Michal and David's Argument/2

Michal and David Argue

Exegetical Approaches

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Dispute Over Monarchic Behavior

Michal and David's dispute stemmed from differing attitudes towards kingship.

Sources:Midrash Shemuel25About Midrash Shemuel, RadakShemuel II 6:16Shemuel II 6:20-23About R. David Kimchi, RalbagShemuel II 6:16Shemuel II 6:20Shemuel II Toalot 6:16About R. Levi b. Gershom, Abarbanel, MalbimShemuel II 6:16Shemuel II 6:20-23About R. Meir Leibush Weiser,

"אֲשֶׁר נִגְלָה הַיּוֹם " – Midrash Rabbah maintains that Michal denigrated David for his immodesty in dancing and revealing himself before the maidservants, claiming that her father's household had much more self respect.

"לְעֵינֵי אַמְהוֹת עֲבָדָיו" – These words suggests that Michal was further troubled by David's mingling with those of lower stature than himself.  She felt that it was not becoming of a king to dance with the masses, as if he were one of them.

David's retort: repetition of "לִפְנֵי י"י" – Twice in his response to Michal, David repeats that his actions were doneלִפְנֵי י"י" ,‏‎"¹ emphasizing to his wife that before God, the true King, he really is no different than anyone else in the nation.  As such, joining the nation was not shame worthy, but a means of glorifying Hashem.

Michal bat Shaul – Throughout the passage Michal is consistently referred to in relationship to her father, as "בַּת שָׁאוּל".  This might be the text's subtle way of emphasizing that Michal's attitude towards David stemmed from her growing up in Shaul's palace and following the values of her father.

Shaul and honor – Sefer Shemuel suggests in several places that Shaul's downfall lay in his forgetting that, though a king, he was still subservient to Hashem.  Thus, both in Gilgal and his battle with Amalek, when he saw himself as above heeding the prophetic command, he was punished with losing the kingship.  For details, see Shaul's Sin in Gilgal and Shaul's Sin in the Battle with Amalek. 

"God chose me over your father's house" – In reacting to Michal, David explains to her that their different visions of kingship are what led to the rejection of Shaul and choice of David.  While Shaul put human honor above Divine glory, David did the reverse.² As such, it was he, not Shaul, who merited to head the dynastic line.

No children – This statement might come to emphasize that the dynastic line was not to continue through Michal, thereby ensuring that Shaul's legacy did not continue

Hanging of "Michal's children"

Evaluation of David

Anguish Regarding Marital Relations

Michal's outburst related to her personal, family life with David.  Seeing him dance with the maidservants highlighted to her the one-sidedness of their relationship.

¹ This phrase repeats six times throughout the chapter, each time emphasizing how all of David's actions were done with the recognition that he was acting "before God", with Hashem's honor in mind.

² This is evident from David's very first actions.  When fighting Golyat, David explicitly states that power lay not in the strength of the sword but "בְּשֵׁם י"י צְבָאוֹת" since "לַי"י הַמִּלְחָמָה".