1 Samuel 18:11-21

11 and Saul casteth the javelin, and saith, `I smite through David, even through the wall;' and David turneth round out of his presence twice.

12 And Saul is afraid of the presence of David, for Jehovah hath been with him, and from Saul He hath turned aside;

13 and Saul turneth him aside from him, and appointeth him to himself head of a thousand, and he goeth out an cometh in, before the people.

14 And David is in all his ways acting wisely, and Jehovah [is] with him,

15 and Saul seeth that he is acting very wisely, and is afraid of him,

16 and all Israel and Judah love David when he is going out and coming in before them.

17 And Saul saith unto David, `Lo, my elder daughter Merab -- her I give to thee for a wife; only, be to me for a son of valour, and fight the battles of Jehovah;' and Saul said, `Let not my hand be on him, but let the hand of the Philistines be upon him.'

18 And David saith unto Saul, `Who [am] I? and what my life -- the family of my father in Israel -- that I am son-in-law to the king?'

19 And it cometh to pass, at the time of the giving of Merab daughter of Saul to David, that she hath been given to Adriel the Meholathite for a wife.

20 And Michal daughter of Saul loveth David, and they declare to Saul, and the thing is right in his eyes,

21 and Saul saith, `I give her to him, and she is to him for a snare, and the hand of the Philistines is on him;' and Saul saith unto David, `By the second -- thou dost become my son-in-law to-day.'

1 Samuel 18:11-21 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.