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!”

18 But David said to Saul, “Who am I,(E) and what is my family or my clan in Israel, that I should become the king’s son-in-law?(F) 19 So[a] when the time came for Merab,(G) Saul’s daughter, to be given to David, she was given in marriage to Adriel of Meholah.(H)

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 18:19 Or However,

17 Saul told David, “Here is my oldest daughter Merab. I’ll give her to you as a wife,(A) if you will be a warrior for me and fight the Lord’s battles.”(B) But Saul was thinking, “My hand doesn’t need to be against him; let the hand of the Philistines be against him.”(C)

18 Then David responded, “Who am I,(D) and what is my family or my father’s clan in Israel that I should become the king’s son-in-law?” 19 When it was time to give Saul’s daughter Merab to David, she was given to Adriel the Meholathite as a wife.(E)

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