Couples in the Bible: David and Michal
Michal is King Saul’s younger daughter. {1 Samuel 14:49}
At first King Saul’s older daughter, Merab, was promised to David after he defeated Goliath. Later, Merab was married to Adriel the Meholathite. {1 Samuel 18:17}
Michal loved David {1 Samuel 18:20} so Saul then invited David to marry Michel, but he stated he was a poor man and could not afford the bride price. Saul tells him in exchange he only needs to bring one hundred Philistine foreskins, but David brings two hundred.
The two are married but Saul becomes paranoid and decides to kill David. Michal helps him to escape by lowering him out the window and she pretends he is sick in bed. {1 Samuel 19}
David made no attempt to contact him as he’s on the run for his life.
Saul gives Michal to Patti, son of Laish, while David took several other wives. {1 Samuel 25:43-44}
After David becomes king of Judah, he demands that Michal’s brother, Ish-bosheth—who was King of Israel—returns Michal to him. David is able to use the marriage as his legal claim to the throne, while Patti cries after Michal all the way back to David. {2 Samuel 3:13-16}
Michal criticizes David for dancing before the Ark of the Covenant. {2 Samuel 6:14-22}
David tells her “It was before the Lord, who chose me above your father and above all his house, to appoint me as prince over Israel, the people of the Lord—and I will celebrate before the Lord. {2 Samuel 6:21}
She is punished by never having children although she raises her sister’s children. {2 Samuel 6:23; 2 Samuel 21:8}
Lessons from David and Michal:
- Love can die
- Not all marriages are happy
- We can grow resentful over time