2 Samuel 6:22 Meaning and Explanation
“And I will yet be more vile than thus, and will be base in mine own sight: and of the maidservants which thou hast spoken of, of them shall I be had in honour.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →David vows to humble himself even more, trusting that true honor comes from God, not appearances.
What Does 2 Samuel 6:22 Mean?
David presses further: he will become even more lowly than this, humble in his own eyes, and the very servant girls Michal mocked will hold him in honor. He turns her insult inside out. The humility she scorns is, to him, the path of true greatness, and he embraces it without shame before God.
This is the heart of the whole chapter. The way up is down; honor before God comes through lowliness, not self-display. David willingly empties himself of royal pride to magnify the Lord, and in doing so he points toward the greatest King, who humbled Himself far lower still and was therefore highly exalted. Those who lower themselves before God to honor Him are the ones God raises up. The world's honor and God's are often opposites.
2 Samuel 6:22 in the Original Language
shaphel (שָׁפֵל), 'be base' -- to be low or brought low; David chooses lowliness gladly, the very opposite of pride.
Frequently Asked Questions About 2 Samuel 6:22
What does 2 Samuel 6:22 mean?
David vows to humble himself even more, trusting that true honor comes from God, not appearances.