1 Samuel 18:23
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.”
22 Then Saul ordered his servants, “Speak to David privately and tell him, ‘Behold, the king is pleased with you, and all his servants love you. Now therefore, become his son-in-law.’”
But when Saul’s servants relayed these words to David, he replied, “Does it seem trivial in your sight to be the son-in-law of the king? I am a poor man and lightly esteemed.”
24 And the servants told Saul what David had said.
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.
Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- But when Saul’s servants relayed these words to David, he replied, “Does it seem trivial in your sight to be the son-in-law of the king? I am a poor man and lightly esteemed.”
- KJV
- And Saul’s servants spake those words in the ears of David. And David said, Seemeth it to you a light thing to be a king’s son in law, seeing that I am a poor man, and lightly esteemed?
- WEB
- Saul’s servants spoke those words in the ears of David. David said, “Does it seem to you a light thing to be the king’s son-in-law, since I am a poor man and little known?”
- ASV
- And Saul`s servants spake those words in the ears of David. And David said, Seemeth it to you a light thing to be the king`s son-in-law, seeing that I am a poor man, and lightly esteemed?
- DARBY
- And Saul's servants spoke those words in the ears of David. And David said, Is it a light thing in your eyes to be the king's son-in-law, seeing that I am a poor man, and lightly esteemed?
- BLB
- And the servants of Saul spoke in the ears of David these words. And David said, “Does it seem light in your⁺ eyes to be a son-in-law of the king? And I [am] a poor man and lightly esteemed.”
- ÅB
- Da Sauls tjener sa disse ord til David, svarte han: Synes dere det er en ringe ting å bli kongens svigersønn? Jeg er jo en fattig og ringe mann.
- OTB
- Så talte Sauls tjenere disse ordene til David. Men David sa: "Er det trivielt i deres øyne å bli kongens svigersønn, når jeg er en fattig mann og lite ansett?"
- B1930
- Da Sauls tjener sa disse ord til David, svarte han: Synes I det er en ringe ting å bli kongens svigersønn? Jeg er jo en fattig og ringe mann.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Proverbs 14:20
The poor man is hated even by his neighbor, but many are those who love the rich.
Read in contextEcclesiastes 9:15–16
Now a poor wise man was found in the city, and he saved the city by his wisdom. Yet no one remembered that poor man.
Read in context1 John 3:1
Behold what manner of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God. And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know Him.
Read in contextProverbs 19:6–7
Many seek the favor of the prince, and everyone is a friend of the gift giver.
Read in contextPsalms 119:141
I am lowly and despised, but I do not forget Your precepts.
Read in context1 Samuel 9:21
Saul replied, “Am I not a Benjamite from the smallest tribe of Israel, and is not my clan the least of all the clans of Benjamin? So why would you say such a thing to me?”
Read in context