Don’t tell the news in Gath, [3] Don’t announce it in the streets of Ashkelon. [4] Those Philistine cities would be happy!
Those foreigners [5] would be glad.
Saul’s daughter Michal was looking out the window. While the Lord’s Holy Box was being carried into the city, David was jumping and dancing before the Lord. Michal saw this, and she was upset at David. {She thought he was making a fool of himself.}
David and all the Israelites were dancing in front of the Lord and playing all kinds of musical instruments. There were lyres, [36] harps, drums, rattles, instruments made from cypress wood, and cymbals. [37]
So Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Acbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah went to Huldah the woman prophet. [273] Huldah was the wife of Shallum son of Tikvah, son of Harhas. He took care of the {priests’} clothes. Huldah was living in the second quarter in Jerusalem. They went and talked with Huldah.
David told the Levite leaders to get their brothers, the singers. The singers were to take their lyres, {\cf2\super [160]} harps {\cf2\super [161]} , and cymbals {\cf2\super [162]} and sing happy songs.
God, please remember Tobiah and Sanballat. Remember the bad things they have done. Also remember the woman prophet Noadiah and the other prophets that have been trying to scare me.
\{I prayed and you helped me!\}\par You changed my crying into dancing.\par You took away my clothes of sadness.\par And you wrapped me in happiness.\par
Israel, my bride, I will build you again.\par You will be a country again.\par You will pick up your tambourines again.\par You will dance with all the other people\par that are having fun.\par
\{I will tell you the things I did!\}\par I sent Moses, Aaron, and Miriam to you.\par I brought you from the land of Egypt.\par I freed you from slavery.\par
Miriam and Aaron began to talk against Moses. They criticized him because he married an Ethiopian [166] woman. They thought that it was not right for Moses to marry an Ethiopian woman.
Amram’s wife was named Jochebed. She was also from Levi’s family group. She was born in Egypt. Amram and Jochebed has two sons, Aaron and Moses. They also had a daughter, Miriam.
Anna, a prophetess, {\cf2\super [38]} was there at the temple. {\cf2\super [39]} She was from the family of Phanuel in the Asher family group. Anna was very old. She had been married for seven years.
But every woman that prays or prophesies should have her head covered. If her head is not covered, then she brings shame to her head. Then she is the same as a woman that has her head shaved.
Women should keep quiet in these church meetings. This is the same as in all the churches of God’s people. Women are not allowed to speak. They must be under authority, like the law \{of Moses\} says.
Jephthah went back to Mizpah. Jephthah went to his house and his daughter came out of the house to meet him. She was playing a tambourine and dancing. She was his only daughter. Jephthah loved her very much. Jephthah did not have any other sons or daughters.
Watch for the time during the festival when the young women from Shiloh come out to join the dancing. Then run out from where you are hiding in the vineyards. Each of you should take one of the young women from the city of Shiloh. Take those young women to the land of Benjamin and marry them.
Then you will go to Gibeath Elohim. There is a Philistine fort in that place. When you come to this town, a group of prophets will come out. These prophets will come down from the place for worship. [106] They will be prophesying. [107] They will be playing harps, tambourines, flutes, and lyres.
David would go out to fight against the Philistines. On the way home after the battles, women in every town in Israel would come out to meet David. They laughed and danced and played drums and lutes. [165] They did this right in front of Saul!