borne our griefs.” The shared root opens “bear” from carrying the ark’s physical weight to carrying human grief.
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