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17 Saul said to David, “Behold, my elder daughter Merab. I will give her to you as wife. Only be valiant for me, and fight Yahweh’s battles.” For Saul said, “Don’t let my hand be on him, but let the hand of the Philistines be on him.”

18 David said to Saul, “Who am I, and what is my life, or my father’s family in Israel, that I should be son-in-law to the king?”

19 But at the time when Merab, Saul’s daughter, should have been given to David, she was given to Adriel the Meholathite as wife.

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David Marries Saul’s Daughter

17 Saul told David, “Here is my older daughter Merab. I’ll give her to you as a wife. Just be an excellent soldier for me and fight the Lord’s battles.” Now Saul told himself,[a] “I won’t harm him myself.[b] Instead, I’ll let the Philistines harm him.”[c]

18 David told Saul, “Who am I and what is my life or my father’s family in Israel that I should be the king’s son-in-law?” 19 And when the time came to give Saul’s daughter Merab to David, she was given as a wife to Adriel of Meholah.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 18:17 The Heb. lacks to himself
  2. 1 Samuel 18:17 Lit. Let not my hand be against him
  3. 1 Samuel 18:17 Lit. let the hand of the Philistines be against him