Christian Standard Bible
1 Samuel 18:21
21“I’ll give her to him,” Saul thought. “She’ll be a trap for him, and the hand of the Philistines will be against him.” So Saul said to David a second time, “You can now be my son-in-law.”
1 Samuel 18:21 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And Saul said, I will give him her, that she may be a snare to him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him. Wherefore Saul said to David, Thou shalt this day be my son in law in the one of the twain.
- New International Version (NIV)“I will give her to him,” he thought, “so that she may be a snare to him and so that the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” So Saul said to David, “Now you have a second opportunity to become my son-in-law.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)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."
- New King James Version (NKJV)So Saul said, “I will give her to him, that she may be a snare to him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” Therefore Saul said to David a second time, “You shall be my son-in-law today.”
Context of 1 Samuel 18:21
19When it was time to give Saul’s daughter Merab to David, she was given to Adriel the Meholathite as a wife. 20Now Saul’s daughter Michal loved David, and when it was reported to Saul, it pleased him. “I’ll give her to him,” Saul thought. “She’ll be a trap for him, and the hand of the Philistines will be against him.” So Saul said to David a second time, “You can now be my son-in-law.” 22Saul then ordered his servants, “Speak to David in private and tell him, ‘Look, the king is pleased with you, and all his servants love you. Therefore, you should become the king’s son-in-law.’” 23Saul’s servants reported these words directly to David, but he replied, “Is it trivial in your sight to become the king’s son-in-law? I am a poor commoner.”
Read all of 1 Samuel 181 Samuel 18:21 word by word
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר שָׁא֜וּל אֶתְּנֶ֤נָּה לּוֹ֙ וּתְהִי־ל֣וֹ לְמוֹקֵ֔שׁ וּתְהִי־ב֖וֹ יַד־פְּלִשְׁתִּ֑ים וַיֹּ֤אמֶר שָׁאוּל֙ אֶל־דָּוִ֔ד בִּשְׁתַּ֛יִם תִּתְחַתֵּ֥ן בִּ֖י הַיּֽוֹם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And Saulשָׁאוּלshâ'ûl · SaulH7586
- saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- I will giveנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
- him her, that she may be a snareמוֹקֵשׁmôqêsh môqêsh · snareH4170
- to him, and that the handיָדyâd · hand: powerH3027
- of the Philistinesפְּלִשְׁתִּיpelishtîy · PhilistineH6430
- to Davidדָּוִדdâvid dâvîyd · DavidH1732
- Thou shalt this dayיוֹםyôm · day: todayH3117
- be my son in lawחָתַןchâthan · make oneself a daughter’s husbandH2859
- the twainשְׁנַ֫יִםshenayim shettayim · twoH8147
Cross-references for 1 Samuel 18:21
- Exodus 10:7Pharaoh’s officials asked him, “How long must this man be a snare to us? Let the men go, so that they may worship the Lord their God. Don’t you realize yet that Egypt is devastated?”
- Psalms 7:14See, the wicked one is pregnant with evil, conceives trouble, and gives birth to deceit.
- Psalms 38:12Those who intend to kill me set traps, and those who want to harm me threaten to destroy me; they plot treachery all day long.
- Proverbs 26:24A hateful person disguises himself with his speech and harbors deceit within.
- Proverbs 29:5A person who flatters his neighbor spreads a net for his feet.
- Jeremiah 5:26for wicked men live among my people. They watch like hunters lying in wait. They set a trap; they catch men.
- Jeremiah 9:8Their tongues are deadly arrows — they speak deception. With his mouth one speaks peaceably with his friend, but inwardly he sets up an ambush.
- 1 Samuel 18:17Saul told David, “Here is my oldest daughter Merab. I’ll give her to you as a wife if you will be a warrior for me and fight the Lord’s battles.” But Saul was thinking, “I don’t need to raise a hand against him; let the hand of the Philistines be against him.”
- 1 Samuel 19:11Saul sent agents to David’s house to watch for him and kill him in the morning. But his wife Michal warned David, “If you don’t escape tonight, you will be dead tomorrow!”
- 1 Samuel 18:26When the servants reported these terms to David, he was pleased to become the king’s son-in-law. Before the wedding day arrived,
Commentaries on 1 Samuel 18:21
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21That she may be a snare to him - Saul had already determined the condition on which he would give his daughter to David; viz., that he should slay one hundred Philistines: this he supposed he would undertake for the love of Michal, and that he must necessarily perish in the attempt; and thus Michal would become a snare to him.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21In the one of the twain - Some prefer “the second time” Job 33:14. The first contract had been broken by giving Merab to Adriel.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 12-30Verses 12-30 For a long time David was kept in continual apprehension of falling by the hand of Saul, yet he persevered in meek and respectful behaviour towards his persecutor. How uncommon is such prudence and discretion, especially under insults and provocations! Let us inquire if we imitate this part of the exemplary character before us. Are we behaving wisely in all our ways? Is there no sinful omission, no rashness of spirit, nothing wrong in our…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Samuel 18:21
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 1 Samuel 18
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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