Add parallel Print Page Options

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.

Read full chapter

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”

20 (A)Now Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved David. And they told Saul, and the thing pleased him. 21 So Saul said, “I will give her to him, that she may [a]be a snare to him, and that (B)the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” Therefore Saul said to David a second time, (C)“You shall be my son-in-law today.”

22 And Saul commanded his servants, “Communicate with David secretly, and say, ‘Look, the king has delight in you, and all his servants love you. Now therefore, become the king’s son-in-law.’ ”

23 So Saul’s servants spoke those words in the hearing of David. And David said, “Does it seem to you a light thing to be a king’s son-in-law, seeing I am a poor and lightly esteemed man?” 24 And the servants of Saul told him, saying, [b]“In this manner David spoke.”

25 Then Saul said, “Thus you shall say to David: ‘The king does not desire any (D)dowry but one hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to take (E)vengeance on the king’s enemies.’ ” But Saul (F)thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines. 26 So when his servants told David these words, it pleased David well to become the king’s son-in-law. Now (G)the days had not expired; 27 therefore David arose and went, he and (H)his men, and killed two hundred men of the Philistines. And (I)David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full count to the king, that he might become the king’s son-in-law. Then Saul gave him Michal his daughter as a wife.

28 Thus Saul saw and knew that the Lord was with David, and that Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved him; 29 and Saul was still more afraid of David. So Saul became David’s enemy [c]continually. 30 Then the princes of the Philistines (J)went out to war. And so it was, whenever they went out, that David (K)behaved more wisely than all the servants of Saul, so that his name became highly esteemed.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 18:21 be bait for
  2. 1 Samuel 18:24 Lit. According to these words
  3. 1 Samuel 18:29 all the days