A frequent misinterpretation claims Michal literally bore five sons, directly contradicting 2 Samuel 6:23's statement that she remained childless, when textual evidence and context indicate a scribal error substituting Michal for her fertile sister Merab whose sons she raised; another error portrays David's handover as cold-blooded murder without justification, overlooking the Gibeonites' legitimate bloodguilt claim under the Joshua-era treaty Saul breached, which required such restitution in that era to appease divine wrath manifested through famine.
II Samuel 21:8
King James Version (1769)
8 But the king took the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, whom she bare unto Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth; and the five sons of Michal the daughter of Saul, whom she brought up for Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite:
This verse lists the seven descendants of Saul—two sons born to his concubine Rizpah and five sons raised by his daughter Michal (likely her sister Merab due to Michal's barrenness)—whom David delivered to the Gibeonites for execution to atone for Saul's earlier violation of their covenant, ending a three-year famine as an act of restorative justice. It illustrates ancient Near Eastern principles of collective responsibility for royal sins, the binding nature of oaths, and God's use of natural disasters to enforce covenant accountability, emphasizing that unrighteousness can curse the land until properly addressed.