Let’s go to the beginning. She was madly in love with David, but her father, Saul, who was also king at the time, chose to give her sister, Merab, to David instead. Saul did not care how either girl felt. Instead, he was afraid of David. He saw how people increasingly loved him, so he made David the captain over a thousand soldiers, which was probably a wise move before the constituency, but he was still afraid. So he offered his daughter. The reader can’t be certain why, but perhaps Saul hoped that David wouldn’t turn on his father-in-law. Except something happened to that agreement and the record does not reveal the reason. But the reader can guess that Saul, in some fit of anger against David changed his mind because when it was time for David to marry Merab, Saul gave her to Adriel the Meholathite instead.
In those times, breaking an engagement was as serious as breaking a marriage contract, but if the woman is the king’s daughter, it seems it could be done. Was David heartbroken? Samuel, the writer, does not tell and David might have just shrugged and said, “Well, I’m just on the King’s bad side again. What’s new?” After all, just before the marriage proposal the king had thrown his javelin at David in the palace.
But then Saul changed his mind again when he learned that Michal loved David. In his self-centeredness, he never thought that Michal might love another man more than himself. Or maybe he thought she’d get over it anyway, because he didn’t really plan to give this daughter to David either. Instead, Saul saw her as an avenue for him to be able to kill David. So again, he contracted with David to marry his daughter – Michal this time. Michal was delighted.
But David must have rolled his eyes and wondered if this marriage would occur. Still, he didn’t voice the doubts aloud. Instead he said, “Who am I to marry a king’s daughter? I am poor and a man of no reputation.” Well, the reputation part was not true, but the king liked those words.
“No problem,” said the king. “Just bring the foreskins of 100 Philistines and that will be your dowry.” He chuckled within because he believed the Philistines would kill David before David killed them.
Now it is up to the reader’s imagination to decide if David met the challenge in order to: a) prove his prowess to the king and the king’s men; b) meet the challenge because he loved to win; or 3) obtain a bride. Whatever the reason, he not only presented 100 of these body parts to the king – he presented 200 of them and Saul had to give Michal to David, which he did. Again, Michal was delighted. She got the husband she wanted, a feat not many women of that time period achieved.
But the wedded bliss did not last long. Saul commanded his servants and his son Jonathan, David’s best friend, to kill David. But Jonathan warned David and then reasoned with his father that David had only ever done good toward Saul, so Saul repented, but that didn’t last long either. The bi-polar king changed his mind again and threw another javelin at David. David escaped, but the king gave orders to capture David the next morning in his home.
Somehow, Michal learned of the plot and she helped David escape through the window. David fled, without thinking of his wife’s safety. She stuffed an image in his bed, placed a goat skin pillow at the top and covered it, and then she told the messengers who came for her husband that David was sick. On Saul’s orders, they seized the bed and took it to the court. Saul’s rage must have echoed within the walls when he discovered the deception because he poured words onto his daughter.
“Why did you deceive me? Why did you help him escape?” His anger at Michal could have easily turned into her death sentence, so she resorted to a lie.
“He told me I must let him go or he would kill me,” she said.
Then comes the story that everyone knows – the one of Jonathan meeting David in the field after he shoots the arrows with hit little servant boy. And David escapes again – for good, but he doesn’t take his wife or does he make any arrangement for her. Maybe he didn’t know what to do at that time, but surely he could have let Jonathan help him figure that out?
Instead, he goes to live in the bush for several years and during that time, he marries Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; Abigail the Carmelitess, Nabal's wife; Maacah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur; Haggith; Abital; and Eglah. Six more wives!
And somewhere in that time period, Saul gives Michal to another husband, Phaltiel the son of Laish. The reader doesn’t know much about this man, except that he must have loved her because several years later, when Saul had a falling out with Abner, the captain of his host, Abner sought an alliance with David. Only then does David ask for Michal – years later and six wives later.
Saul’s son Ishobosheth sends for her “And her husband went with her . . . weeping behind her to Bahurim” Samuel tells us. And poor Phaltiel did not return home until Abner ordered him to.
There is no account that David treats Michal with any special reverence or with disrespect. Of course, neither does the text reveal how Michal felt until the day David, now the king, comes into Bethlehem bringing the Ark of the Covenant. That day was a glorious day for all of Israel and David danced before God “with all his might” Samuel says, dressed only in a linen cloth. And then, after the sacrifices and after giving meat, wine and cake to all the people, David went home – to Michal.
Michal met him at the door. Sarcasm dripped from her as only a wife can let it drip. “How glorious was the king of Israel today, who uncovered himself in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovers himself!”
Her emotions finally surfaced, and she was judged – she had no children.
Does that seem unfair? To the modern woman, yes, but God, who knew her heart better than the reader, is the one who judged her. He makes no mistakes. Plural marriage was not uncommon then and even though the modern woman can feel a great deal of sympathy for Michal, the message of respect for one’s husband is still clear. Also clear is the sad situation that developed between Michal and David because of the separation of years.
(c.f. – I Samuel 18-27; II Samuel 3)
Art: Gustave Doré (1865)
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