Ish-bosheth’s
words to Abner must have hurt him deeply. To call him a dog and traitor was
uncalled for and hard to bear considering that he had labored so much for him.
Abner’s vow to return Israel to David
and make him king was not just a threat or angry words, he meant to do it.
Disgusted with the way he was treated, Abner sent messengers to David to start
a negotiation to transfer the kingdom back to him, the rightful king. Of
course, David was overjoyed with what he wanted to do but on one condition.
That is to bring back Michal his wife to him.
Why
did David place this condition to Abner before he would negotiate with him? We
are not told, but we can venture a guess. Firstly, he did it to test Abner’s
sincerity to return the throne to him. Secondly, his love for Michal was still
there. Thirdly, he had secured her hand at a great price and did not want his
effort to seem wasted. Remember, in the first place, Saul had promised to give
her hand to the man who could kill Goliath. But he did not keep his word with
David when he had killed Goliath. Then Saul, wanting to get rid of him, asked
him to produce 400 foreskins of the Philistines before he would give Michal’s hand
to him. So David killed many Philistines to get the price for her hand, and he
was not about to let his effort go to waste. Fourthly, he probably wanted the
wrong done to him by Saul to be rectified. Of course, Abner consented.
In
verse 14, David also sent messengers to Ish-bosheth concurrently for Michal to
be returned to him. The latter did it without hesitation. He took Michal from
Paltiel the son of Laish, the man whom Saul gave Michal’s hand, to spite David.
It was truly a pathetic sight to see Paltiel following after and weeping all
the way to Bahurim. It was only at Abner’s coaxing that Paltiel finally
returned home. Was David right to ask for
Michal to be returned to him? It is a question that’s difficult to answer.
But what this whole episode serves to show us is the need to be careful
with the decision we make in life.
When Saul demanded 400 foreskins of the Philistines from David as the
bride price for the hand of Michal, he was only thinking of getting rid of him.
He did not anticipate that David could meet his demand, but he did. When the
late king maliciously took Michal and gave her to another man to spite David,
he also did not anticipate that the situation would end up quite like this, but
it also did. What happened in this account tells us that a wrong move in life
always has its repercussions. The grave impact of any wrong move may not be
felt immediately. But it will bound to come sooner or later. The domino effect
will always be felt, and others who are innocent will be affected. Any decision
we make does not only impact the present, but it will also impact our future
generation after us. An effective life rests in making the right decisions and
moving on. Like a builder laying bricks to bring about a gorgeous building, the
decisions we make will help to shape our lives. Be sure to make the right
decisions. And we can only make the right decisions when we factor the word of
God and His will for our life. So acknowledge God in all your ways and He will
make your path straight.
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