Key Scriptures: I Samuel 18:20-29; 19:11-17; 2 Samuel 6:16-23.
- Her name means: ” Who is like God?”
- Her Character: A woman of strong emotions, she was unable to control the important circumstances of her life. Forcibly separated from two husbands, she lost her father and her brother, who were savaged by their enemies.
- Michal was the younger daughter of King Saul. “Saul’s sons were Johnathan, Ishvi, and Malki-Shua. The name of his older daughter was Merab, and that of the younger daughter was Michal.” (I Samuel 14:49)
- Michal’s mother name was not found. His, (King Saul’s) wife’s name was Ahinoam daughter of Ahimaaz. (I Samuel 14:50). There was no indication that Ahinoam was Michal’s mother.
- David enters the scene as a musician/harpest, who became Saul’s armor-bearer. ( I Samuel 16:14-23)
- The Philistines were at war with the Israelites, Goliath was terrifying the Israelites with his stature, his taunts, and his record as a champion warrior. ( I Samuel 17: 1-16, 23-25)
- It was reported to David by the Israelites: ” The king will give great wealth to the man who kills him(Goliath). He will also give him his daughter in marriage and exempt his father’s family from taxes in Israel.”(I Samuel 17:25-27)
- King Saul promised his oldest daughter, Merab, to David in marriage if he agreed to fight the Philistines, He wished for David to be killed by the Philistines because he had become jealous/afraid of David. (See I Samuel 18: 6-19).
- David refused to become King Saul’s son-in-law at that time. (I Samuel 18:18
- Saul gave the older daughter to someone else in marriage. (1 Samuel 18:19).
- Michal loved David (I Samuel 18:20-30), which pleased her father. This is reported to be ” the only instance in all biblical narrative in which we are explicitly told that a woman loves a man”( The Art of Biblical Narrative, p. 118; cf. similarly Adele Berlin, “Characterization in Biblical Narrative: David’s Wives,” JSOT 23 (1982).
- Michal was used by her father, King Saul to ensnare David, which backfired. ( I Samuel 18:28-29).
- Michal’s brother becomes an ally for David. (I Samuel 19:1-8.)
- Michal warned David and helped him escape when Saul sent men to David’s house to kill him. (I Samuel 19:11 – 17).
- ” Saul said to Michal, ” Why did you deceive me like this and send my enemy away so that he escaped?” Michal told him, “He said to me, Let me get away. Why should I kill you?” ( I Samuel 19:17).
- But Saul had given his daughter Michal, David’s wife to Paltiel, son of Laish, who was from Gallim. ( I Samuel 25:44).
- Michal is returned to David. 13. “Good,” said David. “I will make an agreement with you. But I demand one thing of you: Do not come into my presence unless you bring Michal, daughter of Saul when you come to see me.” 14.Then David sent to Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, demanding, “Give me my wife Michal, whom I betrothed to myself for a price of a hundred Philistine foreskins.” 15. So Ish-Bosheth gave orders and had her taken away from her husband, Paltiel son of Laish. 16. Her husband, however, went with her, weeping behind her all the way to Bahurim. Then Abner said to him, “Go back home!” So he went back. ( 2 Samuel 3:13-15)
- David Becomes King Over Israel. 1. All the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and said, “We are your own flesh and blood. 2. In the past, while Saul was king over us, you were the one who led Israel on their military campaigns. And the Lord said to you, “You will shepherd my people Israel and you will become their ruler. 3. When all the elders of Israel had come to King David at Hebron, the king made a compact with them at Hebron before the Lord, and they anointed David king over Israel. (2 Samuel 5:1-3, NIV)
- The Ark Brought to Jerusalem. 1. David again brought, the Lord together out of Israel chosen men, thirty thousand in all. 2. He and all his men set out for Baalam of Judah to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the Name, the name of the Lord Almighty, who is enthroned between the cherubim that are on the ark. of God on a new cart and brought it from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. Uzzah and Ahio, sons of Abinadab, were guiding the new cart with the ark of God on it, and Ahio was walking in front of it. David and the whole house of Israel were celebrating with all their might before the Lord, with songs and with harps, lyres, tambourines, sistrums and cymbals.( 2 Samuel 6:1-5)
- Michal Dispised David. As the ark of the Lord was entering the City of David, Michal, daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, she dispised him in her heart. (2 Samuel 6: 16)
- Michal Confronts King David.20. When David returned home to bless his household, Michal daughter of Saul came out to meet him and said,” How the king of Israel has distinguished himself today, disrobing in the sight of the slave girls and servants as any vulgar fellow would.” (2 Samuel 6:20)
- Michal had no children. And Michal daughter of Saul had no children to the day of her death. (2 Samuel 6:23)
Sources:
1. The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Volume 3, The Zondervan Corporation, 1992.
2. The Holy Bible, New International Version, The Zondervan Corporation, 1973.
3. Syswerda, Jean E, Women of the Bible, The Zondervan Corporation, 1999.
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