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20 Now Saul’s daughter Michal loved David. Saul was told, and the thing pleased him.(A) 21 Saul thought, “Let me give her to him that she may be a snare for him and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” Therefore Saul said to David a second time,[a] “You shall now be my son-in-law.”(B) 22 Saul commanded his servants, “Speak to David in private and say, ‘See, the king is delighted with you, and all his servants love you; now then, become the king’s son-in-law.’ ” 23 So Saul’s servants reported these words to David in private. And David said, “Does it seem to you a little thing to become the king’s son-in-law, seeing that I am a poor man and of no repute?” 24 The servants of Saul told him, “This is what David said.” 25 Then Saul said, “Thus shall you say to David, ‘The king desires no marriage present except a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, that he may be avenged on the king’s enemies.’ ” Now Saul planned to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines.(C) 26 When his servants told David these words, David was well pleased to be the king’s son-in-law. Before the time had expired,(D) 27 David rose and went, along with his men, and killed one hundred[b] of the Philistines, and David brought their foreskins, which were given in full number to the king, that he might become the king’s son-in-law. Saul gave him his daughter Michal as a wife.(E) 28 But when Saul realized that the Lord was with David and that Saul’s daughter Michal loved him, 29 Saul was still more afraid of David. So Saul was David’s enemy from that time forward.

30 Then the commanders of the Philistines came out to battle, and as often as they came out, David had more success than all the servants of Saul, so that his fame became very great.(F)

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Footnotes

  1. 18.21 Heb by two
  2. 18.27 Gk: Heb two hundred

20 Now Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved David. When they told Saul about this, it[a] pleased him. 21 Saul said, “I will give her to him so that she may become a snare to him and so the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” So Saul said to David, “Today is the second time for you to become my son-in-law.”[b]

22 Then Saul instructed his servants, “Tell David secretly, ‘The king is pleased with you, and all his servants like you. So now become the king’s son-in-law.’” 23 So Saul’s servants spoke these words privately to[c] David. David replied, “Is becoming the king’s son-in-law something insignificant to you? I’m just a poor and lightly esteemed man!”

24 When Saul’s servants reported what David had said, 25 Saul replied, “Here is what you should say to David: ‘There is nothing that the king wants as a price for the bride except 100 Philistine foreskins, so that he can be avenged of his[d] enemies.’” (Now Saul was thinking that he could kill David by the hand of the Philistines.)

26 So his servants told David these things and David agreed[e] to become the king’s son-in-law. Now the specified time had not yet expired[f] 27 when David, along with his men, went out[g] and struck down 200 Philistine men. David brought their foreskins and presented all of them to the king so that he could become the king’s son-in-law. Saul then gave him his daughter Michal in marriage.

28 When Saul realized[h] that the Lord was with David and that his[i] daughter Michal loved David,[j] 29 Saul became even more afraid of him.[k] Saul continued to be at odds with David from then on.[l] 30 [m] The leaders of the Philistines would march out, and as often as they did so, David achieved more success than all of Saul’s servants. His name was held in high esteem.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 18:20 tn Heb “the matter.”
  2. 1 Samuel 18:21 tc The final sentence of v. 21 is absent in most LXX mss.
  3. 1 Samuel 18:23 tn Heb “in the ears of.”
  4. 1 Samuel 18:25 tn Heb “the king’s.”
  5. 1 Samuel 18:26 tn Heb “and it was acceptable in the eyes of David.”
  6. 1 Samuel 18:26 tn Heb “the days were not fulfilled.”
  7. 1 Samuel 18:27 tn Heb “arose and went.”
  8. 1 Samuel 18:28 tn Heb “saw and knew.”
  9. 1 Samuel 18:28 tn Heb “Saul’s.” In the translation the proper name has been replaced by the pronoun for stylistic reasons.
  10. 1 Samuel 18:28 tn Heb “him”; the referent (David) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  11. 1 Samuel 18:29 tn Heb “of David.” In the translation the proper name has been replaced by the pronoun for stylistic reasons.
  12. 1 Samuel 18:29 tc The final sentence of v. 29 is absent in most LXX mss.tn Heb “all the days.”
  13. 1 Samuel 18:30 tc Verse 30 is absent in most LXX mss.