Two window scenes

Gustave Doré (1865)

Francesco Salviati (c. 1553)

The narrative of Michal in Samuel includes two window scenes.^[1] In 1 Samuel 18, Michal helps David escape from Saul by letting him down through a window (top), while in 2 Samuel 6, Michal watches David dance before the ark (bottom).

Michal (Hebrew: מיכל‎) was a daughter of Saul, king of Israel, who loved and became the wife of David, (1 Samuel 18:20-27) who later became king of Judah, and later still of the united Kingdom of Israel.

Their story is recorded in the Book of Samuel. It is recorded that she chose the welfare of David over the wishes of her father. When Saul's messengers were searching for David in order to kill him, Michal secretly sent him away while pretending he was ill and laid up in bed. She let David down through a window and hid teraphim in his bed as a ruse. (1 Samuel 19:11-17)

Whilst David was hiding for his life, Saul gave Michal as a wife to Palti, son of Laish, and David took several other wives, including Abigail. (1 Samuel 25) Later when David became king of Judah and Ish-bosheth Michal's brother (and Saul's son) was king of Israel, David demanded her return to him, in return for peace between them. This Ish-bosheth did, despite the public protests of Palti.^[2]

These events have raised moral issues within Judaism, especially in the context of the prohibition in Deuteronomy 24:1-4. On the one hand, some argue that it is prohibited to re-establish a marriage with a previous spouse who has subsequently remarried. On the other hand, other commentators explain that David had not divorced Michal at this point in time, but rather Saul acted to break their marriage by marrying her off to another without David's consent.^[3] On that view, they were not technically divorced as David had not issued a writ of divorcement according to biblical law.

After Michal was back with David, she criticized David because he danced, partially unclothed out of spite of her and her new covering, as he brought the Ark of the Covenant to the newly-captured Jerusalem in a religious procession. (2 Samuel 6:14-22) Michal died barren and childless, as stated in 2 Samuel 6:23. Steven McKenzie, author of King David: A Biography, suggests that David prevented Michal and her other surviving relatives, such as Meribaal, from having children in order to extinguish the line of Saul and deny potential rivals to the throne.^[4]

The appearance of contradiction concerning Michal dying childless appears in 2 Samuel 21:8 where there is mention of "the five sons of Michal the daughter of Saul". However, the full phrase in 2 Samuel 21:8 is "the five sons of Michal the daughter of Saul, whom she brought up for Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite". Now, Merab, Michal's older sister, was the wife of Adriel (1 Samuel 18:19). These five sons were not birthed by Michal but were brought up or educated by Michal after Merab perhaps had died. Merab brought them forth, and Michal brought them up. ^[5]

Unlike Abigail and Bathsheba, Michal is not described as being beautiful, although according to Louis Ginzberg, the Rabbinic tradition is that she was of "entrancing beauty."^[6]

Michal in poetry[link]

• The Israeli poet Ra'hel Bluwstein sees a parallel between herself and Michal:

"Like you I am sad, O Michal ... and like you doomed to love a man whom I despise." (Poem "Michal" in her book Flowers of Perhaps.)

"Michal"

“And Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved David

And she despised him in her heart”

Michal, distant sister, time’s thread has not been severed,

time’s thorns in your sad vineyard have not prevailed.

Still in my ear I hear the tinkling of your gold anklet,

the stripes in your silk garment have not paled.

Often I have seen you standing by your small window

pride and tenderness mingling in your eyes.

Like you I am sad, O Michal, distant sister, and like you doomed to

love a man whom I despise.

Or alternatively translated:

"Michal"

Though years divide, we’re sisters yet;

Your vineyard stands though weeds invade;

Still tinkle anklet, amulet;

Your red silk garment does not fade.

By a small window still you stand,

Proud but a death within your eyes.

My sister, I can understand –

Who also love whom I despise.

1927, Israel

Translated by Robert Friend

Use as a name[link]

"Michal" was one of the Biblical names embraced by Zionism, very rarely found in pre-Zionist communities. It is a very common female first name in contemporary Israel. Michal is not a form of Michael, but possibly means "brook," or "stream."^[7]

Notes[link]

1. ^ Ellen White, "Michal the Misinterpreted," JSOT 31.4 [2007] 451 – 464.
2. ^ 2 Samuel 3:13-16
3. ^ Though the Book of Deuteronomy attributes itself to the period of the Hebrews' Exodus from Egypt, many historians regard it as having been actually written during the late monarchy. David's appearing to be oblivious to the prohibition laid down in it seems additional evidence in support of such theories.
4. ^ Steven McKenzie, Associate Professor, Rhodes College, Memphis, Tennessee
5. ^ See John Gill commentary on 2 Samuel 21
6. ^ Louis Ginzberg, The Family of David in The Legends of the Jews, Vol. 4.
7. ^ http://www.behindthename.com/php/search.php?nmd=n&terms=michal&submit=Go

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Elodie Vanda Frégé
Background information
Birth name	Elodie Frégé
Born	(1982-02-15) February 15, 1982 (age 30)
Origin	Nièvre, France
Genres	Pop, World
Years active	2003—
Labels	Universal Music International Mercury France
Website	elodiefrege.artistes.universalmusic.fr

Elodie Frégé (born February 15, 1982 in Cosne-sur-Loire, Nièvre) is a French singer. She was the winner of the third season of Star Academy France. She released her self-titled debut album after winning the show.

Biography[link]

Élodie was born in Nièvre, France. She comes from a family with a musical background; her grandfather (who is of Italian origin) was a professional accordionist. She started her musical interest at the age of 6. She started learning guitar when she was a child and took classes for 8 years. She also trained ballet for 12 years, so that gave her good basic dancing skills which have helped her later in her music career. Her brother and sister showed musical interest; they also sing and perform.

She auditioned for Star Academy Season 3 and won the title in 2004. Many people, including the professors and critics, felt Sofia Essaïdi should have been the winner.^{[citation needed]} However, the French public chose Elodie, the emotional singer against the vocal performer Sofia.

Later in 2004 she released her debut self-titled album, Élodie Frégé. Her hit singles were "De L'eau" and "Viens jusqu'à moi". In 2006, she released her second album, Le Jeu des 7 Erreurs, written and composed with a French artist Benjamin Biolay. The first single is "La ceinture".

She made her first solo concerts in Paris on December 2006 at Café de la Danse, and on January 2007 at La Cigale, beginning her first tour through France and Belgium.

Discography[link]

Albums[link]

• Elodie Frégé - 2004 (#4 FR)
• Le jeu des 7 erreurs - 2006 (#12 FR)
• La Fille De L'Après Midi - October 4, 2010

Singles[link]

• "De l'eau" - 2004 (#16 FR)
• "Viens jusqu'à moi" (duet with Michal)- 2004 (#8 FR)
• "Je te dis non" - 2004 (#38 FR)
• "La ceinture" - 2006
• "Si je reste (un peu)" - 2007
• "La fidélité" - 2007

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Élodie Frégé

• Official website

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Michal David
Michal David at the Hostel film premiere, first from left
Background information
Birth name	Vladimír Štancl
Born	(1960-07-14) 14 July 1960 (age 51)
Origin	Prague, Czechoslovakia
Genres	jazz, pop
Occupations	singer, songwriter, producer, activist, celebrity
Instruments	vocals, piano
Years active	1976–present
Labels	Sony, Supraphon Panton
Website	http://michaldavid.cz/ (Czech)

Signature of Michal David (2009)

Michal David (born as Vladimír Štancl, 14 July 1960, Prague, Czechoslovakia, now the Czech Republic), is a Czech pop music star. He is a successful Czech pop-singer, songwriter and producer and is nowadays one of the most popular, famous and influential artists in the Czech and Slovak show business.^{[citation needed]} In his three decade career Michal David has sold more than 3,5 million records, making him one of the most successful artists in the Czech and Slovak Republics.^{[citation needed]}

He started his music career during his studies in "Prague Music Conservatory" in the 1970s where he created a "Jazz Band" with his friends, as jazz has been Michal´s main passion and an academic concentration.

However, after a short period of time, he was hired by a successful pop-music producer František Janeček as a piano player and singer, where he was part of his pop-music band and Michal soon became teenage girls' idol.^{[citation needed]}

After the Czechoslovak "Velvet Revolution" in 1989, Michal David as well many other Czechoslovak popular singers fell on hard times, since the political situation changed rapidly and the market started to open to other foreign artists and domestic artists lost their popularity for a while.^{[citation needed]} During this time Michal David was mainly focusing on composing and songwriting rather than performing. His popularity was restored again in 1998 when he composed and sang "Hymn" for the Czech National Ice Hockey Team, which won the Winter Olympics in Nagano that year.^{[citation needed]} Then, in 2000, he contributed to the comeback of a other famous Czech female singer Helena Vondráčková by writing her hit song "Dlouhá noc", which has received a lot of recognition and awards.^{[citation needed]}

In 2002 Michal David officially composed his own first "Musical Show" called "Kleopatra" which was a hit of the year and ia still playing today in Prague theatre "Broadway".^{[citation needed]} Since then, Michal has composed 4 other thriving musicals, where he was not only a songwriter but the producer as well.^{[citation needed]}

Michal David is one of the most successful composers/singers of all times in Czech/Slovak pop music history and he has contributed a lot to the Czech/Slovak show business.^{[citation needed]}

Michal David´s albums sales are estimated at over 3,5 million units nationally, making him one of the best-selling music artists of all time in the Czech and Slovakian Republic.^{[citation needed]}

Michal David is as well known for his collaboration with a Hollywood movie director "Eli Roth" as Michal´s music was used in a Roth´s movie "Hostel".^{[citation needed]}

Michal David is currently a vocal coach on the TV reality talent show "The Voice", starting in February 2011 on Czech and Slovakian National TV.

Activism: Michal has been associated with many charities and non-profits since the death of his second daughter Michaela who died on leukemia at the age of 11.^{[citation needed]} He is raising large amounts of money by using his public profile to raise awareness of the disease.^{[citation needed]}

Michal David is currently living in Prague, Czech Republic with his wife Marcela (Marcela Skuherska), a former successful professional tennis player from the 1980s. (She won the "Fed Cup" in 1983 and 1984 with her team members Halena Sukova, Hana Mandlíkova and Iva Budarova, and participated in competitions such as US Open, Australian Open and Wimbledon). Michal´s only daughter, Klara, 21, is currently living in New York, where she studies Art at Sarah Lawrence College.^{[citation needed]}

References[link]

• Fan page (Czech)

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This article is an orphan, as few or no other articles link to it. Please introduce links to this page from related articles; suggestions may be available. (February 2009)

DJ Lucca (real name Lucie Kvasnicová) is a Czech DJ playing techno and minimal music. She started her career in 1999 in the Boby center club in Brno. As of now she can be regularly seen playing in clubs and on festivals in the Czech Republic and all over the world. XMAG magazine described Lucca as the most famous Czech DJ in 2003. In 2004 she founded her own label Acapulco Records.

Discography[link]

• Thrilla in Manila E.P. (392 TEKKnik eXPrimental REC, October 2006)
• Iguazu (392 TEKKnik eXPrimental REC, April 2006)
• Kenguru (Funktion, April 2005, with Chris Cowie)
• Mirage Remixes (F1, September 2005, with Chris Cowie)
• Towers (Acapulco, June 2005)
• Octanum (LTD, April 2005, with Chris Cowie)
• Freedom (Acapulco, September 2004)
• Fast Life (Definition, February 2004)
• Mirage 02 (Exwired, May 2003)
• Mirage 01 (Aquatrax, April 2003)

CD compilation[link]

• Live at Hradhouse DVD + CD (Acapulco, 2005)
• Hradhouse Warm Up (for magazine XMAG, June 2005)
• United DJs vol. 3 (Matrix Muzik Slovenia, May 2005, with Joel Mull)
• May Nights (for magazine XMAG, June 2004)
• The Sound of Hradhouse (for magazine XMAG, August 2003)
• Supersonic Garage (for magazine Rave, October 2002)
• Official CD Hradhouse 5th Anniversary mixed by DJ Lucca (for magazin Bassline, July 2002)

External links[link]

• Official websites
• Acapulco Records

Please expand this article. Some suggested sources are given hereafter. More information might be found in a section of the talk page. (November 2011)

Michal Pavlíček
Michal Pavlíček in Pod Čarou Theater in Písek
Background information
Born	(1956-02-14) February 14, 1956 (age 56)
Origin	Prague, Czechoslovakia
Genres	Rock, jazz rock, film music, instrumental rock
Occupations	Guitarist, composer, singer, lyricist
Years active	1978–present
Labels	Sony BMG
Website	www.michalpavlicek.com

Michal Pavlíček (born February 14, 1956) is Czech guitarist, musical composer, singer and lyricist.^[1][2]

Discography (except Bohemia, Pražský výběr a Stromboli)[link]

• Horký dech Jany Koubkové (1981)
• Black Light (1989)
• Minotaurus (muzikál, společně s Miroslavem Vitoušem, Panton 1990)
• Strange Pleasure Of Living (1991)
• Imagination (CDs Panton 1992, hudba pro československý pavilon Expo'92 Sevilla)
• Czech Masters of Rock Guitar/Čeští mistři rockové kytary - skladba č. 8 - Lonely/Tesklivá (BESTIA 1992)
• B.S.P. (1992)
• Big Heads (1992)
• B.S.P. (1994)
• NAČEVA - možnosti tu sou... (BONTON Music 1994)
• Roman Dragoun - Stín mý krve (1995)
• Konec velkých prázdnin (1996)
• Symphonic Variations (1997)
• The Scarlet Pimpernel (1999)
• Symphony In Quartet (2001)
• Big Heads - Čombió (2001)
• Michal Pavlíček a Beatová síň slávy (2006)
• Srdeční záležitosti (2010)

Musicals[link]

• Excalibur (Prague 2003)

References[link]