Category: King David

David’s Two Wives #4

Saturday, November 9, 2024

“So David went up thither, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail Nabal’s wife the Carmelite” (2 Samuel 2:2 KJV).

Why did David have two wives? Did the LORD endorse such polygamy?

Once JEHOVAH God called Israel out of Egypt, the nation became His wife. “Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD:…” (Jeremiah 31:32). We know this “covenant” as “The Law of Moses,” or “The Old Covenant.”

It can be found in Exodus 19:4-6: “Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto myself. Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.” This covenant was ratified in chapter 24, with the sprinkling of animal blood. “…All the words which the LORD hath said will we do” (Exodus 24:3). Of course, we know Israel was a group of sinners (idolaters), and failed miserably to keep the Law. “The beginning of the word of the LORD by Hosea. And the LORD said to Hosea, Go, take unto thee a wife of whoredoms and children of whoredoms: for the land hath committed great whoredom, departing from the LORD” (Hosea 1:2).

Eventually, due to King Solomon’s idolatry, the 12 tribes of Israel split into 10 northern tribes and two southern tribes (see 1 Kings 11:1-13). Two nations and two kingdoms resulted—Israel (north) and Judah (south). The New Covenant of Jeremiah 31:31 reverses this, with Israel and Judah reunited and brought under one King (Jesus Christ, whose shed blood redeems them from the curse of the disobeyed Moses’ Law and sanctifies them unto the righteousness of Messiah’s Law). Also see Hosea 2:1-23; Ezekiel 37:15-28; John 10:14-16; John 11:51,52; Hebrews 8:8-13; Hebrews 10:1-22.

Let us summarize and conclude this devotionals arc….

David’s Two Wives #3

Friday, November 8, 2024

“So David went up thither, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail Nabal’s wife the Carmelite” (2 Samuel 2:2 KJV).

Why did David have two wives? Did the LORD endorse such polygamy?

In 1 Samuel chapter 19, David lost his first wife, Michal, to sin (his father-in-law, unbelieving King Saul, forced him to flee for his life). While righteous David was a fugitive from unrighteous Saul, David encountered another diabolical man by the name of Nabal (chapter 25). Nabal, who has a beautiful and understanding wife called Abigail, is also unkind to David. Simply put, the LORD kills wicked Nabal and David marries widowed Abigail. It is here that he also takes a second wife—Ahinoam. At this point, we learn Michal was married off to another man.

“And it came to pass about ten days after, that the LORD smote Nabal, that he died. And when David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, Blessed be the LORD, that hath pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal, and hath kept his servant from evil: for the LORD hath returned the wickedness of Nabal upon his own head. And David sent and communed with Abigail, to take her to him to wife. And when the servants of David were come to Abigail to Carmel, they spake unto her, saying, David sent us unto thee, to take thee to him to wife. And she arose, and bowed herself on her face to the earth, and said, Behold, let thine handmaid be a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord. And Abigail hasted, and arose and rode upon an ass, with five damsels of hers that went after her; and she went after the messengers of David, and became his wife. David also took Ahinoam of Jezreel; and they were also both of them his wives. But Saul had given Michal his daughter, David’s wife, to Phalti the son of Laish, which was of Gallim” (1 Samuel 25:38-44).

You may also see 1 Samuel 27:3, 1 Samuel 30:5, 2 Samuel 2:2 (today’s Scripture), 2 Samuel 3:2-3, and 1 Chronicles 3:1 for more references to these two wives of David. Let us now see their prophetic significance….

David’s Two Wives #2

Thursday, November 7, 2024

“So David went up thither, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail Nabal’s wife the Carmelite” (2 Samuel 2:2 KJV).

Why did David have two wives? Did the LORD endorse such polygamy?

It is crucial for us to get the chronology straight. Before David had two wives, he had just one. “Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan, and Ishui, and Melchishua: and the names of his two daughters were these; the name of the firstborn Merab, and the name of the younger Michal” (1 Samuel 14:49). “And Michal Saul’s daughter loved David: and they told Saul, and the thing pleased him…. Wherefore David arose and went, he and his men, and slew of the Philistines two hundred men; and David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full tale [number, count, total] to the king, that he might be the king’s son in law. And Saul gave him Michal his daughter to wife. And Saul saw and knew that the LORD was with David, and that Michal Saul’s daughter loved him” (1 Samuel 18:20,27,28).

Unbelieving King Saul, sensing how the LORD favors (believing) David, now seeks to kill David! “Saul also sent messengers unto David’s house, to watch him, and to slay him in the morning: and Michal David’s wife told him, saying, If thou save not thy life to night, to morrow thou shalt be slain…. So Michal let David down through a window: and he went, and fled, and escaped…. And Michal took an image, and laid it in the bed, and put a pillow of goats’ hair for his bolster, and covered it with a cloth…. And Saul said unto Michal, Why hast thou deceived me so, and sent away mine enemy, that he is escaped? And Michal answered Saul, He said unto me, Let me go; why should I kill thee?” (1 Samuel 19:11-13,17).

With David fleeing Saul’s wrath, Saul retaliates by marrying off Michal to another man: “But Saul had given Michal his daughter, David’s wife, to Phalti the son of Laish, which was of Gallim” (1 Samuel 25:44). As indicated in today’s Scripture, this led to David finding and marrying two other women, Ahinoam and Abigail….

David’s Two Wives #1

Wednesday, November 6, 2024

“So David went up thither, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail Nabal’s wife the Carmelite” (2 Samuel 2:2 KJV).

Why did David have two wives? Did the LORD endorse such polygamy?

First of all, it was always in God’s design to have monogamous (single-spouse) human marriages. Polygamy (multiple wives at the same time) and polyandry (multiple husbands at the same time) were never His original plan. Just look at the first marriage, Adam and Eve.

“And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help [one!] meet for him…. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife [one!]: and they shall be one flesh. And they were both naked, the man and his wife [one!], and were not ashamed” (Genesis 2:18,24,25). “And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife [one!]: and they twain shall be one flesh?” (Matthew 19:4,5; cf. Mark 10:6-8). “Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife [one!], and let every woman have her own husband [one!]” (1 Corinthians 7:2).

Howbeit, David in today’s Scripture has two wives at the same time! A Christian woman once complained to me how she thought that was disgusting. Being a Bible ignoramus myself, I struggled to understand it. Why would God include this in His Word? Did He approve it? Here is what we can say. Firstly, the Bible always tells the truth about its heroes—even when they do wrong. The record is correct, factual, historical. We may not like what it says, but we cannot change what it says. Secondly, God the Holy Spirit placed it into the Scriptures, so He had His reasons for teaching it to us. What He expects us to do is look at the passage as spiritual adults, not Bible babies who gripe about matters they have not thought about critically or diligently searched the Scriptures for any possible commentary in other verses….

A Light to David #7

Thursday, July 11, 2024

“And unto his son will I give one tribe, that David my servant may have a light alway before me in Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen me to put my name there” (1 Kings 11:36 KJV).

What is this “light” the LORD God has for David in Jerusalem?

Re-read today’s Scripture and its analogous verses. “And unto his son will I give one tribe, that David my servant may have a light alway before me in Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen me to put my name there” (1 Kings 11:36). “Nevertheless for David’s sake did the LORD his God give him a lamp in Jerusalem, to set up his son after him, and to establish Jerusalem:…” (1 Kings 15:4). “Yet the LORD would not destroy Judah for David his servant’s sake, as he promised him to give him alway a light, and to his children” (2 Kings 8:19). “Howbeit the LORD would not destroy the house of David, because of the covenant that he had made with David, and as he promised to give a light to him and to his sons for ever” (2 Chronicles 21:7).

The “light” or “lamp” was how King David would have a successor or heir who would maintain his royal bloodline until Messiah Jesus would be born. This is the LORD’S fulfillment of the Davidic Covenant (2 Samuel 7:12-16; cf. Psalm 132:10-14,17), Israel and Jerusalem having a perpetual King. “The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham” (Matthew 1:1). “…JESUS… shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end” (Luke 1:31-33).

In Middle Eastern culture, the light or lamp was hung in the dwelling (tent, house) to indicate life—someone was home, alive and well, occupying the place. See the opposite: “Yea, the light of the wicked shall be put out, and the spark of his fire shall not shine. The light shall be dark in his tabernacle, and his candle shall be put out with him” (Job 18:5,6). The extinguishing of the light meant the destruction of life!

A Light to David #6

Wednesday, July 10, 2024

“And unto his son will I give one tribe, that David my servant may have a light alway before me in Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen me to put my name there” (1 Kings 11:36 KJV).

What is this “light” the LORD God has for David in Jerusalem?

The royal house of David would not be obliterated, though God would punish the sons of David for their sin. As Genesis 49:10 foretells, “The sceptre shall not depart from Judah [David’s tribe], nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.” The word “Shiloh” is Hebrew for “peaceful,” and is a title of Messiah (who, like David, is a member of the tribe of Judah).

“And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof” (Revelation 5:5). Luke chapter 3: “[23] And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli,… [31] Which was the son of Melea, which was the son of Menan, which was the son of Mattatha, which was the son of Nathan, which was the son of David,… [33] Which was the son of Aminadab, which was the son of Aram, which was the son of Esrom, which was the son of Phares, which was the son of Juda,….”

To better understand this “light” or “lamp” of today’s Scripture (cf. 1 Kings 15:4; 1 Kings 11:36; 2 Kings 8:19; 2 Chronicles 21:7), we need to remember that it was connected to David’s life too. “But Abishai the son of Zeruiah succoured him, and smote the Philistine, and killed him. Then the men of David sware unto him, saying, Thou shalt go no more out with us to battle, that thou quench not the light of Israel” (2 Samuel 21:17). If David died in war, the “light of Israel” would be “quenched” (extinguished). This is also helpful in putting the final pieces of this puzzle together.

Let us summarize and conclude this devotionals arc….

A Light to David #5

Tuesday, July 9, 2024

“And unto his son will I give one tribe, that David my servant may have a light alway before me in Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen me to put my name there” (1 Kings 11:36 KJV).

What is this “light” the LORD God has for David in Jerusalem?

Though sons of David would sin—and some of them grievously “committed iniquity” (such as Solomon, Rehoboam, Jehoram, Manasseh, Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin, and Zedekiah), God’s covenant with David was unconditional. These members of David’s royal bloodline would be “chastened with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men” (2 Samuel 7:14)—devastating wars with enemies, for example. However, “my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul.” There would always be a son of David to carry his DNA up until Messiah’s conception (Messiah being the final son of David, the ultimate fulfillment of the Davidic Covenant).

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this” (Isaiah 9:6,7). “Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS” (Jeremiah 23:5,6).

“And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end” (Luke 1:31-33).

Yet, what does a “lamp” or “light” have to do with all this? Let us see….

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A Light to David #4

Monday, July 8, 2024

“And unto his son will I give one tribe, that David my servant may have a light alway before me in Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen me to put my name there” (1 Kings 11:36 KJV).

What is this “light” the LORD God has for David in Jerusalem?

Indeed, we know the LORD God is leaving a “lamp” or “light” to King David in Jerusalem (1 Kings 11:36; 1 Kings 15:4; 2 Kings 8:19; 2 Chronicles 21:7). First Kings 15:4 defines this as “to set up his son after him, and to establish Jerusalem.”

Seeking more cross-references, we encounter Psalm 132: “[10] For thy servant David’s sake turn not away the face of thine anointed. [11] The LORD hath sworn in truth unto David; he will not turn from it; Of the fruit of thy body will I set upon thy throne. [12] If thy children will keep my covenant and my testimony that I shall teach them, their children shall also sit upon thy throne for evermore. [13] For the LORD hath chosen Zion; he hath desired it for his habitation…. [17] There will I make the horn of David to bud: I have ordained a lamp for mine anointed.” Notice the “lamp” or “light” of verse 17!

The “lamp” or “light” to David is God’s guarantee He will leave David an heir or successor, that David’s royal bloodline continue. This is the Davidic Covenant of 2 Samuel chapter 7: “[12] And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. [13] He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever. [14] I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men: [15] But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee. [16] And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.”

Let us keep studying….

A Light to David #3

Sunday, July 7, 2024

“And unto his son will I give one tribe, that David my servant may have a light alway before me in Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen me to put my name there” (1 Kings 11:36 KJV).

What is this “light” the LORD God has for David in Jerusalem?

As 2 Kings chapter 8, so 2 Chronicles chapter 21 relates the activities of sinful King Jehoram, son of Rehoboam (Solomon’s son), of the royal Davidic dynasty: “[5] Jehoram was thirty and two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. [6] And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, like as did the house of Ahab: for he had the daughter of Ahab to wife: and he wrought that which was evil in the eyes of the LORD. [7] Howbeit the LORD would not destroy the house of David, because of the covenant that he had made with David, and as he promised to give a light to him and to his sons for ever.” Negative social influences—namely, his intermarriage with King Ahab’s idolatrous family—was the primary reason for his errors (see 1 Kings 16:29-34 about Ahab’s wickedness).

Moreover, there is another cross-reference to today’s Scripture—though it is difficult to find. It sits in the context of 1 Kings chapter 15: “[1] Now in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam the son of Nebat reigned Abijam over Judah. [2] Three years reigned he in Jerusalem. and his mother’s name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom. [3] And he walked in all the sins of his father, which he had done before him: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father. [4] Nevertheless for David’s sake did the LORD his God give him a lamp in Jerusalem, to set up his son after him, and to establish Jerusalem: [5] Because David did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, and turned not aside from any thing that he commanded him all the days of his life, save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.”

The “lamp” of 1 Kings 15:4 is interchangeable with the “light” of today’s Scripture, the key to realizing its full effect….

A Light to David #2

Saturday, July 6, 2024

“And unto his son will I give one tribe, that David my servant may have a light alway before me in Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen me to put my name there” (1 Kings 11:36 KJV).

What is this “light” the LORD God has for David in Jerusalem?

Jerusalem was the capital city of King David’s kingdom: “And the days that David reigned over Israel were forty years: seven years reigned he in Hebron, and thirty and three years reigned he in Jerusalem” (1 Kings 2:11). The LORD had declared, “Since the day that I brought forth my people out of the land of Egypt I chose no city among all the tribes of Israel to build an house in, that my name might be there; neither chose I any man to be a ruler over my people Israel: But I have chosen Jerusalem, that my name might be there; and have chosen David to be over my people Israel” (2 Chronicles 6:5,6). This corresponds to today’s Scripture.

Going back to 2 Kings 8:19, we observe: “Yet the LORD would not destroy Judah for David his servant’s sake, as he promised him to give him alway a light, and to his children.” This context is how wicked Jehoram, a great-great-great-great grandson of David, was the new King of Judah (and Jerusalem) who perverted the nation with sin: “[16] And in the fifth year of Joram the son of Ahab king of Israel, Jehoshaphat being then king of Judah, Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah began to reign. [17] Thirty and two years old was he when he began to reign; and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. [18] And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as did the house of Ahab [a king of Israel in the north]: for the daughter of Ahab was his wife: and he did evil in the sight of the LORD. [19] Yet the LORD would not destroy Judah for David his servant’s sake, as he promised him to give him alway a light, and to his children.”

Though the nation or kingdom of Judah was evil under Jehoram, God would spare it so as to leave a “light” to David and his descendants….