Thursday, February 23, 2017

One of Eli's sons married a woman who went into untimely labor upon hearing that her husband and his brother--Eli's two sons--had been killed in battle and that the ark of the covenant had been stolen by the Philistines.  She died in childbirth and what God said about Eli not having an heir was fulfilled.

The next women mentioned were King Saul's two daughters Merab and Michal, and his wife Ahinoam.

Saul told David, "I will give you my oldest daughter Merab for your wife."  But when it was time for the wedding, Saul gave her in marriage to another man.  Then Saul said, "You can still be my son-in-law--I will give you my younger daughter."  Which must have pleased Michal for she had fallen in love with David.  But Saul told David he had to kill one hundred Philistines to get her.  His plan was to be sure David was killed in battle.  But David killed two hundred Philistines  and claimed Michal as his prize.

Saul hated David because he had become famous due to his brave exploits.  The women of the city danced when he returned from battle.  So Saul set his heart to kill David.  And Michal warned David, "Get out of here before morning.  If you don't, my father plans to have you killed.  You are going to end up dead."  So she helped him out of the palace through a window, took an idol and put it in his bed, covered it up to look like a body.  When the soldiers came to get David, Michal told them that he was sick and couldn't get up.  So Saul told them to bring him in to him, bed and all.

"You have deceived me and let my enemy escape," Saul railed at Michal.  "Why have you done this to your father!"  She answered him, "He threatened to kill me if I didn't help him."  So David escaped.  Michal loved David more than she loved her father.

Years later in retaliation, Saul forced her to marry another man.  There is more to this story--David gets her back in the end.

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