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Michal the daughter of Saul had no child to the day of her death.
2 Samuel 6:23 · World English Bible
Parallel translations
  • KJV Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no child unto the day of her death.
  • BSB And Michal the daughter of Saul had no children to the day of her death.
  • NKJV Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no children to the day of her death.
  • NASB And Michal the daughter of Saul had no child to the day of her death.
  • NLT So Michal, the daughter of Saul, remained childless throughout her entire life.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

The chapter ends noting that Michal had no child to the day of her death. Her barrenness signals the end of Saul's royal line and the consequence of her contempt.

Overview

The text simply records Michal's childlessness without explaining its precise cause, though it stands as a solemn note following her scorn for David's worship. Faithful readers have understood it as both a divine judgment and a sign that Saul's dynasty would not continue through her. The verse closes the contrast between Saul's fading house and David's God-blessed kingship.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 7

  • Matt 1:25and didn’t know her sexually until she had given birth to her firstborn son. He named him Jesus.
  • Isa 4:1Seven women shall take hold of one man in that day, saying, “We will eat our own bread, and wear our own clothing: only let us be called by your name. Take away our reproach.”
  • Hos 9:11As for Ephraim, their glory will fly away like a bird. There will be no birth, no one with child, and no conception.
  • 1 Sam 15:35Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death; for Samuel mourned for Saul: and Yahweh grieved that he had made Saul king over Israel.
  • Luke 1:25“Thus has the Lord done to me in the days in which he looked at me, to take away my reproach among men.”
  • Isa 22:14Yahweh of Armies revealed himself in my ears, “Surely this iniquity will not be forgiven you until you die,” says the Lord, Yahweh of Armies.
  • 1 Sam 1:6–8Her rival provoked her severely, to irritate her, because Yahweh had shut up her womb.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (4)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — 2 Samuel videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on 2 Samuel 6:23YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on 2 SamuelMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

God's covenant with David — a son whose throne and kingdom would last forever (7:12–16) — finds its yes in Jesus, the Son of David who reigns without end.

How 2 Samuel 6:23 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.