Michal's Sin And Punishment In 2 Samuel
Michal, the younger daughter of King Saul [1, 2], became David's wife after he met the demanding bride price of one hundred Philistine foreskins, a feat he doubled [1]. Her name means "who is like God?" [1] or "rivulet" [2]. Michal demonstrated her affection for David by helping him escape Saul's attempts on his life, letting him down through a window (1 Samuel 19:12) [3, 5].
After David fled, Saul gave Michal in marriage to another man, Phalti (or Phaltiel) of Gallim (1 Samuel 25:44) [1, 2]. David later reclaimed her from Paltiel, son of Laish (2 Samuel 3:15) [6].
Michal's "sin" and subsequent punishment are recorded in 2 Samuel 6. When the Ark of the Lord was brought into Jerusalem, David celebrated with enthusiastic dancing and leaping before the Lord [7]. Michal observed this from a window and "despised him in her heart" [7]. She confronted David, accusing him of debasing himself in the eyes of his servants' maids [11]. David responded by stating that he was dancing before the Lord, who had chosen him over her father Saul and his house [11].
The consequence of Michal's disdain was that "Michal the daughter of Saul had no child to the day of her death" (2 Samuel 6:23) [4]. This barrenness is widely interpreted as a divine punishment [8]. Some scholars suggest that her attitude mirrored her father Saul's disregard for the Lord, and her childlessness further ensured that Saul's dynasty would not continue through her [10].
The exact nature of the punishment is debated. One interpretation is that God directly caused her barrenness as a consequence of her contempt for David's worship [8]. Another view suggests that the relationship between David and Michal became so strained after this incident that they no longer shared marital intimacy, leading to her childlessness [8]. The Babylonian Talmud notes that the incident with Michal occurred in Jerusalem, while David's other children were listed as being born in Hebron, implying a separation or lack of conjugal relations after this event [9]. John Gill notes that barrenness was considered a reproach, and Michal's lack of offspring meant no one descended from her would achieve royal dignity [12].
Sources
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Michal — (who is like God?), the younger of Saul's two daughters, (1 Samuel 14:49) who married David. The price fixed on Michal's hand was no less than the slaughter of a hundred Philistines. David by a brilliant feat doubled the tale of victims, and Michal became his wife. Shortly afterward she saved David from the assassins whom her father had sent to take his life. (1 Samuel 19:11-17) When the rupture between Saul and David had become open and incurable, she was married to another man, Phalti or Phaltiel of Gallim. (1 Samuel 25:44) After the death of her father and”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Michal — Rivulet, or who as God?, the younger of Saul's two daughters by his wife Ahinoam (1 Sam. 14:49, 50). "Attracted by the graces of his person and the gallantry of his conduct, she fell in love with David and became his wife" (18:20-28). She showed her affection for him by promoting his escape to Naioth when Saul sought his life (1 Sam. 19:12-17. Comp. Ps. 59. See [398]TERAPHIM). After this she did not see David for many years. Meanwhile she was given in marriage to another man, Phalti or Phaltiel of Gallim (1 Sam. 25:44), but David afterwards formally reclaime”
- 1 Samuel “So Michal let David down through the window. He went, fled, and escaped. -- 1 Samuel 19:12”
- 2 Samuel “Michal the daughter of Saul had no child to the day of her death. -- 2 Samuel 6:23”
- I Samuel “I Samuel 19:12 (YLT) — And Michal causeth David to go down through the window, and he goeth on, and fleeth, and escapeth;”
- II Samuel “II Samuel 3:15 (BSB) — So Ish-bosheth sent and took Michal from her husband Paltiel son of Laish.”
- 2 Samuel “It was so, as Yahweh’s ark came into the city of David, that Michal the daughter of Saul looked out at the window, and saw king David leaping and dancing before Yahweh; and she despised him in her heart. -- 2 Samuel 6:16”
- 2 Samuel (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 2 Samuel 6:23: 6:23 Michal was the only one of David’s many wives who did not bear him at least one child. Either God was punishing her (cp. Gen 20:17-18) for her disdainful attitude toward David’s exuberant praise, or David and Michal’s relationship had become so strained that they never again shared the marriage bed. Because Michal remained childless, yet another aspect of Saul’s dynasty was cut off. This occasion is Michal’s last appearance in the text.”
- Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Sanhedrin 21a.16: The Gemara challenges this: Now, these children of David’s, where does it count them? In Hebron, as Eglon was listed above with David’s wives in Hebron. But the incident with Michal, in the context of which the verse says she had no children, was in Jerusalem, as it is written: “And it was so, as the Ark of the Lord came into the city of David, that Michal the daughter of Saul looked out the window and saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, and she despised him in her heart” (II Samuel 6:16). And Rav Yehuda says, and some say it is Rav Yosef wh”
- 1 Chronicles (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 1 Chronicles 15:29: 15:29 The contempt of Michal (cp. 2 Sam 6:16-23) toward David stands in stark contrast to God’s blessing on the celebration (1 Chr 15:26); her description as the daughter of Saul implies that her attitude mirrored her father’s disregard for the Lord (see 1 Sam 10:10-12; 13:7-14; 15:10-23; 28:1-25).”
- 2 Samuel (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 2 Samuel 6:20: MICHAL'S BARRENNESS. (Sa2 6:20-23) Michal . . . came out to meet David, &c.--Proud of her royal extraction, she upbraided her husband for lowering the dignity of the crown and acting more like a buffoon than a king. But her taunting sarcasm was repelled in a manner that could not be agreeable to her feelings while it indicated the warm piety and gratitude of David. Next: 2 Samuel Chapter 7”
- 2 Samuel (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 2 Samuel 6:22: Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no child until the day of her death. The children she brought up for Adriel were not her own, but adopted ones, or Adriel's by another woman, Sa2 21:8; however, she had none after this time, whatever she had before, and it does not appear that she had any, though the Jews say she was Eglah, and Ithream her son; see Gill on Sa2 3:5. And thus she that vilified David brought a reproach upon herself, as barrenness was always reckoned, and no one descending from her arrived to royal dignity, and sat on the throne of David; and so”