2 Samuel 3:14

2Sa 3:14 And David sent messengers to Ishbosheth Saul’s son, saying, Deliver [me] my wife Michal, which I espoused to me for an hundred foreskins of the Philistines.

Ver. 14. For a hundred foreskins.] He might have said two hundred; but he thought better to speak with the least. In maxima sui mole se minimum ostendunt stellae.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

2Sa 3:14. David sent messengers to Ish-bosheth — We are not informed what answer Abner gave to David when he required the forementioned condition of him. But it is probable he let him know, as the truth was, that it was not in his power to bring Michal to him without Ish-bosheth’s consent, whose sister, as well as subject, she was; at least that it was not safe to attempt it, and therefore advised him to send to her brother, who could not easily deny what he desired. Be this as it may, David sent to Ish- bosheth, and thereby opened to him a door of hope for reconciliation, lest, being desperate, he should use every possible means to hinder Abner from his present design. Saying, Deliver me my wife — Who, though she was taken from me by force, and constrained to marry another, yet is my rightful wife. David demands her, both for the affection he still retained for her, and upon a political consideration, that she might strengthen his title to the kingdom.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

3:14 the lives of 100 Philistines: Saul had hoped that David would be killed in his attempt to secure the bride-price (see 1 Sam 18:17-27).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 14. Deliver me my wife] It is supposed that he meant to screen Abner; and to prevent that violence which he might have used in carrying off Michal.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(14) To Ish-bosheth.—The demand is made upon the de facto king that all may be done legally, and David may not appear to be reclaiming his wife by force. At the same time, Ish-bosheth is thus compelled to acknowledge the wrong done to David and his inability to refuse his demand. It appears from 2Sa_3:16 that Abner was employed to execute the command, and, in fact, the whole matter was really determined by him, the king being merely the official and legal instrument.

An hundred foreskins.—David had actually delivered to Saul as her dowry two hundred, but only one hundred had been required (1Sa_18:25; 1Sa_18:27), and therefore only that number is mentioned.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

14. David sent messengers to Ish-bosheth] The acceptance of the condition by Abner is implied, but the formal demand was made from Ish-bosheth, who was powerless to resist the will of his master. Thus the restoration of Michal took place openly as a public act of justice; it clearly exhibited the strength of David and the weakness of Ish-bosheth; it gave Abner opportunity to go to Hebron as Michal’s escort, and mature his plans for deposing Ish-bosheth.

which I espoused, &c.] Saul proposed the slaughter of an hundred Philistines as the price of Michal’s hand in lieu of dowry: David paid him double (1Sa_18:25; 1Sa_18:27).

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

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 Sa1 18:25. Josephus very wrongly says six hundred (b); the Syriac and Arabic have here two hundred.

(b) Antiqu. l 7. c. 1. sect. 4.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Sent messengers to Ish-bosheth - Not to Abner, for the league between David and Abner was a profound secret, but to Ish-bosheth who, David knew, must act, feeble as he was, at Abner’s dictation. Abner’s first act of overt allegiance to David was thus done at Ish-bosheth’s bidding; and the effect of the humiliation laid upon Ish-bosheth in exposing his weakness to his own subjects, and so shaking their allegiance to him, was such that Abner needed to use no more disguise.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Isboseth. Thus he would screen the perfidy of Abner, (Menochius) and hinder him from using any violence. (Calmet) --- The pacific king accedes immediately to the request, as he had no personal aversion to David, and saw that he was in a far more elevated condition than Phaltiel. (Haydock) --- Moreover, this was no time to irritate him more, as Abner was discontented. (Menochius)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Ish-bosheth’s consent was necessary, both to take her away from her present husband, and to persuade her to return to David. Hereby David opened to him also a door of hope for his reconciliation, lest being desperate he should hinder Abner in his present design.

My wife Michal; who, though she was taken from me by force, and constrained to marry another, 1Sa 25:44, yet is indeed my rightful wife. Her David demands, partly, for the affection he formerly had and still retained to her; partly, to deliver her from the sin and reproach of adultery with another man, who was not in truth and justice her husband, though he was so called and accounted; and partly, upon a politic consideration, that she might strengthen his right and title to the kingdom.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

14. David sent… to Ishbosheth — For the settlement of this matter properly belonged to him who assumed to be Saul’s successor. By giving her to Phaltiel, Saul had wronged David, and now it is Ishbosheth’s place to rectify that wrong.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

A hundred foreskins. This was the number which Saul had required, (1Sa_18:25) and David acted rightly in not boasting that he had really given twice as many. (1Sa_18:27) As he had paid her father the stipulated price, Michal, by Oriental law, was David"s property.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Ishbosheth - Whose consent was necessary, both to take her away from her present husband, and to persuade her to return to David. Hereby also David opened to him a door of hope for his reconciliation, lest being desperate he should hinder Abner in his present design. My wife - Who, though she was taken from me by force, and constrained to marry another, yet is my rightful wife. David demands her, both for the affection he still retained to her, and upon a political consideration that she might strengthen his title to the kingdom.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

one hundred Philistine foreskins

This represents the number of men David killed so that Saul would allow him to marry Michal. These men are represented here by their "foreskins." The "foreskin" is the fold of skin that covers the male reproductive organ. (See: Numbers and Synecdoche)

took her from her husband

Paltiel was Michal's second husband. Saul gave her to him after David fled from Saul. (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

Paltiel ... Laish

These are the names of men. (See: How to Translate Names)

Bahurim

This is the name of a village. (See: How to Translate Names)

translationWords

Saul (OT)

Philistines

Abner

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.