David's Wives in the Bible - Who Were They and Their Story - Christianity Although a rare practice, it was considered a parental right to sell ones child as a slave. In fact, this would fulfill a prophecy Nathan gave when he rebuked David for his infidelity: someone in his household would rebel against him, someone who would shame David by sleeping with Davids wives in public (2 Samuel 12:11-12). When God gave Moses the Law, He established the moral and societal parameters within which He expected the nation of Israel to live. So, when her father gave her to Phalti of Gallem (Paltiel) to wed, she did not oppose it even though she was still David's wife. 10 Bible Studies That Connect Women to God and Each Other. Rather, they are included to show the depth of human depravity the depth of every humans need for Jesus Christ. Article Images Copyright . Moreover, if we are presuming a God that is actively politically engaged in the lives of His people at that time, it is difficult to divorce Him from some responsibility for a system that is essentially slavery, and a slavery which involved sex and marriage as part of its terms. On the way, they stayed the night in Gibeah, and a crowd of wicked men surrounded the house. 1. Ellicotts commentary explains the political significance of Abners act: The harem of an Eastern monarch was considered as the property of his successor, and therefore the taking of a woman belonging to it as the assertion of a claim to the throne.. Solomon replied, you might as well ask me to give him the kingdom! (1 Kings 2:22). Naamah was a wife of Solomon and an Ammonite. In the unsafe world of the Old Testament, a family needed as many men and boys as it could support, Read about the fascinating women of the Old and New Testaments, Bible Study Resource for Bible Women The NIV Zondervan Study Bible makes a note about this situation: A perennial problem in war is rape, but this was forbidden in Israel. For example, in Ebla a couple of millennia earlier: The royal harem was structured like its equivalents in Old Babylonian Mari. For example, Bathsheba bore Solomon to David, and he was part of Jesus genealogy (Matthew 1:6-7). All in all, the Bible makes it clear that Davids polygamy created an enormous amount of pain. In 2020, he won First Prize for Best Feature Story in a regional contest by the Colorado Press Association Network. 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. As the Apostle Paul says, the Law served to reveal our sin and shut all people up under sin (Galatians 3:19-22). Who Were King David's Wives in the Bible - Their Names and How Many In fact, the Bibles narrative makes it clear Davids marriage choices created big problems. Amnom would create much grief for David and the rest of the family when he molested his half-sister Tamar (2 Samuel 13). You killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. James Jacques Joseph Tissot. 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.". God exercises His power in harmony with our free will (even our sinful decisions) to accomplish His divine purposes. 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. The Bible isn't specific about why God allowed his people to continue in sinful systems like this. 5. The average man had one wife, but was allowed to take a second wife if his first wife was barren. This situation was unrecognized by the law because the law insisted that concubines not be treated as slaves (Deuteronomy 21:14). Bathsheba: Theres no doubt Bathsheba is the most known among Davids wives. They are mentioned in 2 Samuel 15:16, 2 Samuel 16:22, and 2 Samuel 20:3. Historical Old Testament accounts should be approached and applied differently than, for example, Apostolic letters in the New Testament. Her dignity had to be guarded, and she could not be treated like a slave. (LogOut/ Michal: Bible | Jewish Women's Archive Regardless of which one is correct, the fact remains David made a mistake having so many wives. Ahinoam married David while he was in exile from Saul, and had Davids firstborn son, Amnon. (Resolving a Supposed BibleContradiction). We know Michal was devoted to David, enough to hide him from her own father. 2 Peter 1:8 chapter context similar meaning copy save. ), 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. Sarah Abraham's wife | Bibleview Learning about Davids poor choices, and the results of those choices help us to understand he was more than the heroic figure we discover in Sunday School. 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? Their status was high, their importance was significant, and the king had to treat them with diplomacy and care. Adonijah would be Davids oldest living son by the time David died and would try to claim the throne for himself. If you have read this far thank you for your time, and be well. Stephen Baker is a graduate of Mount Union University. 1 Samuel 30:18. David slept with Bathsheba and arranged for Uriahs death when he discovered Bathsheba was pregnant (2 Samuel 11:14-27). The actual event itself was equivalent to a royal wedding, and not a rape by any means: The tent was, most likely, the bridal tent (cf. 10 Things You Should Never Say to Your Pastor, 10 Great Ways Wives Can Serve Their Husbands (Yes, Serve! 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.. While reading through Davids life, it is evident he did not always make good decisions. This does NOT mean they were placed or confined in a prison of sorts. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Samuel became a great prophet and judge over Israel. Ideally, worship propels us from the throne room back to practical Christlike love. And how gracious he was to stick with them, love them, provide for them, and give his own self as a complete sacrifice for their sin so that they could forever be with him in heaven. Most of the sons mentioned from these womencaused much strife and grief in Davids family. In the Bible, a concubine was a woman acquired by a man as a secondary wife. The purpose of the law was to expose human sin and point to humanitys need for Christ. David then married Abigail, and she had a son named Daniel. The infamous account of how she became Davids wife is found in 2 Samuel 11. Or more? Comment Eventually, Absalom was ousted and killed (2 Samuel 18), but the troubles continued. For instance, Zimri-Lim, the kind of Mari during the eighteenth century B.C., successfully placed his daughters in the harems of nearby kingdoms and married several foreign wives himself to increase his power and the stability of his realm Similarly Pharaoh Thutmose IV (1425-1412 B.C.) Abner, a rival to King Saul's throne, slept with Rizpah anddefiled her. The Bible routinely describes polygamy in a negative light, so it may be hard to understand why David, a man after Gods own heart, (1 Samuel 13:14) had multiple wives. Christianity.com, Smiths Bible Dictionary Concubine. 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. In Hannah's case she was cruelly taunted by her husband's other wife. 1 Chronicles 3:1-9 lists sons that David had with seven women, six of which he married while living in exile in Hebron. Leah was a loving and faithful wife. She is recorded as a wife in Genesis 25:1 but is recorded as a concubine in I Chronicles 1:32. Code of Hammurabi, choosing a husband or wife, the fascinating women of the Old and New Testaments. Even though her husband Jacob favored Rachel, Leah remained committed, enduring this unfairness through faith in God. So, based on what we know, David had at least eight wives, and we learn in 2 Samuel that he had at least ten concubines. Through no fault of her own, she was not one of the "beautiful people" and it caused her a lifetime of heartache. 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. Joel 2:20 KJV. Abraham expels Hagar and Ishmael from the tribe. Michal was the wife who found herself in the kind of family feud that many women face, except that Michal's family feud was on a scale that determined the future of Israel. Source here. Copyright 2023, Christianity.com. As the mother of Judah, Leah was part of the ancestry that led to the birth of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world. When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. As a result, Bathsheba became pregnant with their illegitimate child and told David he was the father. BARRENNESS AND FERTILITY, the inability or ability of man and woman to procreate.Procreation is considered a blessing in the Bible and it is a commandment (Gen. 1:28; 9:7; Rashi, ibid.) The Bible states he had many wives, but never adds anything like and this was accorded to him as wisdom which would imply God approved. So, they were at least on speaking terms later in life. He need only give 100 Philistine foreskins as dowry. What Was the Sin of Sodom and Gomorrah in the Bible? Many Bible experts say the verse refers to Leah's lack of attractiveness rather than her eyesight. He attends Faith Fellowship Church in East Rochester, OH where he has given multiple sermons and is discipled by pastor Chet Howes. 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. In situations of dire poverty, women had very few options. These were born to David at Hebron. Sarai, Being Barren, Gives Hagar To AbramIsaac Prays For Rebekah, Being BarrenHe Cherishes Hannah, Though Barren, And Provoked By PeninnahMore BarrenPatmosWildernessGilboaLeafElementsSaltMore "But Sarai was barren; she had no child." 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! People in the biblical era married much earlier than modern couples do, and marriages were arranged between families. - In Genesis 2:22-24, God clearly designed marriage to be a union of one man and one woman. - In Deuteronomy 24:5, God made instructions for a husband to prioritize his wifes happiness. Genesis 17:17 . Genesis 25:6 suggests that Keturah was Abrahams concubine. But Scripture tells us that he had other wives plus a number of unknown concubines. As the mother of Judah, Leah was part of the ancestry that led to the birth of Jesus Christ, the . When notified, Abigail hurried to intercede on behalf of her husband. ), 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. 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. When it came time to be paid, Nabal instead refused to pay David and his men. GotQuestions.org, Who was Keturah in the Bible?. California - Do Not Sell My Personal Information. As mentioned earlier, Adonijah then used the almost concubine status of Abishag to try and get closer to the throne. David clearly struggled with this many times. (NIV). 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. There was a certain man of Zorah, of the tribe of the Danites, whose name was Manoah. Note: I did not write this. 2 Kings 2:19 KJV, "The grave; and the barren womb; the earth that is not filled with water; and the fire that saith not, It is enough." 13, 2007, pp. God explicitly prohibited polygamy. Regarding Davids wives, we have a grim reminder of what happens when we neglect to live as God commands. The first is that everything in the Bible is worth learning on some level. 2 Kings 2:21 KJV, "They that were full have hired out themselves for bread; and they that were hungry ceased: so that the barren hath born seven; and she that hath many children is waxed feeble." The Man With Ten Wives | Sara Davidson Now king David was old and stricken in years; and they covered him with clothes, but . But the thing that David had done was evil in the sight of the Lord. Lets look at various aspects of the text/context: a. In this way there was continuity of treaty obligations. [BBCOT:in loc.]. Copyright 2023, Christianity.com. 8 Blessed Mothers in the Bible - Learn Religions "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.. 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. But the thing that David had done was evil in the sight of the, He said, Good! All of these theories have some evidence behind them and leave us with something to chew on. God makes the ultimate mockery of sin by taking our wicked decisions and using them for His good purposes (Genesis 50:20; Romans 8:28). Monday Morning Prayers with Rev: 17th July 2023. What Does the Bible Say About Barren Women? - OpenBible.info What Is a Concubine? 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. When David danced before the Ark of the Covenant as it entered Jerusalem, Michal rebuked him for his undignified behavior. But rape is more than that, and also less. Not only that. But the story of Rebecca shows the young people were consulted about the choice of a husband or wife. Affliction: Punishment from God orBlessing? Genesis 29:31 KJV, "There shall nothing cast their young, nor be barren, in thy land: the number of thy days I will fulfil." Choosing a husband or wife. What Do We Know About Naamah in the Bible? The Wife of Solomon 99 Bible Verses about Barren Women. The list of wives married during his exile is repeated in 2 Samuel 3:2-5. After this, the Lord struck Nabal and took his life. 8 I gave your master's house to you, and your master's wives into . I found this article and thought Id put it up because I never could offer an explanation for this. Its the false assumption Scripture condones all behavior recorded in the historical narratives of the Bible, especially if Gods disapproval is not explicitly expressed in the immediate context of the behaviors in question. Free will is a tremendous gift given to us by God because it enables our actions to have meaning and purpose; however, we can abuse it to do unspeakable things in pursuit of our selfish ambitions. 12 You did it in secret, but I will do this thing in broad daylight before all Israel. Her heartbreaking story is recorded in Judges 19-21. If Christians are not ready, they will get blind-sided by such objections and may even suffer doubt of their own faith. 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 ). 7 Verses to Remind Us Where Our Worth Comes From, 4 Things You May Not Know About Abraham in the Bible, 20 Facts You May Not Know About Moses from the Bible, California - Do Not Sell My Personal Information. According to Lev 18:8; 20:11; Deut 22:30 [MT 23:1]; 27:20 it was forbidden for a son to take his fathers wife, at least while the father was alive (cf.