1 Samuel 18:12-23

Saul's Jealousy of David

12 p Saul was afraid of David because q the Lord was with him r but had departed from Saul. 13 So Saul removed him from his presence and made him a commander of a thousand. s And he went out and came in before the people. 14 And David t had success in all his undertakings, q for the Lord was with him. 15 And when Saul saw that t he had great success, he stood in fearful awe of him. 16 u But all Israel and Judah loved David, for he went out and came in before them.

David Marries Michal

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?"

  1. Cross References
    1 Samuel 18:15
    And when Saul saw that he had great success, he stood in fearful awe of him.
    1 Samuel 18:29
    Saul was even more afraid of David. So Saul was David's enemy continually.
  2. 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.
    1 Samuel 16:18
    One of the young men answered, "Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skillful in playing, a man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a man of good presence, and the Lord is with him.
  3. Cross References
    1 Samuel 16:14
    Now the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and a harmful spirit from the Lord tormented him.
    1 Samuel 28:15
    Then Samuel said to Saul, "Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?" Saul answered, "I am in great distress, for the Philistines are warring against me, and God has turned away from me and answers me no more, either by prophets or by dreams. Therefore I have summoned you to tell me what I shall do.
  4. Cross References
    1 Samuel 18:16
    But all Israel and Judah loved David, for he went out and came in before them.
    Numbers 27:17
    Who shall go out before them and come in before them, who shall lead them out and bring them in, that the congregation of the Lord may not be as sheep that have no shepherd.
    2 Samuel 5:2
    In times past, when Saul was king over us, it was you who led out and brought in Israel. And the Lord said to you, 'You shall be shepherd of my people Israel, and you shall be prince over Israel.'
  5. 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.
  6. Cross References
    1 Samuel 18:12
    Saul was afraid of David because the Lord was with him but had departed from Saul.
  7. Cross References
    1 Samuel 18:14
    And David had success in all his undertakings, for the Lord was with him.
  8. 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.
  9. 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.
  10. 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.
  11. 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.
  12. 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.
  13. 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?
  14. 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.
  15. 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.
  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.
  17. 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.
  18. 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?
  19. 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.
  20. 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.
  21. 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.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.