New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-11-04
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
RIZPAH AND MICHAL.
RIzPAH's DEFENSE OF MICHAIs CHILDREN -
DAVID's "CURSEp OF MICHAI.

DAYlD's COURSE" OF MCHAT.
To the Editor Of The Tribune
SIR Your correspondent NJ. c. W., takes
me rather ungracousy TO task for having said in speak
ing Of picture the Centennial Exhibition" Rlzpah
protecting her from the birds OF prey-that Ave OF
the seven victims who hanging on the bbet
the OF Micha saus daughter and Dayd's wlta
by Adre and for having said, further, that David on
certain occasion. cursed Mcha Both these statements
NJ c. W. percnptorily denies. David" he sayA
never cursed Michal II not her sons that wers
crucifed with the SONS Of Izpah."
Ipresume that NJ. c. W. knew what ground had 70,
OF these statements, and what had for thu
error IN the other Your readers who will refer to their
Bibles will be able TO refresh their memories az TO ,he
facts Sam. xviii. 172s II. Sam vi 1926 xxi ITO
Saul had two daughters. Merab and MIcha He promised
Merab David but afterward gave her Adriel tho
Meholathc, by whom she had five sons Saul then gave
Michal to David. M.cha loved David We not told
that Merab loved him, that he loved Mcrab but wa
told expressly that Mchal loved hii and that when
Saul, who hated him, and wan'cd % DC cid OF him
promised his daughter Micha to him condition that he
should bring him hundred forcslus Of the Phstnes
David went, he and his men, and So u the Phisues
two hundred men, that he might be the kings
sOninaw" We are TO suppose thar MeEb died, for wo
are told that these five men are the sons OF Mchal
whom she brought up for Adrel the MeOathitc" They
were not her own sons, then, but her sisters sOns
her nepheWs, hef sons by adoption. And, among the
Hebrews close the family bond that the words
the Bible uses " the of Micha" express In tho
strongest way the relation that morally did exist
between Mchal and the Of her deceased sister.
was mlsled by the Bible language 10 think these
were Mchals own children but while am obliged TO
VI. C. W. Tor setting right, do not that Davids
case Is much helped by the fact Nor (suppOs Mlcha
10 have been alive nj the time her nepbews givenup
TO be murdered) do | think her feelings n Hebrew
woman would have nicely balanced between murdered
nephews and murdered sons. take it she could not
nave betn awe, eltc she would never nave allowed hcr
fathers cOncuDino 10 have mOnOpOzed the duty OF pro-
ecng the bodies Of her nephews aud OF her
from the binds Of prey.
On te olhrr p6in. do not admit that there is any
IN my statement. 1 said. David cursed Micha.
He certainly did, though the Bible does not the word
curse" II Tells what David said in rebUlc of Alchas
most cutting ana bitter words when she met him he
returned home after having danced before TIE Aik And
after giving Davids words the record SAYS TDeors
Nch the daughter Of saul hal child INTO The day
OF her DEATH Among the Hebrews there no curse
greater than that OF plrenc, and no heavier punish
could have been inflicted upon Mchal than the
which David IN his anger called upon her. II NJ. c. W.
insists pos tive statement that the word curse in
Of is moods and lenses employed, before
the iacJ OF cursg IN any particular case can be admitted
would refer Ler 10 an instance almost precisely an
aOgOls which will nj least enable % take advantage
OF doubt. Everybody brought up on the Bible gets
settled notion that Christ cursed the hgree which had
no fruit for him when he hungry And 10 doubt
he did. One OF the two Bibles before ne write has
IN the heading Of the chapter the figree cursed and
again. the column Ia which the story Is tod, 10
CurSeth the fix tree Yet in neither OF the two places IN
which the story told the word curse found But
the fact CurSing is conveyed in Matthew aud Mark
precisely il is in IT, Samuel The words OF banning are
uttered, and the ban fails In the one case, Mer0re
Mchal had child unto the day OF her DEATH and ia
the other" and presently the 1g-trCc wthered away"
NJ c. WIS corrections make little change in Miehas eyl
fortunes / related them. / invented no imaginary
gcf fOS her. The double dart IN Ddyids Land entered
into her soul &C. G."
1er-York Oct. 20, 1876