8:8-10 These verses list Shaharaim’s children by Hodesh after he had divorced (sent away) his first two wives, Hushim and Baara. Divorce and polygamy are sometimes recorded in the Old Testament without critical comments. This does not mean that God takes divorce lightly. Malachi 2:15, 16 says, “Let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth. For the LORD, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away.” Jesus explained that although divorce was allowed, it was not God’s will: “Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so” (Matthew 19:8). Don’t assume that God approves of an act because it isn’t vigorously condemned in every related Bible reference.
8:33 Saul, Israel’s first king, was very inconsistent. His story is found in 1 Samuel 9–31, and his profile is in 1 Samuel 10, p. 567. Saul’s son Jonathan was the opposite. Although Jonathan was the rightful heir to the throne, he realized that David was God’s choice to be Israel’s next king. Instead of being jealous, Jonathan was David’s friend and even helped him escape from Saul’s attempts at murder. Jonathan’s story is told in 1 Samuel 14–31. His profile is found in 1 Samuel 21, p. 593.