Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Revdpickrel AT wmconnect.com]

In a message dated 10/25/2005 6:34:48 PM Central Daylight Time, 
gathas AT hotkey.net.au writes:

Howdy George,

I was reading your comments and realized that God gave Saul's wives, 
concubines and servants to David so that he could provide for them.  God saw 
to it 
that Saul's cripple son was taken care of also.  Widows didn't have much of a 
live after their husbands died in those days.

Rev. Doug Pickrel, Litt.D.
Tejas Valley
San Antonio, Texas

> Something to bear in mind in this debate is the fact the word for wives
> is just simply *nashim* -- women. It probably included not just Saul's
> wives, but probably also concubines and servants. What is in view in
> God's words via Nathan is the total transference of power from Saul to
> David. The acquiring of the defeated man's women was part of this (cf.
> Absalom's brazen exploits with David's concubines on the roof).
> 
> Also, the use of 'bosom' in 2 Sam 12.8 may or may not have sexual
> overtones. As Harold said, it's probably naïve to imagine that it
> doesn't. However, the point is not what David necessarily did with these
> women, but the fact that he now had custody of these women, just as he
> had come to possess all the prerogatives of power which Saul previously
> had.
> 
> Best regards, 
> GEORGE ATHAS 
> (Sydney, Australia) 
>