In our previous post, David left his wife and fled from Saul. Michal was given to another man as wife although David had married her and paid her bride price. We see Saul’s manipulative hands in messing up Michal and David’s marriage. As we continue navigating the life of Michal, I believe you have learnt some lessons: the red flags to avoid in making crucial decisions and the need to go allow the people around us to have peace not trouble. So, Saul did not last, his evil led to his early demise. Beside the hatred of David, Saul was also disobedient to God (1 Samuel 15:22). For about 8 years, Saul was busily chasing David in and out of Israel. He was so obsessed with getting David to die that he left his home whenever he heard David was at a place. Instead of focusing his energy on building the nation, Saul was just chasing David. 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) In a matter of time, Saul went to war with the Philistines. Saul and his sons died in the battle with the Philistines: “The Philistines were in hot pursuit of Saul and his sons, and they killed his sons Jonathan, Abinadab and Malki-Shua. The fighting grew fierce around Saul, and when the archers overtook him, they wounded him critically. Saul said to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword and run me through, or these uncircumcised fellows will come and run me through and abuse me.” But his armor-bearer was terrified and would not do it; so Saul took his own sword and fell on it.” (1 Samuel 31:2-4). When David heard of the death of Saul, he mourned for him and Jonathan. Within these years of David’s exile from Saul, David had married other women and had children with them. However, when Saul died, David sent messengers to Ish-Bosheth with this demand: “Give me my wife Michal, whom I betrothed to myself for the price of a hundred Philistine foreskins.” (2 Samuel 3:14). This might sound a bit absurd. Michal had been taken from David and given to another. Now, David was demanding to take Michal back again. Was Michal consulted even before being given to another? The value of womanhood in the time of David was clearly displayed here. Obviously, David was rightfully married to Michal and they did not divorce. Saul forcefully sacked David from his home and gave Michal to another man. The new man might have considered himself the rightful husband to Michal. He received her from her father. David had a similar argument too. Saul messed up Michal’s marriages and made her a price tag for his evil schemes. Paltiel, the new husband of Michal, was not as physically strong as David. The competition for Michal was on the level of power and ownership. However, both David and Paltiel could claim ownership of Michal but David was more powerful. The emotional trauma and the physical pain caused by Saul’s schemes might have laid a huge burden on Michal. Ish-Bosheth was already scared for his life. Abner, the head of Israel’s army, seemed to be on the side of David. In order to save his own throne from David’s strong influence, “Ish-Bosheth gave orders and had her [Michal] taken away from her husband Paltiel son of Laish” (2 Samuel 3:15). Paltiel had no choice. He couldn’t fight David nor Ish-Bosheth. All he could do was to weep. He followed his wife weeping behind her all the way to Bahurim. Then Abner said to him, “Go back home!” So he went back (2 Samuel 3:16). The story of Michal is hardly a topic for preaching but her life presents different dimensions of power, and the quest to hold on to power. Saul, David and Ish-Bosheth all had power to change the narrative of Michal. Paltiel was not as strong and powerful as the other men. On the other hand, Michal was the trophy woman. She was given to David and then taken again. She was given to Paltiel and then taken again. Finally, she was given back to David. Unfortunately, Michal could not do anything to change the situation. If we consider this as a mere Biblical history, we have missed the bigger picture. Powerful systems and powerful men still operate on the shoulders of the weak and vulnerable. Other than marriage, many women still face oppression, stigmatization and abuse from men. Interestingly, even in the presence of laws and regulations, some evil people still hide and commit atrocities against the weak and the vulnerable people in society. God’s love is for all people and He expects us to love each other without putting other people in jeopardizing state. More importantly, we should consider working together with people for a defined goal. Don’t use people for selfish reasons. Even the weak and vulnerable are still loved by God.
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