1 Samuel 18:20-30

David Marries Saul's Daughter

20 Now ¹Michal, Saul's daughter, loved David. When they told Saul, the thing was agreeable to him.

21 Saul thought, "I will give her to him that she may become a snare to him, and ²that the hand of the Philistines may be against him." Therefore Saul said to David, "³For a second time you may be my son-in-law today."

22 Then Saul commanded his servants, "Speak to David secretly, saying, 'Behold, the king delights in you, and all his servants love you; now therefore, become the king's son-in-law.' "

23 So Saul's servants spoke these words to David. But David said, "Is it trivial in your sight to become the king's son-in-law, ⁴since I am a poor man and lightly esteemed?"

24 The servants of Saul reported to him according to these words which David spoke.

25 Saul then said, "Thus you shall say to David, 'The king does not desire any ⁵dowry except a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, ⁶to take vengeance on the king's enemies.' " Now ⁷Saul planned to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines.

26 When his servants told David these words, it pleased * David to become the king's son-in-law. ⁸Before the days had expired

27 David rose up and went, ⁹he and his men, and struck down two hundred men among the Philistines. Then ¹⁰David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full number to the king, that he might become the king's son-in-law. So Saul gave him Michal his daughter for a wife.

28 When Saul saw and knew that the LORD was with David, and that Michal, Saul's daughter, loved him,

29 then Saul was even more * afraid of David. Thus Saul was David's enemy continually *.

30 Then the commanders of the Philistines ¹¹went out to battle, and it happened as often as they went out, that David ¹²behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul. So his name was highly esteemed.

1 Samuel 18:20-30 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO FIRST SAMUEL 18

This chapter gives an account of the respect shown to David by Saul and Jonathan, by the servants of Saul, and all the people, and of what was said in his praise in the songs of the women, 1Sa 18:1-7; which latter gave Saul a great offence, and upon which he envied him, and eyed him, and indeed sought his life, and removed him from him; and yet still he continued the darling of the people, behaving wisely among them, which greatly embarrassed Saul, that be knew not what to do, 1Sa 18:8-16; he proposed his eldest daughter to him in marriage, which he had a claim to by killing the Philistine, and then he cheated him by giving her to another, 1Sa 18:17-19; and then he offered his youngest daughter to him, on condition that he would bring him an hundred foreskins of the Philistines, execution of which he thought his life would be exposed to danger, which yet he performed, 1Sa 18:20-27; and having the affection of his wife, and the good esteem of the servants of Saul, Saul was more afraid of him, and became his enemy, 1Sa 18:28-30.

Cross References

• 1. 1 Samuel 18:28
• 2. 1 Samuel 18:17
• 3. 1 Samuel 18:26
• 4. Genesis 29:20; Genesis 34:12
• 5. Genesis 34:12; Exodus 22:17
• 6. 1 Samuel 14:24
• 7. 1 Samuel 18:17
• 8. 1 Samuel 18:21
• 9. 1 Samuel 18:17
• 10. 2 Samuel 3:14
• 11. 2 Samuel 11:1
• 12. 1 Samuel 18:5

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit "in his sight"
• [b]. Lit "in the ears of"
• [c]. Lit "by saying according"
• [d]. Lit "it was agreeable in the sight of"
• [e]. Lit "And the days had not expired"