1. Michal was King Saul’s second daughter (1 Samuel 14:49) but comes into the narrative in 1 Samuel 18:20 when it is declared that she ‘was in love with David.’ That is one of the very few biblical references to romantic love.
2. We need to backtrack a little to understand it. David was probably about 17 when he fought Goliath and became the nation’s champion. Within probably 2-3 years, he became a senior army leader and national hero as he demonstrated his bravery, skill, and resourcefulness. He was a ‘man’s man.’ But also he was a poet, a skilled musician, was deeply spiritual and a committed follower of Yahweh. I suspect Michal was not the only young woman who swooned over him! And many parents of eligible young ladies would no doubt be interested in having him as a son-in-law.
3. My impression is that young men were expected to marry around 20 years of age (David was now about that age) and young women were considered ready for marriage once they had had their menarche so were ‘ready’ to bear children. That would have been at about 15 years of age. After the commitment to marry the process could take a year or more before the formal wedding. This was invariably at the behest of the parents, for the girl especially. The intentions and wishes of the couple were only a secondary, if any, consideration, and a romantic relationship hardly features in Scripture except in the Song of Songs.
4. However, Michal’s hopes and dreams were dashed as Saul offered his older daughter, Merab, to David (1 Samuel 18:17-19). That could have been the first of Michal’s traumatic experiences, depending on when she ‘fell in love,’ though there would always have been some sense of danger and fear of the unknown as the wishes and dreams of both these young ladies were inconsequential to the machinations of King Saul.
Saul said to David, "Here is my older daughter Merab. I will give her to you in marriage; only serve me bravely and fight the battles of Yahweh." For Saul said to himself, "I will not raise a hand against him. Let the Philistines do that!" (1 Samuel 18:17).
5. Then, amazingly, from Michal’s perspective, political and business issues changed the situation. So Saul took advantage of Michal’s romantic ideas. Michal’s dream was fulfilled and she married David (1 Samuel 18:20-21).
Now Saul's daughter Michal was in love with David, and when they told Saul about it, he was pleased. "I will give her to him," he thought, "so that she may be a snare to him and so that the hand of the Philistines may be against him." So Saul said to David, "Now you have a second opportunity to become my son-in-law." (1 Samuel 18:20-21)
6. Was she ready and looking forward to a life of bliss with the man of her dreams?
7. Some time, probably a few years, went by until Michal appears again. During that time it seems likely that David would have been away frequently, leading the army and recruiting and training soldiers. He would no doubt come back to the capital (not sure where this was but it was not Jerusalem as it was only in David’s reign that Jerusalem was captured) to report back to Saul and plan their war strategy. Deuteronomy 24:5, however, says that men were to be excused military duties during the first year of marriage. I doubt that happened for David so it is possible their relationship was blighted right from the beginning if this crucial time to develop and normalise their relationship was omitted. That, therefore, could be a significant cause for Michal’s second experience of trauma.
8. Saul had developed a depressive moodiness and David’s skill as a musician and singer came into play in soothing the king. He developed further plans to have David killed (1 Samuel 19: 1) and when these failed tried himself to kill David (1 Samuel 19:9-10). David was aware of the danger as illustrated by his conversations with Jonathan. Nevertheless, he chose to live with that danger presumably because of his faith in Yahweh’s care and guidance that included his commitment to King Saul as Yahweh’s chosen sovereign. That was expressed later in David’s story (1 Samuel 24:4-6) and is a stunning example of the biblical principle of ‘living by faith’ (see discussion in Psalm 27, notes 17-21).
9. David and Michal were living near to the palace by this time and what was happening between Saul and David appears to have been common knowledge. Jonathan was Michal’s older brother too, so it seems likely that he would be a source of information for Michal. She readily helped David escape. It seems it was her idea how this could be achieved even though she then blamed David when challenged by Saul. I surmise that that was likely an attempt to avoid punishment for going against her father. This would have been her third traumatic experience.
Saul sent men to David's house to watch it and to kill him in the morning. But Michal, David's wife, warned him, "If you don't run for your life tonight, tomorrow you'll be killed." So Michal let David down through a window, and he fled and escaped. Then Michal took an idol and laid it on the bed, covering it with a garment and putting some goats' hair at the head. When Saul sent the men to capture David, Michal said, "He is ill." Then Saul sent the men back to see David and told them, "Bring him up to me in his bed so that I may kill him." But when the men entered, there was the idol in the bed, and at the head was some goats' hair. 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?'" (1 Samuel 19:11-17)
10. In this incident Michal clearly demonstrated her commitment to David rather than her father and that was a huge risk for her. It may seem incidental to this study but it brings into greater perspective her later traumatic experiences at the hands of David.
11. David was on the run for fear of his life for the next few years so it seems he lost all contact with Michal. He had effectively abandoned her though we have no idea whether he made any attempt to rescue her. A fourth traumatic experience.
12. The Bible makes no attempt to provide the details of this period, though we would find that very interesting. However, an aspect of that interest is the desire to judge the people involved as we compare what happens with the way we think they should have behaved. This is a ‘me-focussed’ attitude that depends on our personal, cultural and educational background. The Bible avoids this as the Bible is concerned we adopt a ’Yahweh-focussed’ attitude. That means the Bible can be understood and interpreted by people from all cultures and generations.
13. Social structures of the time meant that a young woman could not live alone so it is most likely she would return to Saul’s household. How awful would that be for her? Perhaps that was a fifth traumatic experience.
14. She stayed there, it seems, for a few years until she was married to a seeming nonentity who lived in a remote part of the country that was possibly near Dan, formerly Laish, in the far north. We know nothing of the details of course, but the Bible tags this information to the end of the story of David and Abigail and his two wives so it is fair to assume the Bible wants us to make a connection. So Michal had the concurrent sixth and seventh traumatic experiences of losing her status as a king’s daughter and in receiving the news that David had remarried – twice!
Abigail … went with David's messengers and became his wife. David had also married Ahinoam of Jezreel, and they both were his wives. But Saul had given his daughter Michal, David's wife, to Paltiel son of Laish, who was from Gallim (1 Samuel 25:42-44).
15. Many years went by. David became king and toward the end of his 7-year reign over part of the nation he showed he had not forgotten Michal. He wanted her back. However, the details provided suggest it was not out of love and appreciation for her willing self-sacrifice on his behalf. David referred to Michal as, ‘daughter of Saul’ that he had ‘paid for’ by battle victories. That suggests that Michal was a pawn in his negotiations to be established as king of all Israel. The eighth traumatic experience.
16. Then there is the casual dismissal of Paltiel whose grief at losing her caused him to follow her nearly all the way to Jerusalem, a journey of about 200 miles. Might that suggest Michal had moved on in her relationships and reciprocated his commitment? We cannot know for sure but again it could be a fair assumption. If so, it will be her ninth traumatic experience.
"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." 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." So Ish-Bosheth gave orders and had her taken away from her husband Paltiel son of Laish. 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 3:13-16).
17. Eventually, David did become king of the united nation and moved his capital to the newly conquered city of Jerusalem. He was then aged about 40 so Michal would be about 35. He moved the tabernacle, the centre of Jewish worship to the city and Michal gets a brief and apparently inconsequential mention and an even briefer mention in the parallel history that is recorded in Chronicles. This is the one incident in Michal’s life for which she is most likely to be remembered.
As the ark of Yahweh was entering the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King David leaping and dancing before Yahweh, she despised him in her heart. They brought the ark of Yahweh and set it in its place inside the tent that David had pitched for it, and David sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings before Yahweh. After he had finished sacrificing the burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, he blessed the people in the name of Yahweh Almighty. Then he gave a loaf of bread, a cake of dates and a cake of raisins to each person in the whole crowd of Israelites, both men and women. And all the people went to their homes. 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 of his servants as any vulgar fellow would!" David said to Michal, "It was before Yahweh, who chose me rather than your father or anyone from his house when he appointed me ruler over Yahweh's people Israel — I will celebrate before Yahweh. I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes. But by these slave girls you spoke of, I will be held in honour" (2 Samuel 6:16-22). As the ark of the covenant of Yahweh was entering the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King David dancing and celebrating, she despised him in her heart (1 Chronicles 15:29).
18. She did not join in the celebrations as the Ark of the Covenant was moved into the city but watched from a window. We wonder why.
19. There is a possible explanation in the comparison with the way Tamar was treated after being raped, for her brother Absalom took her into his home where she lived as a, ‘desolate woman’ (2 Samuel 13:20). This incident suggests that Michal too, might have been considered ‘spoiled,’ no longer fit to be a wife and companion but kept in isolation as she still had value as a political pawn. And could that be why she is referred to again as ‘daughter of Saul’ and never as ‘David’s wife’? If that is the case it would not be surprising if her love and commitment toward David had altered so ‘she despised him in her heart.’
20. Commentators on this passage tend to focus with approval on David’s exuberant and near, if not complete, nakedness as he gave total priority to worshipping Yahweh. Some go further and denigrate Michal’s ‘unspiritual’ and presumed sinful attitude. But is that fair when considering the bad ways David had treated Michal? An alternative explanation is that Michal’s response was a reaction to her traumatic experiences – an explosion of her 20-year history of hurt and distress because of his neglect of her and for his commitment to his other wives. As well as Ahinoam and Abigail there were Maacah, Haggith, Abital and Eglah (2 Samuel 2:2-5). Bathsheba came later (2 Samuel 11:27) while 2 Samuel 5:13 suggests there were more partners, concubines if not wives.
21. To add insult to injury he then paraded (all but) naked before the population as a whole (2 Samuel 6:14, 20)[1]. I think this interpretation is reinforced as Michal does not mention the people but only ‘the slave girls of his servants.’ These were the least significant women in their society but they were favoured with sights that she, as David’s rightful and his first and ought-to-be only wife, was excluded from having. The tenth traumatic experience.
22. The final reference to Michal comes in 2 Samuel 6:21. It reveals the eleventh traumatic experience Michal endured and is perhaps the saddest and most heartbreaking of all: ‘And Michal daughter of Saul had no children to the day of her death.’ Coming where it does it seems to suggest that her infertility was somehow a punishment for despising her husband David. That might be taken to be an illustration of the not uncommon belief that infertility is the woman’s fault. That cannot be of course, as Scripture is clear that such tragedies are an aspect of the coming of sin into the world (Genesis 3:16-19). Furthermore, the text makes it clear that she had never borne children – that is, since her marriage – and not just since her sidelining when she could only watch the world through a window.
23. The Bible records the stunning experiences of Sarah, Abraham’s wife, giving birth very late in life (Genesis 21:1-7), Hannah bearing Samuel after years of infertility (1 Samuel 1:1-20) and the Shunammite woman conceiving after Elisha’s prophecy (2 Kings 4:14-17) yet Michal’s lifelong experience of infertility and life of trouble, suffering and trauma is only ever secondary to the affairs of the Bible’s male heroes. Some may rail at the apparent callous insensitivity and bias but that is to miss the reason for the biblical narrative being what it is.
24. The point is that the Bible describes life as it is, often with no explanation or justification. James 1:23 refers to ‘the word,’ that we can safely take to mean the Bible, as a ’mirror,’ for in it we can see a reflection of ourselves, our own circumstances or story. This is a key truth in examining Michal’s story for it really does reflect what happens in our world. More than a few women will see in Michal’s life story as it is portrayed in Scripture a reflection of their own experiences.
25. There is absolutely no way that the bad treatment that Michal received from her family, community and especially from her husband David, can be seen as having Yahweh’s approval. Yes, it is in Scripture, but that does not mean such behaviour should be emulated.
26. Although Scripture quotes Yahweh in Acts 13:22, ‘I have found David, son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do,’ which refers back to 1 Samuel 13:14. David was still a sinful human being. The Old Testament records more about how David failed to live up to that assessment of him as a young man than his successes.
27. 2 Timothy 3:16 -17 summarises the purpose of Scripture:
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
But that does not mean that every text has a role fulfilling each of these purposes. So, the story of Michal is useful for ‘teaching, rebuking, correcting’ but certainly not for ‘training in righteousness.’
28. The story of Michal features eleven distinct experiences in her life when she was traumatised. I think this is the reason Michal’s story is recorded in Scripture – so we can learn from her life about how we can deal with our traumas. We all have them and here in Michal’s story are a series of bad experiences that are very relevant to our world today.
29. One of the themes of Scripture is salvation, but this is more than about being converted, having our sins forgiven and welcoming Jesus into our life as Saviour and Lord.
30. It is more too, than the assurance we have, because of God’s commitment to us in Jesus, of a home in heaven when we die, an aspect of the gift of eternal life.
31. God’s gift of salvation, that is essentially about rescue from harm, also includes the in-between time after conversion and before we are called into our glorious heavenly home: the ‘now’ time of life. Salvation has a role in the bad experiences of life when everything seems to go wrong; we are abused, taken advantage of, bad things happen to us, we do not have the resources to cope – this is trauma, all part, sadly, of the ‘normal’ lives of many.
32. Michal’s story provides examples of circumstances in which we especially need to experience this aspect of God’s salvation.
33. Paul wrote to the church in Philippi:
Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved – and that by God (Philippians 1:27-28).
34. Here salvation is connected to the imagery of battle in the phrase, ‘contending as one man for the faith,’ so salvation as rescue from danger, is an apt metaphor. This text is not about earning salvation but about surviving the persecution and troubles that are an inevitable consequence of living for Christ. Paul is dealing with a specific episode of persecution so the natural meaning relates to the circumstances of their trauma and the rescue (survival) that Paul believed would be experienced.
35. God’s promise of rescue, salvation, can therefore be seen as also being from the troubles that occur in life. We see an example of this rescue in Michal’s first experience of trauma when her older sister was offered in marriage to her beloved rather than herself. The failure of her dreams never materialised as in God’s goodness her father’s plans failed so eventually, Michal had her heart’s desire fulfilled.
36. That can happen to us too, so when our God-inspired dreams appear to fail it does not mean God has let us down. He may well have a different agenda for us and that can include a period of waiting.
37. But life does not always work out like that. It did not for Michal for it seems that after her marriage those first few years of married life were spent apart for prolonged periods as David fulfilled his military duties. And then there was a calamitous breakdown in relationship between David and her father, King Saul. Michal chose to side with David and thereby put her life in danger from Saul’s anger. She saved David’s life but he apparently ‘forgot’ her and chose other women to partner him. Next, Saul sent her away to marry a ‘nobody’ in a remote corner of the country. It seems likely she settled there but when David ‘rescued’ her, possibly against her wishes, it was only to a life of no consequence, virtually a prisoner. What a grinding down she endured throughout much of her life. Was there any purpose in this? Where was God in this catalogue of disasters? Had God forgotten her? Was Michal disposable, a nonentity, of no significance?
38. We may not have endured exactly the same experiences and sufferings as Michal but our bad life experiences can result in us feeling badly done to, neglected and rejected so we gradually come to feel we are of no consequence and worthless, just like Michal may well have done. However, in Yahweh’s grace, Scripture speaks through Paul about another aspect of salvation.
39. It is in 2 Corinthians 1:3-9:
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.
We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.
40. Here, salvation is linked to the experience of afflictions and suffering. This is not about how salvation, meaning escaping affliction, is used in Philippians 1:27-28, nor is it about conversion. Rather, Paul refers to the salvation they experienced as they went through their afflictions. Paul expresses something of the severity of his sufferings but not their nature though it was something his Corinthian friends shared. He refers to ‘comfort and salvation’ and links it to the ‘Father of compassion.’ The sentence would still make sense if ‘and salvation’ were omitted. This suggests that in this context salvation is allied to comfort and Paul saw the experience of comfort in the middle of all their troubles as an aspect of salvation.
41. This is directly applicable to Michal and to all those who have been through trauma. The traumatic experiences may be obvious and communal. For example, if your village and crops have been destroyed, your family killed, scattered, raped or mutilated, as sadly, is a not uncommon experience in those areas of the world afflicted by ethnic conflict, you will feel lost, confused, lonely and fearful. But sometimes those traumas are personal and hidden. They may be caused by people we are close to, who are regarded by others as honourable and righteous, but are secretly abusive and the community is ignorant of what is happening, or may even collude with the perpetrator. Michal provides an example. Yet, even in such awful experiences, you can be aware of God’s presence and his comfort and of the interest and involvement of fellow believers. That is a powerful experience and it is all part of God’s big plan of salvation.
42. This is not a New Testament concept only. It is contained in the Psalms. Psalm 27 is an example that is particularly relevant to those who are going through what appears to be an unending series of traumatic experiences. And Psalm 12 reminds us that those who are weak and frail, sidelined or neglected can be assured of Yahweh’s passionate interest and care.
43. These psalms are part of a theme that runs through the Bible, that God has promised to be with us always.
44. Unbelievable, as it may seem, God has actually designed us to go on this Journey of Grief and heartache. God understands what we are going through and has promised to be with us.
45. In Deuteronomy 31:6 it says:
Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for Yahweh your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”
46. That is what was said to the Old Testament believers and it is repeated in the New Testament:
God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” So we say with confidence, “Yahweh is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?” (Hebrews 13:5-6).
47. John reminds us that this is so important to God that God the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are all involved! This says something about how important you are to God. Especially when going through bad times. You may well feel alone but Yahweh, the ’Always I am’ God, has promised never to leave you. This is what Jesus said:
I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counsellor to be with you forever — the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you (John 14:16-19).
48. God never promised his people that they would have an easy time in life but he has promised to be with us in all our troubles.
49. But more than that, Jesus said:
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28-29).
Jesus invites us to hand over our emotional baggage to him.
50. The early church understood Jesus message so Peter writes:
Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you (1 Peter 5:7).
51. God does not share with us all the details of Michal’s life but there are enough for us to learn important lessons that will help us in our walk with Jesus. Hebrews 11 ends with reference to many of the heroes and heroines of faith. Some are named while we can guess who others are by the brief description. These descriptions include the phrase, ‘… destitute, persecuted and mistreated …’ (verse 37). I think that Michal is included here even though no features of her faith are revealed. Her inclusion in the biblical narrative is evidence enough.
52. Michal, therefore, is also one of those referred to in the chapter’s conclusion:
These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect (Hebrews 11:39-40).
53. Not surprisingly, we focus most on our own personal experiences and sufferings but Scripture reminds us here that we are part of something much bigger.
54. One day, maybe sooner than we expect, all will be revealed!
Endnote
[1] David’s ‘linen ephod’ on this occasion was likely a simple loin cloth that may have fallen off in his vigorous dancing. Or perhaps it only looked as if it was going to fall off. See C. de Wit, ‘Dress, d‘ in Douglas, J. D. and others, (Ed.) The Illustrated Bible Dictionary, (Leicester: Inter-Varsity Press, 1980) p. 397.
Written: 1 September 2023
Published: 24 November 2023
Updated: 15 March 2024