1 Samuel 18:20-30

English Standard Version

²⁰Now ^(A)Saul's daughter Michal ^(B)loved David. And they told Saul, and the thing pleased him. ²¹Saul thought, “Let me give her to him, that she may ^(C)be a snare for him ^(D)and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” Therefore Saul said to David a second time,^[a] ^(E)“You shall now be my son-in-law.” ²²And Saul commanded his servants, “Speak to David in private and say, ‘Behold, the king has delight in you, and all his servants love you. Now then become the king's son-in-law.’” ²³And Saul's servants spoke those words in the ears of David. And David said, ^(F)“Does it seem to you a little thing to become the king's son-in-law, since I am a poor man and have no reputation?” ²⁴And the servants of Saul told him, “Thus and so did David speak.” ²⁵Then Saul said, “Thus shall you say to David, ‘The king desires no ^(G)bride-price except a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, ^(H)that he may be avenged of the king's enemies.’” ^(I)Now Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines. ²⁶And when his servants told David these words, it pleased David well to be the king's son-in-law. ^(J)Before the time had expired, ²⁷David arose and went, ^(K)along with his men, and killed two hundred of the Philistines. ^(L)And David brought their foreskins, which were given in full number to the king, that he might become the king's son-in-law. And Saul gave him his daughter Michal for a wife. ²⁸But when Saul saw and knew that ^(M)the Lord was with David, ^(N)and that Michal, Saul's daughter, loved him, ²⁹Saul was even more afraid of David. So Saul was David's enemy continually.

³⁰^(O)Then the commanders of the Philistines came out to battle, and as often as they came out ^(P)David had more success than all the servants of Saul, so that his name was highly esteemed.

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Footnotes

1 Samuel 18:21 Hebrew by two

1 Samuel 18:20-30

International Standard Version

²⁰Saul’s daughter Michal loved David. Saul was informed of this and he liked the idea.^[a] ²¹Saul told himself,^[b] “I’ll give her to him and she can be a snare to him and the Philistines will harm him.”^[c] So Saul told David, “For a second time you can be my son-in-law today.”

²²Saul commanded his officials,^[d] “Speak with David privately and say, ‘Look, the king delights in you, and all his officials^[e] love you. Now become the king’s son-in-law.’”

²³Saul’s officials^[f] delivered this message to David,^[g] and he^[h] asked, “Is becoming the king’s son-in-law an unimportant thing to you? I’m a poor and unimportant man.”

²⁴Saul’s officials^[i] reported to him: “This is what David said.”

²⁵Saul said, “This is what you are to tell David, ‘The king desires no bride price except 100 Philistine foreskins to take vengeance on the king’s enemies.’” Now Saul thought he would cause David to die at the hand of the Philistines. ²⁶When his officials^[j] delivered this message to David, David decided it would be a good thing to become the king’s son-in-law. Before the time was up, ²⁷David got up, went out with his men, and struck down 200 Philistine men. David brought their foreskins and gave them all to the king so he could become the king’s son-in-law. So Saul gave him his daughter Michal as a wife. ²⁸As Saul continued to observe, he realized that the Lord was with David and that Saul’s daughter Michal loved him. ²⁹Then Saul was even more afraid of David, and Saul was David’s enemy from that time on.^[k]

³⁰The Philistine commanders would go out to fight^[l] and whenever they did, David was more successful than any of Saul’s other leaders.^[m] His name was held in high esteem.

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Footnotes

1 Samuel 18:20 Lit. the matter was straight in his eyes
1 Samuel 18:21 The Heb. lacks to himself
1 Samuel 18:21 Lit. so the hand of the Philistines will be against him
1 Samuel 18:22 Or servants
1 Samuel 18:22 Or servants
1 Samuel 18:23 Or servants
1 Samuel 18:23 Lit. spoke these words in the ears of David
1 Samuel 18:23 Lit. David
1 Samuel 18:24 Or servants
1 Samuel 18:26 Or servants
1 Samuel 18:29 Lit. all the days
1 Samuel 18:30 The Heb. lacks to fight
1 Samuel 18:30 Or servants

1 Samuel 18:20-30

New International Version

²⁰Now Saul’s daughter Michal^(A) was in love with David, and when they told Saul about it, he was pleased.^(B) ²¹“I will give her to him,” he thought, “so that she may be a snare^(C) to him and so that the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” So Saul said to David, “Now you have a second opportunity to become my son-in-law.”

²²Then Saul ordered his attendants: “Speak to David privately and say, ‘Look, the king likes you, and his attendants all love you; now become his son-in-law.’”

²³They repeated these words to David. But David said, “Do you think it is a small matter to become the king’s son-in-law?^(D) I’m only a poor man and little known.”

²⁴When Saul’s servants told him what David had said, ²⁵Saul replied, “Say to David, ‘The king wants no other price^(E) for the bride than a hundred Philistine foreskins, to take revenge^(F) on his enemies.’” Saul’s plan^(G) was to have David fall by the hands of the Philistines.

²⁶When the attendants told David these things, he was pleased to become the king’s son-in-law. So before the allotted time elapsed, ²⁷David took his men with him and went out and killed two hundred Philistines and brought back their foreskins. They counted out the full number to the king so that David might become the king’s son-in-law. Then Saul gave him his daughter Michal^(H) in marriage.

²⁸When Saul realized that the Lord was with David and that his daughter Michal^(I) loved David, ²⁹Saul became still more afraid^(J) of him, and he remained his enemy the rest of his days.

³⁰The Philistine commanders continued to go out to battle, and as often as they did, David met with more success^(K) than the rest of Saul’s officers, and his name became well known.

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