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Who was Michal in the Bible?

Lived during the united monarchy

Michal was the younger daughter of King Saul and became the first wife of David, Israel's future king. Michal appears in 15 verses across 3 books of the Bible.

Michal Watching David from a Window
Michal Watching David from a Window · James Tissot (1836-1902), French painter, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

What does the Bible say about Michal?

Michal was the younger daughter of King Saul and became the first wife of David, Israel's future king. She first appears in the genealogy of Saul (1Sa.14.49) and is later mentioned as loving David (1Sa.18.20). Saul, seeking to ensnare David, offered Michal's hand in marriage, demanding a bride price of 100 Philistine foreskins. David fulfilled this requirement, and Michal became his wife (1Sa.18.27-28). When Saul attempted to kill David, Michal helped him escape through a window and deceived Saul's messengers by placing an idol in David's bed (1Sa.19.11-17). During David's exile, Saul gave Michal in marriage to Palti (1Sa.25.44). After Saul's death, David demanded that Michal be returned to him as a condition for peace with Abner (2Sa.3.13-14). Later, when David danced before the ark of the Lord, Michal despised him in her heart (2Sa.6.16; 1Ch.15.29). She confronted David, criticizing his behavior, but David rebuked her (2Sa.6.20-21). As a result, Michal remained childless until her death (2Sa.6.23). Michal's story illustrates the complex relationships and conflicts within Saul's family and the early years of David's rise to power.

Definition text: STEPBible · Tyndale House Cambridge. Licensed CC BY 4.0. Lightly edited for length and formatting.

Compiled by Protos: the verse list on this page. Where one name belongs to more than one person or place, each of them gets a separate entry.

Where does Michal appear in the Bible?

Michal is referenced in 15 verses across 3 books. Every passage below is about this one, not just every verse the word turns up in.

What else appears in these passages?

These turn up in the same passages as Michal.

Common questions

How many times does the Bible mention Michal?

Michal appears in 15 verses across 3 books, most often in 1 Samuel, which accounts for 8 of them.

Which books of the Bible mention Michal?

1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Chronicles.

Where can I read every verse about Michal?

This page lists 15 of them. Protos carries all 15, and opens this entry on the verse you are reading rather than in a separate tab.

Read it in context

Read 1 Samuel with Michal explained on the verse.

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The Protos reader open on Genesis 1 with the How to Read Genesis background sheet raised over it

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