Who was Ahinoam of Jezreel?

David's wife a woman of Jezreel: she accompanied David in his flight from Saul; and, while residing at Ziklag, was taken captive when the city was burned by the Amalekites; but was recovered. 1 Sam. 25:43; 1 Sam. 27:3; 1 Sam. 30:5, 18. She was with David when he came to the kingdom, and while at Hebron bare to David, Amnon his first-born. 2 Sam. 2:2; 2 Sam. 3:2.;1 Chr. 3:1.

Amnon is David's first-born; and his name, "constant," or "faithful," is simply enough applicable in this manner, and in harmony with the first place he takes. He is the son of Ahinoam, the "kin of pleasure," — not exactly "pleasure," for that might seem at least to be in opposition to the underlying principle of constancy which is indicated in the expression, "he that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not." One may suppose that "congruity," what is according to its own nature, is that of which this "constancy" is born, and that this is what is looked for, yea, of prime necessity, in that which "God soweth," or Jezreel. Israel was once, as Isaiah tells us (Isa. 5:2), planted as "the choicest vine," but proved wholly untrue to that beginning. When the Lord looked for it to bring forth grapes, it brought forth wild grapes. Thus there was no seed yet to sow upon the earth (Hosea 2:23); but He shall have it: Israel in the latter days shall be true to its new beginning; and shall blossom and bud, and fill the face of the world with fruit." (Isa. 27:6.)

David now married, and had two wives, both of them, probably, of the tribe of Judah, for there was a town, named Jezreel, in Judah, not far from Maon and Carmel (Joshua 15:55-56), from which it is likely Abinoam came. By her he had Amnon, whose history is connected with the sorrows of his house. By Abigail he had Daniel, or Chillab, of whom we read nothing. He probably died young, for, on Amnon's death, Absalom, the third son, looked forward to the throne. After Absalom's wretched end, Adonijah, the fourth son, regarded the throne as his right by birth. The Lord did build David a sure house, but Abigail had no share in the building of it.

Perhaps the first intimation that something was wrong in David's family life was when he began to multiply wives. You will recall that he bought his first wife, Michal, Saul's daughter with the lives of two hundred of the king's enemies. But in 1 Samuel 25 we find that David took to wife both Abigail (formerly wife of Nabal the Carmelite, of the family of Caleb), and Ahinoam the Jezreelite.

City of Judah, from whence David married Ahinoam. Joshua 15:56; 1 Sam. 25:43;

Two facts are now given (1 Sam. 25:43-44) which, if the Holy Spirit had merely meant to show how wonderfully David had been delivered from all his foes, might have been omitted without detriment to the record of God's grace and loving-kindness. But the primary object of the Holy Spirit is not David but Christ. And every event must be brought into His life if we would learn the thoughts of God. "David also took Ahinoam of Jezreel; and they were also both of them his wives. But Saul had given Michal his daughter, David's wife, to Phalti, the son of Laish, which was of Gallim." Abigail and her attendants may represent the remnant of Israel which clave to the Lord before the church began. What then is Ahinoam, for she also was wife to David? I judge they both together (two witnesses) point to the remnant in the days of our Lord, and to those converted by the preaching of Peter, before the special position of the church was declared. For though the church was formed on the day of Pentecost, Peter's preaching goes not beyond the gospel of the kingdom. Upon their repentance Christ would bring in the times of refreshing and restore all things. It is Paul who begins with the foundation truth of the church, Christ the Son of God; nor is the union of the church with Christ set forth by David's union with Abigail and Ahinoam. For they are two, the church is one. The church is called the Bride, the Lamb's wife, but she has not yet made herself ready (Rev. 19:7). The church is as yet a chaste virgin. David's two wives cannot typify the church's present position, for the marriage of the Lamb is not yet come, neither are they typical of the future position, for Christ will then appear in His glory. David was still a wanderer when he took them. They are the remnant, the few which followed Christ when here, and swelled to five thousand through Peter's preaching (Acts 4) and then, losing their special standing as "godly remnant," are merged in the new thing — the church of God, at that time declared, but again to appear as a remnant when the church is gone, and to pass through great tribulation, till they come, forth as the restored nation, i.e., Michal brought back to her first husband.

Ahinoam was of Jezreel, a place early associated with the enemy (Judges 6:33); afterwards prominent for iniquity, being stained with the blood of Naboth, nor less marked by the judgment of wicked Jezebel. The prophet Hosea declares the gladness of the land in the millennial day; the blessings that come from Jehovah the source reach the utmost, even to Jezreel (see 2:22). This seems to put Jezreel in the lowest place; but the blessing descends in the same way as the cry went up, and Jehovah and Jezreel are again connected. For His blessing will reach the limits of Israel. Ahinoam is not the figure of this fulness of blessing, but she and Abigail give the position of the remnant before the king reigns, and more than anticipate the joy and glory of the kingdom, inasmuch as they shared in his sufferings (see 1 Sam. 30:5). So the line of believers that runs through Israel share in the sufferings and rejection of their Messiah, though the same sufferings have a higher character, as of the church, and therefore higher glory awaits them, as awaits us all.

Hebron also becomes the gathering center of all the tribes of Israel (2 Sam. 5:1). When God's earthly people recognize Him whom they have pierced and submit themselves to Him, they will be the primary object of the blessings of His reign. Still another event seems to be indicated in these verses. “David went up thither, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite” (v. 2). The man of sorrows, the rejected king, not only has companions and a people at Hebron, but also his wife and bride. Abigail (the father's joy), like Rebecca, is one of the rare types in the Old Testament who prefigures the Church; she is the Bride, David's voluntary, humble, joyful associate during the days of his rejection. Ahinoam (the son's grace), who is more in the background, represents rather, as I see it, the remnant of Israel who have entered into relationship with the Messiah before the establishment of His reign. However it may be, at Hebron David has ties more intimate than merely his relationships with his people. Thus at the end of Revelation we see the Bride of the Lamb associated with Him in all His glory, and in the prophets Jerusalem is recognized as the beloved of the Lord. Thus by His death Christ becomes the center of blessing for all.

But to revert to David in the scene before us. There were his two wives to be rescued, and in God's gracious counsels an Egyptian (type of a worldling) to be blessed. The names of his wives are suggestive. Ahinoam ("the beauty of the brother") — may be taken to represent Israel, and Abigail ("joy of the father"), the bride of the Lamb. Jehovah shall inherit Judah his portion in the holy land, and shall choose Jerusalem again (Zech. 2:12). "For thy Maker is thine husband; the LORD of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel" (Isaiah 54:5). How fittingly Abigail pictures the one, now being gathered out to Christ's name in the hour of His rejection here, is exquisitely set forth in David sending his servants to take her to him to wife. "And she arose, and bowed herself on her face to the earth, and said, Behold, let thine handmaid be a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord." This was true humility, and quite consistent with the implicit obedience she yielded to David's word, acting in a way suited to one who was to be his wife, for she "hasted, and arose, and rode upon an ass, with five damsels of hers that went after her, and she went after the messengers of David, and became his wife" (1 Sam. 25:41-42).

Jezreel yielded David a second wife, according to verse 43, which evidently typifies the connection of Israel (the Jezreel or "seed of God," sown to Him on the earth, Hosea 2:19-23) with Christ in a future day; also "betrothed" to Him "for ever … in righteousness, and in judgment, and in loving-kindness, and in mercies … even in faithfulness." She shall be brought unto the king in a raiment of needlework, wonderfully wrought doubtless, just as she, typified by Abigail, will be presented to the Lamb (Rev. 19:7-8) in a raiment suited to His eye. "To her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white … the righteousness of saints," As the world will see her, it will be purely as an object of grace, "prepared as a bride adorned for her husband … having the glory of God." But the blessed Lamb of God will delight to present unto Himself His Church, clad in a robe which bespeaks his own zealous and gracious care for her as she passes along through a defiling scene. He "loved the Church, and gave Himself for it; that He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that He might present it to Himself a glorious Church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing." How zealous we might be in this also, were our eye filled with the scene which terminates our present course - the marriage of the Lamb! Clad in righteousness then, and in view of that, walking as He walked now, aiming at present likeness to Him, knowing that we shall be like Him when He shall appear. What need hinder us, adding, as it were, to the beauties of the bridal robe now, seeing that we find such a precious grouping of righteousnesses in Abigail - unfeigned humility, ready obedience, zeal for her lord's reputation, becoming service rendered him, thorough contempt for Saul's line of things, worthy prudence, and readiness to attribute to herself the shortcomings of others? J. K.

The failure seems manifest in David, even to the end: the double marriage at the close cannot impress one favorably as to him, though here the type would not be affected by it. Ahinoam, the Jezreelitess, may, indeed, in this way, as in the case of other double types, confirm the significance. For here, again, we have the name of a city finding place with Maon and Carmel in the same section of Judah's territory, and one which has a manifest relation to Israel's restoration. Thus, when she is united to the Lord in the coming day, Ahinoam, the "kin of pleasure," may be a not unsuited name, while Jezreel reminds us of the promise then to be fulfilled, "I will sow her to me in the earth." To the Christian Church the latter could hardly apply.