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20 Saul’s daughter Michal loved David. Saul was informed of this and he liked the idea.[a] 21 Saul 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.”

22 Saul 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.’”

23 Saul’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.”

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

25 Saul 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. 26 When 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, 27 David 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. 28 As Saul continued to observe, he realized that the Lord was with David and that Saul’s daughter Michal loved him. 29 Then Saul was even more afraid of David, and Saul was David’s enemy from that time on.[k]

30 The 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. 1 Samuel 18:20 Lit. the matter was straight in his eyes
  2. 1 Samuel 18:21 The Heb. lacks to himself
  3. 1 Samuel 18:21 Lit. so the hand of the Philistines will be against him
  4. 1 Samuel 18:22 Or servants
  5. 1 Samuel 18:22 Or servants
  6. 1 Samuel 18:23 Or servants
  7. 1 Samuel 18:23 Lit. spoke these words in the ears of David
  8. 1 Samuel 18:23 Lit. David
  9. 1 Samuel 18:24 Or servants
  10. 1 Samuel 18:26 Or servants
  11. 1 Samuel 18:29 Lit. all the days
  12. 1 Samuel 18:30 The Heb. lacks to fight
  13. 1 Samuel 18:30 Or servants

20 Now Saul’s daughter Michal loved David, so they told Saul, and the matter pleased him.[a] 21 And Saul thought, “I will give her to him, so that she may be a snare for him and the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” So Saul said to David, “For a second time you can become my son-in-law today.” 22 Then Saul commanded his servants, “Speak to David in secret, saying, ‘Look, the king is pleased with you, and all his servants love you. So then, become a son-in-law of the king.’” 23 And Saul’s servants spoke these words to David privately.[b] But David said, “Is it insignificant in your sight[c] to become the son-in-law of the king, as I am a poor and lightly esteemed man?” 24 So the servants of Saul informed him, saying, “This is what David said.”[d] 25 Then Saul said, “This is what you must say to David: ‘The king desires no bride price[e] except for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to avenge himself on the enemies of the king.’” (Now Saul had planned to allow David to fall by the hand of the Philistines.) 26 So his servants told David these words, and the matter pleased David[f] to become the son-in-law of the king as the specified time had not expired.[g]

27 And David got up, and he and his men went and struck down two hundred men of the Philistines. Then David brought their foreskins, and they presented the full number[h] to become the king’s son-in-law. Then Saul gave him Michal his daughter as his wife. 28 When Saul realized[i] that Yahweh was with David and his own daughter Michal[j] loved him, 29 Saul was threatened by David still more,[k] so Saul became a perpetual enemy of David.[l] 30 Then the commanders of the Philistines went out for battle, and as often as they went out, David succeeded more than all the servants of Saul, and his name became very esteemed.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 18:20 Literally “was right in his eyes”
  2. 1 Samuel 18:23 Literally “in the ears of David”
  3. 1 Samuel 18:23 Literally “in your eyes”
  4. 1 Samuel 18:24 Literally “According to these words David spoke”
  5. 1 Samuel 18:25 Literally “There is not a desire for the king for a bride price”
  6. 1 Samuel 18:26 Literally “was right in the eyes of David”
  7. 1 Samuel 18:26 Literally “the days were not full”
  8. 1 Samuel 18:27 Literally “they filled them up”
  9. 1 Samuel 18:28 Literally “saw and knew”
  10. 1 Samuel 18:28 Literally “Michal the daughter of Saul”
  11. 1 Samuel 18:29 Literally “added to be afraid from the presence of David”
  12. 1 Samuel 18:29 Literally “was an enemy with David all the days”