”Then Abner sent messengers on his behalf to David, saying, “Whose is the land?” saying also, “Make your covenant with me, and indeed my hand shall be with you to bring all Israel to you.” And David said, “Good, I will make a covenant with you. But one thing I require of you: you shall not see my face unless you first bring Michal, Saul’s daughter, when you come to see my face.” So David sent messengers to Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, saying, “Give me my wife Michal, whom I betrothed to myself for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines.” And Ishbosheth sent and took her from her husband, from Paltiel the son of Laish. Then her husband went along with her to Bahurim, weeping behind her. So Abner said to him, “Go, return!” And he returned.“ II Samuel 3:12-16 NKJV
a. You shall not see my face unless you first bring Michal, Saul’s daughter: David received Michal in marriage (1 Samuel 18:26-28), but Saul took her away to spite David (1 Samuel 25:44).
b. Whom I betrothed to myself for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines: 1 Samuel 18:20-30 describes how David used this unusual payment instead of a dowry for the right to marry the daughter of King Saul.
i. “He might have said two hundred; but he thought better to speak with the least.” (Trapp)
c. Give me my wife Michal: Apparently, David was not done with adding to his collection of wives. He insisted on receiving Michal as his wife again for at least three reasons.
i. David remembered that Michal was his wife, by both love and right, and that King Saul took her away as part of a deliberate strategy to attack and destroy David.
ii. David wanted to show that he harbored no bitterness towards Saul’s house, and he would show this through his good treatment of Saul’s daughter.
iii. David wanted to give himself a greater claim to Saul’s throne as his son-in-law.
iv. “However distressing it was to take her from a husband who loved her most tenderly, yet prudence and policy required that he should strengthen his own interest in the kingdom as much as possible.” (Clarke)
d. Abner said to him, “Go, return!” And he returned: This fits with the personality of Abner as we know him throughout 1 and 2 Samuel. Abner was a very tough guy. (Guzik)
Harbored No Bitterness!
Bitterness is an easy trap to fall into due to our sinful nature! There are times it rears its ugly head and when I discover that the snare has been set by the devil I pray for the Lord to remove its ugly head from my heart.
I am reminded of several verses;
”looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled;“
Hebrews 12:15 NKJV
”Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice.“ Ephesians 4:31 NKJV
Have you fallen short of the grace of God by allowing the root of bitterness into your heart? ❤️
Blessings
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