Ahinoam - International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

AHINOAM

a-hi-no'-am, a-hin'-o-am ('achino`am, "my brother is pleasantness"):

(1) Daughter of Ahimaaz, and wife of King Saul (1 Samuel 14:50).

(2) The woman from Jezreel whom David married after Saul gave Michal to another husband. She and Abigail, the widow of Nabal, seem to have been David's only wives prior to the beginning of his reign in Hebron. His marriage to Abigail is mentioned first, with some details, followed by the statement, easily to be understood in the pluperfect, that he had previously married Ahinoam (1 Samuel 25:39-44). Three times they are mentioned together, Ahinoam always first (1 Samuel 27:3; 30:5; 2 Samuel 2:2), and Ahinoam is the mother of David's first son and Abigail of his second (2 Samuel 3:2; 1 Chronicles 3:1). Ahinoam's son was Amnon. The record really represents David's polygamy as a series of bids for political influence; the names of Amnon, Absalom, Adonijah suggest that the method was not finally a success.

Willis J. Beecher

Bibliography Information
Orr, James, M.A., D.D. General Editor. "Entry for 'AHINOAM'". "International Standard Bible Encyclopedia". 1915.