The Book of Samuel 25 closes out with a close-up portrait of David’s homelife. In addition to his first wife, Michal, daughter of King Saul (Samuel 18), he also married Abigail and Ahinoam. But, then, things turn weird, as the very last verse records: “Now Saul had given Michal his daughter, David’s wife to Palti the son of Laish, who was of Gallim.”
”David also took Ahinoam of Jezreel; and they became both of them his wives.”
Here Abravanel investigates David and Michal’s relationship: Were they married or divorced? Who was Palti and what does it mean that Saul gave Michal to him? Many writers have attempted to explain the verses, but not adequately for Abravanel who mercilessly criticizes them all.
Our start point assumes that David and Michal were married because the Bible records their marriage but not their divorce. King Saul had not pressured David to end the relationship, nor had the couple sought to call it quits. Next, focus turns to Palti generally, but more specifically, what is the meaning that Saul gave Michal to Palti?
It is unconscionable that Saul would give over Michal – married to David – to Palti for a wife. This rates as preposterous, since Saul was a God-fearing personality. Abravanel lays it out. Saul learned that David married Abigail and Ahinoam. The king fretted over his daughter’s state of mind. Would crisis ensue considering her marital limbo, seeing that her husband wed two others? Would she be tempted (and submit to temptation) by seeking intimacy with another man? Of course, Saul reflected on the affront to his own prestige should Michal be unfaithful to David. These matters weighed heavy upon the king, especially because he had been responsible for making his son in law a persona non gratis; he chased him away.
Saul, Abravanel teaches, needed damage control. For one thing, he wanted to lend moral support to his daughter, who lived as a lonely widow. For another thing, Saul did not want to contemplate the slight to his own honor, should Michal bolt in search of David. At wits end, Saul came up with a plan, one that involved Palti the son of Laish.
Saul trusted Palti to keep a close eye on Michal and be a kind companion to console the young woman. Abravanel surmises that Palti was an older gentleman, married with a family of his own. Saul calculated that Michal would become, if you will, part of Palti’s family. However, in no way were Palti and Michal joined in matrimony – Heaven forfend!
Abravanel finds support for this approach from a verse at the end of II Samuel 21. There we read that not only had Saul set up Michal with Palti, but the king also had sent Merav’s (Saul’s other daughter) five children to Michal. Such a living arrangement – Michal and five nephews – would provide Michal with a warm environment, and an opportunity to alleviate loneliness. One big happy family, including paternal Palti, would gladden Michal’s downhearted blues. Thus we find: “And the five sons of Michal the daughter of Saul, whom she bore to Adriel…” As stated, the five sons had been born to Merav, but since Michal raised them, the Bible calls them her own.
In sum, David and Michal were still married. For his part, King Saul had not given over Michal to Palti for matrimony. For that reason, the verse clarifies that Saul gave Michal to Palti, but not for purposes of marriage.