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In the Hebrew Bible, King David had many wives.
Contents
David's first wife
King Saul initially offered David his oldest daughter Merab. David did not refuse the offer, but humbled himself in front of Saul to be considered among the King's family. Saul reneged and instead gave Merab in marriage to Adriel the Meholathite. Having been told that his younger daughter Michal was in love with David, Saul gave her in marriage to David upon David's payment in Philistine foreskins.
Saul became jealous of David and tried to have him killed. David escaped. Then Saul sent Michal to Galim to marry Palti, son of Laish. As years passed, David married many women and wanted Michal back. In response to David's plea, Saul’s son Ish-boshet delivered her to David, causing her husband (Palti) great grief.
When David brought the Ark of the Covenant to the City of David, Michal watched him from her window. She was displeased with his behavior because he was wearing the linen ephod on that occasion and not what royalty should be wearing in public. However David claimed he did what he did before the Lord and that is what justified him.
Michal had no children with David. Somewhat discrepantly she, rather than Merab, is said to have had 5 sons with Adriel. Many scholars believe this to be an ancient copyist error, that the 5 sons were actually Merab's but an ancient copyist accidentally wrote "Michal" in place of "Merab". The name "Michal" appears in the Hebrew Bible and KJV, but many modern translations substitute Merab for Michal, restoring the hypothesized original text.
Hebron
David's wives in Hebron, according to 2 Samuel 3.
Wives and children in Jerusalem
David probably married more wives in Jerusalem or had children by concubines, according to 2 Samuel 5. The number is not clear.
Literature
The biblical story of King David and his wives inspired many modern day writers. Some of these books are:
Queenmaker/ India Edghill
A Novel of King David’s Queen.
Bathsheba/ Jill Eileen Smith
Michal/ Jill Eileen Smith
Abigail/ Jill Eileen Smith
Jill Eileen Smith, bestselling author of The Wives of King David series, draws on Scripture, historical research, and her imagination.
David’s wives/ Haya Shraga
Hebrew: נשות דוד / חיה שרגא בן-איון
The book is written in Hebrew. It is based on the author’s doctorate in which she wrote on the biblical figures:
Michal, Avigail and Batsheva.