2 Samuel 3:14

14 Then David sent messengers to Saul's son Ishbaal, saying, "Give me my wife Michal, to whom I became engaged at the price of one hundred foreskins of the Philistines."

2 Samuel 3:14 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 3:14

And David sent messengers to Ishbosheth, Saul's son
When Abner's messengers returned to him, and acquainted him with the condition of David's entering into a league with him, it is highly probable that Abner sent them or others to David, to let him know that he could not do this of himself; that it was advisable for him to write to Ishbosheth, whose sister she was, and demand her of him; and that then he would use his interest with Ishbosheth to grant it, and this method David took:

saying, deliver [me] my wife Michal, which I espoused to me for an
hundred foreskins of the Philistines;
two arguments he made use of to enforce his demand; one is, that it was his wife he required, to whom he had a right, and no other man; and the other is, that he had purchased her at a great expense, at the risk of his life, in slaying an hundred Philistines, whose foreskins he paid in for her at the instance of Saul; he mentions but one hundred, though he gave two hundred as her dowry, no more being required than one hundred; see ( 1 Samuel 18:25 1 Samuel 18:27 ) . Josephus very wrongly says six hundred ^F2; the Syriac and Arabic have here two hundred.

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FOOTNOTES:

F2 Antiqu. l 7. c. 1. sect. 4.

2 Samuel 3:14 In-Context

12 Abner sent messengers to David at Hebron, saying, "To whom does the land belong? Make your covenant with me, and I will give you my support to bring all Israel over to you."

13 He said, "Good; I will make a covenant with you. But one thing I require of you: you shall never appear in my presence unless you bring Saul's daughter Michal when you come to see me."

14 Then David sent messengers to Saul's son Ishbaal, saying, "Give me my wife Michal, to whom I became engaged at the price of one hundred foreskins of the Philistines."

15 Ishbaal sent and took her from her husband Paltiel the son of Laish.

16 But her husband went with her, weeping as he walked behind her all the way to Bahurim. Then Abner said to him, "Go back home!" So he went back.

Footnotes

• [a]. Heb [Ish-bosheth]