David Marries Michal

1 Samuel 18

17 Then Saul said to David, "Here is v my elder daughter Merab. w I will give her to you for a wife. Only be valiant for me x and fight the Lord's battles." For Saul thought, "Let not my hand be against him, y but let the hand of the Philistines be against him." 18 And David said to Saul, z "Who am I, and who are my relatives, my father's clan in Israel, that I should be son-in-law to the king?" 19 But at the time when Merab, Saul's daughter, should have been given to David, she was given to a Adriel the b Meholathite for a wife.

20 Now v Saul's daughter Michal c loved David. And they told Saul, and the thing pleased him. 21 Saul thought, "Let me give her to him, that she may d be a snare for him e and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him." Therefore Saul said to David a second time, 1 f "You shall now be my son-in-law." 22 And Saul commanded his servants, "Speak to David in private and say, 'Behold, the king has delight in you, and all his servants love you. Now then become the king's son-in-law.'" 23 And Saul's servants spoke those words in the ears of David. And David said, g "Does it seem to you a little thing to become the king's son-in-law, since I am a poor man and have no reputation?" 24 And the servants of Saul told him, "Thus and so did David speak." 25 Then Saul said, "Thus shall you say to David, 'The king desires no h bride-price except a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, i that he may be avenged of the king's enemies.'" j Now Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines. 26 And when his servants told David these words, it pleased David well to be the king's son-in-law. k Before the time had expired, 27 David arose and went, l along with his men, and killed two hundred of the Philistines. m And David brought their foreskins, which were given in full number to the king, that he might become the king's son-in-law. And Saul gave him his daughter Michal for a wife. 28 But when Saul saw and knew that n the Lord was with David, o and that Michal, Saul's daughter, loved him, 29 Saul was even more afraid of David. So Saul was David's enemy continually.

30 p Then the princes of the Philistines came out to battle, and as often as they came out q David had more success than all the servants of Saul, so that his name was highly esteemed.

  1. Cross References
    1 Samuel 14:49
    Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan, Ishvi, and Malchi-shua. And the names of his two daughters were these: the name of the firstborn was Merab, and the name of the younger Michal.
  2. Cross References
    1 Samuel 17:25
    And the men of Israel said, "Have you seen this man who has come up? Surely he has come up to defy Israel. And the king will enrich the man who kills him with great riches and will give him his daughter and make his father's house free in Israel.
  3. Cross References
    1 Samuel 25:28
    Please forgive the trespass of your servant. For the Lord will certainly make my lord a sure house, because my lord is fighting the battles of the Lord, and evil shall not be found in you so long as you live.
  4. Cross References
    1 Samuel 18:21
    Saul thought, "Let me give her to him, that she may be a snare for him and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him." Therefore Saul said to David a second time, "You shall now be my son-in-law.
    1 Samuel 18:25
    Then Saul said, "Thus shall you say to David, 'The king desires no bride-price except a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, that he may be avenged of the king's enemies.'" Now Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines.
  5. Cross References
    1 Samuel 18:23
    And Saul's servants spoke those words in the ears of David. And David said, "Does it seem to you a little thing to become the king's son-in-law, since I am a poor man and have no reputation?
    2 Samuel 7:18
    Then King David went in and sat before the Lord and said, "Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far?
  6. Cross References
    2 Samuel 21:8
    The king took the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, whom she bore to Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth; and the five sons of Merab the daughter of Saul, whom she bore to Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite.
  7. Cross References
    Judges 7:22
    When they blew the 300 trumpets, the Lord set every man's sword against his comrade and against all the army. And the army fled as far as Beth-shittah toward Zererah, as far as the border of Abel-meholah, by Tabbath.
  8. Cross References
    1 Samuel 18:17
    Then Saul said to David, "Here is my elder daughter Merab. I will give her to you for a wife. Only be valiant for me and fight the Lord 's battles." For Saul thought, "Let not my hand be against him, but let the hand of the Philistines be against him.
  9. Cross References
    1 Samuel 18:28
    But when Saul saw and knew that the Lord was with David, and that Michal, Saul's daughter, loved him.
  10. Cross References
    Exodus 10:7
    Then Pharaoh's servants said to him, "How long shall this man be a snare to us? Let the men go, that they may serve the Lord their God. Do you not yet understand that Egypt is ruined?
  11. Cross References
    1 Samuel 18:17
    Then Saul said to David, "Here is my elder daughter Merab. I will give her to you for a wife. Only be valiant for me and fight the Lord 's battles." For Saul thought, "Let not my hand be against him, but let the hand of the Philistines be against him.
  12. Cross References
    1 Samuel 18:26
    And when his servants told David these words, it pleased David well to be the king's son-in-law. Before the time had expired.
  13. Cross References
    Numbers 16:9
    Is it too small a thing for you that the God of Israel has separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to himself, to do service in the tabernacle of the Lord and to stand before the congregation to minister to them.
  14. Cross References
    Genesis 34:12
    Ask me for as great a bride price and gift as you will, and I will give whatever you say to me. Only give me the young woman to be my wife.
    Exodus 22:17
    If her father utterly refuses to give her to him, he shall pay money equal to the bride-price for virgins.
  15. Cross References
    1 Samuel 14:24
    And the men of Israel had been hard pressed that day, so Saul had laid an oath on the people, saying, "Cursed be the man who eats food until it is evening and I am avenged on my enemies." So none of the people had tasted food.
  16. Cross References
    1 Samuel 18:17
    Then Saul said to David, "Here is my elder daughter Merab. I will give her to you for a wife. Only be valiant for me and fight the Lord 's battles." For Saul thought, "Let not my hand be against him, but let the hand of the Philistines be against him.
    1 Samuel 18:21
    Saul thought, "Let me give her to him, that she may be a snare for him and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him." Therefore Saul said to David a second time, "You shall now be my son-in-law.
  17. Cross References
    1 Samuel 18:21
    Saul thought, "Let me give her to him, that she may be a snare for him and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him." Therefore Saul said to David a second time, "You shall now be my son-in-law.
  18. Cross References
    1 Samuel 18:13
    So Saul removed him from his presence and made him a commander of a thousand. And he went out and came in before the people.
  19. Cross References
    2 Samuel 3:14
    Then David sent messengers to Ish-bosheth, Saul's son, saying, "Give me my wife Michal, for whom I paid the bridal price of a hundred foreskins of the Philistines.
  20. Cross References
    1 Samuel 18:12
    Saul was afraid of David because the Lord was with him but had departed from Saul.
  21. Cross References
    1 Samuel 18:20
    Now Saul's daughter Michal loved David. And they told Saul, and the thing pleased him.
  22. Cross References
    1 Samuel 19:8
    And there was war again. And David went out and fought with the Philistines and struck them with a great blow, so that they fled before him.
    2 Samuel 11:1
    In the spring of the year, the time when kings go out to battle, David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel. And they ravaged the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem.
  23. Cross References
    1 Samuel 18:5
    And David went out and was successful wherever Saul sent him, so that Saul set him over the men of war. And this was good in the sight of all the people and also in the sight of Saul's servants.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.
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