Lives of Scripture

Ahinoam of Jezreel became one of David's wives during his years as a fugitive from Saul, marrying him around the same time as Abigail (1 Samuel 25:43). She lived with David among the Philistines at Gath and later at Ziklag, the town Achish gave him (27:3). While David and his men were away, Amalekite raiders attacked Ziklag, burned it, and carried off everyone in it, including Ahinoam and Abigail (30:1-5). David, greatly distressed but strengthened by the LORD, pursued the raiders and recovered everyone taken captive -- "nothing was missing... David also recovered his two wives" (30:18-19). When David was anointed king over Judah at Hebron, Ahinoam went up with him (2 Samuel 2:2-3). She bore David his firstborn son, Amnon (3:2; 1 Chronicles 3:1) -- the same son whose later sin against his half-sister Tamar and subsequent murder by Absalom would tear David's family apart, though Scripture records nothing more about Ahinoam herself once her son is named. Her story is bound up entirely with David's turbulent rise to the throne and its costs.