Read: 2 Samuel 3:12-21
One thing I require of you; that is, you shall not see my face unless you first bring Michal, Saul’s daughter, when you come. (v. 13)
It’s easy for us to feel sympathy for Michal. She was used as a political pawn by her father, to be a “snare” for David (see 1 Sam. 18:21). She was then separated from the husband she loved by Saul’s murderous intentions—and then given to another man in marriage. Now that Saul was dead, David had come to the throne as the king of Judah, and her father’s old general, Abner, wanted to make him king over all Israel. This is the setting for David’s demand that his first wife, Michal, be restored to him.
But was this just a political move on David’s part? No doubt being married to the former king’s daughter helped his claim to the throne. But David’s actions towards the house of Saul were always respectful. (See his treatment of Mephibosheth in 2 Samuel 9.) David and Michal were separated for years but never divorced. In David’s mind, Michal was his wife and should be restored to her place of honor by his side. She was not a mere pawn but a missing member of his family.
Had Michal been wronged and mistreated? Certainly! Manipulated, victimized, and powerless, Michal’s heart was fertile ground for bitterness to take root. But it was her father, Saul, who had used her for his own purposes—not David. People make choices, and as a result Michal started to resent one man in particular.
As you pray, ask God to reveal any root of bitterness in your heart.
About the Author
Laura N. Sweet is a wife, mother, grandmother, and former Christian schoolteacher from Midland, Michigan. She writes devotional material for both adults and children, and her work has appeared in more than a dozen publications.
