TotD: King David?

This is just one I have thought about before, did King David have a right to the throne other than the anointing of Samuel seventeen to twenty years before Saul's death.

In general monarchies are not very good at letting go of their power, so I think we have to take a look at the family of Saul.

Saul had four sons and two daughters. His oldest son was Jonathan, followed by Abinadab, Malchishua and Ish-Bosheth. His two daughters were Michal and Mereb.

Jonathan and David, as we know, were best friends though it is likely that David was a good bit younger than Jonathan, he was probably in his twenties when he met David (early twenties, while David was about 16). This meant that the second son, Abinadab, was probably around David's age. Michal was older than David, because Saul offers Mereb to David after he defeats Goliath, meaning she was maybe 14 when David fought Goliath.

David marries Michal, the second daughter of Saul, and maybe fourth child after Jonathan, Mereb and Abinadab, though I think it is more likely that Michal was older than Abinadab.

So David marries Michal, making him Saul's son-in-law and Jonathan's brother-in-law. Later on Saul, Jonathan, Abinadab and Malchishua are killed on the battlefield. This leaves Ish-Bosheth, who is younger than his sisters, and the two sisters as well as Jonathan's crippled son Mephibosheth who is but a weaning child (under 5) at the time.

As far as I know we don't hear of Mereb again but we know Michal was remarried after Saul banished David and Ish-Bosheth was declared King of Israel by Abner, the leader of Saul's army who survives the battle that took the other four.

From what I understand of scripture Mephibosheth disappears when his wet nurse learns of Saul and Jonathan's death.

The other contender to the throne, and one that is likely older in age than Ish-Bosheth, is David. He has a claim through his wife Michal, who is also older (though admittedly less male) than her younger brother.

This is David's claim to the throne and this is what, as well as his anointing by God (which he probably doesn't necessarily hold onto).

David takes the Kingdom of Judah and then fights against Israel until Ish-bosheth gives up on staying king as well.

I just wonder if David had never married Michal would he have, even with the anointing of God, had a chance at getting the throne of all Israel (whatever about Judah). It's interesting to see how God works things out for our good, even though there was so much pain from that relationship it probably did help David to make his claim on the throne. Yay God.

Go Mbeannaí Dia dhuit.