Michal
Last night I was suffering from the most insane case of insomnia. After tossing and turning for two hours, I gave up on sleep and grabbed my Bible which I always sleep with (which explains the condition of its pages). I had been intrigued by a rather not-so-popular Bible character while going over my school work so I decided I would do a quick study of her. Michal. Saul’s younger daughter and David’s first wife.
You see like most church folk, I only knew one thing about Michal, she scorned David when he was dancing before the Lord and therefore had no children. But there’s more to this Bible character, more before that incident. Their little love story had me amazed; not at all like any of the other ones in the Bible because Michal was the one who first showed interest in David.
“Now Saul’s daughter Michal was in love with David, and when they told Saul about it, he was pleased.” 1 Samuel 18:20
This phrase “was in love” is the same one used to describe how Jacob felt about Rachel in Genesis 29:18. But not the “fell in love” phrase used for Amnon’s feelings towards Tamar or Samson’s feelings for Delilah. I think there’s significance there, but that’s a subject for another day.
Michal loved David, and she obviously couldn’t hide it, how else would ‘they’ tell Saul if ‘they’ never knew. After they were married, she proved she loved him by tricking her own father and his men in order to protect David. Some might argue that this is why this marriage ‘went south’ cause she had the love whereas the man is supposed to be the source of love. But I don’t think so, anyway, that’s not my main focus. Saul was only pleased because this way his plan to get to David through his daughter would work. So in the next few verses, he offers Michal to David, as he did Merab. David’s response is remarkable.
“They repeated these words to David. But David said, “Do you think it is a small matter to become the king’s son-in-law? I’m only a poor man and little known.” When Saul’s servants told him what David had said, Saul replied, “Say to David, ‘The king wants no other price for the bride than a hundred Philistine foreskins, to take revenge on his enemies.’ ” Saul’s plan was to have David fall by the hands of the Philistines. When the attendants told David these things, he was pleased to become the king’s son-in-law. So before the allotted time elapsed, David and his men went out and killed two hundred Philistines. He brought their foreskins and presented the full number to the king so that he might become the king’s son-in-law. Then Saul gave him his daughter Michal in marriage.” 1 Samuel 18:23-27
David was a man of integrity. He didn’t want to simply be given the title of son-in-law but he wanted to earn it, he wanted to pay the price. Then you think of the ‘men’ of today, groomed by ‘tenderpreneurship’, all they want is to be given, never to bleed and sweat for something like the Jacobs and Davids of ancient times. I’ve heard many arguments questioning the African lobolo which is closely related to the bridal price or dowry of the Biblical times. I’ll quote a portion from my Bible dictionary on it’s definition and discussion on marriage.
“In addition to finding a bride who was healthy and suitable for the family alliance, parents also had to be aware of the bride price that was payable to the girl’s father. However this is viewed, whether as a payment for the loss of her services to her own parents or simply as a gift, it still retains something of a stigma by implying that the exchange of gifts or money meant that, in fact, the bride had been sold by the father to her future husband. The sum of money payable for the bride price varied according to the ‘value’ of the bride and the social position of the family.”
My daddy holds the same view on ilobolo. He says it shouldn’t be sky-rocketing high so it seems you’re selling your daughter or don’t actually want her to marry, but it also shouldn’t be so low that the guy doesn’t feel it’s pinch. And when I asked what price ranges he meant by ‘pinch’ they sure did sound pinchy (Good luck and prayers to my Boaz).
So David wanted to ‘earn’ his wife. This meant that she would be of value to him in their marriage. This is why when Michal was given in marriage to another man while David was on the run from Saul (1 Sam. 25:43), he asked for her when he returned though he had acquired two other wives at that time.
“Then David sent messengers to Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, demanding, “Give me my wife Michal, whom I betrothed to myself for the price of a hundred Philistine foreskins.” 2 Samuel 3:14
Because you don’t easily forget and give up on something you worked hard for.
All these thoughts at 3am in the morning :) Why don’t you grab your Bible and see what you find.
You see like most church folk, I only knew one thing about Michal, she scorned David when he was dancing before the Lord and therefore had no children. But there’s more to this Bible character, more before that incident. Their little love story had me amazed; not at all like any of the other ones in the Bible because Michal was the one who first showed interest in David.
“Now Saul’s daughter Michal was in love with David, and when they told Saul about it, he was pleased.” 1 Samuel 18:20
This phrase “was in love” is the same one used to describe how Jacob felt about Rachel in Genesis 29:18. But not the “fell in love” phrase used for Amnon’s feelings towards Tamar or Samson’s feelings for Delilah. I think there’s significance there, but that’s a subject for another day.
Michal loved David, and she obviously couldn’t hide it, how else would ‘they’ tell Saul if ‘they’ never knew. After they were married, she proved she loved him by tricking her own father and his men in order to protect David. Some might argue that this is why this marriage ‘went south’ cause she had the love whereas the man is supposed to be the source of love. But I don’t think so, anyway, that’s not my main focus. Saul was only pleased because this way his plan to get to David through his daughter would work. So in the next few verses, he offers Michal to David, as he did Merab. David’s response is remarkable.
“They repeated these words to David. But David said, “Do you think it is a small matter to become the king’s son-in-law? I’m only a poor man and little known.” When Saul’s servants told him what David had said, Saul replied, “Say to David, ‘The king wants no other price for the bride than a hundred Philistine foreskins, to take revenge on his enemies.’ ” Saul’s plan was to have David fall by the hands of the Philistines. When the attendants told David these things, he was pleased to become the king’s son-in-law. So before the allotted time elapsed, David and his men went out and killed two hundred Philistines. He brought their foreskins and presented the full number to the king so that he might become the king’s son-in-law. Then Saul gave him his daughter Michal in marriage.” 1 Samuel 18:23-27
David was a man of integrity. He didn’t want to simply be given the title of son-in-law but he wanted to earn it, he wanted to pay the price. Then you think of the ‘men’ of today, groomed by ‘tenderpreneurship’, all they want is to be given, never to bleed and sweat for something like the Jacobs and Davids of ancient times. I’ve heard many arguments questioning the African lobolo which is closely related to the bridal price or dowry of the Biblical times. I’ll quote a portion from my Bible dictionary on it’s definition and discussion on marriage.
“In addition to finding a bride who was healthy and suitable for the family alliance, parents also had to be aware of the bride price that was payable to the girl’s father. However this is viewed, whether as a payment for the loss of her services to her own parents or simply as a gift, it still retains something of a stigma by implying that the exchange of gifts or money meant that, in fact, the bride had been sold by the father to her future husband. The sum of money payable for the bride price varied according to the ‘value’ of the bride and the social position of the family.”
My daddy holds the same view on ilobolo. He says it shouldn’t be sky-rocketing high so it seems you’re selling your daughter or don’t actually want her to marry, but it also shouldn’t be so low that the guy doesn’t feel it’s pinch. And when I asked what price ranges he meant by ‘pinch’ they sure did sound pinchy (Good luck and prayers to my Boaz).
So David wanted to ‘earn’ his wife. This meant that she would be of value to him in their marriage. This is why when Michal was given in marriage to another man while David was on the run from Saul (1 Sam. 25:43), he asked for her when he returned though he had acquired two other wives at that time.
“Then David sent messengers to Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, demanding, “Give me my wife Michal, whom I betrothed to myself for the price of a hundred Philistine foreskins.” 2 Samuel 3:14
Because you don’t easily forget and give up on something you worked hard for.
All these thoughts at 3am in the morning :) Why don’t you grab your Bible and see what you find.
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