1 Samuel 18:19

19 But when the time came to give Saul's daughter Merab to David, she was married to Adriel from Meholah.

1 Samuel 18:19 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 18:19

But it came to pass, at the time when Merab, Saul's daughter,
should have been given to David
Either when the giving of her to him was talked of, or when the time fixed for her marriage was come:

that she was given to Adriel the Meholathite to wife:
Saul either having in reality never designed she should be given to David, only proposed it to please the people, or to affront David, and expose him to shame and confusion by the step he meant to take, or however he soon changed his mind; though Abarbinel's notion is, that the young lady had disposed of herself to this person without her father's knowledge, which seems not likely; the person she was given to was the son of Barzillai the Meholathite, ( 2 Samuel 21:8 ) ; and some have observed, as the curse of God on this match, that all her sons were delivered to the Gibeonites, and hanged up, as related in the same place; for though these sons are said to be brought up by Michal, they were bore by Merab to him.

1 Samuel 18:19 In-Context

17 Finally, Saul said to David, "Here is my oldest daughter Merab. I will give her to you as your wife if you prove yourself to be a warrior for me and fight the LORD's battles." (Saul thought, "I must not lay a hand on him. Let the Philistines do that.")

18 "Who am I?" David asked Saul. "And how important are my relatives or my father's family in Israel that I should be the king's son-in-law?"

19 But when the time came to give Saul's daughter Merab to David, she was married to Adriel from Meholah.

20 However, Saul's daughter Michal fell in love with David. When Saul was told about it, the news pleased him.

21 Saul thought, "I'll give her to David. She will trap him, and the Philistines will get him." So he said to David a second time, "You will now be my son-in-law."