2 Samuel 6:23

Michal was the only one of David’s many wives who did not have a child by him. After she showed contempt for David’s joyful worship, the text states that she had no children for the rest of her life. Some scholars think this suggests that God prevented her from having children as judgment for her contempt toward David’s joyful worship (compare Genesis 20:17–18). Another possibility is that David and Michal’s marriage became so damaged that they no longer lived together as husband and wife.

Because Michal remained childless, another line of Saul’s family came to an end. This moment marks Michal’s final appearance in the biblical account.

Except for a brief reference in 1 Samuel 14:18 (see note), the ark of the covenant does not appear again after 1 Samuel 7:1–2. In that passage, the Philistines returned the captured ark to Beth-shemesh, and it was later taken to Kiriath-jearim. There, the ark was placed in the home of Abinadab.

The ark’s long absence during the reign of Saul is significant. It shows that Saul did not seek the Lord and was spiritually insensitive (see 1 Chronicles 10:13–14; 13:3). During Saul’s forty-year reign, the ark played little or no role in Israel’s worship or leadership.

In contrast, David brought the ark to Jerusalem. By doing this, David publicly acknowledged the Lord as Israel’s true king in the new capital (see 2 Samuel 6:2). The ark’s arrival showed that Israel’s political center was now also a place of worship.