”And unto David were sons born in Hebron. And his firstborn was Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess.”
This chapter chronicles King David’s growing family. In rapid succession, verse after verse introduces readers to David’s wives and sons. After reading about Amnon born to Ahinoam, we learn of a second son “Chileab, of Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite, and the third, Absalom the son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur and the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; and the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital; and the sixth, Ithream, of Eglah David's wife. These were born to David in Hebron.”
During the Hebron sojourn, indeed, King David’s family grew by leaps and bounds. Abravanel notes an anomaly concerning Abigail’s son Chileab. Namely, in the Book of Chronicles, this boy’s name is recorded as Daniel and not Chileab. (See I Chronicles 3.). Seemingly, the lad was given two names – for good reason. The name Daniel refers to God’s judgement, as the Hebrew word instructs. Specifically, David joyfully called the boy Daniel because the Maker took up David’s cause against Abigail’s louse of a husband, Nabal. Recall, the wealthy herdsman humiliated David in his time of need. On the run and falling on hard times, David ordered his men to ask Nabal for food.
Deaf ears. The rotten cheapskate unceremoniously tossed David’s men out of his house emptyhanded. Now, sometime later, David rejoiced in the Creator for having vindicated him. (See I Samuel 25.) Marking victory over no-good Nabal, David chose the name Daniel. The ancient rabbis explain the child’s second name – Chileab. Again, David acknowledges God’s favor shown to him. In Hebrew, the name Chileab conveys how the boy totally resembled David, his father. David saw in this the hand of God. Why? That generation’s scoffers put forward that Abigail had conceived with Nabal, before he died and after she wed David. When Abigail gave birth to her son, and everybody recognized that Chileab was a spitting image of his father (David), it effectively put the kibosh on baseless rumors.
Abravanel next turns to the question of “Eglah David’s wife.” Why, of all the other women, is she designated as King David’s spouse? Again, Hebrew is key. The word means calf, as in a young cow. Abravanel holds that the plain meaning behind tacking on Eglah’s spouse status is straightforward. Since, as stated, the Hebrew word might refer to a cow, our verse clarifies. Readers should not draw an incorrect conclusion. Eglah here refers to a woman – and not “Elsie” the cow.