David Marries Michal

As many who have followed me for a bit, I have fallen into the Psalms, and I can’t get up! (As if I would want to.) The Psalms are a majestic collection of poetry, of heart felt human experiences that constantly challenge me in my own frail attempt to follow the true King. As many of the Psalms are written by David, my study on the Psalms has spurred me on to looking at the life of David, is the main contributor to this book, and to follow the victories and tragedies of the shepherd King of Israel.

Many times in the narrative, we will see the Lord Jesus, imperfectly, yet a reflection of His spirit in a man with weaknesses.

1 Samuel 18:20-29

20 Now Saul’s daughter Michal loved David. And they told Saul, and the thing pleased him.
21 Saul thought, “Let me give her to him, that she may be a snare for him and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” Therefore Saul said to David a second time, “You shall now be my son-in-law.”
22 And Saul commanded his servants, “Speak to David in private and say, ‘Behold, the king has delight in you, and all his servants love you. Now then become the king’s son-in-law.”
23 And Saul’s servants spoke those words in the ears of David. And David said, “Does it seem to you a little thing to become the king’s son-in-law, since I am a poor man and have no reputation?”
24 And the servants of Saul told him, “Thus and so did David speak.”
25 Then Saul said, “Thus shall you say to David, ‘The king desires no bride-price except a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, that he may be avenged of the king’s enemies.'” Now Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines.
26 And when his servants told David these words, it pleased David well to be the king’s son-in-law. Before the time had expired,
27 David arose and went, along with his men, and killed two hundred of the Philistines. And David brought their foreskins, which were given in full number to the king, that he might become the king’s son-in-law. And Saul gave him his daughter Michal for a wife.
28 But when Saul saw and knew that the LORD was with David, and that Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved him,
29 Saul was even more afraid of David. So Saul was David’s enemy continually.

Ok, so last we met, we saw King Saul invite David into his royal family via marriage to his elder daughter. Of course, David was to be granted this priviledge due to his taking on Goliath and defeating him, but Saul forgot about the gift’s he promised and negotiated another agreement with David for the hand of Merab, his elder daughter.

But lo and behold, on (or very near) the day of the wedding, Good ol’ King Saul took this benefit away from David, bringing shame upon his name and confusion to his heart. How could David understand what was going on? The king was surely mad, and by that I mean both mad (angry) and mad (insane).

With our passage this morning, we are going to experience a bit of deja vu, in that Saul and his henchmen take advantage of his daughters feelings to put David in the path of certain death.

Saul’s daughter Michal was in love with David, and with every bit of news that crosses the kings desk, Saul seeks the good of his daughter. No that is incorrect!! He seeks how he may take advantage of a situation for his own advancement, and this time is no different.

Let’s offer David another opportunity to join the royal family, and in the offer, provide a situation that may eliminate Saul’s greatest threat. The previous offer, for Merab, was to fight the Lord’s battles for Saul. Saul wanted to have control, provide direction to David, get in the mix, interfere and potentially direct David into dangerous situations, raising the likelihood of death in battle.

What is truly amazing is that David retains his humility through this emotional roller coaster ride, again referring to himself as not worthy of entering the royal family. He considered himself a “poor man” having “no reputation”.

What was David thinking when the king’s servants spoke of Saul’s love for David, and of all his servants loving him? The king had just recently thrown two spears at David, and shamed him in front of the nation by reneging on the marriage to Merab?

Whatever David thought, the offer was provided to him. The price of Micah’s hand for marriage? One hundred foreskins of the Philistines.

This was an attainable, specific, measurable goal for David, so he set out to complete his side of the bargain and “force” king Saul’s hand in providing Micah as his bride. And to make a point, good old David, when asked to walk a mile, walked two miles. He brought back two hundred foreskins, which meant two hundred Philistines had met their maker.

Saul got what he said he wanted, yet his frustration level must have been boiling over. Of course the Phillistines weren’t the problem! The Philistines were the solution, but they did not come to Saul’s request, and in loosing two hundred soldiers, only elevated David in stature, causing Saul greater fear of his dominance.

And now, he had two of his children committed to the enemy. It was bad enough for Saul when Jonathon had shown allegiance to David, but now it appeared that his daughter was also seeing the benefit of being associated with a believer in the Lord, a man who was led of the Spirit, and of a humble heart.

So it is with the kingdom, for as we exercise a humbleness, and desire to love our enemies, even after two spear throws, and a show of disgrace, the kingdom will expand, one by one.

Or the enemy will only slip into greater darkness, with more bile rising in his throat, and a commitment to fighting the believer! So it was with Saul, and he continually set himself as David’s enemy, even as his father-in-law.

Truly, this passage speaks of the division of family due to deeper allegiances that are offered, deeper even that blood. Micah made the wise choice, as did her brother Jonathon. They followed David.

Centuries later, Jesus, the Greater David, described this realignment of family in the following words.

Matthew 12:48-50

But he replied to the man who told him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?”
And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers!
For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”

Who is your sister? Who is your brother? It all depends on who your Father is!

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