John Gill Commentary 2 Samuel 3:14

John Gill Commentary

2 Samuel 3:14

1697–1771
Reformed Baptist
John Gill
John Gill

John Gill Commentary

2 Samuel 3:14

1697–1771
Reformed Baptist
SCRIPTURE

"And David sent messengers to Ish-bosheth, Saul`s son, saying, Deliver me my wife Michal, whom I betrothed to me for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines." — 2 Samuel 3:14 (ASV)

And David sent messengers to Ishbosheth, Saul's son
When Abner's messengers returned to him, and acquainted him with the condition of David's entering into a league with him, it is highly probable that Abner sent them or others to David, to let him know that he could not do this of himself; that it was advisable for him to write to Ishbosheth, whose sister she was, and demand her of him; and that then he would use his interest with Ishbosheth to grant it, and this method David took:

saying, deliver [me] my wife Michal, which I espoused to me for an
hundred foreskins of the Philistines ;
two arguments he made use of to enforce his demand; one is, that it was his wife he required, to whom he had a right, and no other man; and the other is, that he had purchased her at a great expense, at the risk of his life, in slaying an hundred Philistines, whose foreskins he paid in for her at the instance of Saul; he mentions but one hundred, though he gave two hundred as her dowry, no more being required than one hundred; see (1 Samuel 18:25 1 Samuel 18:27) . Josephus very wrongly says six hundred F2 ; the Syriac and Arabic have here two hundred.


FOOTNOTES:

  • F2: Antiqu. l 7. c. 1. sect. 4.