1 Samuel 18:9-19

9 And Saul eyed David from that day and forward.

10 And it came to pass on the next day that the evil spirit from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of the house, and David played with his hand as at other times, and there was a spear in Saul’s hand.

11 And Saul cast the spear, saying, I will smite David to the wall with it. And David avoided out of his presence twice.

12 But Saul was afraid of David because the LORD was with him and had departed from Saul.

13 Therefore, Saul removed him from him and made him captain over a thousand, and he went out and came in before the people.

14 And David behaved himself prudently in all his ways, and the LORD was with him.

15 Therefore, when Saul saw that he behaved himself very prudently, he was afraid of him.

16 But all Israel and Judah loved David because he went out and came in before them.

17 And Saul said to David, Behold I will give thee my elder daughter Merab to wife; only be thou valiant for me, and fight the LORD’s battles. For Saul said to himself, My hand shall not be against him, but the hand of the Philistines shall be against him.

18 And David said unto Saul, Who am I, and what is my life or my father’s family in Israel that I should be son-in-law to the king?

19 And it came to pass at the time when Merab, Saul’s daughter, should have been given to David that she was given unto Adriel, the Meholathite, to wife.

1 Samuel 18:9-19 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.