¹⁶ And Caleb said, “I will give my daughter Aksah^(A) in marriage to the man who attacks and captures Kiriath Sepher.”

²⁵ Now the Israelites had been saying, “Do you see how this man keeps coming out? He comes out to defy Israel. The king will give great wealth to the man who kills him. He will also give him his daughter^(A) in marriage and will exempt his family from taxes^(B) in Israel.”

¹⁷ Saul said to David, “Here is my older daughter^(A) Merab. I will give her to you in marriage;^(B) only serve me bravely and fight the battles^(C) of the Lord.” For Saul said to himself,^(D) “I will not raise a hand against him. Let the Philistines do that!”

¹¹ Joab said to the man who had told him this, “What! You saw him? Why didn’t you strike^(A) him to the ground right there? Then I would have had to give you ten shekels^[a] of silver and a warrior’s belt.^(B)”

⁶ David had said, “Whoever leads the attack on the Jebusites will become commander in chief.” Joab^(A) son of Zeruiah went up first, and so he received the command.