Michal — Bible person

Rivulet, or who as God?, the younger of Saul’s two daughters by his wife Ahinoam (1 Sam. 14:49, 50). “Attracted by the graces of his person and the gallantry of his conduct, she fell in love with David and became his wife” (18:20-28). She showed her affection for him by promoting his escape to Naioth when Saul sought his life (1 Sam. 19:12-17. Comp. Ps. 59. See TERAPHIM). After this she did not see David for many years. Meanwhile she was given in marriage to another man, Phalti or Phaltiel of Gallim (1 Sam. 25:44), but David afterwards formally reclaimed her as his lawful wife (2 Sam. 3:13-16). The relation between her and David soon after this was altered. They became alienated from each other. This happened on that memorable day when the ark was brought up in great triumph from its temporary resting-place to the Holy City. In David’s conduct on that occasion she saw nothing but a needless humiliation of the royal dignity (1 Chr. 15:29). She remained childless, and thus the races of David and Saul were not mixed. In 2 Sam. 21:8 her name again occurs, but the name Merab should probably be here substituted for Michal (comp. 1 Sam. 18:19).

People and places

Selected passages

Show passage in OET: SA1 18:20-29

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-RV SA1 18:21

21 saying to himself, “I’ll give her to him so she can become a trap for him so the Pelishtim could be the ones to attack him.” So he said a second time, “You’ll become a son-in-law of mine today.”

OET-RV SA1 18:22

22 Then Sha’ul commanded his servants, “Tell David privately, ‘Listen, the king is pleased with you, and all of us his servants love you. So now we think that you should become the king’s son-in-law.’ ”

OET-RV SA1 18:23

23 So they told David privately, but he responded, “Something that significant isn’t likely to happen. I’m hard up and without much honour.”

OET-RV SA1 18:24

24 When Sha’ul’s servants told him what David had said,

OET-RV SA1 18:25

25 he replied, “Pass this onto David, ‘The king doesn’t want an expensive bride price—only a hundred Pelishti foreskins taken from the king’s enemies.’ ” But Sha’ul was still wanting the Pelishtim to be the ones to kill David.

OET-RV SA1 18:26

26 Now when David heard this from the servants, he decided that he could indeed marry the king’s daughter within the time period that had been given,

OET-RV SA1 18:27

27 so he and his men got ready and went and killed two hundred Pelishti men. He brought them to the king and had them counted to fulfill the pledge, and so Sha’ul had to give his daughter Mikal to become his wife.

OET-RV SA1 18:28

28 But when Sha’ul realised that Yahweh was helping David, and that his daughter loved him,

OET-RV SA1 18:29

29 he became more afraid of David, so he remained hostile to David from then on.

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.

OET-LV SA1 18:21

21 And_ Shāʼūl _he/it _said I_will _give _her for_him/it so_that _she _may _become to_him/it (into)_a_snare and_so _that _it _may _be in_him/it the _hand _of the_Pəlishtiy and_ Shāʼūl _he/it _said to Dāvid in_two_times you _will _be _a _son-in-law to_me the_day.

OET-LV SA1 18:22

22 And_ Shāʼūl _he/it _commanded DOM servant _of_his speak to Dāvid in_secrecy to_say HERE he _delights in_you the_king and_all servants _of_his they_love _you and_now be _son-in-law to_king.

OET-LV SA1 18:23

23 And_ the _servants _of Shāʼūl/(Saul) _they _spoke in_the _ears _of Dāvid DOM the_words/messages the_these and_ Dāvid _he/it _said trifling in_eyes _of_your(pl) is_to _be _son-in-law to_king and_I am_a _man poor and_lightly _esteemed.

OET-LV SA1 18:24

24 And_ the _servants _of Shāʼūl _they _told to_him/it to_say according_the _words/messages the_these Dāvid he _spoke.

OET-LV SA1 18:25

25 And_ Shāʼūl _he/it _said thus you(pl)_will _say to_Dāvid there_is_not delight to/for_the _king in_bride-price if/because for_a _hundred foreskins _of Pəlishtiy to_avenge _himself on_the _enemies _of the_king and_Shāʼūl he _planned to_make _fall DOM Dāvid by_the _hand _of the_Pəlishtiy.

OET-LV SA1 18:26

26 And_ servants _of_his _they _told to_Dāvid DOM the_words/messages the_these and_ the_matter _it _was _pleasing in/on_both _eyes _of Dāvid to_be _son-in-law to_king and_not the_days they _were _completed.

OET-LV SA1 18:27

27 And_ Dāvid _he/it _rose _up and_he/it _went he and_men _of_his and_he _struck _down among_Pəlishtiy two _hundred man and_ Dāvid _he/it _brought DOM foreskins _of_their and_people_gave _them _in _full to/for_the _king to_be _son-in-law to_king and_he _gave to_him/it Shāʼūl DOM Mīkāl daughter _of_his to/for_(a)_woman.

OET-LV SA1 18:28

28 And_ Shāʼūl/(Saul) _he/it _saw and_he/it _knew if/because _that YHWH was_with Dāvid and_Mīkāl the _daughter _of Shāʼūl she_loved _him.

OET-LV SA1 18:29

29 And_ Shāʼūl _he _increased to_be _afraid from_face/in _front _of Dāvid again and_he/it _was Shāʼūl an _enemy DOM Dāvid all _of the_days.

Show passage in OET: SA1 19:11-17

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 19:11