”Sons were born to David in Hebron: His firstborn was Amnon by Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; his second, Chileab, by Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite; the third, Absalom the son of Maacah, the daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur; the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital; and the sixth, Ithream, by David’s wife Eglah. These were born to David in Hebron.“
II Samuel 3:2-5 NKJV
a. Sons were born to David: During David’s seven-year reign in Hebron, his six different wives gave birth to six sons. This shows that David went against God’s commandment that Israel’s king should not multiply wives to himself.
i. David was wrong to have more than one wife. His many wives went against God’s command to kings (Deuteronomy 17:17) and against God’s heart for marriage (Genesis 2:24, Matthew 19:4-6).
ii. David’s polygamy was common. Adding many wives was one way great men and especially kings expressed their power and status.
iii. David was troubled because of his many wives. Some wonder why the Bible doesn’t expressly condemn David’s polygamy here, but as is often the case, the Scripture simply states the fact and later records how David reaped the penalty for this sort of sin in regard to his family.
b. These were born to David in Hebron: We must say that God used and blessed David despite his many wives. Yet his family life and these sons were obviously not blessed. “By six wives he had but six sons. God was not pleased with his polygamy.” (Trapp)
i. Amnon raped his half-sister and was murdered by his half-brother.
ii. Chileab is also known as Daniel in 1 Chronicles 3:1. The few mentions of this son indicate that perhaps he died young or that he was an ungodly, unworthy man.
iii. Absalom murdered his half-brother and led a civil war against his father, David, attempting to murder David.
iv. Adonijah tried to seize the throne from David and David’s appointed successor – then he tried to take one of David’s concubines and was executed for his arrogance.
v. We can fairly assume that Shephatiah and Ithream either died young or were ungodly and unworthy men because they are mentioned only once again in the Scriptures – in a generic listing of David’s sons (1 Chronicles 3:1-4). (Guzik)
One Wife
”Neither shall he multiply wives for himself, lest his heart turn away; nor shall he greatly multiply silver and gold for himself.“ Deuteronomy 17:17 NKJV
Speaking of kings.
”Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.“ Genesis 2:24 NKJV
Jesus said:
”And He answered and said to them, “Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning ‘made them male and female,’ and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.”“ Matthew 19:4-6 NKJV
There’s an old saying, happy wife, happy life!
David’s multiple wives lead to disaster especially after he took another man’s wife!
How can multiple wives be happy with the same husband?
Blessings
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