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1 Samuel 18:17

DavidMerabSaul

15 When Saul saw that David was very successful, he was afraid of him.

16 But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he was leading them out to battle and back.

Then Saul said to David, “Here is my older daughter Merab. I will give her to you in marriage. Only be valiant for me and fight the LORD’s battles.” But Saul was thinking, “I need not raise my hand against him; let the hand of the Philistines be against him.”

18 And David said to Saul, “Who am I, and what is my family or my father’s clan in Israel, that I should become the son-in-law of the king?”

19 So when it was time to give Saul’s daughter Merab to David, she was given in marriage to Adriel of Meholah.

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Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
Then Saul said to David, “Here is my older daughter Merab. I will give her to you in marriage. Only be valiant for me and fight the LORD’s battles.” But Saul was thinking, “I need not raise my hand against him; let the hand of the Philistines be against him.”
KJV
And Saul said to David, Behold my elder daughter Merab, her will I give thee to wife: only be thou valiant for me, and fight the LORD’s battles. For Saul said, Let not mine hand be upon him, but let the hand of the Philistines be upon him.
WEB
Saul said to David, “Behold, my elder daughter Merab. I will give her to you as wife. Only be valiant for me, and fight the LORD’s battles.” For Saul said, “Don’t let my hand be on him, but let the hand of the Philistines be on him.”
ASV
And Saul said to David, Behold, my elder daughter Merab, her will I give thee to wife: only be thou valiant for me, and fight Jehovah`s battles. For Saul said, Let not my hand be upon him, but let the hand of the Philistines be upon him.
DARBY
And Saul said to David, Behold my eldest daughter Merab, her will I give thee to wife; only be thou valiant for me, and fight Jehovah's battles. But Saul thought, My hand shall not be upon him, but the hand of the Philistines shall be upon him.
BLB
And Saul said to David, “Behold, my older daughter Merab, I will give her to you as a wife. Only be for me a valiant man and fight the battles of YHWH.” For Saul thought, “Let not my hand be against him, but let the hand of the Philistines be against him.”
ÅB
Og Saul sa til David: Her er min eldste datter Merab; henne vil jeg gi deg til hustru; la meg bare se at du er en djerv stridsmann og fører Herrens kriger! For Saul tenkte: Min hånd skal ikke ramme ham, men filistrenes hånd skal ramme ham.
OTB
Da sa Saul til David: "Her er min eldste datter Merab; jeg vil gi henne til deg som kone. Bare vær en tapper mann for meg og kjemp Herrens kamper." For Saul tenkte: "La ikke min hånd være mot ham, men la filisternes hånd være mot ham."
B1930
Og Saul sa til David: Her er min eldste datter Merab; henne vil jeg gi dig til hustru; la mig bare se at du er en djerv stridsmann og fører Herrens kriger! For Saul tenkte: Min hånd skal ikke ramme ham, men filistrenes hånd skal ramme ham.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • 1 Samuel 17:25

    Now the men of Israel had been saying, “Do you see this man who keeps coming out to defy Israel? To the man who kills him the king will give great riches. And he will give him his daughter in marriage and exempt his father’s house from taxation in Israel.”

    Read in context

  • 1 Samuel 18:25

    Saul replied, “Say to David, ‘The king desires no other dowry but a hundred Philistine foreskins as revenge on his enemies.’” But Saul intended to cause David’s death at the hands of the Philistines.

    Read in context

  • 1 Samuel 25:28

    Please forgive your servant’s offense, for the LORD will surely make a lasting dynasty for my lord, because he fights the LORD’s battles. May no evil be found in you as long as you live.

    Read in context

  • 1 Samuel 18:21

    “I will give her to David,” Saul thought, “so that she may be a snare to him, and the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” So Saul said to David, “For a second time now you can be my son-in-law.”

    Read in context

  • 1 Samuel 17:47

    And all those assembled here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD’s, and He will give all of you into our hands.”

    Read in context

  • 2 Samuel 12:9

    Why then have you despised the command of the LORD by doing evil in His sight? You put Uriah the Hittite to the sword and took his wife as your own, for you have slain him with the sword of the Ammonites.

    Read in context

  • Psalms 12:2

    They lie to one another; they speak with flattering lips and a double heart.

    Read in context

  • Numbers 32:27

    But your servants are equipped for war, and every man will cross over to the battle before the LORD, just as our lord says.”

    Read in context