They put her in his sepulcher, next to the place where he would lie. He placed the cloak over her heart and the harp at her side. He kept the scroll. The boxes he would send to her daughter.
My peace I give unto you.
He prepared his son for the throne. He freed his concubines.
He lay down with her scroll.
He read every word.
Not as the world giveth, give I unto you.
He looked over his list of mighty men and penned, ‘Ittai the son of Ribai out of Gibeah of the children of Benjamin,’ and lastly ‘Uriah the Hittite, thirty-seven in all.’
He turned to his genealogy.
And unto David were sons born in Hebron: and his firstborn was Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess;
And his second, Chileab, of Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite; and the third, Absalom the son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur;
And the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; and the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital;
And the sixth, Ithream, of Michal, daughter of Saul king of Israel. These were born to David in Hebron.
He dipped a reed in the inkwell and struck out the words, ‘Michal, daughter of Saul king of Israel’. In big bold letters he wrote:
EGLAH DAVID’S WIFE.
Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
He was tired. It was time. David lay on his bed with his wife’s words on his chest. He closed his eyes.
His breath departed.
Epilogue
I stand at the window of my mansion, peering out at the golden lane. The evening sky glows crimson, purple, brilliant. I pull aside the silken curtains and lower the scarlet cord. I linger, taking in the indescribable glory and beauty in front of me. Fruit trees dot the landscape, set along a sparkling brook of diamonds.
Jewel colored birds sing overhead. Flowers and herbs grow on the walls of my mansion, setting root between gemstones, bright and dazzling. Rivulets of water trickle over the stones, glistening in the setting sun. The sweet scent of jasmine and sandalwood heighten my bliss. I check the cord again. Maybe tonight will be the night of his coming.
I lie in my bed of pearl and wait. Angelic choruses stir in my dreams. Tonight, a rat-tat-tat of drums accompanies the sweet tunes with the sound of marching men. A presence arouses me, and I glance toward my window. The cord tightens.
I rush to the window, the swelling strums of the harps intensifying. David! Young, handsome, and smiling. His eyes sparkle with love and devotion.
“Isha, my love. I’ve come as I promised.” He leaps into the room and cups my face with both hands, and I behold his face as if it were an angel of God.
>>><<<
Psalm 17:15 As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.
THE END
Cast of Characters
Bold - Name Mentioned in the Bible
Bold Italic – Fictional Character, or name not mentioned in the Bible
Abiathar. Son of the priest of Nob, Ahimelech, who escapes to David in the wilderness after King Saul ordered the slaughter of the priests of Nob. Served David.
Abigail. Wife of Nabal, the Carmelite, who disobeys her husband and gives food to David and his men while on the run from Saul. After Nabal’s death, David takes her as his third wife. Mother of Chileab, David’s second son.
Abishai. Nephew of David, a son of David’s sister, Zeruiah. He is one of David’s notable warrior and a mighty man. He accompanies David in the cave when they discover Saul.
Abital. David’s sixth wife, and mother of Shephatiah, David’s fifth son.
Abner. Son of Saul’s uncle Ner. Serves as Saul’s commander in chief. He also serves Saul’s son, Ish-bosheth in the civil war after Saul’s death.
Absalom. Third son of David by the princess Maacah of Geshur and brother to Tamar. He plots to overthrow his father and took the throne temporarily.
Achish. King of Gath, who provides sanctuary for David while he flees Saul. He cedes the town of Ziklag to David as a reward for raiding his supposed enemies.
Adriel, the Meholathite. Husband of Merab, Michal’s sister, hence brother-in-law to David. He is the son of Barzillai, David’s friend.
Adonijah. Fourth son of David by Haggith. He attempts a coup in David’s old age to prevent Solomon from taking the throne.
Ahinoam, daughter of Ahimaaz. Saul’s wife, and mother to most of Saul’s children, including Jonathan.
Ahinoam, of Jezreel. David’s second wife who followed him faithfully through the wilderness during his days of exile. Mother of Amnon, David’s firstborn son.
Ahithophel. David’s counselor, Bathsheba’s grandfather, and chief conspirator with Absalom during his rebellion.
Amnon. Firstborn son of David by Ahinoam of Jezreel. He rapes his half-sister Tamar and is killed by Absalom.
Anna. Daughter of Michal and Phalti, born during the civil war between David and Ish-bosheth (Ishbaal).
Arik. David’s chief guard.
Barzillai. The Gileadite of Abel-Meholah. He is the father of Adriel, who is the husband of Merab, daughter of Saul, and sister of Michal. He is the grandfather of the five sons of Merab whom Michal adopts. Loyal to David during his escape from Absalom.
Bathsheba. Daughter of Eliam, wife of Uriah the Hittite, one of David’s mighty men. She commits adultery with David and becomes his wife and mother to Solomon, David’s heir to the throne.
Beraiah. Fifth son of Adriel and Merab, whom Michal adopts.
Beulah. Abital’s cockatoo.
Buzzi. Abital’s parrot.
Chileab. David’s second son, by Abigail.
David. Son of Jesse, a Bethlehemite. He is anointed by Samuel, the Prophet, to replace King Saul on the throne of Israel. Marries King Saul’s youngest daughter, Michal. He eventually attains the throne after King Saul and his sons die.
Doeg. The Edomite. Saul’s chief henchman who observes David being succored by the priests of Nob. He carries out the execution and elimination of all the priests along with their wives and children.
Eglah. Pet name for Michal, David’s first wife. She is the mother of Ithream, David’s sixth son.
Eliah. Third son of Adriel and Merab, whom Michal adopts.
Elihu. Priest who serves King Saul. Tutors Michal and her siblings.
Gaddiel. Second son of Adriel and Merab, whom Michal adopts.
Goliath of Gath. Champion of the Philistines who challenges King Saul to find a man to fight him. David defeats him with a stone from a slingshot.
Haggith. David’s fifth wife and mother to Adonijah, David’s fourth son.
Hushai the Archite. David’s chief advisor, who pretended to join Absalom’s rebellion, so he could undermine Absalom from the inside and thwart Ahithophel’s clever counsel.
Ishbaal (or Ishbosheth). Son of Saul who survived the war with the Philistines. He is installed by Abner on the throne after Saul dies. He ruled from Mahanaim during the civil war against David.
Ithream. David’s sixth son, by Eglah, his wife.
Ittai, the Gittite. Loyal friend of David. He commands an army of six hundred men to save David’s kingdom when Absalom rebels. (also Ittai, son of Ribai, of Gibeah, a Benjamite, one of David’s mighty men).
Jada. Priestess of Asherah who befriends Michal when she is estranged from David.
Jehiel. Tutor to David’s sons.
Jesse. An Ephrathite of Bethlehem in Judah. Father of eight sons, the youngest of whom is David. Grandson of Boaz and Ruth.
Joab. David’s nephew and chief commander.
Joel. Firstborn son of Adriel and Merab, whom Michal adopts.
Jonathan. Son of Saul, brother-in-law to David. He dies with his father and brothers at the battle of Mount Gilboa.
Joshua. Fourth son of Adriel and Merab, whom Michal adopts.
Maacah. David’s fourth wife, daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur. She is the mother of Absalom and Tamar.
Mer
ab. Older daughter of Saul. First offered to David, but marries Adriel.
Meribbaal/Mephibosheth. Crippled son of Jonathan, father to Micah.
Micah. Grandson of Jonathan, son of Meribbaal.
Michal. David’s covenant wife. Younger daughter of Saul, given to David for a bride price of one hundred Philistine foreskins, also known by the pet name of Eglah.
Nathan. David’s court prophet who pronounced God’s sword over David’s house over David’s sin with Bathsheba and murder of Uriah.
Naomi. Michal’s maid.
Phalti, Phaltiel, son of Laish. A scribe from Gallim who takes Michal for wife, after David flees into the wilderness. Father of Anna.
Rizpah. Saul’s youngest concubine. She bears him two sons, Armoni and Mephibosheth.
Samuel the Prophet. A priest of the LORD, who anoints both Saul and David to be king of Israel.
Sarah. Adopted daughter of Ahinoam, David’s second wife. David saves her as an infant when her mother was slaughtered by David’s men.
Saul. Son of Kish. A handsome Benjamite who stands a head taller than everyone else. He is anointed as king of Israel by Samuel. He rules from Gibeah.
Sheba, son of Bichri. A Benjamite and leader of the Israelite rebellion against David after the defeat of Absalom.
Solomon. David’s son born by Bathsheba. He is the eventual heir to David’s throne and rules from Jerusalem after his father’s death.
Tamar. Daughter of David by his fourth wife Maacah and a sister to Absalom. She is raped by Amnon, her half-brother, precipitating a cycle of violence and revenge in David’s family in fulfillment of the judgment sword hanging over David’s house.
Tora. Daughter of Ribai of Gibeah. Friend of Michal and Ittai’s mother.
Uriah the Hittite. One of David’s mighty men and husband of Bathsheba. David murders him to obtain Bathsheba as wife.
Uzzah. Young man on the cart escorting the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem who touches the Ark and is stricken dead.
Zina. Jada’s daughter.
Author’s Note
This work is fiction based on historical characters. For the true story, please read the books of 1st and 2nd Samuel and the many Psalms attributed to King David in the Holy Bible. There is no evidence whatsoever that any of King David’s wives were disloyal. Their use in this story is to illustrate God’s love for Israel and the Gentiles. Characterizations of King David’s wives were taken from Revelations Chapters 2 and 3. Michal is a type of Israel and her story illustrates God’s covenant with the nation of Israel.
Rabbinical literature suggests Michal and Eglah are identical, and indeed no other woman is named in the Bible with the title “David’s wife” other than Michal and Eglah. Inspiration for this story comes from 2nd Samuel 3:5.
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