Michal — Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary

Younger daughter of Saul (1 Sm 14:49). She fell in love with David after his defeat of Goliath (18:20). Saul, jealous of David, offered his first daughter, Merab, to David, but the recent victor graciously declined. When Michal’s love became known to Saul, he renewed his offer of a wife, providing David produce evidence of having killed 100 Philistines—a condition Saul felt would surely lead to David’s death.

Show passage in OET: SA1 14:49

OET-RV SA1 14:49

49 Sha’ul’s sons were Yonatan (Jonathan), Yishvi, and Malkishua. His oldest daughter was Merav, and the younger one was Mikal.

OET-LV SA1 14:49

49 And_ the _sons _of Shāʼūl _they _were Yōnātān and_Yishvī/(Ishvi) and_Malkī- shūˊa and_name _of the _two _of daughters _of_his the _name _of the _firstborn was_Mērāⱱ and_name _of the _young_one was_Mīkāl.

Show passage in OET: SA1 18:20

OET-RV SA1 18:20

20 Now Sha’ul’s other daughter Mikal loved David, and when they told the king, he was pleased about it,

OET-LV SA1 18:20

20 And_ Mīkāl the _daughter _of Shāʼūl _she _loved DOM Dāvid and_people _told to_Shāʼūl and_ the_matter _it _was _pleasing in_eyes _of_his.

Jump to OET SA1 14:49 section.

Jump to OET SA1 18:20 section.

David met Saul’s condition in double measure and married Michal. Saul’s jealousy was only fanned, and he plotted to have David murdered. Michal heard of the plot and assisted in her husband’s escape (1 Sm 19:8-17). During David’s exile, Saul gave Michal to Palti (25:44).

Show passage in OET: SA1 19:8–17

OET-RV SA1 19:8

8 Then war broke out again, and David went out and battled against the Pelishtim and defeated them so badly that they fled away from him.

OET-RV SA1 19:9

9 One day as Sha’ul was sitting in his house, an evil spirit from Yahweh came on him. He had his spear in his hand, and David was playing the harp.

OET-RV SA1 19:10

10 Sha’ul tried to hit David with the spear, but David eluded him and the spear went into the wall. Then David slipped away and fled that night.

OET-RV SA1 19:11

11 Sha’ul sent messengers to watch David’s house to kill him in the morning, but his wife Mikal told him, “If you don’t do something to save your life tonight, you’ll be dead by tomorrow.”

OET-RV SA1 19:12

12 So Mikal lowered David out through the window, and he was able to slip out and take off.

OET-RV SA1 19:13

13 Then she took a household idol and put it in the bed, putting a goats’ hair quilt where the head should be and covering it with the bed-clothes.

OET-RV SA1 19:14

14 When Sha’ul sent messengers to arrest David, she told them, “He’s sick.”

OET-RV SA1 19:15

15 Sha’ul sent the messengers back, telling them, “Bring him up to me bed and all so I can kill him.”

OET-RV SA1 19:16

16 But when the messengers returned, look, it was a household idol in the bed with a goats’ hair quilt as its head.

OET-RV SA1 19:17

17 Sha’ul had Mikal brought in and questioned, “Why did you deceive me like that and sent my enemy off, so that he slipped away?”
¶ “He told me that he’d kill me,” Mikal answered Sha’ul, “if I didn’t help him escape.”

OET-LV SA1 19:8

8 And_ the_war _it _repeated to_be and_ Dāvid _he/it _went _out and_he _fought against_Pəlishtiy and_he _defeated (is)_in_them a _defeat great and_they _fled from_before _of_him.

OET-LV SA1 19:9

9 And_it _became a _spirit _of YHWH evil to Shāʼūl and_he in_house _of_his was_sitting and_spear _of_his in_his/its_hand and_Dāvid was_playing with_hand.

OET-LV SA1 19:10

10 And_ Shāʼūl/(Saul) _he/it _sought to_strike with_spear (on)_Dāvid and_(on)_wall and_he _escaped from_face/in _front _of Shāʼūl and_he _struck DOM the_spear in_wall and_Dāvid he _fled and_he _escaped in_night that.

OET-LV SA1 19:11

11 And_ Shāʼūl _he _sent messengers to the _house _of Dāvid to_watch_for _him and_to_kill_him in_morning and_she _told to_Dāvid Mīkāl his/its_wife/woman to_say if not_you are_delivering DOM life _of_your the_night tomorrow you will _be_put _to _death.

OET-LV SA1 19:12

12 And_ Mīkāl _she _let _down DOM Dāvid through the_window and_he/it _went and_he _fled and_he _escaped.

OET-LV SA1 19:13

13 And_ Mīkāl _she/it _took DOM the_teraphim and_she _put_it into the_bed and_DOM (the)_quilt _of (the)_goat _hair(s) she _put of _its _head _of_the _place and_she _covered_it with_garment.

OET-LV SA1 19:14

14 And_ Shāʼūl _he _sent messengers to_take/accept/receive DOM Dāvid and_she/it _said he is_sick.

OET-LV SA1 19:15

15 And_ Shāʼūl _he _sent DOM the_messengers to_see DOM Dāvid to_say bring _up DOM_him/it on_bed to_me to_kill_him.

OET-LV SA1 19:16

16 And_ the_messengers _they _came and_BEHOLD/LO/SEE the_teraphim was_to the_bed and_the _quilt _of (the)_goat _hair(s) place _of _its _head _of_was_the.

OET-LV SA1 19:17

17 And_ Shāʼūl/(Saul) _he/it _said to Mīkāl to/for_what thus have_you _deceived _me and_you _have _let _go DOM enemy _of_my and_he _has _escaped and_ Mīkāl _she/it _said to Shāʼūl he he _said to_me let_me _go why will_I _kill _you.

Show passage in OET: SA1 25:44

OET-RV SA1 25:44

44 (Meanwhile Sha’ul (Saul) had given his daughter, David’ wife Mikal, to Palti, Layish’s son from Galim.)

OET-LV SA1 25:44

44 And_Shāʼūl/(Saul) he _had _given DOM Mīkāl daughter _of_his the _wife _of Dāvid to_Palţī/(Palti) the _son _of Layish who was_from_Gallim.

Jump to OET SA1 19:8–17 section.

Jump to OET SA1 25:44 section.

Following Saul’s death, Abner negotiated with David, part of the agreement being the return of Michal to David’s household. This was done despite Palti’s remorse (2 Sm 3:12-16). But youthful ardor had apparently suffered strain. When David returned with the ark to Jerusalem, dancing before it, Michal voiced her harsh criticism. David’s reply was equally severe. Michal would remain childless as punishment for her candidness. (The KJB, using inferior manuscripts, reports Michal as the mother of five sons in 2 Samuel 21:8. Adriel, however, was the husband of Merab—a correction reflected in modern versions.)

Show passage in OET: SA2 3:12–16

OET-RV SA2 3:12

12 Then Avner sent messengers to David to tell him, “Who should be king of this country? Let’s come to an agreement and then I could join you and help make all of Yisrael turn to you.”

OET-RV SA2 3:13

13 “Yes, good,” David replied. “I’m happy to come to an agreement with you on one condition: you must bring my wife—Sha’ul’s daughter, Mikal—if you want to be accepted here.”

OET-RV SA2 3:14

14 Then David sent messengers to Sha’ul’s son Ish -Boshet saying, “Give Mikal back to me. I earnt her as my wife with the foreskins of one-hundred Pelishtim.”

OET-RV SA2 3:15

15 So Ish -Boshet had her taken from her husband (Layish’s son Paltiel),

OET-RV SA2 3:16

16 but he walked along behind her, weeping, as far as Bahurim where finally Avner told him to go back home and so he did.

OET-LV SA2 3:12

12 And_ ʼAⱱnēr _he _sent messengers to Dāvid place _of _himself to_say belongs_to_whom the_land to_say make covenant _of_your with_me and_BEHOLD/LO/SEE hand _of_my will_be_with _you to_bring _round to_you DOM all _of Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel).

OET-LV SA2 3:13

13 And_he/it _said good I I _will _make with_you a _covenant only a _thing one I am_asking from_with_you to_say not you _will _see DOM face _of_my if/because (if) to_(the)_face _of/in _front _of/before bring_you DOM Mīkāl the _daughter _of Shāʼūl/(Saul) when_come_you to_see DOM face _of_my.

OET-LV SA2 3:14

14 And_ Dāvid _he _sent messengers to Ish- boshet the _son _of Shāʼūl to_say give DOM wife _of_my DOM Mīkāl whom I _betrothed to_me for_a _hundred foreskins _of Pəlishtiy.

OET-LV SA2 3:15

15 And_ Ish- boshet _he _sent and_he_took _her from_with a _husband from_with Palţī^ʼēl/(Paltiel) the _son _of Layish.

OET-LV SA2 3:16

16 And_he/it _went with_her her/its_husband/man going and_weeping after_her to Baḩurīm and_he/it _said to_him/it ʼAⱱnēr go return and_he _returned.

Show passage in OET: SA2 21:8

OET-RV SA2 21:8

8 Instead he took two of the sons (Armoni and Mefiboshet) of Ritspah (Ayah’s daughter and one of Sha’ul’s slave-wives), as well as five sons of Sha’ul’s daughter Mikal, that she’d bore to Adriel (the son of Barzilay, the Meholati).

OET-LV SA2 21:8

8 And_ the_king _he/it _took DOM the _two _of the _sons _of Riʦpāh the _daughter _of ʼAy^yāh whom she _had _borne to_Shāʼūl DOM ʼArmonī and_DOM Mephiboshet and_DOM the _five _of the _sons _of Mīkāl the _daughter _of Shāʼūl whom she _had _borne to_ˊAdrī^ʼēl the _son _of Barzillay the_Məḩolātī.

Jump to OET SA2 3:12–16 section.

Jump to OET SA2 21:8 section.

David’s overwhelming popularity should not overshadow the courage and passion displayed by Michal. She let her love be known when women hardly took the initiative in courtship, saved David’s life at the risk of her own, was emotionally victimized by her forced marriage and separation from Palti, and voiced her critical convictions against the tide of public opinion.