Sons were born to David at Hebron: his firstborn was Amnon, by Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; and his second, Chileab, by Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite; and the third, Absalom the son of Maacah, the daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur; and the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; and the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital; and the sixth, Ithream, by Davids wife Eglah. Scripture doesnt explain why Solomon disliked the request, but he seems to have seen it as a threat to his power. Ahinoam married David while he was in exile from Saul, and had Davids firstborn son, Amnon. When David killed Goliath, God granted him kingship and wisdom and enforced it (Q38:20). "[157], Scholars such as Israel Finkelstein, Lily Singer-Avitz, Ze'ev Herzog and David Ussishkin do not accept these conclusions. In addition, David had an unknown number of "concubines." ( 1 Chr 3:9 ) ( 2 Sam 5:13 ) ( 2 Sam 16:21-22 ) ( 2 Sam 20:3 tells us he had at least 10). Together with Solomon, David gave judgment in a case of damage to the fields (Q21:78) and David judged the matter between two disputants in his prayer chamber (Q38:2123). These were born to David at Hebron. The meaning of the Hebrew clause is uncertain. 1 Samuel 30:3 - Bible Hub She is "of good sense and beautiful in looks," while he is "hard and evil in his deeds" (v. 3). Regardless of which one is correct, the fact remains David made a mistake having so many wives. God ultimately forgave David and Bathsheba but would not remove their sins from Scripture. As mentioned earlier, Adonijah then used the almost concubine status of Abishag to try and get closer to the throne. 20David also captured all the flocks and herds, and the people drove the livestock before him,[c] and said, This is David's spoil.. While reading through this account, we inevitably stumble across the puzzling records of King David's wives and concubines. 17And David struck them down from twilight until the evening of the next day, and not a man of them escaped, except four hundred young men, who mounted camels and fled. - Haggith was Adonijah's mother. Now Saul had a concubine whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah; and Ish-bosheth said to Abner, Why have you gone in to my fathers concubine? 2 Samuel 3:7 (NASB). When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, Blessed be the Lord, who has pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal and has kept back His servant from evil. and his second, Chileab, by Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite; and the third, Absalom the son of Maacah, the daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur; David had also taken Ahinoam of Jezreel, and they both became his wives. [42], Jonathan meets with David again and confirms his loyalty to David as the future king. All Israel loves David, but his popularity causes Saul to fear him ("What else can he wish but the kingdom?"). His fame increase as a result, earning the praise of figures like king Toi of Hamath, Hadadezer's rival. Michal David's First Wife Amid this numerical confusion, three of the many wives of David in the Bible stand out because their relationships provide significant insights into David's character. David had numerous wives and concubines. They are as follows: Michal:She is the first of Davids wives. The Bible speaks of nineteen sons and a daughter Tamar. Davids family is an example of the disasters to come. 5And when his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell upon his sword and died with him. Who was Abigail in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org 8When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over all Israel, all the Philistines went up to search for David. Article Images Copyright . California - Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Years later, after Absalom killed his brother Amnon for what he did to Tamar, Absalom rebelled against David and forced him to flee Jerusalem. 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. And when David came near to the people he greeted them. Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Does 2 Samuel 12:8 mean God approved of Davids polygamy. Chileab (or Daniel), whose mother was Abigail, the widow of Nabal, who David married after. All rights reserved. Where in the Bible Did David Marry Michal? Abigail was the second of Davids wives. [133], Besides the two steles, Bible scholar and Egyptologist Kenneth Kitchen suggests that David's name also appears in a relief of Pharaoh Shoshenq, who is usually identified with Shishak in the Bible. [8][9] Apart from this, all that is known of David comes from biblical literature, the historicity of which has been extensively challenged,[10] and there is little detail about David that is concrete and undisputed.[11]. How Many Wives Did King David Have? - Grunge [143][151][152][153][154][155] In 2010, archaeologist Eilat Mazar announced the discovery of part of the ancient city walls around the City of David, which she believes date to the tenth century BCE. Neither are the usual concerns, expressed elsewhere in the Bible, of mercy and justice for the vulnerable. The Torah (Deut. In the springtime, when all kings ride out to war, David neglected his responsibilities as king and sent Joab, the commander of his army, to fight in his stead. (David) -- perhaps "beloved one," a son of Jesse", "New reading of Mesha Stele could have far-reaching consequences for biblical history", "High-tech study of ancient stone suggests new proof of King David's dynasty", "Jesse's Sons How many sons did Jesse, King David's father, have? [87] According to the parallel narrative in 1 Samuel 21, instead of killing the man who had exacted so many casualties from him, Abimelech allows David to leave, exclaiming, "Am I so short of madmen that you have to bring this fellow here to carry on like this in front of me? The evidence suggested that David ruled only as a chieftain over an area which cannot be described as a state or as a kingdom, but more as a chiefdom, much smaller and always overshadowed by the older and more powerful kingdom of Israel to the north. His piety was said to be so great that his prayers could bring down things from Heaven. This is a practice you can implement when trying to create a new habit, where you attach the new habit to something you already have a habit of doing. He need only give 100 Philistine foreskins as dowry. Even if polyamory trends (and there are indications it already is), we shouldnt look like those around us. This article is part of our larger Inspiring Quotes resource meant to encourage and strengthen your faith. 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? Stephen Baker is a graduate of Mount Union University. Here are the eight wives: Michalwas Davids original wife, Sauls daughter whom David won by killing 100 Philistines (1 Samuel 18:24-27). What Was the Sin of Sodom and Gomorrah in the Bible? All rights reserved. "[10], The Tel Dan Stele, discovered in 1993, is an inscribed stone erected by Hazael, a king of Damascus in the late 9th/early 8th centuries BCE. 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). Who Were King David's Wives in the Bible - Bible Study Tools If he wanted to marry someone, he did. Jewish Women says that equating Eglah with Michal was the rabbis' way of bringing David's marriages into line with the requirements of Deuteronomy 17:17, a law of Torah which mandates that the king "shall not have many wives." Davids wife is always called Ahinoam the Jezreelitess. 1 Samuel 25 NIV - David, Nabal and Abigail - Bible Gateway Therefore, he was not the first contender for the throne. It can no longer be argued that the Kingdom of Judah developed only in the late eighth century BCE or at some other later date. If Nathan was trying to say that David should not have had sexual relations with Bathsheba because he had been given all the wives of Saul, then why did Nathan include so many gifts? We know that he slept with Bathsheba when she was already married and killed her husband when she got pregnant. Regarding Davids wives, we have a grim reminder of what happens when we neglect to live as God commands. [33] Refusing the king's offer of the royal armour,[34] he kills Goliath with his sling. 6And David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke (E)of stoning him, because all the people were bitter in soul,[b] each for his sons and daughters. Why did God give King David all of Saul's wives? David was the youngest son of Jesse from the tribe of Judah. When the time of mourning was over, David sent and brought her to his house and she became his wife; then she bore him a son. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. Amnom would create much grief for David and the rest of the family when he molested his half-sister Tamar (2 Samuel 13). We'll dive into that in a little bit. 12And they left their gods there, and David gave command, and they were burned. This is a different woman from Davids wife with the same name, Ahinoam. Although the Bible doesnt give us a glimpse of how he moved in her life, we know that he saw her. [139] They noted a lack of archeological evidence for David's military campaigns and a relative underdevelopment of Jerusalem, the capital of Judah, compared to a more developed and urbanized Samaria, capital of Israel during the 9th century BCE. The First Book of Samuel and the First Book of Chronicles both identify David as the son of Jesse, the Bethlehemite, the youngest of eight sons. [58], During a siege of the Ammonite capital of Rabbah, David remains in Jerusalem. The Number, Location, and Mothers of David's Children. We can learn much from his mistakes. They are: Ahinoam of Jezreel; Abigail (the widow of Nabal of Carmel) Maakah daughter of Talmai king of Geshur; Haggith; Abital; Eglah; Michal (daughter of Saul) Bathsheba 8:18; 15:18; 20:7, 23; 1 Kgs. He was a man after Gods own heart, but that doesnt mean he got everything right. 5David's (D)two wives also had been taken captive, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel. Second, jumping the gun is never a good idea. More on him in a moment. Abigail ( Hebrew: , Modern: Avgayl, Tiberian: Aayl) was an Israelite woman in the Hebrew Bible married to Nabal; she married the future King David after Nabal's death ( 1 Samuel 25 ). Lewis QuotesElisabeth Elliot QuotesMother Teresa Quotes, 7 Soundtracks for Every Feeling in the Christian Life. [143] He compared David to Labaya, a Caananite warlord living during the time of Pharaoh Akhenaten. 2 Samuel 3:2-5 (NASB). Commentary on II Samuel 22, The Anchor Bible, Vol. Following is a list of the wives of David that we know the names of, along with where they were from, and Bible verses that mention them. There are several key places in the Bible that describe Davids wives. David's sons born in Jerusalem of his other wives included Ibhar, Elishua, Eliphelet, Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia, Elishama and Eliada. [1] The ideal that we see in Eden, of a man and a woman living together in mutuality and unity, is nowhere to be seen in this story. All rights reserved. Abigail: Bible | Jewish Women's Archive 13And the Philistines yet again (H)made a raid in the valley. The instance in the Book of Jashar, excerpted in Samuel 2 (1:26), where David "proclaims that Jonathan's love was sweeter to him than the love of a woman", has been compared to Achilles' comparison of Patroclus to a girl and Gilgamesh's love for Enkidu "as a woman". He attends Faith Fellowship Church in East Rochester, OH where he has given multiple sermons and is discipled by pastor Chet Howes. 2:5]. He has preserved us and given into our hand the band that came against us. And they gave him bread and he ate. "[137], In 2007, Israel Finkelstein and Neil Asher Silberman stated that the archaeological evidence shows that Judah was sparsely inhabited and Jerusalem no more than a small village. What Does the Bible Say about Visiting Graves? The answer begins to unfold in2 Samuel 12:8 where we are informed that God gave David all of Sauls possessions: Sauls house, his wives, the kingdom and many more things., Nathan then said to David, You are the man! David's Marriages Played Pivotal Roles in His Life, Culture Club / Contributor / Hulton Archive / Getty Images. Learn Religions. Augsburg 1858, ", " , ", "A view from Copenhagen: Israel and the History of Palestine", "New reading of the Mesha Stele inscription has major consequences for biblical history", "First Person: Did the Kingdoms of Saul, David and Solomon Actually Exist? [17] In 1 Samuel 17:25, it states that King Saul had said that he would make whoever killed Goliath a very wealthy man, give his daughter to him and declare his father's family exempt from taxes in Israel. Including one namedHaggith? David escaped. Copyright 2023, Christianity.com. If we count the son who died in infancy after having been conceived through David's adulterous relationship with Bathsheba ( 2 Samuel 12:16-23 ), David had at . And 2 Samuel 3 mentions that Ahinoam has David's firstborn son, Amnon. Biography of Moses, Leader of the Abrahamic Religions, The Bible Says 'No' to Talking to the Dead, 13 Thank You Bible Verses to Express Your Appreciation, Bathsheba and David: Biblical Romance and Tragedy, Maachah the daughter of King Talmai of Geshur, that she was really David's favorite wife, that because of her beauty she was nicknamed "Eglah," meaning calf or calf-like, that she died giving birth to David's son Ithream. Her troublesome son. Maakah also had at least one daughter, David's only daughter mentioned in the Bible: Tamar ( 2 Samuel 13:1 ). In 2 Samuel 12:8 we are told that God gave King David all of Sauls wives. Given that context, David may have had so many partners because he was in an addictive cycle. If their biological children ruled Israel, that could secure them for life. New American Standard Bible Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. David's story also includes many marriages that influenced his rise and fall. King David essentially had his pick of the litter as king of Israel. David (/devd/; Biblical Hebrew: , romanized:Dw, "beloved one")[a][4] was, according to the Hebrew Bible, the third king of the United Kingdom of Israel. You may unsubscribe from Bible Gateways emails at any time. The second is that their stories show us a side of David we often forget. 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. English Standard Version. [156] In 2006, Kenneth Kitchen came to a similar conclusion, arguing that "the physical archaeology of tenth-century Canaan is consistent with the former existence of a unified state on its terrain. [158] Finkelstein does not accept the dating of these structures to the 10th century BCE, based in part on the fact that later structures on the site penetrated deep into underlying layers, that the entire area had been excavated in the early 20th century and then backfilled, that pottery from later periods was found below earlier strata, and that consequently the finds collected by E. Mazar cannot necessarily be considered as retrieved in situ. [43] Returning from battle with the Philistines, Saul heads to Ein Gedi in pursuit of David and enters the cave where, as it happens, David and his supporters are hiding, "to attend to his needs". Solomon finds Adonijahs request disrespectful. We know Abigail was unusually wise, and nothing about how she related to David later in life. Missing from the 1 Chronicles 3 list of sons and wives is Michal, daughter of King Saul who reigned c. 1025-1005 B.C. Hope Bolingeris an acquisitions editor at End Game Press, and the author 21+ books. Bible Answer: In 2 Samuel 12:8 we are told that God gave King David all of Saul's wives. David remembers his promise and makes Solomon king. [119][120] Others hold that the David story is a political apologyan answer to contemporary charges against him, of his involvement in murders and regicide. [145][146][147], Lester L. Grabbe wrote in 2017: "The main question is what kind of settlement Jerusalem was in Iron IIA: was it a minor settlement, perhaps a large village or possibly a citadel but not a city, or was it the capital of a flourishingor at least an emergingstate? [30], After God sends an evil spirit to torment Saul, his servants recommend that he send for a man skilled in playing the lyre.