1 Samuel 18:17

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.”

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Other translations

WEBBE

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

BSB

Then Saul said to David, “Here is my older daughter Merab. I will give her to you in marriage. Only be valiant for me and fight the LORD’s battles.” But Saul was thinking, “I need not raise my hand against him; let the hand of the Philistines be against him.”

KJV

And Saul said to David, Behold my elder daughter Merab, her will I give thee to wife: only be thou valiant for me, and fight the LORD’S battles. For Saul said, Let not mine hand be upon him, but let the hand of the Philistines be upon him.

ASV

And Saul said to David, Behold, my elder daughter Merab, her will I give thee to wife: only be thou valiant for me, and fight Jehovah’s battles. For Saul said, Let not my hand be upon him, but let the hand of the Philistines be upon him.

BBE

And Saul said to David, Here is my oldest daughter Merab, whom I will give you for your wife: only be strong for me, fighting in the Lord's wars. For Saul said, Let it not be through me that his fate comes to him, but through the Philistines.

Original Hebrew

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וַיֹּאמֶר vai·yo·mer and he said H559 שָׁאוּל sha·'ul Saul H7586 אֶל־ 'el- to H413 דָּוִד da·vid David H1732 הִנֵּה hi·neh here H2009 בִתִּי vi·ti daughter my H1323 הַגְּדוֹלָה ha·ge·do·lah (the) elder H1419 מֵרַב me·rav Merab H4764 אֹתָהּ 'o·tah (marks the object) her H853 אֶתֶּן־ 'e·ten- I will give H5414 לְךָ le·kha to (the) you H9031 לְאִשָּׁה le·'i·shah to a wife H802 אַךְ 'akh only H389 הֱיֵה־ he·yeh- become H1961 לִּי li of me H9030 לְבֶן־ le·ven- (into) a son of H1121 חַיִל cha·yil strength H2428 וְהִלָּחֵם ve·hi·la·chem and fight H3898 מִלְחֲמוֹת mil·cha·mot [the] battles of H4421 יְהוָה yah·weh Yahweh H3068 וְשָׁאוּל ve·sha·'ul and Saul H7586 אָמַר 'a·mar he said H559 אַל־ 'al- may not H408 תְּהִי te·hi it be H1961 יָדִי ya·di hand my H3027 בּוֹ bo on (the) him H9033 וּתְהִי־ u·te·hi- and let it be H1961 בוֹ vo on (the) him H9033 יַד־ yad- [the] hand of H3027 פְּלִשְׁתִּים ס pe·lish·tim [the] Philistines H6430

Commentary

Matthew Henry · Verses 12–30

For a long time David was kept in continual apprehension of falling by the hand of Saul, yet he persevered in meek and respectful behaviour towards his persecutor. How uncommon is such prudence and discretion, especially under insults and provocations! Let us inquire if we imitate this part of the exemplary character before us. Are we behaving wisely in all our ways? Is there no sinful omission, no rashness of spirit, nothing wrong in our conduct? Opposition and perverseness in others, will not excuse wrong tempers in us, but should increase our care, and attention to the duties of our station. Consider Him that endured contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be weary and faint in your minds, He 12:3. If David magnified the honour of being son-in-law to king Saul, how should we magnify the honour of being sons to the King of kings!

Read Matthew Henry on 1 Samuel 18 →

Cross-references

19

People & places

DavidSaulMerab

Topics

DavidArmiesMarriageMerab

Cross-references: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. Hebrew and Greek data from STEPBible.org (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0. Library: sources.