We know that David promised Bathsheba her son Solomon would succeed him and that she warned him that Adonijah was trying to usurp the throne (1 Kings 1:17). When a reader has a grasp on the Law, they have the standard by which they are to discern the behavior of the people recorded. Even though her husband Jacob favored Rachel, Leah remained committed, enduring this unfairness through faith in God. If she conceived and became the mother of the next tribal leader, heir to Abraham, she became the ruler of all the women in the tribe, and there was a vast improvement in her social situation. Judges 13:2 KJV, "And the men of the city said unto Elisha, Behold, I pray thee, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord seeth: but the water is naught, and the ground barren." Even in light of Davids polygamy, we can trust God worked through all things for His glory. Maacah, whose father Talmai was king of Geshur, married David while he was in exile and her children included a son named Absalom and a daughter named Tamar. The slayer of giants, the hero of Israel, the man who pursued God with all his heart. The King James Version renders it as "tender eyed," while the New Living Translation says "There was no sparkle in Leah's eyes," and the Amplified Bible says "Leah's eyes were weak and dull looking.". David's Wives in the Bible - Who Were They and Their Story - Christianity In his epistle to the Romans, Paul mentions the edifying nature of the entire Old Testament stating, For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scripture we might have hope (Romans 15:4). Choosing a husband or wife. Amnom would create much grief for David and the rest of the family when he molested his half-sister Tamar (2 Samuel 13). People in the biblical era married much earlier than modern couples do, and marriages were arranged between families. Consumed with lust for power, Saul sought to destroy David because Gods favor rested on him, and David was deemed a contender for the throne (1 Samuel 18:12-16). After David committed the treachery with Uriah and Bathsheba, God spoke to David through Nathan thus: Then Nathan said to David, "You are the man! Genesis 11:30 KJV, "Whose house I have made the wilderness, and the barren land his dwellings." This is often seen as the cop-out answer anytime the question of why God allows evil in the world comes up. These were born to David at Hebron. I understand about the culture but for God to treat an individual womans body as a mans possession speaks volumes, about how he hates/devalues women? She was given by the hand of her treacherous father Saul the first king of Israelwhile he lingered on the throne in his fallen state. Maacah, Haggith, Abital, and Eglah:Scripture does not give much detail about these four wives other than the fact they all bore sons to David while he dwelt in Hebron. 388. What Was the Sin of Sodom and Gomorrah in the Bible? However, these lists only mention the wives that David had sons with, and the 1 Chronicles list ends with these were the sons of David, not including his sons born to concubines (1 Chronicles 3:9). c. 1896-1902. ), 6 Reasons Why Im So Excited to Be a Christian in 2023, Movieguide Warns Parents: 'Don't Take Your Daughter to See, A Prayer to Be Happy for Others - Your Daily Prayer - July 15, 10 Things You Should Know about Christian Meditation, 4 Changes to Make if You Struggle with People-Pleasing, A Sabbath Day Prayer for the Weary - Your Daily Prayer - July 16. Absalom was not politically nave-his rise to power as described in chapter 15 shows an exceptionally crafty and smooth individual. (LogOut/ In the most authoritative Hebrew texts of 2 Samuel 21:8 Merab is not mentioned but Michal is. David's wife was a woman married to David. But Hannah never gave up on God. How Many Wives Did King David Have and What Do We Know about Them? The fact that legal provisions were made for concubines does not mean that God approved of this marital model. 8 I gave your master's house to you, and your master's wives into . 65b-66a).The world was created to be inhabited (Isa. And his wife was barren and had no children. Feminist writers have portrayed Hagar as a victim, but by the standards of the time she was not. According to Smiths Bible Dictionary, a concubine would usually be either: 1. (NIV). Not only that. While he walked around on the roof of his house, David spied the married woman, Bathsheba, bathing. I found this article and thought Id put it up because I never could offer an explanation for this. Luke 23:29 KJV, "Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the LORD." Note: I did not write this. The Lord has also returned the evildoing of Nabal on his own head. Then David sent a proposal to Abigail, to take her as his wife. NIV Starting Place Study Bible, Why Did David Have So Many Wives and Concubines? pg. Copyright 2023, Christianity.com. Given that Biblical genealogies are not always definitive (sometimes they just mention notable family members or the notable offspring), there could be wives the Bible doesnt mention. God did not approve of marriage to involve concubines. She later helped David escape before her father could kill him (1 Samuel 19:11-18) and was married off to a man named Palti. Learn Religions, Dec. 6, 2021, learnreligions.com/leah-first-wife-of-jacob-701187. Finally, her heartfelt prayers were answered. Judges 13:3 KJV, "And he went forth unto the spring of the waters, and cast the salt in there, and said, Thus saith the LORD, I have healed these waters; there shall not be from thence any more death or barren land." The NIV Zondervan Study Bible makes a note about this situation: A perennial problem in war is rape, but this was forbidden in Israel. This is done to give Uriah the opportunity to go home and sleep with his wife so that he can pass as the father of Bathshebas child. When he met Rachel, he fell in love with her at first sight. Learn what the Bible teaches about each of his wives. Others have speculated that in the pagan societies surrounding Israel, having multiple wives was a way kings showed their power. What Is a Concubine? (Because God punished her for criticizing her husband David for dancing nearly naked in front of God and everybody.) The Hebrews, who mostly did not read or write at this time, preserved complex legal codes in their oral story-telling. Abigail was the second of Davids wives. "Polygamy and concubinage were also allowed in ancient Israel and seem to be have been quite common in the patriarchal period (age of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob), but after that most marriages of commoners were monogamous.. The Bible record says, "Now as the ark of the LORD came into the City of David, Michal, Saul's daughter, looked through a window and saw King David leaping and whirling before the LORD; and she despised him in her heart Then David returned to bless his household. News reached Saul that his daughter, Michal, loved David. As the mother of Judah, Leah was part of the ancestry that led to the birth of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world. This was an act of loyalty on the part of the vassal, who would then have a personal stake in preserving the dynasty. Abner, a rival to King Saul's throne, slept with Rizpah anddefiled her. When this happened, the law allowed a man to take a second wife so that the family could have an heir. Michal David's First Wife Pastor and therapist Ted Roberts gives an interesting theory in his book Pure Desire and other resources: David may have been stuck in a cycle of sexual bondage. Like many men struggling with pornography or sexual issues, David had a harsh relationship with his father, who called David his youngest son, using a Hebrew word that also means unimportant. Men with sexual issues also have illicit behavior they try to hide (David hid his affair with Bathsheba), and pass on their dysfunctional behavior to their children without ever confronting the problem (Amnon rapes his half-sister, David got angry but did nothing about it). Apart from working in the home and providing sexual companionship, a major role for a concubine would be to produce children, to increase the work force in a household. She loved David but her father eventually took her out of David's house and annulled the marriage. Admittedly, its not always the most exciting part of the Bible to read, however it is incredibly important for understanding the historical accounts recorded. Saul uses her, as he did her older . 29 Abram and Nahor took wives for themselves. 9 Why did you despise the word of the LORD by doing what is evil in his eyes? You struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and took his wife to be your own. Solomon responded by having Adonijah killed (1 Kings 2:25). David slept with Bathsheba and arranged for Uriahs death when he discovered Bathsheba was pregnant (2 Samuel 11:14-27). If so, the deception (?) So David went up there, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess and Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite. Historical Old Testament accounts should be approached and applied differently than, for example, Apostolic letters in the New Testament. Proverbs 30:16 KJV, "For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband." Forced slavery and human trafficking was against the Hebrew law anyway (Exodus 21:16). However, its not clear if they reconciled after she rebuked David. Who Was Childless in the Bible? - Bible Study While reading through this account, we inevitably stumble across the puzzling records ofKing Davids wives and concubines. Who Was Isaiah & Why Was He Important? in Exodus 21:10 and Deuteronomy 21:14. Zeitschrift Fr Altorientalische Und Biblische Rechtsgeschichte / Journal for Ancient Near Eastern and Biblical Law, vol. Rather, they are included to show the depth of human depravity the depth of every humans need for Jesus Christ. These men were among the founders of the 12 tribes of Israel . (NIV), Genesis 49:29-31Then he gave them these instructions: I am about to be gathered to my people. ): This cohabitation in our context may have served as an indication that as far as Absalom was concernedDavid was dead. He told her she had been deprived of love. When the servants of David came to Abigail at Carmel, they spoke to her, saying, David has sent us to you to take you as his wife. She arose and bowed with her face to the ground and said, Behold, your maidservant is a maid to wash the feet of my lords servants.read more.Then Abigail quickly arose, and rode on a donkey, with her five maidens who attended her; and she followed the messengers of David and became his wife. No other account in the Bible so vividly captures the heart-wrenching struggle of a sinful man who earnestly sought after the Lord yet failed to measure up. Haggithmarried David while he was in exile, and had a son named Adonijah. Many Christians purposefully neglect studying the Mosaic Law. He understood her as she had never felt understood. But the thing that David had done was evil in the sight of the Lord. When it came time to be paid, Nabal instead refused to pay David and his men. Abigail wisely entreated David not to kill Nabal, and he had mercy. She gave birth to a son, Samuel . Who Were King David's Wives in the Bible - Names and Importance - Crosswalk Ideally, worship propels us from the throne room back to practical Christlike love. 10 Concubines are King Davids unnamed concubines. Thus it is possible that the brief reference to Davids marriage to Ahinoam in 1 Samuel 25:43 is a reference to his taking Sauls wife Ahinoam (1 Sam 14:50) [BBCOT: in loc.]. The list of wives married during his exile is repeated in 2 Samuel 3:2-5. Free Will. See Rebeccas story. Sauls hopes of David falling by the hand of the Philistines is once again thwarted because David killed 200 Philistines and gave double the agreed-upon dowry. This is no specific information in the Bible about the age at which one should marry, but it seems that both girls and boys married very young by our standards. Monday Morning Prayers with Rev: 17th July 2023 - Facebook All rights reserved. d. Members of the royal harem were all upper-class figures, representing important political alliances, both foreign and domestic. Healing Prayers to Heal the Body, Mind, and Soul. I have to say that there is much to this article that does not sit well with me. Meanwhile David took more concubines and wives from Jerusalem, after he came from Hebron; and more sons and daughters were born to David. God explicitly prohibited polygamy. Michal - Wikipedia Note: I did not write this. All we have to do for his love is accept it. Learn Religions. How many children did Michal (David's first wife) have? Thus, although Abishag was not Davids wife or concubine, her intimate connection with the king resulted in people using her as a pawn. Now, the fulfillment of this judgment on David is in chapter 16: Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, Give us your counsel; what shall we do? 21 Ahithophel said to Absalom, Go in to your fathers concubines, the ones he has left to look after the house; and all Israel will hear that you have made yourself odious to your father, and the hands of all who are with you will be strengthened. 22 So they pitched a tent for Absalom upon the roof; and Absalom went in to his fathers concubines in the sight of all Israel. [NRSV]. I found this article and thought Id put it up because I never could offer an explanation for this. Luke 1:7 KJV, "Thy teeth are like a flock of sheep that are even shorn, which came up from the washing; whereof every one bear twins, and none is barren among them." Job 39:6 KJV, "He maketh the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children. Leah was a loving and faithful wife. This was done in accordance with the Mosaic law which gave instruction on how soldiers were to keep themselves pure during the time of war. A WOMAN WHO MOCKED DAVID REGRETTED HER ACTION - 2 Samuel - Biblearena Monday Morning Prayers with Rev: 17th July 2023. Numbers 1:1-54 ESV / 5 helpful votes . Rather, the seclusion was from the active/living harem and the confinement was into living widowhood. Song of Solomon 6:6 KJV, "For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ." Concubines could not get a bill of divorce like a wife could. Luke 1:36 KJV, "And there was a certain man of Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name was Manoah; and his wife was barren, and bare not." In 2020, he won First Prize for Best Feature Story in a regional contest by the Colorado Press Association Network. More and more I am finding out that itll be good to understand the cultural background of the period in which the Old Testament was written in to have a better understanding of why some things were done the way they were. I will make a covenant with you, but I demand one thing of you, namely, you shall not see my face unless you first bring Michal, Sauls daughter, when you come to see me., So David sent messengers to Ish-bosheth, Sauls son, saying, Give me my wife Michal, to whom I was betrothed for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines.. Even though God favored his second son with Bathsheba, this doesnt mean that God wanted their relationship to happen. 30 Sarai was barren, so she had not borne children. Their descendants were not allowed to enter the assembly of the Lord through the 10th generation. Also, we find hope. So she gave her Egyptian slave Hagar to Abraham, to be his secondary wife and give him a son read Hagars story. After this, the Lord struck Nabal and took his life. They are recorded in 1 Kings 11:1-8. This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. She was barren but prayed to God year after year for a child. ), 1. the event being described looks like a royal wedding (and not like a rape), 2. the marriages involved are ones that are important to the nation to preserve, 3. the undertaking of the rights and responsibilities of the ruler was a clear message to the citizenry that David was dead or out of the picture altogether, 4. there is no hint of rape, and the entire context of who these women were argues against there being ANY brutality, ANY violation, and ANY disgrace. So the king took Armoni and Mephibosheth, the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, whom she bore to Saul; and the five sons of Michal the daughter of Saul, whom she brought up for Adriel the son of Barzillai . 10 Bible Studies That Connect Women to God and Each Other. David's wife | Tardis | Fandom Later Absalom tried to usurp David. If Christians are not ready, they will get blind-sided by such objections and may even suffer doubt of their own faith. Concubines and Conjugal Rights. Most of the sons mentioned from these womencaused much strife and grief in Davids family. David, like all other human beings, was not a robot. Through no fault of her own, she was not one of the "beautiful people" and it caused her a lifetime of heartache. 8 I gave your masters house to you, and your masters wives into your arms. Abitalmarried David while he was in exile, and had a son named Shephatiah. Rachel and Leah, painting by James Tissot. You read that correctly, God recorded Davids polygamous lifestyle for our instruction and encouragement. Saul had no choice but to give Michal to David as his wife (1 Samuel 18:20-27). It doesnt matter how hard we try to thwart Gods plans; He will always accomplish exactly what He intends. Among other things, the fact David chose to have multiple wives proves he was a sinner. 26:9; Deut . He evil entreateth the barren that beareth not: and doeth not good to the widow. All rights reserved. Davids solution to cover up the scandal was to send Uriah to the front lines of battle and have all other troops draw back from Uriahs position to ensure the enemy killed him. According to the Bible, is infertility a punishment for sin? Thepros and consof polygamy Leah tried to make Jacob love her through her deeds. Who Were David's Wives, and Why Should We Know Their Names? Christianity.com, Smiths Bible Dictionary Concubine. Her purpose was to provide a male heir in the case of a barren wife, to provide more children in general to enhance the familys workforce and wealth, and to satisfy the mans sexual desires. Apart from the last point given in the previous section, Christians should know the accounts given of these women to strengthen their witness for Christ. We will certainly chose here for this reading (Michal) as also the critics who suppose that this is a serious and undeniable Bible Contradiction. While David did some great and wise things, he didnt always do the right thing. 2 Samuel 3:4. and the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; and the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital; 2 Samuel 3:5. and the sixth, Ithream, by David's wife Eglah. How many children did Michal have? Leah in the Bible, Jacob's First Wife, Second in His Heart Neither does he reject us because we don't meet the world's standards for being attractive. . 2. In later Jewish history, the rabbis fixed the minimum age for marriage at 12 for girls (who matured earlier than modern girls) and 13 for boys. 1 Samuel 2:5 KJV, "For, behold, the days are coming, in the which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck." The average man had one wife, but was allowed to take a second wife if his first wife was barren. In later Jewish history, the rabbis fixed the minimum age for marriage at 12 for girls (who matured earlier than modern girls) and 13 for boys. He said, Good! According to the law, a Hebrew slave would be set free after 6 years of service unless they decided to stay in the household as a slave (Deuteronomy 15:12-17). I post this because I believe there is much to this article that deserves challenging, but it is posted in good faith. may have strengthened the resolve of Absaloms supporters since this final humiliation of David was a deliberately public act, at least according to the narrator.. Isaiah 54:1 KJV, "And Isaac intreated the LORD for his wife, because she was barren: and the LORD was intreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived." All of these theories have some evidence behind them and leave us with something to chew on. Jacob worked for Rachel's father Laban seven years for the right to marry Rachel. The Bible isn't specific about why God allowed his people to continue in sinful systems like this. Listen to our episode on David right now: G. Connor Salter is a writer and editor, with a Bachelor of Science in Professional Writing from Taylor University. David offered his services to a man named Nabal, Abigail's husband before David. Pounding on the door, (Judges 19:22) they demanded sexual relations with the new man in town - the concubines husband. David paid double the requested dowry when he presented Saul with 200 Philistine foreskins for her hand in marriage. Bury me with my fathers in the cave in the field of Ephron the Hittite, the cave in the field of Machpelah, near Mamre in Canaan, which Abraham bought as a burial place from Ephron the Hittite, along with the field. While reading through Davids life, it is evident he did not always make good decisions. Find out more about his work here. e. The whole point of the action was to enter the harem (hence the tent) in front of the citizenry. Isaiah 54:1-17 ESV / 199 . These women often had important duties in the administration, in most of the surrounding cultures of the ANE. Who Was Hannah in the Bible? Mother of Samuel - Learn Religions If you have read this far thank you for your time, and be well. Luke 1:7 - Bible Hub Rather, God works through the effects of our sin to bring about His purposes, though He still abhors our sinful actions. When notified, Abigail hurried to intercede on behalf of her husband. Each of them illustrates a law from the Code of Hammurabi, which was set in place circa 1700 BC. likey your bookshelf too! The stories of Sarah and Hagar, and of Rachel and Leah, are not just random stories that happen to be in the Bible. Carved in stone the stele on which is written the Laws of Hammurabi. Change). Michal scolded her husband for publicly dancing before God. The Hebrew word for concubine, Piylegesh, isnt even of Hebrew origin. But since the first human chose sin over Gods good way, humanity chose more and more sin that affected these ideals God approved of and set in motion. She was a woman who was used as a pawn, first by her father, King Saul, and then by her husband King David in the Bible . 4 Things You May Not Know About Abraham in the Bible 20 Facts You May Not Know About Moses from the Bible Who Was Mary Magdalene in the Bible? With malintent, Saul initially tried to give his first daughter, Merab, to David in marriage to put David in peril by the hand of the Philistines. 4. It is all too common for skeptics and mockers to cite such things in Scripture to devalue the moral integrity of the Bible and dismiss the possibility of Scripture being Gods Word. When presented with the polygamous lifestyle of David (or anyone else for that matter) it is essential for us to keep several overarching truths in mind. We know Abigail was unusually wise, and nothing about how she related to David later in life. Eventually, on Sarahs orders, Abraham expelled Hagar from the tribe the primary wife ruled the other women of the tribe, so Sarah could insist that this be done which she did. February 21, 2018 People To Honor God At All Times (Passage: 2 Samuel 6) A woman who mocked King David for dancing in the presence of God lived the rest of her life to regret her action. The fact that female prisoners of war could be taken as wives by the Israelites does not sanction the practice so much as regulate and transform an existing evil.. In the New Testament, Jesus uses the example of a man born blind to explain that the seemingly inexplicable suffering we endure is not a result of sin (see John 9 ). Zavada, Jack. Abraham expels Hagar and Ishmael from the tribe. However, for people seeking the truth in earnest, it would be disingenuous to ignore any of the relevant factors revealed in Scripture pertaining to this question. 23 Instances - Page 1 of 1 - Sort by Book Order - Feedback. That there were likely social protocols to provide for their well-being is good but also underscores the powerlessness of their situation. However, these lists only mention the wives that David had sons with, and the 1 Chronicles list ends with "these were the. In fact, Michal's love for David is . One last word: read Proverbs 31 for a description of The Perfect Wife. Meet Leah: First Wife of Jacob. David took her back after he became king of Judah (2 Samuel 3:12-6). (TV: Sleeper) This article is part of our People from the Bible Series featuring the most well-known historical names and figures from Scripture. - In Deuteronomy 24:5, God made instructions for a husband to prioritize his wifes happiness. This situation was unrecognized by the law because the law insisted that concubines not be treated as slaves (Deuteronomy 21:14). As a result, David took up arms with 400 of his men to seek vengeance and completely wipe out Nabals family line by killing all males. Her story is recorded in 2 Samuel 3:7-11. The prophet Nathan rebuked David, and Bathshebas child died. Affliction: Punishment from God orBlessing? So the stories in Genesis, used for centuries by the Jewish people as guides for daily life, were selected because they illustrated specific clauses in the Code of Hammurabi. Although God provided rights and protections for concubines in the Law of Moses, God did not introduce or approve of this marital model. However, after Solomon became king, Adonijah used Bathsheba to ask Solomon a favor: he wanted Abishags hand in marriage (1 Kings 2:13-23). 7 The statement about Michal's childlessness comes immediately after David's reply to her attack on his behavior (2 Samuel 6:20-23). "May the Lord take vengeance on David's enemies." . The account is given for our instruction and encouragement. Why Is it Important to Remember That Jesus Was Jewish? Gods providence. But rape is more than that, and also less. While we talk a lot about his heroic might, we dont talk much about Davids wives. Given that context, David may have had so many partners because he was in an addictive cycle. Although David's primary motive for marrying Michal seemed to be for political reasons, the Bible tells us Michal loved David. After this woman reconciled with her husband, she left her fathers house with him to travel back to their home in another city. As the mother of Judah, Leah was part of the ancestry that led to the birth of Jesus Christ, the . Joel 2:20 KJV. As Old Testament characters go, King David is probably the most famous. Since the Bible doesnt give us many details about Davids wives, and many of the details we get are so sad, its easy to wonder why we should study their story. Now Davids two wives had been taken captive, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess and Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite. Clause 146 gives the wife the right to punish the handmaid in circumstances similar to those described in Genesis 16, where Sarah arranges for Hagar to be banished into the desert a virtual death sentence. What Was the Sin of Sodom and Gomorrah in the Bible? Concubinage was not part of Gods dream, but because human life now involved sin, God made laws to protect vulnerable women from further oppression, knowing a sinful world would always include broken relationships between men and women. >>Ive been reading up on some of the OT Jewish practices and though no new revelationary light has been shed on any particular event as yet, its still very interesting.>>Like, back when I first discovered what a threshing floor was, I had a new understanding of why God would use it as an illustration, more than the usual explanation of, well, it was just something the ancient Jews were familiar with.>>Shalom!>>p.s.
Armenian Catholic Patriarchate Jerusalem,
Highest-paid Athletes Per Year,
Milford Ma Soccer Roster,
Grace Community Church Sarasota,
Articles D