Was David right or wrong to make a peace deal contingent on getting his ex-wife back? – 2 Samuel 2:9-3:39, Part 3

In the previous post, Abner, the top general of the eleven tribes of Israel, has just been dishonored and shamed by his king, Ish-Bosheth. Deeply angered, Abner not only threatens to reach out to David, who is now king of the other tribe Judah, but also Abner begins organizing a massive defection to David.  How will David react?  In 2nd Samuel chapter 3, verse 13, we read David’s response to Abner.

“‘Good,’ said David. ‘I will make an agreement with you. But I demand one thing of you: Do not come into my presence unless you bring Michal daughter of Saul when you come to see me.’ 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.’ So Ish-Bosheth gave orders and had her taken away from her husband Paltiel son of Laish. Her husband, however, went with her, weeping behind her all the way to Bahurim. Then Abner said to him, ‘Go back home!’ So he went back.”

As we learned in the previous post, David practices polygamy. Why does David need more women?  He doesn’t!  But this woman is well-known to David. David is asking for his first wife, Michal, to be returned to him.  Remember Michal?  She loved David.  She helped David escape from Saul’s house when Saul started hunting David.  Saul, in retaliation, orchestrated a forced divorce between David and Michal, and Saul gave Michal to another man.  Now David wants her back.  David is not wrong. Michal is rightfully his wife.

Yet here again, I believe we are getting a sense of David’s poor approach to women and marriage.  Why can’t he let Michal just be with her new husband? Or at least give her the choice? What about what she wants?  She was with her new husband likely longer than she was with David.  And furthermore, David has six other wives.  Why does he have to break up Michal’s new family?  David doesn’t have to break up Michal and her new husband.  But he chooses to anyway.  Why?  Arrogance?  Pride?  Honor?  What is going on in David’s heart and mind here?  We don’t know.

We read in those verses that Ish-Bosheth approves the forcible taking of Michal.  It goes to show that Abner is serious about defecting.  David had told Abner, “Bring me Michal,” as a kind of pledge that Abner was true to his word.” Abner brings Michal.

It’s also a very sad story, as her husband is weeping when Abner comes to take Michal away.  That had to be an awful situation.    

With Michal in hand, I’m going to summarize verses 17-21, which describe what happens next. Abner, the general who had installed Saul’s son as king of the eleven tribes, now goes to the elders of Israel, trying to convince them that they should make David king of all Israel. Abner also speaks personally to the tribe of Benjamin, which is Ish-Bosheth’s tribe.  Finally, Abner reports to David that all Israel is going to make David king.  Abner and David feast together, then depart.  Abner seems to have fully turned his back on Ish-Bosheth. 

Is this for real?  Is Abner powerful enough to convince everyone?  Is he working for peace?  Could Israel truly become unified and put an end to war?  It seems like Abner is making it happening. 

Then suddenly everything changes. We’ll learn how in the next post.

Photo by Nathan Fertig on Unsplash