New International Version
1 Samuel 18:21
21“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.”
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.
- 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.”
- New Living Translation (NLT)“Here’s another chance to see him killed by the Philistines!” Saul said to himself. But to David he said, “Today you have a second chance to become my son-in-law!”
Context of 1 Samuel 18:21
19So when the time came for Merab, Saul’s daughter, to be given to David, she was given in marriage to Adriel of Meholah. 20Now Saul’s daughter Michal was in love with David, and when they told Saul about it, he was pleased. “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.” 22Then Saul ordered his attendants: “Speak to David privately and say, ‘Look, the king likes you, and his attendants all love you; now become his son-in-law.’ ” 23They repeated these words to David. But David said, “Do you think it is a small matter to become the king’s son-in-law? I’m only a poor man and little known.”
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 said to him, “How long will this man be a snare to us? Let the people go, so that they may worship the Lord their God. Do you not yet realize that Egypt is ruined?”
- Psalms 7:14Whoever is pregnant with evil conceives trouble and gives birth to disillusionment.
- Psalms 38:12Those who want to kill me set their traps, those who would harm me talk of my ruin; all day long they scheme and lie.
- Proverbs 26:24Enemies disguise themselves with their lips, but in their hearts they harbor deceit.
- Proverbs 29:5Those who flatter their neighbors are spreading nets for their feet.
- Jeremiah 5:26“Among my people are the wicked who lie in wait like men who snare birds and like those who set traps to catch people.
- Jeremiah 9:8Their tongue is a deadly arrow; it speaks deceitfully. With their mouths they all speak cordially to their neighbors, but in their hearts they set traps for them.
- 1 Samuel 18:17Saul said to David, “Here is my older daughter Merab. I will give her to you in marriage; only serve me bravely and fight the battles of the Lord.” For Saul said to himself, “I will not raise a hand against him. Let the Philistines do that!”
- 1 Samuel 19:11Saul sent men to David’s house to watch it and to kill him in the morning. But Michal, David’s wife, warned him, “If you don’t run for your life tonight, tomorrow you’ll be killed.”
- 1 Samuel 18:26When the attendants told David these things, he was pleased to become the king’s son-in-law. So before the allotted time elapsed,
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
New International Version — © NIV® 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 Biblica
Commentaries